Available courses

• AP Chemistry

  • Instructor: Roland Marionni

  AP Chemistry 349 (3 credits)

  (Pre-requisite: Accelerated Science I H and II H with a combined average of 87 or above in the chemistry component or Chemistry with a 93 or above and departmental approval)

   This full year course, which includes laboratory work, is designed for the student who wishes to pursue a rigorous college-level course in chemistry. The topics covered include the atomic structure of matter, bonding, states of matter, chemical reactions, thermodynamics, and descriptive chemistry. Emphasis is placed on chemical calculations, the mathematical formulation of principles, and laboratory work done by the students. Summer work is required for admission to this course. Students in this course are expected to sit for the AP exam in May.

• Forensic Science

  • Teacher: Barbara Drake

  Introduction to Forensic Science 332 (1 credit)

  (Prerequisites: juniors and seniors who have a) completed physics, chemistry, and biology, or b) taken two of the three and are taking the third concurrently)

  Forensic science is a discipline that includes the use of technology along with the principles of physics, chemistry and biology, to aid criminal investigations. The work of forensic scientists is integral to criminal prosecution and defense in the United States. As technology has improved, the role of the forensic scientist has become more and more important. In this introductory course students will follow case studies of criminal investigations to learn about the tools and techniques available to forensic scientists, as well as how the evidence must be collected and handled in order to maintain its usefulness in a court of law. During the fourth quarter students will be given their own “crime scenes” to investigate, and they will be expected to apply what they have learned to solve each “crime.”

• Global Sustainability

  • Teacher: Barbara Drake

  Global Sustainability 336 (1 credit)

  This course will give students opportunities to investigate local as well as global issues currently recognized as problems to be solved if Earth is to be preserved for future generations. Sustainability will be examined from local, national, and global perspectives and students will examine a variety of energy sources, agriculture and recycling models, air quality, water use, and global industry standards. An ongoing project will be auditing and monitoring energy use at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School as we make the move from 100% dependence on traditional energy sources (gas/oil/electric) to partial dependence on a solar array. A portion of the course work will be project based and early in the year each student will be expected to identify, research and do outreach on an area of particular interest.

• AP Calculus BC

  The material covered in this course follows very closely the recommendations of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). This course is the equivalent of a full year of college freshman calculus. Students are prepared for and expected to sit for the Advanced Placement Examination in May.

• AP Calculus AB

  The material covered in this course follows very closely the recommendations of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). This course is the equivalent of a semester of college freshman calculus. Students are prepared for and expected to sit for the Advanced Placement Examination in May.

• Calculus

  The course begins with a review of the elementary functions and an introduction to limits. The course continues with finding derivatives of functions and their applications. Techniques of integration are covered. Problem solving includes related rates, maximum and minimum problems, the area between curves, and volumes of solids of revolution.

• Pre-Calculus Honors

  Students use skills acquired in Geometry and Algebra II to continue to explore functions. The foundation is further strengthened for students who wish to continue in mathematics and the sciences.

• Pre-Calculus

  Pre-Calculus lays the groundwork for further study of mathematics at the college level.

• Math Analysis

  This course is for students who have completed Geometry and Algebra II, but do not qualify for Pre-Calculus. Polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions and their properties and applications will be studied.

• Algebra II Honors

  This course is designed to strengthen the foundation of students who wish to take AP Calculus. The expectations for students taking this course are at a higher level.

• Algebra II

  The study of Algebraic and Transcendental Functions is the main focus of this course. These functions are solved and graphed with and without the graphing calculator or computer.

• Geometry Honors

  This course moves at a rapid pace and covers topics and concepts from Euclidean Geometry. These ideas and topics are combined with analytical geometry. Students are introduced to informal and formal proofs. Along with Algebra I skills, proofs are an essential part of the course. In addition, Geometer’s Sketchpad is used to investigate and prove geometric topics.

• Geometry

  • Teacher: Christine Cerminaro

  This course provides students with a close study of the properties of points, lines, angles, plane figures and solids. Topics to be covered include congruence, constructions, parallelism, similarity, perpendicularity, areas, and volumes. In addition, coordinate geometry and right triangle trigonometry is introduced.

• Algebra I

  • Teacher: Jo O'Connell

  Students are introduced to different approaches to problem solving, the language of algebra, signed numbers, linear and absolute value equations, inequalities and related graphing. In addition, formulas and functions, systems of equations, exponents and radicals, and polynomials are covered in depth.

• Author Study: An In-Depth Look at Ernest Hemingway and his Influence

  Students will have the opportunity to read several novels and short stories by one author, thus allowing students to gain a deeper understanding of the author’s themes, values, writing style, and merit. The course will include a look at the author’s life and list of publications as well as interpretations from major critics.

• Women in Biblical Literature: A Contemporary Exegesis of the Fairer Sex

  In this course, students will explore how women are portrayed in Biblical literature: characters include Judith, Mary Magdalen, Bathseba, Miriam, Ruth, and Lot’s wife among others.

• World Drama

  Seniors will read and stage scenes from great plays from past centuries as well as contemporary plays. The course will explore the unique genre of drama and distinguish its traits from stories told through novels or poems.

• The Short Story

  This course explores the short story as a unique genre within the literary spectrum. Stories are discussed and analyzed in terms of both structure and content. The use of narrative forms, literary devices, and plot construction are addressed as well.

• AP English

  Students who enroll in Advanced Placement English are expected to do college-level work in order to do well on the AP exam in May and receive college credit for the course. This includes making a greater commitment to summer reading.

• English III Honors

  • Teacher: David Berry

  English III Honors examines American literature in greater depth, covers some texts that are not covered in English III, and looks at literary criticism about the texts.

• English III

  • Teacher: David Berry

  During their junior year, students in English III read important works by American authors. The literature is read chronologically so as to parallel what is being studied in their American history class.

• English I Honors

  Although the basic curriculum does not differ greatly from English I, the student wishing to enter this section must clearly understand that the honors coursework is both accelerated and enriched.

• English I

  • Teacher: Susan Ritter

  The ninth grade marks a year of transition in which the student is required to approach literature with a greater degree of sophistication.

• Writing Lab

  • Teacher: Allyson Schieve

  The focus of the Upper School Writing Lab is to prepare students to write confidently and articulately across disciplines. Students practice timed writing, quote analysis, pre-writing, peer editing, and annotation.

• English II Honors

  English II Honors is an accelerated course designed for those students who have shown aptitude and interest in English. The course content is similar to that of the non-honors course, but the standards of the course and level of discussion present greater challenges.

• English II

  Students work on their writing skills in the fall to produce comparison and contrast, descriptive, and definition essays. The form of the standard essay is emphasized with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Special attention is given to inventing original, focused thesis sentences.

• Advanced Placement United States History

  • Instructor: William Michalski

  The AP class in United States history is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowlege necessary to deal critically with the problems and material in United States history. The class prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to full year introductory college courses. Students will learn to assess historical materials, determine their relevance to a particular historical problem and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship.

• Film as Literature

  • Instructor: Susan Ritter

  This course will provide an introduction to film studies.  It concentrates on film form, elements of style, and genre-based approaches to film analysis.  Students will learn how to view films critically the way that we read other texts—short stories, dramas, novels, poetry.  By using the language inherent to film, learning production techniques (editing, cinematography, sound, etc.),  and considering the cultural and historical context of specific films, students will understand the way to critically view and discuss film.  Students will view both excerpts of as well as full-length films; students will participate in the creation of a short original film. This semester course will be reading and writing intensive and is open to seniors only who are seeking  English credit.

  

• Health

  • Teacher: Lee Nicholls

• Middle School Art

  • Teacher: Tanda Tucker

  The Middle School art program is designed to be a transitional stage as young artists leave the Lower School, assume more responsibility, accept new challenges, and prepare for the Upper School.

• Spanish I

  • Teacher: Esther Faus

  In this course, students review the beginning skills in pronunciation, listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the target language. Students expand the basic vocabulary essential for more complex conversations: travel, sports and other pastimes, health, seasonal activities, clothing, eating and ordering in a restaurant, and shopping.

• Latin I

  • Teacher: Lilah Terwilliger

  In Latin I, emphasis is placed on skills in reading and pronunciation in translation exercises. The course also gives insight into life in the early Roman Empire by following and participating in the daily lives of a family in the city of Pompeii shortly before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

• Mandarin Chinese I

  • Teacher: Hua Liu

  This course is intended to introduce students to age appropriate basic Chinese language and cultural content. Students review Pinyin and continue to enhance four tones of Chinese pronunciation.

• Algebra I

  • Teacher: Christine Cerminaro

  This course is designed for students who have successfully completed our Mathematics Course II program. Students will study the traditional material for an Algebra I course: signed numbers, equations and inequalities, graphing functions, systems of equations, exponents and radicals, polynomials and quadratics.

• American History II

  America is a nation built on the optimism of adventurers: a nation made up of people from all parts of our world welcoming new ideas and sharing new experiences.

• Elements of Algebra

  The Elements of Algebra course focuses on introductory algebra topics. It is designed to further facilitate students’ transition from concrete concepts of pre-algebra to the abstract concepts of Algebra I.

• English 102

  • Teacher: Corinna Crafton

  Eighth grade English is designed to finalize the preparation of the Middle School student for the Upper School. Based on the sixth and seventh grade curriculums, English 8 aims at expanding and refining the skills introduced in those grades.

• Science Course III

  • Teacher: Noreen Jafri

  Earth Science provides a balance among the studies of physical geology, historical geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy. It is the study of earth - its matter, features, processes, and place in the universe.

• American History I

  • Teacher: Nancy Duddy

  This course builds a general foundation for the Upper School American History curriculum.

• English 101

  • Teacher: Corinna Crafton

  A literature-based course, seventh grade English continues work in English usage, study skills, grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, literature, and composition.

• Mathematics Course II

  • Teacher: Noreen Jafri

  Seventh grade mathematics is the second year of a two-year program to prepare students for algebra in the eighth grade.

• Science Course II

  • Teacher: Gerry Decelles

  This course focuses on topics in physics and chemistry: motion, forces, electricity, waves, atoms, bonding, chemical reactions, acids/bases, and materials.

• Seventh Grade Latin IA

  • Teacher: Lilah Terwilliger

  Seventh grade Latin is meant to familiarize students with the basic grammatical structures of Latin. The notion of inflected language is particularly emphasized in daily exercises. Morphology, vocabulary, and syntax are studied with constant reference to the English language.

• Seventh Grade Mandarin Chinese IA

  • Teacher: Hua Liu

  The Mandarin course serves as an introduction to Chinese language and culture. Emphasis is placed on building strong speaking and listening skills, supplemented with reading and writing simple Chinese sentences.

• Seventh Grade Spanish IA

  • Teacher: Esther Faus

  This year-long course emphasizes active communication in Spanish from the first day of class. The four language skills (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) are developed in a meaningful context as students talk and write about themes that are relevant to their lives.

• English 100

  • Teacher: Karen Vrotsos

  Sixth grade English builds on the instruction in grammar, usage, vocabulary, and reading comprehension of previous grades.

• Introduction to World Languages

  • Teacher: Lilah Terwilliger
  • Teacher: Hua Liu
  • Teacher: Esther Faus

  In sixth grade, students follow an exploratory course in Latin, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish.

• Mathematics Course I

  • Teacher: Christine Cerminaro

  Sixth grade mathematics is the first year of a two-year program to prepare students for algebra in the eighth grade.

• Science Course I

  • Teacher: Gerry Decelles

  This course is intended to introduce students to the world around them and the nature of all living things.
  

• Transitions

  • Teacher: Dina Congregane

  Transitions are defined as “changes.” Sixth graders participate in a class called “Transitions,” a discussion-based program that examines the many transitions in the life of a sixth grader

• World History

  • Teacher: Karen Vrotsos

  The sixth grade course presents an introduction to the study of history and social studies. Students explore the history and cultures of Asia, Europe, and Africa from ancient times through the Middle Ages.

• Kalter Fifth Grade

  • Teacher: Noah Kalter

• Nolan Fifth Grade

  • Teacher: Nicole Nolan