Curriculum Guide 2015-2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Click on the headlines below to go directly to each section.
Requirements for Graduation
2
Course Planning
3
Academic Procedures
4
Four-Year Planning Worksheet
7
Course Offerings by Department
Arts
9
English
20
Global Service Learning Program
30
History and Social Sciences
31
Integrated Studies
39
Languages
41
Mathematics and Computer Science 49
Outdoor Program
57
Physical Education
63
Sciences
65
Global Online Academy
71
Summer School Programs
72
Library
73
Student Support
74
Service Learning
76
Interscholastic Athletics
77
Requirements for Graduation
Lakeside values a breadth of study in the liberal arts and so requires the following distribution requirements for graduation. Requirements for students who enter the Upper School after the 9th-grade year may be altered based upon the student’s previous study and academic interests. Students must be enrolled in at least five courses each semester (minimum course load requirement).
ARTS
2-4 years
The minimum requirement is two yearlong courses. (1) Take one year in each of two of the three areas of study—drama, music, visual arts (one year must be studied in grades 9 or 10). OR (2) Specialize by taking art classes in one specific area for three years (one year must be studied in grade 12 and permission of the arts
department is required). Please see the individual areas of the arts for details regarding specialization. For current 8th- and 9th-grade students in instrumental music, the requirement may be fulfilled by participating in
instrumental music courses in 9th and 10th grade.
ENGLISH 4 years
HISTORY 3 years H100 or H101; H200, H201, or H202; and H300 or
H30H3.
LANGUAGES 3 years Through the third level of a language and at least two
years in the Upper School.
MATHEMATICS 3 years Within the sequence of classes offered by the
mathematics department.
OUTDOOR EDUCATION Completion of a one-week or longer Outdoor Program trip or its equivalent. The school strongly recommends that this requirement be fulfilled before the fall of senior year.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION 2 years In grades 9 and 10.
SCIENCE 2 years One year of biology and one year of physics or one year
of chemistry. A yearlong science course is required in the 11th- or 12th-grade year.
SERVICE LEARNING 80
hours No more than 20 hours may be served on campus. SENIOR YEAR
Graduation from Lakeside is more than a simple accumulation of courses or credits. Accordingly, students may only be awarded a Lakeside diploma after completing four academic years of high-school study (some of which may be completed elsewhere) and fulfilling Lakeside’s distribution requirements. To graduate from Lakeside, students are expected to be enrolled here for 12th grade. Throughout the senior year, students must be enrolled in and pass at least five courses.
WAIVERS TO GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Waivers to distribution requirements are rarely made. However, if a good educational reason exists, students and parents/guardians should consult with the student’s advisor, and then submit a written form, available in the Upper School office, to the appropriate department outlining the reasons for the waiver request and the planned modifications to the student’s schedule. If final approval is granted by the department, the student will be notified in writing and the relevant department will forward the information to the Upper School
administration and registrar. Waivers in physical education will be granted only for medical conditions that preclude physical activity.
Waivers to the minimum course load requirement, enrollment requirement, or distribution requirements should be made in writing and will be considered by the Upper School administration.
Course Planning
HOMEWORKHomework guidelines will be set on a weekly basis, rather than by class periods. For each academic class, for the majority of students the expectation would be up to 2 hours and 20 minutes per week for 9th graders, 2 hours and 45 minutes for 10th graders, 3 hours and 5 minutes for 11th graders, and 3 hours and 40 minutes for 12th graders. These times are approximate. In a systematic attempt to address concerns expressed by parents and guardians, faculty, and students about stress levels, we ask that all teachers respect both the spirit and the letter of the policy of not assigning homework over the following breaks: Thanksgiving, winter break, midwinter break, and spring break. This means that no homework is due for the first class back from break and nothing due in that first week back that would require any more preparation than could be completed in the amount of time classes have been in session.
INDEPENDENT STUDY
Students may propose an independent study to pursue under the supervision of a Lakeside teacher. Proposal forms, which include the required components, are available in the Upper School office and are due to the relevant department during the first two weeks of each semester. Departments have final approval. The requirements for this course must be equivalent to those in a regular course. All independent studies are graded credit/no credit.
HONORS COURSES
Lakeside offers honors courses in math and science. These courses offer additional challenge to students who show special interest in and aptitude for learning in a particular subject. In honors classes, very little class time is spent going over basic material; students must be able to master material quickly and learn from their own mistakes. A student interested in taking an honors class must have compiled a record of success in his or her previous class and demonstrate the ability to keep up with the accelerated pace and work
independently. Generally this means a grade of at least an A- in a regular class. A grade of C+ or lower in an honors course suggests that a student is not achieving at the expected level and should consider moving to a regular section. Consultation with and approval of the student’s teacher is always required to take honors courses.
PLACEMENT IN MATH FOR STUDENTS NEW TO THE UPPER SCHOOL
The goal of math placement is that each student enrolls in the course that is most appropriate to his or her level of skill and knowledge at the moment.
The Upper School math department, in consultation with the admissions office or the Middle School math department, considers each new student’s test scores and academic background to decide an appropriate starting level. A placement exam is available and can be requested by families.
PLACEMENT IN LANGUAGE COURSES FOR STUDENTS NEW TO THE UPPER SCHOOL
The goal of language placement is that each student enrolls in the course that is most appropriate to his or her level of skill and knowledge at the moment.
It is not uncommon for students who have already taken several years of language classes, whether at the Lakeside Middle School or other schools, to be placed into our Level I or Level II classes. Language learning is a complex process and we do our best to make it fun and engaging for our students. Because we have immersion classrooms in the Upper School and work at a fast pace with college-level texts, there is often a period of adjustment and transition for students who are new to our language classes. It is essential that every student have the necessary foundation for the level in which he or she will begin study in the Upper School; finding the level that is the best fit for each student, both linguistically and developmentally, is one of our primary placement goals. A placement exam is available and can be requested by families.
Even students who have a solid knowledge of the language and demonstrate good proficiency are usually not prepared to go into Level III in their freshman year because the themes and level of discourse in our third-year classes are better suited for students in their sophomore year and above. This usually means that there are a wide range of proficiency levels on the first day of the beginning classes, but our teachers are well-versed in working with different levels within the same classroom and find creative ways to help all students advance with the language and be challenged in the course.
OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES
In high school, most activities increase in terms of time and commitment level. Families should factor in outside activities (including sports, music commitments, family time, and faith-based activities) when making decisions about courses.
Academic Procedures
COURSE CHANGESStudents may request discretionary course changes at the beginning of each semester. The period to request discretionary course changes is approximately two weeks (a specific end date will be posted in the Upper School office). To request a change, a student needs to fill out a course change form, available on the Souk or in the Upper School office, and obtain the signatures of his or her advisor, parent or guardian, and college counselor (if a senior). The Upper School administration has final approval. The school does not change courses to accommodate teacher preference or sports and other outside activities.
There is an extended course change period for necessary course changes such as moving from an honors section to a regular section or dropping a course because of a heavy load. Students have until the end of the fourth week of classes to request these changes without the change being reflected on the transcript.
CHANGING COURSES: TRANSCRIPT NOTATION
If a student drops a course after the designated period, the notation on the student’s transcript will be W/P (Withdraw While Passing) or W/F (Withdraw While Failing). The notation is determined by the Upper School
administration in consultation with the relevant teacher. If a student drops a yearlong class in the fall, he or she will receive a W/P or W/F for that semester and no year-end grade. If a student drops a yearlong class in the spring, he or she will receive a grade for the fall, a W/P or W/F for the spring, and no year-end grade. If the student moves from one level of a course to another midyear (such as honors geometry to regular geometry), the date of the change will be noted on the transcript and the student’s grade for the semester will be
calculated by the two teachers proportionate to the time spent in each class.
GRADING
The following grade descriptions offer a spectrum of key criteria teachers may take into consideration when assigning grades. Not all criteria apply in all cases. All teachers have syllabi that outline their grading practices and procedures.
An “A” grade reflects excellent performance; considerable and consistent evidence of original, critical, and creative thinking; an extensive knowledge base; exceptional ability to analyze and synthesize; and dexterous application of concepts and/or materials. The student submits all work, meets all deadlines, and contributes consistently to a respectful and dynamic classroom atmosphere of mutual inquiry.
A “B” grade reflects a strong performance, consistent evidence of critical and creative thinking, a good knowledge base, the ability to analyze and synthesize, and the ability to apply concepts and/or materials. The student consistently submits work, meets deadlines, and contributes to a respectful and dynamic classroom atmosphere.
A “C” grade reflects satisfactory but inconsistent performance in critical, creative, and knowledge-based areas; in the ability to analyze and synthesize; and in the application of course content and/or materials. The student submits work and meets deadlines inconsistently and contributes erratically to the learning environment.
A “D” grade reflects poor performance, insufficient evidence of critical and creative thinking, significant gaps in knowledge base, a limited ability to analyze and synthesize, and a limited ability to apply concepts and/or materials. The student regularly neglects to turn in work, meet deadlines, and contribute to the learning environment.
An “E” grade reflects unacceptable performance; minimal understanding of course concepts and/or materials; and insufficient, erratic, tardy, or incomplete work. Students receiving a grade of “E” will not receive credit for the course.
An “Incomplete” will only be granted to a student in the case of illness or adverse circumstances and must be made up within three weeks. If, after the three-week period, the student has not
completed the work, the teacher in consultation with the Upper School administration will decide whether or not to extend the deadline.
In the first two weeks of the semester, students may apply to take a non-required class “credit/no credit.” Students may take only one course per semester in this fashion. Permission of the advisor, teacher, parent/guardian, and college counselor is required. Forms are available in the Upper School office.
Grades measure achievement over a specific span of work and time; they do not directly reflect effort or character. These important aspects of student growth are described in comments. Year-end grades summarize the year’s work and are based in large part on term grades and partly (up to one-quarter of the grade) on results of final exams if they are given. There is no prescription for the number of A’s, B’s, or C’s, etc., in any course. Lakeside School does not use a bell curve or quotas to assign grades within a class.
GRADES AND COMMENTS
Students at the Upper School receive grades and comments from their teachers four times during the year — at the midpoint and at the end of each semester. Midterm grades for students are provisional though they do provide an accurate measure of the student’s work at that point in the year. Only the final grade in each course is recorded on a student’s transcript. For yearlong courses, the final year grade is computed using the two semester grades and a final exam or final project if given.
RESTRICTIONS ON DROPPING SMALL SECTION CLASSES
Lakeside takes great pride in staffing a significant part of the program based on student sign-ups, doing our best to maintain a class size of 16, and capping classes at 18 (with a few exceptions such as team-taught courses or where larger class sizes benefit the curriculum). To balance this, we are unable to run classes that have fewer than eight students signed up for them. Students who enroll in courses that are close to our minimum will receive a letter in the spring alerting them to the fact that, if they would like to continue to be signed up for that course, they will be unable to drop that course later. This allows the student to make intentional choices about the curricular offerings and students to make informed decisions about their course of study.
ACADEMIC PROBATION
Lakeside students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is considerate of others, that
enhances an atmosphere of trust, and that supports the growth and learning of others. To ensure a productive match between student and school, it is also important that there be clear understandings about the terms of academic good standing and about the efforts the school will extend to support and encourage students in realizing those goals. On occasion, the academic match between student and school is not realized, and continued enrollment may not be in the best interest of the student or the school. If academic expectations are not being met, an ongoing process involving progress evaluations, probation, communication with the student’s family, and consideration by teachers and administrators will be instituted to determine contributing factors and appropriate next steps.
An Upper School student is considered in “academic good standing” if he or she receives a letter grade of at least a C- in every course. Academic good standing is determined four times annually, after grades and comments have been received at the midpoint and end point of each semester. A student who receives a grade of D or E in any one school report period will be considered by the student support team for academic probation. A student who receives two or more grades of D or E in any one school report period will
automatically be placed on academic probation. If the student is placed on academic probation, a parent/guardian conference will be convened to communicate any action to be taken and to discuss the probation criteria to be met for the student’s continuance. A letter documenting this meeting will be sent home. Those criteria will be constructed by the Upper School assistant director in consultation with the student’s advisor, teachers, and the student support team and subject to the Upper School director’s review. If at the end of the next semester grading period (January-June) the student has not achieved good standing, he or she will be asked to withdraw immediately, will be asked to withdraw at the end of the current school year, or will be placed on academic probation for the next grading period.
LAKESIDE UPPER SCHOOL FOUR-YEAR PLANNING WORKSHEET
We recommend developing a course plan indicating projected choices for all four years, which includes courses previously taken as well as plans for future years. This is for use by students and advisors. It is not necessary to give this sheet to the
scheduler. *The option to take Semester Electives begins in 10th grade. Electives do not replace yearlong classes where required.
Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
Arts
2-4 years: requirements one of three ways
1-One year in each of two of the three areas of study: drama, music, visual arts (one year must be in grades 9 or 10)
2-Students can fulfill the 2-year requirement through participation in an instrumental ensemble in 9th and 10th grade
3-Specialize in art by taking classes in one specific area for three years (one year must be studied in grade 12; permission from arts department required)
(One year here
and/or 10th grade) (One year here and/or 9th grade)
English
4 years required
Note: American Studies is the only class which counts for both history and English class simultaneously
English 9 English 10 *Optional semester elective Either American Studies or American Cultural Studies I and II *Optional semester elective Fall: Spring: History 3 years required
The Human Web (or Big History), The Modern World and You, U.S. History taken in order
Note: American Studies is the only class which counts for both history
and English class simultaneously *Optional semester elective *Optional semester elective
Full year: Fall:
Spring:
Language 3 years required
Through the third level of a language and at least two years at the Upper School
Mathematics and Computer Science
3 years required within the sequence of classes offered by the
mathematics department
Physical Education
2 years required in grades 9 and 10 9th Grade PE 10th Grade PE Science
2 years required
One year of biology and one year of physics or chemistry A yearlong science course is required
in the 11th or 12thh grade year *Optional
semester elective
(One yearlong here or 12th grade) *Optional semester elective (One yearlong here or 11th grade) Fall: Spring:
Summer School and/or Global Online Academy Service Learning
80 hours required: No more than 20 on campus Outdoor Program
Required for all students who spend two or more years at the Upper School
Interscholastic Sports
Not required
Fall: Fall: Fall: Fall: Winter: Winter: Winter: Winter: Spring: Spring: Spring: Spring:
Activities
Not required – Lakeside (clubs/programs, GSL, peer tutoring, elected positions, publications, assembly committee) and outside activities (other sports, etc.)
Course offerings by department
Arts
Our educational philosophy: Arts experience is an essential part of any education, and the creation of art and the joy of personal expression are vital to the development of important life skills. Experience producing art extends each individual’s creative capacities, and supports greater success across the traditional academic program. Through the artistic process students in all areas of artistic study develop an understanding of aesthetics, visual thinking, and imaginative problem-solving, as well as how to communicate ideas and
emotions. Art production and the collaborations our program provides are empowering, and we encourage students to engage in the creative process throughout their academic career at Lakeside.
Our program: We seek to help students of varied backgrounds, with varied previous experiences, learn and further develop artistic techniques through directed, sustained effort and personal reflection. We encourage realistic self-assessment leading to technical growth by asking students to create and perform. We encourage students to take risks within a safe, supportive, and structured classroom environment. We teach collaboration while helping students to gain personal mastery. The process enables students to assess and appreciate the quality of their work and connect their individual vision with arts of other cultures.
Lakeside arts courses are generally structured and scheduled as yearlong courses. We have found the yearlong experience much more effective and efficient than semester equivalents in promoting and achieving depth of learning, skill development, and proficiency of self-expression, as well as in providing the scope to ensure all students experience personal success.
NOTE: We are committed to making arts events and activities accessible and affordable. Financial aid may
apply to all costs for the program. Details are available from Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Tearon Joseph ([email protected]).
DRAMA
Drama instructors, in all courses, work with students to develop an ensemble that will be supportive and collaborative as we develop theater skills such as observation, concentration, physical and vocal flexibility, and emotional exploration and expression. All yearlong courses count toward the Lakeside arts requirement.
A210 Theater Production I
Students learn a wide range of production techniques, including key aspects of stage carpentry, electrical systems, public address and recording techniques, sound and other “effects,” and makeup and costume applications. The chief requirements are interest, flexibility, a sense of humor, and the willingness to learn through cooperative effort. Stage design work includes scenery, properties, and sound design. Students also perform technical elements for a variety of theatrical productions. This includes operating lights, sound, and special effects; stage managing; and handling scenery and properties. These responsibilities are performed as part of a show’s “running crew.” Responsibilities involve regular class meetings and additional hours during the one week of “tech” rehearsals and performances of a particular show. Several design projects will be assigned and each student is required to participate on the running crew of two drama program productions. Open to all students: no previous experience necessary.
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
A212 Theater Production II and III
Students will expand on previous knowledge through the development of specific projects. A particular emphasis will be made on strengthening design skills, including practical projects in theater lighting design. Students will be scheduled with regular sections of Theater Production I. Students in this course will be expected to participate in the performance of drama program productions, providing leadership for Theater Production I students.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: Theater Production I or II
A213 Acting
An in-depth approach to acting technique, the curriculum of this course is prepared with an emphasis on understanding and practicing three major concepts: given circumstances, action or intention, and character development. Students in the class will apply their skills to work on monologues and scenes, as well as to write a monologue of their own and explore Shakespeare as an ensemble. This class supports development for students whose drama experience covers a range from beginner to those with considerable experience and is particularly geared to support students in the freshman class. Open to 9th-grade students only.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
A214 Drama I
This course exposes students to in-depth exploration of theater movement/dance, improvisation, writing for the stage, directing, and acting. An emphasis is placed on creating a strong multigrade ensemble that works together on several projects, including 10-minute plays, picture-inspired monologue writing/performing, and an active and energetic exploration of choices involved in the creation of theater. We will be fully engaged in disciplined rehearsal as well as having several in-class performance opportunities.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
A216 Drama II
Continuing drama projects focus on the craft and profession of acting and involve advanced instruction by Lakeside faculty and outside professional guest instructors. Specific areas of focus include an actor’s approach to Shakespeare, acting styles, movement and stage combat, audition techniques, and opportunities to develop original work and gain directorial experience. Students are required to turn in play reports on all of Lakeside’s major dramatic productions and see at least two outside professional productions.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: Drama I
A217 Drama III
Drama III students will participate in ACT Theatre’s YPP (Young Playwrights Program) and will have the opportunity to write a one-act play that will be submitted for a possible professional workshop. Students are required to participate as either an actor or director in the spring showcase. Drama III students may have opportunities to develop special projects that focus on areas of personal interest including directing, acting, and playwriting as well as providing leadership to other students in the program.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: Drama II
SEMESTER DRAMA COURSES
A319 Meaning through Movement and Dance
This course is designed to give all students an understanding of human movement, its capacity for expressive storytelling, and skills to control and manipulate objects. Students will respond through movement to a broad range of audio, visual, and kinesthetic stimuli to create movement or dance, as well as choreography. Using yoga as foundation for the discovery of body mechanics, physical alignment and self-awareness, additional movement will be layered in; viewpoints, Laban, movement improvisation, physical comedy, composition, among others. Learning outcomes might include: Develop and refine movement skills - Greater physical strength, mobility and flexibility - Ability to identify, act on and direct physical impulse - Develop an
understanding of the elements of choreography -Find effective ways of using space, both as a performer and director/choreographer - Strong kinesthetic awareness - Critical and creative thinking skills, aesthetic
awareness. Coursework will include a culminating showcase performance. No dance experience required.
Course length: Fall-term semester course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period. Prerequisites: None
Requirements: Clothing which allows for total freedom of movement, work would be done in bare feet
A419 Page to Stage
What happens when you mix the deep reading of an English class with the physical creativity of a drama class? As with peanut butter and chocolate, you get two flavors that go great together! Spend the semester reading great plays, both classic and contemporary, studying their full depth and meaning and then acting, directing, and designing ways to make them come alive. Students in the class will work with a drama teacher who will help guide them through the study of imagery, characterization, style and staging. Part of every class period will be spent exploring acting techniques through games and exercises, as well as having discussions that get at the heart of the text and the playwright’s intentions. The semester will culminate in a student-driven performance and writing project. We will choose texts from a variety of perspectives that will nourish a
“world-mindedness” and that will prepare each student to appreciate the importance of storytelling to all cultures. Prerequisites: An open mind, willingness to take risks, creative curiosity, and a desire to play!
Course length: Spring-term course.
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period. Prerequisites: None
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DRAMA PROGRAM
DRAMA PROGRAM SPECIALIZATIONStudents wishing to specialize in the drama area must complete at least three yearlong courses, one of which must be in the senior year. As a demonstration of their personal development and leadership, all drama specialization students are required as seniors to help plan and participate in a special performance project.
DRAMA PRODUCTIONS
The drama program usually produces three or four major plays (most often including a musical), YPP Lakeside, a staged reading of parts of the plays written by Drama III students, and a spring Drama III showcase evening of one acts, short scenes, monologues, and student-written and student-directed pieces. Selected drama students also participate in Lakeside’s Arts Fest near the end of the year. In all productions the onstage actors collaborate with offstage technical performers or “running crews” composed of students from the theater production classes.
DRAMA PRODUCTION AUDITIONS
The drama program produces all Lakeside Upper School drama productions. One production has open, all-school auditions. The rest are cast with students from drama classes. Drama at Lakeside is an academic program and not an activity as at some schools. Class meetings are sometimes used for rehearsals, and the class work is used as a foundation for the rehearsal/performance projects. As part of the course work, we support the audition process for all drama program students so these students are prepared for the opportunity to participate in a production.
MUSIC
Music courses include both vocal and instrumental offerings. All yearlong courses count toward the Lakeside arts requirement.
MUSIC PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY
Our program is committed to equal access, building community, and artistic excellence. We believe all
students should have the opportunity to participate and, to this end, we offer large ensembles, private lessons, and a variety of student-led ensembles. These elements work in unison to build an inclusive culture for all students interested in making music.
FULFILLING THE ARTS GRADUATION REQUIREMENT THROUGH INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC To support sequential training for instrumental music students, students can complete their arts requirement by participating in two yearlong instrumental music courses in 9th and 10th grade, without the need to take a course in another area for arts distribution.
VOCAL MUSIC
A220 Concert Choir
Concert Choir is a non-auditioned ensemble for students interested in singing. Concert Choir members learn about healthy vocal technique, proper choral singing habits, basic musicianship, and develop vocal
independence. Concert Choir sings music in various styles, including classical, jazz, and gospel, as well as music from different cultures and in different languages. The course emphasizes group collaboration and
achievement, critical listening, positive motivation, and confidence-building.
Course length: Yearlong course
Prerequisites: None
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
A230 Rhythm Section Workshop
An intermediate-level course appropriate for most freshman or sophomore instrumental students who play guitar, bass, piano, or drums (some saxophones are possible). No audition required. This course develops instrumental technique through jazz repertoire and technical studies. Students with at least one year of experience on an instrument may enroll in this ensemble. The ability to read some written notation is required. All music courses include training on a digital composition and/or recording platform.
Course length: Yearlong
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: Some experience on instruments listed above. No audition required.
A232 Symphony Orchestra
A challenging ensemble experience designed for musicians seeking to perform advanced repertoire. This ensemble performs music from a variety of historical periods and origins, with an emphasis on orchestral literature and chamber music. Students participate in regional festivals and perform often in the community. Open to students with experience on one of the following instruments: violin, viola, cello, double bass, oboe, flute, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba, piano, harp, saxophone, and concert percussion. All music courses include training on a digital composition and/or recording platform.
Course length: Yearlong
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period
Prerequisites: Some prior experience playing an instrument and the ability to read music is required; contact the music program director for details.
A236 Jazz Band
Students perform jazz repertoire, study improvisation, and stylistic elements of music. This ensemble will perform regularly and may participate in regional events. Students who play saxophone (any type), trombone, trumpet, guitar, piano, drums, and bass (electric or upright) can audition. Students who play an instrument other than those listed should contact the music program director prior to enrolling in this course. Space is limited and determined by audition. All music courses include training on a digital composition and/or recording platform.
Course length: Yearlong
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period
Prerequisites: The ability to read written notation is required. An audition is required. Contact the music program director.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MUSIC PROGRAM
AUDITIONSAuditions are required for the Jazz Band only. If you are interested in this course, please sign up and contact Music Program Director Andrew Krus ([email protected]) for more information on the audition process.
MUSIC SPECIALIZATION
There are two components to music specialization:
• Enrollment in a music ensemble for three years, which must include 12th grade.
• Selecting a concentration area from a menu. Contact Music Program Director Andrew Krus ([email protected]) for details.
PROGRAM PARTICIPATION POLICY
A Lakeside student who performs with an outside-of-school music group that requires members to also participate in their school’s music program, must be enrolled in a Lakeside music course to be considered an active participant in the Lakeside music program.
TRAVEL POLICY FOR INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLES
We are committed to making music events and activities accessible and affordable; financial aid may apply to costs associated with the music program. Details are available from Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Tearon Joseph ([email protected]).
MUSIC CONCERTS
Ensembles usually perform three or four times per year on campus; in addition, some ensembles also schedule optional off-campus events such as festivals, retreats, or benefit concerts.
PRIVATE LESSONS IN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
To support individual development and success in the music courses, we offer private instruction on almost every instrument. Students can take private lessons on campus during their free periods or off campus as their schedule permits. Students can sign up for private lessons by emailing the private lesson coordinator, Lisa Nelson ([email protected]) The cost of private lessons is not included in tuition and are charged to the student account; however, financial aid applies to lessons. Please contact Associate Director of
Admissions and Financial Aid Tearon Joseph ([email protected]) for more information.
VISUAL ARTS
Two-dimensional art deals primarily with artworks composed on flat surfaces by painting, drawing, or using photographic techniques. Three-dimensional art deals with work composed primarily in clay, wood, or glass.
Visual arts courses include both yearlong courses which count toward the arts requirement and semester-length courses which do not.
TWO-DIMENSIONAL STUDIO COURSES A250 Design, Drawing, and Painting I
This course is for everyone from the beginner to the more experienced student because diverse approaches can be pursued while exploring common themes. Projects are designed to gain strategies for stimulating
creativity while building knowledge and skills. A range of materials and techniques are explored. Design work focuses on how to create effective and exciting compositions through the arrangement and manipulation of shape, contrast, and color. Drawing work includes the eye-training and skill-building needed to enable the student to draw realistic images. Painting work covers color mixing, effects, and how to use art as a vehicle for personal expression and communication. Projects and skills are presented through explanation, examples, and demonstrations. Although the studio remains available for student use during free periods, students can almost always complete work in class.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75- minute period Prerequisites: None
A252 Design, Drawing, and Painting II
This course provides the opportunity to explore further and go deeper. There are increased opportunities to develop areas of personal interest as attention is given to discovering and developing the student’s visual voice and style. The course includes aspects of design, composition, personal expression, and creative interpretation along with an opportunity to develop realistic skills and work from professional costumed models. There are opportunities to gain greater expertise in media used in the prior course, and opportunities to explore new media including oils, and new approaches including additives to manipulate surface texture and visual effects. Students who wish to focus on painting will find ample opportunity to do this.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: Design, Drawing, and Painting I
A254 Design, Drawing, and Painting III and IV
At this level students are highly involved in creating their own projects and course of study with a focus on creating visual voice and style. Style, media, and content are determined by the student.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: The prior level of Design, Drawing, and Painting
A260 Photography I
In this class we will explore black and white photography. We'll work primarily with 35mm film equipment and learn to develop film and make prints in the darkroom. Working with film will give us a solid grounding in camera controls and foster a thoughtful approach to composition and a keen awareness of light. Our goal is to develop artistic and technological skills that we can draw on the rest of our lives – whether we choose to work with a camera or the latest digital capture device. The second half of the year will include an
introduction to digital photography.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: two 45-minute periods, one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
A262 Photography II
Students learn to evaluate negatives critically and to alter exposure and development of film to produce better negatives while fine-tuning their printing skills with new materials and new techniques. Students are
encouraged to follow their own interests as they improve their skills with their cameras and in the darkroom. We’ll also spend time in the studio learning advanced lighting techniques. We’ll investigate the effective use of digital cameras and digital workflow using Adobe Lightroom. In the second half of the year, students may choose to use film or a digital camera for their work in this class.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: two 45-minute periods, one 75-minute period Prerequisites: Photography I
A264 Photography III and IV
These classes are for students with a strong interest in photography who would like to continue to develop the technical and aesthetic aspects of their work while exploring subjects and techniques of personal interest. Students may choose to use film or digital camera for their work in this class.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: two 45-minute periods, one 75-minute period Prerequisites: Photography II
THREE-DIMENSIONAL STUDIO COURSES A280 Ceramics I
The focus of this course is learning how to throw clay on the potter’s wheel and gaining exposure to hand-building fundamentals such as coil, slab, and pinching. Students will develop skills for and comprehension of the ceramic process through hands-on experience with wedging, throwing, trimming, joining, constructing, glazing, and decorating. Forms to be covered will be cylinders, bowls, plates, and complex forms with multiple parts. In addition, experimental and nonfunctional sculptural forms will address conceptual thinking through personal narratives or themes (i.e., a self-portrait in the form of architecture or an animal).
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
A282 Ceramics II
Second-year students continue to hone basic skills and learn advanced techniques to create more complex forms, work in a series, and/or increase scale. This class emphasizes more independence as projects are open to interpretation by the individual, developing creative problem-solving and self-expression.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: Ceramics I
A286 Ceramics III or IV
These classes are for students who wish to continue ceramics for a third or fourth year. Students will be scheduled into Ceramics II classes and will work under the instructor’s guidance. Ceramics III and IV students are assisted in the development of long-range projects. The class requires commitment to exploring and developing complex forms in series and over time.
Course Length: Yearlong course
Prerequisites: Ceramics II or III
A290 Sculpture I
This course will focus on self-expression through the medium of sculpture. Students will learn the
fundamentals of hand building with clay. Students will also be exposed to a multiple-media approach to art making—using a variety of materials such as plaster, wood, cardboard, wire, paint, and drawing. An
introduction to power tools and hand tools will be given, allowing students to develop their ideas, artistry, and creativity. Students are encouraged to follow their personal interests and explore materials of their choice. Projects range from making narrative human and animal figures, to abstract tower and rocket forms, to building collaborative works on a large scale.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
A292 Sculpture II
Students who wish to continue their work in sculpture may be scheduled into Sculpture I classes and will work under the instructor’s guidance. Students will begin developing their own projects and are expected to work more independently. Students will continue to develop basic sculptural skills and techniques while being introduced to more advanced technical and conceptual concerns.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: Sculpture I
A296 Sculpture III or IV
This course is designed for dedicated 3-D students who have experience in Sculpture II and are interested in pursuing personal concepts in visual art as they develop a body of work under the instructor’s guidance.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: Sculpture II
SEMESTER STUDIO COURSES A298 Semester Ceramics
This course is designed for students who are interested in personal enrichment through the art of ceramics. Wheel throwing, hand building, and glazing will be demonstrated with the student’s personal goals in mind. Experienced and non-experienced students are welcome.
This class does not fulfill the arts requirement.
Course length: Spring-term semester course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
A299 Design and Creation: Exploring multiple modes and materials
In this course we will explore an approach to design and creation that offers the opportunity to work in several modes exploring the use of different materials. We will experiment with wood, ceramics, and drawing media such as graphite, charcoal, and watercolor to conceptualize, design, and build functional
objects. Students will learn basic carpentry by using tools such as a chop saw, band saw, jigsaw, and the table saw. They will also learn the fundamentals of hand-built ceramics, as well as introductory drawing
skills. Students are encouraged to follow their personal interests. Project choice examples include: “Form and function: the chair challenge”; “creative tables: ceramic and wood assemblage”; and “concept and the
imagination: large-scale works on paper.” Students will be exposed to contemporary designers from around the world through online platforms and slide discussions.
Course length: Fall-term semester course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
SPECIALIZATION IN THE VISUAL ARTS
Students wishing to specialize in an area of visual arts must complete at least three yearlong courses, one of which must be in the senior year. As a demonstration of their personal development and leadership, all visual arts specialization students are required as seniors to display a solo show of their works in the visual arts.
MULTIMEDIA COURSES A240 Digital Media Arts I
Filmmaking or video production and music production are the main project activities of this course. Students use computer applications for creating music, video, and, for interested students, animation, film scoring, and related projects. Students have the opportunity to develop media skills, beginning at whatever level they have already achieved, through work on individual and collaborative media arts work. Through a sequence of projects, students first develop and then demonstrate basic competency with computer-based tools for music and video production. In the latter part of the course students may choose to focus on either music or video work or both. The final project is often a team effort as students combine their skills to create a polished video, music composition, or other dynamic media presentation. This course may contribute to meeting the arts requirement either as a music or performing arts course depending on the focus of work of the individual students. Students need not have a background in music or video production to do well in this class. Interest in becoming skilled and experienced in this media production art is the primary requirement.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
A242 Digital Media Arts II, III, and IV
Continuing media students will pursue media projects, some assigned and some developed through consultation with the instructor. The process begins with assessing strengths of work already achieved and using previous projects as foundation for further development of personal techniques, producing projects incorporating music, video, or animated composition with support for collaboration and individual
development. Continuing students are expected to function even more independently in the studio. Course elements may include assisting with studio maintenance and providing project assistance, guidance, and some focused instruction to beginning students.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: Digital Media Arts I
SEMESTER VISUAL ARTS (NON-STUDIO) COURSES
A244 S.T.E.A.M.E.D. Design, Make, Repeat
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math, Aesthetics, Design (Team-taught course — receives math or art credit)
“Makerspaces” and “Making” are two big buzzwords today. But what is making? According to Merriam-Webster, it’s the “the action or process of producing something,” but it is much more than that. Students in this semester-long class will learn the art of prototyping and iterative design, synthesizing concepts from science, technology, math, art, and other disciplines. They will choose self-directed projects after thoughtful analysis of the needs they see in the world around them. Students will also learn the basics of user-centered design, where all phases of the project are tested and refined with potential user (“customer”) input. The expectation is that students will push themselves expand their knowledge and learn new skills, such as sketching, testing, revising, prototyping, and various fabrication tools as needed, depending on the concepts and production requirements of the project. Students will need to be resourceful and resilient in acquiring the knowledge necessary to complete a project. Each project will include reflection on what went right and wrong in their process, and evaluation from and presentation to a larger community.
Course length: Fall-semester course for elective credit. No credit will be given towards completion of the arts requirement.
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
FULFILLING THE ARTS REQUIREMENT THROUGH SPECIALIZATION
Students interested in pursuing the specialization track in any area must submit a letter of application to an arts faculty member in the specific area of their specialization at course sign-up time during junior year. This letter should contain the following:
• Description of individual experiences and learning in past arts courses or programs.
• Statement of personal interest in and commitment to further development of skills in a particular area. • Description of future goals and willingness to help provide leadership to other students in the
program. In the instrumental music area, commitment to one of the specific specialization tracks should be confirmed.
English
The Lakeside English department’s highest goals are to inspire in students a love of literature and to help them become great writers. We are committed to developing students who are thoughtful, perceptive readers and skillful, versatile writers. By studying a broad range of ancient and modern works, including novels, poems, plays, films, and essays by canonical and non-canonical authors, students come to understand the historical growth of literary genres and the multicultural richness of world literature. In the classroom, we help sharpen students’ critical-thinking skills and encourage them to become engaged, incisive speakers and active, sensitive listeners. Our program also seeks to enable students to become more thoughtful about themselves in relation to their local and global communities.
The four-year English curriculum at Lakeside leads students through two introductory years of required classes and two years of increasing choice in course selections.
In the 9th and 10th grades, all students study similar areas of emphasis. The 9th grade usually focuses on themes related to adolescence and individuality, and the 10th grade provides an overview of world literature in different genres.
In the junior year, all students study American literature. In American Cultural Studies, every teacher uses the same core group of texts in the fall, and in the spring, each individual teacher selects literary works from lists that are grouped by historical period and by genre. In American Studies, a yearlong double course, English studies combine with history, and similar works are covered, though in a different chronological order.
In the senior year, in the fall semester, students choose among electives focusing on a literary tradition or literary genre. In the spring semester of this final year, seniors choose among electives with a significant experiential and/or creative component.
Senior elective offerings vary from year to year, with several courses rotating in and out on an every-other-year cycle. Students seeking further information about current and future senior elective offerings and other courses in the English curriculum should contact the English department head.
Grade 9
E100 English 9
This yearlong course explores literature dealing with broad themes of knowledge, responsibility, rebellion, and the power of individual choice. From the family feuds of Shakespeare to the historical Dominican Republic of Julia Alvarez, we encounter characters actively seeking knowledge, taking risks, and making crucial choices about how to lead their lives and challenge their societies. Exploring key literary works in a range of genres from a diversity of viewpoints and cultural contexts will prompt us to examine our own personal experiences and to reflect on different forms of knowledge — and their accompanying risks and responsibilities. We will work intensively to hone reading, thinking, and writing skills in various modes (analytical, creative, etc.), and encourage self-expression and public speaking. Regular skill building in vocabulary and grammar will also promote these goals. Additional selected texts may include works by Sherman Alexie, Aldous Huxley, Jean Kwok, Marjane Satrapi, and J. D. Salinger.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
Grade 10
E200 English 10
This yearlong course explores themes and genres through diverse authors from around the world and across literary history. We examine such enduring themes as innocence and experience, conformity and rebellion, culture and identity, and love and hate. In addition, we study the specific characteristics and effects of different literary genres, principally fiction (novels and short fiction), drama, poetry, and literary nonfiction. By exploring the elements of literature through critical reading, students also hone their own expressive skills through a range of analytical, creative, personal, and persuasive writing assignments, as well as through public speaking, team-teaching, and creative projects. Texts include the anthology “Literature: The Human Experience,”
“Othello,” “Interpreter of Maladies,” “The Dew Breaker,” and a small number of additional novels and poems.
Course length: Yearlong course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
Grade 11
Juniors choose between either American Cultural Studies I and II or American Studies
E300 American Cultural Studies I
The first semester of American Cultural Studies explores what it means to be an American and how literature reflects ways in which a complex intersection of social, historical, economic, and cultural forces has shaped the United States. We focus on key concepts that have helped shape American identity, such as slavery,
immigration, spirituality, war, economic self-determination, and discrimination. As we consider diverse
American communities and experiences, we interrogate the meaning of “America” itself: What does it mean to claim an American identity, and how have American writers interpreted the local and national cultures that surround them? Our work together covers a core group of literary texts — fiction, poetry, drama, and literary non-fiction — and focuses on improving students’ skills in writing, reading, critical thinking, and speaking. In addition, students are introduced to a selective list of literary terms to help them appreciate some of the technical elements used by the various authors they study. Core texts usually include works by or selections from Thoreau, Emerson, Whitman, Dickinson, Fitzgerald, Hurston, Otsuka, and Kaufman.
Course length: Fall-term course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
E303 American Cultural Studies II
This second-semester course is an historical and genre-based survey of American literature and culture. Students are able to draw directly on their concurrent studies in American history as they continue to learn how to read literary texts within their social, historical, and cultural contexts. Teachers also incorporate material from a variety of sources, such as visual art, music, and film, to enhance these explorations. Each individual teacher selects works from different eras, choosing from commonly agreed-upon lists covering these periods: pre-1900; 1900 to World War II; and World War II to the present day. Students also study at least one play and at least one major poet as well as a selection of units from the Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop (Level H).
Course length: Spring-term course
Prerequisites: None
E30H American Studies
(Team-taught Course - receives English and history credit)
This team-taught course offers an interdisciplinary approach to the themes, texts, and content of United States History (H300) and American Cultural Studies I and II (E300 and E303). The essential belief that informs this course is that students’ understanding of, and appreciation for, American literature and history is enhanced by considering each in conversation with the other. We will explore issues of equality, justice, and power, and consider how different, and often conflicting, ideas about America have shaped this nation. Developing an understanding of various disciplinary modes of thought and analysis is expected, as is active participation in discussions, projects, and presentations. Writing assignments will include literary analysis, historical research, creative writing, and extensive journal work. Students will receive one grade that will be counted for both courses. (Note: This course will be capped at 22 students.)
Course length: Yearlong course for JUNIORS ONLY
Number of meetings: This course meets for two 75-minute and two 90-minute periods Prerequisites: H100 (or H101), H200, E100, and E200 or their equivalent
Students have the option to take either H300 or H30H3 to fulfill the U.S. history requirement.
Grade 12
The senior year in English offers a wide range of electives, which are more specialized in focus than courses in earlier years, yet which continue students’ development as readers, writers, speakers, and listeners. Fall
electives concentrate on literary periods, genres, and traditions, while spring electives lean toward more experiential and/or creative pursuits. Toward the end of the academic year, students often complete a culminating final project that brings their learning together in a meaningful way.
FIRST SEMESTER
E402 Studies in Literature: Victorians
What is Keira Knightley fighting against as she storms around the windswept countryside in “Pride and Prejudice”? Answer: 19th-century moral and social codes. And that’s why the Victorian era in Britain gives us so many classic novels: They are fascinating stories of people running up against outdated constraints, and they help us understand the transformation of socio-cultural values and the challenges to conformity in any era and in any setting. In this class, we will consider how the classic British Victorian novel plays out tensions between tradition and what will soon emerge as modernity. The Victorian novel perfectly dramatizes these
contradictory discourses in the realms of class, power, gender, and sexual norms, and it illuminates how we have become the society we are today. Authors read may include Austen, the Brontës, Rhys, Dickens, Hardy, Wilde, Wells, and Conrad.
Course length: Fall-term course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
E406 Studies in Literature: Modernism
The world — and human understanding of it — changed dramatically at the turn of the 20th century, undermining assumptions that had existed for hundreds of years. People began to reappraise the most
fundamental of questions: Who am I? What is my relationship to the natural world? What is my relationship to other human beings? What do I believe in? Where is the moral center? What is art? What is certain?
address emerging uncertainties. In this course, we will explore how the major upheavals of the age manifested themselves in the poetry, prose, and drama of writers such as James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, T.S. Eliot, Jean Rhys, Gwendolyn Brooks, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Samuel Beckett.
Course length: Fall-term course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
E408 Studies in Literature: Postcolonialism The Empire Strikes Back
Darth Vader clenches his fist and declares, “Luke, you have only begun to discover your power!” Luke and his sister Leia, representing the Rebel Force in “Star Wars,” battle the Evil Emperor and his henchmen, and in the literary world, this rebellion takes the form of an international surge of amazing literature “striking back” at the former British colonial empire. In this course, students will explore the ways in which Postcolonial and
Diaspora writers provide a provocative counterpoint to the literature of empire. Voices from new nations strike back, certainly, but they also create new and dynamic literary, artistic, and cultural aesthetics,
deconstructing and deepening the classical literary canon in the process. Postcolonial and Diaspora literature examines the causes and consequences of colonization, resists colonial stereotypes, and defines cultural experience at the center rather than on the margins of new and emerging societies. Students will read literature from around the world — including from Africa, India, the Middle East, Australia, and Latin America — and will respond in a variety of expressive forms, including literary interpretation, creative writing, and personal explorations of identity.
Course length: Fall-term course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
E410 Studies in Literature: The Novel
When is the last time you lost yourself in a great book? What makes that experience so captivating? Is it because you just like wandering around Hogwarts with Hermione, or The 100 Acre Wood with Winnie the Pooh? Or perhaps you admire the way Katniss Everdeen’s or Jay Gatsby’s adventures are told so eloquently and engagingly? This course will explore how the novel has evolved as a genre ever since that mad Spaniard, Don Quixote, charged into those windmills on his old horse back in 1605. We will travel on a journey through historical time and imaginative space, tracing the novel's history by exploring particular periods and literary trends, including Realism, Romanticism, Victorian Literature, Modernism, and Postmodernism. Novelists may include Mary Shelley, Emily Bronte, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Gustave Flaubert, Nella Larsen, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, Toni Morrison, Michael Ondaatje, Italo Calvino, Edwidge Danticat, Nadine Gordimer, J.M. Coetzee, David Malouf, and Kazuo Ishiguro, among others. We will also make brief excursions into literary theory, and we will write for a variety of purposes to elicit aesthetic and imaginative responses and to develop analytical and interpretive skills.
Course length: Fall-term course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
E414 Studies in Literature: The South
Why are so many of America’s greatest writers from the South? What is it about the region itself that has produced such amazing literature in all genres? Historian Edward Ayers posits that “the very story of the South is a story of unresolved identity, unsettled and restless, unsure and defensive.” This course will let the South
tell its own story, through the literature of some of its finest writers. From the Southern Gothic atmosphere of a Flannery O’Connor short story, the steamy tension of a Tennessee Williams play, and the colorful depiction of Yoknapatawpha County in a William Faulkner novel, we will come to a deeper appreciation of a region that is both haunting and beautiful. A study of culture — visual art, music, and food — will give us further sights and sounds of a region known for its hospitality and its swing. In short, this class offers the opportunity to learn about a place rich in tradition and culture, a place “where democracy and oppression, white and black, slavery and freedom, have warred” (Edward Ayers, “What We Talk about When We Talk about the
South”). Possible authors include Eudora Welty, Bobbie Ann Mason, Carson McCullers, Richard Wright, Charles Chesnutt, Natasha Trethewey, Toni Cade Bambara, Flannery O’Connor, Tennessee Williams, and William Faulkner.
Course length: Fall-term course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
E416 Studies in Literature: Postmodernism
Many call our era “postmodern,” but what does that term really mean, especially when looking at literature and art? How should we respond to a novel written in fragments, to a series of poems that only use one vowel, to a play where nothing happens? What’s the difference between a modernist novel and a
postmodernist one? And what about paintings of soup cans, or blank canvases, or “musical silences,” or weird art installations that challenge our understanding of what “art” means? What would be a postmodernist film? Covering a broad range of different genres, this course will begin globally, with works by authors such as Borges, Calvino, and Beckett, to lay the groundwork for a close look at contemporary American writers such as Don DeLillo, Kay Ryan, Carol Shields, Geraldine Brooks, Gertrude Stein, Colson Whitehead, David
Markson, and Charles Yu. Performance art, painting, cinema, music, graphic novels, and critical theory/philosophy will further enrich our wide-ranging discussions.
Course length: Fall-term course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
E418 Studies in Literature: African-American
In this course, students will explore study black cultural expression from its origins to the present, tracing the stages of a distinctive literary and aesthetic tradition. Works are drawn from the vernacular tradition, the literature of slavery and Reconstruction, the Harlem Renaissance, urban realism and modernism, the Black Arts movement, and contemporary literary expression. Literature may include works by Phillis Wheatley, Sojourner Truth, Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, W.E.B. Du Bois, Countee Cullen, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, Lorraine Hansberry, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Nella Larsen, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Ntozake Shange, Toni Cade Bambara, Amiri Baraka, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, Gloria Naylor, Charles Johnson, and Julie Dash, among others.
Course length: Fall-term course
Number of meetings per week: Two 45-minute periods and one 75-minute period Prerequisites: None
E420 Studies in Literature: Latin America
What do a mythical village where people return from the dead, the transference of emotions into food, and a town populated by ghosts have in common? All three are common tropes of magical realism, a major literary movement in Latin American literature, which we will study in examples across a variety of genres (novels,