Course Listings & Descriptions

Visual art and design courses are devoted to the recognition and development of each student’s creative potential. We see art as a means of exploring, discovering and expressing one’s unique and valuable vision of the world. Our visual arts courses do not merely emphasize skills; they ask students to examine meaning and intention in art-making. Design and engineering electives explore the bridge between the physical and digital worlds, teaching a range of skills from traditional woodworking techniques to 3D digital fabrication, product and architectural design, engineering, computer programming and robotics.

9th Grade Visual And Digital Arts Courses

Introduction to the Creative Process

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 9

Prerequisite: None

Students in this full-year studio learn to bring their unique ideas to life through visual art practice and close attention to the creative process. Engaged in thoughtful explorations of materials, tools and techniques in select digital and fine arts media, students understand that there are multiple ways to approach and realize an artwork. While purposefully researching art history strands and contemporary trends, students identify questions, sketch, experiment and create original works of art reflecting on and documenting their process throughout. Ninth-grade artists present finished work publicly and engage in critique to deepen their understanding of the artistic choices that they’re making and how these choices impact meaning. Students use Chelsea galleries as a regular resource and have the opportunity to meet with professional artists to learn about their creative practices.

10th Grade Visual And Digital Arts Courses

10th graders are offered the choice of different visual arts workshop modalities, each focusing on a digital or studio art process, to allow students to explore a particular passion for art-making and expand their communication skills. Any of the Visual and Digital Arts Workshops serve as prerequisites for higher-level art classes in 11th and 12th grades.

Visual Arts Workshop: Drawing and Painting

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

In this course, students will practice the art of drawing and painting, developing the technical skills to bring their ideas to life. Using observation, imagination and experimentation, students will explore a wide variety of drawing and painting materials, tools and techniques. The first semester will focus on assignments to build art vocabulary and the second semester will invite students to pursue their individual passions. The class will examine the work made by artists throughout history as well as the work of contemporary visionaries.

Visual Arts Workshop: Mixed Media

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

Discover how combining media in the studio encourages artists to push boundaries and create unique works of art. In this course, students will take their creativity to the next level through the art of mixed media. With an emphasis on experimentation, play and material research, students will be encouraged to investigate how juxtaposing and layering different mediums can expand ideas of what art can be. Students will be guided by assignments for the first semester leading to self-designed thematic projects during the second semester.

Visual Arts Workshop: Photography

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

Everyone can take a picture, so what makes a photograph truly special? In this course, students will explore the ways in which a photograph can be created and transformed. Beginning with the creative and technical practices of digital photography including camera use, image composition, and editing, we will investigate a variety of ways to approach how image-making can communicate ideas. Additionally, students will experiment with how the camera can become a tool in the studio, activating and altering a photograph through a mixed-media lens. These explorations will culminate in a self-designed project based on a chosen theme.

Visual Arts Workshop: Sculpture

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

Within the realm of sculpture are endless combinations of materials and approaches to investigate. Experimenting and playing with a variety of traditional and non-traditional materials such as cardboard, plaster, found objects, fabric and clay, students will explore the potential of these materials, expand knowledge of tools and techniques and master the expressive qualities of sculptural forms. These explorations will culminate in a self-designed project based on a chosen theme.

Visual Arts Electives

Advanced Art Studio I and II

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11–12

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor or on the recommendation of current art teacher

Culminating with a final exhibition, this studio creates the community, structure and space for the most serious artists to pursue their work. Artists taking this class are expected to work in a dedicated and focused manner, embrace their creative process and explore new materials and artistic strategies in order to bring personal interests to life through visual means. No projects are assigned. Rather, students develop the creative confidence to dive deeply into their artistic pursuits. Group critiques, research in contemporary art, readings and guest artists are major elements of the course. Students interested in all media (including photography, experimental film and sound art) are encouraged to apply.

Students are eligible to take Advanced Studio as a Junior and Senior. Returning students will receive an Advanced Studio Art II credit on their transcript.

Ceramics Studio

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: None

In this studio, students dive deeply into the art of clay. Exploring both traditional and non-traditional approaches, students will create a body of work that reflects their unique interests. During the first semester, students master the stages of clay, practice hand-building techniques, throw on the potter’s wheel, and unpack the basics of glaze application. During the second semester, students expand the possibilities of clay through an exploration of the medium as it relates to other media such as wood, plaster and paint. Students will produce an original collection of works to be shared publicly during an end-of-the-year exhibit.

Film Arts I and II

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: None

In this elective, students dive deeply into the medium of film through hands-on practice and screenings of great films from around the globe. Students analyze both short and feature-length films to develop film vocabulary and then apply their takeaways to their own projects. Students work on all aspects of filmmaking including scriptwriting, pre-production, shooting and editing in collaboration with their peers. This exploration is further enhanced by a rotation of professional filmmakers visiting the class who share expertise and experience as it relates to the stages and roles of production.

Students taking this class for a second year will receive Film II credit, leading a unit on an area or genre of interest.

Film and Animation (Global Elective)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10-12

Prerequisites: None

Film represents one of culture’s most influential art forms, merging disciplines as diverse as photography, painting, sculpture, performance, music, and writing. This year-long global elective examines film's building blocks to understand better the relationship between sound and image in generating meaning. Students will develop their moving image practice by creating a series of live-action and animated short films. They will engage in all steps of the process, from idea generation to pre-production planning, from shooting to primary production, and editing skills to bring their cinematic ideas to life. Film and animation are powerful forms of visual communication and expression, and students will be encouraged to bring both creativity and intentional decision-making to their work.

Masterpieces of Antiquity (Global Elective)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10-12

Prerequisites: None

Learn about great masterpieces of antiquity and prehistory in this visually rich course that travels around the world, highlighting stunning works of art from ancient cultures. Engage in a journey worldwide to see some of the greatest works of art ever created and explore the cultures that made them.

Mixed Media Studio

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11–12

Prerequisite: none

Discover how combining media in the studio encourages artists to push boundaries and create unique works of art. In this course, students will take their creativity to the next level through the art of mixed media. With an emphasis on experimentation, play and material research, students will be encouraged to investigate how juxtaposing and layering different mediums both 2D and 3D can expand ideas of what art can be. Students will be guided by assignments for the first semester leading to self-designed thematic projects during the second semester.

Portfolio & Open Studio (Avenues Tutorial)*

Credit: 0.5

Grade: 11–12

In this tutorial format, students work on developing their art portfolios for college, internships and beyond. Students will use studio time to create new works of art with the intention to complete a well-rounded and personal body of work. Students will learn to document, organize and present their work at a professional level.

*Avenues Tutorial Format students meet once per week in a small group with their teacher. On the other days of the week, the students work independently.

Sketchbook Studio

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

Artists have always used some form of record-keeping for collecting ideas, following leads and experimenting with materials. During this elective, students will explore various ways artists have used a sketchbook to generate and research ideas for creative work. As students work in their own sketchbooks, they will explore how what they have collected can be used in meaningful ways in larger artworks. Through close observation of the creative process, students will discover ways in which they can become independent artists who bring their personal interests to the studio through working in a sketchbook.

Design and Engineering Course Offerings

Design and Engineering Workshop

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: None

In this 10th-grade workshop, students explore the mindsets, skillsets and toolsets embedded in Avenues' maker space, the iLab, to develop their creative process through the lens of a designer/engineer. Our inquiry will be driven by questions such as: “What is the role of the designer/engineer in society?”; “How have our technological innovations changed us and our world?; “How can we innovate in a sustainable way?”; “How can we find a problem worth solving?”

Over four terms, the class will engage in a series of projects that explore these questions and develop foundational skills in the following areas:

Design thinking through a user-centered design process of discovering a need and designing and prototyping solutions
Design and fabrication through the use of digital and traditional tools and technologies such as computer-aided design (CAD), laser cutting and engraving, 3D printing, woodworking and metalworking
Computational thinking through modern computer programming languages and interactive media, embedded electronics, and robotics.

This class is strongly recommended as a prerequisite for higher-level Design and Engineering electives in 11th and 12th grades.

AI, Society, and the Future 1 (Global Elective)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10–12

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Python

A unique, interdisciplinary approach to AI, this class combines learning the technical skills of AI programming with developing sophisticated perspectives on the past, present, and future of this emergent technology and its inevitable ethical ramifications. Applied projects such as classification, recognition, and prediction are complemented by the foundational science fiction and non-fiction texts for artificial intelligence. Students will finish the class with a robust portfolio of projects and be prepared for more advanced levels in the future.

Architectural and Product Design Studio

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: None

Design is visionary; it helps us navigate our lives daily. It can be loud and immersive, or it can sit invisibly in the background. How does architecture and shape and plan how we move through and use spaces? How do product designers find and solve real-world problems? How might we innovate in a sustainable way?

In this studio, students will explore the design process and learn how to see and create through the lenses of designers and architects. They will discover the benefits of design thinking and become articulate in its use. Students will deconstruct and analyze existing designs and use the knowledge they gain to design their own spaces, places and objects.

From the Brooklyn Bridge to the nearby Zaha Hadid building and home products company OXO, this studio will cover the diverse range of 3D designs, buildings and structures present in New York. Students will develop a vocabulary of materials, methodologies, concept-building skills and other important aspects used when building for industry, touching on different design domains, (architecture, interiors, product design). They will have access to the full suite of design and fabrication tools in the iLab, including wood and metalworking, 3D printing, laser engraving, and CNC. Through the combination of first-hand experiences with professional designers, field trips, project-based work, lectures, research and critiques, students will experience challenges and rewards in the field of design.

Introduction to Coding and Computer Science (Global Elective)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10–12

Prerequisites: None

In this coding course, students will build their skills in Scratch and Python through the completion of practice activities, emulations and authentic projects. Possible projects that students will take on include creating virus behavior simulations, random math problem generators, image processing and modification, and a variety of games. The project types are suitable for various abilities: beginners will gain foundational skills, and more advanced students will challenge themselves with additional functions and constraints.

Inventions that Changed the World (Global Elective)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10–12

Prerequisites: None

In this course, students will learn about the remarkable stories surrounding momentous inventions and how consequential these inventions were in history. From prehistoric times to the 21st century, inventions have changed the world, enabling humans to produce more food and energy and establish social order and cultural meaning. In fact, great inventions have marked several key turning points in human history, transforming society and our daily lives—understanding how these inventions have changed and shaped our world.

Computer Science 1: Programming Foundations

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11–12

Prerequisite: None

What are the central ideas of computer science and how do they impact people and society? How are data, physical phenomena and mathematical concepts represented on a computer and used to solve problems? How do we think computationally in order to develop and implement algorithms on computational devices?

In this course, students explore such questions through the study of modern computing innovations and the art of programming. They will be exposed to the "7 big ideas of computer science": Creativity, Abstraction, Data and Information, Algorithms, Programming, The Internet and the Global Impact.

Students will learn to think computationally in order to analyze data, develop abstractions, and implement algorithms in one or more modern computer programming languages. Projects may include designing simple text-based or graphic games, building a basic website, or working with programmable electronics. Students will gain an overview of current impacts of computer science on society and the environment, and also research and present positions related to topics at the intersection of ethics and technology.

Although no prior experience is needed to take this course, it is designed to prepare students for higher-level work in computer science and programming.

Computer Science 2: Advanced Topics

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11–12

Prerequisite: Computer Science 1: Programming Foundations, or by permission of the instructor

How do computer scientists and software engineers use computational thinking and programming to solve problems? What is the impact on our society and environment of the computational artifacts that we create? This course seeks to answer these questions, building on the fundamentals introduced in Programming Foundations. Students will engage in advanced computational topics such as machine learning, data science, evolutionary algorithms, object-oriented programming, electronics/robotics and more. They will exhibit mastery of these topics through a series of projects designed to solve real-world problems. They will also investigate and report on the impacts of computer science on society and the environment, and present their findings in formal presentations, debates, or by organizing guest lectures and panels.

Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Studio

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11–12

Prerequisite: None

How can design, physics, electronics, mechanics and technology mix? This 11–12 Engineering elective based in the iLab asks students to assume the mindset of an engineer and designer to take on a variety of challenges using an engineering design process. Through these challenges, research, and analysis you'll learn electronics, mechatronics, thermodynamics, structural engineering and wearable technology. Students will research and analyze existing solutions, fabrication techniques and materials, and work collaboratively and individually to plan, design, build and test new solutions. They will have access to the full suite of design and fabrication tools in the iLab, including wood and metalworking, 3D printing, laser engraving and CNC. Ultimately your year will culminate in an independent project, identifying a real-world problem of your choice to solve with your newly acquired engineering and design skills.

Although there is no prerequisite for this course, it is preferable that students have previously had experience with the Design and Engineering Workshop or Avenues' robotics team.

PERFORMING ARTS

Advanced Music

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Prerequisite: Admission is by audition only; a strong commitment is expected. The ability to read music is required.

Advanced Music is a unique opportunity for the most dedicated musicians to meet. The course presents all committed students in grades 9–12 with the opportunity to play and perform together. The class meets during Zero Block for an intense workout on repertoire, ranging from funk to pop to jazz from all eras. The ensemble becomes the representative school band and is the go-to unit for school functions, events, celebrations and parties. In addition, the band plays regularly at events outside of school, such as the annual Holy Apostles Gala and the spring Prom Dress Drive. The ensemble will also participate in local student jazz festivals.

Introduction to the Creative Process: Music

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 9

Prerequisite: This course is open to students who demonstrate the ability to play an instrument.

Students in this full-year seminar will learn to bring their unique ideas to life while brainstorming collectively with their peers through music in large and small ensemble settings. In dedicating their attention to the process, students will understand that knowing something well requires being able to articulate how a question is generated, researched, sketched, iterated and reflected upon. Students will effectively present and communicate their investigations as manifested through the medium of music while embracing a diverse range of technical and conceptual challenges. The course ultimately seeks to cultivate the skills and thinking necessary to realize a project from start to finish in a deep and meaningful way, while appreciating that the process is ultimately what defines the success of the final product.

Vocal Workshop

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–10

Prerequisite: None

In this intensive, active and creative class, students will sing songs in a wide variety of styles and learn about the art of song interpretation, arranging and lyrical structures. They will explore the many approaches to singing popular music, musical theater, classical, a cappella, jazz and rock. Students learn and sing solos, duets and small group numbers and learn tools of analysis and performance practice. This is a performance-based class. A strong commitment to performing is required.

Instrumental Music Workshop

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: This course is open to students who can demonstrate the ability to play an instrument.

Musical Theater

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: None

In Musical Theater students will sing and perform songs from Broadway musicals and the American songbook. In this course, musical theater students will explore advanced techniques in song interpretation and learn how dramatic context and character impact how a song is effectively performed. Students will learn the fundamentals of staging, musical theater styles, types of musical theater songs (ex. "I Want" songs, "Who Am I" songs, opening numbers) and analyze how musicals are structured and created. Throughout the year, musical theater students will perform cabarets and concerts at various venues throughout the city and learn through experience how musical theater performances are produced. Guest teaching artists from the Broadway industry will offer instruction in various aspects of musical theater including vocal technique, choreography, acting and producing.

Music Theory and Practice Workshop 11–12

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

This class meets in a workshop setting, providing musicians an environment in which to patiently develop technical mastery of their instruments through in-depth exploration of a wide variety of musical genres, including American R&B, Afropop, contemporary art music, indie rock, blues and jazz, in addition to music suggested by students themselves. The class focuses above all on nurturing the skills needed to play real music with real feeling. While the elements of musical literacy are addressed, equal attention is paid to performance variables that elude notation.

The ensemble is not limited to traditional symphonic band and string instruments but is open to all instruments including keyboards and guitars. (Keyboard players may use instruments provided by the school; guitarists should bring their own instruments to class.) Drummers are given the opportunity to work both on a full kit and with a variety of world percussion instruments. In addition, all ensemble members participate in African and Afro-Caribbean drumming as an integral part of the ensemble’s rhythmic development.

This elective features in-class demonstrations by guest artists and numerous opportunities for formal and informal ensemble performances throughout the semester.

GLOBAL ELECTIVES

Propose Your Own Global Elective

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10–12

Prerequisites: None

Students can propose a class not listed above based on the Great Courses series options. If you are interested in this option, visit Wondrium.com and explore the options available. Only Great Courses are eligible; other kinds of classes such as Kino Lorber or Craftsy do not apply to Global Electives.

Approval of student-proposed electives is subject to review by the Global Elective Team, deans and campus leadership.

To propose a Global Elective, be prepared to answer the following questions as part of the Course Preference Form:

What is the name of the class you are proposing?
What is the link to the class on Wondrium?
At what level do you want to take the class?
Why do you want to take this class as a Global Elective?

HIGH-INTENSITY PRACTICE (HIP)

High-intensity practice (HIP) is a focused method of developing thinking skills related to executive function, which is often described as the "air traffic control system" of the brain. The premise of HIP is that frequent, intense practice of key thinking skills over a period of years—specifically, empathy, creativity, abstraction, metacognition, critical thinking, mental agility, and planning—can significantly improve the three executive functions: working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and possibly even fluid intelligence. Executive function is strongly associated with long-term academic achievement across disciplines and success in life, more so than IQ. Secondary benefits of HIP are increased proficiency in the curricular domains used for practice, such as math and writing.

The long-term benefits of HIP continue to be the subject of ongoing research at Avenues, but a year-long study at Avenues in 2016-17 provided the first empirical evidence of strong, positive growth in thinking skills.

HIP Thinking

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–10

Prerequisite: None

In these courses, students develop and exercise flexible-thinking skills through regular writing and math practice. Both halves of the HIP program center on cultivating the highest level of cognitive skills—empathy, creativity, mental agility, critical thinking, extended concentration and stamina—through practice and targeted feedback on daily challenges.

HUMANITIES ELECTIVES

Autofiction

Innovation, Narcissism or Both?

Credit 1.0

Grades 11–12

Prerequisite: none

In recent years, the literary landscape has become increasingly populated with works of “auto-fiction”: novels that not only grow out of writers’ lives but also embody the messy complexities of those lives without engaging in traditional storytelling techniques. These books are not straightforward memoirs; nor are they novels that feature conventional forms of plot and characterization. In this course we will try to discover and describe the pleasures and pitfalls of writing the self, and we will investigate whether auto-fictional novels represent a new development in literary history. We will read recent examples of autofiction by Karl Ove Knausgaard, Sheila Heti, Teju Cole, and Carmen Maria Machado, among others. We will try to use this possibly new literary form to understand how we as writers can dramatize the self with literary resonance and originality. Personal urgency does not equate to literary urgency: so how can we translate our experiences into engaging prose? Moreover, what can unconventional storytelling techniques teach us about the art of dramatization and characterization in other media? In addition to our reading, we will engage with film essays, theater and visual art. What can these self-delving works of art tell us about our current age of narcissism? Does narcissism fuel artistic creation?

After studying examples of the genre, you will have the opportunity to create a short auto-fictional portrait in a medium of your choice. How can you embody and fragment your performing self in prose, film or a new form of your own making?

Becoming Einstein (Global Elective)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10–12

Prerequisite: None

When one begins to look at the life of Albert Einstein—his childhood, his friends and colleagues, his education, his incredible accomplishments—one very quickly discovers that he led quite an extraordinary life. What made Einstein’s life so extraordinary? In this course, we will take a close look at this question with an eye toward discovering what lessons might be learned and applied to your own lives. Activities and provocations centered on the most striking aspects of Einstein’s life will present you with the opportunity to shape the way you organize your life, your thinking, your creativity, and your practice. You will engage with Einstein’s core world-views, scientific thought experiments, and paradigm-shifting accomplishments ranging from his extraordinary original proof of the Pythagorean Theorem to his laser-sharp work supporting the existence of atoms to his most astounding and beautiful work in General Relativity.

Eastern Civilization (Global Elective)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10–12

Prerequisites: None

Learn about the origins of East Asian civilization in this humanities course that explores the history of China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Throughout the course, students will explore the significant accomplishments of Eastern civilization, from the material economy of day-to-day life to the political and religious philosophies that would bind Eastern cultures together for thousands of years, with Foundations of Eastern Civilization.

Eastern Philosophy

Credit 1.0

Grades 11–12

Prerequisite: None

The purpose of this course is to glimpse into various religious philosophies of East and South Asia. Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and Shintoism will be the primary units of our class. We will learn through various hands-on experiential exercises and interpretive learning. We will read primary sources in translation, sharing stories from each faith that have been passed down and investigate their significance. Throughout the year, we will discuss secondary sources from the modern sages of different schools of thought from different denominations of the larger faiths. Through the broadening of our perspectives on eastern religious thought, we will gain an understanding of religion’s utility in a culture, how a religion develops differently in different countries and how it shapes a culture, dictating elements of history. We will also take a deep look into mystical religious cosmologies, asking big questions of ourselves and our world to understand things so often misunderstood in the West.

Global Cold War

From Atomic Bombs to Mao Zedong

Credit 1.0

Grades 11–12

Prerequisite: None

With the cataclysmic end of World War II, the world grappled with a series of shattering events: the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the creation of India, Israel, and of the UN; the legacy of the war’s genocides and invasions. Our objective will be to explore the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1991, and how their dynamics during this period remade the world. This will be a class about competition, clashes, controversies and (anti-)colonialism, and we will explore this time period as it shaped and was shaped by four core regions of the world: Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia (including the Middle East). We will approach this course with a spirit of inquiry, often delving into declassified government archives to seek to answer questions like, Who started the Korean War? What was the role of the CIA in Patrice Lumumba and Che Guevara’s assassinations? Why did the Soviet Union really agree to remove its nuclear missiles from Cuba? Who “won” the space race? How different was life in the two Germanies? Why did the United States decide to get involved in Vietnam? What’s the context of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine? To what extent is the Cold War really over? A significant emphasis of this course will be on the so-called “Third World” as these countries and their peoples sought to achieve their own interests in this bipolar world. While this course will center on political history, we will also explore culture, social dimensions and economic interests.

Global Monumental History

Credit 1.0

Grades 11–12

Prerequisite: None

What can a monument tell us about a people, a place and a time? In this public history meets art history course, we will seek to answer these questions and more by studying monuments from the ancient world to the present: from the Parthenon in Athens to New York's September 11th Memorial. Students will learn about the role of public memory in society through the ages and consider what they think is worth remembering when they research, design and build a model of their own memorial for a capstone project.

Topics in Philosophy: The Idea of “The Good Life”

Examining the Pursuit of Happiness, Fulfillment and Wisdom

Credit 1.0

Grades 11–12

Prerequisite: None

For thousands of years, human beings have sought happiness, fulfillment, and wisdom, e.g. "the good life." Pursuing the good life arguably requires careful consideration of a number of big questions. How do we make decisions wisely? How should we balance gratitude and desire? What do we owe others and ourselves? What should we aim to accomplish before we die? And what really matters in life? In this course we will explore these questions by reading selections from acclaimed biographical, autobiographical, and philosophical works including The Iliad (Homer), The Trial of Socrates (Plato), The Meditations (Marcus Aurelius), The Confessions (Augustine), Hamlet (William Shakespeare), A Moveable Feast (Ernest Hemingway), Man's Search for Meaning (Viktor Frankl), The Autobiography of Malcolm X (Malcolm X), I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou), Autobiography of a Yogi (Paramahansa Yogananda), “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!” (Richard Feynman), Never Silent (Peter Stanely), Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom), Steve Jobs (Walter Isaacson), What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami (2007), Hunger (Roxanne Gay) and Justice (Michael Sandel). Over the course of the year, students will interview family members, engage in research, and write reflective essays that explore the philosophical themes of the course.

Advanced Topics in Philosophy: The Idea of “The Good Life” (Avenues Tutorial)*

Examining the Pursuit of Happiness, Fulfillment, and Wisdom

Credit 1.0

Grades 11–12

Prerequisite: None

Advanced option prerequisite: Teacher recommendation

The advanced track will be conducted in the Avenues Tutorial Format*, with students required to complete a significant amount of independent work each week. Students in the advanced track should expect to read supplemental texts that examine historiographical, epistemological and metaphysical questions related to the course. Students in this track should also expect to complete a longer piece of work.

*Avenues Tutorial Format students meet once per week in a small group with their teacher. On the other days of the week, the students work independently.

Advanced History

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: Global Humanities Foundations courses (English & Civilization and Its Discontents), and instructor approval

Advanced History explores the past with an eye toward understanding the present. In pursuit of nuanced understanding of the complexities of historical developments, students will develop the skills including analysis of primary sources, recognizing multiple perspectives, distinguishing between fact and interpretation and academic writing.

Advanced Humanities: The New Yorker

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: Global Humanities Foundations courses (English & Civilization and Its Discontents), and instructor approval

When The New Yorker debuted on February 21, 1925, its founding editor, Harold Ross, had a simple mission: to create a cosmopolitan, sophisticated humor magazine that, as he famously declared in a prospectus, was “not edited for the old lady in Dubuque.” The magazine possessed an arch, knowing tone and was peppered with funny comics and casuals, seasoned with an undercurrent of jokiness.

Fairly soon, however, The New Yorker established itself as not merely a funny read but a preeminent forum for serious fiction, poetry, essays, and journalism. It gained an audience that extended well outside of New York to international shores, and it published many of the greatest writers of the 20th and 21st centuries.

In this course, we will explore many of the genres, topics, works, and authors published in The New Yorker over its nearly hundred-year history. Armed with subscriptions to the magazine, we will study exemplars of humor writing, short stories, criticism, profiles, cartooning and verse. We aim to build our own personalized libraries of inspiring mentor texts and expand our writing repertoire.

Advanced Journalism

Advocacy, Knowledge, and Social Change

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: teacher recommendation

"The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them." — Ida B. Wells

When something happens in the world, how do we learn about it? Who controls the narrative? How do we know what "really" went down? Who gets to tell whose story? Whose account should we trust? Is it possible to write about what happens in the world in a way that is truly unbiased? And, should avoiding bias even be the objective?

This advanced course explores journalism as a force for advocacy, knowledge, and social change. Students will study journalistic principles and develop essential journalistic skills in ethics, investigation, inquiry, reporting, and writing, all in service of composing and publishing several articles throughout the year. Students will grow as writers through frequent workshops of their articles, while also weighing the principles of truth, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, accountability, and fairness. Students will engage in the critical study of classic and contemporary works of journalism, exploring how publications act as public forums for expression and the free and open discussion of ideas.

Uniquely, student writing in this course is done with an eye toward publication, and the work students produce in this course is intended to be read by our upper grades community in The Highliner. Journalism students will regularly experience the thrill of seeing their names and articles in print.

LGBT History, Politics, and Culture

Credit 1.0

Grades 11–12

Prerequisite: None

In this course we will explore how societies have policed gender and sexuality across time and place—and how LGBT people (and their allies) have bravely contested social, moral, and political norms in pursuit of personal freedom. We will look at the ongoing oppression of queer people throughout the world, the frequent interplay of religion and politics and the almost constant conflict between majoritarianism, civil libertarianism and civil rights. We will also look at effective (and ineffective) strategies of resistance and the tensions between different factions of the LGBTQIA+ movement. We will read texts from a wide range of fields, including anthropology, history, sociology, psychology, critical theory, and art history, as well as select novels, plays, poems and memoirs.

Philosophy (Global Elective)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10–12

Prerequisites: None

We have all pondered seemingly unanswerable but significant questions about our existence. There is no better way to study the big questions in philosophy than to compare how the world's greatest minds have analyzed these questions and reasoned out potential solutions. The final step is always deciding for yourself whether you find an explanation convincing. In this course, you will be introduced to and learn to think clearly, identify misconceptions, and reach your conclusions as you confront the questions that have puzzled generations of philosophers.

Shakespeare's Masterpieces (Avenues Tutorial)*

Comedies, Tragedies and Problem Plays

Credit 1.0

Grades 11–12

Prerequisite: None

Why is Shakespeare the most widely read and admired author in the English-speaking world? How might Shakespeare's plays help us to understand the world we live in today? Like other Renaissance playwrights, Shakespeare used his plays to open up new questions about self and community, identity and desire, performance and performativity. In this course, we will read Shakespeare's original plays followed by modern-day revisions and film adaptations. For example, we will read Shakespeare's Othello (1603) alongside Toni Morrison's woman-centered play, Desdemona (2012). We will develop an intersectional approach to understanding how such plays engage with race, class, gender and sexuality. Primary texts may include tragedies like Macbeth and Othello, comedies like As You Like It and Much Ado About Nothing, and problem plays like The Merchant of Venice.

*Avenues Tutorial Format students meet once per week in a small group with their teacher. On the other days of the week, the students work independently.

Advanced Shakespeare's Masterpieces (Avenues Tutorial)*

Comedies, Tragedies and Problem Plays

Credit 1.0

Grades 11–12

Prerequisite: None

Advanced option prerequisite: Teacher recommendation

The advanced track offers an opportunity to engage with complex works of literary and cultural theory that are usually reserved for college-level courses. Students enrolled in the advanced track will read and discuss literary criticism on each of Shakespeare's plays as well as articles in gender theory, critical race theory, performance studies and more. Students in this track should also expect to complete a longer piece of work at the end of the course.

*Avenues Tutorial Format students meet once per week in a small group with their teacher. On the other days of the week, the students work independently.

ENGLISH

In the humanities, students move between separate history and English classes, yet their studies originate from a single, integrated course. By reading historical texts in conjunction with literary texts, students come to appreciate why familiarity with history is indispensable to a full understanding of literature.

English Core Courses

Global Humanities Foundations: English (9th Grade)

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 9

Prerequisite: None

In the 9th grade, students study some of the foundations of civilization and literature. They examine the rise of ancient China, India, Islam and the eventual emergence of the West and learn about the interconnectedness of civilizations that make world history one history. In-depth studies hone in on the ways in which the world was globally connected and how different major civilizations evolved as global power brokers. By studying the inward turn of China, the traditions of India, the rise of Islam and ultimately the emergence of Europe from the “dark ages,” students confront the major historical notions of cause and effect, intercultural exchange and conflicting narratives. Stories from these places and time periods provide students with exciting opportunities to learn and practice foundational research techniques, analyze competing histories and amplify their own writing and reading skills and worldview through wrestling with these materials.

Students also study origin texts and complete a study in various literary genres from a global perspective. They learn how to give voice to their own stories as a means of developing the knowledge and confidence that they live lives worth the telling. Particular emphasis is placed on student-centered discussions and processes in completing all work. Students take time to reflect on and refine their writing and discussion skills as a means to identify ways in which they might communicate and work together with each other most productively.

Global Humanities Modernization: English (10th Grade)

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: English 9

What have been the causes and effects of modern globalization and what can literature tell us about them? This is the central question that drives 10th-grade humanities. Globalization often indicates the acceleration of movement across space and borders of people, goods, information, technology and ideology. This course examines significant periods in modern history that have led to the state of globalization we know today: colonization, the Enlightenment, the scientific and industrial revolutions, the rise of modern Islam and the World Wars. Students make connections between these periods and contemporary events as a means of exploring the cause and effect relationship between the past and the present—especially the influence of the past on international politics and conflict, social and economic stratification and the natural environment. Students examine the human impact of globalization in part through a study of works of literature that tell stories of displacement, migration and the shifts in identity that often result.

American Literature: English 11

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11

Prerequisite: English 10

What is unique about the great experiment called “America”? What might it mean to found a nation on ideals such as freedom, equality, opportunity and democracy? Do any of those ideals conflict with one another? To what extent has the nation lived up to its organizing ideals?

This interdisciplinary course in American studies draws upon insights and methodologies from the fields of American history and American literary studies. Students learn to think about America from two angles. First, to get the “facts” straight, we explore the untold and sometimes troubling aspects of America’s history. How has American society been shaped by a history that includes slavery, Indian removal and imperialism? We also explore how activities such as storytelling and mythmaking—that is, the production of cultural “fictions”—contribute to the shaping of national identity. Is it possible that a nation with such a violent past could also stand for a set of genuinely liberating ideals? What are the beliefs, practices and myths that have enabled America to cohere and perpetuate itself?

Students also learn to write clearly and effectively, with a sense of audience and purpose. They are encouraged to engage passionately in inquiry and argument construction in discussions and beyond. Students are expected to evaluate the written and oral arguments of others, paying equal attention to questions of fact and interpretation to begin reflecting on their own experiences, values and beliefs through the personal essay form.

World Literature: English 12

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: None

World Literature continues the development of students as readers, writers, speakers, and listeners by providing opportunities to refine the skills introduced and advanced in previous humanities courses. Our study will include a focus on various genres, especially as they inform and are informed by style, structure and meaning. Texts will continue to be drawn from those voices that encourage engagement with issues of race, class, gender and sexuality and will originate from global perspectives and traditions. Though this course will not be connected to a specific history course, interdisciplinary work will still comprise a significant portion of our studies. Writing assignments will allow students to exercise their creativity as well as their analytical skills and may range from poetry and short stories to personal and analytical essays.

MASTERY

Mastery Program Overview

γένοι οἷος ἐσσὶ μαθών

“Learn and become who you are.” —Pindar, Pythian 2.72

As a cornerstone of the Avenues experience, the Mastery Program has one mission: to inspire a world of happier, more meaningful lives through the beautiful engagement of one’s passions.

It is with this goal in mind that we provide students both time and space during the school day to strive toward the focused achievement of exceptional skill in a desired domain. If you are familiar with Fifth Term in the upper grades or Minimester in the middle grades, the Mastery program is all that and more. Imagine a young historian researching a minor historical figure in order to add to the academic literature of this period, a team of young scientists working with college professors to harness the potential of radio waves to power small electronic devices or a songwriter working with mentors to write and produce her first album. The possibilities are endless in Mastery, and our students’ work is limited only by their imaginations.

Mastery Seminar: Introduction to Mastery

Full-year course

Grade: 9

Prerequisite: None

The beginning of the Mastery journey is the Mastery seminar, where students are introduced to the thinking and research that supports this endeavor. It’s a place where we build a common story around the quest for mastery in order to help students develop a personalized pathway toward their own goals. Our hope is that by the end of the year, each student in our program will have fallen in love with a dream of his or her future and will actively take those first steps toward achieving that dream.

This experience has been carefully designed to acquaint our Freshmen and Sophomores with the expectations and work within our formal Mastery program, which officially begins in our Mastery Workshop classes. There are many entry points into the program and many opportunities for students to pursue Mastery who are not in the formal program. However, we invite all students who have successfully demonstrated engagement in this seminar to submit an application to the formal program. Please see your dean or a Mastery teacher for more information.

Mastery Workshop

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10–12

Prerequisite: Mastery Seminar: Intro to Mastery and approved application to the Mastery program

For those students who have demonstrated a commitment to their domain and who have been accepted into the formal Mastery program at Avenues, Mastery Workshop exists as vital time and space within the regular school day to help students develop their knowledge, conceptual understanding, judgment, reflection and skill in a particular area. This is a unique opportunity for students to do passion-driven work under the watchful eye of a Mastery teacher who will act as both as a mentor and a guide on this journey.

Students in Mastery Workshop may choose to work independently or in small teams on long-term interests in this space, whatever that interest may be: humanities and literary arts, innovation and entrepreneurship, performing arts, science and math, sports, technology and engineering or visual arts. Students here will be granted common time with those peers who share similar interests in order to discuss their work, troubleshoot obstacles, and inspire innovation and achievement in their projects. Students are expected to maintain a Mastery portfolio throughout the year and may choose to work toward the completion of a Mastery project for inclusion in the spring showcase.

NOTE: Seniors who have a scheduling conflict or who wish to extend their Mastery options with Mastery Workshop should see Mr. Gutkowski and their dean to begin this conversation.

Mastery Capstone

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: Prior Mastery experience and approved application to the Mastery program

For those students who have chosen to pursue Mastery in some form over their years at Avenues, the senior-year Mastery seminar is the culmination of that journey. Seniors in this capstone class will conceive of, develop and present an original senior project to our community. It is much like a Fifth Term Mastery experience, except with much more time and space to develop that idea over the course of a year. Students entering this class are not required to have a fully-formed idea from the outset, but we do ask that they have a general idea of the domain in which they would like to work. Students in this class will work closely with faculty, mentors and, potentially, experts in the field to help them dive deeper and more thoughtfully into their work. This Mastery seminar has an additional academic component built around an exploration of the science and psychology of creativity. The goal is not only to study creativity as an abstract academic concept but to hold it in our hands, to work the material of it and to learn how to entwine it deeply into our lives. Placed within the context of a student’s project work, this study presents an opportunity to students working in any domain to assume the mantle of young creatives in their chosen fields.

Applying what they learn from this exploration, our students will graduate from the Mastery program with an expanded sense of self, an objective view of their work and an understanding that when they engage beautifully in their passions they have an almost magical ability to affect the world in positive ways. The Mastery seminar is at once a pathway, an endpoint and an invitation to fulfill the mission of the Mastery program: to inspire a world of happier, more meaningful lives through the beautiful engagement of one’s passions.

MATHEMATICS

Integrated Math 2

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 9

Prerequisite: Completion of Integrated Math 1 or equivalent (Incoming students: Algebra 1)

This seminar-style integrated math class encourages students to become active participants in lively discussions in order to develop a deeper understanding of mathematical reasoning. Students focus on developing skills to write and communicate mathematics accurately, as well as acquiring a lifelong passion for enjoying the beauty and the creativity involved in mathematics. After a short review of basic methods of solving second-degree equations—such as quadratic formula, completing the square, solutions as roots and x-intercepts and axis of symmetry— quadratics are used to apply the Pythagorean theorem to distance in the plane and solving other geometric problems. Algebraic concepts are used to establish a basic understanding of the distance between two points on a coordinate plane, which then becomes synonymous with slope, triangles and vectors. Students also explore average rate of change, linear motion and the optimum path of travel through the use of vectors and parametric equations. Two-column or paragraph proof strategies, in-depth circle and right triangle trigonometry are used to investigate the logical structure of Euclidean geometry and to solve challenging problems. Topics in geometry include properties of parallel lines, triangles, quadrilaterals and polygons; congruence and similarity between geometric figures.

Integrated Math 3

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: Completion of Integrated Math 2 or equivalent (Incoming students Algebra II and/or Geometry)

This seminar-style integrated math class encourages students to become active participants in lively discussions to develop a deeper understanding of mathematical reasoning. Students focus on developing skills to communicate mathematics accurately, as well as acquiring a lifelong passion to enjoy the beauty and the creativity involved in mathematics. Students in Integrated Math 3 class start the year with the continuation of explorations in similarity, circle properties, as well as problems in triangle trigonometry. Investigations into the application of fundamental geometry skills on various types of problems blend into the study of the volume of solids and graphical study of trigonometric functions and circular motion. Students work on volume and trigonometry over an extended time period, which allows them to fully grasp the details of these important concepts. Later in the year, students start exploring matrices, exponential functions, logarithms and real-life applications of those functions. Other topics include the counting problems that utilize permutations and combinations which lead to many topics in Probability.

Integrated Math with Data and Probability

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11–12

Prerequisite: Completion of Avenues Integrated Math 3

This math course affords students an opportunity to continue their study of mathematical ideas with a focus on functions that are relevant to topics in data analysis and statistics, without an emphasis on precalculus topics. After a brief review of material from IM3, students will apply their knowledge of functions such as quadratics, exponentials and periodic functions to model data and make predictions. Tools from probability and combinatorics will be used alongside matrices, including Markov chains, to explore how repeated probability calculations can help predict future events. Logarithms will be used to linearize data in order to find the best fit of sets of collected data. Technology will aid students in as many ways as possible, including graphing, fitting functions to data and finding future values.

This course is offered as an alternative to Integrated Math 4, and does not prepare students for the study of calculus, but allows students to prepare for statistics and other discrete math courses that are often college requirements for many majors. Rising 11th-grade students interested in taking a calculus course in 12th grade should take Integrated Math 4 instead.

Integrated Math 4

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11

Prerequisite: Completion of Integrated Math 3 or equivalent

This seminar-style integrated math class encourages students to become active participants in lively discussions to develop a deeper understanding of mathematical reasoning. Students focus on developing skills to communicate mathematics accurately, as well as acquiring a lifelong passion to enjoy the beauty and the creativity involved in mathematics. This typically 11th-grade math course starts the year with a continuation of explorations that combine many previous topics from IM2 and IM3 which allow students to synthesize problem-solving practices. Investigations into the application of fundamental geometry skills on various types of problems blend into the study of the inverse functions and periodicity. After more advanced probability problems lead to utilizing random walks to discover ideas about the binomial theorem and show connections to both Pascal’s triangle and combinations. Sequences and series have a major focus and the concept of the infinite becomes more apparent. This allows a natural transition into the concept of convergence of series and asymptotes of functions. Limits help get students conceptually prepared for the study of calculus.

Introduction to Calculus

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: Integrated Math 4 (Incoming students: Algebra 2/Precalculus) and teacher recommendation

In order to give students a broader perspective on the toolkits required in college-level differential calculus courses, this senior-year math course focuses on advanced problems, trigonometric functions, with an emphasis on circular motion, exponential and logarithmic functions, matrices, finite and infinite sequences and series, probability and combinatorics and their applications in real-life situations. Students also explore the idea of average and instantaneous rate of change using basic limits and concepts and techniques of differentiation.

Calculus

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11–12

Prerequisite: Integrated Math 4 (Incoming Students: Precalculus) and teacher recommendation

This course is meant for students who are particularly motivated and interested in studying the mathematics of a rigorous Calculus course. This course starts the Avenues PBL Math Book IV which begins with a deep dive into new material like Polar Coordinates, periodicity of functions, asymptotic behavior of rational functions, complex numbers and infinite geometric series. Threaded in with all of this new material is a more rigorous view of instantaneous rate of change at a point in time and students become extremely familiar with this concept and start to see patterns in these rates. This begins the formal study of differential calculus which continues throughout the year, including early transcendentals. The derivative functions are then applied to such topics as differentiability, continuity, related rates, implicit differentiation, optimization and graphical analysis. Depending on time, slope fields, separable differential equations and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus are also discussed.

Advanced Calculus

Credit 1.0

Grades 11–12

Prerequisite: Integrated Math 4 and teacher recommendation

This calculus course seeks to challenge the most motivated mathematics students who may be interested in moving into STEM fields as they consider their future college studies. All topics of Differential and Integral Calculus are included. Continuing in the seminar-style of problem-based learning, this course is highly student-centered and demands a great deal of self-directed learning. In this text, problems include the study of Power Series, Taylor Series and MacLaurin Series and their connections to approximating polynomials and other functions. Also included is the concept of how the LaGrange Error Bound measures the level of proximity to the true function. Further study of infinite polynomial series and their tests of convergence. The Calculus of Parametric and Polar functions is also explored which brings a wonderful sense of closure to the integrated math series at Avenues.

Statistics

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Statistics is the practice of collecting, analyzing, interpreting and presenting data. This project-based course will guide students to learn the major concepts and tools that will allow them to make sense of data, draw generalizations, and tell meaningful stories using data. The content covered during this four-term course is equivalent to a one-semester, non-calculus-based introductory college course in Statistics. Throughout the year, students will get a chance to design, administer and present results from surveys and experiments. Through probability and simulations, students will construct models for random behavior. Sampling distributions will provide the logical structure for confidence intervals and hypothesis tests. To develop effective statistical communication skills, students will learn to produce written and oral analyses of real data. All of these skills will not only help students to be responsible practitioners of statistics but also informed consumers of statistics in their daily lives.

Mathematical Research

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: Remarkable demonstration of mathematical aptitude, independence in pursuing advanced topics in math and critical-thinking skills. Enrollment is by invitation and requires an application process to be completed and a recommendation by the instructor.

This course is designed specifically for those students who demonstrate outstanding success in math. Students who prove themselves to be independent, curious and industrious math explorers are invited to enroll in this class where collaboration and independent research will complement each other. Students are expected to exhibit fluency in concepts and skills far ahead of their current grade levels. They are also expected to dedicate time to mathematical research outside of the classroom as well as participate as much as possible in mathematics competitions.

MODERN LANGUAGES

Spanish

Spanish Language Program Overview

Students enrolled in Spanish will continue their development of the Avenues Language Scale communicative skills (oration, discussion, writing and reading) with an emphasis on performance tasks and oral production. Instruction is focused on outcomes designed for different proficiency levels as students demonstrate their mastery through performance-based and project-based activities. The course emphasizes the expansion of students’ language use in authentic and relatable themes as they develop a greater appreciation for and understanding of Spanish language and culture.

Spanish 1: Discovery

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Prerequisite: None

This introductory thematic course prepares students to use greetings, tell time and discuss school subjects, foods, family and friends and leisure activities through the art of photography and images. The class is conducted in Spanish and aims to empower students to become competent communicators. Students are exposed to material that allows them to have a better understanding of the Hispanic culture by studying different aspects of all Hispanic countries. Vocabulary focuses on school, shopping, family, clothes, foods found in restaurants and markets, holidays and tourist activities. Students learn the grammatical structures to enable them to talk about everyday situations in the present as well as in the future.

Spanish 2: Breakthrough

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Prerequisite: Spanish 1 or equivalent language proficiency

This course is a natural progression from Spanish 1, as students have to manipulate an increasingly larger amount of vocabulary and are also exposed to more advanced grammatical structures and authentic material. This course provides students with plenty of opportunities to become more proficient in the target language using all three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive and presentational).

Students deepen their understanding of how to communicate in the language and understand Hispanic culture at more complex levels. Learning the Spanish language and culture reinforces and expands their knowledge of other disciplines. Through a more advanced series of culture-based activities, students continue to develop an awareness of cultural commonality and diversity.

Spanish 3: Exploration

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Prerequisite: Spanish 2 or equivalent language proficiency

Students practice the four skills of writing, reading, speaking and listening in a more advanced setting to elicit the three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive and presentational). Students develop greater comfort and fluency in Spanish grammar and are able to communicate more complex ideas and narrate information using a different array of tenses. They practice difficult structures such as the use of object pronouns, subjunctive mood and adverbial conjunctions, as well as hypothetical and future structures. They develop their communication skills through both an expanded vocabulary and the use of idiomatic expressions. They hone their skills when they need to “talk around” unfamiliar vocabulary words, express opinions, support those opinions and engage in discussion and argument. All grammar is used within a cultural context, including discussion of topics from World Course.

Spanish 4: Empowerment

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Prerequisite: Spanish 3 or equivalent language proficiency

This course focuses on the continued development of language competence in the target language and understanding of the culture(s) of the people who speak the language. It assumes that the students have successfully completed a Level III course or have demonstrated an Intermediate level of proficiency under the ALS (Avenues Language Scale). Students will expand their skills by interacting with each other and making presentations in Spanish about topics of their choice, writing level-appropriate essays with effective grammar, listening to a variety of native speakers from different Spanish speaking countries and reading texts about familiar and unfamiliar topics such as the environment, sports, politics, social issues and technology, between others.

Spanish 5: Contemporary Life

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Prerequisite: Spanish 4 or equivalent language proficiency

The topic Contemporary Life will provide a focal point for practicing all three modes of communication and for discussion of the following contexts of study: Education and Careers, Entertainment, Travel and Leisure, Lifestyles, Relationships, Social Customs and Values, and Volunteerism. Students contrast educational systems in the U.S. to those in Spanish-speaking countries, compare the differences and similarities of the variety of school systems that exist, talk about the need for having diversity in a school and compare the public and private school systems. Students also investigate what the requirements are for acquiring acceptance to a variety of universities and what the cost is to obtain higher education in the Spanish-speaking world. Students also analyze skills and abilities required in a variety of career options and relate them to their own skills and abilities, assess personal, educational and career skills that are transferable to various jobs, understand how societal needs and functions influence the nature and the structure of work, learn about how people talk about works and careers and what the job conditions are like in Spanish-speaking world.

Advanced Spanish: Power of Community

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Prerequisite: Spanish 5 or equivalent language proficiency

The role of our family, culture and community is essential to identifying ourselves as individuals, as these concepts intertwine so closely. Focused on learning about Latino communities in the United States and appreciating the similarities and differences of other cultures is vital to understanding the power of community. As global citizens, students are encouraged to affect positive change in the world by connecting and discussing real-world problems and making our communities better from multiple perspectives.

Chinese

Chinese Language Program Overview

Students enrolled in Chinese continue to refine their communication skills in all four areas of the Avenues Language Scale: oration, discussion, writing and reading. Students demonstrate their Chinese proficiency across the three communicative modes—interpersonal, interpretive and presentational—and the five goal areas—communication, cultures, connections, comparisons and communities. The course emphasizes the expansion of students’ language use in authentic and relatable themes as they develop a greater appreciation for and understanding of Chinese language and culture.

Chinese 1: Foundations

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9-12

Prerequisite: None

Chinese 1 is an introductory Upper Division course that aims to develop the student’s basic language skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students are introduced to the phonetic system of Pinyin and learn to read and write simplified Chinese characters, starting with strokes, stroke order and radicals. Using dialogues and simple descriptive/narrative texts, topics such as self-introduction, nationality, occupation, families, numbers, dates, times, meals, etc. are introduced to enable students to talk about themselves and their families and to tell dates, times and ages. They are also able to understand related short passages in reading and to write loosely connected sentences to form short paragraphs on these topics. By the end of the year, students are expected to reach and sustain the level of “Novice Low” proficiency across all skill areas.

Chinese 2: Discovery and Exploration

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Prerequisite: Chinese 1 or equivalent language proficiency and teacher recommendation

This course builds upon the fundamental skills mastered in Chinese 1 or an equivalent course. Students continue to use the phonetic system of Pinyin to assist their pronunciation and intonation, as well as to learn new characters and expressions. Daily exercises designed for recognizing and reproducing the individual sounds, tones, words and sentences are given in class to help the students sharpen their listening and speaking skills. Students continue to build their skills in recognizing and writing characters by hand while also being introduced to using a computer to express themselves through writing.

Topics centered around daily life—such as weather, dining out, travel, celebration, visiting a hospital, sports, etc.—are introduced in the form of dialogues and short essays to achieve the goals of learning patterns of expressions and overall linguistic competence. Through a series of culture-based activities, students explore current social and economic trends in China. By the end of the year, students are expected to reach and sustain the level of “Novice Mid” proficiency across all skill areas.

Chinese 3: Journey to the East

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Prerequisite: Chinese 2 or equivalent language proficiency and teacher recommendation

This course is designed primarily for students who have satisfactorily completed Chinese 2 or an equivalent course. It attempts to prepare students to demonstrate their Chinese language skills by exploring a variety of topics related to everyday life and personal interests—such as asking for directions, seeing a doctor, organizing a party and talking about sports and travel. We use the class texts, as well as a number of authentic sources such as advertisements, signs, posters and various forms of media.

By the end of the year, students are expected to reach and sustain the level of “Basic” on the Avenues Language Scale of proficiency across all skill areas. They are expected to be able to identify and summarize the main ideas of short and simple texts on everyday life by reading, listening and making appropriate inferences and predictions. Students can present basic information on familiar topics using phrases or a series of simple sentences. In two-way interactions, such as conversing face-to-face or exchanging written correspondence, students are able to handle short social interactions in everyday situations on a variety of topics.

Chinese 4: Encounters

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Prerequisite: Chinese 3 or equivalent language proficiency and teacher recommendation

This course is designed primarily for students who have satisfactorily completed Chinese 3 or an equivalent course. It attempts to prepare students to demonstrate their Chinese language skills by exploring a variety of topics related to everyday life and personal interests and studies, including school and education, housing and shelters, food and health and friendship and work. They will use a variety of authentic materials such as advertisements, signs and posters, newspapers, media broadcasts, movies and television dramas, in addition to text.

By the end of the year, students are expected to reach and sustain the level of “Intermediate” on the Avenues Language Scale of proficiency across all skill areas. They are expected to be able to identify and summarize both main ideas and important details in what they read and hear and to make appropriate inferences and predictions. Students can present information using a series of connected sentences in paragraph length. With two-way interactions, such as conversing face-to-face or exchanging written correspondence, students engage in a variety of activities in which an active negotiation of meaning is required. They can usually say what they want to say about themselves and their everyday life and make themselves understood to their audience.

Advanced Chinese: All Things Considered

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–10

Prerequisite: Chinese 4 or equivalent language proficiency and teacher recommendation

The Chinese 5 course is designed for students who have satisfactorily completed the Chinese 4 course or have acquired an equivalent proficiency level. It attempts to prepare students to demonstrate their level of Chinese proficiency across the three communicative modes— interpersonal, interpretive and presentational—and the five goal areas—communication, cultures, connections, comparisons and communities. Using Chinese as the classroom language, students refine their skills in dealing with daily life and expand to topics of contemporary Chinese society to develop their reading and aural proficiency. They are able to identify and summarize the main points and important details and make appropriate inferences and predictions through exposure to authentic written and oral materials. They progress through careful reading of and listening to various written and oral texts from newspapers, media broadcasts and movies and television dramas. Students are able to create oral reports and narrate personal experiences and current events in a coherent fashion with both good pronunciation and intonation. They also develop the skill to write and speak on topics to express themselves using a variety of discourse styles, including descriptive, narrative, expository and persuasive.

Advanced Chinese Language and Culture

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: Chinese 4 or equivalent language proficiency and teacher recommendation

The Advanced Chinese Language and Culture course is designed for students who have satisfactorily completed the Advanced Chinese: All Things Considered course or have acquired an equivalent proficiency level. It continues to prepare students to demonstrate their level of Chinese proficiency across the three communicative modes—interpersonal, interpretive and presentational—and the five goal areas—communication, cultures, connections, comparisons and communities. The course focuses on the integration of authentic resources, including online print, audio, and audiovisual resources, as well as traditional print resources that include literature, essays, and magazine and newspaper articles, with the goal of providing a rich, diverse learning experience. The objective of this course is to assist students in reaching and sustaining the level of “Advanced” on the Avenues Language Scale in all areas of language skills.

NATURAL SCIENCES

Grade 9–11 Core Science Classes

Integrated Science 1

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 9

Prerequisite: None

This course focuses on developing the ability to think and behave like scientists and engineers. By engaging in authentic scientific investigations and engineering design projects, students develop a deep understanding of big ideas like energy transfer and system dynamics that are applied in all fields of science and engineering work.

Ninth-grade science is broken down into three major units. In the first two terms, students investigate the nature of matter and materials by zooming in to explore the forces and energy transfers that govern everyday materials at molecular, atomic and subatomic scales. They also explore how those same forces and energy transfers govern the formation of the universe, galaxies, stars and planets. In the second half of the year, the course explores how engineers have applied scientific concepts to design our modern world. In Term 3, students use the cell phone as a case study to investigate how devices take advantage of various energy transformations to store, process and transfer information in the form of waves. Students then apply their understanding of forces and energy transfer to design and build a solution to a physical problem—such as a case to protect the cell phone.

Integrated Science 2

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: Completion of Integrated Science 1

Tenth-grade science focuses on developing the ability to think and act like a scientist. Students develop a deep understanding of big ideas like the properties, structure and behavior of matter, as well as its interaction with energy. The primary means of investigation is through laboratory exploration, group discussion and readings. Students conduct inquiry and directed lab experiments that require application of concepts learned in class.

The first half of the school year investigates the nature of matter and materials by exploring the energy transfers that govern everyday materials at molecular, atomic and subatomic scales. The second half of the year focuses on the activities and systems of living and nonliving things in our environment by applying the properties, behavior and interactions of matter and energy.

Biochemistry

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11

Prerequisite: Completion of Integrated Science 2

This course is a full-year, in-depth study of how chemistry drives biology. The core principles of science are used to promote deep understanding and appreciation of complexity, diversity and interconnectedness of life on earth.

The course focuses on the correlation between structure and function starting at molecular level and up to the level of organisms; the chemical principles that drive biology and enable cell metabolism, principles of classical and molecular genetics and evolutionary theory; energy transformations within living systems and interactions between organisms and their environment. The study of major discoveries in biology will facilitate the understanding of and provide insight into modern and future problems and solutions. The emphasis is placed on the modern biotechnological and technical advances as applicable to medicine, food production and human wellness. Students will be able to apply knowledge gained in this course to their everyday lives and use learned lessons to make informed choices as members of a global community.

Laboratory investigations and other experiential learning opportunities will help students acquire a deeper understanding of concepts while developing their analytical skills. Students will gain skills using laboratory apparatus and correct laboratory techniques and procedures. They will learn the uses of classical and contemporary equipment in a biological laboratory. Dissections of chosen organisms will be used to promote the understanding of organization and functions of living things. Students will design and carry out long and short-term investigations using principles of the scientific method and use proper formats for reporting their findings.

Science Electives

Astronomy (Global Elective)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10–12

Prerequisites: None

Students will survey the main concepts, methods, and discoveries in astronomy, such as the constellations drawn by the ancients, the latest reports from planetary probes in our Solar System, and the most recent images offered by telescopes probing the farthest frontiers of space and time.

Advanced Biology

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: Completion of Biochemistry or Advanced Chemistry, or by teacher recommendation

With the discovery of the structure of DNA, the sequencing of the human genome and the advent of biotechnology, molecular biology increasingly affects our understanding of the underlying principles of biology. This course builds on previous knowledge to help foster a broad understanding of biological concepts. Major areas of study include the chemical basis of life, cells, reproduction, genetics and epigenetics. Major themes are the immune system, nervous system and the endocrine system of regulation approached in a manner that develops higher-level thinking skills while providing real-world implications and applications. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of data generated through biotechnology lab activities.

The course is intended for students who have earned strong grades in previous science coursework and have been recommended by a science teacher for advanced study.

Advanced Biology (Avenues Tutorial)*

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: Completion of Integrated Science 3 or Advanced Chemistry, or by teacher recommendation

The course is intended for students who have earned strong grades in previous science coursework and have been recommended by a science teacher for advanced study.

*Avenues Tutorial Format students meet once per week in a small group with their teacher. On the other days of the week, the students work independently.

Advanced Chemistry

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: Integrated Science 2 and instructor approval

Advanced Chemistry expands upon the foundations of physical science developed in earlier science courses. The course is designed for students to attain a more in-depth understanding of the structure and properties of matter, chemical reactions and thermochemistry. The concept of the conservation of mass and energy is developed more quantitatively. Students apply their understanding of periodic trends to predict the products of a reaction. The nuances of the different types of reactions are explored through laboratory investigation.

Cosmology and Astronomy

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: None

This course in Cosmology will focus on the nature of the entire Cosmos placing emphasis on what we know as well as what we don't and, perhaps most importantly, how we know what we know. Topics include a survey of critical thinking skills (including logical fallacies and thinking flaws), the search for extraterrestrial life, astrophysics including special and general relativity, the nature of light, stellar evolution, the history of cosmology, the structure, origin and fate of the universe, and finally contemporary issues in cosmology and astrophysics. Emphasis is placed on leveraging previously encountered science concepts while adding missing puzzle pieces in order to build a framework that allows students to understand how the Cosmos can evolve from a very simple state 13.8 billion years ago to the highly ordered and complex. Quantitative reasoning skills will focus less on calculation and more on analysis and physical intuition as deeply as possible.

Advanced Physics

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: Integrated Science 1 and instructor approval

Advanced Physics students build upon the foundations of physics from earlier science courses to delve more deeply into understanding mechanics, electricity and magnetism, waves, and modern physics. Each term focuses on one main idea, including lab design and experimentation, as well as a more rigorous approach to using equations to model complex systems. We begin with a study of projectile motion and two and three-dimensional mechanics. In electricity and magnetism, we build on the understanding of these systems to study more complex circuit design and apply knowledge of induction to designing motors and other applications. Lastly, we take a full term to study introductory modern physics, including a study of the development of quantum mechanics as both a model and a way of thinking about the universe.

Physics C: Applied Physics with Calculus

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: Integrated Math 4 STEM, Advanced Physics, and instructor approval

Co-requisite: students in Physics C must be enrolled in Calculus or Advanced Calculus

Physics C is a one-year, calculus-based, university-level physics course, especially appropriate for students planning to specialize or major in the physical sciences and/or engineering. The course combines a depth of knowledge in physics with significant and sustained attention to calculus and how it applies to the understanding of the workings of our physical universe. Students begin delving more deeply into topics explored in Advanced Physics (including laboratory skills) and expand this understanding followed by rotational kinematics and dynamics, harmonic motion as well as fluid statics and dynamics. During Semester 2, students begin to apply both differential and integral calculus to various canonical problems in physics. Theory and practice continue to merge as students encounter more substantial experimental investigations, resolving with an introduction to differential equations, slope fields, Taylor series approximations and multivariable calculus.

SENIOR SEMINAR

Senior Seminar represents robust collaborative connections between disciplines and, as such, marks the pinnacle of the Avenues experience. Students will think critically in ways beyond any single discipline and explore applications of what they have learned and developed throughout their Avenues experience.

SOCIAL SCIENCES

Business Strategy (Global Elective)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10–12

Prerequisites: None

The Business and Economics course presents a comprehensive examination of successful business practices to students. The course posits how to demystify the secrets of business through an analysis of the five disciplines-strategy, operations, finance and accounting, organizational behavior, and marketing commonly taught in college or graduate-level business programs.

Consciousness, Ethics and the Search for Meaning

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: None

We are living, conscious, intelligent, self-aware creatures sharing this strange reality in which we find ourselves embedded—chaos, order, life, death, crime, punishment, joy and suffering and the ongoing search for some means of reliable and meaningful navigation. We are all philosophers in a very real way as we try, together, to make sense of the countless questions we face regarding the nature of reality and how to conduct ourselves within it; individually, as a society, as a species, across time and space. Class begins by delving deeply into the nature of perception and the Hard Problem of Consciousness, bringing all the relevant science and philosophy to bear. The issue of Free Will is encountered quickly and dissected for all of its incomprehensible implications. Students find themselves searching for a sense of stability in the shifting landscape of ethical dilemmas. By employing Artificial Intelligence, tempting (but flawed) philosophical stances and appropriate thinking tools, the course resolves by squarely grappling with the fundamental questions of meaning for which we all—as individuals and as a species—so dearly yearn to uncover.

Philosophy of Economics

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: None

At its core, economics is the study of how a society chooses to allocate limited resources. As a social science, these choices are inextricably tied to our fundamental beliefs about human nature and the manner in which we behave in our daily interactions. Beginning with a survey of economic theory ranging along the spectrum from pure Capitalism to Socialism, this is a discussion-based course designed to spark debate over the many relevant social, political, and economic topics that shape our everyday lives. The course will use economics, and the philosophical and psychological underpinnings of economic theory, as a lens through which to explore topics such as healthcare, labor laws, educational policy, environmental regulation, and social justice. Each of these topics has powerful ethical implications; this class will explore historical case studies as well as current events in which our morals and ethics either align or conflict with the economic principles upon which societies, through policies and economic structures, are built.

Psychology

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: Completion of Integrated Science 2

This class focuses on both human behavior and neurology, beginning with social psychology and extending to how the brain works and how signals are transmitted in the body. Major topics include behaviorism, sensation and perception, muscle movement, processing, how to measure neural activity and factors that affect the transmission of nerve signals. Key projects include measuring action potential in human and nonhuman animals, behavioral studies in insects and tests in cognition. The course will include researching case studies, writing research papers, conducting labs and investigations, lectures and class discussion.

Psychology (Global Elective)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10–12

Prerequisites: None

From Freud to mapping brain activity, explore the fascinating world of psychology and its complex history. This class focuses on both human behavior and neurology, beginning with social psychology and extending to how the brain works and how signals are transmitted into the body. Significant topics include behaviorism, sensation and perception, muscle movement, processing, measuring neural activity, and the factors that affect the transmission of nerve signals.

Sociology

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: Completion of Integrated Science 2

Students will examine historical and contemporary social phenomena through a variety of disciplinary and theoretical lenses, investigating the makeup of the human social condition.

Sociology would mirror psychology’s emphasis on skeptical reading of theoretical and mass-market writing in the social sciences. Students will be tasked with analyzing academic studies as well as popular representation of sociological theory, determining for themselves the fidelity of the conclusions drawn within. Student success in sociology will chiefly be determined by their individual initiative and drive to engage in the material and incorporate their own lived experience into the theoretical work they encounter. Students will be asked to conduct both quantitative and qualitative research throughout the year to think imaginatively and to continue to develop the nuanced thought process required to engage with complicated and controversial topics.

Chief among their work throughout the year will be a theoretical analysis and research project, completed separately but working in tandem. For the former, students will be tasked with identifying a research question to which they would apply their own analysis of a chosen sociological theory or series of theories. After developing their own concepts of the human social condition, students will then be asked to conduct their own research on their chosen topic, to analyze their findings in the context of their previous theoretical work. In order to complete these tasks, Sociology students will receive research training and support. They must also, however, take the initiative to conduct independently-driven research with minimal support from the course instructor.

WELLNESS AND MOVEMENT (WAM)

Wellness and Movement (WAM)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Prerequisite: None

WAM 9/10

In grades 9 and 10, students in the theory and practice of foundational wellness and movement content covering a variety of health topics, personal fitness, and skill-building. The goal is to prepare students for choice-driven WAM in grades 11 and 12, and to build skills and habits for lifelong active pursuits and commitment to personal well-being. Students will deep dive into different components of fitness, and the physiology of the musculoskeletal system. Students will explore a wide range of movement and fitness options, including aerobic endurance activities, strength, flexibility and balance training, and will incorporate new and existing skills towards personal goals, and the development of healthy exercise habits. Students will learn strategies for injury prevention, treatment and management. A skill acquisition unit will challenge students to demonstrate resilience and build empathy towards themselves and others.

Wellness discussions will focus on healthy decision-making in regards to mental health, stress management, nutrition, sleep, and drug and alcohol use. A sexual health unit will challenge students to analyze their own personal values to help build healthy and safe relationships, specifically focusing on communication, pleasure, contraception and protection, and consent.

WAM 11/12

All 11th and 12th-grade students will take a WAM course that features a mode of movement they select (see below). WAM11 and WAM12 also hold time for all students to engage in wellness discussions and projects focused on practical health topics. Wellness topics include mental health awareness, coping strategies, sexual health, relationship skills and healthy decision-making.

Students will select from the following WAM 11/12 courses:

Invasion Games/Court Sports - basketball, volleyball, badminton, floor hockey, etc.

Fitness - weightlifting and circuit training

Studio WAM - yoga, pilates, aerobics

Community WAM - students will explore a variety of local fitness studios, such as Soul Cycle, Row House, Peloton, Orange Theory

Mastery WAM* - students are encouraged to pursue personal passions and healthy exercise habits outside of school. In order to register for Mastery WAM, students must meet one or both of the following criteria:

Commitment to at least two JV or Varsity Avenues Athletics teams
Participation in organized physical activity outside of school, averaging at least 120 minutes per week (club team, competitive gymnastics or dance, martial arts, personal performance training, etc.)

*Mastery WAM students will still complete all wellness coursework in designated blocks, but will not be required to participate in movement on campus. Certain WAM blocks will be available to Mastery WAM students as time for independent work.

WORLD COURSE

World Course Overview

The World Course program in grades 9 and 10 is part of an intensive, interdisciplinary program linked to the Global Studies humanities program. In grades 11 and 12, students select from topic-specific World Course electives, while in 12th grade, the Senior Seminars round out the World Course pathway.

World Course electives for the 9th-grade focus on case studies in the contemporary world that reflect larger thematic issues about the choices different societies make about how they are structured and organized and what factors inform those decisions.

World Course electives in the 10th-grade focus on the key drivers and impacts of modernization as it continues to evolve in a variety of ways across the globe. Major focal points will be how inequality developed and is perpetuated, as well as whether some of the unforeseen side effects of the modern world can be successfully managed in the near future.

Global Humanities Foundations World Course

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 9

Prerequisite: None

World Course 9 provides students with an opportunity to understand and hone social science skills that will be crucial for them in high school, higher education, and life. Students will learn research skills that will not only help them create high-quality work in all of their classes but will also help them navigate issues of credibility and reliability in the rapidly expanding universe of our information age. Students will also learn how to closely analyze material through a critical lens and express their analysis in a variety of written structures.

Though the above skills will always be taught in World Course 9, the content they will be taught may change from year to year. This class aims to provide students with a deep understanding of the context surrounding issues and challenges that currently exist in our world. These challenges could range from military conflicts to clashes in world views, to the ramifications of different policies on a wide variety of topics. In each unit, students will study a relevant historical period or civilization with the intent to apply the lessons we have learned to create solutions for our world today. By seeing history not only as a tool for understanding the past but also as a tool for guiding the future, this class intends to help students become tomorrow’s change agents.

Global Humanities Modernization World Course

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: None

World Course 10 examines the causes and effects of modernization and globalization. We do so through an examination of the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, imperialism, the global crises of the 20th century, the advent of totalitarianism, the Cold War, and the rise of decolonization movements around the world. Lingering over our investigation is an awareness that “progress” is a contested term. Students make connections between history and contemporary events as a means of exploring the cause and effect relationship between the past and the present—especially the influence of the past on international politics and conflict, social and economic stratification and the natural environment.

American Studies: World Course

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11

Prerequisite: None

The concept of the American Dream can be traced back to the earliest English settlers at Jamestown and Plymouth, seeking economic opportunity and fleeing religious persecution, respectively. However, at times, certain groups’ access to the American Dream was predicated on its denial to others groups. In attempting to present a more balanced and inclusive version of American History, we examine what the American Dream means and how it has meant different things to different groups and how the definition of the dream has evolved over time based on various social, political, and economic conditions.

This interdisciplinary course in American studies draws upon insights and methodologies from the fields of American history and American literary studies. Students learn to think about America from two angles. First, to get the “facts” straight, we explore the untold and sometimes troubling aspects of America’s history. We also explore how activities such as storytelling and mythmaking—that is, the production of cultural “fictions”—contribute to the shaping of national identity. Is it possible that a nation with such a violent past could also stand for a set of genuinely liberating ideals? What are the beliefs, practices and myths that have enabled America to cohere and perpetuate itself?