First (Fall 2026) Trimester Classes
IB Global Politics SL A
Fall 2026
Essential Questions:
What is power? How does power positively and negatively affect global politics?
Global Politics is an interdisciplinary subject that invites students to examine critically different perspectives and approaches to political issues at the local, national, international and global levels. Political issues are broadly understood to encompass any questions related to relationships of power in a society.
The Global Politics core encompasses broad topics linked to the nature of the subject and the four key concepts: power, sovereignty, legitimacy, and interdependence. The course will explore contemporary events and developments in global politics. The development of thinking, analytical and research skills is fostered through guided and independent inquiries into political issues and challenges, with a special focus on identifying and engaging with diverse perspectives.
The course integrates concepts, content, and contexts through inquiries centered on power and political issues and challenges.
Concepts such as power, sovereignty, legitimacy, and interdependence are explored and examined critically throughout the course.
Content informs inquiries through a variety of global politics topics, encompassing political systems and actors, power interactions, frameworks, treaties and conventions, relevant terminology and analysis models.
Contexts diversify, shape and channel inquiries through contemporary real-world examples and case studies.
An essential element of the global politics course in the engagement project during which students identify and explore a political issue of a personal interest to them. Through documentary research and engagement with individuals and groups, you will familiarize yourself with diverse perspectives and gather a deeper understanding of the complexities of your chosen title. We will talk more about the engagement project during winter trimester.
We will concentrate on the following objectives:
How to read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
How to delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning and well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
How to use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and to collaborate with others.
CCSS Addressed:
11-12.RH.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among key details and ideas.
11-12.RH.9: Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or an event, noting discrepancies among sources.
11-12.WHST.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Classroom Culture:
This is an intellectually challenging course. We will get the most out of the concepts covered this trimester if people feel comfortable exploring issues in discussion. [Class, Germanic, kla/kela: shout,roar]: Dialogue is the only path to knowledge; here we will do it verbally and in writing and I do expect you to roar, or to at least speak. I believe in an interactive classroom in which we learn from each other (although not necessarily agree with) the opinions of others. A sure way to earn the respect from your fellow students is to acknowledge that their point of view is worthy of consideration and to realize that through the exploration of ideas we will develop a better understanding of concepts.
Classroom Expectations:
Be respectful. Use respectful language; derogatory language based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or ability will not be tolerated.
Participate in all activities by being a productive group member, use independent work time effectively, and pay attention to directions, discussions, and lectures.
Push yourself and take initiative, don’t be afraid to fail.
Synthesize similar and/or disparate ideas from other units, readings, life experience, and possibly other classes in both individual and group projects.
Use of class time:
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class. Class sessions are planned so there is a balance among instruction, discussion, activities, and independent work time. The independent work time is not free time; and students must take personal responsibility for their independent work time.
Cell Phone Policy:
Use of cell phones and smartwatches is not permitted between the hours of 8:30am-4:30pm. Students who bring phones to school are required to switch them off and keep them inside their backpacks during the above hours.
Failure to comply with this policy will result in the following:
1st and 2nd offense: Staff will take the phone to the front desk, where it is held for the remainder of the school day. The student receives a referral.
3rd and 4th offense: Staff will take the phone to the front desk, where it must be picked up by a caregiver. The student receives a referral.
5th offense: The student must check their phone into the front desk when they arrive at school and check it out when they leave school for the remainder of the trimester.
Accountability:
Attendance, coming to class and arriving prior to when class begins, is critical to your success in the course. ASSIGNMENT DEADLINES ARE NOT SUBJECTIVE. Submitting assignments on or before the day and time they are due is imperative; failing to do so negatively impacts the score of each assignment and your ability to revise.
Academic Integrity and the other AI:
During our in-person class time, the use of technology is limited and students will know ahead of time when it’s needed. Working collaboratively with others outside of class, in an effort to understand the material, is encouraged, however, it is imperative that each student develop their own interpretation of the texts, with their own annotations and excerpts.
The temptation to rely on AI generated text is ever-present, and while it may help seekers understand terms, concepts and events, submitting any text that’s copied and pasted verbatim is plagiarism.
Using AI as a resource, a place to begin, makes perfect sense; submitting another’s text, whether it’s produced by a human or AI, is cheating.
Relying on AI compromises the ability to distill, interpret and write about patterns across the texts and materials we interrogate, and makes contributing to class seminars with depth and authenticity impossible.
Do the learning on your own; it matters.
Above All Else: Your performance in this class is based entirely upon the effort you put forth, both during our class time together, and when you’re reading, thinking and writing outside of class, on your own. Make certain you ask me clarifying questions as you have them; I am happy to help you in person or via email. I respond to emails within 24 hours of receiving them, and any emails received after 6:00pm are typically replied to before the following school day begins.
Grading: Grades will be based on the following
Effort, analysis, understanding, the quality of work and depth of thought
Completion of assignments and handed in on the due date
Tests, projects, class participation
Written and verbal self-reflections on participation, effort, and quality and timeliness of work.
YOU HAVE UNTIL 10 CLASS DAYS AFTER THE DUE DATE OF AN ASSIGNMENT TO TURN LATE WORK IN TO ME. IF NOT TURNED IN BY THAT TIME, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THE WORK.
All work will be turned in electronically using Google Classroom, unless otherwise specified.
Make-up work:
If a class is missed it is the student's responsibility to find out what happened in class, get assignments, and make up the work. Also check Google Classroom; assignments are posted and linked there.
Plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated. At the minimum, cheating will result in receiving a Zero for the assignment, parent contact, and a meeting with the principal.
Have a good trimester.
Mr. Brown
jbrown@riverdale.k12.or.us
Philosophy…should we even care?
Duration: 1 Trimester
Honors Option Available
Elective
Essential Question:
Quid est veritas, quid est non?
This is an introductory course of Philosophy that deals with issues that are profound, complex, challenging and important for understanding what makes us who we are. More importantly it helps us identify bull…I mean intentional misinformation. A concern with clarity of understanding lies at the core of this philosophy course. This clarity is achieved through critical and systematic thinking, careful analysis of arguments, the study of philosophical themes and a close reading of texts. Through this examination of themes and texts, we will explore fundamental questions that people have asked throughout human history— such as: What does it mean to be “human” and a “person”? What is “wisdom” or “virtue” and can you teach it to others? What is a good life? How ought we to treat others? What is truth?
The emphasis of this philosophy course is very much on “doing” philosophy. Doing philosophy requires a willingness to attempt an understanding of alternative views by applying intellectual rigor and cultivating an open and critical mind. It also invites the examination of perspectives that encompass cultural pluralism and an awareness of the international context within which it unfolds.
The Key Questions
When they are doing philosophy students should first of all identify the issue presented in the exercise.
Then they should ask:
What do I think about the problem presented or the specific question being asked?
Once they have answered this, students should move on to ask themselves a series of questions.
What are the reasons that support my position on this issue?
What possible objections or counter-arguments could be leveled against my position?
How can I overcome these objections?
What examples can support my argument and carry it forward?
What possible and consistent resolution can I offer to this problem?
Core Themes
Human nature
Freedom
The self and other
Mind and body
Identity
Personhood
Ethics
We will concentrate on the following objectives:
How to read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
How to delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning and well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
How to use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and to collaborate with others.
This is a reading intensive course and we will work to reinforce the skills crucial to prepare for senior exhibitions and survival in college. These include text-based analysis, constructive discussion, research, in-depth inquiry, critical thinking, and strategies for clear, academic writing.
Classroom Culture:
We will get the most out of the concepts covered this trimester if people feel comfortable exploring issues in discussion. [Class, Germanic, kla/kela: shout, roar]: I believe in an interactive classroom in which we learn from each other (although not necessarily agree with) the opinions of others. This is especially true for synchronous learning time. A sure way to earn the respect from your fellow students is to acknowledge that their point of view is worthy of consideration and to realize that through the exploration of ideas we develop a better understanding of concepts.
Classroom Expectations:
Be respectful. Use respectful language; derogatory language based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or ability will not be tolerated. This also applies to use of electronics and social media platforms during synchronous learning sessions. Refer to District Bullying Policy.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. In order to be good at something, you need to be willing to be bad at it first.
Push yourself to learn and complete all assignments on time.
Participate in all activities by being a productive group member, use independent work time effectively, and pay attention to directions, discussions, and lectures.
Cell Phone Policy:
Use of cell phones and smartwatches is not permitted between the hours of 8:30am-4:30pm. Students who bring phones to school are required to switch them off and keep them inside their backpacks during the above hours.
Failure to comply with this policy will result in the following:
1st and 2nd offense: Staff will take the phone to the front desk, where it is held for the remainder of the school day. The student receives a referral.
3rd and 4th offense: Staff will take the phone to the front desk, where it must be picked up by a caregiver. The student receives a referral.
5th offense: The student must check their phone into the front desk when they arrive at school and check it out when they leave school for the remainder of the trimester.
Academic Integrity and the other AI:
During our in-person class time, the use of technology is limited and students will know ahead of time when it’s needed. Working collaboratively with others outside of class, in an effort to understand the material, is encouraged, however, it is imperative that each student develop their own interpretation of the texts, with their own annotations and excerpts.
The temptation to rely on AI generated text is ever-present, and while it may help seekers understand terms, concepts and events, submitting any text that’s copied and pasted verbatim is plagiarism.
Using AI as a resource, a place to begin, makes perfect sense; submitting another’s text, whether it’s produced by a human or AI, is cheating.
Relying on AI compromises the ability to distill, interpret and write about patterns across the texts and materials we interrogate, and makes contributing to class seminars with depth and authenticity impossible.
Do the learning on your own; it matters.
Above All Else: Your performance in this class is based entirely upon the effort you put forth, both during our class time together, and when you’re reading, thinking and writing outside of class, on your own. Make certain you ask me clarifying questions as you have them; I am happy to help you in person or via email. I respond to emails within 24 hours of receiving them, and any emails received after 6:00pm are typically replied to before the following school day begins.
Grades will be based on the following:
Effort, analysis, understanding, the quality of work, depth of thought on assignments, and participation in activities.
Completion of assignments.
Tests, quizzes, projects, class participation.
Written and verbal self-reflections on participation, effort, and quality of work.
Assignments will be turned in electronically using Google Classroom, unless otherwise specified.
Plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated. At the minimum, plagiarism or any type of cheating will result in no credit for the assignment and parent contact and a meeting with the principal.
Honors option:
Will be handed out separately.
Have a good trimester.
Mr. Brown
jbrown@riverdale.k12.or.us
Philosophy Fall 2026
Honors Option
You will be reading Peter Singer’s The Life You Can Save. You need to get your own copy. You need to submit a plan including due dates of each chapter’s questions and when you will turn in your Final essay.
Prep Period
Period 3
Advisory is a class that meets weekly, directly after our school wide Community Meeting. Students are assigned to an advisor as they enroll and remain with the same advisory group throughout their time in high school. Activities completed in Advisory help students work toward fulfilling the state's Personalized Education Plan requirement for graduation. Advisory also plays an important role in RHS culture by creating a safe and nurturing space for students to develop relationships in a group of peers and a strong connection with an adult in the school. Advisory time is also used to process senior exhibition preparation, problem-solve school issues that may arise, and to make time in high school for fun.