Upper School Curriculum
The Upper School curriculum challenges students to stretch and surpass their academic limits with courses that prepare them for success at college and beyond.
By design, Chadwick students don’t just absorb information, they interact with course material, their teachers and each other. They become lifelong learners and leaders who make well-informed, ethical decisions, take bold action and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
English
Upper School English is dedicated to developing critical, creative and engaged thinkers. Students dive deep into literary works, strengthening their reading, writing, and discussion skills. They collaborate and communicate effectively in a variety of contexts, ultimately preparing them to adapt and thrive in a changing world.
With the Senior Apex Project, students conduct an extended, research-based, independent project on a topic of their choice. Each student gives a 20-minute public presentation with a Q&A session to peers, faculty members and parents. They also produce a written reflection on the experience. The project gives students a chance to contribute meaningfully to their local, national and global communities.
- English 9: Global Studies I
- English 10: Global Studies II
- English 11: American Cultural Studies
- AP English Language & Composition 11: American Cultural Studies
- English 12: Ethics and Social Change through Dystopian Lit and Film
- English 12: Science Ethics in Literature and Film
- A.P. English Literature: The Art of Protest
- A.P. English Literature: Story and Self
- A.P. English Literature: Science Ethics in Literature and Film
- A note on Advanced Placement Guidelines
English 9: Global Studies I
Who the course is designed for: all 9th grade students
Global Studies I (English 9) begins a global studies sequence with World History 9 that engages students in a two-year interdisciplinary exploration of the world around them, its history, and their role in it. English 9 places an emphasis on the development of the skills and dispositions of global citizenship: it asks students to explore what it means to be ethical and empowered global citizens while providing them with a strong foundation in reading, writing, grammar, discussion, and critical thinking skills. This course uses global literature to teach students how to to read carefully and critically and write clearly and persuasively. Students read and discuss a range of nonfiction and fiction texts in order to develop these skills; while doing so, the course material provides students with an ethical framework that helps them to more reflectively consider personal, historical, and global issues. Increasingly challenging writing and reading assignments with a significant emphasis on the learning process help students gain new perspectives, build strong skills, and reflect on their progress and growth as learners. The English course pairs with the corresponding history course and discussions, readings, and assessments draw from both disciplines. The history and English courses work together to shape students into critical and creative thinkers and ethical leaders who participate actively and effectively as informed global citizens.
English 10: Global Studies II
Who the course is designed for: all 10th grade students
Global Studies II uses an interdisciplinary approach to further develop themes and skills introduced in the ninth-grade program. Global Studies II builds increasingly strong reading, writing, and historical skills by exploring current global issues through the lens of complex and relevant topics such as “resources,” “human rights and responsibilities,” and “migration.” Students build on their knowledge of modern world history, global issues, and ethical literacy from Global Studies I to further understand the major challenges facing their world. They continue to develop the elements of a global perspective by using literature, film, and nonfiction texts to examine each theme from multiple angles, and each unit focuses heavily on personal decisions and problem solving with regards to each topic and its corresponding case study from their history class. The course culminates with a project which stresses the development of research skills and has students “live out” their learning.
English 11: American Cultural Studies
Who the course is designed for: all 11th grade students
Students can choose to take A.P. English Language or English 11.
All eleventh grade English and history courses make-up an American Studies Program that unite English and history by exploring a shared set of fundamental American ideals: “All men are Created Equal,” “We the People,” “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness,” “E Pluribus Unum,” “A More Perfect Union,” and the “American Dream.” Students should see the courses as two classes in conversation with each other; the content learned in one discipline will add complexity and depth to experiences in the other.
The eleventh grade English courses examine competing visions of these American Ideals--varying interpretations of what it takes to live a meaningful life in America. Students critically investigate a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts that inform, confirm, and complicate these different interpretations. Students also critically investigate themselves and the dynamic role that they play in the ongoing story of America. Grasping the complexities of American ideals helps students to better understand the world around them, themselves, why they make the choices they do, and how to make future meaningful personal and social choices. They analyze these understandings within a curriculum that significantly emphasizes the development of strong literacy and research skills; critical, creative, and engaged thinking; and communication and collaboration skills.
AP English Language & Composition 11: American Cultural Studies
Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation. Students not recommended may apply to be included if there is room in the class and they have the support of parents and advisors. Application forms are available here.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated English students who enjoy reading, writing, and discussion are encouraged to take on the challenge of Advanced Placement English Language. The Advanced Placement option is differentiated by its quicker pace, more challenging reading material, increased demands for discussion skills and depth of analysis in writing, and call for increased independent thinking. Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement English Language Exam in May.
See above for course description.
Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation. Students not recommended may apply to be included if there is room in the class and they have the support of parents and advisors. Application forms are available here.
All twelfth grade English courses focus on analyzing literature and issues in order to continue strengthening thinking, reading, and writing skills and explore this question: What are ways for engaged citizens to positively contribute to their local, national, and global communities? Each elective investigates this question through a different thematic lens.
The Advanced Placement options are differentiated by their quicker pace, more challenging reading material, increased demands for discussion skills and depth of analysis in writing, and call for increased independent thinking. Students are prepared to take the Advanced Placement English Literature Exam in May.
The below electives will be offered based on student preference and teaching assignments.
English 12: Ethics and Social Change through Dystopian Lit and Film
This course focuses on shorter texts from the past century--dystopian and “other worldly” literature, film, articles, and podcasts--and explores the ethical complexity of social issues revealed in those works. By considering the ethics embedded in topics such as government regulation, social justice, technology expansion, and bioengineering, students grapple with how they would resolve the issues presented and to what extent their moral reasoning for a fictional world holds up when applied to current, real-world dilemmas. For instance, how can Netflix’s current Black Mirror series and E.M. Forster’s 1909 novella The Machine Stops shed light on the ethical complexities of technology use, and how might those texts inform our views about self-driving cars or privacy settings on social media platforms? Ultimately, students define what they have learned about their own moral identity through the exploration of these works and culminate with the question, “What is our responsibility as engaged citizens to act on our understanding of ethics in the real world in order to make change, and in what way?” Coursework requires students to write purposefully and critically (in a variety of modes), think analytically and creatively, and communicate clearly.
English 12: Science Ethics in Literature and Film
This course investigates issues of citizenship through the intersection of science, culture, and ethics with regard to the following topics: artificial intelligence, cloning, HIV-AIDS, and the natural environment. The course revolves around the portrayal of scientific ethical dilemmas in fiction, poetry, drama, and film, and guest speakers occasionally visit class to provide the science background necessary to understand the issues as well as current-day, real-world applications. Students read purposefully and critically, think abstractly and ethically, and communicate clearly and purposefully both in writing and in speech, as well as formulate their own personal stance towards matters of citizenship embedded in each topic. This version of the course will have a creative writing component.
A.P. English Literature: The Art of Protest
How can an individual maintain integrity and identity against forces of oppression? What can we learn from people whose experiences with various forms of oppression have compelled them to create? How do the substance and style of these works of art—literature, film, and music—both overlap and diverge? Imagine a conversation between Sophocles’ Antigone and U2’s Bono, between the students of Parkland High School and Melville’s Bartleby, between Thoreau and Bob Marley. What would James Baldwin say to Kendrick Lamar? What advice would Harvey Milk offer Liu Xiaobo? This course explores such possibilities by considering both the text and the context of these voices and many others drawn from a variety of periods, genres, cultures, and backgrounds. Coursework requires students to write purposefully, critically, and creatively (in a variety of different modes), think analytically and openly, and communicate clearly.
A.P. English Literature: Story and Self
This course asks students to explore the creation, components, and meaning of one’s self while examining the intersection of narrative and identity. This exploration of self is broken down into three abstract questions: Who am I? Why do I matter? What’s my story? Students are asked to reflect deeply on each question while also applying such inquiries to the stories, characters, and persons presented throughout the course. While examining various types of texts (literature, film, non-fiction, etc.), students adopt a critical stance as well as focus on how a given text is unique and meaningful to them as individuals. Coursework requires students to write purposefully, critically, and creatively (in a variety of different modes), think analytically and openly, and communicate clearly.
A.P. English Literature: Science Ethics in Literature and Film
This course investigates issues of citizenship through the intersection of science, culture, and ethics with regard to the following topics: artificial intelligence, cloning, HIV-AIDS, and the natural environment. The course revolves around the portrayal of scientific ethical dilemmas in fiction, poetry, drama, and film, and guest speakers occasionally visit class to provide the science background necessary to understand the issues as well as current-day, real-world applications. Students read purposefully and critically, think abstractly and ethically, and communicate clearly and purposefully both in writing and in speech, as well as formulate their own personal stance towards matters of citizenship embedded in each topic. The A.P. version of this course utilizes challenging reading and writing assignments to enable success on the A.P. test in May.
A note on Advanced Placement Guidelines
In the junior and senior years, the English department offers courses at the regular and Advanced Placement levels, all of which are designed for successful pursuit of the discipline at the university level and beyond. Teachers of sophomores and juniors recommend courses for each student; however, the student is free to choose. Students who earn at least an 89.5 average between the fall semester and spring progress period will be recommended for the Advanced Placement level in the next academic year.
After consulting with his or her teacher, any eleventh- or twelfth-grader, regardless of course enrollment, may sign up in October to take the College Board's AP English Examination the following May. If you have questions about your son or daughter’s individual placement, please contact his or her current English teacher. If you have further questions about the recommendation process in general, please contact the department chair.
Math
In Chadwick's mathematics program, students gain conceptual understanding, procedural fluency and advanced problem-solving skills in high-level courses like algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus. A flexible program means students can move from one course level to another based on their readiness. Classwork combines investigations, direct instruction, cooperative learning, independent work, exploration of new ideas and review of key concepts. All courses use a combination of graphical, numerical and analytical techniques that help students communicate mathematical ideas in symbolic, written and oral forms.
- Algebra 1
- Algebra 1B
- Algebra 1 Honors
- Geometry
- Geometry Honors
- Algebra 2
- Algebra 2 with Trigonometry
- Algebra 2 Honors
- Precalculus: Trigonometry and Functions
- Precalculus
- Precalculus Honors
- Calculus
- Statistics and Advanced Topics
- AP Statistics
- AP Calculus AB
- AP Calculus BC
- Multivariable Calculus (MSON)
Algebra 1
Prerequisites: C- (70% minimum) in the spring semester of Pre-Algebra B or B (83% minimum) in the spring semester of Pre-Algebra A. Students who do not quite meet these criteria but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
(Note: Eighth-graders earning below a B- in the spring semester of Algebra 1 are expected to retake Algebra 1 in the ninth grade. Past experience has shown that students with a C+ or lower in eighth-grade Algebra 1 have significant difficulty with Geometry and Algebra 2.)
Who the course is designed for: 8th and 9th grade students
In this course, students explore traditional algebra concepts and form a strong foundation for future math courses. A heavy emphasis is placed on application of algebraic concepts. Students will: simplify and evaluate algebraic expressions and operations on polynomials; graph linear and quadratic equations; solve linear, absolute value, rational, and radical equations and inequalities; solve systems of equations and inequalities; extensively explore quadratic equations and their applications; investigate functions, proportions, exponents and radicals.
Algebra 1B
Prerequisites: C- (70% minimum) in the spring semester of Algebra 1A. Students who do not quite meet this criterion but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
Students who have already completed Algebra 1, but did not earn a B- (full year average of at least 80%) or higher or completed Algebra 1A with an A- (full year average of at least 90%) will be invited to take this course during the summer at Chadwick.
Who the course is designed for: 9th grade students
Algebra 1B is the second course of a two-year sequence designed to lay a solid foundation in algebra. The pace of the sequence is constantly adjusted to maximize student understanding. Topics include graphing linear equations, systems of linear equations, linear and absolute value inequalities, polynomials ,and factoring the first semester. In the second semester, students cover radicals, solving and graphing quadratic functions, direct and inverse relations, operations with rational expressions, fractional equations, and a variety of problem solving. Students apply these tools to solve problems in real life situations. Students are expected to communicate their mathematical thinking through numeric, graphic, and analytical avenues.
Algebra 1 Honors
Prerequisites: B+ (87% minimum) in the spring semester of Pre-Algebra B or A (930% minimum) both semesters in Pre-Algebra A with teacher recommendation. Students who do not quite meet this criterion but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated 8th grade students
The overall content of Algebra 1 and Algebra 1 Honors are largely the same, except for some additional applications. In the honors course, depth and rigor increase, and a deeper understanding is expected. Students in this course need the following for success: enthusiasm for mathematical challenges, strong work and study attitudes, growth mindset, time in their schedule to master challenging topics, solid reading skills, and superior pre-algebra skills.
Geometry
Prerequisites: B- (80% minimum) in the spring semester of Algebra 1 in eighth grade, or C - (full year average of at least 70%) in Algebra 1/1B/1H in ninth grade. Students who do not quite meet these criteria but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
(Note: Eighth-graders earning below a B- in Algebra 1 are expected to retake Algebra 1 in the ninth grade. Past experience has shown that students with a C+ or lower in eighth grade Algebra 1 have significant difficulty with Geometry and Algebra 2.)
Students who complete Algebra 1 in ninth grade with at least a B+ average (full year average of at least 87%) or Algebra 1B with at least an A- average (full year average of at least 91%) will be invited to take the course during the summer at Chadwick.
Who the course is designed for: 9th & 10th grade students
The main goal of Geometry is to enable students to comprehend and use Euclidean geometric relationships in two and three dimensions. Some of the topics covered are deductive and inductive reasoning, writing coherent proofs, graphing lines, areas and volumes of plane figures and solids and transformational geometry. In addition to traditional classroom discussions, computer technology and group exercises are used to allow students to explore geometric relationships and discover theorems.
Geometry Honors
Prerequisites: Either B (83% minimum) in the spring semester of Algebra 1H or A (93% minimum) both semesters in Algebra 1. Students who do not meet these criteria but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
Who the course is designed for: 9th & 10th grade students
This course generally follows the description of the traditional geometry course but provides extensive experience from early stages with the devising, presentation, and defense of student proofs. The Honors course includes a more extensive coverage of solid geometry, an introduction to vectors, and an introduction of analytic geometry and trigonometry.
Students who complete Algebra 1 Honors with grades of A (at least 93%) both semesters will be invited to take this course during the summer at Chadwick.
Algebra 2
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of at least 70%) in Geometry. Students who do not quite meet this criterion but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams. (Note that students who earned less than C- (full year average of at least 70%) in Geometry should repeat that course in order to meet typical college entrance requirements.)
Who the course is designed for: 10th grade students
This is a full-year course in second-year algebra designed to help students who struggled in Algebra I and Geometry. Topics are very similar to those of Algebra 2B, but the pace is slightly slower, the depth is slightly less, and trigonometry is not included.
Algebra 2 with Trigonometry
Prerequisites: Either B (full year average of at least 83%) in Geometry or C- (full year average of at least 70%) in Geometry Honors. (Note: past experience has shown that the Algebra 1 foundation has a significant effect on the Algebra 2 experience, and Algebra 1 grades may be used as a reference in determining placements.) Students who do not quite meet these criteria but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
Who the course is designed for: 10th grade students
This second year of algebra is designed to prepare students for pre-calculus and any other non-calculus collegiate mathematics course. The topics include: advanced algebra techniques, linear equations, inequalities and functions; polynomials and polynomial functions; rational expressions; irrational and complex numbers; quadratic equations and functions; exponential and logarithmic functions; right triangle trigonometry and their functions; powers, roots and radicals; and an introduction of probability and statistics. Students extend further with functions by looking at their characteristics and transformations, applications of functions such as piecewise functions, and functional relationships with their inverses.
Algebra 2 Honors
Prerequisites: Either B (full year average of at least 83%) in Geometry Honors or A (at least 93%) both semesters in Geometry. (Note: past experience has shown that the Algebra 1 foundation has a significant effect on the Algebra 2 experience, so Algebra 1 grades may be used as a reference in determining placements.) Students who do not quite meet these criteria but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
Who the course is designed for: 10th-grade students who are ready to work abstractly at a fast pace with little review of past topics. Additionally, students are routinely required to use critical and creative thinking skills to solve problems involving unfamiliar situations.
This course explores many of the same topics as Algebra 2B, but often in greater depth and complexity, including extensions and connections with technology. Topics include advanced algebraic techniques including use of complex numbers, mathematical modeling with regression equations, functions and transformations, polynomials of higher order, rational functions and expressions, exponential and logarithmic functions, conic sections and their graphs, arithmetic and geometric series, trigonometric functions and their graphs and probability and statistics.
Precalculus: Trigonometry and Functions
Prerequisites: Either C+ (full year average of at least 77%) in Algebra 2 or C- (full year average of at least 70%) in Algebra 2 with Trigonometry. Students who do not quite meet these criteria but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students who are interested in exploring introductory calculus
Topics include trigonometric functions, trigonometric identities and equations, applications of trigonometry, piecewise functions, inverse relations and functions, exponential functions, logarithmic functions, polynomial functions, and rational functions. Graphing techniques for transformations are studied with respect to the elementary functions.
Precalculus
Prerequisites: Either B (full year average of at least 83%) in Algebra 2 with Trigonometry or C- (full year average of at least 70%) in Algebra 2H or A (93% minimum) both semesters in Algebra 2 and supplemental summer work. Students who do not quite meet these criteria but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students interested in the study of calculus. Students enrolling in this course are ready to learn complex and abstract mathematical concepts and their applications.
Topics include extensive studies in trigonometric functions, vectors, matrices, parametric equations, conics, polar equations and graphs, piecewise functions, inverse relations and functions, sequences and series, and a review of all key features of the elementary functions with an introduction to limits.
Precalculus Honors
Prerequisites: Either B (full year average of at least 83%) in Algebra 2H or A (93% minimum) both semesters in Algebra 2 with Trigonometry. Students who do not quite meet this criterion but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
Who the course is designed for: 11th grade students who wish to prepare for our Calculus AB course or for a rigorous college calculus course.
Topics covered at an advanced level are functions in general (notation, composition, transformations, inverses), polynomial functions, rational functions, exponential functions, logarithmic functions, trigonometric functions (including circular functions, triangle trigonometry, trigonometric formulas and graphs), conic sections, complex numbers, parametric and polar equations, three dimensional vectors, and sequences and series.
Calculus
Prerequisites: Either B (full year average of at least 83%) in Precalculus or C- (full year average of at least 70%) in Precalculus Honors or A (93% minimum) both semesters in Precalculus: Trigonometry and Functions. Students who do not quite meet these criteria but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
Who the course is designed for: 12th-grade students
Calculus is organized around the themes of limits, derivatives, integrals, and application & modeling. Within the context of these themes, the following topics are explored in depth: limits, continuity as a property of functions, the concept of derivative, computation of derivatives, applied derivatives, techniques and applications of antidifferentiation, interpretations and properties of definite integrals, applications of integrals, fundamental Theorem of Calculus, and numerical approximations to definite integrals. Students apply these tools to solve problems such as local linearization, related rates, optimization, and analysis of graphs of functions. Students are expected to communicate their mathematical thinking through numeric, graphic, and analytical avenues.
Statistics and Advanced Topics
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of at least 70%) in any level of Algebra 2 or Precalculus. Students who do not quite meet these criteria but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
Who the course is designed for: 12th-grade students
The first semester of Statistics and Advanced Topics focuses on Statistics: data distributions, data relationships, data for decisions, and probability. The second semester uses non-calculus techniques to study diverse applications such as linear programming, management science, voting and social choice, fairness and game theory, the study of growth, or financial mathematics. This is the final math class the student will take at Chadwick unless the student is also taking a concurrent math course.
AP Statistics
Prerequisites: A- (full year average of at least 90%) in Algebra 2B, a B+ (full year average of at least 87%) in Precalculus, or B (full year average of at least 83%) in Algebra 2 H or Precalculus Honors. Students who do not quite meet this criterion but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may meet with the instructor to discuss options for entry.
AP Statistics is the equivalent of a one semester, introductory college statistics course. The topics covered include strategies and methods for designing experiments, obtaining data then organizing, summarizing, presenting, analyzing, interpreting, and drawing conclusions based on the data. Students learn to construct models for chance-based phenomena through simulation and probability theory. Statistics is a powerful analytical tool that makes it possible to develop more generalized and meaningful conclusions about data. This is one course where students do not ask the question "Who would ever use this in real life?"
AP Calculus AB
Prerequisites: B (full year average of at least 83%) in either Pre-Calculus Honors or Calculus Fundamentals. Students who do not quite meet these criteria but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may take a placement test in June after final exams.
Who the course is designed for: 12th-grade students who are ready for the rigor and responsibility of college-level mathematics
Topics covered in this course include limits, continuity, differentiation, integration, graphing techniques, logarithmic and exponential functions, simple differential equations and volumes of solids.
This is a year-long course designed to prepare students to take the Calculus AB Advanced Placement Exam. If a student receives a score of 4 or 5 on the AP exam, most colleges and universities will recognize a satisfactory completion of one quarter or one semester of college calculus and will give college credit toward a college diploma.
AP Calculus BC
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of at least 70%) in AP Calculus AB. Students who do not quite meet this criterion but who feel strongly that they would be best placed in this class may meet with the department chair to discuss options for entry.
Who the course is designed for:Students who successfully completed AP Calculus AB and can handle the rigor and responsibility of a college course
This full-year course is designed to prepare students to take the Calculus BC Advanced Placement Exam. In addition to reviewing topics from Calculus AB, students study advanced integration techniques, improper integrals, logistic equations, applications of integration to physics, Euler’s Method, differential equations, curves in parametric and polar coordinates, vectors, and polynomial approximations and infinite series. If a student receives a score of 4 or 5 on the Calculus BC/AP exam, most colleges and universities will recognize a satisfactory completion of two quarters or one year of college calculus and will give college credit toward a college diploma.
Multivariable Calculus (MSON)
Prerequisites: Completion of BC Calculus. Math Department approval. Laptop required.
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students seeking to take a Calculus III level course. This course is generally taught by a Chadwick teacher with participation from other students in the Malone School Online Network.
Below is the course description from the MSON Course Catalog:
“The mathematics of three dimensions is the emphasis of this college-level course. Multivariable Calculus will explore the geometry of three-dimensional space, including vector arithmetic. It will also explore three-dimensional surfaces, using the tools of derivatives and integrals expanded into multiple dimensions. A robust unit on differential equations will allow students to review the topics of single-variable calculus. The emphasis throughout the course will be on problem-solving and on real-world applications of the tools students learn in fields such as economics, astronomy, physics, engineering, and medicine.”
Science
The Chadwick Science Department develops students who engage the world around them from multiple perspectives and apply their knowledge to make it a better place. By integrating Physics, Chemistry and Biology curricula, students dive deeper, connecting ideas and underlying themes between disciplines, and improving their overall retention rates. Integrated programs are highly respected by universities and colleges, and provide an excellent foundation for advanced and interdisciplinary science later on.
- PCB2 (Physics, Chemistry, Biology 2)*
- PCB2 HONORS (PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY 2)*
- PCB3 (Physics, Chemistry, Biology 3)*
- PCB3 Honors: Physics, Chemistry, Biology 3H*
- Marine Biology*
- Brain and Behavior
- Science Seminar: Technology & Innovation
- AP Biology*
- AP Chemistry*
- AP Environmental Science*
- AP Physics 1*
- AP Physics C*
- Choosing a 10th grade course
- Graduation Requirements
PCB2 (Physics, Chemistry, Biology 2)*
Prerequisites: PCB1 or equivalent at another school
Who the course is designed for: all 9th grade students
Chadwick's Upper School science program begins with PBC2. This course is inquiry-based and challenges students with units focused on core topics from each of the major subdisciplines of science. Work in this course emphasizes the application of the scientific method, experimental design, critical thinking, and scientific problem solving.
Key concepts addressed in Unit 1 (Science Foundations, fall semester) include: scientific method process and design, microevolution, natural selection, additional mechanisms of evolution, quantitative and conceptual understanding of kinematics through speed, velocity, and acceleration, atoms, periodic table trends and understanding, reaction types, and predicting products.
The key concepts addressed in Unit 2 (Support and Motion, fall semester) include: fluid mechanics, gas laws and how they apply to the circulatory and respiratory systems, Newton’s laws, work, power, energy, levers and machines, and the application of the principles of Newtonian mechanics to the skeletal muscle system.
In the spring, Unit 3 (Systems and Surroundings) covers the key concepts of water, phases of matter, solutions chemistry, acids and bases, buffers, cells, membrane transport, and cell division.
In Unit 4 (Energy Transformations, spring semester) the key concepts covered include: waves, sound, light, eye and ear structure/function, the senses and sensory perception, neuronal transmission, photosynthesis, and stoichiometry.
PCB2 HONORS (PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY 2)*
Prerequisites: Full-year average grade of at least 93.00% in PCB1 AND at least 85.00% on the PCB2H placement test OR at least 85.00% in PCB1 AND at least 93.00% on the PCB2H placement test. New ninth-grade students must earn a score of at least 93.00% on the placement test.
Who the course is designed for: Exceptionally independent learners in the ninth grade
PCB2H covers the same material as PCB2 but does so in ways that demand significantly greater student independence, increased quantity and complexity of quantitative work, superior reading comprehension skills, and greater ability to cope with and make sense of complexity, ambiguity, abstraction, and theoretical work.
PCB3 (Physics, Chemistry, Biology 3)*
Prerequisites: PCB2 or PCB2H
Who the course is designed for: all 10th grade students
PCB3 is the third course in our integrated science series. Like our other integrated courses, PCB3 is a laboratory science class that covers a range of key topics from the major sub-disciplines of science. Concepts are grouped to enhance relevance and interest, and to highlight and take advantage of the deep relationships among the branches of science.
Key concept areas covered during the fall semester are collected into two large units: Change (Unit 1) and Equilibrium (Unit 2). The fall semester concept areas include: laws of thermodynamics and their application, heat capacity and transfer, problems involving thermodynamic formulas, types of chemical reactions and predicting products, carbon chemistry and biomolecules, oxidation and reduction, reaction rates, catalysis, chemical equilibrium, stoichiometry, evidence and mechanisms of evolution, macroevolution and speciation, ecology and population dynamics, community structure and interactions, human impact on global ecology, mechanisms of homeostasis and feedback, osmoregulation/thermoregulation, and the digestive and urinary systems.
Key concept areas covered in the spring semester units (Unit 3 - Energy and Unit 4 - Inheritance) include: electricity and electric fields, current and voltage, resistance, series and parallel circuits, power, magnets and magnetic fields, generators and electromagnetic induction, motors and applied electromagnetism, energy production and conservation, nuclear chemistry and reactors, electrochemistry, genetics and patterns of inheritance, DNA/RNA/proteins, genetic engineering, and current topics in genetics and evolutionary biology.
PCB3 Honors: Physics, Chemistry, Biology 3H*
Prerequisites: Full-year average grade of 90.00% in PCB2 Honors or at least 90.00% on the PCB3 Honors placement test
Who the course is designed for: Exceptionally independent learners in the 10th grade
PCB3H covers the same material as PCB3 but does so in ways that demand significantly greater student independence, increased quantity and complexity of quantitative work, superior reading comprehension skills, and greater ability to cope with and make sense of complexity, ambiguity, abstraction, and theoretical work.
Marine Biology*
Prerequisites: PCB3/3H or AP Chemistry
Who the course is designed for: all 11th and 12th grade students
This second year biology course takes full advantage of our coastal location in the living laboratory of Palos Verdes Peninsula by building upon students’ knowledge of biochemistry, biodiversity, behavior, comparative anatomy, ecology, evolution, geology, molecular biology, physiology, and taxonomy. This is accomplished through a combination of lab and field research experiences in beaches, tide pools, rocky shores, and estuaries where students collect, organize, and analyze their own data. The course is organized by ecosystem to ensure understanding of the complex evolutionary and ecological interactions between species within these communities and the abiotic environment they share.
Brain and Behavior
Prerequisites: PCB3/3H or AP Chemistry
Who the course is designed for: all 11th and 12th grade students
This course investigates human behavior through the lens of human brain anatomy and physiology. Students begin with an examination of the evolution of vertebrate brain structure and an understanding of animal behavior patterns. Then, as the course turns to humans, the role of genetics, brain anatomy and physiology is explored to shed light on topics such as learning, sensory perception, sleep and dreaming, circadian rhythms, emotional attachment, and stress. Students are taught how the brain develops from conception through adolescence and how these physical changes enable advances in physical ability, language acquisition, personality, and learning. The students are introduced to the effects of aging and drugs on the brain and the biological basis for common neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and addiction.
Science Seminar: Technology & Innovation
Prerequisites: PCB 3/3H
(Note: students who take AP Chemistry in the 10th grade in lieu of PCB3/3H are not eligible for this course in later years.)
Who the course is designed for: 11th or 12th grade students
Building upon interdisciplinary research skills developed in PCB 3/3H, this seminar-style course is appropriate for curious students who enjoy science as well as students considering college majors and careers in science, engineering and tech. Focused on technology, engineering and applied sciences, this dynamic, student-driven, real-world relevant course will cover a range of topics such as nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, materials science, big data, the internet of things, space exploration and more! Students who elect to do additional work and to be assessed against higher standards may earn honors credit for this course.
AP Biology*
Prerequisites: PCB3/3H or AP Chemistry
Who the course is designed for: motivated 11th or 12th grade students with strong reading, writing, and critical thinking skills
This challenging, college-level course provides an advanced introduction to key ideas in the biological science. Each unit in the course focuses on deep understanding of concepts and engages students in the process of science through laboratory work. At the conclusion of the course, students may elect to take the SAT Subject Test in biology and/or the AP Biology Examination.
AP Chemistry*
Prerequisites: PCB3/3H. Students may apply to take this course a year early if they have earned a full-year average of at least 90.00% in PCB2 Honors or a passing grade on the AP Chemistry Placement Test. The application form requires acknowledgement of the advantages and disadvantages of this choice. Scroll down this page for more information about AP Chemistry in the 10th grade.
Who the course is designed for: mathematically strong and motivated 11th or 12th grade students
This laboratory course deals with the structure and properties of atoms and molecules, the stoichiometry and energetics of chemical processes, and technological and environmental applications. At the conclusion of the course, students may elect to take the SAT Subject Test in chemistry and/or the AP Chemistry Examination.
AP Environmental Science*
Prerequisites: PCB3/3H
Who the course is designed for: strong and motivated 11th or 12th grade science students
This course provides students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving or preventing them. Students will become familiar with the local environment of Los Angeles and the issues that are relevant to citizens in this area. Through regular examination and evaluation of current events, students will learn about current issues in the environmental science field, and they will gain first-hand knowledge of the environment and human processes through on-site examination of ecosystems, a habitat restoration project, a water-treatment plant, an active landfill, a recycling plant, etc. At the conclusion of the course, students may elect to take the AP Environmental Science Examination.
AP Physics 1*
Prerequisites: PCB3/3H (or AP Chemistry) and concurrent enrollment in Precalculus or above
Who the course is designed for: mathematically strong and motivated 11th or 12th grade students
This college-level laboratory course is a mathematical survey of motion, mechanics, waves, sound, and electricity. Students in AP Physics 1 may elect to take the Advanced Placement Physics 1 Exam in May.
AP Physics C*
Prerequisites: AP Physics 1 and AP Calculus AB.
This course will run in years when there is sufficient enrollment of students with the appropriate background.
Who the course is designed for: mathematically strong and motivated 11th- or 12th-grade students who are already comfortable with calculus and foundational physics at the AP level.
This college-level physics laboratory course is calculus-based and focuses on topics related to electricity and magnetism. Students in AP Physics C may elect to take the appropriate Advanced Placement exam in May.
Choosing a 10th grade course
Data from previous years shows that most 10th graders find AP Chemistry stressful despite strong grades the previous year, and some have needed outside tutoring as well as many hours per month of 1-1 help at school. Students who have thrived in AP Chemistry in the 10th grade have typically …
a) been in the top 5% of the class in 9th grade
b) entered with very strong background knowledge of Chemistry
c) been very highly motivated and emotionally resilient
d) had time for extra lab work
Students whose application is not approved for the 10th grade may still take the course in the 11th or 12th grade.
We recommend PCB 3 Honors over AP Chemistry for excellent science students in the 10th grade; particularly for those who are interested in a career in the sciences. The AP option is available because some students prefer to start early with APs, but for most strong science students PCB 3H is better for the reasons shown in the table below:
PCB 3 Honors in the 10th grade |
AP Chemistry in the 10th grade |
Possible test score advantage to delaying APs until foundations are stronger |
Possible college application advantage associated with early APs |
GPA bump for “Honors” |
GPA bump for “AP” |
Up to 4 AP science courses can be completed in grades 11 and 12 (we recommend 2*) |
Up to 5 AP science courses can be completed in grades 10 – 12 (we recommend 2*) |
We recommend* taking an SAT science test in grade 11. Support will be provided** if you would like to take one at the end of grade 10. |
We recommend* taking the Chemistry SAT subject test at the end of grade 10, OR another SAT science test in grade 11. |
No summer work expected |
Summer work assessed when school resumes |
Classes meet during A-F periods |
Classes meet A – F and one afternoon/wk |
Strong preparation for any AP course in 11th or 12th grade |
Intensive preparation for examination in Chemistry |
Stronger grounding in scientific methods and principles including experimental design, professional journal articles, interdisciplinary links and other aspects of higher-level thinking. |
Opportunity to take three AP science courses over three years without doubling up. |
*Recommendations in the table above are for strong science students with an interest in excellent college science programs.
**While the PCB course does not teach to the SAT tests, teachers offer resources and support to those who choose to take them.
Graduation Requirements
Chadwick's graduation requirement: Science is required every year through grade 9, and students are required to take two more years of science during grades 10 - 12. A science class every year is encouraged.
For those applying to UC campuses: You must take at least two of the courses marked with an asterisk.
For those applying to CSU campuses: Students must either take all three years of the PCB program, or take one of the asterisked biological classes plus one of the asterisked physics or chemistry classes.
For students applying to UC or CSU who earn less than C- on a semester of PCB: The PCB 2&3 sequence is accredited as a whole; the sequence is invalidated by a D or F grade on any one semester. Therefore, we strongly recommend that students repeat a semester of PCB if they earned a D or F. This way, the low grade is replaced, and the student earns full credit for the PCB sequence. The alternative is to take two more full years of UC-approved science, one of which should be a in the field of biology.
For those applying to NCAA athletic programs: those requirements are covered by Chadwick's graduation requirements.
Students who join Chadwick after the 9th grade should check with a college counselor that all requirements are met.
* Asterisks denote courses accredited as laboratory sciences by the University of California.
History
Upper School history students become informed global citizens who participate actively and effectively in the world around them by applying the lessons of our past in the face of personal and social issues. They learn to embrace cultural differences and alternative perspectives and to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts, ultimately preparing them to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world.
- History 9: Global Studies I
- History 10: Global Studies II
- U.S. History 11
- AP U.S. History
- AP Art History
- Economics
- AP Government
- Course Requirements
- Placement Guidelines
History 9: Global Studies I
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: all 9th grade students
This course will trace early modern and modern world history (1750 to the present) through both a thematic and chronological approach, exploring the major forces and events that have shaped the contemporary world. Each unit will focus on a meaningful global theme and will trace the development of that theme through recent history, paying particular attention to relevant current issues. The history course pairs with the corresponding English course, and there will be discussions, readings, and assessments that draw from both disciplines. Global Studies places an emphasis on the development of the skills and dispositions of global citizenship.
History 10: Global Studies II
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: all 10th grade students
This interdisciplinary and interdepartmental course will explore current global issues and recent historical events that shape the world today. Looking through the lens of complex topics such as “decolonization” and “resources,” students will develop state-of-the-planet awareness by understanding major tensions in regions throughout the world. With an emphasis on developing a global perspective and making decisions in an effort to solve global problems, the combined history and English courses work together to help students understand the world around them. The history course tells the story of 6 global issues, one from each major region of the world. The English course explores connected global topics through literature and current events, resulting in linked/interdisciplinary units that illuminate the issues of the contemporary world.
U.S. History 11
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: all 11th grade students
U.S. History 11 is a survey of the major political, social, cultural, and economic developments in the United States from the pre-colonial period to the present. The course deals with the key events of that time period, but it also seeks to encourage deep consideration of questions that Americans still face today. By examining important events, trends, and people in modern America, students will develop their analytical, reading, and writing skills.
AP U.S. History
Prerequisites: History 10 and teacher recommendation. Students not recommended may apply to be included, if there is room in the class and they have the support of parents and advisors. Application forms are available here.
Who the course is designed for: strong and motivated 11th (or 12th) grade History students who enjoy reading and discussion. This course is NOT connected with AP English.
Students with unusual dedication and talent in the field of History are encouraged to take on the challenge of Advanced Placement United States History. This course covers essentially the same content as the regular course but uses an advanced college-level text in order to delve into the material in greater conceptual depth and historical detail. Students will continue to develop reading, writing, and thinking skills, making extensive use of primary source documents, engaging in daily class discussions, and conducting original research. AP U.S. History is organized around essential American questions, such as "What role should the U.S. play in the world?" Students are expected to take the United States History Advanced Placement Exam in May.
AP Art History
Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation. Students not recommended may apply to be included, if there is room in the class and they have the support of parents and advisors. Application forms are available here.
Who the course is designed for: strong and motivated 12th-grade history students who enjoy engaging with art
AP Art History will change your life and enrich your existence forever after. The class sweeps through history using the visual arts, including painting, sculpture and architecture as a lens to understand cultures from the Paleolithic through the Early Twenty-first Century. Students develop their powers of observation and learn the concepts, vocabulary and analytical tools that will allow them to walk into any museum or view any building in the world and understand what they see. A global history course, AP Art History covers iconic pieces from the Western Tradition of art as well as art from different periods in Asia, Africa and the Americas. Given this, the course moves quickly through a wide range of material, and students will be expected to learn to analyze all kinds of art in a sophisticated way. Aside from the occasional lecture, the course will center around student analyses and group discussions. By developing their tastes and reflecting on their preferences, students learn as much about themselves as they do about an artist’s intended meaning.
Economics
Prerequisites: none; teacher approval is recommended.
Who the course is designed for: strong and motivated 12th-grade history students who enjoy reading and discussion
In this semester or yearlong course, students will master basic economic concepts in order to better understand how the real-world market economy works. The course will make connections between the skills and knowledge associated with economics and current events on the state and national levels so that students will be able to make informed decisions as voters. Finally, the course will study basic investment concepts involved in wealth building so that students will be able to make informed financial decisions in their personal lives.
AP Government
Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation. Students not recommended may apply to be included, if there is room in the class and they have the support of parents and advisors. Application forms are available here.
Who the course is designed for: strong and motivated 12th-grade history students who enjoy reading and discussion
This course will begin by introducing students to basic concepts in political and moral philosophy, encouraging them to consider the purpose of a just society. The class will then engage in an exploration of the history and contemporary issues surrounding the American political system, paying particular attention to current events and the individual's rights and responsibilities as an engaged citizen. The spring semester will expand the focus of the course to an examination of political systems worldwide, using five to six case studies to compare and contrast the structure of government in other countries. The course will conclude by requiring students to closely investigate a major global issue, evaluate the decisions and policies of various countries involved, and ultimately craft a policy paper that offers a realistic political solution to a global problem.
Course Requirements
Chadwick's graduation requirement: 3 years of history (9, 10, 11).
For students applying to UC campuses, CSU campuses or NCAA athletic programs: those requirements are covered by Chadwick's graduation requirements. However, NCAA athletes who take Art History should check with a college counselor. Students who join Chadwick after the 9th grade should check with college counselors that all requirements are met.
Placement Guidelines
The History Department encourages students to challenge and stretch themselves in their exploration of historical topics and their development of skills in the humanities. All courses in the department are designed to be appropriately difficult and encourage growth over the span of the course. The Department offers a small handful of advanced courses — AP U.S. History, AP Art History, and AP Government — in order to provide additional challenge for particularly strong and motivated students in the 11th and 12th grades. These courses involve significantly more reading, generally at a higher level of difficulty; demand more sophisticated writing and discussion; and move at a faster pace. The department will provide 10th and 11th graders with one of the following recommendations for the next year's courses, based on the current instructor's view of the best match for the student based on his or her past performance:
- Recommended for advanced course: These students are likely to succeed in AP or advanced courses. An AP or advanced course would probably be a good fit for these students, although they would certainly be challenged in a non-AP course, too.
- Not recommended for advanced course: These students, in the opinion of the department, are unlikely to succeed in an AP or advanced course. Teachers may be concerned that students will struggle with the length or difficulty of nightly reading, meeting high expectations for written work, keeping up with the pace of the course, managing the frequency and difficulty of assessments, working at the level of independence expected, or keeping up with daily discussions. These students will be appropriately challenged in the non-AP courses.
While the History Department stands firmly behind these recommendations and strongly encourages students to heed them, we ultimately leave the choice of course enrollment up to the student. If a student is not recommended for advanced courses, he or she must submit an application acknowledging that he or she is enrolling in an advanced course against the recommendation of the department. The student must recognize that he or she is likely to receive lower grades than usual and will not receive extraordinary amounts of individual help or tutoring on the part of the instructor, and the student must acknowledge the limits and consequences associated with dropping out of the course after it has begun. Enrollment of non-recommended students in AP level courses is at the discretion of the department and subject to space constraints in AP courses. Students who are not recommended and apply to enroll in AP courses are not guaranteed enrollment in those courses.
Global Language
Through the deeper study of global language, students learn to communicate confidently and competently with native speakers in authentic cultural contexts. They compare native and target languages in terms of structures, syntax, expressions, and writing and speaking conventions while uncovering the inherent relationship between language, culture and other disciplines.
- Spanish Intensive
- Spanish 1A
- Spanish 1B
- Spanish 2
- Spanish 3
- Spanish 3 Honors
- Spanish 4
- Spanish 4 Honors
- AP Spanish Language
- Advanced Spanish Conversation
- Post-AP Spanish seminar
Spanish Intensive
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students with little or no background in the language.
During the first semester, students learn basic grammar and vocabulary while also developing their ability to read, write, speak, and understand Spanish. During the second semester, they learn more regular and irregular verbs in the present and past tense, and other grammatical structures that allow creative expression in Spanish. By the end of the year, students can ask and answer questions, speak about themselves and their interests, listen and understand short directed conversations or dialogues, read for facts, and answer factual questions based on readings. Students will participate in speaking activities, collaborative activities such as role-play, projects, presentations, and short readings. In addition, students will learn about the cultural diversity that exists among the many Spanish-speaking countries. Spanish will be spoken during instruction and in classroom activities.
Spanish 1A
Prerequisites: None
Who the course is designed for: Middle school students
Students in Spanish 1A learn vocabulary and grammar in the present tense, while developing their ability to read, write, speak, and understand Spanish. Students participate in speaking activities, collaborative activities such as role-play, projects, presentations and short readings. In addition, students learn about the cultural diversity that exists among the many Spanish-speaking countries. Spanish is spoken during instruction and in classroom activities.
Spanish 1B
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in Spanish 1A or Spanish Intensive
Who the course is designed for: Middle School and Upper School students with some background in the language.
The primary objective of this course is to develop communication skills in Spanish. Students in Spanish 1B learn basic grammar and vocabulary while developing their ability to read, write, listen, and speak. Students participate in speaking activities, collaborative activities such as role-play, projects, presentations, and reading short stories. In addition, students learn about the cultural diversity that exists among the many Spanish-speaking countries. Spanish is spoken during instruction and in classroom activities.
Spanish 2
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in Spanish 1B or A- (full year average of 90%) in Spanish Intensive (with work to be completed over the summer)
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students.
Spanish 2 emphasizes oral production and writing as means to build a strong vocabulary and greater proficiency in the target language. Classes are conducted almost exclusively in Spanish. Students do oral presentations and interviews and write three or four-paragraph compositions. Furthermore, students read short stories, articles, and one novel. Special attention is paid to the development of listening skills, and some cultural aspects that are built into the language are also introduced.
Spanish 3
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in Spanish 2 or 2 Honors
Who the course is designed for: 10th, 11th and 12th grade students
The primary objective of this course is to develop stronger communication skills and even greater proficiency in Spanish. Students in Spanish 3 learn vocabulary and grammar in more depth while developing their ability to read, write, listen, and speak. Students participate in speaking activities, collaborative activities such as role-play, projects, presentations, and reading short stories. In addition, students learn about the cultural diversity that exists among the many Spanish-speaking countries. Only Spanish is spoken during instruction and in classroom activities.
Spanish 3 Honors
Prerequisites: A- (full year average of 90%) in Spanish 2 with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated Spanish students in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades
The primary objective of this course is to develop stronger communication skills and proficiency in Spanish. Students in Spanish 3 Honors study grammar and vocabulary in greater depth and at a quicker pace as they develop their ability to read, write, listen, and speak. The focus of the class is communication, with a very student-centered approach. Students participate in many speaking activities, collaborative activities such as role-play, projects, presentations, and reading short stories. In addition, students learn about the cultural diversity that exists among the many Spanish-speaking countries. Only Spanish is spoken during instruction and in classroom activities. This course is much more demanding than Spanish 3.
Spanish 4
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in Spanish 3 or 3 Honors
Who the course is designed for: Students in grades 10 - 12
Students in Spanish 4 continue learning vocabulary and grammar in greater depth. Conducted entirely in Spanish, this course emphasizes the four core skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The primary goal is to further enhance students’ ability to understand both spoken and written Spanish, as well as to be able to communicate more effectively through speaking and writing. Through a variety of readings and films on contemporary Spain, as well as research projects and grammar review, students have the opportunity to discuss, debate, and interact using the target language on a wide variety of relevant topics including current events, the Spanish Civil War and the Dictatorship period, and music.
Spanish 4 Honors
Prerequisites: B+ (full year average of 87%) in Spanish 3H or A (full year average of 93%) in Spanish 3, with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated students in grades 10 - 12
Spanish 4 Honors is an advanced course designed to enhance students' ability to understand and produce both spoken and written Spanish. This course builds upon the grammatical foundations of Spanish 1, 2, and 3H while continuing to develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Students further refine their language skills through discussions, paired activities and presentations, and by interacting with short stories, articles, local resources and authentic materials from Spain. All three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive and presentational) are emphasized.
AP Spanish Language
Prerequisites: A- (full year average of 90%) in Spanish 3 Honors or B+ (full year average of 87%) in Spanish 4 Honors, with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated students in grades 11 and 12
This college-level course emphasizes the use of language for active communication and helps students develop the ability to understand spoken Spanish in various contexts. Students develop sufficient Spanish vocabulary to read newspaper and magazine articles, literary texts and other non-technical writings without dependence on a dictionary. They also learn to express themselves coherently and with reasonable fluency in both written and spoken Spanish. Grammar is reviewed as needed to achieve these goals. Six major themes drive the content of the class: Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Contemporary Life, Personal and Public Identities, Families and Communities, Beauty and Aesthetics.
Advanced Spanish Conversation
Prerequisites: B+ (full year average of 87%) in Spanish 4 or B (full year average of 83%) in Spanish 4 Honors
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
The goal of this course is to develop and refine students’ conversational skills in the context of current events and everyday life. Students explore various themes such as health, art, urbanism, technology, and how to make the world a better place. Through the study of these themes, students have the opportunity to recognize and respond thoroughly to ethical dilemmas, to develop integrity with which to confront injustice, and to embrace and to respect different perspectives. Students also have the opportunity to express their points of view as they learn idiomatic expressions and other stylistic devices that will allow them to use the language in a creative way.
Post-AP Spanish seminar
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in AP Spanish Language and Culture, with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students who have completed AP Spanish Language and Culture
This course helps students to use and refine conversational skills through the study of several Spanish and Latin American authors and films. Students explore social and political issues from the history of Spain and Latin America up to modern times. Short stories, theater, poetry and film provide the foundation for class discussions, presentations, and writing. Through comprehensive exposure to literary works and film, students have ample opportunities to expand their intellectual outlook and develop knowledge, respect and appreciation for cultural differences and similarities. The writers studied in the course include Tirso de Molina, Miguel de Cervantes, Federico García Lorca, Miguel de Unamuno, Gabriel García Márquez, Juan Rulfo, Jorge Luis Borges, Carlos Fuentes, Isabel Allende, Pablo Neruda, and Laura Esquivel, amongst others. The course is conducted entirely in Spanish.
- French Intensive
- French 1A
- French 1B
- French 2
- French 3
- French 3 Honors
- French 4
- French 4 Honors
- AP French Language and Culture
- French 5
- French 5 Honors
French Intensive
Prerequisites: None
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students with little or no background in the language
Students develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in French in a low-stress, dynamic classroom. Lessons are conducted almost entirely in French. They include discussion of diverse French-speaking cultures, as well as discussion of students' own culture and experiences in other academic disciplines. The course encourages students to make comparisons between French, English, and other languages that may be spoken at home.
French 1A
Prerequisites: None
Who the course is designed for: Middle School students
In French 1A, students are introduced to linguistic functions related to greetings, pastimes, preferences, weather, food and drink, places in school and in the city, family members, character description and professions. They begin to acquire the high-frequency vocabulary needed to establish solid foundations in their written and oral expression. Students are also introduced to the cultural diversity of the francophone world, with a special emphasis on Paris, the French school system, and French-speaking areas of Africa.
French 1B
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in French 1A or French Intensive
Who the course is designed for: Middle and Upper School students.
Designed for students who have completed French 1A or French Intensive, French 1B is built upon the structural foundations learned in seventh grade, and continues to develop the students’ reading, writing, and conversational skills. Students learn more regular and irregular verbs, the past tense, the near future, and other grammatical structures that allow them to express themselves creatively in French. Students continue to be exposed to French and Francophone cultures. The class is increasingly conducted in French.
French 2
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in French 1B or A- (full year average of 90%) in French Intensive (with work to be completed over the summer)
Who the course is designed for: 9 - 12th grade students.
French 2 continues the study of grammar and offers a variety of activities such as role-playing and simulations to help students apply new expressions and structures to real-life situations. Students are introduced to new past tense forms, direct and indirect object pronouns, the use of the future tense, the conditional and subjunctive modes, negative expressions, and more specialized thematic vocabulary. Students learn to appreciate in more depth the target culture including poems, films, and cultural readings incorporating both new and already learned cultural and linguistic elements. This course is conducted primarily in French.
French 3
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in French 2
Who the course is designed for: 10th - 12th grade students.
This course builds upon the structural foundations learned in French 2 and continues to develop the students' reading, writing and conversational skills. Students learn more regular and irregular verbs, the imparfait (past tense), and other grammatical structures that allow them to express themselves creatively in French. Students continue to be exposed to French and Francophone cultures. The class is conducted in French.
French 3 Honors
Prerequisites: A- (full year average of 90%) in French 2 with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated 10th - 12th grade students
In French 3 Honors, students build upon and refine previously-learned grammatical structures while learning new vocabulary to communicate in French on a variety of topics. This course emphasizes all aspects of language: listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture. This course is conducted exclusively in French.
French 4
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in French 3 or 3 Honors
Who the course is designed for: 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students
The curriculum of French 4 develops vocabulary and grammar in the context of studying global issues. The course initially explores the regional diversity of France and its historical monuments and figures, then moves to a study of the colonial history and current conservation efforts in the Antilles Islands. Topics then broaden to global issues such as social networking, transportation, education, immigration, and employment. Assignments are designed to trigger comparisons between French-speaking cultures and the student’s own community.
French 4 Honors
Prerequisites: B+ (full year average of 87%) in French 3H or A (full year average of 93%) in French 3, with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students
The curriculum of French 4 Honors develops vocabulary and grammar in the context of studying global issues. The course initially explores the regional diversity of France and its historical monuments and figures, then moves to a study of the colonial history and current conservation efforts in the Antilles Islands. Topics then broaden to global issues such as social networking, transportation, education, immigration, and employment. Assignments are designed to trigger comparisons between French-speaking cultures and the student’s own community. This course uses more complex resources and demands more sophisticated communication than does French 4.
AP French Language and Culture
Prerequisites: B+ (full year average of 87%) in French 4 Honors with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated 11-12th grade students
This college-level course emphasizes the use of language for active communication and helps students develop the ability to understand spoken French in various contexts. Students develop sufficient French vocabulary to read newspaper and magazine articles, literary texts and other non-technical writings without dependence on a dictionary. Students also learn to express themselves coherently and with reasonable fluency in both written and spoken French. A comprehensive review of intermediate and advanced grammar structures is included in the course.
6 major themes drive the content of the class: Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Contemporary Life, Personal and Public Identities, Families and Communities, and Beauty and Aesthetics. Themes are explored through a variety of materials: articles, audio-visual or audio news segments, short videos, literary excerpts, movies and songs.
French 5
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in French 4 or A.P. French Language
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This course offers a thorough and comprehensive review of the intermediate structures of French using a series of films. The themes developed in the movies also allow students to build linguistic proficiency in a meaningful context.
The course also introduces students to quintessential French poets and writers, as well as cultural French icons. Authentic audio-visual documents are used to enhance the students’ understanding of the contemporary francophone world. The goal of the course is for students to have greater fluency and accuracy in French and to send them into the world as fully functional French speakers.
French 5 Honors
Prerequisites: B- ( full year average of 81%) in French 4 Honors, or A- (full year average of 90%) in French 4, with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated 12th grade students
French cinema is intrinsically linked to France's history and cultural identity. In this advanced cultural studies course, students discover contemporary French culture through its cinema. By watching films made by a wide range of directors, students also acquire analytical skills to better examine cinematic techniques and appreciate the aesthetics of film. Major themes discussed in the class include: family, education, immigration, and the European Union. Through written film analyses, students develop their writing skills in the French language.
- Mandarin Chinese Intensive
- Mandarin Chinese 1A
- Mandarin Chinese 1B
- Mandarin Chinese 2
- Mandarin Chinese 3
- Mandarin Chinese 3 Honors
- Mandarin Chinese 4
- Mandarin Chinese 4 Honors
- AP Mandarin Chinese Language and Culture
- Mandarin Chinese 5
- Mandarin Chinese 5 Honors (post-AP)
- Chinese 6
- Chinese 6 Honors (Post-AP)
- Heritage
Mandarin Chinese Intensive
Prerequisites: None for new 9th graders; upon recommendation for Middle School students.
Who the course is designed for: New 9th grade students and recommended Middle School students
At the level of beginning Chinese, students develop their basic communication skills in a cultural context. They listen and respond to structured social conversations, practice writing basic characters and learn their origins. Students also learn basic grammatical structures and sentence patterns to write simple sentences and brief paragraphs. During the second semester, students learn to use phrases to increase their ability to communicate effectively in Mandarin.They engage in dialogues on school-related topics and interact with their peers. Cultural knowledge relating to each topic is introduced at appropriate intervals, to enrich students’ understanding of Chinese culture.
Mandarin Chinese 1A
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: 7th grade with little or no background in the language
At the 1A level, students have the opportunity to develop basic Mandarin Chinese communication skills in a cultural context. They start to listen and respond to structured social conversations. They practice writing basic characters and learn their origins. They write simple sentences and brief paragraphs. Students also learn basic grammatical structures and sentence patterns. Cultural knowledge is introduced at appropriate intervals to enrich students' understanding of Chinese culture. The computer is used as a tool to master the phonetic system, which is quite challenging in Mandarin.
Mandarin Chinese 1B
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in Chinese 1A or Intensive
Who the course is designed for: Middle School non-heritage* students
Chinese 1B is a continuation of Chinese 1A. In this class students engage in an in-depth study of the language. They increase their vocabulary and learn phrases to increase their ability to communicate effectively in Mandarin. Grammatical structures are emphasized, and students write short essays in Chinese. Reading comprehension is an integral aspect of the course. Students continue to use the computer extensively to enhance their language capability. Conversation is an important feature of the class. Students engage in dialogues on various topics and interact with their peers to practice their language skills. Voice recordings serve as a valuable tool for students to check their own reading and listening skills. The computer is used as a tool to master the phonetic system, which is quite challenging in Mandarin.
Mandarin Chinese 2
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in Chinese 1B or an A- (full year average of 90%) in Chinese Intensive (with work to be completed over the summer)
Who the course is designed for: Upper School non-heritage* students
This course expands on what was learned in Chinese Intensive or 1B, aiming to increase oral proficiency in everyday conversation as well as reading and writing proficiencies. Students learn more complex grammar patterns and broader vocabulary. Cultural connections are made at appropriate intervals to help students become more familiar with Chinese society. The primary goal of Mandarin Chinese 2 is to build functional ability in the language, as well as to provide a foundation for Mandarin Chinese 3.
Mandarin Chinese 3
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in Chinese 2
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students
This course is designed to expand students’ language skills from their previous Mandarin Chinese studies. Many of the grammatical constructions introduced in earlier courses are reinforced with increasing sophistication in terms of style and usage. Both pedagogically prepared texts and authentic materials, including articles from Chinese newspapers and short stories, are used to expand students’ knowledge and awareness of Chinese culture and history. Rigorous practice of spoken and written Mandarin Chinese in a wide range of situations of daily life will be conducted in order to help students communicate constructively, creatively, and appropriately at the intermediate level.
Mandarin Chinese 3 Honors
Prerequisites: A- (full year average of 90%) in Chinese 2 and an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated 10th - 12th grade students
This course aims to enhance aural-oral skills and train students in more advanced study of grammar, reading, and writing. While the curriculum in Mandarin Chinese 3 and Mandarin Chinese 3 Honors is similar, in this course students will be expected to speak for greater periods of time and write more sophisticated compositions. Both pedagogically prepared texts and authentic materials, including articles from Chinese newspapers and short stories, will be used in this course in order to expand students’ knowledge and awareness of Chinese culture and history. Additionally, students will be expected to research, write, and present their findings to the class.
Mandarin Chinese 4
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in Chinese 3 or 3 Honors
Who the course is designed for: 10-12th grade students
In this intermediate-level course, students develop their Chinese language skills while also gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and daily life through various audio, visual, and textual materials, The course continues to develop students’ skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing Chinese, and introduces many practical grammatical structures and sentence patterns which will enhance students’ abilities in oral and written communication. With each new lesson, students also acquire more substantive vocabulary related to a wide variety of topics concerning daily life and culture. A strong emphasis is placed on students’ active, engaged participation. By the end of the course, the successful student will have the ability to write short compositions, present oral reports, and read short narratives on a variety of topics related to daily life and culture, from the primary textbook “Integrated Chinese”, (Level Two, Parts One and Two.)
Mandarin Chinese 4 Honors
Prerequisites: B+ (full year average of 87%) in Chinese 3H or A (full year average of 93%) in Chinese 3, with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated 10-12th grade students
In this intermediate-level course, students develop their Chinese language skills while also gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and daily life through various audio, visual, and textual materials, The course continues to develop students’ skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing Chinese, and introduces many practical grammatical structures and sentence patterns which will enhance students’ abilities in oral and written communication. With each new lesson, students also acquire more substantive vocabulary related to a wide variety of topics concerning daily life and culture. A strong emphasis is placed on students’ active, engaged participation. By the end of the course, the successful student will have the ability to write short compositions, present oral reports, and read short narratives on a variety of topics related to daily life and culture, from the primary textbook “Integrated Chinese”, (Level Two, Parts One and Two) and primary audio-book "Making Connections".
AP Mandarin Chinese Language and Culture
Prerequisites: A- (full year average of 90%) in Chinese 3 Honors or B+ (full year average of 87%) in Chinese 4 Honors, with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated 10-12th grade students
AP Chinese Language and Culture serves as both a Chinese language course as well as an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of Chinese culture. Equivalent to a fourth semester college course, the primary focus has been to provide students with the opportunity to experience a variety of themes in Chinese history, geography, sociology, literature and politics, etc. The course deepens students’ immersion into the language and culture of the Chinese-speaking world and challenges the students to use language as a means to study different disciplines and topics, rather than just the language itself. The course is taught entirely in Chinese.
Mandarin Chinese 5
Prerequisites: C- (full year average of 70%) in Chinese 4 or 4H
Who the course is designed for: 11-12th grade students
The objective of this course is for students to gain a general understanding and appreciation of Chinese literature, culture, and society through in-depth study of selected literary texts and audiovisual material. Students study written texts such as short fiction, essays and news articles, as well as audiovisual materials, including films, recorded interviews, and various other media such as commercials and short videos. Literary/cultural texts include: traditional parables and proverb stories, excerpted chapters of modern fiction and film screenplays, popular Chinese lyric music, and poetry. Readings about contemporary Chinese society include units on Chinese ethnic diversity (ethnographic travel narratives about various regions in China), environmental problems, the educational system, Chinese-U.S. relations, and cross-cultural differences. The class is conducted almost entirely in Chinese. In addition to regular listening and reading assignments, students hone their speaking and writing skills by writing short essays and giving oral presentations on various topics related to the arts, culture, and society.
Mandarin Chinese 5 Honors (post-AP)
Prerequisites: B+ (full year average of 87%) in AP Chinese Language and Culture with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: Strong and motivated 11-12th grade students
Chinese 5 Honors is an advanced Chinese course intended for students who have successfully completed AP Chinese. This course applies a flipped-classroom approach, and honors personalized learning. By studying authentic audio, visual and textual materials including news and articles, movies and TV shows, essays and speeches, daily scenes and conflicts, social cues and popular proverbs, classic and modern literature etc., this course emphasizes the application of Chinese language and cultural knowledge to real-world situations. Students develop skills of effective communication in a modern contextual Chinese language setting, while also developing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Chinese 6
Prerequisites: C- in Chinese 5 or 5H
Who the course is designed for: 11th - 12th grade students
Mandarin Chinese 6 enables students to function in Chinese in a wide variety of circumstances. Students lay a solid foundation for lifelong Chinese learning. This task-based course follows a communicative approach using both authentic resources and the materials created by the teacher and the students. Themes include the influence of technology, population explosion, marriage and family transformation, education and employment, business negotiation, moral conflicts, argumentative writing etc. Through exposure to Chinese popular culture and social transformation in recent decades, students gain insights about a variety of current issues. Students engage meaningfully through interviews, project presentations, discussion and debates, speeches, field trips, reports and simulated problem-solving situations. This course is conducted in Chinese.
Chinese 6 Honors (Post-AP)
Prerequisites: B+ (full year average of 87%) in Chinese 5 Honors with an effort grade of 4. If a student does not meet the requirements for a course, he or she can request to take a placement test in August if average is within 1% of the cut-off grade.
Who the course is designed for: 11th - 12th grade students
Mandarin Chinese 6 enables students to function accurately and effectively in Chinese in a wide variety of circumstances, and to engage with multiple forms of Chinese classical and contemporary literature. Students develop the skills to lay a solid foundation for lifelong Chinese learning. This task-based course follows a communicative approach using both authentic resources and the materials created by the teacher and the students. Themes include the influence of technology, population explosion, marriage and family transformation, education and employment, business negotiation, moral conflicts, and argumentative writing. Through exposure to Chinese popular culture and social transformation in recent decades, students gain insights about a variety of current issues. Students engage meaningfully through interviews, project presentations, discussion and debates, speeches, field trips, reports and simulated problem-solving situations. This course is conducted in Chinese.
Heritage
* Heritage Speakers
Please note: the term “non-heritage student” refers to a student who has had no previous exposure, whatsoever, to spoken Chinese in a home environment. Students who have had some previous exposure to spoken Chinese in a home environment should contact the Global Languages Department chair to discuss their enrollment options for Chinese courses at Chadwick.
Visual and Performing Arts
In our visual and performing arts programs, students tap into their passions, creative talents and self-expression while realizing the profound relationship between art and society. Through the mentorship of our expert and enthusiastic teachers, students hone their respective crafts in visual arts offerings like ceramics, drawing and painting, film and photography, and graphic design, while performing arts offerings include theater, dance, and vocal and instrumental music.
Studio Art
Studio Art 1
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade students
This is a full year length foundation course that meets the UC college requirement. Students explore composition in the 2-D contexts of drawing, painting and design. Drawings stem from observation of still-life objects and models for figure drawing. Utilizing the imagination and memory serve to provide further sources of imagery. Practice, patience, craftsmanship, and the development of creative expression all play a part in a curriculum designed to teach the elemental foundation of studio art. 3-D design, presented using paper sculpture as the medium, serves to round out their experience. Students learn how to think creatively, using an inquiry-based format for discussion, while managing materials, space, cleanup, and other aspects of studio protocols. Assignments are completed during class time. Course activities include a field trip to an L.A. area art museum or gallery, participation in critiques, and the maintenance of a portfolio. This course serves as the prerequisite for all other studio art courses and only Graphic Design 2A.
Studio Art 2A
Prerequisites: Studio Art 1
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of any year. Students build upon basic drawing, painting, design, and composing skills as presented in Studio Art 1 where protocols are observed and greater opportunities for responsibility are offered. Developing technical proficiency as draftsmen, students challenge themselves by drawing subjects using line, tone, and color in each of the mediums. Students have the opportunity to paint with acrylic on canvas as well as carry out any number of quick color studies. Discussions about various aspects of art utilize the framework of inquiry to involve student thinking on a deeper level. In addition to students practicing their craft while enjoying artistic expression, other course activities include a field trip to an L.A. area art museum or gallery, critique participation, studio management and clean-up, and the maintenance of a portfolio.
Graphic Design 2A
Prerequisites: Any level-1, year-long, UC-accredited Chadwick arts course, including Ceramics 1, Photography 1, Studio Art 1, or Theater 1
This course can be taken as a stand-alone semester, or in place of level 2A in the standard Studio Art sequence. It aims to teach students the techniques and uses of the medium, beginning with an introduction to the purpose and history of graphic design. Graphic design is currently one of the most prevalent and relevant art forms, bridging the gap between functionality and creativity. Successful design stems from critical and creative thinking and results in effective communication and cultural competence. Students will develop a fluency in the Elements and Principles of Design, master a discerning eye, and use their voices by making intentional choices in their work. The first several projects will be paper compositions made by hand using collage and drawing materials, followed by computer-based designing using Adobe programs. As the semester progresses, students will become increasingly comfortable using these programs to create aesthetically pleasing and informative graphics. Units will cover typography, infographics, editorial illustration, pattern design, product advertisement, package design, and web page visuals. Students will complete the course with a portfolio of work demonstrating a range of approaches and purposes.
Graphic Design 2B
Prerequisites: Graphic Design 2A
The second semester of Graphic Design is built around a greater investigation into previously covered material and introduction to new techniques. Assignment choices will include logo design, web design, pattern design, package design, and more. By providing more room for autonomy, the intention is for for students to explore topics and techniques that they find of interest and gain a deeper understanding and competence of the medium. Additionally, there will be collaborative projects with practical application, including advertisement of campus events and student initiatives.
Studio Art 2B
Prerequisites: Studio Art 2A or Graphic Design 2A
Who the course is designed for: 10th, 11th or 12th grade students
In this course students work on directed assignments, as well as projects of their own choosing, as they build on previous drawing and painting instruction. Project options include working with portraiture and the figure, as well as various stylistic approaches to the still life. The goal is to identify an issue of importance and express it in ways that are unique and capture an audience. Students practice their craft while moving toward self-knowledge and appreciation. Discussions about various aspects of art use the framework of inquiry to involve student thinking on a deeper level. Course activities include a field trip to an L.A. area art museum or gallery, critique participation, studio management and clean-up, and the maintenance of a portfolio.
Studio Art 2 A&B (full year, UC accredited)
This full-year, UC accredited arts course is a combination of either Studio Art 2A or Graphic Design 2A, with Studio Art 2B. The two courses do not need to be taken in consecutive semesters. A student enrolled in "A" who decides to follow it with "B" may approach the registrar to change the enrollment record to show "A&B". Similarly a student enrolled in "A&B" who decides not to complete the second semester may ask the registrar to adjust the enrollment to "A".
Studio Art 3A (one semester)
Prerequisites: Studio Art 2B
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of the 11th or 12th grade year. Students identify ideas and media of personal interest and reflect on what and how they wish to express themselves. Concept driven work is encouraged and they have an opportunity to make art that is derivative, thus adding the compelling nature of art history to their efforts. Research materials are provided in the studio and there is an art history context to discussions. In addition to working on directed assignments, students are offered a broad scope of personal choice allowing them to fill gaps in their experience. There will be an independent study contract between each student and the instructor, with inquiry-based discussions providing the framework. Course activities include a field trip to an L.A. area art museum or gallery, critique participation, studio management and clean-up, and the maintenance of both a sketchbook and a portfolio.
Studio Art 3A Honors
Prerequisites: Studio Art 2B
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Studio Art 3A but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, and sketchbook entries, and they must also set aside one afternoon period a week as a lab period.
Studio Art 3B (one semester)
Prerequisites: Studio Art 3A
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course is taken in the second semester of the 11th grade or either semester of the 12th grade. The course is designed for advanced level students who desire freedom of choice in creating a project sequence based on their interests and intentions. Students may work individually or in groups to create a single major piece or series. Inquiry, risk taking and working independently with purpose and motivation is the expectation. Outside sketchbook activities, supplemented by inquiry-based discussions, and an independent study contract between each student and the instructor will provide the framework. Course activities include a field trip to an L.A. area art museum or gallery, critique participation, studio management and clean-up, and the maintenance of both a sketchbook and a portfolio.
Studio Art 3B Honors
Prerequisites: Studio Art 3A
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Studio Art 3B but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, and sketchbook entries, and they must also set aside one afternoon period a week as a lab period.
Studio Art 3 A&B or 3 A&B Honors (full year, UC accredited)
This full-year, UC accredited arts course is a combination of Studio Art 3A/3AH and Studio Art 3B/3BH. The two courses do not need to be taken in consecutive semesters. Any student enrolled in "A" who decides to follow it with "B" may approach the registrar to change the enrollment record to show "A&B". Similarly a student enrolled in "A&B" who decides not to complete the second semester may ask the registrar to adjust the enrollment to "A".
The Chadwick Honors designation for this course is not currently recognized by the University of California. Students applying to UC or CSU schools should discuss the honors designation with the registrar.
Studio Art 4A (one semester)
Prerequisites: Studio Art 3B
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of the senior year. It is designed for advanced level students who wish to hone technical and conceptual skills gained over the past three years in studio art classes. The semester consists of three parts. First, the student will create of a portfolio of compositions concentrating on subject matter, with mediums chosen by the student and inspired by a master painter. Second, the creation of an autobiographical piece or series having to do with the student’s personal vision and his/her place in the world will be carried out. And finally, an independent project will be completed. The three units will involve inquiry, self-motivation and artistic risk-taking. Students will work independently, defining their course of study in terms of overall concept and technique, identifying artists of interest and note, and planning a timetable for completion of work. A certain amount of time spent outside of class is expected. Course activities include a field trip to an L.A. area art museum or gallery, critique participation, studio management and clean-up, and the maintenance of both a sketchbook and a portfolio.
Studio Art 4A Honors
Prerequisites: Studio Art 3B or 3B Honors
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Studio Art 4A but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, and sketchbook entries, and they must also set aside one afternoon period a week as a lab period.
Studio Art 4B (one semester)
Prerequisites: Studio Art 4A
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This course must be taken in the second semester of the senior year. It is designed for advanced level students who wish to hone technical and conceptual skills gained over the past three plus years in studio art classes. The semester consists of three parts. First, the students will create portfolios of compositions concentrating on subject matter inspired by a modern painter (1945-present). Second, the creation of a piece or series based on the work of one or more muralists will be completed. And finally, an independent project, possibly extending one of the above mentioned. The three areas of study will involve inquiry, self-motivation and artistic risk-taking. The resulting projects should comprise a cohesive body of work and build on skills and insights acquired in 4A Honors. Students will work independently, defining their course of study in terms of overall concept and technique, identifying artists of interest and note, and planning a timetable for completion of work. A certain amount of time spent outside of class is expected. Course activities include a field trip to an L.A. area art museum or gallery, critique participation, studio management and clean-up, and the maintenance of both a sketchbook and a portfolio.
Studio Art 4B Honors
Prerequisites: Studio Art 4A
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Studio Art 4B but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, and sketchbook entries, and they must also set aside one afternoon period a week as a lab period.
Studio Art 4 A&B or 4 A&B Honors (full year, NOT UC accredited)
This full-year arts course is a combination of Studio Art 4A/4AH and Studio Art 4B/4BH. The two courses do not need to be taken in consecutive semesters. Any student enrolled in "A" who decides to follow it with "B" may approach the registrar to change the enrollment record to show "A&B". Similarly a student enrolled in "A&B" who decides not to complete the second semester may ask the registrar to adjust the enrollment to "A".
Neither the regular nor the Honors version of this course is currently recognized by the University of California. Students applying to UC or CSU schools should discuss their choice to take this course with a Chadwick college counselor.
AP Studio Art: Drawing
Prerequisites: Studio Art 1 through 3B Honors and department's recommendation based on portfolio review, and prior near completion of the Breadth Section of the AP requirements by the end of 11th grade. Students who have completed Studio Art 3B may apply for entry based on departmental review of a formal portfolio.
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This full-year course is designed for serious drawing students who have taken every prerequisite course during 9th-11th grades. This requires that a student specialize their focus of interest in drawing and/or illustration in ninth and tenth grade grade. Advanced Placement students are expected to maintain a high level of productivity in all that they do. They should demonstrate the ability to respond to feedback with remakes and revisions, take creative risks, go beyond expectations, work with independence and motivation, and show personal commitment to a particular mode of working. Their bodies of work will represent inquiry, concentration, breadth, and quality. AP students are expected to take initiative regarding their productivity, working with the instructor when necessary, and managing their time successfully. Course requirements primarily include doing artwork but also participating in critiques, attending museums and a school field trip, keeping a sketchbook, and helping to hang student exhibits. Students must develop and fulfill all three sections of the AP portfolio including Breadth, Concentration, and Quality as follows: they will prepare a written commentary describing their process, digitally submit 24 pieces of art, and, finally, send five actual pieces of their artwork to the Advanced Placement Board for adjudication.
AP Studio Art & Design
Prerequisites: Studio Art 3B Honors and department's recommendation based on portfolio review, and prior completion of the Breadth Section of the AP requirements. Students who have completed Studio Art 3B may apply for entry based on departmental review of a formal portfolio.
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This full-year course is designed for serious art students who have taken every prerequisite course during 9th through 11th grades. This course allows a student to generalize their foci of interest, not necessarily working in a single medium, beginning in ninth grade. They explore drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking and photography. Advanced Placement students are expected to maintain a high level of productivity in all that they do. They should demonstrate the ability to respond to feedback with remakes and revisions, take creative risks, go beyond expectations, work with independence and motivation, and show personal commitment to a particular mode of working. Their bodies of work will represent inquiry, concentration, breadth, and quality. AP students are expected to take initiative regarding their productivity, working with the instructor when necessary, and managing their time successfully. Course requirements primarily include doing artwork but also participating in critiques, attending museums and a school field trip, keeping a sketchbook, and helping to hang student exhibits. Students must develop and fulfill all three sections of the AP portfolio including Breadth, Concentration, and Quality as follows: they will prepare a written commentary describing their process, digitally submit 24 pieces of art, and, finally, send five actual pieces of their artwork to the Advanced Placement Board for adjudication.
Note: While the prerequisites for AP Studio Art & Design and AP Studio Art: Drawing are the same, the program assumes that a student will have indicated the desire to specialize, as described above, in either Design which can include drawing, painting, printmaking mixed media and/or photography; or Drawing which is a more discrete and further specialized course of study. There is no op-out feature of this program. Students must submit portfolios in order to earn credit for the course.
Ceramics
Ceramics 1
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grade students
This year-long foundation class focuses on the creation of three-dimensional form through the use of various handbuilding and glazing methods. Students spend the first semester using basic methods such as slab. Coil, and pinch while they explore utilitarian and sculptural approaches to the medium. The second semester focuses solely on the wheel, where students will acquire the fundamental techniques of centering, raising, and shaping numerous vessel forms. A variety of glazing and firing procedures will be employed while students work on directed assignments.
Course requirements include field trip participation, sketchbook entries, participation in class critiques and field trips, and studio maintenance. This course serves as a prerequisite for all other ceramics courses and only Graphic Design 2A.
Ceramics 2A (one semester)
Prerequisite: Ceramics 1
Who the course is designed for: 10th, 11th and 12th grade students
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of any year. The curriculum continues with either the handbuilding or wheel-throwing emphasis of Ceramics 1. Using the slab roller and extended pinch and coil methods of construction, hand-builders will begin working on large-scale sculptural and utilitarian pieces either in an organic or geometric fashion. Making primarily functional forms, potters will expand on basic throwing methods previously learned and explore more complex pieces such as vases, bottles, and lidded containers. As students gain experience, they address elements of proportion, balance, positive and negative space, surface texture, color, and overall design. A variety of high and low fire surface treatments and firing methods will be employed to finish all of their artwork.
Course requirements include sketchbook work to pursue personal meaning, critique participation, studio management, outside lab time, and field trip attendance.
Ceramics 2B (one semester)
Prerequisite: Ceramics 2A
Who the course is designed for: 10th, 11th and 12th grade students
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of any year. In this advanced level class, students continue refinement of handbuilding, wheel-throwing, and glazing techniques in a more conceptual and sculptural approach to the medium. Hand-builders will gain a broader understanding of form, design, and surface enrichment as they explore new methods of construction such a reductive carving, large scale bas-relief, and mold making. Potters will explore sophisticated methods of vessel making as they learn to fabricate teapots, various sets, and sectional pieces in an attempt to define a personal style.
Course requirements include sketchbook work to pursue personal meaning, critique participation, studio maintenance, field trip attendance, outside lab time, and field trip attendance, and exhibit set up.
Ceramics 2 A&B (full year, UC accredited)
This full-year, UC accredited arts course is a combination of Ceramics 2A and Ceramics 2B. The two courses do not need to be taken in consecutive semesters. A student enrolled in "A" who decides to follow it with "B" may approach the registrar to change the enrollment record to show "A&B". Similarly a student enrolled in "A&B" who decides not to complete the second semester may ask the registrar to adjust the enrollment to "A".
Ceramics 3A (one semester)
Prerequisite: Ceramics 2B
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of the 11th or 12th grade year. In this advanced level course, students identify ideas of individual interest and reflect on what and how they wish to express themselves. Students continue refinement of handbuilding, wheel-throwing, modeling, and glazing techniques in a more conceptual and sculptural approach to the medium. Working mainly on directed assignments, hand-builders will gain a broader understanding of form, design, positive and negative space, and surface enrichment as they explore new methods of construction such a reductive carving, bas-relief, and mold making. Potters will continue to explore sophisticated methods of vessel making as they acquire skills to fabricate and assemble pitchers, teapots, various sets, and sectional pieces in an attempt to define an individual style. Course requirements include sketchbook work to further develop personal meaning, critique participation, outside lab time, portfolio development, studio management, and field trip attendance.
Ceramics 3A Honors
Prerequisite: Ceramics 2B
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Ceramics 3A but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, and sketchbook entries, and they must also participate in weekly lab time.
Ceramics 3B (one semester)
Prerequisite: Ceramics 3A
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course is taken in the second semester of the 11th grade or either semester of the 12th grade and is designed for advanced level students who will work on directed assignments for the most part, and then culminate with several projects of their own choosing. Students expand upon their clay experience through challenging assignments such as working with plaster molds to create multiples, the figure in order to express the human form, and imaginative abstract combinations of vessels and sculpture, including the use of mixed media. Inquiry, creative risk taking, and working with purpose and motivation is the goal. Above all, they practice their craft while enjoying artistic expression in the collaborative environment of the ceramics studio. Course requirements include sketchbook work to further deepen their conceptual ideas, one on one and peer critique participation, portfolio development, studio management, outside lab time, and field trip attendance.
Ceramics 3B Honors
Prerequisite: Ceramics 3A
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Ceramics 3B but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, and sketchbook entries, and they must also set aside one afternoon period a week as a lab period.
Ceramics 3 A&B or 3 A&B Honors (full year, UC accredited)
This full-year, UC accredited arts course is a combination of Ceramics 3A/3AH and Ceramics 3B/3BH. The two courses do not need to be taken in consecutive semesters. Any student enrolled in "A" who decides to follow it with "B" may approach the registrar to change the enrollment record to show "A&B". Similarly a student enrolled in "A&B" who decides not to complete the second semester may ask the registrar to adjust the enrollment to "A".
The Chadwick Honors designation for this course is not currently recognized by the University of California. Students applying to UC or CSU schools should discuss the honors designation with the registrar.
Ceramics 4A (one semester)
Prerequisites: Ceramics 3B or 3B Honors
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of the 12th grade year. This is the course for advanced level seniors who may work on some directed assignments, yet who also desire freedom of choice in designing a project sequence tailor-made to their interests. Students will generate projects of their own choosing to define their course of study in terms of overall concept, number of pieces, technique, scale, and duration of time allotted. They may fabricate a variety or series of themed pieces throughout the semester and may also choose to collaborate on a single major exploratory piece, all with the core competencies as the impetus. The artistic process will involve creative risk taking, heightened motivation, and a desire to make personally meaningful artwork conveying a personal style. Their individual mode of artistic expression may range from to pursuing an established concept or technical approach to researching art historical contexts and exciting new methods and visual ideas.
Course requirements include heightened on- line and sketchbook work to further deepen their conceptual ideas, one on one and peer critique participation, portfolio development, outside lab time, studio management, and field trip attendance.
Ceramics 4A Honors
Prerequisites: Ceramics 3B or 3B Honors
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Studio Art 4A but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, and sketchbook entries, and they must also set aside time for outside lab work.
Ceramics 4B (one semester)
Prerequisites: Ceramics 4A or 4A Honors
This course must be taken in the second semester of the senior year. This is a course for advanced level seniors who want to further hone their conceptual, compositional, and technical skills learned over the past three and a half years in the clay medium. Students will continue to generate projects of their own choosing, again working in an independent study mode to define their course of study in terms of overall concept, number of pieces, technique, scale, and a timetable for completion of their work. However, students will also have the opportunity to develop a portfolio of pieces concentrating on one thematic idea inspired by a chosen master in the clay medium or culminate with an autobiographical piece or series having to do with both the student's personal vision and place in the world. The artistic process will involve creative risk-taking, heightened motivation, and a desire to make personally meaningful artwork conveying their individual voice and style. Course requirements include heightened on- line and sketchbook work to continue enhancement of conceptual ideas, one on one and peer critique participation, portfolio development, studio management, outside lab time, field trip attendance, and art exhibit set up
Ceramics 4B Honors
Prerequisites: Ceramics 4A or 4A Honors
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Studio Art 4B but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, sketchbook entries, and outside lab time.
Ceramics 4 A&B or 4 A&B Honors (full year, NOT UC accredited)
This full-year arts course is a combination of Studio Art 4A/4AH and Studio Art 4B/4BH. The two courses do not need to be taken in consecutive semesters. Any student enrolled in "A" who decides to follow it with "B" may approach the registrar to change the enrollment record to show "A&B". Similarly a student enrolled in "A&B" who decides not to complete the second semester may ask the registrar to adjust the enrollment to "A".
Neither the regular nor the Honors version of this course is currently recognized by the University of California. Students applying to UC or CSU schools should discuss their choice to take this course with a Chadwick college counselor.
AP 3-D Art & Design
Prerequisites: Ceramics 3B Honors, and department's recommendation based on portfolio review. Students who have completed Ceramics 3 Honors may discuss eligibility with the department.
Who the course is designed for: self-motivated, committed, independent 12th grade students with a strong arts background who are willing to accept the challenge of a rigorous curriculum.
AP 3D Art & Design is a course that is taken by self-motivated, committed, and independent students with a strong arts background who are willing to accept the challenge of a rigorous curriculum. In this year-long course, students are expected to apply their understanding of three-dimensional design principles to the task of effective self-expression. Fulfilling directed assignments to fill gaps in their artistic experience as well as creating independent projects of their own choosing, students are expected to produce work which successfully integrates the elements and principles of the visual arts. Using the AP College Board specifications as their guide, students inside and outside of class will address the three sections of their digital portfolio, which include the components of Breadth, Quality, and Concentration. Course requirements primarily include doing artwork but also: fulfilling sketchbook work, participating in critiques, reading about and discussing art analytically, participating in field trips, doing outside lab time, hanging exhibits, and most importantly, developing their collection of digital images and preparing a written Concentration commentary for submission to the AP Board by early May. This is a course taken by seniors who have completed three years of ceramics whereby they have developed conceptual, compositional, and technical experience.
Media Arts
Media Arts 1
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: upper school students
This is a year-long course offering students a broad-ranging introduction to the photographic and time-based arts. As a jumping-off point we'd like to assume film and photography - or any media - both reflect and produce the way we make meaning for ourselves. As people in the world and makers of media, we should start to think critically and creatively about what that entails. Through a series of assigned projects, readings, and screenings we’ll begin to tackle these questions by seeing how others before us have attempted to make sense of them, focusing on significant moments in film, video, and art history. Students will learn the basics of darkroom photography and video production, with an eye toward the principles of design.
Course requirements include participation in class critiques, attendance on the art field trip, and supplying required materials including a 35mm SLR camera. This course serves as the prerequisite for all other Media Arts courses, and only Graphic Design 2A.
Media Arts 2A (one semester)
Prerequisites: Media Arts 1
Who the course is designed for: 10th, 11th and 12th grade students
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of any year.
As we move from a Photography sequence to a Media Arts sequence, this course will adapt to the background of its students, with an emphasis on art and communication through still and moving digital images.
Media Arts 2B (one semester)
Prerequisites: Media Arts 2A
Who the course is designed for: 10th, 11th and 12th grade students
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of any year. As we move from a Photography sequence to a Media Arts sequence, this course will adapt to the background of its students, with an emphasis on art and communication through still and moving digital images.
Media Arts 2 A&B (full year, UC accredited)
This full-year, UC accredited arts course is a combination of Media Arts 2A and Media Arts 2B. The two courses do not need to be taken in consecutive semesters. A student enrolled in "A" who decides to follow it with "B" may approach the registrar to change the enrollment record to show "A&B". Similarly a student enrolled in "A&B" who decides not to complete the second semester may ask the registrar to adjust the enrollment to "A".
Media Arts 3A (one semester)
Prerequisites: Media Arts 2B
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of any year. This class continues where level 2B left off. As we move from a Photography sequence to a Media Arts sequence, this course will adapt to the background of its students, with an emphasis on art and communication through still and moving digital images.
Media Arts 3A Honors
Prerequisites: Media Arts 2B
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Media Arts 3A but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, and sketchbook entries, and they must also set aside one afternoon period a week as a lab period.
Media Arts 3B (one semester)
Prerequisites: Media Arts 3A or 3A Honors
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of any year. As we move from a Photography sequence to a Media Arts sequence, this course will adapt to the background of its students, with an emphasis on art and communication through still and moving digital images.
Media Arts 3B Honors
Prerequisites: Media Arts 3A or 3A Honors
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Photography 3B but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, and sketchbook entries, and they must also set aside one afternoon period a week as a lab period.
Media Arts 3 A&B or 3 A&B Honors (full year, UC accredited)
This full-year, UC accredited arts course is a combination of Media Arts 3A/3AH and Media Arts 3B/3BH. The two courses do not need to be taken in consecutive semesters. Any student enrolled in "A" who decides to follow it with "B" may approach the registrar to change the enrollment record to show "A&B". Similarly a student enrolled in "A&B" who decides not to complete the second semester may ask the registrar to adjust the enrollment to "A".
The Chadwick Honors designation for this course is not currently recognized by the University of California. Students applying to UC or CSU schools should discuss the honors designation with the registrar.
Media Arts 4A (one semester)
Prerequisites: Media Arts 3B or 3B Honors
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This course may be taken in the first or second semester of the senior year. This is a class for advanced level seniors who want to hone the technical and conceptual skills learned over the past three years in camera-based art. As we move from a Photography sequence to a Media Arts sequence, this course will adapt to the background of its students, with an emphasis on art and communication through still and moving digital images.
Media Arts 4A Honors
Prerequisites: Media Arts 3B or 3B Honors
Who the course is designed for: 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Media Arts 4A but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, and sketchbook entries, and they must also set aside one afternoon period a week as a lab period.
Media Arts 4B (one semester)
Prerequisites: Media Arts 4A or 4A Honors
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course must be taken in the final semester of the senior year and continues where the level 4A class left off. It is designed for students who want to further explore a personal creative vision in the field of media arts. As we move from a Photography sequence to a Media Arts sequence, this course will adapt to the background of its students, with an emphasis on art and communication through still and moving digital images.
Media Arts 4B Honors
Prerequisites: Media Arts 4A or 4A Honors
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
This course covers equivalent material to Media Arts 4B but with higher expectations for effort and results. Students taking this course must be prepared to complete more artwork and more research, observational writings, and sketchbook entries, and they must also set aside one afternoon period a week as a lab period.
Media Arts 4 A&B or 4 A&B Honors (full year, UC accredited)
This full-year arts course is a combination of Media Arts 4A/4AH and Media Arts4B/4BH. The two courses do not need to be taken in consecutive semesters. Any student enrolled in "A" who decides to follow it with "B" may approach the registrar to change the enrollment record to show "A&B". Similarly a student enrolled in "A&B" who decides not to complete the second semester may ask the registrar to adjust the enrollment to "A".
Note that the Honors version of this course is not currently recognized by the University of California. Students applying to UC or CSU schools should discuss the Honors designation with the registrar.
AP Art & Design
A senior in Media Arts may take AP Art & Design and fulfill their photographic portfolio through this course. Their work will be accomplished under the direction of the Media Arts teacher and the Studio Art teacher.
Theater
Theater 1
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students
This course contributes 10 credits towards the Chadwick Arts requirement of 15 credits.
The Theater 1 course is a life-changer. It is a “learning by doing” course and is very practical. It tries to challenge the way you think, the way you deal with problems and the way you perceive others by using theater ideas and techniques to explore serious issues through fictional circumstance.
You will start with the notion of what is theater and then explore what important practitioners have decided theater is. You will then see this in action by exploring two very different plays. You will then have the opportunity to perform in a play in front of an invited audience. The course finishes by turning all this on its head and asking is acting for screen and TV different to acting on stage?
Assessment and grading is continually assessed and based on your contribution to lessons and your performance skills as exhibited throughout mini-projects during the year.
Theater 2
Prerequisites: Theater 1
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students
This course contributes 10 credits towards the Chadwick Arts requirement of 15 credits.
Theater 2 is a really exciting and totally practical course that builds on the understanding that a student already has regarding how meaning is made in theater and requires them to devise, structure and perform new work that they have created.
You will create work for a range of audiences, which will include young children, your peers and an adult audience.
The three target audiences and projects are:
Engaging the Village: creating work for a young audience
Scaring your parents: creating a story that grips an adult audience
Making your peers laugh: creating work that has comedy at the heart of its content and style and staging that is engaging and appropriate for a teenage audience.
Assessment and grading is continually assessed and based on your contribution to the creative process and your performance skills as exhibited throughout the year.
Theater 3
Prerequisite: This course is only available to students who have already completed the Theater 1 and Theater 2 courses and entry is by audition and interview.
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students wishing to take theater classes for a third year at Chadwick
This course contributes ten credits towards the Chadwick Arts requirement of fifteen credits.
This course should only be considered by students who are serious about developing an in-depth understanding of theater, challenging their perceptions of theater through reading, writing and research and willing to work both independently and collaboratively.
It is a really appropriate course for students considering a Major or Minor in Theater at College or for those auditioning for Theater Conservatory Training.
The course will explore acting, directing and play writing through the study of existing plays, scenes, playwrights, directors and practitioners.
Assessment and grading is continually assessed and based on your contribution to the creative process and your performance skills as exhibited throughout the year.
Stage Crew
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students
Stage Crew contributes one credit/trimester toward the Chadwick Arts requirement of fifteen credits.
Meeting two afternoon periods each week, Stage Crew is a hands-on production class that teaches students about the technical side of theater while also providing practical support for Chadwick dramatic productions. Students learn about set design and construction, stage lighting theory and instruments, and the use of sound, light and construction equipment.
Fall Play
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students
If you perform in the US Play, it contributes two credits towards the Chadwick Arts requirement of fifteen credits.
The Upper School Play rehearses from the beginning of the academic year in September until it performs in the second week of November.
It rehearses on Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday during 7th and 8th Period, Friday 7th Period and after school and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
You are able to participate in a fist trimester sport and do the US Play if you organize your time well.
The US Play is generally chosen at the end of the previous year, and the cast is decided by audition in early September at the beginning of the school year.
Winter Musical
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students
If you perform in the US Musical it contributes two credits towards the Chadwick Arts requirement of fifteen credits.
The Upper School Musical rehearses from the beginning of December until it performs in the last week of February/first week of March.
It rehearses after school from 3:45 to 5:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
You are NOT able to play a second trimester sport and do the US Musical.
The US Musical is generally chosen at the end of the previous year and the cast is decided by audition in mid-October.
Any questions about Theater courses, the play or the musical should be directed to Mr. Williams.
Stagecraft
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students
Stagecraft contributes 10 credits toward the Chadwick Arts requirement of 15 credits.
Stagecraft is an introduction to the art of creating and implementing the technical elements of theater production. It includes training in the techniques of scenery design and construction, lighting design and execution, and sound reinforcement and effects design and execution. Understanding how these elements collaborate with and support the realization of the performing artist’s vision, expressing the intended meaning of a work is a key guiding principle in the training. Students will understand and appreciate the role of technical elements in the creation of a dramatic, musical or dance work, and have the fundamental skills to design and execute those elements.
Improvisational Theatre
This activity is open to all Upper School students.
This activity contributes 1 credit/trimester towards the Chadwick Arts requirement of 15 credits.
Students can choose to take Upper School Improv on either Monday 7th period or Thursday 7th period. The class covers the fundamentals of improvisation theatre (e.g. spontaneity, acceptance, and sharing control) and emphasizes a willingness to listen, take care of others, and take risks. Classes consist of activities, games, and scenework focused around a particular improv concept. There is no passive reception of ideas, students are active constantly during class creating environments, characters, and stories on the spot.
Students may choose to join the performance group, the Chadwick Improvisors (ChImps), after taking the course for one trimester. The ChImps perform improv shows once a month on average throughout the school year both on and off campus.
Any questions about Improvisational Theatre should be directed to Mr. Mike Cass.
Music
Upper School Chorus
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students
The Upper School Chorus is an activity that meets during 7th period on Tuesday and G period on Thursday and is a full-year activity. All students who feel comfortable singing in a large group are welcome. The repertoire includes songs of all styles and from all periods.
In addition to performing at the winter and spring concerts on campus and in the community, the Upper School Chorus also participates in choral festivals and competitions.
This activity contributes five credits toward the Chadwick Arts requirement of 15 credits.
Concert Choir
Prerequisite: You must be in Chorus.
Concert Choir contributes 10 credits toward the Chadwick Arts requirement of 15 credits.
Concert Choir takes place during the academic day. It is an audition-based ensemble, with a focus on choral repertoire, sight singing and vocal training. The class culminates with a performance at The Wayfarers Chapel at the end of the year. There might be travel/festival competitions associated with this course. If you are interested in auditioning for Concert Choir, please contact Mr. Kevin Babuder.
Chadwick Ovations
Prerequisite: You must be currently enrolled in Chorus in order to participate
This activity contributes one credit/trimester toward the Chadwick Arts requirement of 15 credits.
Ovations is our community service ensemble that meets on Mondays Lunch and 7th. We sing at care centers across the South Bay and bring music to brighten up the lives of those residents. This service group is open to a maximum of 16 students. Please let Mr. Babuder know if you are interested in being a part of this group.
Any questions about Vocal Music courses or activities should be directed to Mr. Kevin Babuder.
Upper School Orchestra
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students
Orchestra contributes two credits/performance toward the Chadwick Arts requirement of 15 credits.
Upper School Orchestra meets Tuesdays 7th period, Thursdays G period. It is a performance-oriented activity rather than a primarily instruction-oriented class. The group works on music from a variety of styles and periods for winds and strings, designed to fit the talents and interests of the students involved. Performances include the winter and spring concerts.
Chamber Music
Chamber Music does not earn Arts credit.
The chamber music program is a full-year activity open to students with an interest in smaller ensembles such as trios and quartets.
Students with similar musical interests are brought together once or twice a week to rehearse and finally perform music suitable to the given instrumentation. Ensembles traditionally perform at art show openings, the Spring Chamber Concert, and various school functions. This activity is not graded.
Questions should be directed to Mr. Richard Babcock.
Grades: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Schedule: Full Year
Advanced Music Composition
Prerequisites: none
Who the course is designed for: Upper School students
Advanced Music Composition contributes 10 credits toward the Chadwick Arts requirement of 15 credits.
The class is open to 8 students. We learn how to write and arrange music using music technology in our Mac classroom stations. Students work on pieces for the art show, as part of the Co-Lab experience, and write their very own film music trailer. Questions should be directed to Mr. Kevin Babuder.
AP Music Theory
Who the course is designed for: 11th and 12th grade students
AP Music Theory contributes 10 credits toward the Chadwick Arts requirement of 15 credits.
This course is equivalent to a first-year music theory course at most colleges, and is designed to prepare young musicians for the Advanced Placement examination in music theory.
The day-to-day routine includes discussion, analysis, and ear training. Discussions are based on the content of the text "Scales, Intervals, Keys, Triads, Rhythm, and Meter," by John Clough and Joyce Conley. Additional discussion of related topics such as performance practice, acoustics, history, notation, etc. is encouraged.
In-depth study of music from a theoretical point of view develops students' analytical musical skills. This includes music of the masters as well as student works. Ear training through dictation and sight singing strengthens students' aural skills. Questions should be directed to Mr. Richard Babcock.
Dance
Chadwick Dance Company
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in Upper School Dance; audition
Dance Company is offered Fall and Spring Trimesters and it contributes two credits/trimester toward either Sport or Arts (student elects which credits to receive).
Dance Company is designed for students who are passionate about dance and performing. Dance Company has two levels. Students who participate in Dance Company must take a placement class, during the first week of school, to determine their level. Each level is required to take technique classes, which are rooted in contemporary techniques, 3 days a week during 8th period. Level 1 meets Mondays and Thursdays and Level 2 meets Tuesdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays, the entire company meets to focus on strengthening, stretching, and anatomical awareness. The Dance Company performs in one dance concert a trimester. The Spring concert is predominately a student choreographed show. While preparing for the concert, both levels have rehearsals after school from 3:45 - 5:30 p.m. Students also have the opportunity to be in at least one professional dance guest artist piece a trimester.
Choreography Class
This class is available during the winter trimester at 8th period.
This course contributes one credit/trimester toward either Sport or Arts (the student elects which credits to receive).
Choreography class focuses on the art of choreography. Students will learn choreographic tools to aid in learning about and creating choreography. Students interested in creating work for the Spring Dance Concert are required to take this class, however, any student is welcome to take this class. The trimester culminates in presenting work for Co-Lab, a collaborative concert with Theater 3 and Advanced Music Composition students.
Dance P.E.
This course is available fall and spring trimesters.
Dance P.E. contributes one credit/trimester toward the Chadwick Sport requirement of 13 credits.
Level 1 meets Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Level 2 meets Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday during 8th period.
The Dance P.E. course is designed for the student who is interested in dance and furthering their understanding of dance. In this class students study dance rooted in contemporary techniques. This course does not culminate in a performance. Students interested in taking this course must take a placement class to determine their level. The placement class will occur during the first week of the trimester.
Questions should be directed to Ms. Kindra Windish.
Computer Science
Students practice developing advanced algorithms, debugging programs and collaborating with teammates to build complicated projects. Students are also introduced to the full spectrum software design process, getting opportunities to build real-world applications, interview stakeholders, deploy an application and implement feedback.
- AP Computer Science Principles
- AP Computer Science
- Data Structures and Intro to Software Engineering (Post-AP Computer Science)
AP Computer Science Principles
Prerequisites: prior completion of 9th grade
Who the course is designed for: 10th - 12th grade students who do not already have a strong background in programming
In this introductory course, students learn the fundamentals of computer science. Students learn how to use variables to store and manipulate data. Students learn how to use conditionals and loops to have their program execute complex behavior. Students learn how to break up their code into functions to write modularized code. Students practice developing algorithms, debugging programs, and collaborating with teammates to build complicated projects.
This course prepares students to take the AP Computer Science Principles Exam in May.
AP Computer Science
Prerequisites: C- in Algebra II and approval of the department.
Who the course is designed for: 10th - 12th grade students with some background in programming. Students interested in taking the course should reach out to the teacher to determine if their prior background is sufficient. In rare cases, exceptionally strong 9th grade students who have already completed Algebra 2 may be considered for this course.
This course is designed for students with previous programming experience who want to further their computer programming skills in the Java programming language. Students learn the basics of object-oriented programming by building Android applications. Students practice utilizing input/output, conditionals, loops, and dynamic data structures to build complex applications.
This course prepares students to take the AP Computer Science A exam in May.
Data Structures and Intro to Software Engineering (Post-AP Computer Science)
Prerequisites: AP Computer Science A, or AP Computer Science Principles
Who the course is designed for:10th - 12th grade students interested in professional applications of programming
This is a yearlong course that gives advanced students the strong foundation needed to build complex applications using object-oriented principles. This course covers the design and implementation of data structures including arrays, stacks, queues, linked lists, binary trees, heaps, balanced trees (e.g. AVL-trees) and graphs.
Students are also introduced to the software design process. Students build real-world applications and go through the entire process from interviewing stakeholders to deploying an application and implementing feedback.
Ninth-Grade Wick Skills
All freshmen attend "Wick Skills" during seventh period on Mondays during the fall or spring semester. Students are expected to attend each week in order to earn an effort grade and credit for the class; their effort grade will be determined by regular attendance, positive class participation, and completion of weekly application tasks.
Each section of students will work with a teacher and each other to build a toolbox of skills that begin to help them gain awareness and utilize Chadwick's core values and core competencies to make intentional and effective choices. Ultimately, this course will help students explore these questions:
- How is wellness a choice?
- How can responses to thoughts, emotions, and events impact your relationships, your community, and yourself?
Students will develop skills in four core areas:
1. Mindfulness
- What does it mean to be mindful?
- Why is it important for me to be able to focus my attention?
- What behaviors can I do to be mindful?
- How will awareness help me to make more intentional and effective choices? (bring into each unit)
2. Distress Tolerance Skills
- What can I do in the short-term to avoid ineffective coping?
- Can I have an intense emotion and not act on it?
3. Emotion Regulation
- What are some myths I know about emotions?
- How can I identify my emotions?
- What are behaviors that make my emotions more or less intense?
4. Interpersonal Effectiveness
- How can I be an assertive, effective communicator?
- How does what I say and do impact my relationships?
See how Upper School students expand and express themselves outside classroom walls.