Latin School of Chicago

Upper School Curriculum Chart

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Ninth Grade Eleventh Grade Twelfth Grade ENGLISH English 9 introduces literary genres. Students read stories, novels, poems, plays and essays by writers from diverse backgrounds. e course hones critical reading, writing and speaking skills through essays, creative assignments and lively discussions. English 10 is a global literature course, which emphasizes close reading as well as analytical, personal and creative writing. Each student selects a literature elective on a region, such as Africa, Asia, Eastern and Central Europe, Latin America, or the Middle East. English 11 explores American culture and literature. Each student chooses an American literature elective, but every class reads certain core texts. Electives: American Civilization, American Seeker, Modern American Literature, e New Americans, Silenced America English 12 Electives: A Novel's Place (or Novel Places), Creative Writing Seminar, Disenchantment and Fantasy Literature, Great Novellas, Humor and Satire, LGBTQ+ Literature, e Literature of Nihilism, Mexican American Literature, Modern and Contemporary Poetry, Poetry and Flash Fiction Writing, Punching the Clock, Shakespeare, Writer's Workshop HISTORY & SOCIAL STUDIES The history and social studies program helps students become active and informed citizens. Upon completion of the program, students will be prepared to: (1) understand how the connection of personal, local, national and global phenomena produce patterns of change; (2) articulate informed opinions; (3) recognize how aspects of culture and identity combine and conflict to produce unique civilizations over time. Students become critical thinkers and hone their research, writing and communication skills. Students enter the upper school mathematics program with different levels of preparedness. To best meet the needs of these differing learning styles and abilities, regular, honors and AP levels of certain math courses are offered. Upper school students must complete three credits, including Algebra 2 and Geometry. Global Studies: Networks, Hierarchy, and Culture: Students analyze the sources of historical change, including the interaction of hierarchies and networks. ey examine the formation of agricultural and urban communities, the explosion of Axial Age civilizations, and – in the modern world – the expansion of colonialism and global spread of revolution. Skills development is focused around the reading and writing process, self-assessments and faculty feedback, and documenting their growth in an e-portfolio. Global studies courses are designed to help students understand the contemporary world, its critical issues, and some of the factors and events that molded it. Semester electives include: World Religions, Nazi Mind, Global Art, Classical Civilizations (year long), Russian Revolutions, Latin American Revolutions, Global Race and Racism, Middle East, Modern China, Human Rights and International Law. (Seniors may choose to take these courses with departmental permission.) Electives: United States Social History, Honors United States History and Historiography, Honors American Civilization, Honors European History, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Honors American Politics, Honors Comparative and Global Politics, AP Psychology, Chicago: City on the Make, Chicago Justice and Social Action, Genocide and Human Rights (GOA*), International Macroeconomics (GOA), Intro to Psychology (GOA), 9/11 in a Global Context (GOA), Abnormal Psychology (GOA), Comparative Religions (GOA), Gender Studies (GOA). *Global Online Academy MATHEMATICS Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Honors Algebra 2, Geometry, Honors Geometry, Precalculus, Honors Precalculus, Accelerated Honors Precalculus and Honors Differential Calculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, Honors Multivariable Calculus, AP Statistics Electives: Advanced Geometry, Probability, Statistics: Graphical Display of Data, Statistics: Hypothesis Testing, Finance & Math 1, Finance & Math 2, Chicago Social Justice in Action, Advanced Topics, Introduction to Differential Calculus The upper school science program focuses the attention of the students on the key concepts of science and stresses the processes of science. Through hands-on lab work, traditional and multimedia lectures and group discussion, students develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Students must successfully complete three years of science study, including one year each of: Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Electives are generally open to juniors and seniors only. SCIENCE Physics, Honors Physics Chemistry, Honors Chemistry Biology, Honors Biology, Honors Advanced Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, Physics 2, AP Physics C, Human Anatomy & Physiology 1 & 2, Medicinal Chemistry 1 & 2, Organic & Biological Chemistry 1 & 2, Stellar Astronomy, Cosmology The English program is designed to encourage students' love for the language, develop their command of reading and writing, and increase their confidence and pleasure in expressing themselves. The faculty seeks to refine students' literary, critical and argumentative analysis while fostering an appreciation of the art of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. The curriculum is designed to help students articulate their responses to literature and their perceptions of themselves and their world. The upper school language program offers Chinese, French, Latin and Spanish. Students must successfully complete a minimum of three consecutive years of a language. All four language skills are addressed: speaking, listening comprehension, reading comprehension and writing. Students practice these skills by means of a variety of real-life situations, the study of culture and an exposure to print media, literature and the arts. The primary goal is for students to be able to function confidently in a Chinese-, French-, or Spanish-speaking country. Through the Latin curriculum students develop reading proficiency so that they can engage with authentic Latin authors. All languages offer opportunities to study in native speaking countries (students taking Latin may study in Rome). Latin: Novice, Intermediate (Mid and High), Advanced (Low, Mid, and High), Superior French: Novice, Novice High; Intermediate (Low, Mid and High); Conversation; French Language and Culture; French Literature Chinese: Novice, Novice High, Intermediate (Low, Mid and High) Spanish: Novice, Novice High; Intermediate (Low, Mid and High); Conversation; Literature, Language and Culture LANGUAGES PERFORMING ARTS GLOBAL INITIATIVES Through Performing Arts classes, public concerts, plays, and presentations, students cultivate skills that include learning technique, nomenclature, the ability to listen to each other, share ideas, work together, and be able to take creative risks in a safe and nurturing environment. Students have many opportunities to share their art with others through public concerts, plays and presentations. The mission of the physical education program is to help students achieve active and healthy lives and benefit from positive outcomes associated with good health. Freshmen are enrolled in 9th PE during the second semester as part of their wellness block; sophomores, juniors and seniors must earn the remaining six quarters of credit (three-sport athletes in grades 10-12 are exempt from the PE requirement and seasonal athletes are required to only take PE during the off-season if they need). Acting Company, Chorus, Improv Company, Speech, Stagecraft, Wind Ensemble, Chicago Dance, Dance Technique, Dance Company, Dance Mentorship Intermediate Acting Company, Intermediate Improv, Advanced Improv, Playwriting/Directing, Intro to Music Technology, Music eory Advanced Acting Company, Independent Study PHYSICAL EDUCATION Nutrition/Body Image, Fitness Training, Hatha Yoga, Dance, Lifetime Sport and Activity Electives: Yoga/Pilates, Fitness Training, Lifetime Sport and Fitness, Dance, Lifeguarding Athletics: Students will earn .25 credit per season SERVICE LEARNING COLLEGE COUNSELING LEARNING RESOURCES Service Learning is critical in teaching students an awareness of the world outside themselves and the needs of others. Our JK-12 program is based on the tenets of empathy, awareness and action. In the upper school, service learning is a graduation requirement. Freshmen must complete 10 hours and sophomores must complete 20 hours of service during the school year. Latin students regularly volunteer with up to 70 different organizations in Chicago. A significant number of those are relationships the school has developed through its Uptown Community Partnership. Last year, upper school students completed about 8,000 hours of community service, more than half of them in Uptown. COUNSELING COMPUTER SCIENCE Our multi-faceted global education program enables Latin students to become globally aware and understand the interconnection of cultures; embrace differences and show empathy that reaches beyond national boundaries. Nurtured in the classroom and through a rich variety of co-curriculars, students' global competencies are enhanced by Project Week and a Global Experience Program that focuses on exchange opportunities, language immersion programs and international partnerships. College Counseling is an integrated and intimate process for all students at Latin. Counselors meet with students individually, lead junior and senior college classes and conduct grade-level meetings and conferences with families. All Latin students learn to collect reliable information, plan for standardized testing, organize applications, present themselves to college representatives and write personal essays for applications. College counselors also work with faculty and advisors to insure that students and faculty are receiving accurate and timely information about college planning. Counselors offer assistance to students who may be experiencing psychological stress, social difficulties and acute crisis, or are participating in high-risk behaviors. Any student or family member may request to be referred to one of the counselors, who will work collaboratively with families to develop the best plan to address that student's needs. Latin's counselors offer an open and accepting environment in which each student is treated with care while promoting respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Counselors teach in the affective ed program as well as provide programs around social and emotional wellness for students and parents throughout the year. The computer science program recognizes the growing impact of computation on nearly every aspect of modern life and aims to prepare students to integrate computer science into their future pursuits, whether academic, professional or personal. The Computer Science Principles sequence explores the foundational principles of computer science, focusing on how computers and programming are used as a tool for problem-solving, creation and innovation. Later coursework introduces students to theoretical and practical applications of these concepts, preparing them to analyze and solve complex computing problems, better understand and manipulate data, and design interactive web applications. Grade-level meetings with students and parents to answer questions about preparing for the college process. Parents are introduced to the college process and the sophomore class meets with the college counselors at least once per semester. All Latin sophomores take the PSAT. Classes offered by the College Counseling Office help students understand the current college landscape, research schools, and articulate their own personal interests and choices. Individual and family college meetings are mandatory. All Latin juniors take the PSAT. Individual counseling with students and families continues as well as the college class. Counselors assist with essays, applications and presentation skills. ey also help students investigate financial support, gap years and choose colleges in the spring. VISUAL ARTS The visual arts program believes that the best way to learn artistic values is to create art. While the study of aesthetics, technique and history plays a vital part in most facets of the fine arts curriculum, creating the "product" gives students the opportunity to appreciate the process of art making, to work analytically to solve problems, to respect others' forms of expression and to interact in group efforts. Students share their art with others through exhibits, publications and presentations. Global Studies: Visual Arts - students create art that connects to ideas and concepts in Global Studies History. Computer Graphic Design, Digital Image Making, Digital Filmmaking, Drawing 1 & 2, Fashion Design, Photography, Advanced Photography: Digital, Printmaking, Observational Painting, Painting Studio, Sculpture, Universal emes in Art Computer Science Principles I, Computer Science Principles II, Honors Advanced Programming, Web Application Development, Modern Computing: NAND to Tetris, Algorithms and Data Structures Modern Art History, AP Art History, Painting 2, Computer Aided Design (CAD), Independent Study AP Art History, Art History: Prehistoric to Gothic, Art History: Renaissance to Modern, AP Art Studio, ISP LIBRARY The upper school library program is focused on building students' information literacy skills. Students have opportunities to practice information access, evaluation, appreciation, and creation through programming and integrated instruction. The library is available for students as a collaborative study space and its multi-format resources are used by community members for both formal and informal learning. The upper school LR program provides tiered support for students as they become increasingly independent and self-aware of their needs as a learner. LR is available to all students but works most closely with students who have diagnosed learning differences. In the junior year, LR facilitates accommodation requests for standardized testing. In the senior year, LR offers individualized meetings to discuss support services and accommodations beyond Latin. Tenth Grade ISP: Students may qualify for an Independent Study if applicable and approved by the department.

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