Junior Year Parent Meeting (9/5/25)

Humane Letters:

The Humane Letters course, as the name suggests, aims to cultivate the minds and hearts of students into more humane individuals; that is, more intellectually, morally, and aesthetically alive humans by directing them in the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty through Socratic investigation of the great works of Western literature, history, and philosophy. 

Literature invites students to reflect upon the human heart through the experiences of characters, and furnishes the imagination with words, phrases, stories, images, and paradigms to express truth more fully. Similarly, history provides an opportunity to contemplate the nature of human choices and consequences as well as admire and assess the rhetorical skill employed by the great leaders of the past. Philosophy, on the other hand, directly examines reality by probing into the nature of things (speculative philosophy) or inquiring into the good and happy life (practical philosophy). Literature, history, and philosophy, however, are each essential to the liberal arts education. 

While eleventh grade Humane Letters continues to train students in the art of reading, listening, speaking, and writing, this course differs from ninth and tenth grade Humane Letters in that history is taught through classical and primary source texts: such as Herodotus and Thucydides. Furthermore, even though the eleventh grade course gives particular attention to ancient literature and philosophy, it is not a survey course on ancient thought. Rather, it is a course centered around the seminar, and concerned with the art of thinking well. 

Of the three ancient cities celebrated in the Great Hearts curriculum, the eleventh grade Humane Letters course observes the unique significance of Athens and Jerusalem. From Athens we receive a rich heritage in philosophy, science, and democracy, while Jerusalem represents the religious tradition of monotheism and a personal God which have shaped and influenced Western thinkers. Just as the literature and philosophy examined in tenth grade further illuminate the readings of ninth grade, the texts of eleventh grade serve to direct students further back by presenting the origins of Western thought. As students read the poetry of Homer, philosophy of Plato, and the dramas of Sophocles they are initiated into the great conversation of the Western classical tradition.

Physics I:

In Physics I we study the fundamentals of Mechanics by investigating what is motion and what are the causes of motion. This course favors depth over breadth, while addressing the main topics (e.g. Kinematics, Energy, Momentum, etc.) in order to give the students an understanding more profound than memorizing formulas and training mathematical operations. Instead, we focus on how Science is done from the point of view of Physics, which can be thought of as developing mathematical models that describe how nature fundamentally behaves.

Our approach to each topic starts with an experiment or demonstration, from which students will derive mathematical models to describe each phenomenon, that are then applied in practical situations from word problems to practica. In Physics I, we study the fundamentals of Mechanics, including: Kinematics (motion in constant velocity and acceleration, linear and rotational), and Dynamics (Newton’s laws of motion, and conservation of momenta and energy). These topics are complemented by basic concepts (system of units, scientific notation, dimensional analysis, etc.) that are introduced as they are needed. Additional topics may be covered or further developed  if time permits, including but not limited to statics, gravitation, relative motion, and the history of mechanics and its connection to calculus.

Calculus I:

Calculus (from Latin calculus, literally "small pebble used for counting") is the mathematical study of continuous change. It is the foundation of modern math, and more generally of modern science.  This rigorous subject uses a collection of techniques, recognized to some extent in ancient times but developed and refined in the 17th century by Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz, to solve problems dealing with continuous change and computation of areas and volumes.  During the first semester, students will study algebraic and trigonometric functions before beginning an in-depth formal study of the two key calculus concepts: limits and derivatives.

By the end of the year, students will have developed skills enabling them to differentiate any polynomial, trigonometric, logarithmic, exponential, rational, or radical function, in addition to many others.  They will have explored several mathematical, business, and science related applications of differential calculus, as well as gaining proficiency in proving key concepts.

Drama I:

The 11th Grade Drama course introduces students to the elements of theater as a fine arts discipline, specifically as part of the liberal arts tradition. In this course students will learn how to think about theater as an art and as a craft through the plays of Shakespeare. Students will grow in confidence on stage and will understand the creative and technical aspects of theatre, allowing them to experience drama with a fuller appreciation of the work involved.

Spanish III:

In the Spanish III course, the students do a complete investigation of authentic literary texts in the target language as well as a brief review and expansion upon grammar and vocabulary relevant to the literature being studied. 

At this level, students will write five-paragraph essays about the literature that they read; essays are from two to four pages in length.  In addition, classes will be conducted entirely in Spanish and almost entirely in seminar style. The study of literary texts helps students develop reading techniques in the target language and understand literary conventions.  Students are given the opportunity to discuss and write about the themes and ideas in the texts in class discussions, homework assignments, and essays.  

Since developing writing skills is an important aspect of the course, students are expected to complete at least one major essay per quarter.  They should use the five-paragraph essay format used in the Humane Letters courses, and the essays at this level should be from one to two pages in length.

Greek I:

Greek I at Cicero Preparatory Academy is designed to introduce students to the Greek language and to as soon as possible put them in proximity with quotations from level-appropriate authentic ancient texts, such as Homer’s Iliad, Euripides’ Medea, Plato’s Republic, and the Bible. These ‘encounters’ with ancient authors serve to provide consistent encouragement for students to continue developing their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. We will work from the textbook/workbook called Learn to Read Greek, edited by Keller and Russell, and published by Yale University. Many universities, as well as other Great Hearts schools, use these books for their erudite combination of modern scholarly tools and classical sources. In addition to reading ancient Greek texts, students will also have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of Greek history, art and culture. 

Studio Art:

Within the three transcendentals, Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, the fine arts are situated primarily under Beauty. The fine arts are viewed as an essential human experience, as a key part of the liberal arts. They are to be taught in a way that is experiential and not professional: all are to participate in the fine arts, not just the professional.

At Great Hearts, we study fine arts to experience beauty; as a way to participate in beauty. We help students both create and encounter beauty by teaching the requisite skills of the discipline and pointing students to the aesthetic order around them and that which is depicted in the works of the masters. 

Grade 11 is a special moment in the formation of a Great Hearts student. Humane Letters this year addresses the history of western philosophy with time spent on Plato, Aristotle, and Herodotus. Philosophy and traditional logic are the cornerstones of the student academic experience. The Grade 11 Studio Art course is designed with this in mind and is constructed with the fundamental principle that drawing is a thinking medium as much as is true of writing and philosophy. The course will systematically lay out an order and sequence which begins with point and line, and very quickly moves students through to the properties of fabric and organizational drawing principles, ultimately meant to lead students to successfully draw from the human figure in future study.

The goal of this course is to give students intermediate to advanced drawing skills in charcoal. They will spend most of their time building analytical and observational drawing skills through studio exercises and projects, delving deeper into advanced topics of modeling and rendering form. Much of the second half of the course centers around concepts of portraiture, bringing in the tradition of analytical master and plaster cast studies.

Throughout the Upper School Studio Art courses, students will be introduced to concepts and works of art that illustrate the principles behind composing beautiful pictures. Masterpieces are presented in class so the student may find awe and wonder in how drawing and paintings from the past connect to the tradition of picture-making. Great works of art from history serve as a starting place and are analyzed for how artists across centuries have employed techniques and principles. Inspired by this connection to the past, students will create their own studies, observational drawings, and paintings.