2021-2022 Course Catalog

  1. ACA400

    Gender on Screen

    Academic Dean
    11/12
    Winter

    This course will help students gain a better understanding of how ideas around gender are perpetuated and disseminated through popular culture. Using interdisciplinary approaches to visual analysis, such as historical, sociological, and theoretical, we will explore the ways in which film and television are used as tools to reinforce and critique our understandings of gender. Overall, the goal of this course is twofold: to give students a better fluency in the language of gender and to help students build a critical toolkit for analyzing the world around them, through the lens of gender. The films for this course are from the last 30 years in American cinema, and will include titles like Fight Club (1999), Mean Girls (2004), and Moonlight (2016). We also plan on incorporating shorter pieces, such as TV episodes and music videos, to help students see how visual media, in all forms, is steeped in ideas of gender. Some key questions for this course are: what defines masculinity and femininity? How are ideas of masculinity and femininity related to other aspects of identity such as race and sexual orientation? To what extent can popular culture trouble mainstream ideas of gender? How can we become more critical of the media we consume and the messages that media contains?

  2. ACA412

    Thinking and Deciding

    Academic Dean
    11/12
    Fall/Winter/Spring

    Thinking and deciding are both fundamental aspects under girding the value of an individual’s agency; however, humans tend to perform poorly at both of these essential activities, and we rarely engage in formalized ways to improve our thinking and deciding. We will explore two main ways your brain engages in thinking (e.g., fast versus slow), shortcuts in thinking, and overconfidence. We will then learn about the dichotomy of luck and skill, employ some of the tools that are effective in decision making, and understand why getting and giving advice may be of little value. Ultimately, we will establish a metacognitive awareness of how we can make better choices.

  3. ACA602

    Exploring Race & Racism

    Academic Dean
    12
    Fall/Winter/Spring

    What is race? What is racism? How did the concept of race emerge and (how) has the understanding of what race means changed over time? What forces caused these changes? How do the forms and expressions of racism affect the lived experience of them? Are there circumstances or strategies that amplify, minimize or eliminate racism? Over ten weeks, we will explore these questions and others through the lenses of unique disciplines (including History, Biology, Philosophy, Art, Economics, Sociology, and more), employing the distinct methods and dispositions of each to come to a richer understanding of race and racism. Students will confront the driving forces, machinery, and consequences of racism in the United States, and across the globe. Students will have nightly readings, engage in daily seminar discussions and regular journal writing, and develop independent projects. This is a one-term course.

  4. ACA605

    Global Studies: Future of Now

    Academic Dean
    11/12
    Fall–Winter

    This issue centered course, ranging across a range of disciplines (media studies and rhetoric; anthropology, geography and psychology; philosophy and ethics; history and political science; literary and film studies) and drawing on diverse bodies of scholarship, mostly drawn from journals of public opinion and academic research, seeks to impart what the educational Philosopher Nel Noddings calls the skill “of disciplined civic inquiry” by providing students with a tool kit and vocabulary for understanding some of the great questions facing the 21st century. We will begin with an inquiry into the power of the media, new and old, to shape – and warp – our understanding of the world, including the debate around various kinds of media bias. We will then turn our attention to the duties and obligations of citizens in the 21st century; the sources and origins of global conflict; the future of democracy; peace and war (including the theory of just and unjust wars, war crimes, and transitional justice); contemporary controversies around human rights and the UDHR; and the economic, health and cultural impacts of globalization.

  5. ANA401

    Anatomy & Physiology

    Science and Computer Science
    12
    Fall–Winter
    Prerequisites: Biology/Designations: NCAA
    This course is a survey of the human body systems. Students will gain an overall understanding of the systems while exploring the themes of homeostasis and “form fits function.” Significant time will be spent in the lab observing and testing physiology. Grades will be based on weekly assessments, lab write-ups, group presentations and end-of-term exams.
  6. ANA421

    Immunology and Disease

    Science and Computer Science
    12
    Spring
    Prerequisites: Biology/Designations: NCAA

    This course will begin with an in depth look at the structure and function of the immune system. We will then consider the mechanisms of different types of diseases and how our body systems can be compromised. Our investigations will include; cancer, Covid 19 and Ebola. Grades will primarily be based on assessments, group presentations and projects.

  7. ARA100

    Arabic 1

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA
    This course is an introduction to the Arabic language and culture. Students work with a variety of media to master reading and writing the Arabic alphabet and develop listening and speaking skills in both the Modern Standard Arabic that is understood by more than 300 million Arabs around the world, and the Levantine dialect used in Jordan, Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon. With an emphasis on developing communicative skills and an understanding of grammar, Students learn the basic linguistic structures of the Semitic Language family and develop an appreciation of Arabic calligraphy art. Through a blended instructional format, students use iPads to complete online homework through apps, interactive websites, videos, recordings, as well as the tried and true pen and paper. Much of the content is introduced through homework and then practiced and activated in class through collaborative activities and speaking experiences. Class is conducted mostly in Arabic with some English when needed.
  8. ARA200

    Arabic 2

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Arabic 100 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA
    This course advances students’ Arabic skills into the intermediate level of proficiency in all language skills, both in the communicative Levantine dialect as well as in the Modern Standard Arabic. This class continues the blended instructional format, students continue to build their communicative skills and expand their knowledge of grammar. In class, students are exposed to authentic material and are engaged in collaborative work that fosters a deeperunderstanding of the values and practices of the Arabic culture. Students in this class continue the use of iPads to submit a variety of homework assignments through apps, interactive websites, videos, recordings, as well as the tried and true pen and paper. This class is conducted mostly in Arabic.
  9. ARA300

    Arabic 3

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Arabic 200 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course builds upon studentsí language skills developed in Arabic 200 or its equivalent, to advance into the Arabic 3 level of communication skills in the language. Students at this level continue to expand their knowledge of grammar as they apply their skills through collaborative real-world assignments. This continues to help students advance their language skills in the Modern Standard Arabic and the Levantine dialect. Students continue to learn through a variety of homework assignments, apps, interactive websites, videos, recordings, as well as the tried and true pen and paper. This class is conducted in Arabic.

  10. ARA400

    Arabic 4

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Arabic 300 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    At this level, students continue developing their language skills through authentic material in the Levantine dialect alongside literature in Modern Standard Arabic. Grammar is integrated through classroom discussions and activities. In this class, students expand their understanding of grammar and enrich their vocabulary as they engage with the material through homework assignments apps, interactive websites, and videos. This class is conducted in Arabic.

  11. ARA500

    Arabic 5

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Arabic 400 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This class focuses on the individual student’s stated goals and objectives as it continues to develop language skills through authentic texts and literature in Modern Standard Arabic alongside a variety of textbook activities online. Grammar is integrated through classroom discussions and activities. In Arabic 5, students continue to expand vocabulary and develop advanced communication skills in the dialects of choice. Learning mediums include apps, interactive websites, videos, recordings, as well as the tried and true pen and paper. This class is conducted in Arabic.

  12. ART100

    Intro to Studio Art

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    Fall/Winter/Spring

    This one-term course is intended to be a first experience in the visual arts. It prepares students for AP Studio Art by introducing the fundamentals of drawing and painting – line, form, composition, and color through a variety of assignments involving the still life, perspective, and interior spaces. A brief survey into 19th and 20th century art is included.

  13. ART201

    Photography

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    Fall/Winter/Spring

    This one-term course offers an opportunity to investigate the formal elements of both digital and film photography, while exploring the potential for creative expression and visual narrative. Students study and experiment with the nomenclature of DSLR cameras and advanced computer software, as well as film cameras and darkroom printing. Projects take inspiration from great photographers of the past and present to foster intentionality with design and content. The course concludes with the assemblage of a digital and printed portfolio.

  14. ART202

    Digital Filmmaking

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    Fall/Winter/Spring

    We will create ambitious video projects while taking inspiration from the history of filmmaking and its latest innovations. Storytelling through film will be our focus. There will be an emphasis on experimentation and originality as each student creates a series of short videos in response to specific creative challenges. No filmmaking experience is necessary. This is a one-term course.

  15. ART255

    3-D Design

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    Fall/Winter/Spring

    With an examination of basic design concepts, projects in this course are focused on experiencing the creative and iterative process. Students will develop solutions to increasingly complex design problems gradually by developing and learning from multiple versions of their designs. A variety of mediums and tools will be used, including drawing and building both physical and digital models. Students will present their projects to outside critics and all projects will conclude with a verbal and written critique. This is a one-term course.

  16. ART301

    Intro to Architecture

    Visual and Performing Arts
    11/12
    Spring

    This course will introduce students to major movements and themes in architecture, significant architects and buildings throughout history, as well as contemporary architectural issues. Utilizing lectures, discussions, drawings, and field trips around campus and Old Main Street, students will develop an appreciation for architecture and become conversant with its history and vocabulary. This course is not open to students who have taken Architectural Design or Art of Architectural Drawing.

  17. ART310

    Intro to Art History

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10
    Spring

    Selecting movements from prehistory to the present, works of art are examined in the context of their era’s dominant ideas, political events, economic factors, and social structure. Visual literacy and analysis through class discussions and writing assignments will enable students to discuss art, learn from it, and appreciate the extraordinary creativity of people throughout our world’s history.

  18. ART341

    Intro to Urban Design

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11/12
    Fall–Winter

    This course consists of a study of the forms of cities throughout history, both built and unbuilt. Through readings, discussions, and drawings, the design of cities will be examined, with an emphasis on how current and future decisions regarding constructed environment can be influenced by this study. While architecture is certainly part of the course, the primary focus will be on urban development rather than on individual buildings. The design component of the class will involve redesigning a portion of a city and building a digital model of it.

  19. ART345

    Advanced Architecture

    Visual and Performing Arts
    11/12
    Spring

    This class consists of advanced work for students who have completed two terms of Architectural Design and/or Architectural Drawing. A spring term project of the class’s choice for the Deerfield campus is selected with emphasis on digital and physical model building. Students will refine their drawing and design skills while working collaboratively on the design development and production of a complete architectural project.

  20. ART405

    Topics in Art History

    Visual and Performing Arts
    11/12
    Fall–Winter

    Exploring history through works of art offers an approach for understanding our global community and is an effective way to review significant events from a visual perspective. From prehistory to the present, artworks are examined in the context of their era’s dominant ideas, political events, economic factors, and social structure. Visual literacy, critical assessment, analytical reading, class discussions, and written expression will enable students to analyze art, learn from it, and appreciate the extraordinary creativity of people throughout history.

  21. ART412

    Art of Architectural Drawing

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    Fall–Winter

    Drawing is the primary method by which architects communicate their design ideas, but the drawings themselves are frequently overlooked as works of art. Principles and elements of two-dimensional architectural representation are taught using both traditional and digital media. Projects range from drawing traditional architectural views (plan, section and elevation) by hand and with AutoCad to rendering drawings using colored pencils and watercolors.

  22. ART415

    Architectural Design

    Visual and Performing Arts
    11/12
    Fall–Winter

    Students receive instruction in architectural design, drafting, planning, and materials and construction methods based on the principles of classical architecture. Plan, section and elevation drawings are produced as well as study and final models. Students will design a range of buildings and spaces, including residential and civic projects. Studio work is supplemented with readings in the history and theory of architecture.

  23. ART421

    Considering Intersections in Art

    Visual and Performing Arts
    11/12
    Fall–Winter

    This class will explore the rich intersections of the three disciplines and cover several divergent topics. Examining several philosophical principles as they pertain to literature and art, we will explore how language and the prism of perception can change through the use of these mediums. How can existence be confirmed through the making of art? We will discuss the unique relationship that Picasso had with the poet Max Jacob and how each broke down his own medium to form new ways of interpretation. The class will culminate by examining the power of signage from the Women’s Suffrage Movement as well as 1960’s Civil Rights iconography “I Am A Man” that was informed by Ellison’s seminal book Invisible Man.

  24. ART422

    Bridging Intersections in Art

    Visual and Performing Arts
    11/12
    Spring

    This course does not require experience in art making. We will use some of the topics discussed in the Fall/Winter course “Consider. Intersections in Art” (See description for Consider. Intersections in Art) and use a more hands on approach in the making of work as a reaction and conversation with these topics. Any student is welcome to join this spring class, which will be combined with Topics Tutorial.

  25. ART510

    AP Studio Art – Photography

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Previous photo course or departmental permission/Designations: AP

    This course expands on the one-term Photography course, with continued emphasis on the history of photography, the formal elements and principles of design, and creative storytelling with the camera. Students work to build a portfolio of images with a range of subject matter, levels of abstraction, varying points of view, depth of field, color, and lighting. Digital and film cameras will be employed, along with a vast array of printing processes. The class routinely takes field trips to a myriad of locales around the northeast. The course concludes with the submission of an AP portfolio to the College Board in the spring. May be taken as a 6th course: ART510P.

  26. ART510P

    AP Studio Art - Photo (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Previous photo course or departmental permission/Designations: AP

    See ART510 description.

  27. ART520

    AP Studio Art – Drawing

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Instructor permission/Designations: AP

    This course involves concentrated study in drawing and follows the Advanced Placement syllabus. The fall begins with a review of fundamental technique and includes design principles, creative process, historical perspectives and contemporary trends. Each student is expected to do outside reading and studio work and to prepare an AP portfolio during the Spring Term. All students are required to submit the eventual portfolio. Students assume a photographic lab fee of $60 towards the preparation of their portfolio. The decision to take the AP exam in May will be made in consultation with the instructor. May be taken as 6th course: ART520P-(p/f)

  28. ART520P

    AP Studio Art - Drawing (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Instructor permission/Designations: AP

    See ART520 description.

  29. ART600

    Topics: Post AP Studio Art

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Departmental permission

    This course is intended for the student who desires to pursue visual art beyond the Advanced Placement studio art syllabus. The major focus is on studio work: drawing, painting and sculpting in the style of a number of contemporary artists. Students gain a broader perspective through slide lectures from visiting artists, field trips and films. From Brunelleschi’s principles of linear perspective, to the palette of Monet’s haystacks, to Christo’s wrapped coast, students discuss the importance of self-expression, and moments of inspiration. “All the really good ideas I ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.” (Grant Wood). May be taken as 6th course: ART600P.

  30. ART600P

    Topics: Post AP Studio (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Departmental permission

    See ART600 description.

  31. ART700

    Topics Tutorial (Post AP)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Departmental permission

    This advanced studio course is for students who have exhausted the drawing/painting curriculum including the AP level and Topics: Post AP studio art. Students will pursue a theme and prepare work for a group show to be installed in the Reid art gallery. Topics Tutorial be taken as 6th course: ART700P.

  32. ART700P

    Topics Tutorial (Post AP)(p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    12
    Prerequisites: Departmental permission

    See ART700 description.

  33. AST401

    Exploring the Cosmos

    Science and Computer Science
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    This single term course explores the origin, evolution and fate of our Universe, the rules that govern it, the methods by which we observe it and the data stored in light that tells the story of our shared origins. Course topics include the history of spaceflight, orbital/gravitational mechanics, astronomical observation, the evolution of our solar system, the life cycles of stars, black holes, special/general relativity and the evidence for a Cosmos that is far bigger than previous generations could’ve imagined. The course format incorporates extensive group work and individual projects as students develop more robust science communication skills in addition to honing observational skills during evening telescope sessions. Students will develop a strong understanding of the story and scale of the Cosmos and a better sense of our place in it here on our planet, Earth. This course does not fulfill the Science graduation requirement.

  34. BIO300

    Biology I

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA
    This course will explore selected biological topics including cell structure and function, genetics, biotechnology, evolution, ecology and human physiology. For each topic, students will engage in hands on experiments in order to develop essential lab skills. Students will learn collaboratively through experimentation, discussion, observation and analysis.
  35. BIO403

    Biology Accelerated

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Chemistry/Designations: NCAA

    Biology Accelerated is an comprehensive introductory survey course intended for students who have a high level of interest in science and have demonstrated strong study skills. The course will be organized around the eight characteristics of life and emphasis will be placed on developing laboratory skills, collaboration and critical thinking.

  36. BIO510

    Honors Biology

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Chemistry/Designations: NCAA, AP

    Honors Biology is a fast paced, demanding course for students interested in exploring the principles of biology in detail. The course will cover cellular energetics, cell division and communication, genetics, human systems, evolution, and ecology and will be taught with a particular focus on inquiry based lab work. In the lab, students will use molecular biology and bioinformatics tools and conduct statistical analyses of lab results, with the potential to share individual results publicly. Additional reading of articles and journal publications will support and enrich the content. Students should expect a significant amount of homework each night with a large investment in reading and writing. With some independent work, students can be well prepared for the AP Biology exam.

  37. BIO620

    Experimental Neurology

    Science and Computer Science
    12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Chemistry, Biology/Designations: NCAA

    Experimental Neurology conceptually studies cell physiology, neurotransmitter biochemistry and neuroanatomy with application to modeling human addiction and disease. Experimentally, students explore mechanisms of signaling and regulating gene expression in Drosophila neurons using transgenic and optogenetic technologies. A major focus of the courseis on experimental design, data analysis and scientific writing.

  38. CHE300

    Chemistry I

    Science and Computer Science
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: GR 9 Physics and Algebra 1/Designations: NCAA

    This course introduces to students to the fundamental properties of matter and serves as a bridge between physics and the life sciences. Throughout the course students will learn to critically evaluate data, identify patterns, and develop ways of evaluating scale and proportion, and use these skills to make predictions. We begin with the atom, dissecting models in an effort to understand matter at the point where it intersects with students’ understanding of energy. Bonding and molecular modeling allow for a deep dive into the relationship between structure and function. Finally, we address chemical equilibria and use real world examples to address issues related to chemical stability and change. Compared to Chemistry Honors, this computational aspect of this course is de emphasized. Students are expected to have a working knowledge of pre algebra skills, including, but not limited to, unit conversions, order of operations, solving multiple step equations, graphing skills, and fluency with elementary operations and fractions. Whereas Chemistry Honors will require a high level of independent work, most complex problem solving will take place in the classroom where students will have the support of their teacher and classmates.

  39. CHE303

    Chemistry I Accelerated

    Science and Computer Science
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: GR 9 Physics, concurrent Algebra 2 or above/Designations: NCAA

    The content covered in Chemistry is covered in this course, although at a faster pace and greater depth. Additionally, the introduction of thermodynamics and its application in biochemistry provides a strong foundation for students taking advanced biology classes. Although advanced mathematics are not required to be successful in this course, students must have strong mathematically problem solving skills. Once a topic is introduced conceptually, it is assumed that students in this course will be able to apply mathematical tools to problems with minimal support and be able to move quickly through computational aspects of the course. This course is best suited to students who have an interest in solving challenging problems both independently and in small group settings.

  40. CHE510

    Honors Chemistry

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Physics, Precalculus & Chemistry (or equiv.)/Designations: NCAA

    This course extends and applies concepts learned in physics and chemistry and assumes students arrive with a working knowledge of concepts learned in an introductory chemistry course as well as a strong foundation in mechanics and energy. Topics covered include periodicity, bonding, intermolecular forces, kinetics, equilibria, acid base chemistry, buffering and buffer construction, thermodynamics and electrochemistry. These topics will be introduced in the context of environmental chemistry, biological chemistry, and electrical energy production and storage. Although advanced math is not required, students must have strong mathematical problem solving skills. Students will design and carry out experiments throughout the course. This course includes topics that are beyond the scope of the Advanced Placement chemistry curriculum. Successful completion of a placement exam on the first full day of classes is required to remain enrolled in this class. With some independent work, students can be well prepared for the AP Chemistry exam.

  41. CHE604

    Molecules and Energy

    Science and Computer Science
    11/12
    Fall/Winter/Spring
    Prerequisites: Chemistry and Physics/Designations: NCAA

    Modern humans benefit from the natural and unnatural synthesis of molecules exhibiting useful properties. Some of these compounds exhibit the ability to store and release energy that humans can redirect toward useful work. We will explore some key mechanisms of energy storage in molecular systems. This will include the construction of batteries, exploration of energy storage in phase transitioning media, awareness of the tremendous amount of energy that is embedded in the fossil fuel economy that powered the 20th century, exploring the opportunities afforded by biofuels, and understanding the photonic energy capture by plants and dye sensitized solar cells. This is a one-term course.

  42. CHE605

    Molecules and Medicine

    Science and Computer Science
    11/12
    Fall/Winter/Spring
    Prerequisites: Chemistry and Biology/Designations: NCAA

    Modern humans benefit from the natural and unnatural synthesis of molecules exhibiting useful properties. Some of these compounds exhibit medicinal properties or are sometimes labeled as biologically active. We will explore some key biomolecular mechanisms of action that lend themselves to molecular intervention (e.g., cell surface receptors, enzymes, nuclear hormone receptors, etc.) and discuss how informed molecular design can furnish drug like compounds (e.g., antagonists, agonists, inhibitors, etc.). We will discuss how seemingly suitable drug candidates fail to advance through clinical trials because of undesirable physical properties and side effects. Finally, we will highlight the real world business based considerations that influence the development of pharmaceuticals. This is a one-term course. This course does not fulfill the Science graduation requirement.

  43. CHI100

    Chinese 1

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA

    This course is an introduction to Mandarin Chinese for students with little or no background in the language. Students learn the basic communication skills in Mandarin and explore related cultural aspects. The course begins with an introduction to the sound system and moves on to basic skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students develop their language skills and culture awareness through daily collaborative activities and practice using text, audio and video materials as well. By the end of the year, students are expected to have good pronunciation, oral and aural proficiency for basic communication, and foundational grammar for simple sentences and short paragraph building.

  44. CHI200

    Chinese 2

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Chinese 200 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course is a continuation of Chinese I skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. In addition, the course includes an in-depth study of grammar. Students strive for accuracy while focusing on the ability to communicate in varied contexts and with proper grammar. Class work is supplemented by various technology tools and online resources. Class is conducted in Chinese.

  45. CHI300

    Chinese 3

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Chinese 200 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    In this intermediate level course, students reinforce what they have acquired in the previous levels and expand and deepen their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing by studying a variety of materials. Students focus on speaking and writing in a coherent, linguistically appropriate manner, using well-formed paragraphs through daily practice, storytelling and projects. Cultural content is integrated into each topic of discussion. Finishing the course, students are to be able to carry out rather fluent conversations about daily life and personal experiences and have acquired solid reading and writing skills to get ready for the next level.

  46. CHI400

    Chinese 4

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Chinese 300 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA, AP

    This course aims to develop competency in advanced Chinese with an emphasis on fluency ofspoken language, reading, and writing. A variety of authentic materials is used to give students a deeper knowledge of Chinese language, culture, history, and social issues. However, a systematic study of Chinese vocabulary and grammar will continue to be emphasized and practiced through the use of the textbook. Students in this class are introduced to the format and material of the Chinese AP Language Examination. Class is conducted in Chinese.

  47. CHI500

    Chinese 5

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Chinese 400 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course is for students who wish to pursue the study of Chinese at a more advanced level. Students will further develop overall language proficiency through studying a variety of authentic materials and audiovisual sources that cover topics including culture, values, education, art, fashion, social issues, as well as controversial issues in contemporary Chinese society. They will expand their vocabulary and enhance their grammar to handle these broad subjects in both reading and writing. They will also build fluency with confidence and competency in Chinese by engaging in discussion, collaborative work, and projects about various topics. Furthermore, students will develop a more enriched understanding of the traditions and changes in Chinese culture and society.

  48. CHI699

    Chinese Tutorial

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Instructor permission/Designations: NCAA

    This advanced course is a modern Chinese literature and writing class for students who love to read and write. Students explore a variety of readings and practice a wide range of writing styles in order to analyze and develop effective skills for literary analysis and appreciation. Narrative fiction, films, poetry, and critical essays are included. Students are expected to take an active part in class discussion. In addition, culture and history will be an integral part of this course. Class is conducted in Chinese.

  49. CHI709

    Chinese Advanced Tutorial

    Language
    12
    All Year

    Advanced Tutorial may be offered to students who, in consultation with the department and with its endorsement, wish to pursue an individualized course in Chinese.

  50. CLA454

    Seminar: Sanskrit & Indian Lit

    Language
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    This course is designed for students interested in the history, literature, and legacy of ancient India. Beginning with the Sanskrit language—its rudiments, extent, and influence—we will proceed to an in depth study of particular sacred and secular texts composed in South Asia between 1500 BCE and 500 CE. Course objectives are: a familiarity with basic Sanskrit and Indo European linguistics, a working knowledge of the ancient history of South Asia, and an acquaintance with the major literary products of ancient Indian civilization. We will read selections—in translation—from the Vedas, Upanishads, Yoga Sutras, and the epic Mahabharata (including the Bhagavad Gita), as well as texts covering the six darśanas, or orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy. The principal theme of the course will be exposure to (and sympathy with) an ancient tradition still embraced by millions of people worldwide.”

  51. COM300

    Intro to Computer Science

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    In this two term course, students with little to no computer programming experience will learn how to code. This course equips students with a basic understanding of the world of technology and fosters logical algorithmic thinking. Students will be introduced to core concepts and principles of programming, which will be applicable to different platforms and languages as students venture further into computer science. This course stresses problem decomposition with an emphasis on independent problem solving. This course does not fulfill the Science graduation requirement.

  52. COM312

    Web Design

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    Spring

    In this course students learn how to make static and dynamic web pages. Through a series of individual and team based design projects students learn to create effective and beautiful web pages using the core principles of web design. Students will be introduced to and use HTML, CSS, and Javascript. This course does not fulfill the Science graduation requirement.

  53. COM510

    Honors Programming Methodology

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Concurrent Precalculus or above/Designations: NCAA, AP

    This course teaches fundamental topics of computer science including problem solving, design strategies and methodologies, data structures, and algorithms. In this course, students learn an object oriented approach to programming to develop solutions that can scale up from small, simple problems to large, complex challenges. Students will write, test and debug solutions in the Java programming language utilizing standard Java library classes and interfaces. With some independent work, students can be well prepared for the AP Computer Science A exam. This course does not fulfill the Science graduation requirement.

  54. COM600

    Data Structures & Algorithms

    Science and Computer Science
    11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Programming Methodology/Designations: NCAA

    This course follows Programming Methodology and covers the analysis and design of fundamental data structures. Students learn to use these data structures to code algorithms that effectively solve complex problems. Topics covered include linked lists, trees, graphs, breadth first and depth first searches, hash tables, and recursion. Through extended individual and collaborative projects, students learn principles for good program design, and the use of data abstraction and modular program composition in writing clear and effective programs. This course does not fulfill the Science graduation requirement.

  55. COM602

    Dig Logic & Comp Architecture

    Science and Computer Science
    11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Programming Methodology/Designations: NCAA

    Digital Logic and Computer Architecture is a course for students with a strong interest in computer science. The course provides a foundation for students to understand the hardware and design of the modern stored program computer. Modularity and the art of managing complexity are core concepts that allow students to understand the conceptual stack of ideas s behind processor design. In this course students will study number systems, transistor physics, combinatorial and sequential logic, memory design, finite state machines, instruction set architectures, and assembly programming. Using these concepts, students build and program a simple processing unit. In each unit students simulate, build and test functioning computer components. This is a lab based course and fulfills the Science graduation requirement.

  56. DAN100

    Intro to Dance

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    Fall

    This course is intended to be a first experience in dance. Elementary-level boys and girls study a variety of dance forms such as contemporary, modern, jazz, ballet and hip-hop. This course also addresses the creative aspect of making dances through improvisation and choreography. There is an emphasis on injury prevention for athletes. Students who sign up for this course are encouraged to continue into Dance I winter and spring terms. May be takenas 6th course: DA100P.

  57. DAN100P

    Intro to Dance (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    Fall

    See DAN100 description.

  58. DAN200

    Dance I

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    Winter–Spring

    This course is intended to be a continuation of the material covered in the introductory level dance class offered fall term. However, all elementary level students may sign up for this course either for one (winter only), or two terms (winter & spring). Students enrolled in this course may have the opportunity to perform in school dance concerts. NO PREVIOUS DANCE EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY. May be taken as 6th course: DAN200P..

  59. DAN200P

    Dance I (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    Winter–Spring

    See DAN200 description.

  60. DAN300

    Dance II

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year

    This intermediate level course continues the study of the dance techniques and choreography covered in Dance I. Students enrolled in this course may perform in and choreograph for dance concerts each term. They also have the opportunity to work with a professional choreographer for the Spring Dance Concert. This course may be taken for the full year, or as a two term class in the fall and winter. May be taken as 6th course: DAN300P.

  61. DAN300P

    Dance II (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year

    See DAN300 description.

  62. DAN400

    Dance III

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year

    This course is geared towards the serious student of dance and is designed to meet individual needs. Upper level intermediate dancers will train in a variety of techniques including contemporary, modern, jazz, ballet and hip-hop. Theyíll have the opportunity to choreograph a dance collaboratively for our Student Choreography Showcase in the winter, and rehearse a dance with a professional choreographer for our Spring Dance Concert. Students cansign up either the full year, or two terms (fall and winter). May be taken as 6th course: DAN400P.

  63. DAN400P

    Dance III (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year

    See DAN400 description.

  64. DAN500

    Adv. Dance Ensemble

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year

    This course is appropriate for dancers who are proficient in the techniques offered through the program. Advanced dancers explore the craft of group choreography as well as the art of the solo. Student work is showcased in all of our dance concerts, and there are also opportunities to work with guest choreographers throughout the year. May be taken as 6th course: DAN500P.

  65. DAN500P

    Adv. Dance Ensemble (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year

    See DAN500 description.

  66. DAN600

    Advanced Dance Tutorial

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Adv. Dance Ensemble

    This class is tailored to meet the individual needs of the pre professional dancer. Students work closely with the dance faculty to hone their technique, and create solo and group choreography for our performances.

  67. ECN600

    Economics

    History
    12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Precalculus/Designations: NCAA, AP

    In the first half of the year, students are introduced to microeconomic theory through the study of such concepts as supply and demand, the law of diminishing returns, marginal utility, and the theory of the firm and industry. The second half of the year focuses on macroeconomic analysis and its historic development from Keynes to Friedman. Such concepts as national income analysis and monetary and fiscal policy are covered in depth. We also focus on public policy, globalization, and current political/economic issues through the use of case studies and supplemental readings. This course prepares students to take both the AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics exams. Selection will be made by the department.

  68. ENG200

    Voices & Visions of Justice

    English
    9
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA
    Envisioning the demands of equitable societies and developing their distinctive, expressive voices as writers and thinkers, ninth graders explore familiar and unfamiliar lives and dilemmas depicted in literary genres drawn from sources across time and the world. In formal and informal narratives and arguments, students begin to recognize their individual styles and to refine their techniques. An examination of the fundamentals of English grammar, mechanics, and punctuation complements the study of literature. All ninth graders write and deliver a literary reading and participate in a poetry contest.
  69. ENG300

    Defining Literary Traditions

    English
    10
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA
    Tenth-grade English emphasizes critical reading, focused discussions, and a variety of writing assignments connected to the study of literature derived from the British tradition. Close reading assignments and class discussions encourage students to analyze and to appreciate the elements of literature. Teachers choose core texts from works by Chaucer, Shakespeare, Romantic poets, nineteenth-century novelists, and post-colonial authors. Tenth-graders also select, memorize, and deliver a declamation from a literary work.
  70. ENG500

    American Dreams

    English
    11
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA, AP

    The American Dream is a familiar phrase, but what does it mean? Whose dream is it? Is there just one dream for all Americans? How has it evolved over time? Do considerations of gender, race, ethnicity, or class affect the pursuit of this dream? To gain an understanding of how the pursuit of the distinctive American Dream helped to shape the culture and literature of the United States, students examine texts from different genres and time periods. Texts may include Rebecca Harding Davis’s Life in the Iron Mills, Nella Larsen’s Passing, Horatio Alger’s Ragged Dick, and short stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Anzia Yezierska.

  71. ENG503

    American Studies

    English
    11
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA, AP
    An interdisciplinary course combining honors U.S. History and eleventh grade English, American Studies tracks intersecting threads of history, literature, art, and culture throughout the development of the United States. By examining the works of historians, artists, filmmakers, and writers from both the past and present, students develop a nuanced understanding of the political, cultural, intellectual, and social forces that shaped the country and continue to influence the present. Close analysis of primary and secondary sources, discussion and debate, research, and reflection will form the foundation for a variety of creative and analytical assessments that ask students to advance arguments of their own about the challenges and opportunities inherent in the country’s evolution. Meeting each day under the 2021-2022 schedule, American Studies is a team taught course that also prepares students for Advanced Placement exams in US History and English. Selection will be made by the department.
  72. ENG506

    American Echoes

    English
    11
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA, AP
    Carl Sagan once declared, “Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs.” What is literature, then, if not the echo of words spoken years ago? In this course we will seek to hear such echoes in the work of American authors who sought to give voice to the country they knew, the country they suffered for, the country they dreamed of. We will also attempt to discern in these writers the various ways their poems, stories, and plays speak not simply to the reader but to one another as well. In addition to core texts from Fitzgerald, Whitman, and Dickinson, we will likely encounter novels from Cather, Twain, Chopin, and Kesey; poetry from Frost, Hughes, and Stevens; short stories from Poe, Walker, and London; and drama from Arthur Miller and Lorraine Hansberry.
  73. ENG509

    American Understandings

    English
    11
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA, AP
    We typically come to new understanding through our own experience. And so in this course we will explore the many ways writers across the American experience have captured particular understandings of what it means to live and work and write inside the American context, within its particular history, cultural preoccupations and assumptions. What do we see and hear in these texts? What questions do we hear these writers asking? And in what ways do the texts ask us to interrogate our own preoccupations and assumptions? Our reading will offer opportunity to consider issues of class, race, gender, power and social justice (among other forces), as we seek to situate our own experiences, arrive at our own new understandings. Students will hone their skills as close readers and seminarians, writers and editors, as we encounter works by Melville, Baldwin, Fitzgerald, Morrison, Whitehead, Lahiri, Solnit, Alexie, Dickinson, Diaz, Kushner, and Akhtar.
  74. ENG511

    In the American Grain

    English
    11
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA, AP
    What does it mean to write, and to live, in the American grain? When William Carlos Williams sought to answer that question, he looked to the diverse origins of the country’s character in the innovators who defined its historical past. Similarly, most efforts to teach and study creative writing in America have begun with the premise that writing what’s new is inextricably linked to reading what’s come before. With that in mind, this three-genre creative writing workshop offers a survey of American literature focused on works that were deemed creative, or innovative, in their time. As we survey the innovations of the past, we’ll use their works as a lens for looking closely at how to write creatively in the present. We’ll read poets like Gertrude Stein, William Carlos Williams, and Nathaniel Mackey, short story writers and novelists like Thomas Pynchon, Donald Barthelme, and Lydia Davis, and essayists like Williams, David Antin, and Eliot Weinberger, in addition to recent works by Claudia Rankine and Maggie Nelson which intertwine aspects of multiple genres. As we study each genre, students will create, present, workshop, and revise significant works of their own in that genre. Although most writing will be creative in nature, students will practice their critical and analytical writing skills in responses to work written by their peers.
  75. ENG512

    America in Black & White

    English
    11
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA, AP
    American writer W.E.B. DuBois once claimed that “the problem of the 20th century [was] the problem of the color-line—the relation of the darker to the lighter races.” DuBois, among others, might be discouraged, yet unsurprised, to recognize the enduring truth to his statement. Only now, however, he might even modify his original claim to reflect an even greater danger: the problem of the 21st century being our collectively pretending that the color-line no longer exists. Throughout this course, we will challenge and be challenged by one another to engage in open, honest, and often difficult conversation about what it means to experience race in the 21st century, particularly as it pertains to our individual and shared experiences both within and beyond the confines of our academic institutions. Our writers may include, but certainly will not be limited to, Baldwin, Morrison, Fitzgerald, Ellison, Coates, Miller, Larsen, DuBois, Washington, Hughes, Angelou, Thoreau, Whitman, Chopin, Westover, Cary, and Salinger.
  76. ENG514

    American Environments

    English
    11
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA, AP

    Through stories, films, video games, and songs, we explore two kinds of environment: ecological, which is what we share with non human life forms, and cultural, made by/for human communities. We learn that in dystopian and horror narratives about the environment, the fantastic and the monstrous function like a terrifying dream: they reveal our deepest flaws and secrets; they pose but rarely answer the question, ‘what exactly does it mean to be human?’

  77. ENG560

    American Voices

    English
    11
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA, AP

    In addition to the core texts from Fitzgerald, Hurston, and Dickinson, we will also use a wide range of American short stories, poems, and novels to sample the many voices and issues that have populated American literature. Students may encounter writers ranging from Edith Wharton and Nathaniel Hawthorne in the 19th century to Alice Walker, Arthur Miller, and Toni Morrison in the 20th. The variety of story styles and ideas helps students to understand better how literature has changed over time and to hone their analytical skills by discussing how the stories work. The purpose of the course is to provide a breadth of exposure as well as a chance to sample modern literature.

  78. ENG610

    Future Shock: Contemporary Literature

    English
    11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA
    The ground-breaking “dystopian” novels of the 20th Century, such as Orwell’s 1984, Huxley’s Brave New World and Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, have produced an extraordinary and growing body of literature that imagines future worlds shaped by current trends, for better and worse. What kind of societies will cyberspace, genetic engineering, emerging technologies, climate change, terrorism, population growth and resource wars produce? What will be the fate of the institutions and ideals that presently define us? What will happen to our fundamental notions of liberty, the individual, and human relationships? Will human beings flourish or fail? This course will examine these questions through several of the finest recent literary dystopias and will approach the reading in a primarily seminar-style, discussion format. Writing assignments will be predominantly creative responses to the reading, with an occasional foray into relevant essays, short stories and films. Possible texts include Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell; Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood; The Road, by Cormac McCarthy; The Dazzle of Day, by Molly Gloss; Fiskadoro, by Denis Johnson; and Riddley Walker, by Russell Hoban.
  79. ENG618

    Poetry Now!

    English
    11/12
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA
    In this three-term poetry workshop class, students read and discuss published contemporary poetry with the aim of writing their own meaningful and powerful original poetry. During the Fall Term, students read broadly and deeply from contemporary poetry, discussing and presenting upon their readings, and develop in notebook form the materials that will later inform their creative work. In the winter, students draft original poems and discuss them in writing support groups and teacher conferences while continuing to read for creative sustenance. In the spring, students deliver senior meditations, engage in workshop discussions of their original poems, and prepare their work for submission to poetry journals. The course offers students a unique opportunity to develop mastery in the most pleasurable of the literary arts, and to conclude their time as high school English students in possession of a memorable and polished portfolio of poetry to share with the world.
  80. ENG625

    Central Questions

    English
    11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    When Hamlet asks, “To be, or not to be? That is the question,” he utters what has become, unfortunately, a cliché. In the context of Shakespeare’s play, however, this question ripples with Hamlet’s anxiety, with his wondering as to how (or whether) he should move forward with his life. This course will explore works, like Hamlet, characterized by protagonists who grapple with similar “central questions,” questions like: What defines me? What does it mean to be a good daughter, son, or child? What does it mean to be a good parent? To what extent has my family, race, gender, and/or choices determined my future? To what extent do I have the power to make my own choices at all? How do people see me? Which path should I take? At the same time, the asking of big questions is not (or certainly shouldn’t be) something done only by fictional characters. To that end, students will also keep journals in which they will reflect on their own day-to-day lives and experiences. At the end of the course, as students approach the writing of their meditations, each will have his/her/their journal as an additional text to help them see and think about what questions are emerging as central in their own lives. This course exercises the skills of analysis, critical thinking, and writing, as well as the practice of regular self-reflection. Course texts may include Jeffrey Eugenides’s Middlesex, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, Art Spiegelman’s Maus, and Danzy Senna’s Caucasia.

  81. ENG628

    Metaphors We Live By

    English
    11/12
    Fall
    Designations: NCAA

    How is our experience of the world structured by language? What aspects of an action as simple as seeing are culturally controlled? What does it mean to be aware of the nature of your experience, and to act on that awareness? In this class, we’ll read John Berger’s Ways of Seeing, George Lakoff & Mark Johnson’s Metaphors We Live By, and David Antin’s performance poems to open these questions, and attempt to understand and complicate their implications in our lives. Once we’ve established a conceptual framework, we’ll spend time engaged with cultural trends and artifacts – art objects, movies, commercials, social media feeds, magazine and newspaper articles, etc. – to develop a sense of just how prevalent our culture’s underlying metaphors are, and to examine their impact on our thinking and our daily activities. Students will maintain notebooks, write regularly, and complete creative work in response to readings and discussions.

  82. ENG631

    Mystery Madness and Lies

    English
    11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    This course will examine the importance of narrators to fiction. We will consider the function of the narrator as fundamental to how a reader interprets a text. What happens when an author intentionally includes an untrustworthy, unreliable and even unstable narrator? What about a narrator who only knows part of a story but tells it anyhow? How much does who is telling the story influence how the story is described or expressed? Through reading texts with different types of narrators, we will explore these and other questions to gain an understanding of how narrative form complicates the meaning of the text as a whole. The goal of the course is for every student to make the transition from talking about what a text says or what happens to making interpretive arguments about how a text works and what its meanings are. Students will also develop a vocabulary for discussing, analyzing and writing about narrative form. Authors may include Chris Bohjalian, Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith, Henry James, Edgar Allan Poe, Virginia Woolf and others.

  83. ENG642

    The Great American Poem

    English
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    The critic Eliot Weinberger contends that the history of American poetry is the history of a series of great poems, each of which permanently altered the landscape of poetry. But you won’t find the Great American Poem in the mall beside the Great American Cookie, so it’s reasonable to wonder which were those poems? What were the conditions that made them possible? Why haven’t more of us read them? What makes something “great” anyhow? And where would we look if we wanted to find the Great American Poems(s) of our own time? After establishing our footing in the first four questions by looking at the historical record, we’ll address the final question, investigating the poetry of our time via suggestions from contemporary poets and critics. On the way to developing an individual understanding of what separates great poetry from ordinary and excellent poetry, students will read widely and variously, write creatively, and maintain both a Sourcebook and a Commons book. Among other authors, we will read work by Whitman, Dickinson, Stein, Williams, Hughes, Hayden, Ginsberg, Ashbery, and contemporary poets.

  84. ENG660

    Matters of Perspective

    English
    11/12
    Fall
    Designations: NCAA

    Starting with Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon, the classic Japanese film told in multiple viewpoints, students will begin to consider the manner in which writers and artists manipulate personal, visual, and cultural perspectives. Then, with the early atomic age and the current struggles against terrorism, whether foreign or domestic, as backdrops, readers will first turn their attention to Kamila Shamsie’s Burnt Shadows, which begins with the destruction of Nagasaki and moves forward to 9/11, and later to Home Fire, a re imagining of Sophocles’ tragedy Antigone. Along with sharing ideas freely in discussions, participants will write poems, narratives, and critical arguments.

  85. ENG669

    Slavery's Literary Legacy

    English
    11/12
    Fall
    Designations: NCAA

    In this course we will examine 20th and 21st century American portrayals of slavery through creative works and situate them in their historical contexts. We will use The New York Times’ “The 1619 Project” as a starting point for understanding America’s 400 year history with slavery on its soil, then we will probe texts selected from The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, Kindred by Octavia Butler, A Mercy by Toni Morrison and Father Comes Home from the Wars by Suzan Lori Parks. We will evaluate how various contemporary writers represent the “Peculiar Institution” as a way to tackle modern issues such as racial profiling and mass incarceration. We may also watch the film Fruitvale Station directed by Ryan Coogler and the documentary 13th directed by Ava Duvernay.

  86. ENG671

    Inside Out

    English
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    Coming to Terms With Climate Change. This course will use non fiction, fiction, poetry and documentary film to establish an understanding of the origins and implications of the greatest challenge ever faced by human civilization and to explore the art, the politics and the ethics of confronting Climate Change both individually and collectively. Writing will be mostly creative responses to the reading, and as far as possible, we will exchange the classroom and the seminar table for the surrounding fields and woods, where walking will be the forum and the catalyst for our discussions as we consider the ways in which Climate Change is beginning to question, transform and redefine even our most fundamental ideals of success, community, leadership, education and what it means to be human. May be taken as PHI671.

  87. ENG672

    Other Traditions

    English
    11/12
    Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    In this literature-based writing and thinking course, we will probe the boundaries of what has been considered literature and arrive at an understanding of the contemporary canon. Through careful reading of works from outside of the traditional canon of world literature, we will seek to understand what aspects of a work make it, at its core, literary. Through interrogation of literature’s many places in culture and life – What is the use of literature? How is literature applicable to my situation? How can I put literature to work improving my experience of the world? – we will expand our ability to be affected by and changed by literature, and simultaneously open ourselves to fresh possibilities in literature. The course will be reading intensive, and though our class discussions will be based in examination, description, and critical thought, students will at times be encouraged to try out the various encountered forms creatively in their responses. Students will leave the course with a wide array of ideas about what literature has been and will become. Among other authors, we will read work by Italo Calvino, Franz Kafka, Jorge Luis Borges, Zora Neale Hurston, and Marjane Satrapi.

  88. ENG676

    Creative Nonfiction Workshop

    English
    11/12
    Fall
    Designations: NCAA

    Literature has an historical precedent of transmuting the realities of human existence into compelling narratives, thus accommodating an impulse articulated by Nietzsche when he wrote, “we have art in order not to die of truth.” This course will allow students to engage in the practice of writing creative nonfiction with a variety of forms and approaches. We will read and follow the models of Ta-Nahisi Coates, Hanif Aduriquib, John McPhee, Rebecca Solnit, Adam Gopnik, David Foster Wallace, Zadie Smith, Jia Tolentino, Rebekah Taussig and several others as we familiarize ourselves with the genre and create artistically compelling pieces of narrative truth.

  89. ENG677

    Off the Shelf: A Tutorial

    English
    11/12
    Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    The tutorial approach to learning is a very old method of education that allows students to explore ideas on their own terms. For this class, students will compose their own reading lists and syllabi on one of the following topics: Understanding Love, Wealth & Work, Ideas that Changed the World, and How Humans Use Culture. Thus, students might explore the works of Jane Austen alongside Gary Shteyngart, or perhaps compare the dystopias of Octavia Butler with those of Kazuo Ishiguro. The class will meet in groups large and small to discuss the progress of their knowledge building on the specific topic. Students will also be asked to deliver lectures, write a variety of papers, and participate in seminar discussions. Therefore, a student exploring love might choose to read works by Duras or Marquez. Those interested in our relationship with work and wealth might examine the stories of Sparks or Cheever. In any case, students will meet in their tutor groups to reveal their interpretations of these readings. Thus the tutorial group then becomes a space where students’ own literary interests become the focus of the curriculum. Groups will coalesce along shared interests and students will collaborate to examine problems, ideas, and solutions from a plurality of perspectives.

  90. ENG679

    No Small Parts

    English
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    Forming a troupe of fledgling actors, students will explore improvisational exercises, rehearse and perform monologues and short scenes in a workshop setting, read and respond to contemporary plays, and view professional performances. If you’ve always wanted to act or if your appetite for the stage already has been whetted, join your classmates in indulging those desires and exploring the acting craft.

  91. ENG681

    Shakespeare: Forsaken Friends

    English
    11/12
    Fall
    Designations: NCAA

    Even the strongest friendships in Shakespeare’s comedies, histories, and tragedies grow fragile within the romantic, familial, or political chaos. Without losing sight of those larger forces, students will consider the bonds between Helena and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Falstaff and Prince Hal in Henry IV, Part 1, and Hamlet and Ophelia in Hamlet. To bring the plays alive beyond the page, the ensemble will discuss performance choices, critique filmed productions, and improvise creative possibilities in staging exercises. Critical essays and informal, imaginative responses will help participants document their discoveries.

  92. ENG682

    Shakespeare: Wondrous Women

    English
    11/12
    Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    Finding their own powers in the realms ordinarily ruled by men, the women in the comedies, often in different guises, challenge conventions and redefine the boundaries of love. Isabella in Measure for Measure Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, and Viola and Olivia in Twelfth Night all express themselves in singular manners. To bring these women alive beyond the page, the ensemble will discuss performance choices, critique filmed productions, and improvise creative possibilities in staging exercises. Along with sharing ideas freely in lively discussions, participants will write critical arguments, monologues, and a personal meditation.

  93. ENG684

    Shakespeare: Forgiving Spirits

    English
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    Encountering Shakespeare’s The Tempest and The Winter’s Tale, plays that favor redemption over revenge, students will explore the ways the artistic and social contexts in which Prospero and Leontes ponder the “rarer action” of forgiveness can reshape the experience for readers, actors, and audiences. To bring the plays alive beyond the page, the ensemble will discuss performance choices, critique filmed productions, and improvise creative possibilities in staging exercises. Informal, imaginative responses will help participants document their discoveries.

  94. ENG685

    The Capstone Project

    English
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    The Capstone is a self directed, writing and research project that takes place over the course of an entire term. It is more than just a research paper, however. The Capstone project challenges students to go beyond finding and synthesizing information to directing their own scholarly projects that have a stake in real world conversations on the topic of choice. Participants will be asked to deepen one’s understanding of the material by interviewing an expert in the field, drawing on their expertise and gaining first hand experience through observation, experimentation, creation, and extensive reading and writing on the selected topic. Therefore, the Capstone is not just a matter of passive research, but of active participation in the creation of knowledge on the selected topic. The project culminates in a research paper and a formal presentation before the wider Deerfield community.

  95. ENG686

    Writing on the Edge

    English
    11/12
    Fall
    Designations: NCAA

    For people marginalized from the mainstream American imaginary, movement is deemed unruly, but artists have creatively taken up ways to resist and take flight to push back against erasure. In the closing moments of Song of Solomon, for instance, Toni Morrison writes, “…if you surrendered to the air, you could ride it.” Flying, Morrison suggests, requires the possibility of falling, of risk, of surrender. This twin meaning of flight will serve as a focusing lens with which students in this class will examine a range of similar texts, ranging in possibility from Helena Maria Viramontes’ Their Dogs Came With Them to C Pam Zhang’s How Much of These Hills is Gold. We will write creative responses, explore relevant film and music, reflect on our personal relationships to place and power, and work together to open spaces of possibilities for ourselves and others.

  96. ENG687

    River & Rock: Reading the Land

    English
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    In this course, students will participate in outdoor excursions to contemplate their relationship to the natural world. Contemporary environmental writers such as Robin Wall Kimmerer, Kathleen Moore, Terry Tempest Williams, Rebecca Solnit, Tom Wessels, and Cheryl Savageau will animate students’ understandings of the local landscape of the Deerfield River and the Pocumtuck Ridge, or other natural places that they call home. Field study will help students practice the close observation and attention to detail required to successfully write about nature. The term will culminate in a braided essay of personal narrative combined with nature writing, research, and critical engagement with the readings from the term.

  97. ENG688

    Dramatic Fault Lines

    English
    11/12
    Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    Dramatists expose the lies and illusions that can rend the social, familial, or political fabrics individuals often take for granted. Students will explore how those fault lines widen or mend in Stephen Karam’s The Humans, Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, Lynn Nottage’s Ruined, Suzan Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog, Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, and Tom Stoppard’s Rock ‘n’ Roll. In exploring the forces at work within and upon each play, students will discuss cultural contexts and performance choices, and improvise creative possibilities in staging exercises. Along with sharing ideas freely in discussions, participants will write monologues, critical arguments, and a personal meditation.

  98. ENG692

    The Art of Detection

    English
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    The modern detective story is said to have its beginnings in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” (1841). Poe may have given the world its first detective and devised the format for a new genre of short story, but over the last 180 years, many writers have embraced detective fiction and created such well known detectives as Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. The mysterious murder or theft, the small circle of suspects, the clues hidden in plain sight—these are the genre’s tools that have engaged and perplexed readers for generations. This course will examine detective fiction’s beginnings and its enduring legacy. In their exploration of the course texts, students will model their own reading and thinking on the detective’s analytical processes to strengthen their own skills of close reading, note taking, critical thinking and logical reasoning. Regular analytical writings will accompany the readings. Authors may include Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, P.D. James, Anne Perry, and Edgar Allan Poe, among others.

  99. ENG693

    Modern Short Stories

    English
    11/12
    Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    In this course we will investigate the making of the modern short story as explored by a variety of multicultural writers of color in their debut collections. Authors may include Jhumpa Lahiri (Interpreter of Maladies), Junot Diaz (Drown), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (The Thing Around Your Neck) and ZZ Packer (Drinking Coffee Elsewhere). The short story is a form with a unique power to illuminate contemporary existence, and our investigations will focus on the subtle, essential elements that breathe life into the short story form. Students will have ample opportunities to write their own short stories and workshop their creative ideas throughout the course.

  100. ENG694

    Coming of Age Stories

    English
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    In this course we will study 20th and 21st century stories by several African American writers that center on young black protagonists in search of identity and a place in the world. Working primarily with fiction, texts may include The Color Purple by Alice Walker, The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow, and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. We will examine the characters’ journeys while navigating the harsh realities of the centuries long history of racism in America. We will explore such questions as, how does a sense of identity develop—is it built, chosen, discovered, learned, imposed? How does one navigate between the dreams of youth and the compromises of experience? How is the story of finding your place complicated when social differences of race, gender and class stand between you and the dominant narratives of mobility in America?

  101. ENG695

    Literature of Passing

    English
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    Sarah Resnick in The New Yorker frames the idea of racial passing in a recent article on Brit Bennett’s novel, The Vanishing Half: “From the antebellum period until the end of Jim Crow, countless black Americans crossed the color line to pass as white—to escape slavery or threats of racial violence, or to gain access to the social, political, and economic benefits conferred by whiteness.” The Vanishing Half, published in 2020, is a recent example of a robust tradition of literature engaging with the idea of racial passing, and the focus of this course is on three such texts – Bennett’s novel, as well as Nella Larsen’s Passing and Danzy Senna’s Caucasia. We will discuss the positioning of the novels’ characters who pass as white, as well as the effects and implications, according to these authors, of racial passing. In reading these novels in relation to one other, students will have a chance to consider the ways in which the three texts speak to each other: how they are similar, and how, in other meaningful ways, they may differ. As we read the texts, students will also be invited to consider their own positionality in the world, as well as how these narratives resonate with and inform their understanding of themselves and American society. Students will have opportunities to read closely, discuss collaboratively, and take on in writing the questions arising from the literature that most interest them.

  102. ENG696

    Black Women's Writing

    English
    11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    This course focuses on the ways in which in the past two centuries Black women writers have engaged with the intersection of Blackness and femaleness and examined, in their work, the position of Black women in American society. We will read selected fiction by Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Octavia Butler, and Jesmyn Ward, and we will frame these texts with excerpts of nonfiction, history, and social commentary by Sojourner Truth, Harriet Jacobs, Ida B. Wells, Angela Davis, bell hooks, Audre Lorde, Alice Walker, and Mikki Kendall. Over time, students will see some common threads emerging across the texts – questions of what it means to inhabit the roles of woman, mother, daughter, and sister; what it means to be beautiful, to use one’s voice, and to own one’s own sexuality; what it looks like to achieve self actualization and empowerment in the face of structural oppression on multiple fronts; themes, too, of the power of love, family, and community, resistance and resilience, and history – and our work as a group will, indeed, be that of building together an understanding of how the texts, across genres, can and do exist in conversation. It will also be our goal to recognize how these texts can serve to instruct us, regardless of the identities we hold, as we move through the world. This is work that students will take on in discussion, and in regular reflective and analytical writing.

  103. ENG697

    The Graphic Novel

    English
    11/12
    Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    Sequential art has existed in various forms for just about as long as humans have been writing stories; the Bayeux Tapestry depicts the 1066 Norman invasion of England, hieroglyphs and frescoes immortalize the exploits of the powerful in ancient Egyptian societies, and carved friezes across the Mediterranean tell stories from Greek mythology. In the 1960s, a new and exciting mode of storytelling was born from this history of images in deliberate sequence: the graphic novel (or comix, or illustrated novel, or many other names, depending on who you ask). Neither newspaper funnies nor serialized superhero saga, graphic novels both subvert and enhance narrative traditions in ways that this class will seek to explore. Students will read Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics to generate a critical framework for approaching a selection of novels from authors such as Alison Bechdel, Kyle Baker, Chris Ware, Art Spiegelman, and Marjane Satrapi. Students will interact with the texts via class discussion, formal and informal written critical arguments, personal narrative, research on the burgeoning comic book scholarship, and the creation of some comics of their own.

  104. FRE100

    French 1

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA

    In this introductory course, students learn basic French communication skills ñ while also exploring the cultures of the Francophone world. They engage in their own learning through collaboration, investigation and practice using text, video and audio materials. Students learn to write and speak in the present, past, and future tenses and give commands. An emphasis on speaking, listening, reading and basic writing guides the course. Students leave the introductory level excited and interested in further French language acquisition.

  105. FRE200

    French 2

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: French 100 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This second level course focuses on increasing communicating skills, both in written and oral form, through the lens of grammatical acquisition. Students are exposed to, and expected to master, the past tenses, the future tenses, and the conditional that they will use in their writing and speaking. The study of negatives, and several pronoun categories will be integrated along the way. Reading a variety of Francophone texts, along with video skit performances, daily oral participation, and individual and group projects will establish the natural use of the acquired grammar.

  106. FRE203

    French 2 Honors

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: French 100, instructor permission, & curr teacher approval/Designations: NCAA

    This accelerated intermediate level course is for students with a high degree of aural-oral proficiency. In addition to an in-depth study of grammar, students develop conversation skills and read a variety of short literary works from France and the Francophone world. Various technology sites will be used to enhance both written and oral production. As with all honors classes at Deerfield, French II Honors requires a substantial and consistent work ethic in order to master the material in a satisfactory manner.

  107. FRE300

    French 3

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: French 200 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    The third year of language study is pivotal. Using the skills gained in the first two levels as a springboard, the students expand and deepen their knowledge and comfort level with language use. Intensive grammar review of the items covered in the previous levels allows students to move to the study of the conditional past, if clause structures, and an introduction to the subjunctive. Naturally the studentís language production becomes more sophisticated. The reading of their first substantial novel opens them up to the diverse francophone diaspora. An end of year project puts to use all of the skills acquired in the first three levels of language study.

  108. FRE303

    French 3 Honors

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: French 200, instructor permission, & curr teacher approval/Designations: NCAA

    The honors track for level III continues exposure to advanced grammatical structures, which includes all tenses within the indicative and subjunctive moods, and a more sophisticated application of pronouns. Through the study of literary texts, students understand grammar and structure in context. Papers, skits, daily analysis, and class debates engage the students with the material. As with all honors classes at Deerfield, French III Honors requires a substantial and consistent work ethic in order to master the material in a satisfactory manner.

  109. FRE400

    French 4

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: French 300 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course is for students who would like to pursue the study of French at a more advanced level. Students examine grammar more deeply through literature, continue to develop oral proficiency through discussion, and further hone their reading comprehension through the study of certain historical periods and their accompanying texts. A textbook is also used when grammar and structure review is necessary. Papers, skits, daily analysis, and debates help students engage with the material.

  110. FRE503

    French 4 Honors

    Language
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: French 300, instructor permission, & curr teacher approval/Designations: NCAA, AP

    This accelerated course emphasizes oral proficiency, composition, and literary and oral analysis. Students will read a variety of genres from the Francophone world. This class will also examine French history through various films. Students are introduced to the structure of the Advanced Placement French Language and Culture Examination. As with all honors classes at Deerfield, French IV Honors requires a substantial and consistent work ethic in order to master the material in a satisfactory manner.

  111. FRE510

    French 5

    Language
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: French 400 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This is a literature seminar that continues to emphasize grammar and composition in order to polish students’ writing skills. Students read works by a variety of authors from France and the Francophone world. Papers, oral presentations, debates and discussions are also used to continue developing oral competency.

  112. FRE603

    French 5 Honors

    Language
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: French 503, instructor permission, & curr teacher approval/Designations: NCAA, AP

    This accelerated course emphasizes oral proficiency, composition, and literary and oral analysis. Students will read a variety of genres from the Francophone world. This class will also examine French history through various films. Strong students in this course can choose to take the AP exam. As with all honors classes at Deerfield, this course requires a substantial and consistent work ethic in order to master the material in a satisfactory manner.

  113. FRE703

    French 6 Honors

    Language
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: French 603, instructor permission, & curr teacher approval/Designations: NCAA

    This is a topics-based course for advanced speakers of French who have finished French V Honors. The course is especially designed for those students who wish to continue their French studies at the college level. Readings explore a wide variety of topics such as issues of contemporary France and the European Union. Open to students with permission of the instructor. This course may not be offered every year. Strong students can choose to take the AP exam. As with all honors classes at Deerfield, this requires a substantial and consistent work ethic in order to master the material in a satisfactory manner.

  114. FRE800

    French 7 Honors

    Language
    12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: French 703 and department approval/Designations: NCAA

    This is a topics-based course for advanced speakers of French who have finished French V Honors. The course is especially designed for those students who wish to continue their French studies at the college level. Readings explore a wide variety of topics such as issues of contemporary France and the European Union. Open to students with permission of the instructor. This course may not be offered every year. Strong students can choose to take the AP exam. As with all honors classes at Deerfield, this course requires a substantial and consistent work ethic in order to master the material in a satisfactory manner.

  115. GRE100

    Greek 1 Foundations Ancient Gr

    Language
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Instructor approval/Designations: NCAA

    Who were the ancient Greeks? What did they think? How did they express themselves? And what is their relevance today? This course provides an introduction to the Greek language, specifically the dialect of Athens during the fifth and fourth centuries BCE. Precise, intricate, and beautiful, Attic Greek was a language of philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle), history (Thucydides), oratory (Demosthenes), tragedy (Sophocles, Euripides), and comedy (Aristophanes). The course introduces students to the vocabulary and grammar of Attic Greek, while exploring themes in Greek history, literature, and mythology. Offered as part of a two year sequence. Knowledge of Latin is not required or expected. Greek 100 does not fulfill the Language graduation requirement.

  116. GRE200

    Greek 2

    Language
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Greek 100 or equiv./Designations: NCAA

    The second year of ancient Greek is designed to bring students from the rudiments of grammar to authentic texts. Beginning with a comprehensive review of Attic morphology, syntax, and vocabulary, the course graduates to advanced topics in Greek grammar and relevant social and historical content. Students proceed to authentic texts in both poetry and prose during the first term; the second term of Greek II will be spent on Plato’s Crito, an accessible and foundational example of classical Greek prose and ancient philosophy.

  117. GRE699

    Advanced Tutorial in Greek

    Language
    11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Greek 200/Designations: NCAA

    Advanced Tutorial may be offered to students who, in consultation with the department and with its endorsement, wish to design an individualized course in Greek literature.

  118. HEA100F

    Health Seminar I-Fall

    Health
    9
    Fall

    In this introductory health class students will engage in discussions that will expand their understanding of what it means to be healthy. We will embrace the motto, “healthy mind, healthy body, healthy you!” Topics covered include adolescence, self-care, personal values, stress and stress management, relationships, and more.

  119. HEA100S

    Health Seminar I-Spring

    Health
    9
    Spring

    In this introductory health class students will engage in discussions that will expand their understanding of what it means to be healthy. We will embrace the motto, “healthy mind, healthy body, healthy you!” Topics covered include adolescence, self-care, personal values, stress and stress management, relationships, and more.

  120. HEA100W

    Health Seminar I-Winter

    Health
    9
    Winter

    In this introductory health class students will engage in discussions that will expand their understanding of what it means to be healthy. We will embrace the motto, “healthy mind, healthy body, healthy you!” Topics covered include adolescence, self-care, personal values, stress and stress management, relationships, and more.

  121. HEA200

    Health Seminar II

    Health
    10/11
    Fall/Winter/Spring

    This health course expands on the 9th grade introductory class and deepens students’ understanding of mental health, mental illness, and healthy relationships. Through classroom presentations and discussions we will explore aspects of identity, learn about various mental illnesses, better understand how to engage in and develop healthy relationships, and discuss the role of adolescent development as it pertains to these topics. Additional topics we will discuss may include human sexuality, alcohol and other drugs, and stress management. All three and four year students are required to take this course during grade 10 regardless of a previous similar course.

  122. HIS201

    Ancient Civilizations

    History
    9/10
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA

    This course examines the development of a number of early societies spanning multiple continents and many thousands of years.  Those societies may include Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Mesoamerican cultures. Course materials include a wide array of historical and literary texts that provide insight into the ways ancient peoples organized themselves and explained the world around them. We will explore cross-cultural interactions across time and space with a focus on the ways that religious and cultural exchange shaped and continue to influence the world around us. Topics may include the literature of early Mesopotamian civilizations, the social structure of Egypt and Mesoamerica, and the political organization of classical Greece and Rome. Each 200-level history course provides students with a foundation of core skills, including source analysis, discussion and debate, inquiry-based research, and analytical writing and presentation.

  123. HIS210

    Africa and Latin America

    History
    9/10
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA

    Using literature and a rich variety of historical sources, this course studies the cultural, political, and economic consequences of colonialism in selected countries in Africa and Latin America. Each unit explores how the forces of conquest, colonization, and commerce have shaped the lives of individuals and communities in these countries. The interdisciplinary course materials also focus on the process of upheaval and change associated with revolution, decolonization, and independence in these regions. The course texts rely heavily upon indigenous voices and investigate a range of countries that may include Mexico, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Nigeria, the Congo, and South Africa. Each 200-level history course provides students with a foundation of core skills, including source analysis, discussion and debate, inquiry-based research, and analytical writing and presentation.

  124. HIS220

    Asia in World History

    History
    9/10
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA

    This course serves both as an introduction for students who have never studied Asian history and as a means, for those with foundational background, to further explore the societies, politics and belief systems of India, China and Japan. While students focus primarily on one of the three regional civilizations each term, they also trace the complex web of commercial and cultural exchange paths that crossed Asia and stretched to Europe, Africa, and Oceania. Along the way, they inquire into the relationship between these early pathways and modern global ones. Secondary source texts provide scaffolding for the course, but we also read from early primary texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Confucian Analects and the Maníyoshu, as well as from early travelogues, histories and manuals on ruling and warfare. Each 200-level history course provides students with a foundation of core skills, including source analysis, discussion and debate, inquiry-based research, and analytical writing and presentation.

  125. HIS230

    Big History

    History
    9/10
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA

    How did the universe begin? How has the universe developed over time? How do humans fit into this evolving story? Where is the future heading? These are questions that origin stories from different cultures have addressed for thousands of years. This course explores the modern scientific origin story of how the universe and life within it has grown more complex over the last 13.8 billion years. This tale, itself thousands of years in the making, has been woven together by a wide spectrum of thinkers and scholars from numerous scientific and historical fields. Together, students will engage powerful ideas and common themes across the entire time scale of history, from the Big Bang and creation of star systems to the emergence of the Earth’s first microorganisms and the recent rise of human societies. Because history relies upon content, concepts and texts drawn from many disciplines, students will need to carefully weigh how scholars develop and justify their claims about the past, and how, over time, new claims serve to refute or refine earlier ones. Students will also have the opportunity to create their own narratives, explanations and arguments in response to essential questions. Each 200-level history course provides students with a foundation of core skills, including source analysis, discussion and debate, inquiry-based research, and analytical writing and presentation.

  126. HIS400

    United States History

    History
    11/12
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA

    This course in American history prioritizes depth over breadth in exploring certain critical junctures in the political, social, economic, and cultural history of the United States from pre-colonial times to the present, including its relations with other countries. We will ask how history and identity are inextricably linked, consider the ways in which history is the set of stories we choose to tell, and examine the competing values that have shaped the development of the United States as well as the forces of continuity and change. This course stresses the skills of a historian, including careful reading, critical thinking, primary-source analysis, discussion skills and analytical writing; its core assessments will extend beyond writing to activities that include debates, roundtables, simulations, and research-based projects.

  127. HIS502

    AP Seminar: H2O & Food Systems

    History
    10/11
    All Year
    Prerequisites: 200 level course in H&SS at Deerfield, or the equivalent./Designations: NCAA, AP
    In this AP Seminar course, students explore the complexity of global food and water access/delivery systems while developing their skills as critical thinkers and strong communicators. The course focuses on current local and global issues related to freshwater availability and infrastructure, agriculture and food production, and water and food insecurity. The course teaches students to develop their own strong research questions, understand and analyze arguments, evaluate multiple perspectives, synthesize ideas, collaborate effectively, build and communicate their own arguments in both written and oral formats, and reflect on their increasing ability to engage with real world issues as engaged global citizens. Throughout this interdisciplinary course, students deepen their understanding of freshwater access and food systems through debates, seminar discussions, independent research, collaborative projects, oral presentations, guest speakers, and field trips. Students research freshwater issues and the environmental, economic, cultural, and health impacts of widely differing food systems and learn to both collaboratively and independently propose solutions and work actively for positive change. Most of the second half of the year will be spent working on a team project and individual research based essay as part of the College Board Assessments for AP Seminar.
  128. HIS503

    American Studies

    History
    11
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA, AP
    An interdisciplinary course combining honors U.S. History and eleventh grade English, American Studies tracks intersecting threads of history, literature, art, and culture throughout the development of the United States. By examining the works of historians, artists, filmmakers, and writers from both the past and present, students develop a nuanced understanding of the political, cultural, intellectual, and social forces that shaped the country and continue to influence the present. Close analysis of primary and secondary sources, discussion and debate, research, and reflection will form the foundation for a variety of creative and analytical assessments that ask students to advance arguments of their own about the challenges and opportunities inherent in the country’s evolution. Meeting each day under the 2021 2022 schedule, American Studies is a team taught course that also prepares students for Advanced Placement exams in US History and English. Selection will be made by the department.
  129. HIS513

    Honors United States History

    History
    11/12
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA, AP
    This course, for students who have demonstrated aptitude in prior humanities classes, is a fast paced survey of United States history from colonial times to the late 20th century. Using a college level textbook that is supplemented daily with excerpts of primary sources, as well as occasional secondary source readings and videos, students examine major themes and developments in social, economic, and diplomatic history within a framework of a political narrative. With an emphasis on careful reading, critical thinking, primary source analysis, research, and analytical writing, students engage with one another and with the text to develop both a command of the substantial material, and the skills of a historian. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement exam in US History. Recommendation will be made by the department.
  130. HIS523

    Honors European History

    History
    10/11
    All Year
    Prerequisites: 200-level history course at Deerfield or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA, AP
    This course examines selected themes in the history of Europe, from the Renaissance to the recent past. Major topics include the Renaissance, the Reformation, politics, society and culture in early modern Europe, the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, the era of the French Revolution and Napoleon, the emergence of modern political ideologies, nation building and imperialism in the nineteenth century, the world wars and the advent of the Cold War. Special attention will be given to interactions between Europe and other regions of the world and to the influence of non European regions on the development of European civilization. The course prepares students for the Advanced Placement European History exam. Recommendation will be made by the department.
  131. HIS601

    Moot Court: US Constitution

    History
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    From the extent of our privacy to the limits on the powers of government to the meaning of equality, the United States Supreme Court is the arbiter of many critical issues in American society. This one term course examines the Court’s efforts to balance the often conflicting rights of individuals with the broader interests of society. In doing so, the course considers the proper role of the Court itself. Topics for debate may include privacy issues, equality under the law, and freedom of speech. Assessments primarily consist of moot courts in which students assume the role of lawyers and justices to examine, argue, and rule upon recent or current issues before the Supreme Court.

  132. HIS605

    History of Opium

    History
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    Heroin, “Oxy,” fentanyl, carfentanil. These drug names, along with names of pharmaceutical companies set to pay billions in fines and civil liability, punctuate news stories about an opioid crisis that blossomed in the ‘90s and that has continued, unabated, in the pandemic era. Why, among developed countries, does the US stand out for this problem? Whose problem is it? Our course begins just up the road in Greenfield. We then trace opioids to their sources, mapping the global web of narcotics trafficking routes and identifying stakeholders who both benefit from and are crippled by one of the world’s most lucrative renewable commodities. To understand opium’s power, we examine its history, exploring man’s economic, political and even artistic addictions to opium through topics as varied as the 19th century Opium Wars, 20th century music, and 21st century film. Students will read major portions of Sam Quinones’s award winning Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic. They will additionally interview substance abuse specialists and travel to a courthouse to meet with social workers and legal experts in the field. Assessments in this one term elective include debates, student run discussions, and a short independent research project.

  133. HIS611

    Understanding the Holocaust

    History
    11/12
    Fall/Winter/Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    The Nazi regime relied on long standing strains of anti Semitism as well as newer racial ideologies to gather support for their purposeful and highly systematic attempt to destroy the Jewish population in Europe. Beginning with an introduction to the roots of anti Semitism in Europe, this course then explores the political, social and economic factors in Europe that made Adolf Hitler’s rise to power possible. It also examines the origins, development, and implementation of the Nazi Germany’s genocidal policies and their relationship to the Second World War. Using diaries, speeches, bureaucratic documents, memoirs, films, and historical scholarship, this course considers accounts by perpetrators, victims, survivors, bystanders and rescuers in order to wrestle with the motivations and suffering of the various people involved. Finally, the course investigates the aftermath of the Holocaust and its legacies today, including the historical scholarship of the last generation of Holocaust studies. This is a one-term course.

  134. HIS619

    The History of Capitalism

    History
    11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    With its celebration of innovation, return on investment, and creative destruction, capitalism appears to be about the future. But it can be understood only by studying its past. Together we will explore the global origins, development, and spread of capitalism from the 18th century to the present, examining not just how it has changed the world, but how the world has changed it in return. We will pay special attention to property rights, markets, the corporation, labor movements, technology and the environment, race and gender, consumer culture, and the role of the state. Drawing on new historical scholarship, documentaries and podcasts, and a diverse array of primary sources, we will develop a critical understanding of capitalism as a system and ideology created and shaped by both social struggle and government actions. Students will have opportunities to extend their study of these themes through research on companies and parts of the world of their choice.

  135. HIS622

    U.S.-China Relations

    History
    11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA
    This policy course investigates 75 years of US-China diplomacy in the context of China’s major domestic and international priorities from the Cold War to today. The course begins with an overview of China’s 2020 challenges, including the U.S.-China “trade wars,” street protests in Hong Kong, the Taiwan question, criticism regarding treatment of Uighur Muslims, and concerns surrounding COVID-19 (coronavirus). It then steps back to the years just after WWII, when the U.S. laid groundwork for a fascinating and ever-evolving relationship with both the People’s Republic of China and the government in Taiwan. We use memoirs, video footage, and art to enhance our reading of high-level diplomatic exchanges. Topics such as the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Nixon visits, Deng Xiaoping’s “economic miracle,” and China’s Belt and Road Initiative help us track a relatively consistent and informed US policytowards China, even as we note important departures from that policy. Students discuss and debate their way through most of the course, and they wrap up with a policy brief on a present-day issue of their choice.
  136. HIS624

    Sun Tzu to Suicide Bombers

    History
    11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA
    This course will examine the causes, conduct, patterns, and effects of asymmetric warfare from antiquity to ISIS. The course will draw on primary sources, historical texts, films, and case studies to reflect multiple perspectives. While those case studies may range from Spartacus to Syria and from the Algerian FLN to the Colombian FARC, our common goal is to develop a framework for understanding the role of the United States in the fight against ISIS and al-Qaeda. Towards that end students will read academic theories of political violence in order to enhance their capacity to engage in social science research about topics that may include terrorism, truth and reconciliation, de-radicalization and reintegration of fighters, the role of intelligence services, and counterinsurgency tactics such as torture and assassination. Major themes of the course include the role of memory and identity in the construction of narrative and ideology; the primary skills it develops are critical thinking,writing, and discussion, assessed through debates, round tables, and a major research project.
  137. HIS627

    Campaigns & Elections

    History
    11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    As the United States heads into its midterm elections, this course will put the headlines of the news cycle in historical perspective and challenge students to think critically about the mechanics of democracy. We will explore the evolution of political parties; the role of advertising, polling, and campaign finance; and debates around suffrage, redistricting, and the Electoral College. A diverse source base will inform our study, including documentaries, podcasts, narrative nonfiction, and social media, as well as primary documents and scholarly articles. This one term course will culminate with each student analyzing a 2022 Senate or Congressional race of their choice. In addition, class will include debates, roleplays, and roundtable discussions as we consider the past, present, and future of American party politics.

  138. HIS628

    War, Ideology & Revolution

    History
    11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA
    What motivates people to do good or evil? What is it like to live in a society that does not value truth? How do wars and scientific discoveries shape our conception of ourselves and our world? What threatens liberal democracy? These are some of the questions we will explore as we examine great upheavals of the last 100 years. Focused largely on events in Europe, and centered on the experiences of individuals, this interdisciplinary course explores how dreams of the future as well as memories of the past control the destinies of nations and people, yet are often contested or rest on myths. Topics may include the Great War and the intellectual and artistic revolution it fostered, Hitler and Stalin’s totalitarian regimes, Putin’s Russia, the United States’ war in Iraq, the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s, the makings of a liberal international order, and the nationalist backlash and environmental threats facing that order. Assessments will vary from analytical papers to the construction of a virtual museum exhibit, and will conclude with the creation of a podcast series.
  139. HIS633

    Politics & Science of Memory

    History
    11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    There may be nothing more important to human beings than our ability to enshrine experience and recall it. While philosophers and poets have elevated memory to an almost mystical level, psychologists and neuroscientists have struggled to demystify it. This two term, interdisciplinary course combines history, the neuroscience of how our brains create and retain memories, and the varied ways in which societies around the world have recorded and explored the concept of memory. While the course aims to explore the theme of memory globally, the course focuses specifically on two areas: the United States of the mid to late 19th century, and the Middle East of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The course examines the legacy of figures such as John Brown and Yasser Arafat, asking “How should we remember important polarizing leaders?” Texts will include E.L. Doctorow’s novel Ragtime, the 2017 play Oslo, and the 2020 memoir entitled The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine; students will compare these literary texts with their own research on historiographical interpretations. In each section of the course, students will also study resistance in the face of heavy odds and debate how these conflicts over memorialization affect our contemporary world.

  140. LAT100

    Latin 1: Foundations

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA
    Who were the Romans? What did they say about the world? And how did they say it? Latin 100 provides beginning students, who have not previously studied Latin, with the tools they need to ask and answer these questions. The course emphasizes the vocabulary, morphology, and syntax of classical Latin, direct engagement with Roman literature, and the rudiments of Roman history, culture, and mythology. The study of etymology and the comparison of Latin with English are fundamental components of Latin 100.
  141. LAT200

    Latin 2: Foundations 2

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Latin 100 or equivalent/Designations: NCAA
    Designed for students with previous exposure to Latin, whose primary goals are Latin reading comprehension, ancient history, mythology, and the legacy of Latin in English. Latin is the language of instruction; the primary textbook is Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina per se illustrata, Pars Prima. Latin 200 takes a reading based, immersive approach to the acquisition of vocabulary, morphology, and syntax. This course prepares students for Latin 300, which is likewise conducted in Latin.
  142. LAT203

    Latin 2H: Foundations 2H

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Grade of 90 or above in DA Latin I; Instructor Permission/Designations: NCAA
    Assuming a solid foundation in Latin vocabulary and morphology, Latin 203 will cover the remainder of Latin grammar during the Fall Term. English is the language of instruction. Students are also introduced to the fundamentals of Latin poetry, including metrics, scansion, and figures of speech and thought. The Winter and Spring Terms will be dedicated to reading authentic, unadapted Latin. Readings emphasize the many encounters of Roman with other ancient Mediterranean civilizations. This course prepares students for Latin 400.
  143. LAT300

    Latin 3: Intro to Latin Literature

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Latin 200 or equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    In conjunction with a systematic review of fundamentals, students engage in selected readings of both prose and poetry during the year. Texts, for which students may be asked to identify parallels to modern examples of ancient literary and documentary genres comprise the Fall Term. Students progress to Cicero’s Somnium Scipionis in the winter and an exploration of what it means to be an effective citizen of a diverse and sprawling community that is in need of wise, informed guidance. Selections from authors that may include Ovid, Catullus, Vergil, and Caesar constitute the spring syllabus, in which students, confronted with love, conflict, purpose, and destiny in their own lives, meet these themes writ large in Roman history and culture between the end of the 2nd Punic War and the death of Augustus.

  144. LAT400

    Latin 4: Leadership & Empire

    Language
    10/11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Prerequisites: Latin 203, Latin 300, or equivalent, and by permission/Designations: NCAA

    This is an advanced literature seminar, conducted in English, offering a rigorous study of Caesar’s Commentāriī dē Bellō Gallicō and Vergil’s Aeneid and exploring Rome’s place in the history of western Europe. Through the study of language, literature, and history, students will seek to understand Roman identity and its influence. The course assumes a thorough grounding in Latin vocabulary, grammar, and prosody. The course covers the core of the AP Latin syllabus and familiarizes students with the nature of that assessment.

  145. LAT504

    Latin IV: Advanced Topics

    Language
    10/11/12
    Spring
    Prerequisites: Latin 400/Designations: NCAA, AP

    A continuation of Latin 400, likewise conducted in English. In the spring, students who have completed Latin 400 in the same or previous year may elect to sit for the AP Latin exam. This course is a thorough review of the AP syllabus and the skills necessary for success on the AP Exam. Students who do not wish to take the Latin AP may opt to take a spring classics elective.

  146. LAT600

    Latin 5: Survey of Latin Lit

    Language
    10/11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Prerequisites: Latin 400 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This two term, advanced seminar, conducted in English, is a survey of Latin literature from the comedies of the second century BCE to the literature of the Roman empire. Readings will be selected from the texts and authors of the traditional canon, with special emphasis on an examination of canonical status and on texts by and about groups traditionally assigned to the “margins:” women, slaves, the non elite, those identified or self styled as “barbarians,” et al. In addition to reading, there will be a significant emphasis on prose and verse composition; attention will also be given to aspects of history that support the study of the texts in question, including inscriptions, graffiti, art history, and archeology.

  147. LAT699

    Advanced Tutorial in Latin

    Language
    11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Instructor permission/Designations: NCAA

    Advanced Tutorial may be offered to students who, in consultation with the department and with its endorsement, wish to pursue an individualized course in classical studies.

  148. MAT101

    Algebra I-101

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA

    This is a course in first year algebra with emphasis on such topics as the properties of the real number system, solving first degree sentences in one variable, the fundamental operations involving polynomial and rational expressions, systems of linear equations in two variables, fractions, factoring, ratio, proportion, variation, exponents, roots, quadratic equations, and problem solving. All of the material of a typical first year of algebra will be completed as well as a variety of enrichment topics.

  149. MAT102

    Algebra I-102

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA

    This course is designed for a student who has already studied some or much of the material that is covered in a typical first year algebra program, but who would benefit from additional work with the topics of Algebra I. The Fall Term is devoted to a review of the basic skills and ideas of Real Numbers, followed by single-variable equations and inequalities which then leads to work with linear relations and their applications in the late fall and winter. Students end the winter with the study of quadratic relations and their applications, and then spend the spring term on introductions to exponential relations, probability and statistics, and the idea of functions.

  150. MAT201

    Geometry-201

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT101/102 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course is designed for students who would benefit from significant reinforcement of topics from Algebra I as they pertain to geometric problems. The emphasis in this course is on recognizing the geometric relationships in shapes and solids. New concepts are introduced using inductive reasoning and exploration. Students who complete this course will be preparedfor a 300-level course.

  151. MAT202

    Geometry-202

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT102 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course integrates material from both plane and solid geometry. However, the development of the material requires extensive use of the skills and concepts already studied in algebra. The major emphasis is the study of the properties of two and three dimensional geometric figures from both a deductive and inductive reasoning approach. Additional topics include material from analytic geometry, exercises in logic, the graphing of functions and relations and elementary trigonometry. Students who complete this course will be prepared fora 300-level course.

  152. MAT203

    Honors Geometry

    Math
    9/10
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Outstanding ability in MAT101/102 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course is an enriched version of Math 202 and is designed for the well-qualified math student. The course covers the same geometric topics as Math 202 but in greater depth. Students investigate additional topics at the discretion of the instructor. Successful completion of this course normally advances a student to Math 303.

  153. MAT301

    Algebra II-301

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT101/102 and MAT202/203/Designations: NCAA

    This course meets the standards of a solid course in second year algebra. However, it is designed for students whose background indicates a need for a review of material from previous courses. As such it moves at a somewhat slower pace than Math 302. Students who complete this course are prepared for a 400-level mathematics course.

  154. MAT302

    Algebra II-302

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT101/102 and MAT202/203/Designations: NCAA

    This course is intended for students who have achieved success in Math 102 and Math 202 or the equivalent. The material is developed with an emphasis on the functional approach and most topics include a range of applied problems. The main focus of the course is the analytical development of the linear, quadratic, polynomial, exponential and logarithmic functions. Other topics developed include an analysis of both the real and complex number systems, systems of equations in two and three variables, and an introduction to trigonometric functions. Students may take a 200-level and this 300-level course concurrently. Students who complete this course are prepared for a 400-level mathematics course.

  155. MAT303

    Honors Algebra II

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT102/102 and MAT202/203/Designations: NCAA

    This course is an enriched version of Math 302 and is designed for the well-qualified student. The course develops the same material as Math 302 but in greater depth. Students in this class are frequently asked to solve non-routine problems and to apply familiar concepts in new problem situations. Students may take a 200-level and this 300-level course concurrently. Successful completion of this course normally advances a student to Math 403.

  156. MAT400

    Acc Algebra and Precalculus

    Math
    11
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Algebra I, Geometry/Designations: NCAA

    This course is intended for students who have demonstrated an interest in pursuing additional mathematics courses at Deerfield but have found themselves unable to achieve their goals in their time remaining at the school. Students who have earned credits in Algebra I and Geometry only by the end of their sophomore year may be eligible for this course by teacher recommendation. In addition, some students in Algebra II may also be recommended for this course. The course is designed to move students through fundamental content from Algebra and Precalculus that will prepare them for success in the senior year in one of Deerfield’s 500 level courses. All students will complete a study of polynomials, logarithmic, exponential, and trigonometric functions before branching to additional content. Students will choose their intended senior year course and work through mathematics directly designed to prepare them for this path.

  157. MAT401

    Precalculus & Statistics

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT301/302 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course is intended as a follow-up to Algebra II or an equivalent course. It is designed to complete the study of the elementary functions (linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric). Additionally, the course develops material from finite mathematics including an introduction to probability and statistics, and the normal distribution. Throughout the entire course modeling of real phenomena is emphasized.

  158. MAT402

    Precalculus

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT302/303 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course is a follow up to Math 302 and as such continues the development of functions and relations. The course includes a thorough study of polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions, an analytical development of conic sections, polar equations and graphs, matrices, and an introduction to data analysis. Calculator based graphing technology is incorporated into the course, and the instructional approach is greatly influenced by the fact that all students have immediate access to this technology.

  159. MAT403

    Honors Precalculus

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Prerequisites: MAT303 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course is designed as a continuation of Math 303. The topics covered in this accelerated course include all those listed under Math 402 but the pace is such that the material will be completed by the end of the winter term. Successful completion of this course normally advances a student to Math 603 (AP Calculus BC).

  160. MAT450

    Discrete Math & Precalculus

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT401 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course follows Math 401. It is also intended for students who have completed 402 and who do not wish to study calculus at this time. This course provides a continued emphasis on the development of functions and relations, including a thorough study of polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and power functions. Further, data analysis and difference equations are used to model real world phenomena. Calculator and computer-based graphing technology are incorporated into the course.

  161. MAT501

    Calculus

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT402 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course offers an introduction to the derivative and the integral. The pace of this course allows for a review of precalculus topics when necessary.

  162. MAT502

    AP Calculus AB

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT402 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA, AP

    This course follows the Advanced Placement AB syllabus, which incorporates an introduction to the derivative and the integral and their applications. Students in this course are required to take the AP exam in May.

  163. MAT503

    AP Calculus BC

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT 403 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA, AP
    This course follows the Advanced Placement BC syllabus, which incorporates an introduction to the derivative and the integral with their applications and work in infinite series. This four-term course, which begins in the spring term of the sophomore or junior year, is for students who are outstanding in mathematics. Open to students who have completedMath 403 or the equivalent, with permission of the department. Exceptional mathematics students entering Deerfield in the fall term with demonstrated excellence in precalculus may consult the mathematics chair as to placement in the fall. Students in this course are required to take the AP exam in May.
  164. MAT503A

    AP Calculus BC – Spr term

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    Spring
    Prerequisites: MAT403 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course follows the Advanced Placement BC syllabus, which incorporates an introduction to the derivative and the integral with their applications and work in infinite series. This four-term course, which begins in the Spring Term of the sophomore or junior year, is for students who are outstanding in mathematics. Open to students who have completed MAT402 or the equivalent, with permission of the department. Exceptional mathematics studentsentering Deerfield in the fall term with demonstrated excellence in precalculus may consult the mathematics chair as to placement in the fall. Students in this course are required to take the AP exam in May.

  165. MAT510

    AP Statistics

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT303 with permission, or MAT401/402/Designations: NCAA, AP

    This course follows the Advanced Placement Statistics syllabus, which introduces students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students are exposed to four broad conceptual themes: exploring data by observing patterns and departures from patterns, planning a study by deciding what and how to measure, anticipating patterns by producing models using probability and simulation, and studying statistical inference by confirming models. May be taken concurrently with a 400-level or higher course. Students in this course are required to take the AP exam in May.

  166. MAT602

    Adv Calc w Intro to Multivar

    Math
    11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT502 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course continues the study of single variable calculus and introduces topics from multivariable calculus. Topics may include understanding the relation of series and convergence to calculus, work with parametric, polar, and vector forms in more than two dimensions, optimization problems, advanced integration, and a broad introduction to differential equations. An open-source textbook and Sage, an open-source software package which does symbolic manipulation and advanced graphing, is used extensively in this course.

  167. MAT603

    Multivar Calc & Diff Equations

    Math
    11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT503 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    This course covers the major topics of Multivariable Calculus, including optimization problems and vector calculus, and concludes with an introduction to ordinary differential equations. Mathematica, the symbolic mathematics software, is used extensively in the course for displaying 3D graphs, performing advanced numerical analysis, and analyzing nonlinear differential equations and systems of such equations. A licensed copy of the software is provided to all students.

  168. MAT705

    Linear Algebra

    Math
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT503 or 600 or department permisison/Designations: NCAA

    Linear Algebra begins with the concept of systems of linear equations. From this foundation, Linear Algebra uses the mathematical objects and operations derived from vectors and matrices to construct a more abstract system of concepts that has broad relevance in higher mathematics as well as myriad practical applications. Topics studied include linear independence, subspaces, linear transformations, bases and dimension, orthogonality, determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, and matrix diagonalization. Applications investigated include simple economic models, predator-prey ecological models, cryptography, and Markov chains. This course may be taken concurrently with MAT603.

  169. MAT806

    Special Topics

    Math
    11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: MAT705 & either MAT602 or MAT603

    Special Topics is aimed at students who have completed the rest of the curriculum, including Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus, and are looking to delve more deeply into advanced mathematics. Topics covered will depend on the interests of students and teachers, and may include Differential Equations, Number Theory, Combinatorial Algebra, or others.

  170. MUS220

    Studio/Production

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    Fall/Winter/Spring

    How is today’s music put together? What path does music take from the time it leaves the creator until it arrives in your ear . Working in the recording studio, we will learn all aspects of production. Starting with pre-production, then recording, then editing, then mixing. Students will need to do much of the homework in the studio itself. This is a one-term course.

  171. MUS300

    Chorus

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year

    Singing builds community, commitment, self-discipline, personal ownership, and responsibility to the group. Open to anyone, and focused on singing, this course will introduce and develop skills in interpreting musical notation and understanding of melody, harmony, rhythm, and aesthetics. Students will develop proper singing technique and healthy habits relating to body alignment, breath management, vowel formation, proper resonation, clear diction, and accurate intonation. Classroom activities include sight-singing, light calisthenics, breathing exercises, meditation, historical research, music games, and improvisation. The ensemble will study and perform a wide range of musical styles and genres,including regularly dividing into separate Soprano/Alto and Tenor/Bass groups. Evaluations will be based on performance and growth across each term. May be taken as 6th course: MUS300P.

  172. MUS300P

    Chorus (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year

    See MUS300 description.

  173. MUS303

    Advanced Vocal Ensemble

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Departmental permission

    Open by audition to advanced singers, this course builds on previously demonstrated skill in interpreting musical notation and understanding of melody, harmony, rhythm, and aesthetics. Students will develop proper singing technique and healthy habits relating to body alignment, breath management, vowel formation, proper resonation, clear diction, and accurateintonation. Classroom activities include sight-singing, light calisthenics, breathing exercises, meditation, historical research, music games, and improvisation. The ensemble willstudy and perform a wide range of musical styles and genres, including serving as an SATB a cappella ensemble. Evaluations will be based on performances in and out of the classroom setting. May be taken as 6th course: MUS303P.

  174. MUS303P

    Advanced Vocal Ensemble (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Departmental permission

    See MUS303 description.

  175. MUS310

    Bands: Wind/Rock/Jazz

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year

    This course provides an opportunity for experienced woodwind, brass, and percussion players to collaborate in a variety of ensemble settings including concert band, woodwind chamber groups, brass ensembles, saxophone ensembles, percussion groups, and jazz/rock bands.Ensemble assignments are made by the course instructor, and additional ensemble coaches are drawn from the applied teaching staff. Students work on improving their blend, technique, intonation, musicianship, ensemble playing, and improvisational skills. May be taken as 6th course: MUS310P.

  176. MUS310P

    Bands: Wind/Rock/Jazz (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year

    See MUS310 description.

  177. MUS400

    Adv. Music Comp. & Analysis

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Department permission

    This class aims to empower students to compose, produce, and share their own musical creations by unlocking the secrets of what makes music magical. To some degree, students willchoose the repertoire that we analyze. We we will break down and study elements of harmony, rhythm, melody, architecture, structure, color, instrumentation/orchestration, studio production choices, and performance techniques. Students will compose multiple musical works,both large scale and small, inspired by the secrets that we unlock through our various analyses. There will be opportunities to publish and share projects, including live performances and digital distribution services such as Spotify. Collaboration with other courses (e.g. Studio Production, Digital Filmmaking) will be encouraged. Industry-standard tools such as Avid Sibelius music composition software and ProTools production software will be learned and employed for projects. Ability to understand musical notation and basic music theory knowledge are required for this class. Students interested in preparing for the AP Music Theory can prepare for the exam during this course.

  178. MUS403

    Advanced Chamber Music

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Department permission

    This course offers our most advanced instrumentalists the opportunity to work in small ensembles, learning and performing repertoire by the worldís greatest composers. Class time consists of rotating coaching by Mr. Bergeron and our professional staff, performance classesin the Concert Hall (including peer feedback), student-led rehearsals, and guest artist visits (masterclasses and performances) from renowned chamber musicians. Students explore questions of performance practice, instrumental technique, emotion, expression, historical context, music theory, compositional architecture, performance psychology, and group dynamics. Each semester culminates with the Chamber Music Showcase Concert in the Concert Hall, whichis open to the public and professionally recorded. Daily practice is expected and participation in the Deerfield Orchestra is required of all chamber musicians except pianists. Chamber musicians should also be taking private lessons. May be taken as 6th course: MUS403P.

  179. MUS403P

    Advanced Chamber Music (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Department permission

    See MUS403 description.

  180. PHI200

    Ethics

    Philosophy and Religion
    9/10
    Fall/Winter/Spring
    Designations: NCAA
    Justice. Equality. Dignity. Freedom. Responsibility. In Ethics, students explore these and other key ethical concepts. In this class, we will practice skillful use of clear, logically structured argument to analyze and understand these ideas, applying them to real-world cases as well as personal stories. We’ll explore how identity, power, and privilege shape our ethical understandings. The class draws on both historical and contemporary sources to help students achieve a deeper understanding of the ethical issues that shape our lives. Assessment includes argumentative writing and independent research projects. This is a one-term course.
  181. PHI400

    Political Philosophy

    Philosophy and Religion
    10/11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Prerequisites: 10th graders must have completed Ethics/Designations: NCAA
    This course tackles the big questions that shape our modern lives: What is justice? What is liberty? What is equality? When is the state allowed to restrict our freedoms, and why? How should goods be distributed in a just society? We will explore these and related questions through both classical and contemporary readings. In addition, we will devote considerable time to analyzing, constructing, and critiquing arguments about political issues. The class will equip you to think carefully and critically about the difficult and often controversial topics that come up in your lives as citizens.
  182. PHI605

    The Philosophy of Happiness

    Philosophy and Religion
    10/11/12
    Spring
    Prerequisites: 10th graders must have completed Ethics/Designations: NCAA

    This course will examine a range of questions about the nature of happiness. What is happiness, and why does it matter? Is it the main thing we should pursue in life, or are there other things that are more important? Is it a kind of pleasant feeling, or is it something more “objective” than that? What assumptions about happiness are implicit in the ways that psychologists, economists, and writers of popular media measure and talk about happiness? We will consider these and other questions, engaging with historical and contemporary work from philosophers, scientists, religious thinkers, and contributors to popular media. The primary aim of the course will be to introduce you to rich traditions of philosophical thinking about happiness, and to equip you to begin thinking with some degree of rigor and discipline about questions of happiness as they arise in your own life.

  183. PHI615

    Mind, Meaning and Reality

    Philosophy and Religion
    10/11/12
    Fall/Winter/Spring
    Prerequisites: 10th graders must have completed Ethics/Designations: NCAA

    This one-term course examines a wide range of philosophical questions and problems, drawing on both classical and contemporary readings. Students will be exposed to a number of historically important philosophical thinkers in the Western tradition, such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, Kant, and Nietzsche. We will also explore some philosophical ideas that are in some ways alien to this tradition, particularly those of Daoism and Buddhism. Possible topics of study include: the nature of reality; subjectivity and objectivity; freedom of the will; knowledge and skepticism; the existence of God and the nature of religious experience; the status of ethical norms; the nature of the self; and more. Emphasis will be placed upon both the theoretical and practical aspects of philosophical reflection. Students will learn to engage skillfully with complex philosophical arguments and to apply abstract ideas to their own lives in ways that will enrich and inspire. No background knowledge of philosophy required!

  184. PHI635

    Seeing Society

    Philosophy and Religion
    11/12
    Spring

    “Who are we? How did we get here? Where are we headed?” When scholars ask these questions about American society, the answers can take the form of data about everything from population to housing to education to leisure activities. They can also take the form of large over arching theories that seek to put data into a form of explanation of historical trends or predictions for the future. Both of those approaches are the work of sociologists and social philosophers. This elective is an introduction to that work and will offer students the chance to do some of it for themselves. Readings will include classic sociology from Max Weber, W.E.B. Dubois, Simone De Beauvoir, and Studs Terkel and move on to important contemporary works like Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste, Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone, Michael Sandel’s Tyranny of Merit, and Jessica Bruder’s Nomadland. Students will do a project that gathers data of the kind sociologists use and then develop a social philosophy analysis to present to the class.

  185. PHI671

    Inside Out

    Philosophy and Religion
    11/12
    Spring

    Coming to Terms With Climate Change. This course will use non fiction, fiction, poetry and documentary film to establish an understanding of the origins and implications of the greatest challenge ever faced by human civilization and to explore the art, the politics and the ethics of confronting Climate Change both individually and collectively. Writing will be mostly creative responses to the reading, and as far as possible, we will exchange the classroom and the seminar table for the surrounding fields and woods, where walking will be the forum and the catalyst for our discussions as we consider the ways in which Climate Change is beginning to question, transform and redefine even our most fundamental ideals of success, community, leadership, education and what it means to be human. May be taken as ENG671.

  186. PHY200

    Physics 1 w/Algebra

    Science and Computer Science
    9
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA

    This is an introductory physics course that includes the study of kinematics, forces, energy, and electricity and magnetism. Students learn to develop and apply models through guided inquiry, group discussion, and collaborative hands on investigation. They learn to communicate their thinking through multiple visual, mathematical, and computational representations. This course focuses on the concepts, principles, and ways of thinking that will underlie students’ further study of science.

  187. PHY210

    Physics 1 w/Trig

    Science and Computer Science
    9
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Geometry or concurrent Geometry or above/Designations: NCAA

    This is an introductory physics course that includes the study of kinematics, forces, energy, and electricity and magnetism; it moves at a faster pace and with greater depth than Physics 1 (w/ algebra). Students learn to develop and apply models through guided inquiry, group discussion, and collaborative hands on investigation. They learn to communicate their thinking through multiple visual, mathematical, and computational representations. This course focuses on the concepts, principles, and ways of thinking that will underlie students’ further study of science.

  188. PHY402

    Electric Vehicle Engineering

    Science and Computer Science
    11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Physics/Designations: NCAA

    Students in this class will spend the year working to understand an electric vehicle’s inner workings through a hands on process of deconstruction, design, and reconstruction. The course’s primary focus is converting a vehicle with an internal combustion engine to run on electrical power. Students are offered a unique opportunity to solve problems by testing practical designs and bring their ideas to fruition through the hands on construction and implementation of their ideas. Students will be assessed on their ability to collaborate effectively, demonstrate independence, resilience, and time management. Additionally, students will study topics including, but not limited to, gear ratios, thermodynamics, DC motors, fuses, switches, motor controllers, variable resistors, rolling resistance, battery charging, battery management, torque, amperage draw, and energy efficiency.

  189. PHY404

    Robotics

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    This course introduces students to the process of designing, building, coding, and debugging autonomous robots. In a scaffolded series of activities students learn the essential principles of circuits, functional coding of a microprocessor, and how to use actuators and sensors to create devices that interact with the real world. Understanding is built primarily through guided explorations integrated with discussions with their peers and the teacher. This class culminates with a robotic challenge in which students are asked to create a robot to solve a complex task. Through these experiences student’s gain ownership of their knowledge and understanding, and of their robot.

  190. PHY405

    Introduction to Engineering

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    Introduction to Engineering is a project based course where students solve real world problems while learning process skills such as project management and technical skills such as 3D design and fabrication.

  191. PHY510

    Physics 2 w/Trig

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Concurrent Alg2 (302) or above/Designations: NCAA

    This is an algebra based, introductory physics course. Students cultivate their understanding of physics through inquiry based investigations as they explore topics such as: kinematics; forces; energy; momentum; electric charge and electric force; electric circuits; thermodynamics; magnetic fields; electromagnetism; optics; and quantum, atomic, and nuclear physics. This course is appropriate for 11th and 12th grade students who have not previously taken a physics course. Students who wish to begin the Physics 2 (w/ calculus) sequence during spring term may elect to finish Physics 2 (w/ trig) after winter term and enroll in Honors Physics: Mechanics 1 for spring term if they meet the requirements for that course.

  192. PHY555

    Honors Physics: Mechanics 1

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    Fall/Spring
    Prerequisites: Concurrent AP Calc. (502) or above/Designations: NCAA, AP

    This is a second year course for students who have a serious interest in studying physics beyond the introductory level; it is the first term of a two term sequence preparing students for the AP Physics C exam in Mechanics. Topics include motion/kinematics, Newton’s laws, and energy. Students will spend significant course time working collaboratively in small groups on problem solving and laboratory experiments. Calculus will be used as required. Work in this course can be extensive and demanding.

  193. PHY556

    Honors Physics: Mechanics 2

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    Fall/Winter
    Prerequisites: Honors Phy: Mech 1, concurrent AP Calc (502) or above/Designations: NCAA, AP

    A continuation of Honors Physics: Mechanics 1, this is the second term of a two term sequence preparing students for the AP Physics C exam in Mechanics. Topics include orbital motion, center of mass, momentum, simple harmonic motion, and rotational motion. Students will spend significant course time working collaboratively in small groups on problem solving and laboratory experiments. Calculus will be used as required. Work in this course can be extensive and demanding.

  194. PHY557

    Honors Physics: E & M 1

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    Winter
    Prerequisites: Mech 2, or concurrent Mech 2, and concurrent AP Calc (502) or above/Designations: NCAA, AP

    This is a second year course for students who have a serious interest in studying physics beyond the introductory level; it is the first term of a two term sequence preparing students for the AP Physics C exam in Electricity and Magnetism. Topics include Coulomb’s Law, electric fields, electric potential, capacitance, and electric circuits. Students will spend significant course time working collaboratively in small groups on problem solving and laboratory experiments. Calculus will be used as required. Work in this course can be extensive and demanding.

  195. PHY558

    Honors Physics: E & M 2

    Science and Computer Science
    10/11/12
    Spring
    Prerequisites: Honors Phy: E & M 1, concurrent AP Calc (502) or above/Designations: NCAA, AP

    A continuation of Honors Physics: E & M 1, this is the second term of a two term sequence preparing students for the AP Physics C exam in Electricity and Magnetism. Topics include magnetic fields and forces and electromagnetic induction. Students will spend significant course time working collaboratively in small groups on problem solving and laboratory experiments. Calculus will be used as required. Work in this course can be extensive and demanding.

  196. PSY400

    Introduction to Psychology

    History
    12
    Spring
    Designations: NCAA

    Would you rather go through life unable to remember, or unable to forget? What happens to a person if they are raised alone in a locked room, with little to no human interaction will they ever learn to speak? Can the power of the group make you disbelieve your own eyes? In this elective you will learn about psychology’s most famous (and infamous) personalities and experiments as we analyze and interpret behavior and mental processes through activities, demonstrations, and discussion. We will read peer reviewed journal articles, watch footage from original case studies and experiments, and think critically about the work of psychologists such as Solomon Asch, Albert Bandura, Elizabeth Loftus, Stanley Milgram, Philip Zimbardo and B.F. Skinner (to name just a few). You will leave this course with a demonstrated understanding of key topics in Social, Cognitive, Behavioral, and Abnormal Psychology, while also learning about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice. This one term class is highly participatory in nature, and you will be asked to apply the concepts we study in class to your everyday life.

  197. REL400

    Religions of the World

    Philosophy and Religion
    10/11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Prerequisites: 10th graders must have completed Ethics/Designations: NCAA
    The course begins and concludes with an examination and analysis of religious questions in the broadest sense. What is religion and what does it attempt to explain? Is it distinct from morality, and how is it employed in our experiences today? We will then survey (approximately) six major world religions: Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism. We will examine these religions from numerous perspectives, including historical (beginnings and development), phenomenological (beliefs, rituals, practices, symbols, celebrations), and comparative (similarities and differences). Our discussions and readings will center on the books, doctrines and figures of these religions in an attempt to discover both the common and the unique elements. As much as possible, our exploration into these religions will provide us a view into the practice of these traditions by visiting sacred spaces and speaking with the faithful.

     

  198. REL405

    Native America

    Philosophy and Religion
    10/11/12
    Winter
    Prerequisites: 10th graders must have completed Ethics

    Native people inhabited the Americas well before Europeans arrived on large ships in the 16th century. The contributions of Native cultures are inextricably tied to the American story. This course begins to tell of the contributions of Native peoples through their history, their spirituality and their present lives on reservations – while attempting to highlight the Native voice in retelling these stories. Given the location of our inquiry, particular attention will be given to the Native populations that resided, and that also continue to reside, in New England states and southeastern Canadian provinces.

  199. REL604

    Silence

    Philosophy and Religion
    10/11/12
    Fall/Spring
    Prerequisites: 10th graders must have completed Ethics/Designations: NCAA

    “Silence is God’s first language; everything else is a poor translation.” Thomas Keating, DA ’40 At times, silence can communicate expression and thought clearly; at other times, it can be unnerving. Silence can speak and silence can confound. The legacy of scriptural and spiritual silence in a variety of faith traditions will be the focus of study, while frequent experiences of quiet contemplative practices will punctuate a historical literary encounter with unspoken Word. This is a one-term course.

  200. SCI407

    Earth's Dynamic Systems

    Science and Computer Science
    11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Designations: NCAA

    The course will examine how Earth came to be the planet we know today: a habitable but changing world, home to a diverse array of organisms, global feedback loops and interconnected biogeochemical systems. Students will explore deep geologic time starting with the early Earth, trace the evolutionary tree and examine the myriad of ways in which our planet shaped life and how life shaped our planet. The course will focus on both the biotic and abiotic dynamics that drive the interplay between the Sun and our planet’s ice, rocks, soil, atmosphere, freshwater and Ocean. Additionally, we will examine how humans have become integral drivers of planetary evolution, transforming Earth’s surface, waters and atmosphere and how humanity can harness our collective will to protect the planet for a bright future. Students will spend extensive time conducting project work outdoors and also develop an understanding of Geographic Information Systems software as a powerful tool for both science communication and geospatial data analysis. This course does not fulfill the Science graduation requirement.

  201. SCI512

    Honors Environmental Science

    Science and Computer Science
    11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Chemistry/Designations: NCAA, AP

    The course begins with an overview of climate science, including atmospheric composition, biogeochemical cycles, principles of energy conservation and flow, the greenhouse effect, atmospheric and oceanic circulation, and natural climate variability. Students will investigate recent anthropogenic climate change, examining both causes and consequences. Students will examine agriculture systems, comparative biomes looking at depth into freshwater and marine ecosystems, while taking advantage of the deciduous forest ecosystem in our backyard. As a means to addressing environmental justice, students will look at Environmental Law and Policy. Finally, we will study energy systems; both conventional non renewables as well as novel renewable energy systems in addition to adaptation/mitigation efforts that will guide humanity’s future. With some independent work, students can be well prepared for the AP Environmental Science exam. We will take frequent field trips to best take advantage of the natural splendor of the Pocumtuck Valley.

  202. SCI691

    Research in Sustainability

    Science and Computer Science
    12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: 500 level science course/Designations: NCAA

    The modern world is experiencing rapid anthropogenic climatic and environmental changes that present clear and immediate challenges for humanity. This course will challenge students to build upon their previous research experience in advanced science courses to further refine their experimental and analytical skills. Conservation, restoration, adaptation and mitigation will all play important roles as we navigate changing planetary systems and this course will focus on how humanity can harness our knowledge of the natural world to guide us. The campus as well as adjoining forests, fields and rivers will serve as field sites throughout the year as students explore the natural world, develop research questions, carry out field/lab projects. Students will also use remote environmental sensing and Geographic Information Systems software to query and develop conservation/sustainability strategies at the local, landscape and global levels. Students enrolled in ES600 should be prepared to spend time outdoors conducting research throughout the year and in a range of weather conditions.

  203. SPA100

    Spanish 1

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Designations: NCAA

    In this introductory course, students learn basic Spanish communication skills–including vocabulary and grammar–while exploring new cultures and traditions. They expand their knowledge of the Spanish-speaking world and engage in learning through collaboration, investigation and practice using text, video and audio materials. An emphasis on speaking, listening, reading and basic writing guides the course. Students complete this level excited for and interested in further Spanish language acquisition. Class is conducted primarily in Spanish. Open to all students; juniors and seniors need permission from the Academic Affairs Office.

  204. SPA200

    Spanish 2

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Spanish 100 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    In this course, students continue their exploration of Spanish by focusing on Spanish grammar and vocabulary, applied to “real life” situations. We work to further develop the four language skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing, while at the same time exploring the Spanish-speaking world through a wide variety of materials, including literature, film, music, periodicals, and various web-based resources. Students develop their command of Spanish structures and vocabulary, their ability to communicate when writing and speaking, and a deeper understanding of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Class is conducted primarily in Spanish.

  205. SPA300

    Spanish 3

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Spanish 200 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    Spanish 3 is an intermediate level course in which students review the grammatical structures from the beginning sequence while developing their communicative abilities. The class also studies in greater depth the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, using articles, books, films, and other authentic materials as starting points for studying topics pertinent to Latin America and Spain. Conversational fluency is developed through daily pair and group activities, and oral exams and projects push students to express longer and more complex thoughts. The class also focuses on more extensive reading and writing practice, and students are frequently required to write reflections and essays in Spanish. Class is conducted in Spanish.

  206. SPA303

    Spanish 3 Honors

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Departmental approval/Designations: NCAA

    Spanish 3 Honors is designed for students who have excelled in Spanish 2. Students review all of the major grammatical structures at a fast pace while developing their communicative abilities. The class also studies in depth the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, using articles, books, films, and other authentic materials as starting points for studying topics pertinent to Latin America. A full term is devoted to reading a Latin American novel. Conversational fluency is developed through daily pair and group activities, and oral exams and projects push students to express longer and more complex thoughts. The class also focuses on more extensive reading and writing practice, and students are frequently required to write reflections and essays. The students who excel in Spanish 3 Honors are recommended for Spanish 5. Class is conducted in Spanish. Selection will be made by the department.

  207. SPA400

    Spanish 4

    Language
    9/10/11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Spanish 300 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA

    Which works of art reveal a moment in the history of a country? Which songs unveil the stories of its people? Which films transport us to a different place and allow us to experience another culture? Throughout the year, students are exposed to varied cultural materials and experiences that foster a deeper understanding of the values and practices of the target culture. Individual and collaborative work allows students to develop greater proficiency in the structures of the language and expand their knowledge of the diversity of voices within the Spanish-speaking world. Activities include in-class discussion, group activities, compositions and journal writing centered on the active use of language and a review of the most important aspects of Spanish grammar. Materials include extensive readings (literary and journalistic texts) and audiovisual sources (film). Class is conducted in Spanish.

  208. SPA500

    Spanish 5: Advanced Topics

    Language
    10/11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Prerequisites: Spanish 400 or the equivalent/Designations: NCAA
    In this advanced course, students continue to develop oral and written proficiency in Spanish through the study of the literatures, cultures, and politics of the contemporary Spanish speaking world. By way of fiction, film, music, and periodicals, students will explore complex topics such as national identity, political resistance, gender and politics, and migration, while deepening their understanding of Spanish structures and vocabulary. The course provides students with the critical tools necessary to engage with Spanish speaking cultures from local, national and transnational perspectives. This class is conducted in Spanish.
  209. SPA504

    Spanish 5: Adv. Topics in Span

    Language
    10/11/12
    Spring
    Prerequisites: Spanish 500/Designations: NCAA, AP

    In this spring term course, students will continue with their study of Spanish language and culture at the same time that they prepare for the AP exam in Spanish Language and Culture. Students in this course will be expected to take the AP exam.

  210. SPA603

    Spanish 6: Honors Lat Am Lit

    Language
    10/11/12
    Fall–Winter
    Prerequisites: SPA 500 or permission from the instructor/Designations: NCAA

    This course allows our most advanced students of Spanish to delve further into the language, cultures and literatures of the Spanish-speaking world. The course readings includea broad sampling across both traditional and modern literary genres, so students might read novels, short stories, essays, and theater, and they will also learn about blogs, new media, film, and other visual arts. Through this development of visual literacy students will hone their analytical and critical thinking skills and deepen their appreciation of the depth and range of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. By the end of the course, the students will be able to use Spanish flexibly and effectively for both academic and intercultural purposes. This is an honors-level, two-term course.

  211. SPA611

    Span 6H: Spanish Speaking Film

    Language
    11/12
    Spring
    Prerequisites: Spanish 6 or permission from the instructor/Designations: NCAA

    This is a film appreciation course conducted in Spanish. It allows our most advanced students to get acquainted with the grammar of cinema and with the concepts and terminology needed to analyze movies and write film criticism. The course surveys the cinemas of several Spanish speaking countries and encourages students to make fictional movies and documentaries dialog with other artistic expressions such as novels, graphic novels, short stories, and poems. Students also make a few creative audiovisual projects to better understand the cinematic concepts under study.

  212. SPA612

    Spanish Language Theater

    Language
    10/11/12
    Spring
    Prerequisites: Spanish 5 or permission from the department/Designations: NCAA

    This course introduces students to key principles of drama and theatrical performance in Spanish. It is an opportunity to learn about theatrical traditions of Spanish speaking cultures by means of textual analysis, acting and staging techniques, and critical appreciation of Spanish, Latin American and Latinx theatrical productions. Class assignments include playwrights’ labs, brief translation projects, radical adaptations of monologues and short scenes from classical plays, and a final performance.

  213. SPA700

    Advanced Seminar in Spanish

    Language
    11/12
    All Year
    Prerequisites: Spanish VI at Deerfield Academy/Designations: NCAA
    This is a topic course for advanced speakers of Spanish who have finished Spanish VI at Deerfield Academy. It is a course especially designed for those students who have reached the top level of our curriculum (Spanish VI) and wish to continue their Spanish studies. Readings will continue beyond the Spanish VI curriculum and delve more deeply into Latin American literature. Class is conducted in Spanish. This course is not offered every year.
  214. SPA704

    Advanced Tutorial in Spanish

    Language
    12
    Fall–Winter
    Prerequisites: Spanish 603 or native fluency in Spanish/Designations: NCAA

    Advanced Tutorial may be offered to students who, in consultation with the department and with its endorsement, wish to pursue an individualized course in Spanish.

  215. THE200

    Acting I

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9
    Fall/Winter

    This one-term course explores the basic principles of acting including ensemble building, improvisation, voice, movement, textual analysis and theater vocabulary. Class assignments include writing and performing monologues, and presenting group scenes and projects. Additionally, students explore various plays from classical to contemporary. No previous acting experience is necessary.  May be taken as 6th course: THE200P.

  216. THE200P

    Acting I (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9
    Fall/Winter

    See THE200 description.

  217. THE300

    Acting II

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11
    Fall/Winter

    Acting II is for students interested in expanding their ability to communicate through a variety of techniques that engage the individual and ensemble physically, mentally and emotionally. Through monologues, scene work, and improvisation, students explore the act of making theater of all types. No previous acting experience is necessary. This is a one-term course. May be taken as 6th course: THE300P.

  218. THE300P

    Acting II (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11
    Fall/Winter

    See THE300 description.

  219. THE306

    Anything Goes: Musical Theater

    Visual and Performing Arts
    9/10/11
    Spring

    Anything Goes: Musical Theater is for students interested in learning the basic principles of acting and singing in a musical theater context. Over the length of this course, students will gain practical and theoretical knowledge of musicals through creative work for performance pieces and contextual lessons on musical theater history. No previous experience is necessary, although some background in singing is helpful.

  220. THE400

    Act/Directing for Production

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11/12
    Fall–Winter

    Committed acting students are encouraged to progress to a more advanced study of acting and to contribute to the development of a creative ensemble. In addition to learning more complex acting techniques in preparation for the scene work to come, students delve into the world of directing for theater. Students work on a major directing assignment, which culminates in directing a scene with their peers as performers, from their chosen play. Several plays from around the world are also read and analyzed throughout the term. No previous acting experience is necessary. May be taken as 6th course: THE400P.

  221. THE400P

    Act/Directing for Prod (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    10/11/12
    Fall–Winter

    See THE400 description.

  222. THE407

    Film Studies

    Visual and Performing Arts
    11/12
    Spring

    This course analyzes and critiques classic and contemporary cinema from around the world. We shall examine basic elements of film production, comparative filmmaking styles and various genres such as Film Noir, Surrealism and Italian Neo realism. Additionally, students study prominent international filmmakers. Weekly screenings are mandatory.

  223. THE510

    Advanced Acting

    Visual and Performing Arts
    11/12
    Spring

    This elective is for students who have an interest in a more in depth study of theater. In addition to honing performance skills, students will explore a number of wide ranging plays of different genres from around the world. There will also be several performance and directing opportunities throughout the term, culminating in a class presentation. May be taken as 6th course: THE510P

  224. THE510P

    Advanced Acting (p/f)

    Visual and Performing Arts
    11/12
    Spring

    See THE510 description.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before they enter Deerfield, all new students are required to take a math placement test to determine an appropriate class. Students who have already taken a language they wish to continue studying at Deerfield will take a placement test to determine what level class they should take. If the placement in either department is deemed inappropriate after the student arrives, then the section teacher may suggest a change of level. Students may also request such a change and should consult with their teacher and their academic advisor before contacting the Dean of Studies.

Study abroad is available to all students from their sophomore to senior years, although typically students who choose to go abroad will do so during their junior year.

In order to garner Honors distinction a student must have a cumulative term average above 90.0%. High Honors requires an average of 93.0% or above. Exemplary students with a grade point average of 92.0 or higher may qualify for admission to the Cum Laude Society, a national honor society. 

Because of its commitment to rigorous academics, Deerfield offers a wide range of accelerated and Advanced Placement courses. All of Deerfield’s classes are appropriately challenging, but AP and accelerated courses provide an extra challenge for ambitious students.

All students are assigned a faculty advisor at the beginning of their time at Deerfield. After their first year students may choose a new advisor, or continue with their original one, depending on the relationships they have developed with Deerfield’s faculty. Advisors are responsible for submitting course requests and writing an advisor report every term. They are available for any questions a student may have and are involved in every major academic or athletic decision a student makes while at Deerfield. In addition, faculty eat lunch with their advisees every Thursday and may schedule outside events for their advisees. Advisors are a key component of the Deerfield experience, as they provide guidance and friendship to students throughout their time at Deerfield.

The Pursuit of Excellence Policy states that students may miss up to five class days a year if an unusual and extraordinary opportunity arises, including opportunities in a variety of academic, athletic, and artistic fields. The Academic Affairs Office determines the legitimacy of pursuit of excellence requests on a case-by-case basis.

Contact Academics

academics@deerfield.edu
413-774-1470
Fax 413-772-1128

Boyden Library
Mon–Fri, 8am–4pm

7 Boyden Lane, PO Box 87
Deerfield, MA 01342

 7 Boyden Lane, PO Box 87, Deerfield, MA 01342

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS: Deerfield Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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