Curriculum & Themes

The curriculum in Upper Prep centers on the relationship of parts to a whole. In Life Science, students explore cellular structure, DNA and systems of the human body. They do experiments and write lab reports that make connections between the individual cell and larger organisms. In Upper Prep Mathematics, the arithmetic skills learned in elementary school are strengthened and applied through the study of number theory, geometry, fractions, statistics and probability. Parts of a whole (fractions, decimals and percentages) are used widely throughout the year. In both English and Geography and Culture, themes of community and culture are explored. How individuals are affected by their relationships with others (families, communities, geographic regions), how cultures are affected by inclusion within larger regions and how environmental issues affect both people and cultures are some of the themes that students explore. Foundation skills are taught across the arts and modern language curricula, and students are encouraged to bring the parts into cohesive wholes in creative works. In May of each year, the students share a culminating interdisciplinary project with families and friends at Passport to our World. This evening event provides students with an opportunity to present the research they have done on a country of their choosing, sharing information about culture, environmental issues, relevant statistics, indigenous language and art. In addition, students write poetry in response to an evocative visual from their country and apply oral presentation skills.

The curriculum in Form 2 fosters ownership. Academic responsibility, development and defense of personal opinions, and expanding intellectual curiosity are encouraged in each course. In both English and Modern American History and Government, social issues are explored through themes in literature and political movements. Students analyze and debate, and in the process, develop and learn to defend their own opinions. In Introductory Physical Science, students are expected to become competent and confident scientists, as they conduct labs exploring the laws of nature. The mathematics courses in Form 2 require responsibility for perseverance and self-assessment as students adapt to the rigor of the study of algebra. In the arts, students are given a wide variety of choice to find their own interests and passions, and leadership opportunities abound. Modern language and classics courses ask students to use the skills they have developed to begin to use their second language as their own, writing and speaking in more original and complex ways. There are three key projects in this year. From January to March, students work on a fully documented research paper on a topic of their own choosing. They do extensive research, write thorough outlines, learn correct formatting for references, and write and revise in partnership with their teachers and their peers. In late February, Elizabethan Night is the culminating event in the students’ study of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Students dress in Elizabethan attire, dance and dine in context, and perform scenes from the play. Finally, each student completes a yearlong, autobiographical, writing portfolio.