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, and product engineering.

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 fine art process, to allow students to explore a particular passion for art-making and expand their visual 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

Prerequisite: None

The ability to draw and paint is a vital part to making images and creating intimate explanations of our world and our internal thoughts. Imagine capturing the textures and vibrancy of the world around you through an exploration of 2D materials and a mastery of traditional painting and drawing methods. In this students will explore various ways to translate how we see, think, and feel. Emphasis will be put on creative thinking and embracing the unexpected twists and turns of this artistic process. The class will also examine the work of contemporary visionaries while exploring the historical legacy of artists and the way their work has shaped us.

Visual Arts Workshop: Photography

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: None

Anyone can take a picture, but what makes a photograph truly meaningful? In this course, students will explore the art of photography—how images are created, composed, and transformed. Starting with the technical foundations of digital photography, including camera operation, composition, and editing, students will experiment with creative approaches to visual storytelling. The class will also examine the work of both historical and contemporary photographers, considering how photography has shaped our perception of the world.

Visual Arts Workshop: Sculpture

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: None

In this studio elective, students explore the third and fourth dimensions of art and design in the iLab. Through hands-on experimentation with both traditional and nontraditional materials such as cardboard, plaster, found objects, fabric, clay, plastics, and light, students expand their understanding of tools, techniques, and processes. Emphasis is placed on the expressive potential of sculptural form and the ways objects interact with and transform space.

Throughout the course, students engage with the work and ideas of guest artists, designers, curators, and architects, connecting their studio practice to contemporary creative fields. The semester culminates in a self-directed project that challenges students to synthesize their skills, ideas, and personal vision.

Visual Arts Electives

Advanced Art History: Revolutions in Modern Art

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

This elective takes you on an exciting exploration of major art movements from the end of the 18th century through the middle of the 20th century, focusing on trends that started in Western Europe and later made their mark in the United States, especially in New York City. You’ll discover how movements like Romanticism, Impressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism revolutionized art, challenging accepted traditions while reinventing what art could look like and represent. From the impact of new technologies and the consequences of war to the rise of mass production and pop culture, you’ll explore compelling ideas related to symbolism, abstraction and the politics of identity through art. With visits to multiple museums baked into the curriculum, the class will experience these radical shifts and more- firsthand. Along with engaging readings and films, you’ll complete multiple real life, research based, creative projects including an original audio guide, a photography exhibition catalog and a final independent curatorial assignment where you design your own show. This class will offer a fresh perspective on the art world and its vibrant history.

Crafting with Fire: A Disciplined Approach to Pottery

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

Pottery has been an important facet of human culture worldwide since time immemorial. It is a common marker of civilization that has led to it becoming its own varied art-form. But at its core, it is utilitarian. It is the process of taking base materials in the natural world, and elevating it into something to be loved and cared for.

Different times and places have used different techniques, tools, and materials for their pottery depending on the cultures, needs, and natural resources of the place and time. We aim to explore them, and see which ones connect with our hearts.

This course is designed to understand the craft and art of pottery through a lens of disciplined practice. We will learn to wedge, throw, hand-build, laminate, trim, carve, and glaze pottery with specific goals in mind that will allow our hands to make the item we see in our mind’s eye. The discipline of ceramics is tactile, violent, unforgiving, and incredibly fulfilling when we put love and effort into our pieces. We will aim to gain a mastery of fundamentals, and once students feel comfortable enough, to incorporate our individual styles into our work.

We will treat the craft as an art, but foremost as a life-skill. By the end of our year, students will be a more confident and fearless artisan with a deeper appreciation of the items we use every day and where they come from.

Commercial Art

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: None

Commercial Art is a hands-on studio course for 10th graders who want to make art that functions in the real world. Students explore how visual communication helps people navigate, choose, understand, and take action by creating public-facing graphics, including signage and wayfinding systems, posters and campaigns, food truck branding and menus, packaging concepts, and other applied design projects.

Students learn a design-thinking workflow that mirrors professional practice. They research audiences and contexts, define a clear communication goal, generate multiple concepts, test for clarity and impact, and refine work through critique and iteration. Projects often connect to real needs through community and campus design prompts, neighborhood observation, and visual research, helping students see New York City as a living design lab.

Students build fluency with industry-standard tools, including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, and may explore motion or interactive design through tools such as After Effects or Figma when projects call for it. Alongside digital work, students prototype using real production methods and materials, learning about scale, print, and screen layout, and finishing techniques such as printing, mounting, and presentation design.

Assessment emphasizes both process and polish, including idea development, a design process journal or process book, participation in critique, evidence of iteration, and final deliverables. The course culminates in a portfolio of finished projects and a public-style showcase or presentation of student work.

Digital Art

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: None

Dive into the world of Digital Art, where technology and creativity collide! This course will explore cutting-edge programs like Procreate, Photoshop, and InDesign while mixing digital and physical materials to push the limits of your imagination. From collage remixing and experimenting with pop culture-inspired printmaking to creating wild painting-photography-sculpture hybrids, you'll break artistic norms, develop your unique creative style, and explore how technology is redefining the future of art.

Film Studio 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 original film projects. Students work on all aspects of production including scriptwriting, 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. Film Studio members are invited to participate in the curation and management of the Avenues International Youth Film Festival- a trademark of our program. Students interested in taking this class for a second year may apply for Advanced Film Studio, or may choose to enroll in Film Studio II.

Advanced Film Studio

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 12

Prerequisite: Film Studio I/II or permission of instructor

In this Advanced Film Elective, you’ll build on the production and analytical skills from Film Studio I, taking your filmmaking to the next level as you dig deeper into the creative and technical sides of production. Additional responsibilities may include leading a class by developing a lesson on a specific aspect of filmmaking and/or presenting on a film by analyzing it through researched film theory and historical context. As an advanced student, you'll take on more responsibility, working alongside your peers to guide them through different stages of production. From concept to final cut, you’ll be in the thick of the action, playing a key role in bringing projects to life. Also- Advanced Film students serve as leads on the Avenues International Youth Film Festival.

Illustration: Drawing for the Real World

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: None

In this exciting elective, students will explore both traditional and digital drawing techniques, focusing on four areas: Illustration, Architectural drawing & Graphic Novels, and Animation. Each term will dive into a new technique, with students learning from guest artists who bring real-world industry insights. The course will include design history, figure drawing, character design, storyboarding, and digital painting. By the end of the course, students will have built a versatile portfolio and gained a deeper understanding of the creative process and industry standards.

Advanced Studio Art I

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

In this elective students will take their creativity and curiosity to the next level while examining their own artistic interests. The first semester will be driven by initial assignments inviting students to consider materials through big ideas, like our relationship to time and the nuances of creating visual allegory, as a way of working to deepen understanding of artistic interests. The second semester will challenge students to identify personal interests and specific material choices while further developing skills and processes to create independently driven work that is truly meaningful. The range of material explored will include but not limited to photography, painting, printmaking and sculpture. Sharing work, visiting galleries, researching artists and reading about different philosophical approaches will be an intrinsic part of this class.

Advanced Studio Art II

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

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

Culminating with a final exhibition, this studio creates the community, structure, and space for independently driven 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. Group critiques, research in contemporary art, readings, regular gallery visits and guest artists are elements of the course. This course is for students who have already taken Advanced Art I or have a strong recommendation from a current art teacher.

Design and Engineering Course Offerings

Students who have taken Design and Engineering Workshop in Grade 10 may take Advanced Design and Engineering Studio in Grade 11. Students who have taken Design and Engineering Studio or Advanced Studio in Grade 11 may take Advanced Design and Engineering Capstone in Grade 12.

Design and Engineering Workshop

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9-10

Prerequisite: None

How do designers and engineers spot what the world needs next and actually build it? In this hands-on, interdisciplinary, project-based workshop, students use design thinking to tackle real problems across disciplines, from products and systems to architecture, spaces, and experiences. Based in Avenues’ iLabs, students learn a user-centered process by researching context, defining a problem worth solving, generating ideas, prototyping, testing, and iterating so their work moves from insight to impact. Analytical thinking is at the core, and students practice working like designers by moving from concept to prototype while learning to communicate ideas clearly through sketches, models, and pitches. Each unit explores a new design lens, including urban planning, architecture, graphic communication, product design, branding, and more. Students also take on imaginative challenges such as jewelry designed for historical figures or future-forward structures that respond to climate realities. Students prototype with real materials and professional tools, building technical fluency alongside creative strategy through CAD, laser cutting and engraving, 3D printing, and hands-on fabrication. Learning extends beyond the iLab through opportunities to explore New York City as a living design lab, observing how spaces, structures, products, and systems shape daily life.

The year culminates in showcases and presentations where students share finished prototypes, reflect on their process, and build portfolios that prepare them for advanced design and engineering electives in Grades 11–12.

Design and Engineering Studio

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

Design and Engineering Studio is a project-based course where students think like designers and engineers and build real solutions in Avenues’ iLab. Using design thinking, students research needs, define problems worth solving, and prototype, test, and iterate across interdisciplinary prompts that may include product design, architecture and spaces, systems, brand-driven experiences, graphics, and more, often through a sustainability and impact lens.

A key feature of the program is professional alignment. During at least three units, working designers and engineers push in and collaborate with a unit. This opportunity demonstrates how design works, guiding students through an authentic process. Past collaborators have included Colgate-Palmolive (rebrand and ad campaign), a Frick goldsmith (3D-printed jewelry process), and WXY architects (pedestrian bridge), and Charles Thornton, RISD (tectonic studies of structure, chair to stair) Students develop technical fluency with CAD, laser cutting/engraving, 3D printing, and hands-on fabrication, and share work through critiques, presentations, and public showcases, building portfolio pieces along the way.

Advanced Design and Engineering Studio

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: Design and Engineering Studio or Workshop

Studio levels up the experience through purposeful alignment with working professionals. During three units, designers and engineers collaborate with Avenues to co-design project briefs, push into the classroom, and guide students through an authentic, industry-informed process that shows how design works in the real world. Past collaborators have included Colgate-Palmolive (rebrand and ad campaign), a goldsmith from the Frick (3D-printed jewelry and professional processes), WXY Architects (pedestrian bridge design), and Charles Thornton (AIA, RISD), leading tectonic studies of structure from chair to stair.

This accelerated, portfolio-focused course is designed for students ready for greater independence and rigor. Students take on more complex challenges with higher expectations for function, craft, aesthetics, and evidence-based decision-making, while deepening their understanding of the full user-centered design cycle from research through prototyping, testing, and iteration. Students build technical fluency in the iLab using CAD, laser cutting and engraving, 3D printing, and advanced fabrication methods as needed. Work is strengthened through studio critique and assessed through process documentation, iteration, prototype quality, and communication, culminating in presentations and public showcases that expand students’ portfolios.

Advanced Design and Engineering Capstone

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: Advanced Design and Engineering Studio

Advanced Design and Engineering Capstone is the culminating course in the Design + Engineering sequence. Students deepen their practice through professional alignment for two units, during which working designers and engineers collaborate with Avenues to co-design project briefs, push into the classroom, and guide students through an authentic, industry-informed process that demonstrates how design operates in the real world. Past collaborators have included Colgate-Palmolive (rebrand and ad campaign), a goldsmith from the Frick (3D-printed jewelry and professional processes), WXY Architects (pedestrian bridge design), and Charles Thornton (AIA, RISD), leading tectonic studies of structure from chair to stair.

Capstone is also the most independent offering in the series. Students pursue a sustained, self-directed project addressing a real-world need by proposing a direction, conducting research and testing, and building and refining prototypes over an extended timeline (typically about 1.5 terms devoted to capstone development). Students have full access to iLab tools and materials, including CAD, laser cutting, 3D printing, and hands-on fabrication.

Assessment emphasizes problem framing, research rigor, iteration, technical execution, and communication. The course culminates in prototypes, a written component, public presentations, and a showcase, resulting in a polished capstone portfolio piece.

PERFORMING ARTS

Advanced Music

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Admission is by audition only; a strong commitment is expected.

Note: Acceptance into Advanced Music requires students to pass an audition. The audition process will assess overall musicality and musical literacy/theory knowledge (reading music, sight-reading, ear training, etc.). If rising 9th and 10th graders do not demonstrate the expected level of musical literacy/theory knowledge sufficient to be accepted into Advanced Music, they can be accepted if they also choose to enroll in Choral/Vocal Music. Students will be notified during the audition process if this would be a co-requisite in each individual case.

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. The ensemble may also participate in local student jazz festivals.

Advanced Choir

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–12

Admission is by audition only; a strong commitment is expected.

Note: Acceptance into Advanced Choir requires students to pass an audition. The audition process will assess overall musicality and musical literacy/theory knowledge (reading music, sight-reading, ear training, etc.). If rising 9th and 10th graders do not demonstrate the expected level of musical literacy/theory knowledge sufficient to be accepted into Advanced Choir, they can be accepted if they also choose to enroll in Choral/Vocal Music. Students will be notified during the audition process if this would be a co-requisite in each individual case.

Advanced Choir is an Advanced music ensemble open to dedicated singers in grades 9-12. In this collaborative and creative course, singers strengthen their musicianship, refine vocal technique, hone performing skills, and discuss arranging techniques. A wide range of repertoire will be sung, ranging from contemporary a cappella and pop music, to musical theater, traditional choral music, jazz, etc. Working collaboratively as a choir requires a commitment to learning parts, reading music notation, and strong aural skills. During class, singers will focus on developing various choral singing techniques like healthy tone production, blend and diction.

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.

Choral/Vocal Music Workshop

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9–10

Prerequisite: None

This is an active and creative class for students who want to sing. Singers will explore a variety of styles, including popular music, musical theater, contemporary choral music, a cappella, jazz and rock. The full year course requires students to focus on developing skills in ensemble singing and performing as well as building a strong foundation of music literacy. Students will sing together as a choir, in small groups, and solo. During class, singers will develop various choral singing techniques like healthy tone production, blend and diction. This is a performance-based class. While there is no audition required, students must demonstrate a strong commitment to performing.

Grade 10 Instrumental Music Workshop

Credits: 1.0

Grade: 10

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

This full-year seminar will focus on two main areas: the process of group music making; and the development of literacy skills. Students select the repertoire and students drive the rehearsals all while acquiring the theoretical and practical tools of literacy. The course will culminate in composition work in which students will put their developing literacy skills to use. Student groups from this class will perform frequently and in various settings throughout the school year.

Grade 11-12 Choral/Vocal Music Workshop

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: Choral/Vocal Music Workshop or permission from the instructor

This is an active and creative class for students who want to sing. Singers will explore a variety of styles, including popular music, musical theater, contemporary choral music, a cappella, jazz and rock. The full year course requires students to focus on honing and finessing skills in ensemble singing, performing, and music literacy. Students will sing together as a choir, in small groups, and solo and collaborate on vocal arrangements of songs of their choosing. During class, singers will develop various choral singing techniques like healthy tone production, blend, diction, and artistic expression. This is a performance-based class. While there is no audition required, students must demonstrate a strong commitment to performing.

Grade 11-12 Instrumental Music Workshop

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11–12

Prerequisite: Instrumental Music Workshop or permission from the instructor

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.

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 Through Mastery

Credit: 0.5

Grades: 9

Prerequisite: None

In this introductory course for 9th graders, we bring two of Avenues’ signature learning experiences, High-Intensity Practice (HIP) and Mastery, into one space in order to teach about the mindsets, thinking skills and tools required for success at Avenues. The experience begins with a HIP focus on flexible thinking skills. Cultivating the highest level of cognitive skills—empathy, creativity, mental agility, critical thinking, extended concentration and stamina—through writing and math skills, we employ deliberate practice and targeted feedback on daily challenges to develop our students. Over time, we begin to apply those skills into an area of interest or passion, taking our students from practice into their personal Mastery endeavors.

Principles of HIP and Mastery is a proving ground for students who are interested in further upper-grade Mastery experiences. Students who show focus, determination and growth in this class will receive recommendations for J-Term Mastery and for the Mastery Learning System.

HIP Thinking Through Coding

Credit: 0.5

Grades: 9

Prerequisite: None

HIP Thinking brings the concept of high-intensity practice together with engaging coding challenges in order to help students develop the cognitive flexibility that underlies advanced problem-solving, creativity and critical thinking. Lessons are built around focused and deliberate practice in foundational coding languages and aim to develop one or more aspects of the eight Avenues Thinking Elements: algorithms, empathy, creativity, critical thinking, metacognition, reasoning, mental agility, abstraction and planning.

HIP Electives (10th Grade)

The Art of Communication

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10

Prerequisite: None

Your voice, on the page and in the room, has the power to inform, persuade, and inspire. In this course, we’ll combine storytelling and public speaking to help you communicate with confidence in real-world situations. Through high-energy practice, you’ll learn how to craft engaging narratives, sharpen your writing, and speak with clarity and presence. We’ll workshop personal essays, debate, perform original stories and poetry, and deliver speeches. By the end of the course, you’ll have key takeaways for your future, such as a polished personal statement for college and experience with mock interviews for jobs and internships. Whether you love writing and speaking or want to strengthen these skills, this class will give you the tools to tell your story and make your voice heard.

This course features high-intensity practice in writing and public speaking.

HUMANITIES ELECTIVES

Advanced Adaptation: Text to Music, Film, and More

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: teacher recommendation

Hercules, Hamlet, The Hours, Homer’s Odyssey, Hamilton. What do these names share, other than a nice alliterative list? They are all texts that have been adapted, or are adaptations of other texts. In this class we will be exploring the tensions between original and remake, between done and re-done, between classic and modern. What does it mean to take a text and to make a movie out of it? What does it mean to take a graphic novel and to make a musical? Why are all theatrical performances called adaptations? Can an adaptation be better than the original? Can it add value to the original, or point out its flaws? Could an adaptation of a dead white man’s play by a modern woman poet redeem some of its misogyny? What does a blues song written in 1917 have to do with a love story set nearly 60 years later? What does it mean for an adaptation to be “successful”?

In this class, you will be pushed not only to be close readers, but also comparative, nimble writers with an eye to synthesis. You will be asked to take a stake in big conversations about the value of literature and identity, and small conversations about the purpose of a single word in a play. You will come out a better writer, analyst, and cultural critic. In addition to being exposed to many new texts, movies, performances, discussions, and critical essays, you will come away from this class with an essay in which you outline your own theory about what makes a successful adaptation or a creative adaptation of your own.

Consciousness, Ethics and the Search for Meaning

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11-12

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.

Creative Writing

Credit 1.0

Grades 11-12

Prerequisite: None

In this course, students produce original creative writing and share their work in a supportive, discussion-based workshop environment. Students learn how to give and receive meaningful feedback, revise thoughtfully, and polish pieces for contests and publication.

Across the year, students study fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction by reading as writers—paying close attention not just to what a text means, but how it makes meaning. As students analyze craft choices in classic and contemporary writing, they practice those same techniques in their own work, gradually expanding their creative toolbox.

The course emphasizes experimentation, revision, and collaboration. Writing is treated as a process rather than a product, and students are encouraged to take creative risks and experiment with form and genre.

The Chronicle: A Global Study of Witness, Space, and Voice

Credit 1.0

Grades 11-12

Prerequisite: None

This humanities course centers on the chronicle as a dynamic genre that blurs boundaries between journalism, literature, memoir, ethnography, history, and art. Students explore how writers and artists across English, Spanish, and global traditions observe everyday life, bear witness to real events, consolidate or repudiate empire, and transform lived experience into narrative through text, film, photography, visual art, and audio storytelling.

Rather than approaching the chronicle in a purely chronological manner, the course is organized around four interrelated conceptual questions: voice, place, method, and collective memory/power. Using the chronicles that we investigate together in class as a point of departure, students will analyze, create, and experiment with their own chronicles in written, visual, audio, and hybrid forms. The course emphasizes engagement across media and ethical storytelling, and is ideal for motivated readers and writers who look forward to discussion and to deeply exploring their own ways of seeing and interpreting the world.

Film Studies

Credit 1.0

Grades 11-12

Prerequisite: None

Introduction to Film Studies, a humanities course, will examine and explore narrative film analysis, criticism, and history. We will watch, discuss, and write; we will immerse ourselves in domestic and foreign films alike; we will be voracious omnivores, consuming films and genres both familiar and unfamiliar, from our time and those previous, and perhaps even imagining the future of film, too. Units of study will include film editing, sound, narrative devices, theory, and production, and the course will conclude with a genre or director study of the student’s choice. While we will base our collective, in-class work on shared texts, students will often be able to pick their film texts on which to base their assignments. Students with an appetite for film are encouraged to consider this course as well as those who love to write, analyze, and critique; this course has no filmmaking or art history prerequisites; the language of cinema is universal, and we will learn to better speak and understand it together.

Genre Study: Contemporary American Poetry from Modernism and Beyond

Credit 1.0

Grades 10-12

Prerequisite: None

In his book The Use of Poetry and The Use of Criticism, T.S. Eliot wrote, "The poetry of a people takes its life from the people’s speech and in turn gives life to it; and represents its highest point of consciousness." In this yearlong elective, students will explore how poetry has mirrored and altered the people's speech in America-- beginning with the explosion of modernism, and tracing subsequent poetic movements through the twentieth century to the present. They will examine the work of modernists like Williams and Pound, post-modernists like O'Hara and Ashbery, the Harlem Renaissance works of Hughes and McKay, confessional poets like Plath, Rich, and Sexton, Beats like Ginsberg and Kerouac, New York School poets Koch and Schuyler, and early 2000s poetics of the digital age. They will engage in close reading, discussion, and creative experimentation, focusing on how poets use image and voice to examine identity, memory, and the politics of their time. Students will conduct advanced analysis while also writing original poems inspired by the voices we study. Throughout the course, students will strengthen their analytical writing and discussion skills, and redefine their relationship with language as they consider how form shapes meaning.

Advanced Gothic Literature

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: teacher recommendation

Ghosts, vampires, ghouls, a zombie with no conscience. What do all these things have in common? They’re all hallmarks of Gothic Literature! In this course, students will explore some of the most foundational texts of the genre, including heavyweights such as Stoker’s Dracula, short stories and poems from the mind of Edgar Allan Poe, Henry James' Turn of the Screw, and many more. The primary focus of this course will be the analysis of literary techniques and style used by the authors, examining how these tales of horror and fright are actually often used to examine questions around the human condition. A warning comes with this course description, however! This class will not be for the faint of heart. Aside from the grim and macabre subject matter, these texts can also be dense and rife with antiquated language that will provide a challenge to even the most astute readers. Much like with the foreboding and decaying castles that so often serve as the backdrop for the novels we’ll be reading in this course–enter at your own risk.

Advanced Humanities

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: 9th Grade English & World Course, and instructor approval

Now more than ever, everyone’s a critic–but is everyone a good critic? In this Advanced Humanities course on criticism, we will read, write, and discuss to discover what makes criticism persuasive, artful, and complex. This Advanced course in criticism will give you the opportunity to refine and expand your own critical sensibilities and skills as you use the form to analyze and evaluate a wide range of texts–from novels, music and film to social media platforms and technologies. We’ll begin by reading past and contemporary professional critics to understand how we can express our own critical takes with passion and precision. Along the way, we’ll ask bigger, complicated questions about how audiences, critics and creators themselves determine artistic quality across different mediums. Once we’ve had some practice as reviewers, we’ll use different critical lenses to decode the deeper cultural significance of contemporary trends in art and pop culture. As a writer, you’ll be given the freedom to explore your own unique interests, but with each all of our readings and writing projects, you’ll also develop a richer understanding of art and culture

The Impossible Dream: Quixotic Characters in Literature (and film)

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: none

Why do some characters refuse to accept the world as it is? Why do they pursue visions others call foolish or impossible?

This course examines quixotic characters—dreamers and outsiders whose commitments place them in conflict with social reality. We will begin where the novel starts, Cervante’s Don Quixote and end with one of the 20th Century’s most celebrated epics: Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. These novels will help us trace how literature repeatedly returns to figures who insist on meaning in resistant worlds, from absurdist delusion to urgent confrontations with power, race, and invisibility.

In between Cervantes and Ellison, we will dive into readings by Kafka, Woolf, Borges, and Lispector and films by directors like Godard, Gilliam, and Kurosawa. These texts will help us analyze fractured modern life, bureaucracy, and intense interior vision. Together, we will ask when idealism becomes self-deception, when it becomes courage, and who gets labeled mad, invisible, and/ or heroic.

Through close reading, discussion, and analytical writing, we will consider quixotism not as a literary oddity but as a recurring human impulse– one which perhaps feels especially important in our modern times.

Advanced Journalism

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: teacher recommendation

This advanced course explores journalism as a force for advocacy, knowledge, and social change. Students will develop essential skills in investigation, inquiry, reporting, writing, editing, and ethical decision-making, all in service of producing and publishing high-quality journalistic work. Over the course of the semester, students will engage deeply with the evolving landscape of media, exploring not only print but also digital journalism, podcasts, broadcast news, and multimedia storytelling.

Student work will be grounded in an ongoing conversation about the responsibilities of journalists and editors. Together, we’ll wrestle with questions of truth, accuracy, objectivity, fairness, and accountability, examining how journalistic ethics shape what gets told, how, and by whom. Students will also critically study classic and contemporary works of journalism as they investigate how publications function as public forums for civic discourse and social impact.

Uniquely, all writing in this course is composed with an eye toward real publication. Students will write, revise, and publish pieces in The Highliner, the Upper Grades student-led magazine, and will regularly experience the thrill (and pressure) of writing for an authentic audience.

Movies Matter: Intro to Film History and Analysis

Credit 1.0

Grades 10

Prerequisite: None

“Cinema is a matter of what’s in the frame and what’s out.” Filmmaker Martin Scorsese reminds us that every choice in a movie matters — what we see, what we don’t see, and where the camera asks us to look.

In this course, students explore how movies have changed over time and through different artistic movements and generic conventions (e.g. the Hollywood screwball comedy to the western to film noir, to name a few). You’ll learn how filmmakers use images, sound, and storytelling to share ideas, shape emotions, and influence people’s perspectives.

Just like we analyze novels and poems, we will learn how to “read” films — noticing patterns, symbols, genres, and techniques that give movies deeper meaning. By watching important films, creating your own projects, engaging in discussion with peers–and maybe even with some professional practitioners of the craft!–students will build the skills to think critically about movies, understand their history, and talk about film with greater confidence.

Advanced Shakespeare: The Political Shakespeare

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: teacher recommendation

In 2017, a New York City Shakespeare in The Park production of Julius Caesar–a play in which The Bard himself reinvents the history and myth of the assassination of that Ancient Roman leader–drew praise and outrage for portraying Caesar as Donald Trump. Eighty years before that, in 1937, legendary actor and director Orson Welles produced his own timely version of the play, using stage-sets and costumes that forced audiences to draw urgent parallels between Shakespeare’s tragedy and the looming threat of fascism. These are only two resonant examples of the way in which actors and directors have taken Shakespeare’s own politically charged reimagining's and reimagined them anew to comment on their own political moments. In this Advanced course on the political origins and endlessly shifting political legacy of Shakespeare's work, we’ll investigate the theatrical and poetic workings of major plays–including Julius Caesar, Measure for Measure, Henry IV, and King Lear, among others–to illuminate their complex visions of statecraft, leadership, tyranny, and resistance. We’ll close read Shakespeare’s language to understand different forms of political rhetoric, and we’ll situate the plays within their own historical context. Once we’ve gained an understanding of the political language, themes and contexts of the plays themselves, we’ll broaden our scope to discover how past and contemporary artists have adapted them in response to the political crises and challenges of their own times. To make these themes and connections come alive, we will write analytically and creatively, and we will engage in performance and discussion. We’ll tackle complicated artistic and political questions, though we won’t forget to savor the drama and language of Shaksepeare’s tyrants, traitors, and rebels.

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

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

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: English 9

In our increasingly globalized world—teeming with information, narratives, and perspectives—how does literature both shape and respond to the ideas of modernity and to innovative modes of storytelling? This is the central question 10th-grade English explores. Grounded in literary texts that portray the clashes and collaborations of a globalized society examined in 10th-grade World Course, English centers “the human narrative” in global-scale change. Students will make connections between historical periods and works of literature, consider authorial point of view in terms of both culture and aesthetics, and ground examination of complex themes in close reading of literary devices. Students will then apply their growing reading and analysis skills to class discussion and to crafting a variety of writing pieces across genres of analytic and creative writing. Over the course of 10th-grade English, students will elevate their writing style, learn and practice mechanics through writing-based projects, and draw nuanced connections between the literature of the past and the world of today.

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.

MATHEMATICS

Integrated Math Pathways (Grades 8-11)

All years of Integrated Math 1 through 4 (typically taken in grades 8-11, respectively) feature two parallel pathways: Integrated and Advanced Integrated.

The Integrated Math pathway aims to build strong problem solvers equipped with the skills to thrive in basic collegiate-level math courses such as calculus. New ideas are introduced primarily in class through a balanced approach that includes direct instruction, guided inquiry, collaborative problem-solving, and discussion, with teachers providing targeted support and scaffolding as students develop understanding. Homework focuses on building and practicing strong computational and algebraic skills and reinforcing concepts explored in class. The course also aims to explicitly build study skills such as note-taking, study habits, and managing coursework independently.

The Advanced Integrated Math pathway aims to build highly capable and independent problem solvers who are ready for more rigorous and conceptually demanding mathematics. New ideas are introduced primarily in class through a balanced approach that includes direct instruction, guided inquiry, collaborative problem-solving, and mathematical discussion, with an emphasis on reasoning, explanation, and multiple representations of ideas. Homework serves as an extension of class work, focusing on deepening understanding, refining techniques, and applying concepts to more complex, non-routine problems. Students in this pathway are expected to demonstrate greater autonomy in problem solving, comfort with mathematical complexity, and resilience when grappling with challenging concepts. Placement in the Advanced Integrated pathway requires approval from math faculty and deans, who consider multiple sources of data, including year-long performance and results from a readiness assessment, alongside student readiness and interest.

The year-end learning outcomes of the Integrated and Advanced Integrated classes are aligned at each grade level, for the purposes of preparing all students for Calculus over the course of 8th to 11th grades. In the Advanced Integrated pathway there is an understanding and expectation of extending course math content further when applicable. Year-end parity allows students to request to move between the two pathways at the beginning of 9th-11th grades, if they feel that based on their experience in one pathway, their goals and needs would be more effectively supported by the other pathway in the coming school year.

Students who complete either pathway will have the opportunity to pursue a variety of math courses in their senior year, including calculus-focused courses, discrete mathematics, data science, and statistics. Please note that some advanced-level courses in 12th grade require teacher recommendation, readiness assessments, and placement. Both the Integrated and Advanced Integrated Pathways cover the content in Integrated Math 2, 3 and 4, as described below

For more information about the Integrated and Advanced Integrated Pathways, we encourage you to read through this resource as a family, and discuss with your Dean.

Important Notes:

As mentioned above, students in either pathway will learn the same content over the course of grades 8-11
Studying Calculus in 12th grade is possible via either pathway

Integrated Math 2

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 9

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

This integrated math class encourages students to become active participants in productive 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 calculating distance between two points and modeling real-life situations. The Pythagorean theorem is then extended as an effective tool to identify slopes, construct slope-triangles, as well as to establish basic vector skills. 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. As students develop strong mathematical proof techniques, they are encouraged to apply them on challenging problems. Topics in geometry also 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

Integrated Math 4

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11

Prerequisite: Completion of Integrated Math 3 or equivalent

This integrated math class encourages students to become active participants in productive discussions to develop a deeper understanding of mathematical reasoning. Students focus on communicating mathematics accurately, as well as acquiring a lifelong passion to enjoy the beauty and the creativity involved in mathematics. The 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. Students spend a considerable time working on fundamental probability theories and explore various problem types involving permutations, combinations, and probability. Basic understanding of finite sequences and series extend to infinite series and the discussion of convergence of series, both of which establish the conceptual and algebraic foundations of Calculus topics. Students also analyze the behavior of polynomial graphs including horizontal, vertical, and slant asymptotes. Once students solidify their understanding of family of basic functions both graphically and algebraically, they start formulating the concept of limit, which has been used intuitively in their past explorations. Problems that increasingly elevate the complexity of the use of limits prepare students to understand continuity and discontinuity of functions, which eventually allows students to dive into the concepts of Calculus.

Discrete Mathematics

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: Completion of Math 4

With the growing amount of data collected from digital apps, social media, financial markets, and scientific research, understanding statistics is more important than ever. This course will help students develop problem-solving skills and apply statistical tools to real-world situations. Through hands-on activities and projects, students will gain a practical understanding of data analysis and its role in different fields such as science, business, and technology.

Applied Statistics introduces students to the fundamental concepts of statistical thinking. Students will first learn how to understand and interpret data, recognize patterns, and make informed conclusions. They will cover the basics of statistics to build a baseline understanding of statistical thinking. They will then explore how to collect, organize, and analyze data using various statistical methods.

Introduction to Calculus

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: Integrated Math 4 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 concepts of average and instantaneous rate of change using basic limits and the techniques of differentiation.

Calculus

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: Integrated Math 4 and teacher recommendation

This course is designed for students who are highly motivated and eager to study mathematics at the level of a rigorous Calculus class. We begin with a deep dive into new topics such as polar coordinates, periodic functions, the asymptotic behavior of rational functions, complex numbers, and infinite geometric series. With this expanded algebraic toolkit, students then take on one of the most influential ideas in the history of mathematics: the instantaneous rate of change.

After exploring instantaneous rate of change, and its relationship to average rate of change, both graphically and algebraically, students practice a range of differentiation techniques and apply them to classic calculus problems, including related rates and optimization. If time permits, the course also introduces slope fields, separable differential equations, and the accumulation problem through the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.

Advanced Calculus

Credit 1.0

Grade 12

Prerequisite: Integrated Math 4 and teacher recommendation

This calculus course is designed to challenge highly motivated mathematics students, particularly those considering STEM pathways in college and beyond. It covers the full scope of differential and integral calculus in a highly student-centered environment that requires significant self-directed learning.

In addition to core calculus topics, students study power series, Taylor and Maclaurin series, and how these series connect to polynomial and function approximation. The course also introduces the Lagrange error bound as a way to measure the accuracy of an approximation, along with tests for convergence of infinite series. Finally, students explore the calculus of parametric and polar functions, providing a strong capstone to Avenues’ integrated mathematics sequence.

Advanced Multivariable Calculus

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12 (only if prerequisites are met)

Prerequisites: Successful completion of the Avenues Upper Grades Avenues math curriculum, including an Avenues Calculus course, or the equivalent.

Multivariable Calculus is offered as a college-level mathematics elective course available to students who have completed the full Avenues Upper Grades math curriculum. Placement in this course also requires a strong math teacher recommendation and instructor approval. The scope of this class expands traditional calculus concepts into the study of functions of two or more variables. This course will rely heavily on independent study, with robust instructor support through frequent feedback and regular office hours, as well as group discussions. Some of the main areas of focus will be Vectors and Matrices, Partial Derivatives, Double and Triple integrals.

MATH & ENGINEERING ELECTIVES

Advanced Computer Science

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11-12

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

How can AI help improve the quality and efficiency of computer scientists and engineers? What is the impact on our society and the 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, object-oriented programming, web design, electronics/robotics, and more. They will exhibit mastery of these topics through a series of projects designed to solve real-world problems as well as through Labs that focus on core skills. They will also investigate and report on the impacts of computer science on society and the environment and present their findings in formal presentations.

Fact or Fiction? Interpreting Data in Everyday Life

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: None

This course empowers students to navigate an information-rich world by developing skills to interpret, question, and communicate with data. Rather than focusing on advanced calculations, the emphasis is on statistical literacy—recognizing how statistics shape arguments in news media, scientific research, advertising, and public policy, and identifying when data is presented accurately or misleadingly.

Students explore fundamental concepts including methods of data collection, survey and experiment design, potential sources of bias, effective data visualization, and meaningful summary measures. Through examples drawn from healthcare, sports analytics, economics, environmental science, and social issues, students learn to evaluate statistical claims critically and distinguish strong evidence from weak reasoning.

A primary objective is developing analytical writing and argumentation skills. Students practice articulating interpretations clearly, supporting positions with appropriate evidence, and constructively critiquing statistical reasoning in real-world articles and studies. Assignments emphasize conceptual understanding over computation, preparing students to become informed consumers and communicators of quantitative information. By course completion, students can assess data-driven claims thoughtfully and express evidence-based conclusions persuasively across academic and everyday contexts.

Misleading Maps: Geographic Data Science

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

You have all seen a map of the globe, but would it surprise you to know that the map lied to you in one way or another? Whether it be the projection of the map, or the data represented, all maps are created to make you feel a certain way, and yes, sometimes lie. This class will challenge students to question the maps they see every day and uncover how design choices, projections, and data selection shape the stories maps tell. Students learn the fundamentals of cartography alongside powerful spatial analysis tools such as ArcGIS and R to visualize and interpret complex geographic data. Through hands-on projects, students explore real-world questions using either social science data (such as census data) or natural science data (including bird migration and climate change over time). The course emphasizes decoding, analyzing, and redesigning maps to better understand space, place, and location, and to create compelling visualizations that reveal patterns, bias, and insight hidden within data.

Statistics and Data Science in Action: Modeling Real-World Problems

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

This course provides a mathematically rigorous introduction to statistical analysis and modeling with applications across diverse fields. Students explore foundational concepts in data representation and study design before advancing to probability theory, statistical inference, and regression methods. Topics include probability distributions, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and linear, multiple, and logistic regression, with strong emphasis on mathematical reasoning and real-world interpretation.

Students work extensively with authentic datasets to investigate compelling questions across sports, health, business, finance, and environmental science: What factors predict athletic performance? How do clinical trials test new treatments? What patterns drive consumer behavior or climate trends? Through hands-on analysis of real data from public databases, students learn to design studies, build statistical models, and communicate findings through formal statistical writing.

This course is ideal for students with strong algebra skills who want to understand how mathematics powers data-driven insights in fields that shape our world—from predicting game outcomes to understanding public health to analyzing market trends.

Advanced Robotics Engineering Courses

These courses may be piloted, pending sufficient student interest, enrollment, and feasibility during the 2026-27 school year.

The Advanced Robotics Engineering course sequence aims to leverage the expertise and opportunities within the Avenues Robotics program experience to create a pathway for students who are interested in enrolling in a formal credit-bearing engineering elective course sequence. Students enrolled in the courses described below would complete clearly defined engineering assignments and projects that align with FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) program goals while ensuring that they independently develop engineering knowledge and skills. The coursework is designed to formalize and document learning that already occurs when students fully engage in the engineering aspects of the Avenues Robotics program, while adding academic rigor, reflection, and accountability appropriate for course credit.

Importantly, participation in robotics and enrollment in the courses are not mutually dependent. Students may participate in the Avenues Robotics program without enrolling in one of these courses. Course requirements focus on individual artifacts, even when projects are completed by a team, ensuring fair assessment regardless of team role or competition outcomes.

Advanced Robotics Engineering Courses are open to students in grades 9-12, meet twice per week from 4:00-5:30, and do not take the place of required or optional elective courses in a student’s schedule. Instruction is asynchronous and project-based, and course work is largely completed during the afternoon robotics time, with limited at-home work. Each course runs for a full academic year.

Advanced Robotics Engineering: Mechanical 1

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: Completed and accepted application, and Instructor permission

Recommended co-requisite: Advanced Physics or equivalent

Robotics Engineering: Mechanical 1 introduces the engineering design process through the design of robotics systems. ME1 emphasizes the engineering process, documentation, qualitative physics reasoning, computer-aided design, testing, and communication of design decisions. This elective meets twice per week for 90 minutes after school. Registration for the FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics program is recommended but not required.

Advanced Robotics Engineering: Mechanical 2

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: Advanced Physics or equivalent; completion of Mechanical Engineering 1 or equivalent. Completed and accepted application, and Instructor permission

Robotics Engineering: Mechanical 2 is an extension of Mechanical 1 with higher expectations for physics, math, modeling, and justification. ME2 advances mechanical engineering rigor through quantitative modeling, prediction, optimization, manufacturing considerations, and failure-aware decision making using competition-scale subsystems. This elective meets twice per week for 90 minutes after school. Registration for the FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics program is recommended but not required.

Advanced Robotics Engineering: Software and Control Systems 1

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: Completed and accepted application, and Instructor permission

Software and Control Systems 1 (SCS1) uses the control of robotic mechanisms to teach students the foundations of Java-based programming and control logic. SCS1 focuses on object-oriented programming, sensor integration, and feedback-based control through iterative implementation and reflection. This elective meets twice per week for 90 minutes after school. Registration for the FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics program is recommended but not required.

Advanced Robotics Engineering: Software and Control Systems 2

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 9-12

Prerequisite: Completion of Software and Control Systems 1 or equivalent. Completed and accepted application, and Instructor permission

Software and Control Systems 2 (SCS2) is an extension of SCS1 with higher expectations for quantitative control theory, autonomous motion planning, and computer-vision and multi-sensor integration. SCS2 advances control systems rigor by emphasizing system architecture, prediction and modeling, performance optimization, and data-justified design choices. This elective meets twice per week for 90 minutes after school. Registration for the FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics program is recommended but not required.

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: 9-10

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. By the end of the year, students are expected to reach and sustain the level of “Low-Mid Novice” proficiency across all skill areas.

Spanish 2: Breakthrough

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9-10

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. By the end of the year, students are expected to reach and sustain the level of “Mid-High Novice” proficiency across all skill areas.

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. By the end of the year, students are expected to reach and sustain the level of “Low to Mid Intermediate” on the Avenues Language Scale of proficiency across all skill areas.

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. 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. By the end of the year, students are expected to reach and sustain the level of “Mid to High Intermediate” on the Avenues Language Scale of proficiency across all skill areas.

Advanced Spanish New World: Latin America

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9-10

Prerequisite: Spanish 4 or equivalent language proficiency

The Advanced New World: Latin America course continues to enhance students’ level of Spanish proficiency across the three communicative modes—interpersonal, interpretive and presentational—and the five goal areas—communication, cultures, connections, comparisons and communities. 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 throughout Latin America, students will learn and develop an appreciation of the similarities and differences of other cultures as it is vital to their understanding of 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. The objective of this course is to assist students in sustaining the level of “Intermediate High to Advanced” on the Avenues Language Scale in all areas of language skills.

Advanced Spanish: Literature and Arts

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: Spanish 4 or equivalent language proficiency

The Advanced Spanish Literature and Arts course encompasses the in depth study of various language structures embedded in relevant literary, cultural and social topics. Culture, whether it is in the form of music, visual arts, performing arts or fashion, plays an important role in our daily life, as it is a part of our identity; and literature and art contributes to individual and collective expression and provides people with a sense of belonging. The objective of this course is to assist students in reaching and sustaining the level of “Intermediate High to Advanced” on the Avenues Language Scale in all areas of language skills.

Advanced Specialized Topics in Spanish

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: Advanced Spanish or equivalent language proficiency and teacher recommendation

This dynamic, discussion-based course invites students to explore key literary, philosophical, and journalistic works from the Spanish-speaking world. Students will critically engage with texts that illuminate Latin American and Spanish identities, histories, and cultural movements while strengthening their Spanish language skills through reading, analysis, and creative expression. Through rigorous discussion, analytical writing, and creative projects, students will deepen their understanding of Spanish language literature and culture while refining their Spanish fluency in a meaningful and immersive way.

Possible Topics Include:

Writing & Philosophy: What defines Latin American identity? Through the works of philosophers, poets, political leaders, and storytellers, students will explore evolving literary trends, self-perception, and external representations of the Hispanic world. Creative writing exercises will mirror the styles of studied authors.

Cities in the Hispanic World: From 19th-century Madrid to modern-day Buenos Aires, this course examines how urban life has been depicted in Hispanic literature. Using an interdisciplinary lens, students will analyze themes of immigration, poverty, post-war reconstruction, and the literary imagination of cities such as Havana, Mexico City, and Santiago de Chile.

Journalism & Creative Writing: Many of Latin America’s greatest writers began as journalists. Students will study chronicles and reportage by renowned authors such as Gabriel García Márquez and José Martí, tracing pivotal moments in Hispanic history while honing their own skills in journalistic and creative writing.

Advanced Specialized Individual Pathways in Spanish

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: Advanced Spanish (or equivalent language proficiency), and teacher recommendation

This student-driven course empowers students to design and execute an independent research project with real-world applications, all while advancing their language skills. With faculty mentorship, students explore specialized fields such as business, medicine, technology, history, culture, humanities, or politics, exclusively using their Spanish as the primary language for research, communication, and collaboration. Research is enhanced through an internship or partnership with a target language-speaking organization, fostering language immersion in professional and community settings. Students will refine their critical thinking, problem-solving, and professional communication skills while producing a culminating project that demonstrates both academic depth and real-world impact. Ideal for motivated students seeking hands-on experience, language fluency, and cross-cultural engagement.

Note: Indicating preference for a particular class does not guarantee enrollment in the course. Placement for Advanced language courses will be determined by the following: teacher recommendation, class performance, and AAPPL data. Advanced Specialized Individual Pathways courses may require additional application materials.

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: Discovery

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9-10

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: Breakthrough

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9-10

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: Exploration

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 “Novice High to Low Intermediate” 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: Empowerment

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 “Mid 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: History and Society

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9-10

Prerequisite: Chinese 4 or equivalent language proficiency and teacher recommendation

The Advanced Chinese History and Society course continues to enhance students’ 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 “Intermediate High to Advanced” on the Avenues Language Scale in all areas of language skills.

Advanced Chinese: Literature and Arts

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: Chinese 4 or equivalent language proficiency and teacher recommendation

The Advanced Chinese Literature and Arts course continues to enhance students’ 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 “Intermediate High to Advanced” on the Avenues Language Scale in all areas of language skills.

Advanced Specialized Topics in Chinese

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 9-12

Prerequisite: Advanced Chinese or equivalent language proficiency and teacher recommendation

This dynamic, discussion-based course invites students to explore key literary, philosophical, and journalistic works from the Chinese-speaking world. Students will critically engage with texts that illuminate Chinese identities, histories, and cultural movements while strengthening their Chinese language skills through reading, analysis, and creative expression. Through rigorous discussion, analytical writing, and creative projects, students will deepen their understanding of Chinese language literature and culture while refining their Chinese fluency in a meaningful and immersive way.

Possible topics include:

Business Chinese

This course is designed to equip students with practical business communication skills in an interconnected global economy. Through interactive projects and real-world applications, students will develop the language proficiency, cultural awareness, and strategic thinking necessary for professional success across international markets. Emphasizing cross-cultural business etiquette, global economic trends, and international trade policies, the course explores key topics such as Mock Interviews, Entrepreneurship & Investment Pitch, Product Advertisement Creation, Social Media Marketing Campaigns, Business Deal Negotiation, and Influencer Marketing Collaboration. Additionally, students will analyze case studies on multinational corporations, emerging markets, and global supply chain management, gaining insights into how economic policies, trade agreements, and financial regulations impact businesses worldwide.

Contemporary Literature and Cinema

This course examines the development of 20th-century Chinese cinema and literature, exploring their social, cultural, and historical impact while strengthening students’ Chinese language skills. Through films from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, students will analyze key cinematic movements, while literary studies will cover major authors, movements, and regional trends. Readings span four historical periods (1900-2000), with discussions, written work, and presentations conducted in Chinese. Emphasizing critical analysis and language development, the course enhances reading comprehension, analytical writing, and oral fluency, providing insight into how film and literature shape cultural identity, political change, and social transformation.

Eastern Philosophy

This course introduces the religious philosophies of East and South Asia, focusing on Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Shintoism. Students will engage with primary texts in translation, analyzing their significance and impact on culture, history, and society. Through discussions, written analysis, and experiential learning, all conducted in Chinese, students will enhance their language skills, expand vocabulary, improve reading comprehension, and develop oral fluency. This interdisciplinary approach deepens both linguistic competence and cultural understanding, offering insight into the evolution and influence of religious traditions.

Ancient China

This advanced Chinese course combines language learning with an in-depth study of Ancient China’s history, politics, and culture. Using authentic historical texts, classical literature, and discussions on key dynasties, students will examine the political systems that shaped China’s past. By analyzing the rise and fall of major dynasties, this course explores themes of leadership, legitimacy, and political stability, providing a deeper understanding of historical governance and its lasting impact.

International Relations & Economics Chinese

Advanced Specialized Individual Pathways in Chinese

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: Advanced Chinese (or equivalent language proficiency), and teacher recommendation

This student-driven course empowers students to design and execute an independent research project with real-world applications, all while advancing their language skills. With faculty mentorship, students explore specialized fields such as business, medicine, technology, history, culture, humanities, or politics, exclusively using their Chinese as the primary language for research, communication, and collaboration. Research is enhanced through an internship or partnership with a target language-speaking organization, fostering language immersion in professional and community settings. Students will refine their critical thinking, problem-solving, and professional communication skills while producing a culminating project that demonstrates both academic depth and real-world impact. Ideal for motivated students seeking hands-on experience, language fluency, and cross-cultural engagement.

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.

Natural Science Electives

Advanced BioDesign & Bioengineering

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: Completion of Biochemistry and teacher recommendation

This advanced course builds on core scientific foundations in biochemistry, cell biology, physiology, and genetics, strengthening students’ understanding of how these disciplines support modern biological innovation. Students explore how biodesign integrates living systems, biological materials, and nature-inspired strategies to create functional and sustainable solutions, and how bioengineering applies engineering principles to manipulate biological systems for healthcare and biotechnology.

Through hands-on labs and design challenges, students engage in biodesign by developing and testing biomaterials for medical and health-related applications (for example, hydrogels designed for wound care, ointments, masks, or drug-delivery simulations). Students also study bioengineering through classroom-based experiments and simulations, such as bacterial transformation and CRISPR gene-editing models, to understand how microorganisms can be engineered to produce useful biological products.

Throughout the course, students apply iterative design, testing, and scientific validation. The course culminates in an individual design-and-research project in which students identify a biological problem and develop a biodesign or bioengineering solution supported by research, experimental evidence, and ethical consideration.

Advanced Biology

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

Prerequisite: Completion of Biochemistry and teacher recommendation

Advanced Biology goes deeper into students’ prior learning in biochemistry and cell biology and extends that knowledge into the study of human physiology. Students examine how molecular and cellular processes support normal biological function and how disruptions at these levels contribute to disease.

Through labs, case studies, and evidence based scientific inquiry, students apply their biological understanding to analyze the causes and progression of disease. The course examines conditions such as antibiotic resistance, metabolic dysfunction, liver cirrhosis, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders, emphasizing how disruptions in biochemical and cellular processes affect different biological systems. Students also study how diseases are treated by examining both the current standard of care and innovative, evidence supported biological and biotechnological approaches, connecting foundational biology to real world medical challenges and modern advances in healthcare.

Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy & Physiology

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: Integrated Science 2

Have you ever wondered why the bones in a whale’s fin or a bird’s wing resemble those in a human arm—yet function so differently? Or why cows need multiple stomachs while humans don’t, or why alligators must bask in the sun to survive?

In this elective, students explore the animal kingdom through the lens of comparative anatomy and physiology, investigating how form and function reflect evolutionary history. What defines a vertebrate? What makes humans unique—and what do we share with reptiles, amphibians, birds, and other mammals?

Through hands-on laboratory investigations, dissections, modeling activities, research, lectures, and discussion, students will analyze how different body systems are structured and how they work across vertebrate groups. By comparing biological systems, students gain a deeper appreciation for the elegance, efficiency, and diversity of life—human and otherwise.

This course is especially well suited for students interested in biology, medicine, veterinary science, or other health and life science fields.

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 an in-depth understanding of the building blocks of matter, the periodic table, chemical reactions, and the role of chemistry in the broader world. Students explore these topics through a combination of theoretical study, case study discussion, and hands-on 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 Organic Chemistry

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 12

Prerequisite: Advanced Chemistry

Explore the challenging, fascinating, and intricate science that is the study of carbon-based molecules, known as organic chemistry. This course is designed to provide a foundational understanding of the principles that govern the molecules of life. Students will explore the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds, as well as their applications in pharmaceutical, medicinal, and materials science, all while gaining insight into the chemical processes that underlie the world we inhabit.

Advanced Physics

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10-12

Prerequisite: Integrated Science 1 and instructor approval

The course in Advanced Physics is designed to provide students with a thorough quantitative introduction to physics as well as a firm foundation in techniques in experimental science. The course focuses mainly on Mechanics while also including a well-integrated foray through analytical techniques concerning work and energy, vibrational motion, kinetic theory, the ideal gas law, and the fundamental forces of nature. Important connections to topics in chemistry are consistently drawn upon as students find themselves involved in deeper applications in applied physics. Opportunities for quantitative analysis in laboratory settings prepare students to grow in their ability to apply lab skills in a wider variety of situations. The course achieves closure as students explore the philosophy of science insofar as Quantum Mechanics informs us of such issues.

Advanced Physics with Calculus

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 12

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

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

Advanced Physics with Calculus (“Physics C”) is a one-year, university-level physics course, especially appropriate for students planning to specialize or major in the physical sciences and/or engineering. A major emphasis is placed on applying physics (and related science) to a wide range of hypothetical and actual scenarios in the real world. Competency in problem solving, quantitative analysis, and peer interactions are all paramount. The course begins with an in-depth, level-appropriate review of Advanced Physics (prerequisite), followed by rotational motion, harmonic motion and resonance, fluid statics and dynamics, and selected topics in heat flow and energy transfer. Term 2 is spent gradually increasing students’ exposure to opportunities to apply calculus not only in theoretical but also in laboratory experiences. The year wraps up by exposing students to an introduction to Quantum Mechanics sufficient to motivate them to engage with the big, remaining unsolved problems, including black hole physics, the big bang, dark matter, and dark energy.

SENIOR SEMINAR

Senior Seminar is a comprehensive module within the 12th-grade curriculum that delves deeply into the study of social sciences and humanities, with a particular focus on critically analyzing the rich tapestry of Chinese civilization. Beyond its academic content, the course is designed to equip students with essential skills vital for success at the college level. Central to our pedagogical approach are three core principles: Global Mindset, Perspectives, and Transferability.

Throughout the course, students will engage with a diverse array of materials sourced from leading Sinologists within Western academia. These materials encompass classic literature, philosophical treatises, non-fiction works, historical primary sources, empirical research papers, journals, commentaries, and critiques.

Moreover, the course places a strong emphasis on honing research skills through participatory activities such as presentation conferences and independent research projects. These activities mirror the academic environment prevalent in universities, preparing students for the rigors of higher education while fostering a spirit of intellectual inquiry and autonomy.

SOCIAL SCIENCE ELECTIVES

Being Human in the Age of the Internet

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10

Prerequisite: None

Has the Internet made our lives better or has it made everything worse? Are we more connected than ever or is each generation lonelier than the last? And what does it really mean to be terminally online? These are the questions we will ask in Being Human in the Age of the Internet. In this course, we will study the history of the Internet and how this avalanche of information and interconnectivity is reshaping what it means to be human. We will combine the disciplines of history, psychology, sociology, anthropology, cultural criticism, and direct consumption of online content in order to understand the many ways the Internet has changed our world. This class will be based on in-class discussion and independent research projects.

City of the World: An Interdisciplinary Study of NYC Immigration

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10-12

Prerequisite: None

Our city has always been a place where immigrants have made their mark and shaped our society and culture. Immigrants have influenced New York City’s politics, arts, and culture since the 1600s. This course will explore the history of immigration in New York City through personal stories from Juan Rodriguez, the first permanent non-native fur trader on Manahatta Island, employed by the Dutch as a translator, to Clara Lemlich, an influential early 20th century labor activist, and more recently, immigrants and children of immigrants like Jhumpa Lahiri, Mayor Zohran Mandami, and Cardi B. We will learn and discuss how waves of immigration have often brought growth and prosperity to our city, but also sparked tension and division - using the 1863 draft riots as a case study. We will also take advantage of the diversity in our own school to learn about how immigration has shaped our school community and take regular trips to explore museums, galleries, restaurants, and neighborhoods. By the end of the year, students will have an opportunity to research their own immigration stories and craft their own studies of certain aspects of New York City that have been influenced by immigrants. This class is for anyone interested in furthering their studies or exploring careers in the humanities, social sciences, politics, anthropology, or the arts.

Cognition, Choice, and Behavior

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

This course explores how humans make decisions using principles from cognitive science, psychology, and sociology. Students examine how attention, memory, emotion, and bias shape everyday choices, and how decision environments influence behavior in areas such as business, marketing, technology, and media. Through real-world case studies, experiments, and projects, students learn how organizations design choices to guide behavior and evaluate the ethical implications of influencing human decision-making. The course emphasizes critical thinking, media literacy, and self-awareness, empowering students to make more informed decisions in their personal, academic, and future professional lives.

Foundations of Economics

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10

Prerequisite: None

How do societies allocate scarce resources? What can you learn about something from its price, and how that price changes? What do businesses do to try to be profitable? This course will introduce the foundational models of economics, and help students understand how those affect their everyday lives. The course balances mathematical precision with discussion and application to current questions of public interest, and students will refine understandings through assessments, problem sets, and structured debates that help students develop their own understandings of topics such as healthcare, labor laws, educational policy, and environmental regulation. This course also acts as a crucial preparation for future advanced courses in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics.

Advanced History

Credit: 1.0

Grade: 10

Prerequisite: 9th Grade English & World Course, 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 History: Post–Cold War Latin America

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: teacher recommendation

How have economic and social relations developed in Latin America since the early 90s until today? What has the region’s relationship to the United States been like during these last decades? Who have become the faces of contemporary Latin American music, business, and politics? In this course, we will explore these questions focusing on Venezuela, Argentina, Cuba, and Brazil during these last decades. Through literature, cinema, and lived experiences of folks from these countries, we will learn the nuances behind the way Latin Americans view themselves and the historical experiments they have participated in.

International Relations and Globalization

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

The products of international relations affect your daily life on a near-constant basis, from your imported avocados to the computer chips in your cell phone. When you get on an international flight to Europe or send a postcard back from South America, you are subject to a complex system of norms, agreements and treaties that govern the relationship not only between nations but their subjects as well. International relations is the study of these dynamics from a critical and empirical lens. Students in this course will examine the basic foundations of the international system including international law, economy and political science/philosophy via high level academic sources, as well as film and fiction. Students will also be expected to participate in simulations that help demonstrate firsthand the underpinnings of the international system. By the end of the year, you will be using what you learn in class to analyze current events in the real world and offer your own solutions.

Leadership & Entrepreneurship: Making Things Happen

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

Great ideas matter, but leadership determines whether they go anywhere.

In this class, you will learn how ideas turn into action and how leadership shapes what happens next. We will explore how people start initiatives, organizations, and movements and how communication, trust, and decision-making influence their success.

You will study real-world examples from business, nonprofit work, education, advocacy, and social impact. Through case studies, readings, and discussion, we will examine how leaders and founders communicate purpose, manage disagreement, secure support, and navigate ethical challenges as their work develops.

You will own both a problem and a response. You will identify a real issue or opportunity, research the context and stakeholders, and begin building a solution. We will write proposals, develop strategy, coordinate people, and take concrete steps to get things started. You will revise your work as conditions change and new information emerges.

You will also learn how to pitch your work clearly and confidently. We will practice explaining what you are building, why it matters, and how it works, and responding thoughtfully to feedback and critique.

Throughout the course, we will return to questions of responsibility and impact. By the end of the class, you will have taken an idea from concept to action and led it through real decisions, communication, and follow-through.

Linguistics: Language, Power, and Society

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10-12

Prerequisite: None

This elective introduces students to linguistics, the scientific study of language, through a critical and decolonizing lens. Students examine how language works while questioning who has historically defined “standard” English and whose voices have been excluded. Using an introductory linguistics textbook as a foundation, the course explores how ideas about language have been shaped by colonial histories, power, and social inequality across different global contexts.

Students investigate topics such as grammar myths, accents and dialects, language and identity, linguistic discrimination, and global Englishes. Through inquiry-based learning, seminar-style discussions, and research-based writing, students develop analytical skills and global perspectives that prepare them for college-level humanities and social science coursework.

Advanced Communications Theory

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

Every day, you are subjected to thousands, if not millions, of pieces of information in the form of words, sounds, images and symbols. Whether it be short-form media like TikTok or Reels, prime time political debates between presidential candidates, or live broadcasts of your favorite sports teams, your opinions and realities are minutely and subtly shaped and influenced from things like word choice, color coordination and symbolic images. But how does this all work?

Advanced Communications Theory offers students the opportunity to develop a stronger understanding of how all forms of communications create and challenge social realities. By studying prevalent media theories and applying them to modern communication, students will not only be able to better interpret existing media but also make informed decisions about what it's actually trying to accomplish.

Advanced Macroeconomics

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Co-requisite or prerequisite: Integrated Math 4, and math instructor recommendation

Macroeconomics is the study of how entire economies grow, fluctuate, and respond to policy. This course will equip students with the theoretical and mathematical tools to analyze the forces that shape national and global economies, exploring key concepts including economic growth and technological progress; inflation and unemployment; fiscal and monetary policy; financial systems and crises; income distribution and economic inequality; international trade and global markets; and climate and sustainability. We will work through problem sets, experience simulations, and discuss case studies and real-world news. By the end of this course, you will be able to interpret economic data, assess policy trade-offs, and think critically about the challenges facing modern economies.

Advanced Microeconomics

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Co-requisite or prerequisite: Integrated Math 4, and math instructor recommendation

Microeconomics is the study of how markets work to create value for us all. This course will get deeply and mathematically technical in parsing how markets function; exploring key concepts including opportunity cost and diminishing returns; division of labor and gains from trade; the law of supply and demand; elasticity; externalities; taxation and regulation; competitive and non-competitive markets, and labor markets. We will work through problem sets, experience simulations, and discuss case studies and real-world news. This course will equip you to make informed decisions for yourself as a customer, worker, and taxpayer.

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 close reading of foundational texts 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, and to allow students to debate, topics such as healthcare, labor laws, educational policy, environmental regulation, and social justice, in order to refine their thinking about how best to unleash human flourishing.

Advanced Political Science

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

“Man is a political animal.” Aristotle associates politics with the natural result of any congregation of humans. Yet how is it that humans have ended up with so many different systems of government and political structures? This class will introduce students to the core concept of systems, theories, philosophies that underlay modern political systems.

Topics covered in this course will include an exploration of political philosophy and theory leading into the origins of our current political structures, where students will study primary sources from Hobbes, Locke, Marx and other major political thinkers. Students will be introduced to the American system of government, its branches and responsibilities, as well as debate its intentions and realities as a means of exploring Civics, Political Systems, and the Political economy. We will pose questions like -what is the relationship between the Oval Office and the stock market? Students will explore the relationship between political decision making and the economy and vice versa. Finally, students will delve into political ethics, and the question of if societies can we govern with “survival of the fittest” or if they naturally want to support each other, and we are obligated to help others before we help ourselves. Throughout the year, students will grapple with the primary ethical debates surrounding collective decision making and society.

Psychology

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10

Prerequisite: None

What does it mean to understand ourselves and others through a psychological lens? How do our development, emotions, and creativity shape who we are and how we navigate the world?

In this introductory Psychology course, students will engage with foundational psychological theories as they explore real-world phenomena related to human behavior and mental processes. Through analysis of concepts and data, students will consider the implications of psychological ideas for their own identities and mental health, as well as for the well-being of others. The course begins with an examination of human development and the self from a psychological perspective, establishing a foundation for exploring the self through multiple theoretical lenses. As we move forwards, we will focus on the psychological study of emotions and creativity. Together, these inquiries will provide students with a strong foundation for understanding the complexity of the human mind and behavior.

Social Science Lab: Examining Society

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

This course will be an applied social sciences research course. Students will learn how to design and conduct a research study. The course will overview major quantitative and qualitative research designs. They will learn to use specific data collection methods such as surveys, ethnographic observations and in-depth interviews. Throughout the year, students will learn formulating good research questions that can be answerable with data, conduct literature review, practice a variety of data collection methods, and analyze and interpret their own data. The culminating project of the course will be a student-driven research project which results in a paper to be submitted to a student research journal.

Sociology

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 10

Prerequisite: None

What does it mean to live in society? Do individuals shape society in the same way society shapes them?

In this course, students will engage with key sociological ideas as they explore thought-provoking topics like social inequality, deviance and culture. Through this exploration, we will raise profound questions about the nature of social order and examine how our personal experiences both influence and are influenced by the world around us. Content will be delivered through a mixture of lectures, discussions, and case-study projects, among other activities. This course will equip students with a deep understanding of the complexities of society, providing a strong foundation for success in diverse future careers.

Strategic Finance: From Your Wallet to the Boardroom

Credit: 1.0

Grades: 11-12

Prerequisite: None

This course introduces students to fundamental concepts in finance, examining how individuals and organizations make strategic financial decisions. Students develop analytical frameworks for evaluating opportunities, managing resources, and understanding value creation in personal and business contexts.

The course begins with personal finance essentials: setting financial goals, understanding time value of money, evaluating borrowing and saving options, and planning for future needs. Students then transition to corporate finance, exploring how businesses allocate resources, fund operations and growth, and measure success.

Throughout the course, students work with spreadsheet tools to solve practical problems. Case studies and real company examples illustrate how financial principles apply across industries. By the end of the course, students will be able to interpret financial information critically, and apply quantitative reasoning to everyday money decisions and business challenges they'll encounter in college and beyond.

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 also 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 take a Wellness course that features discussions and projects focused on practical health topics. Wellness topics include mental health awareness, coping strategies, sexual health, relationship skills and healthy decision-making.

Independent Movement: Students will pursue modes of movement they are personally passionate about and are coached to develop healthy exercise habits independently. To satisfy the criteria for Independent Movement, students must meet one 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.)

Activity logs and/or reflections of Independent Movement activities will be part of Wellness assessments.

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 conflict in the modern world. 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 American Dream is a concept that can be traced back to the earliest English settlers seeking economic opportunity and fleeing religious persecution. However, there is another side to that dream that needs to be addressed. The Native Americans were displaced from their land, the first enslaved Africans were brought to the colonies, and other groups were denied access to that dream. Often, one group's achievement of the American Dream was linked to another's servitude.

In attempting to present a more balanced and inclusive version of American History, this course will focus on the concept of the American Dream from a variety of angles. We will examine what the American Dream means and how it has meant different things to different groups at different times based on social, political, cultural, and economic conditions. Additionally, we will examine the ways in which historically oppressed groups have organized to increase their access to that dream. Finally, we will look at its modern conception and identify parallels to the current political landscape.

While covering this material, we will work on several important historical skills: causation, periodization, comparison, contextualization, argumentation, use of evidence, interpretation, and synthesis. We will work in concert with other disciplines, i.e., English, Art, and Science, to hone common skills and enhance our understanding of historical events. Additionally, we will analyze large numbers of primary documents to help us see America's past from the eyes and perspective of those who lived through it.

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