Episcopal School of Acadiana Upper School Course of Study
2012-2013
Upper School Course of Study
Table of Contents
Graduation Requirements TOPS Core Curriculum - Class of 2014 and beyond Awarding of Credit Grading System Computing Grade Point Average Academic Recognitions National Honor Society Headmaster’s List Honor Roll Senior Spring Progress towards Diploma Academic Probation Athletic Eligibility Course Selection Process English Courses Mathematics Courses Science Courses World Language Courses French Spanish Computer Science Courses Health & Physical Education Courses Speech Courses Visual Arts Courses Performing Arts Courses Theatre Music
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Contacts Dr. Baker, Head of Upper and Middle Schools Mr. Chrysler, Academic Dean/College Counselor Mrs. Chappuis, Counselor Mr. Bourgeois, Athletic Director
pbaker@esacadiana.com schrysler@esacadiana.com chappuis@esacadiana.com mbourgeois@esacadiana.com
Upper School Course of Study
Upper School Course of Study and Planning Guide Each ESA student should select a program of study that is both challenging and rewarding. While requirements for graduation will determine much of the course of study, there are options for each student to consider in planning his or her four year experience. As students plan for the upcoming school year, they should review their present transcripts, paying particular attention to graduation requirements. Students and parents may see a student’s progress towards meeting ESA diploma requirements as well as a current transcript through NetClassroom via the <student name>’s Grades menu. Students should consider their academic and co-curricular interests as well as college and future plans in choosing their courses. Extracurricular activities should be chosen carefully to achieve a balance between academics and extras. It is a common and recommended practice that students above the ninth grade to have one unencumbered period during the day (i.e. a “free” period). Each spring students will make course selections for the following year and should keep in mind the following: ● Seek the counsel of their faculty advisor, individual teachers, Academic Dean, College Counselor, or Head of Upper School as to what courses and levels are most appropriate. ● All requests for honors level or Advanced Placement courses must be approved by a student’s current teacher in that discipline. Please carefully consider the College Counseling Note below when considering making a request for accelerated courses. ● Students are required to be enrolled in a minimum of five courses each semester. ● LHSAA rules require the following for academic eligibility: Fall semester - Pass 6 units the previous academic year with a C average Spring semester - Pass 6 subjects in the fall semester (no grade stipulation); a seniors who has accumulated 20 or more units may take five subjects/units for the fall semester and must pass all five. Questions regarding specific eligibility requirements should be addressed to the Athletic Director.
College Counseling Note Throughout Upper School, the general rule of thumb is to pursue the five major subject areas—English, math, history, science, and world languages—for as long as possible and to the highest level successfully attainable. It is detrimental, however, to “over challenge” yourself. Requesting permission to take an honors or AP course, struggling, and earning a low grade is not helpful either to a student’s learning or the student’s chances of admission to colleges. Colleges want students to take the toughest course that they can handle and in which they can do well. Students do themselves a great disservice by accelerating or taking honors and/or AP courses when it is inappropriate to do so.
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Upper School Course of Study
Academics Grades 9-12 Graduation Requirements To comply with the Core 4 Curriculum adopted by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in the Fall of 2008, Episcopal School of Acadiana requires that a student earns a minimum of 24 units or credits to receive a diploma. Of these 24 units, 21 units are in specifically required courses and 3 may be in courses of a student’s choice while adhering to the required distribution of units among the disciplines.
Discipline
Required Units Required Courses
English
4.0 units
English I, II, III, and IV in sequential order
Mathematics
4.0 units
Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus
History
4.0 units
World History, Western Civilization, U.S. History, Civics
Science
4.0 units
Physics I (required of ninth graders at ESA), Biology, Chemistry, 1 additional unit in a science course of choice
World Language
3.0 units
3 units in one language
Computer Science
0.5 units
Computer Science I
Health & Physical Education
2.0 units
Health & Physical Education I & II
Visual and/or Performing Arts
1.5 units
Public Speaking
0.5 units
Additional Units in course of
0.5 units
Public Speaking
Notes on Required Units: Western Civilization may be substituted with AP European History U.S. History may be substituted with AP U.S. History ● Units earned in any course beyond those fulfilling a discipline’s graduation requirement can count as an elective unit. ● Eighth Grade Algebra I - Successful completion of this course, at the recommendation of the Mathematics Department,
fulfills 1 required unit of mathematics for graduation ● French 7 and French 8 - Successful completion of these two courses, at the recommendation of the World Language
Department, fulfills 1 required unit of world language for graduation ● Spanish 7 and Spanish 8 - Successful completion of these two courses, at the recommendation of the World Language Department, fulfills 1 required unit of world language for graduation ● Eighth Grade Computer Science I - Successful completion fulfills 0.5 required unit of computer science for graduation
Enrollment in Health & Physical Education is required of all 9th and 10th grade students 2
Upper School Course of Study
TOPS Core Curriculum For Opportunity, Performance, and Honors Awards For High School graduates of 2014 and thereafter Units
Courses1
ENGLISH = 4 Units 4 units
English I, II, III, & IV
MATH = 4 Units 1 unit
Algebra I, or Integrated Mathematics I, or Applied Algebra I or Algebra I—Parts 1 & 2 (two units) or Applied Mathematics I & II (two units) or Applied Algebra 1A and 1B (two units)
1 unit
Algebra II or Integrated Mathematics II
2 units
Geometry, Applied Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Advanced Math - Pre-Calculus, Calculus, AP Calculus AB, Advanced Math - Functions and Statistics, Probability and Statistics, Discrete Mathematics, Applied Mathematics III, Integrated Mathematics III, or Algebra III
SCIENCE = 4 Units 1 unit
Biology I or II
1 unit
Chemistry I or II, or Chemistry Com
2 units
Earth Science, Physical Science, Environmental Science, Integrated Science, Biology II, Chemistry II, Physics, Physics II, Physics for Technology I or II, AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism, AP Physics C: Mechanics, or Anatomy and Physiology or both Agriscience I & II (both for 1 unit)
SOCIAL STUDIES = 4 Units 1 unit
American History
1 unit
Civics and Free Enterprise (1 unit combined), Civics (1 year), or AP Government and Politics: United States
2 units
World History, Western Civilization, World Geography, European History or History of Religion
FOREIGN LANGUAGE = 2 Units 2 units
Foreign Language (2 units in the same language)
FINE ARTS = 1 Unit 1 unit
Fine Arts Survey or 1 unit of a performance course in music, or dance, or theatre or 1 unit of studio art or 1 unit of visual art or both Speech III & IV (both for 1 unit)
TOTAL = 19 Units 1
Advanced Placement (AP) courses with the same name as a course listed in the TOPS Core Curriculum may be substituted. (800) 259-5626, Ext. 1012 custserv@osfa.la.gov www.osfa.la.gov P.O. Box 91202 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9202
This core curriculum is accurate as of the date of publication and includes courses listed in TOPS statute and those determined to be equivalent by the La. Board of Regents and BESE. Updated : 08/23/2011
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Upper School Course of Study
Awarding of Credit ● To receive credit in a course, a student must earn a final grade of at least D-; however, ESA reserves the
right to require that any student earning a final grade of D+, D, or D- have tutorial summer work. ● Failing a course for the year in the Upper School will result in the student having to make up the work
for the year (as directed by the teacher, department chair, and Head of Upper School) or repeat the course. Any course taken at another academic institution must be pre-approved by the Head of Upper School if ESA credit is desired. ● Seniors must pass all courses scheduled in the senior year and may not fail the second semester of a year-
long course to graduate. Summer Program Credit All summer programs taken as a credit course must be pre-approved by the Head
of the Upper School and the appropriate department chair prior to the student's enrollment in the program. Grades earned at institutions other than ESA are not included in a student’s GPA, though will be listed on the transcript noting the appropriate awarded credit if proper documentation is received by ESA at the conclusion of the program.
Grading System ESA uses a standard letter scale (A,B,C, D, and F) with pluses and minuses. A (90-100)
Indicates superior achievement and outstanding performance in all aspects of a course
B (80-89)
Very good to excellent achievement
C (70-79)
Satisfactory completion of course requirements
D (60-69)
Course requirements completed at minimal level for awarding of credit Unsatisfactory performance with no credit awarded
F (≤ 59)
Computing Grade Point Average ESA computes grade point averages using only grades earned at ESA. In computing GPA, ESA adds 0.67 quality points to grade points earned in Advanced Placement courses and 0.33 to grade points earned in Honors courses. These additional points do not change the grade earned in a course but give it an additional weight when GPA is calculated. The following formula should be used when determining quality points awarded: Quality points awarded for course = (Grade in course + Weight) x Number of credits earned. No weight will be given to a grade of F. ESA calculates a GPA including pluses and minuses. Letter grades correspond to the following numerical values and grade point equivalent on a student's transcript. A+ = 4.33 A = 4.00 A- = 3.67
B+ = 3.33 B = 3.00 B- = 2.67
C+ = 2.33 C = 2.00 C- = 1.67 F = 0.0
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D+ = 1.33 D = 1.00 D- = 0.67
Upper School Course of Study
Academic Recognitions Academic Ranking ESA does not academically rank students.
National Honor Society The Aréte Chapter of the National Honor Society was chartered in 1981. The National Honor Society recognizes and fosters academic achievement, character, service and leadership in secondary school students. Students who have achieved an ESA GPA of 3.33 or better and are second semester sophomores are eligible for membership. New members are selected from this group by the Faculty Selection Committee with input from the entire faculty based on exemplified excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. A student’s discipline and honor history will be considered when determining membership to NHS. An NHS member who transfers to ESA and brings a letter from the principal or chapter adviser to the new school adviser shall be accepted automatically as a member ESA’s chapter. Transfer members must meet the ESA’s standards within one semester in order to retain membership.
Headmaster’s List To receive Headmaster’s List recognition, a student must earn at least 3.67 ESA grade point average and receive no grade below a B-. This recognition is calculated at the conclusion of each quarter, each semester, and the year.
Honor Roll A student will receive Honor Roll recognition provided he or she earn no grade below a B-. This recognition is calculated at the conclusion of each quarter, each semester, and the year.
Senior Spring Semester Spring Semester Exam Exemption Senior Spring Exam Exemption is a way for the school to recognize and encourage academic achievement as seniors come to the end of their time in high school. Exam Exemption is a privilege that is earned by meeting obligations and working hard. The exemption applies only to course exams; it does not pertain to final projects, papers, Advanced Placement Exams, or other assessments. Exemption is determined on a course by course basis. For seniors who have a B (83) average or higher for the spring semester on the last day of classes for seniors, it is the student’s choice whether or not to take the course’s spring exam. However, teachers are welcome to offer guidance if the teacher feels it would be advantageous for the student to take the exam. Seniors’ Last Day of Classes The seniors’ last full day of classes will typically be the day directly prior the date of the first Advanced Placement Exam administered on the ESA campus. A senior enrolled in Advanced Placement classes must be aware that teachers of those courses may request seniors to attend additional classes and/or review sessions up to the date of that class’ Advanced Placement exam.
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Upper School Course of Study
Progress Towards Diploma Episcopal School of Acadiana expects each of its students to make positive academic progress towards meeting diploma requirements each marking period. At the conclusion of each semester, each student’s grades and comments will be reviewed by the Academic Dean to assess overall progress. Should a student not be making positive progress, the following procedures have been established to help the family and the school evaluate if ESA is the most appropriate academic placement for the student. Academic Probation A student will be placed on Academic Probation if he or she receives the following or any combination of the following: 1. three semester grades of C- or below in any courses, 2. two semester grades of D+, D, or D- or below in any course, 3. a semester grade of F in any course. Academic Probation is a signal to the student and the family that the student must focus on his or her academic preparation and commitment. A student placed on Academic Probation will have a meeting with his or her parent(s), member(s) of the Upper School administration, the student’s advisor, and necessary teachers as soon as the meeting can be scheduled. At this meeting, teachers will outline their expectations and offer strategies to help the student improve academic performance. Avenues of additional academic support will also be discussed and possibly recommended to form a plan for improvement. One result of the meeting will be a specific list of improvements the student needs to demonstrate to be removed from Academic Probation. These improvements may include but are not limited to: specific grades and/or GPA earned for next semester, participation in extra help sessions, tutoring, and homework completion expectations. At the conclusion of the next semester, the student’s grades and comments will be reviewed by the Upper School administration to determine if improvement has been made. If the student has not improved sufficiently, the student may be asked to withdraw from ESA.
Athletic Eligibility LHSAA rules require the following for academic eligibility: Fall semester - Pass 6 units the previous academic year with a C average Spring semester - Pass 6 subjects in the fall semester (no grade stipulation); a seniors who has accumulated 20 or more units may take five subjects/units for the fall semester and must pass all five. Questions regarding specific eligibility requirements should be addressed to the Athletic Director.
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Upper School Course of Study
Course Selection Process Grades 9-12 Parent Approval During second semester, each student will select courses for the following year. Parents should discuss course choices with their child, confirm that the requests continue to appropriately progress the student through the curriculum and towards an ESA diploma, and finally sign the form indicating their approval for the student’s course selection. Course requests cannot be accepted without a parent’s signature. Minimum/Maximum Course Load & Selection of Courses All students are required to schedule a minimum of five courses each semester. Students planning to compete on an interscholastic team should know current LHSAA eligibility requirements to be sure LHSAA rules are met. LHSAA rules require the following for academic eligibility: Fall semester - Pass 6 units the previous academic year with a C average Spring semester - Pass 6 subjects in the fall semester (no grade stipulation); a seniors who has accumulated 20 or more units may take five subjects/units for the fall semester and must pass all five. Questions regarding specific eligibility requirements should be addressed to the Athletic Director. Unencumbered Periods Students are not required to have a scheduled class every period of the day. Having an unencumbered period for a semester or for the year affords students the opportunity to learn how to use free time to complete work, review for an upcoming class, meet with a teacher for out-of-class assistance, or begin homework. Permission for Honors and Advanced Placement Courses Students wanting to schedule an honors or Advanced Placement must receive permission from his or her current teacher in that discipline. All families should carefully read and consider the College Counseling Note on page 1 of this guide prior to requesting accelerated courses. Special Note Regarding Advanced Placement Courses Advanced Placement courses are college-level courses purposefully designed to culminate with a standardized exam. A student’s performance on this exam may enable them to earn college credit and as well as advanced standing. Students should expect a college-level workload in an AP course as well an increased number of writing assignments—both timed and out of class. Teachers of Advanced Placement classes may require additional summer reading to prepare for the course, assignments over scheduled school vacations, and hold additional review sessions outside of scheduled class. Students choosing to enroll in an Advanced Placement course are expected to meet these obligations. Seniors should be aware that their obligation to an Advanced Placement course will extend beyond their last day of classes. (continued on next page)
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Upper School Course of Study
To schedule an AP course a student must receive permission from the appropriate faculty member. Present cost of each AP test taken is $87 and will be billed through the ESA monthly billing system. It is the expectation of ESA that a student enrolled in an Advanced Placement course will take the AP exam in May. Should a student not take the exam, the AP designation will be removed from the course and replaced with an Honors designation, the final grade weighted accordingly in the GPA, and colleges notified of the change in course of study as required. Submitting Course Requests Students will enter their course requests into NetClassroom with their faculty advisor. Once completed, the advisor will collect the signed forms and return them to the Academic Dean for use during the scheduling Process. Scheduling Process Scheduling of courses is done on a priority basis by descending grade level with seniors having first priority. A student’s need to take a course to fulfill a mandatory course requirement for a diploma will supersede seniority. Change of Schedule All changes to a student’s course schedule must be approved by the Upper School Academic Dean, the Head of Upper School and a parent. The student should obtain a Change of Schedule form from the Academic Dean only after fully discussing the proposed change with his or her teacher and parents. No schedule change will take effect until the completed form with all signatures has been returned to the Academic Dean and approved by the Head of Upper School. The Drop period concludes five days after first quarter interims are posted to NetClassroom for full-year courses and five days after third quarter interims are posted to NetClassroom for courses that begin in the spring semester Dropping or withdrawing from a course after this period will result in the course being listed on the student’s transcript with a grade notation of WP (withdraw passing) or WF (withdraw failing) as determined by the student’s cumulative achievement in the course as of the date of withdraw.
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Upper School Course of Study
English Graduation requirement: English I, English II, English III, and English IV taken in sequential order Department Philosophy: The motto of the Episcopal School of Acadiana is “Excellence from Within.” We believe that excellence has two components: intellectual and ethical. Intellectual excellence is impossible without the ability to formulate ideas in a clear and logical manner. Students gain this ability through extensive reading and writing. We try to foster ethical excellence by exposing our students to the thoughts and judgments of both characters and authors. Reading, writing and various discussion challenge students to formulate judgments based on strong, consistent ethical values. We believe that through reading thoughtfully chosen works and discussing and writing about these works, our students will become better people, growing in their appreciation of individuality, community, and intellectual freedom. Note: Because ESA English teachers select their own readings within the defined scope of the course description, books read in English classes can vary slightly from teacher to teacher and from year to year. 009 English I: Foundations of World Literature Credit: 1 English I is centered on a thorough study of the Old Testament and of Greek mythology. Students completing the ninth grade should possess good control over sentence and paragraph mechanics, should spell adequately, and should know how to write an essay of up to five pages. Readings in the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible include much of the Penteteuch as well as Joshua, Ruth, Daniel, and Jonah. Readings in mythology include The Metamorphoses by Ovid, and the Odyssey by Homer. Students also read the Babylonian epic, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and a Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare 009H English I Honors: Foundations of World Literature Credit: 1 While the base objectives and content of English I Honors is the same as English I, the depth, breadth, and expectations are increased. Honors sections of English I will read three extra books per semester that pertain to the course material. For each book, Honor students complete either a critical essay, a presentation, or a creative project. Honors classes also spend more time working with analytic methods of writing about literature in preparation for later AP English courses. 010 English II: World Literature Credit: 1 The sophomore class in World Literature builds on the foundations of classical epic, myth, legend, and sacred literature established in the freshman year, while simultaneously providing an underpinning for the concentrated study of English literature in the junior and senior year. Readings will range far and wide, from the elegiac Old English poem, Beowulf, to the poetry of the medieval French troubadours who so influenced English literature, to the lyric poetry of China and Japan and the sacred tales of India. 010H English II Honors: World Literature Credit: 1 The core content and objectives of English II are complemented with additional literature, intensive writing and editing, and increased expectations in English II Honors. Students in honors sections of English II will read one extra major work per semester that pertains to the course material; for this piece of literature, honor students complete either a critical essay, a presentation, or a creative project. Honors classes also spend more time working with analytic methods of writing about literature in preparation for later AP English courses. In addition, all Honors II students are required to submit a teacher-approved original work to the Bennington Young Writers Competition. 9
Upper School Course of Study
011 English III: English Literature to 1890 Credit: 1 This course surveys the English literary tradition from Chaucer through the dawn of modernism, providing a thorough grounding in the foundational genres, themes, and personalities of English literature. Picking up where Beowulf left off, we will focus on the roots of English literature in Britain, before following its branches into Irish, Scottish, and American manifestations. Texts include Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock, Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, and various poems by Edgar Allen Poe. 012 English IV: English Literature 1890 - 2012 Credit: 1 The senior English course focuses on literature in English from the dawn of Modernism to the present day. We begin with Yeats, Pound, and T.S. Eliot, and explore how a new literary aesthetic ignited the imaginations of authors on both sides of the Atlantic. We follow their achievements onward to Postmodernism, the Theater of the Absurd, and Magical Realism. Towards the end of the class, we consider the emergence of neoformalism and experimental digital genres. Along the way, we will also manage to read many of the classic works of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, such as Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and poems by Yeats, Larkin, and Allen Ginsberg, to name a few. 011AP AP English Language & Composition Credit: 1 The AP English Language and Composition course is designed to help students become skilled readers of rhetoric and skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. The AP English Language course provides students with opportunities to write about a variety of subjects and to demonstrate an awareness of audience and purpose in the context of their readings in the coordinate year English course. But the overarching objective is to enable students to write effectively and confidently in their college courses across the curriculum and in their professional and personal lives. Students taking this course are required to take the Advanced Placement exam in the spring. 012AP AP English Literature & Composition Credit: 1 *This course will not be offered for the 2012-2013 academic year The AP English Literature and Composition course is designed to engage students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative British literature. Through the close reading of selected texts, students can deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. Students will consider a work's structure, style, and themes, as well as such smaller-scale elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, tone and more. The course includes intensive study of representative works from various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit. Reading selections include Beowulf, Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels and Shelley’s Frankenstein, as well as additional poetry, drama, and fiction. Writing to understand these literary works will involve writing response and reaction papers, free writing, and keeping a journal. Writing to explain a literary work involves analysis and interpretation, and will include writing brief focused analyses on aspects of language and structure. Writing to evaluate a literary work involves making and explaining judgments about its artistry and exploring its underlying social and cultural values through analysis, interpretation, and argument. Students taking this course are required to take the Advanced Placement exam in the spring.
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Upper School Course of Study
English Electives The following courses are offered on a rotating basis and each is not taught every year. Please refer to the Course Offerings for the year of registration to see available courses that year. 050 Creative Writing Credit: 0.5 The elective is an intensive creative writing workshop incorporating critical analysis of student work as well as that of exemplary short stories and poems. 051 The Contemporary Novel Credit: 0.5 In this course we will study the recent progress of the novel genre. We will study four or five novels whose authors may include Russell Banks, J.M. Coetzee, Robert Coover, Don DeLillo, Joan Didion, Ralph Ellison, Gabriel García Márquez, Cormac McCarthy, Toni Morrison, Vladimir Nabokov, Joyce Carol Oates, Thomas Pynchon, Philip Roth, José Saramago, and Zadie Smith. 052 Central European Literature Credit: 0.5 In this elective we read novels and short stories by authors - such as Kafka, Isaac B. Singer, Bohumil Hrbal, and Milan Kundera – not often covered in regular English courses at ESA. Many of these writers are somehow connected to the city of Prague, but Central Europe covers a vast area, mush of it off the normal tourist routes not often chosen by college students as a destination for junior year abroad. In the future, depending on the instructor and the interest of the students, the reading selections may change to a focus on a different region of the area. In addition to analytical papers and class discussions, quite a bit of journal writing and creative writing will be done, frequently attempting to imitate the styles of the authors whom we study. 053 Tolstoy & Dostoevsky Credit: 0.5 A reading course designed to cover at least one of the great works of each of the two authors. Since their great works are very long, we usually cover one of the writers in much greater depth. War and Peace was last read leaving little time for Dostoyevsky, so we may tip the balance the other way the next time this elective is offered. 055 Shakespeare’s Histories Credit: 0.5 This course will focus on Shakespeare’s history plays, concentrating on the 14th and 15th century. We will read, discuss, play parts, and watch film versions of the plays as time allows. In addition to Shakespeare’s plays The Merry Wives of Windsor; Henry IV, Part I; Henry IV, Part II; and Henry V, the following will be read as ancillary works: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The White Company and George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan. If time allows, we will also read Shakespeare's Richard II, Richard III, and Julius Caesar. Course note: It is very important when studying plays that each student has the same edition. This course will use the Signet Edition for Shakespeare and the Penguin Edition for Shaw. 056 Shakespeare’s Comedies Credit: 0.5 This course will focus on Shakespeare's comedies. Students should be prepared to actively read, heartily discuss, and energetically perform roles from the plays. If time permits, we will also assess how Shakespeare’s transition to the big screen. The plays studied will include: Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, As You Like It, The Tempest, and Two Gentlemen of Verona. Additional ancillary reading will be required and additional plays may be added if time allows. Course note: It is very important when studying plays that each student has the same edition. This course will use the Signet Edition for Shakespeare.
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Upper School Course of Study
Mathematics Graduation requirement, grades 9-12: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus *Credit is awarded to 8th grade students who successfully complete Algebra I. Department Philosophy: The conviction of the Mathematics Department is that one learns mathematics best through understanding and practice. There must be a proper balance between theory, practice and application. The student must be actively involved in learning. An environment that allows the student maximum participation in discovery is essential. It is important that the student be significantly challenged according to his intellectual ability and maturity. Graphing calculators and computers are learning tools used throughout the mathematics curriculum. 110 Algebra I Credit: 1 The Algebra I curriculum places an emphasis on conceptual understanding and algebra as a means of representation as a tool for problem solving. Manipulative skills, while essential, are a means, not an end. Topics in Algebra I include linear equations and inequalities; systems of open sentences; absolute value equations and inequalities; quadratic equations; linear, quadratic and exponential functions; polynomials and rational expressions; irrational numbers and radicals. 111 Geometry Credit: 1 This course covers essential topics in Euclidian geometry including parallel lines, triangles, quadrilaterals, the Pythagorean Theorem, similarity and congruence, transformations, constructions, area, and volume. Special attention is given to developing inductive problem solving strategies including constructing computer models. Additional topics may include fractals, non-Euclidean geometry, logic, set theory. 111H Geometry Honors Credit: 1 This course covers essential topics in Euclidean geometry including parallel lines, triangles, quadrilaterals, the Pythagorean Theorem, similarity and congruence, transformations, constructions, area, and volume. Special attention is given to developing inductive problem solving strategies including constructing computer models. Emphasis is place on deductive explanations of geometric properties. Additional topics may include fractals, non-Euclidean geometry, logic, set theory, and graph theory. 112 Algebra II Credit: 1 This course promotes mathematical modeling of real world situations using polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions. Additional topics include statistics, probability, conics, matrices, and complex numbers. 112H Algebra II Honors Credit: 1 This course promotes mathematical modeling of real world situations using polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions. Additional topics also include statistics, probability, binomial theorem, conics, complex numbers, sequences, series, and matrices. 120 Pre-Calculus Credit: 1 This course builds on the concepts of functions introduced in Algebra II. Concepts covered include polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions with applications, sequences and series, probability and data analysis, and parametric functions.
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120H Pre-Calculus Honors Credit: 1 This course builds on the concepts covered in Algebra II Honors. Concepts covered include polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometry functions and their graphs, parametric and polar equations and graphs, matrices and systems of equations and inequalities, sequences and series, probability and statistics, vectors, mathematical induction, and limits with an introduction to Calculus. 121H Calculus Honors Credit: 1 This course is an introduction to beginning topics in Calculus. Concepts covered include limits and continuity, derivatives with applications, integration with applications, and calculus of transcendental functions with applications. 122 AP Calculus AB Credit: 1 This course covers beginning topics in Calculus. Concepts covered include limits and continuity, derivatives with applications, Riemann sums, integrations with application, calculus of transcendental functions with applications, and differential equations including slope fields. This course is designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Calculus AB exam. Students taking this course are required to take the Advanced Placement exam in the spring. 123 AP Calculus BC Credit: 1 Prerequisite: Calculus AB *Not offered every year This course builds on the topics covered in Calculus AB. Concepts covered include: differential equations including slope fields and Euler’s Method; analysis of planar curves given in parametric form, polar form, and vector form, including velocity and acceleration vectors; numerical solutions of differential equations; convergence of improper integrals and infinite series; applications of integrals; integration by parts and simple partial fractions; and representations of functions as power series. This course is designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Calculus BC exam. Students taking this course are required to take the Advanced Placement exam in the spring. 124 AP Statistics Credit: 1 Prerequisite: Algebra II This course serves as an introduction to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. There are four broad conceptual themes: Exploring Data: Describing patterns and departures from patterns Sampling and Experimentation: Planning and conducting a study Anticipating Patterns: Exploring random phenomena using probability and simulation Statistical Inference: Estimating population parameters and testing hypotheses Students taking this course are required to take the Advanced Placement exam in the spring. 125 Number Theory Credit 0.5 Prerequisite: *Not offered every year Students will learn the basics of elementary number theory including such topics as divisibility, primality, factorization, linear Diophantine equations, modular arithmetic, and congruences. Other topics will include mathematical induction and other basic proof techniques.
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Upper School Course of Study
History Graduation requirement: Classes through 2014 - Civics, World History, Western Civilization, and U.S. History Class 2015 and thereafter – World History, Western Civilization, U.S. History, Government & Economics Department Philosophy: The History Department at ESA wishes to prepare its students to become adults with a profound understanding of their society and their own place in it while also providing as broad a historical perspective as possible. This is best achieved by teaching students to view society as a whole by understanding how human beliefs and activities are interrelated. Students will focus on the relationships between events, causes, and field of activity, rather than seeing them as independent of each other. These relationships are taught by specific examples, cases, and situations from the past. The goal in teaching history is not for them to merely learn events from the past, but to also develop the critical and analytical thinking skills that will allow them to succeed at the next level of their education. 211 World History Credit: 1 This course begins with prehistoric and early civilizations and societies including: Egypt, the Americas, India, Africa, China, and Mesopotamia. We progress in the Fall through the rise of early empires in China, India, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, concentrating on the interactions between them and with other groups. We end the Fall semester with the collapse of these empires in the first centuries of the Common Era. In the second semester, we follow the rise of new empires in Asia and the New World. We also witness the spread of the world's major religions, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. We then move into the era of human history when these various cultures and societies come into permanent contact. The last quarter of the class covers the rise of industrialism in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and closes with a look at the problems and possibilities presented by the modern world of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. 213 Western Civilization Credit: 1 This course begins with prehistoric societies and covers Mesopotamia, Egyptian, Classical Byzantine, Islamic and Medieval civilizations in the fall semester. In the spring we cover European history from 1500 to present and the European impact on the non-western world in Japan, China, India, and sub-Saharan Africa. The post World War II era focuses on social and cultural issues common to contemporary developed countries. This Western Civilization course places heavy emphasis on thinking critically, abstractly, and analytically. These skills are developed through essay writing and research paper. Near the end of the year we hold a medieval banquet celebrating the civilization of that period, and is an evening of historical role playing. 213AP AP European History Credit: 1 AP European History will cover European history from the Renaissance to present. One of the major goals of the course is to prepare students for the AP test in the spring. This course will emphasize many of the same skills taught in Western Civilization and looks to build critical thinking and analysis. These skills are practiced through reading assignment, essays, document based questions and exams that are modeled after the AP exam. Students will be required to take the AP exam administered in May.
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Upper School Course of Study
214 U.S. History Credit: 1 This course continues the abstract, broad, yet holistic approach established in the previous two years. It relies, when possible, on the foundations in government, economics, and politics taught in the ninth and tenth grades, so that the emphasis can be on social and cultural issues. Issues discussed include the rights of the individuals, the formation and subsequent role of government, cultural and technological developments, economic regulations and foreign policy. This course also examines the ubiquitous, yet intangible American character. U.S. History requires a research paper. 215 AP U.S. History Credit: 1 AP U.S. History includes the regular U.S. History course content, including the analytical research paper, but has an additional textbook and several additional reports, outlines, and test practice sessions. Students will be required to take the AP exam administered in May. History Electives The following courses are offered on a rotating basis and each is not taught every year. Please refer to the Course Offerings for the year of registration to see available courses that year. 250 Political Philosophy Credit: 0.5 This course examines the development of political thought, focusing on Aristotelian thought, Hobbes and Locke, Karl Marx, John Rawls, Robert Nozick, and Joseph Raz. Explanations for the legitimacy of the state, social contracts, rights, ideologies (i.e. liberalism, conservatism, Marxism, anarchism, communitarianism, etc.), will be covered. This survey course will develop the students’ analytical precision, and, whenever possible, compel them to write according to requirements of the field. Thus, the students will be assessed on regular writing assignments. 252 Philosophy Credit: 0.5 This course examines the development of philosophical thought from the ancient world through the present. We will read selections from major philosophers of the western tradition, and examine questions fundamental to the field. Students will also complete short writing assignments. 253 Dante Credit: 0.5 T.S. Eliot said, “Dante and Shakespeare divide the world between them, there is no third”. The Divine Comedy is one of the great masterpieces of, not only the Western world, but human literature. It is the journey of man through the torment of Hell and his search for Paradise. Dante’s work is more than merely a masterpiece in a structural, technical, or literary sense. He is a geographer of the universe and human soul. He forces us to examine ourselves, our political institutions, our spiritual journey, morality and our need for literature and learning. By using the Divine Comedy as our text, this course will analyze Dante the poet and Dante the pilgrim in an attempt to appreciate his understanding of the Human condition. It is open to juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or permission of the instructor. 255 Introduction to Psychology Credit: 0.5 The Introduction to Psychology class will cover the history, early practices and theories of psychology, child and adolescent developmental issues, personality systems, intelligence, and normal, unhealthy, and deviant behaviors. Students will have group projects, tests, experimental investigations and individual presentations on information covered. This class is open to juniors and seniors.
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Upper School Course of Study
256 Rome Credit: 0.5 This course will cover the Roman Republic and Empire from its founding in 509 BCE to the eventual “fall” of Rome in 476 CE. Western civilization and the world owe a huge cultural debt to Rome in many fields: language, engineering, law, literature, architecture, and religion. The story of how this once small village of shepherds and farmers rose to dominate the western world is fascinating and we will cover the military and political institutions that made that possible. But we will also delve in to the Roman family, women, slaves, Roman cities, religion, public bathing, the impact of Hellenism, the gladiatorial games, and modern images and perceptions of Rome. 257 History of Asia Credit: 0.5 The first half of this course examines the major trends in the development of civilization in East Asia from prehistory to the 20th century. The course will comprise China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, The course will focus primarily on developments in Chinese history and their impact on the wider region. After all, China was undoubtedly "the source" from which most of the fundamentals of civilization derived, throughout East Asia. At the same time, careful attention will be given to ways in which the smaller nations of the region, Japan in particular, creatively modified the foundations of Chinese civilization so as to create a distinctive civilization of their own. In the second quarter, beginning with 1700, we will look at trends that emerged as countries in the region, particularly China and Japan, were faced with Western expansion. We will look at whether they tried to modernize in response to this expansion, or if they preferred to retain traditional ways in an effort to protect and preserve their unique cultures. This course will also examine some critical events that took place in Korea and Vietnam during the 20th Century. This course will require a project of shortened research paper for the end of the semester. 258 The Civil War & Reconstruction Credits: 0.5 This course uses the Civil War and Reconstruction as objects of study to understand better the art and science of the historian. In 1861, two cultures went to war; both claimed to be fighting for liberty. In the four years that followed, over 600,000 people died, cities burned to the ground, and a landscape was laid to ruin. Out of the blood and ashes of war arose the modern United States. The Civil War created a nation that had, in the words of Confederate Sam Watkins, “no North, no South, no East, no West.” If the Civil War set the stage for modern America, Reconstruction began the debate as to what modern America was. Since then, historians have interpreted and re-interpreted the causes, actions, and results of these twin periods, all in the effort to create a valid and useful history that serves the present. The course covers the chronology of the war and its aftermath as well as the methods and arguments used by historians to analyze the era. The course is open to juniors and seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or permission of the instructor. 260 History of Latin America Credit: 0.5 This course follows the development of Latin American history from the rise of Neolithic civilizations through to the establishment of modern nations. Specifically, the course focuses on three major eras: the Pre-Colombian, which sees the rise of spectacular and alien civilizations in Mesoamerica and the Andes; the Colonial era, in which European civilization subjugates and, ultimately, assimilates with the native cultures; and finally the Post-colonial era, a tumultuous time of revolution and nation-building. In addition, the class will look at important events of twentieth-century Latin American history, such as the second Mexican Revolution, the Cuban Revolution, the Chilean coup d’état of 1973, and the rise of late twentieth-century Sandinista and Shining Path revolutionary organizations. The history of Latin America is a story filled with beauty and horror, tragedy and triumph that every American should know.
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Upper School Course of Study
261 Aspects of Philosophical Traditions—The Interplay of Faith, Reason, and Science Credit: 0.5 This course is a combination of survey and inquiry into questions and issues in theology, philosophy, and science. We will be paying particular attention to three contemporary philosophical debates; one concerns the idea of modernity and its implications for philosophy, another is the interplay of faith, reason and science, and finally the nature of philosophy and science. We will also undertake a few scientific experiments regarded as classics in the history of science in order to experience “science” as it existed at different points in history. We will study a number of seminal philosophers, theologians and scientists from the classical Greeks to the present. We will also address in some critical depth the work(s) of contemporary philosophers Alasdair MacIntyre, Richard Rorty, Thomas Kuhn, Stephen Toulmin, Jurgen Habermas, Jaques Derrida, Hannah Arendt and Susan Neiman. The purpose of this course is to provide grounding in two areas crucial to your success in college. First, you will gain knowledge and, hopefully, an understanding of a series of major philosophers, theologians, and scientists in the Western tradition. This will help with virtually all humanities courses, and some science courses, as you move forward. The other grounding you will gain is in the methods of academe including critical thinking, analytic writing, information management, and seminar participation. There are heightened expectations for both work quantity and quality. In general, you can expect the equivalent of approximately 30 to 45 minutes of homework per night, work that may well necessitate the use of weekend time on a periodic basis. However, you will largely control how you go about accomplishing your work. Assignments are made well in advance and you may choose to work at a slow and steady pace or work in larger blocks of time – your choice should reflect your personal preference and most effective approach to completing work. The course requires a variety of written work as well as tests featuring multiple choice, essay format answers, and regular daily questions on your readings and on previous classes. There is a final examination for this class. The class will operate in a seminar format with an emphasis on discussion and critical discourse about the philosophers and their ideas. 262 History of the Modern Middle East Credit: 0.5 This course will examine the history of the Middle East from the 1890s to the present. Topics will include a brief overview of Islamic history, European colonialism, Zionism, and the rise of Arab nationalism. The modern Middle East has its origins in the decline and fall of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th Century. European nations, especially Great Britain and France, (and later the United States) rushed to fill the void created by the Ottoman decline. The British and the French added former Ottoman areas to their own Empires and divided the area to suit their own needs, mainly to secure transport routes and access to natural resources, especially petroleum. Concomitantly, Arabs came under the influence of European political ideas, especially nationalism, and began to resist colonialism and other outside pressures. At the same time, European Jews began to actively resist political, religious, and social discrimination and began to formulate a plan for their own emancipation: a return to the Holy Land. This movement, known as Zionism, foresaw an eventual Jewish homeland in Palestine. All of these forces collided during World War I. The end result was the creation of the modern map of the Middle East and the conflicts that persist to the present day. This course will also examine current events in light of this history. 284 Metaphysical Philosophy Credit: 0.5 This course examines the major themes of metaphysical philosophy, spanning Descartes, Berkeley, Spinoza, Locke, Hume, Kant, and if possible, 20th century continental philosophy. It will focus specifically on questions about dualism, the mind/brain distinction, personal identity, and, finally, ‘is there such a thing as analytical thought?’ Students will be assessed on regular writing assignments. 17
Upper School Course of Study
Science Graduation requirement: Physics I (if attending 9th grade at ESA), Biology, Chemistry, and 1 additional science credit Department Philosophy: In the science courses at ESA, science is taught not only as a body of useful knowledge, but also as a method by which we find answers. Students learn science most effectively through discovery-based lessons in which they interact with each other and with teachers to solve problems and to answer questions. Teachers at ESA use the Socratic method in laboratory experiences, field exercises, and in class to encourage student interest and participation. By engaging students one-on-one and in small groups, teachers can address each student's ideas and questions. This method of teaching not only encourages each student to be actively involved in his or her education, but it also fosters academic self-confidence and maturity. 311 Physics I Credit: 1 Emphasis in Physics I is on lab techniques, mathematical skills, and problem solving in science. This inquiry-centered course stresses specific lab skills needed for quantitative laboratory work in physics. Proper use of common lab instruments and equipment, accuracy and precision in measurement, graphing and data analysis are some of the basic skills that are important in the course. Topics and concepts include atomic structure, energy and thermodynamics, motion, kinematics, Newton’s laws, and electricity and magnetism. In our approach to instruction, we strive to foster initiative and responsibility that lead to the academic maturity necessary for success in secondary and post-secondary science study. 312 Biology Credit: 1 This class emphasizes the structure and function of biological molecules, cells, organisms and ecosystems. We also study energy in living systems, heredity, genetics, reproduction and the characteristics common to all living organisms. All of these topics are studied in the context of evolution - physiological and anatomical response to environmental changes over long periods of time. Laboratory techniques in microscope use, dissection, biochemistry, molecular biology as well as the skill of observation, record keeping and deductions are emphasized. 313 Chemistry Credit: 1 This course is designed to teach the student basic inorganic chemistry. It is taught through the use of class discussion, demonstration, and laboratory investigation. Topics covered include the handling of measurements, calculation, and conversions; the historical and modern views of the structure and composition of atoms, molecules, and formula units; the basic properties of elements as expressed by the periodic chart; the basic properties of compounds, chemical nomenclature and chemical formulas, compound, solution, and reaction stiochiometry; and an introduction to acid/base chemistry. 313H Chemistry Honors Credit: 1 This honors level course covers the same topics as the regular level course, but takes a wider and deeper look at each topic. It also places greater emphasis on cause and effect relationships and the interconnectedness of the various topics. 316H Chemistry II Honors Credit: 1 During the first semester this honors level course continues the study of inorganic chemistry started in Chemistry I. Topics covered include advanced Acid/Base chemistry, chemical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, nuclear chemistry, and electrical chemistry. The second semester of this course will be devoted to an introduction of organic chemistry. 18
Upper School Course of Study
314 Physics II Credit: 1 Topics covered in this course include kinematics, Newton’s laws, conservation of energy, conservation of momentum, electricity, and magnetism. The course utilizes an inquiry-based approach to discover the mathematical relationships between physical quantities. Laboratory exercises emphasize the mathematical modeling of real physical systems so that both qualitative and quantitative predictions can be made. 314AP AP Physics C: Mechanics Credit: 1 Pre-/Co-requisite: AP Calculus AB AP Physics C: Mechanics is comparable to a typical first-semester physics course for science and engineering majors. It covers the following content areas: kinematics; Newton’s laws of motion; work, energy, and power; systems of particles and linear momentum; circular motion and rotation; oscillations; and gravitation. Roughly 75% of the school year will be spent on the topics listed above. The rest of the time will be spent on fundamental electricity and magnetism concepts (such as electric charge, electric current, and magnetic fields). Select special topics, such as relativity and quantum mechanics, will also be introduced as time permits. Both conceptual understanding and quantitative problem-solving (using calculus) are emphasized in each content area. This course also contains a significant amount of quantitative laboratory work using various digital measurement devices. Students will be required to take the AP exam administered in May. 315H Biology II Honors Human Anatomy and Physiology Credit: 1 The relationship of cells to tissues (Histology) and nine major anatomical systems of the human body are the main topics of study. Study begins with a general examination of tissues in each organ system; each system is then studied in turn using a college level textbook, outside reading from semi-technical journals, and guest speakers. Although the main theme of cell and tissue structure and function is emphasized throughout the course, Human Anatomy and Physiology is a course that describes how the systems of the human body function individually and how each integrates with other systems to form a complete human organism. 320 Environmental Science Credit: 1 Pre-/Co-requisite: Chemistry *Not offered every year This is a second year biology class that requires chemistry as a prerequisite or co-requisite. In this class students investigate different aquatic environments in southwest Louisiana including freshwater (ponds, bayous, swamps), brackish (estuarine) and saltwater (marsh, mangrove, reef) habitats. This is a project-based class and students should be prepared to be outside collecting, classifying and taking notes for much of the class. They will become familiar with the organisms and organism interactions that make up each community through observation, experimentation and collection. For the habitats that we study, each student will prepare a “key” to the habitats; the key will include the main members of each of the kingdoms and the role of significant abiotic factors in each ecosystem. There will be several field trips to different habitats throughout the year and that may involve weekends. Labs will consist of microbiology, microcosm studies of ecological interactions, identification and classification, setting up and maintaining aquaria. 330 AP Biology Credit: 1 *Not offered every year Major topics in this course include cell respiration, photosynthesis, the cell cycle, genetic expression, and population genetics in the first semester; evolution and natural selection, basic bacteriology, plant anatomy and physiology, and a survey of the plant and animal phyla are studied in the second semester. The course is laboratory centered and the class follows a discussion-lecture format. Problem-solving, outside readings, individual projects, as well as open-ended lab work are central to the emphasis of self-directed study. Students will be required to take the AP exam administered in May. 19
Upper School Course of Study
World Languages Graduation requirement: 3 credits in one language Department Philosophy: The World Language Department at ESA is structured around the intensive study of French or Spanish. Instruction within the department includes not only the usual skills of reading, writing, and listening, but introduces an entirely new way of speaking. Proper use of intonation, appropriate facial expressions, and gestures inherent to native speakers are emphasized along with the obvious use of new sets of vocabulary and grammatical structures. Instruction is through the immersion method; no English is spoken in the class after the first few weeks. Grammatical structure is taught orally throughout the curriculum, as required by given situations, rather than in a structured series of exercises. The ultimate goal of the study of world language at ESA is to demonstrate that a world language can become a natural means of communication and an integral part of life. *One high school credit is awarded with the successful completion of French 7 and French 8 and the approval of the French faculty. *One high school credit is awarded with the successful completion of Spanish 7 and Spanish 8 and the approval of the Spanish faculty.
French 410 French I Credit: 1 This class is designed for students entering ESA without the benefit of French instruction in our middle school. The following topics are examples of those covered in French I: beginning concepts of verbs, idiomatic expressions, telling time, and responding to basic personal questions. The class is taught exclusively in French by the second week of school, and the students progressively acquire the language necessary to fully participate in the study of French. The "cahier" system is used in conjunction with a text and any supplementary materials needed to reinforce skills. 411 French II Credit: 1 This course is a continuation of French I. More complex language structures are introduced such as subordinate clauses, the distinction between imparfait and passĂŠ composĂŠ, the futur and the conditional. Reading and writing skills are further developed through the study of culture and language documents. The students are expected to transfer the acquired written concepts to oral activities such as role play, presentations and discussions. French II is the foundation for French III. Students with good comprehension and acquisition of the French II curriculum are well prepared for French III. 411H French II Honors Credit: 1 French II Honors covers the same basic elements as French II, with a broader interest in reading materials introducing more complex cultural, lexical and literary materials. Group and individual projects, additional reading material and self-motivation are essential to this course.
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Upper School Course of Study
412 French III Credit: 1 This course is an in-depth study involving the five basic skills: speaking, writing, reading, listening, and culture. In this course, writing skills that will be needed for the study of literature in French IV and V are solidified. In this course, students work on speaking skills, especially informal conversation. Students practice speaking in small groups and to a larger audience. Texts drawn from literature and contemporary culture provide the opportunity to continue the development of reading skills. Writing skills, from informal notes and lists to formal academic writing, are developed as students write longer pieces. Audio and visual materials from a variety of sources will engage students in listening and speaking about the world of French-speaking cultures around the world. 412H French III Honors Credit: 1 This course follows the same curriculum as the French III class with greater focus on the development of more complicated grammar and vocabulary skills. This class requires substantially more outside of class work than the regular class. 413H French IV Honors Credit: 1 In this course, the focus is on reading and oral comprehension, culture, writing skills and oral fluency. Through in-class discussions and debates, students develop and improve their listening comprehension and conversational skills. The grammar text emphasizes various methods and styles pertaining to the expression of opinions, views and sentiments. Magazine articles, and excerpts from literature provide exposure to French current events and French culture. Students will need the approval of their French teacher or the Department Head. Students wanting to enroll in this advanced class should have a strong desire and accomplished background in previous French classes. 414 French V Honors Credit: 1 *Not Offered Every Year French V students continue to review linguistic objectives such as verb conjugation and grammar characteristics of the French language. Knowledge is acquired through oral and written exercises, structural practice, situations of communication, comprehension of literary and non-literary texts, oral comprehension and expression. Accent is put on four grammatical themes: the pronouns, the past tenses, the subjunctive mode and the articles. The acquisition of these grammatical points is done through different themes: advertising, literature, surveys, magazines and songs. Priority is given to oral comprehension and expression, but the students continue to improve their writing skills in various circumstances. They are expected to write regularly and to improve their capacity to self-correct their compositions. French V reading material includes a monthly magazine that provides the student with exposure to French culture and European current events. The students are also in contact with French speaking community members as much as possible. Students will need the approval of the French teachers or the French department head. French V students are expected to be committed students and achieve at a high level. 415 AP French Language Credit: 1 *Not Offered Every Year This course is designed to sharpen skills tested on the Advanced Placement French Language examination. Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are all tested on the examination, which is given in May; therefore, the focus of the course is the development of different aspects of these skills. Students write journals, then essays, progressing to essays written in class in less than 45 minutes. This approach is also used for question recordings and story recordings, grammar exercises, and other activities. The use of such varied approaches reinforces the skills necessary for performance on the AP examination. Students will be required to take the AP exam administered in May. 21
Upper School Course of Study
420 French Conversation Credit: 0.5 Prerequisite: French III with an honors grade (or French Immersion program outside ESA) and approval *Not Offered Every Year The purpose of this class is to offer students the opportunity to apply their grammar skills, to expand their vocabulary, to deepen their oral fluency and to develop self confidence in various situations. It is also to stimulate the cultural appreciation of the Francophone world in all of its aspects and varieties.
Spanish 460 Spanish I Credit: 1 This class is designed for beginning Spanish students. By the end of the first year, students will be able to demonstrate some mastery of the basic structure of the language. Using present tense, students will be able to converse on everyday topics, as well as to read and write on an elementary level. As students progress, the class will be taught mainly in Spanish. 461 Spanish II Credit: 1 This course is the continuation of Spanish I. More complex language structures are introduced such as the future and conditional tenses, compound verbs, as well as various pronouns. Reading and writing skills are developed through the study of culture and language documents. The students are expected to transfer the acquired written notions to oral activities such as role play, presentations, and discussions. Spanish II is the basis for Spanish III. Students with a good understanding and acquisition of the Spanish II curriculum are well prepared for succeeding in Spanish III. 461H Spanish II Honors Credit: 1 Spanish Honors covers the same basic elements as Spanish II, with a broader interest in reading materials introducing more complex cultural, lexical, and literary materials. Group and individual projects, additional reading material and self-motivation are essential to this course. 462 Spanish III Credit: 1 The purpose of this class is to emphasize the ability to express opinions and feelings. Extensive use of the past tenses (preterit and imperfect), the future and conditional tenses, and the subjunctive mood will be practiced. While providing a language review from the first two years of Spanish, students will explore cultural uniqueness of social customs, geographic locations, and historical events. 462H Spanish III Honors Credit: 1 This course follows the same curriculum as the Spanish III class with greater focus on the development of more complicated grammar and vocabulary skills. This class requires substantially more outside of class work than the regular class. 463 Spanish IV Honors Credit: 1 The purpose of this class is for students to understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics. There will be an emphasis on reading and writing though the use of various Hispanic literary pieces. Students will demonstrate an awareness of the interrelatedness of the language, the culture, and the people. Evaluations will be based on reading comprehension, projects, and oral presentations as well as application of grammar and vocabulary.
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Upper School Course of Study
464AP AP Spanish Language Credit: 1 AP Spanish Language course is comparable to an advanced level (5th- and 6th-semester or the equivalent) college Spanish language course. Emphasizing the use of Spanish for active communication, it encompasses aural/oral skills, reading comprehension, grammar, and composition. The course objectives are to help you: understand Spanish spoken by native speakers at a natural pace, with a variety of regional pronunciations, in both informal (interpersonal) and formal (presentational) contexts; develop an active vocabulary sufficient for reading newspaper and magazine articles, contemporary literature, and other non-technical writings (websites, letters and emails, advertisements, signs and instructions) in Spanish without dependence on a dictionary; express yourself by describing, narrating, inquiring, and developing arguments in Spanish, both orally and in writing, with reasonable fluency, using different strategies for different audiences and communicative contexts. In this course, special emphasis is placed on the use of authentic source materials and the integration of language skills. Therefore, you should receive extensive training in combining listening, reading, and speaking (or listening, reading, and writing) skills in order to demonstrate understanding of authentic Spanish-language source materials. Students will be required to take the AP exam administered in May.
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Upper School Course of Study
Computer Science Graduation requirement: Computer Science I 610 Computer Science I Credit: 0.5 Students will gain advanced user skills in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher as an introduction to Microsoft Access database, web page authoring using HTML and internet search strategies for research. The following courses are offered on a rotating basis and each is not taught every year. Please refer to the Course Offering for the year of registration to see available courses that year. Successful completion of Computer Science I is a requirement for all advanced courses in computer science. 612 Computer Science II - Programming Credit: 0.5 Prerequisite: Algebra II Using C++ and its object oriented techniques, students will develop and maintain programs building a comprehensive knowledge of the programming language. 613 Computer Science II - Java Credit: 0.5 Using the programming language Java, this course introduces the fundamental concepts and techniques of the language instilling a working knowledge of advance topics in Java programming. 614 Web Design Credit: 0.5 This course will guide the student in the process of planning, designing, and building a web site. The students will develop concepts and technical skills required to design and build interactive websites. 615 PC Architecture/Networking Credit: 0.5 Learning about the fundamental aspects of hardware and software is basic to this course. Students will build a microcomputer (PC) and link several computers together in a network. Approval of the instructor is required prior to registering for this course. 626 Computer Science II - AutoDesk Credit: 0.5 Using Autodesk 2D and 3D design software and a modular, project-based curriculum, this course enriches students in the key areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and prepares students for careers in engineering and architecture. AutoDesk “enables students to move between 2D and 3D design environments—offering design, visualization, and simulation capabilities to fully experience ideas digitally.� 690 AP Computer Science A Credit: 1 Prerequisite: CSII - Java *Not offered every year AP Computer Science A emphasizes object oriented programming methodology with a concentration on problem solving and algorithm development and is meant to be the equivalent of a first-semester college level course in Computer Science. It also includes the study of data structures, design, and abstraction. Students will be required to take the AP exam administered in May.
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Upper School Course of Study
Health & Physical Education Graduation requirement; Health & Phys. Ed. I & II 510 Health & Physical Education I Credit: 1 Required in 9th Grade Health and Physical Education is required of all 9th grade students. The fitness components of the course includes both team and individual sports as well as weights and conditioning. The health segment includes units on drinking and drug abuse, eating and nutritional health, and interpersonal communication. 520 Health & Physical Education II Credit: 1 This course concentrates on lifetime fitness using weights, stretching and conditioning tools for a healthy lifestyle. Students should schedule this course to complete the second unit of required Physical Education. 521 Physical Education III Credit: 0.5 522 Physical Education IV Credit: 0.5 These courses are offered to students who have already completed the Health & Physical Education graduation requirement and would like to continue physical activity under the direct supervision of a coach. This course is graded Pass/Fail only.
Speech & Communications Graduation requirement: Public Speaking 800 Public Speaking Credit: 0.5 Required during 11th or 12th grade Students will learn the art of speech writing and delivery through performance-based activities. Techniques of organizing information, active listening skills, and the art of effective delivery are emphasized. Through methods of research, critical thinking, and persuasive reasoning, students learn to recognize fact from opinion and/or propaganda. Units include informative speeches, persuasive speeches, debate, group discussions and media formats. The student demonstrates his acquisition of each task through oral delivery.
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Upper School Course of Study
Visual Arts Graduation requirement: 1.5 credits in the visual and/or performing arts. Department Philosophy: The ESA visual arts program provides a learning environment that stimulates and maximizes the creative and artistic potential of each student. The learning experience emphasizes creative problem solving and critical thinking which develops self-expression. The completed works often require and involve teamwork, cooperation, and trust in others. Through artistic expression, the students see the world from a greater perspective. They are provided with a variety of media to express and to connect with feelings, to express the joy and the beauty found in their world. Departmental Scheduling Notes: Design Foundations (formerly Beginning Drawing) must be completed before a student may take any other courses in the visual arts. Visual arts courses are available to students in any grade after the student has successfully completed Design Foundations (formerly Beginning Drawing). Lab fees are used to help defray the cost of materials and supplies. Design Foundations Credit: 0.5 Lab Fee $50 *Prerequisite for all other visual art courses. This course is designed to offer students a foundation in the visual arts. During the semester students will explore a variety of media to create works in 2D and 3D. By tailoring projects to the understanding and manipulation of the elements and principles of design, the goal is that students exit the class fluent in the language of visual arts. Students will develop their ability to critically analyze, discuss and evaluate work made by themselves and others. Design Foundations will also offer students some insight into the skills, knowledge and technical applications necessary for the upper level Art courses offered at ESA. Drawing I Credit: 0.5 Lab Fee $35 Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing or Design Foundations Drawing I is a natural extension of the Design Foundations course, applying the elements and principles of design in observational drawing and two-dimensional image making. This course is introduces many traditional drawing media including graphite, pastel, and charcoal, but also explores other techniques and materials such as Xerox transfers, printmaking, collage, and others. Much of our work will be concerned with composition and color theory, as this course is intended to prepare students for the Painting class. Drawing II Credit: 0.5 Lab Fee $35 Prerequisite: Advanced Drawing I or Drawing I This is a continuation of Drawing I. New materials and techniques will be introduced with consideration to students’ skill levels and areas of interest. We will outline a course of study based on exploring contemporary artists’ approaches to drawing and the students’ emerging personal thematic concepts. Students will be expected to create a body of work reflecting these explorations.
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Upper School Course of Study
914 Drawing Independent Study Lab Fee Lab Fee will be determined by student’s proposal Prerequisite: Completion of Drawing II and instructor’s approval. 915 The Expressive Figure Credit: 0.5 Lab Fee $35 Figure drawing is equal parts observation and expression. The Expressive Figure delves into representations of the human form in that uniquely human endeavor, art. By learning to “read” figures presented to us by artists we will identify that which makes a figure expressive and investigate ways to enhance the expressive qualities of the figure. This class is a combination of survey and studio work. We will look at figurative work from ancient Greece all the way up to examples from living artists. This will serve as a foundation for our studio work, which focuses on observational drawing skills, expression through exaggeration, distortion, or technique, and appropriation of imagery and attribution of new meaning. Our explorations will take us through a variety of media, both two- and three-dimensional (drawing, painting, pen and ink, plaster, fiber, wire, found images, found objects) according to student skill and preference. 930 Ceramics I Credit: 0.5 Lab fee $75 Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing or Design Foundations Ceramics I is an introduction to hand building with clay. Students will investigate the basic techniques of pinching, slabbing and coiling to create both functional and sculptural forms. This course is designed to give a technical foundation for further exploration as well as an appreciation and understanding of the media as a means of communication and expression. 931 Ceramics II Credit: 0.5 Lab fee $75 Prerequisite: Ceramics I Ceramics II is a continuation and expansion of Ceramics I. Students will investigate making and orchestrating clay objects with special attention to theme or context to support meaning. Students will work with the teacher to choose and develop their own context or theme. Students will be encouraged to employ the hand building techniques learned in Ceramics I as they learn new ways of applying and employing those techniques. 934 Ceramics Independent Study Lab Fee Lab Fee will be determined by student’s proposal Prerequisite: Completion of Ceramics II and instructor’s approval. 935 Pottery I Credit: 0.5 Lab fee $75 Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing or Design Foundations Pottery I is an introduction to creating clay vessels on a potter’s wheel. Emphasis in this beginning course is on developing the skill to produce wheel thrown vessels with appropriate ratios between weight, diameter and height. Finishing techniques such as trimming and glazing are introduced and practiced in addition to attachment techniques for handles and decorative elements. Intelligent, quality design will be stressed throughout the course particularly as students develop skills in throwing and glazing. This course meets afternoons after 3:25.
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Upper School Course of Study
936 Pottery II Credit: 0.5 Lab fee: $75 Prerequisite: Pottery I Pottery II is a continuation and expansion of Pottery I. Students will be encouraged to use larger, heavier amounts of clay to continue development of technical skill and refinement of form. Critical analysis of skill and visual expression will be an ongoing practice for Pottery II students, emphasizing the application and manipulation of the elements and principles of design. Creating and recreating exact dimensions for lidded jars, nesting bowls and sets will be introduced and practiced while continuing to practice techniques and processes from Pottery I. This course meets afternoons after 3:25. 937 Pottery III Credit: 0.5 Lab fee: $75 Prerequisite: Pottery II Pottery III is a continuation and expansion of Pottery II with an emphasis on students beginning to develop a personal visual expression through their pottery making. Combining vessel forms into teapots, and other composite vessels will be introduced. Development of a personal expression through glazing will be encouraged as well. Students will be challenged to define function and form becoming familiar with the quality and craftsmanship of cutting edge contemporary potter/artists. This course meets afternoons after 3:25. 938 Advanced Pottery Credit: 0.5 Lab fee: $75 Prerequisite: Pottery III Advanced Pottery affords students with intermediate to advanced skills a studio environment to experiment and explore pottery techniques specifically to develop a personally meaningful expression. Students are encouraged to create in series for an in depth learning experience with the expectation of pursuing an idea till invention and innovation are flowing and visually evident in the production of their forms. This course meets afternoons after 3:25. 920 Painting I Credit: 0.5 Lab Fee $35 Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing or Design Foundations. Recommended: Drawing I Painting I is an exploration of color and light through traditional painting subjects such as still life, landscape, and portraiture. Students will learn to manipulate the opacity, luster, and viscosity of paint to achieve their desired results. Indirect and direct painting approaches will be introduced. Students will gain a refined ability to understand and use color. We look at the work of important painters to gain insight into their methods. 921 Painting II Credit: 0.5 Lab Fee $35 Prerequisite: Painting I This is a continuation of Painting I. The student and teacher will work together to set goals and outline a course of study. The work of well known 19th and 20th century painters and their personal vision will be explored. Students are encouraged to work primarily from direct observation and frequent discussions of work in progress will help students define and refine their unique vision. 924 Painting Independent Study Lab Fee Lab Fee will be determined by student’s proposal Prerequisite: Completion of Painting II and instructor’s approval.
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Upper School Course of Study
950 Photography I Credit: 0.5 Lab Fee $75 Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing or Design Foundations This is a wet-lab darkroom course for all students interested in learning the fundamentals of black and white photography. Students learn about the formation of an image and the technical knowledge that is involved in producing an image. All students will learn the functions of a manually operated 35 mm camera, the development and processing of black and white film, and the techniques of darkroom printing. 951 Photography II Credit: 0.5 Lab Fee $75 Prerequisite: Photography I This is a continuation of Photography I. The student and teacher will work together to set goals and outline a course of study. Students will dive deeper in to the technical applications of darkroom printing with guidance from the instructor. In addition to wet lab photography, students begin to investigate with digital photography by keeping a digital photo blog as a daily sketchbook. 955 Photography Independent Study Lab Fee Lab Fee will be determined by student’s proposal Prerequisite: Completion of Photography II and instructor’s approval. 945 3D Mixed Media I Credit: 0.5 Lab Fee $35 Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing or Design Foundations 3D Mixed Media is just that: a mixture of learning experiences, processes, media and techniques resulting in a sculptural, three dimensional expression. Casting, re-purposing, constructing, enamelling, fold forming, de-constructing, installing, and the list goes on, are in the reservoir of “ings” a particular class may be introduced to and practice. Metals, plaster, wood, paper, felt, found objects, etc. are the materials one may find in a mixed media expression. Invention and innovation will be encouraged as well as acquiring a good foundation in the use and maintenance of tools and materials. 946 3D Mixed Media II Credit: 0.5 Lab Fee $35 Prerequisite: Sculpture I or 3D Mixed Media I 947 3D Mixed Media Independent Study Lab Fee will be determined by student’s proposal Prerequisite: Completion of 3D Mixed Media II and instructor’s approval. 975 Digital Design Credit: 0.5 Lab Fee $35 Prerequisites: Design Foundations and Computer Science I This course is designed to teach students the basic skills in digital construction. Using digital photographs, graphic imagery, time-based media and web design, students will be engaged with technology in many of its capacities to create and execute products. Students will learn the fundamental techniques of creating and manipulating digital source material (i.e. scanned imagery, graphics, photos, text, sound, video etc.), as well as properly resolve and implement a product’s output (printing, websites, virtual galleries, etc.).
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Upper School Course of Study
Performing Arts
Theatre Graduation requirement: 1.5 credits in the visual and/or performing arts. Department Philosophy: The Upper School Performing Arts Department will offer a wide variety of creative outlets, each with performing opportunities. It is a goal of the department to help students develop their theatrical talents and musical creativity. Students may perform both at school and in the surrounding communities. Each ensemble and drama class will expose the students to a wide variety of artistic genres, ultimately creating a life-long enjoyment of the performing arts. ď‚ˇď€ Theatre I must be completed before a student may take advanced courses in theatre. 980 Theatre I Credit: 0.5 th th This beginning class is open to any 9 - 12 grader who has never been in an ESA Upper School play. The purpose of the class is to stimulate cultural appreciation and self-confidence through the study of and the participation in a variety of dramatic literature. Active participation in theatre provides for both social and individual development as well as stage activity. Basic acting, improvisation and pantomiming skills will be taught, culminating in a final public performance. Students create their own sets and costumes, thus learning about all aspects of production. Theatre I may not be taken more than once for credit. 981 Theatre II Credit: 0.5 Theatre II further develops the skills introduced in Theatre I. The course culminates with a final public performance. 982 Advanced Theatre Credit: 0.5 Advanced Theatre is open to students in 10th-12th grade who have completed Theatre I and II. Teamwork, cooperation, and responsibility are potential outgrowths of participation in a stage production of advanced comedic or dramatic theme. Insight into characterization and personality provides a vehicle to understand the dynamics on interpersonal / intrapersonal transactions. Poise and self-confidence can be gained through public appearances and creative abilities can be discovered. A full-length play will showcase the students’ talents. Advanced Theatre may be taken multiple times for credit. 987 Theatre Elective (Tech) Credit: 0.5 *Not offered every year This course is designed to give the student an understanding of what goes on behind the scenes in the production of a play. The course may include set construction and/or modification of readymade pieces; costume construction, prop acquisitions, stage design and setting, make-up, lighting, special effects and other technical aspects. The stage crew will be required to attend all productions.
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Upper School Course of Study
Performing Arts
Music 920 Chorus Credit: 0.5 The Upper School chorus class is designed to teach students about sight-singing, music theory, history and proper performance technique emphasizing the skills of reading music. Students will be able to take this course for multiple semesters and build their singing skills over time in order to perform at different choral festivals and competitions representing ESA’s performing arts on the local, regional and even national stage. My hope is to build a choral program that will grow from year to year and enable our students to perform and compete within the surrounding community and beyond. 997 Jazz Ensemble Credit: 0.5 Jazz Ensemble will cover many different stages of the development of jazz, starting with the influence of blues and ragtime. We will discuss the evolution of jazz over the years by focusing on different artists who have made significant contributions to this musical genre as a whole. This course will also include rehearsal time in which we will work towards an end-of-semester performance. The performance will include jazz music from all different eras. As a prerequisite for the course, some form of musical training is necessary and students need to supply their own instrument. 998 Rock Band Credit: 0.5 Rock Band class will cover many different stages of the development of rock ‘n roll, starting with the influence of blues and country. We will discuss the evolution of rock over the years by focusing on different artists who have made significant contributions to this musical genre as a whole. This course will also include rehearsal time in which we will work towards an end-of-semester performance. The performance will include rock ‘n roll music from all different eras. As a prerequisite for the course, some form of musical training is necessary and students need to supply their own instrument. Note regarding private instrument instruction: It is possible to earn performing arts credit at ESA through private piano lessons or studio string lessons. In order for the credit to be awarded, proper paper work must be filed with and the course approved by the Louisiana Department of Education. Private music instructors should have the required forms and assist families with their filing.
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