Course of instruction 2013 2014 0

King’s Academy Course of Instruction

2013-2014

King’s Academy Course of Instruction 2013-2014 (February 2013) 2

Table of Contents

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 3

Mission Statement ............................................................................................................... 4 Guiding Principles .............................................................................................................. 4 Graduation Requirements ................................................................................................... 5 Tawjihi Equivalency ........................................................................................................... 6 Four-Year Curriculum Plan ................................................................................................ 8

Global Online Academy (GOA) ......................................................................................... 9 Year-Long Courses ......................................................................................................... 9 Semester Courses .......................................................................................................... 10

Fall Semester Courses ................................................................................................... 11 Spring Semester Courses .............................................................................................. 14

Attendance Policy ............................................................................................................. 17

Academic Honesty Policy ................................................................................................. 19 Department of Communication, Rhetoric & the Literary Arts (CRLA) ........................... 21 Department of Computer Science ..................................................................................... 28

Department of Ethics, Philosophy & Religion (EPR) ...................................................... 31 Department of Fine & Performing Arts ............................................................................ 35

Department of History & Social Studies .......................................................................... 43 Department of Mathematics .............................................................................................. 50 Department of Physical & Life Sciences .......................................................................... 55

Department of World Languages ...................................................................................... 60


INTRODUCTION

A lifelong love of learning, an abiding sense of respect and responsibility, a vigorous

interest in a well-balanced life and global citizenship – these are the values that

distinguish a King’s Academy education.

The King’s Academy curriculum is just one way in which the school shapes the lives of its

students, but it is perhaps the most critical. This course catalogue bases itself on the

philosophical foundations of the school and on the idea that learning is exciting and

central to the experience of being a King’s Academy student.

King’s Academy students participate in all aspects of life on campus, and their academic

endeavors reflect the school’s commitment to overall excellence. The curriculum at

King’s Academy encourages the mastery of learning skills and promotes the development

of intellectual curiosity and creativity in every discipline. Students achieve clarity of

thought, a base of knowledge and confidence in their ability to articulate ideas, formulate

questions, solve problems logically and express themselves creatively.

The King’s Academy curriculum, both in its breadth and depth, encourages students to

take an active role in their own academic development. Under the guidance of faculty,

King’s Academy students plan a course of study around their interests and abilities,

fulfilling various requirements and readying themselves for the colleges and universities

of the world that await them.


MISSION STATEMENT

In a setting that is rich in history and tradition, King’s Academy is committed to providing a

comprehensive college-preparatory education through a challenging curriculum in the arts and

sciences; an integrated co-curricular program of athletics, activities and community service; and a

nurturing residential environment. Our students will learn to be independent, creative and

responsible thinkers within an ethical community that encourages young men and women of

diverse backgrounds and beliefs to excel, to cherish one another and to prepare for leadership.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Respect

Tolerance is a beginning, but it is not sufficient. What we hope to instill in our students is an

empathetic understanding of one another and a sense of respect that traverses all student

relationships, be it between each other, towards their teachers and families or with regard to the

community as a whole.

Love of Learning

We do not want our students to perceive their education as simply utilitarian – one that is a mere

instrument for their future success. Instead, we hope to foster in them a genuine love of learning

for its own sake and a desire to acquire knowledge in and for itself.

Responsibility

Along with the privileges of being part of King’s Academy come responsibilities. Students will

learn that they are stewards of what they receive and that it is their responsibility to pass on this

stewardship to others, such as younger students and the community as a whole.

By extension, students at King’s Academy will have a lifelong responsibility to use their

education to help and enhance possibilities for others. A belief in and commitment to social

service as well a striving for social justice for others less fortunate will form an essential part of

the ethos of the school.

An Integrated Life

We do not aim to teach students what to think but rather how to think. Students’ belief systems

are a personal matter between their families and themselves. Whatever our students’ beliefs,

King’s Academy stresses that balance is critical to human well-being. What we at King’s strive to

teach our students is how to integrate all aspects of their lives – academic, social, spiritual and

physical – in the context of a boarding school environment in which we learn not only about the

world but about ourselves.

Global Citizenship King’s Academy is first and foremost a Jordanian school. But it is also a regional school, and

ultimately a school of the world. The student body will be diverse geographically, economically,

ethnically and religiously and we aim to raise in our students an awareness of different peoples.

We will impart to them universal values, applicable in all cultures and at the same time encourage

their unique sense of belonging to the Middle East.


GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

In order to receive a diploma from King’s Academy, a student must have fulfilled the

graduation requirements with at least five equivalent year-long courses every year.

Every King’s Academy student who enters as a freshman will take at least:

Four years of CRLA English

Four years of CRLA Arabic

Four years of mathematics

Three years of physical and life sciences (four years recommended), with advanced

laboratory courses taught in the 11th

and 12th

grades

A one-year course on world history and geography in the 9th

grade

A one-year course on Islamic Civilization in a Global Context in the 10th

grade

At least one additional year-long course or three term-long courses from the

Department of History and Social Studies in the 11th

or 12th

grade

A one-term course on world religions

A one-term elective course from the Department of Ethics, Philosophy and Religion

(EPR)

At least two years of a world language (Chinese, French or Spanish) for students

entering as freshmen, unless the student is placed upon entry in additional classes of

English support (Language and Composition).

At least one year – three term-long courses – from the Department of Fine and

Performing Arts

One term-long course from the Department of Computer Science

As per Jordanian Ministry of Education guidelines, those students wishing to earn

Jordanian Tawjihi equivalency are also required to take two years of Islamic theology in

the 9th

and 10th

grades, and one additional two-term course either in the 11th

or 12th

grades.

For students entering King’s Academy in their sophomore, junior, or senior years, the

graduation requirements are pro-rated and are listed in the curriculum plan (see page 8).


TAWJIHI EQUIVALENCY

Students intending to attend a Jordanian university or gain certain professional licenses in

Jordan can obtain a certificate of Tawjihi equivalency in lieu of taking the national

Tawjihi examination. To obtain equivalency, students must complete one of the

following examination options, in addition to King’s Academy requirements, by the time

of their graduation:

Option 1: A combined total of seven Advanced Placement (AP) exams and/or SAT II exams

with scores of at least 3 on each AP, and at least 450 on each SAT II.

Option 2: Five Advanced Placement (AP) exams, with scores of at least 3 on each and one

A-level or Tawjihi exam in Arabic.

Option 3: Seven SAT II exams, with a score of at least 450 on each exam.

To obtain equivalency in the Tawjihi science stream for the first three options, students must pass

three SAT II or AP science subjects including Math SAT II level IIC or AP Calculus.

Note: To calculate the Tawjihi equivalency GPA for options 1-3, the Ministry of Education

will combine the 12th

grade GPA and the results on SAT II and/or AP exams.

Option 4: Pass four AP exams only

To obtain equivalency in the Tawjihi science stream the student should:

1. Pass any two AP Exams from the following list: AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP

Chemistry or AP Biology with a minimum score of 3 out of 5

2. Pass any other two AP exams with a minimum score of 3 out of 5

To obtain equivalency in the Tawjihi literary stream the student should:

1. Pass any four literary AP exams with a minimum score of 3 out of 5

Option 5: Pass three AP exams and two SAT II exams


1. Pass any two AP Exams from the following list: AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP

Chemistry or AP Biology with a minimum score of 3 out of 5

2. Pass any other AP exam with a minimum score of 3 out of 5

3. Pass any two SAT II exams available with a minimum score of 450


1. Pass any three AP exams with a minimum score of 3 out of 5

2. Pass any two SAT II exams available with a minimum score of 450


Option 6: Pass two AP exams and four SAT II exams


1. Pass any two AP Exams from the following list: AP Calculus or AP Statistics, AP

Physics, AP Chemistry or AP Biology with a minimum score of 3 out of 5

2. Pass any four SAT II exams available with a minimum score of 450


1. Pass any two AP exams with a minimum score of 3 out of 5 or Arabic

2. Pass any four SAT II exams available with a minimum score of 450

Note: To calculate the Tawjihi equivalency GPA for those students using options 4-6, the

Ministry of Education will count the results on the SAT II and/or AP exams only.

Further notes:

A Level Arabic is counted as one of the AP Exams

AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics are considered two separate exams

An AP Exam and a SAT exam of the same subject are considered two different

exams (e.g. AP Chemistry and SAT Chemistry are counted as two different

exams)

AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC and AP Statistics are not considered different

exams but as the same exam

AP Physics B and AP Physics C are not considered two different exams but as the

same exam

SAT Math I and SAT Math II are considered two different exams.

SAT Biology E and SAT Biology M are not considered two different exams but

as the same exam


FOUR-YEAR CURRICULUM PLAN

Please refer to the number of years a student will study at King’s to determine the

graduation requirements for that student.

Students intending to meet Tawjihi equivalency requirements must also take the

following courses:

Islamic Theology Two years plus two

term-long courses

One year plus two

term-long courses

Two term-long

courses

Two term-long courses

(if not taken as a junior

in previous school)

Note: Christian Theology 9 and 10 are offered

Subject 4-Year Program 3-Year Program 2-Year Program 1-Year Program

CRLA-Arabic Four Three Two One

CRLA-English Four Three Two One

Mathematics Four Three Two One

Science Three Three Two One

History Three Two One One

World Languages Two (three or more

recommended)

Optional (two or

more recommended)

Optional (two or

more recommended)

Optional

(recommended)

Fine & Performing

Arts

Three term-long

courses

Three term-long

courses One term-long course One term-long course

Ethics,

Philosophy &Religion

Two term-long

courses (to include

World Religions)

Two term-long

courses (to include

World Religions)

One term-long course One term-long course

Computer Science One term-long course One term-long course One term-long course One term-long course


GLOBAL ONLINE ACADEMY (GOA)

In 2011, King's Academy joined a consortium of leading independent schools across

America as the founding members of the Global Online Academy (GOA). Of the 10

institutions to launch the GOA, King's is the only international member. Spanning the

United States, the remaining nine schools include Albuquerque Academy in New

Mexico, Catlin Gabel School in Oregon, Cranbrook Schools in Michigan, The Dalton

School in New York, Germantown Friends School in Pennsylvania, Head-Royce School

in California, Lakeside School in Washington, Punahou School in Hawaii and Sidwell

Friends School in Washington, DC.

The 2012-2013 school year marked the Global Online Academy’s first full set of course

offerings. You and other students in grades 9-12 from top independent schools around the

world can now take online classes with one another. In addition to giving you access to

exciting new courses, we also hope to create truly global classrooms in which you will

learn alongside peers with diverse backgrounds and experiences. These courses are

designed, developed, and taught by teachers from our schools and you will receive credit

for the course through your school.

If you are interested in taking a GOA course, please first consult your academic advisor

and discuss the choice with your parents or guardians. Then, fill out the Global Online

Academy registration form and turn it in to your designated school administrator.

If you have questions about any of the current course offerings or if there’s a course

you’d like the academy to offer in the future, email [email protected]

GOA YEAR-LONG COURSES

Japanese Language Through Culture

This course is a unique combination of Japanese culture and language, weaving cultural

comparison with the study of basic Japanese language and grammar. While examining

various cultural topics such as literature, art, lifestyle and economy, students will learn

the basics of the Japanese writing system, grammar and vocabulary. Students will learn

the Japanese language by examining different cultural topics every two weeks. The

ultimate goal of this course is to raise awareness and appreciation of different cultures

through learning the basics of the Japanese language. The focus of this course will be 60

percent on language and 40 percent on culture. This course is appropriate for beginning-

level high-school students.

Pre-Calculus

This course takes an applications-oriented approach to topics in advanced algebra and

trigonometry. Working as individuals and in teams, students will solve problems related

to public health, finance, astronomy, probability and other practical applications. The

topics covered include polynomial, rational and exponential functions; logarithms;

mailto:[email protected]


trigonometric functions; and sequences and series. Students taking this course will have

successfully completed Algebra II and Geometry.

GOA SEMESTER COURSES (OFFERED IN BOTH FALL AND SPRING)

Bioethics

Ethics is the study of what one should do as an individual and as a member of society. In

this course students will evaluate ethical issues related to medicine and the life sciences.

During the semester, students will explore real-life ethical issues, including vaccination

policies, organ transplantation, genetic testing, human experimentation, and animal

research. Through reading, writing and discussion, students will be introduced to basic

concepts and skills in the field of bioethics, will deepen their understanding of biological

concepts, will strengthen their critical-reasoning skills, and will learn to engage in

respectful dialogue with people whose views may differ from their own. In addition to

journal articles and position papers, students will be required to read Rebecca Skloot's

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

An Introduction to Computer Programming

This course teaches students how to write programs in the Java programming language.

Students will develop problem solving and computational thinking skills framed by the

questions: How do computers store information? How do they make intelligent

decisions? How can they efficiently process large tasks? Students will learn the major

syntactical elements of the Java language, objected oriented design and programming,

several variants of the software development lifecycle, how to utilize a software

development environment and how to test and debug programs. The emphasis in the

course will be on writing actual working programs through short lab assignments and

more extended projects. No previous computer programming knowledge is necessary.

An Introduction to Psychology

In this course, students will explore how the human mind works and the impact of

environment and biology on the development of the psyche. This course seeks to address

a number of questions: Why do people act the way they do? How is the human

personality constructed? How accurate is memory? How do human beings experience

attraction and revulsion? What do our dreams mean? In addition to discussing, studying

and researching how psychological processes can affect sensation, motivation, emotion,

learning and memory, students will also review relevant public policy through

discussions with experts on criminal psychology and pharmacology, and review best

practices regarding psychological ethics in both clinical and laboratory settings. Finally,

students will design a comprehensive review of a particular psychological hypothesis and

apply it to an experiment of their own design.

Multivariable Calculus

Multivariable Calculus will extend the principles and techniques of a first course in

calculus to higher dimensions. Students will study vector algebra and functions, matrices,

curves in space, arc length and curvature, and velocity and acceleration. Students will


also learn: partial differentiation, local extrema, exact differentials, chain rule, directional

derivative and gradient. As a continuation of integral calculus students will study double

integration and triple integration, line integrals, volume and other applications. This

course is meant for students who successfully completed (B+ or better) a first year AP (or

equivalent) calculus course. Students must have access to a computerized 3D graphing

utility, such as Grapher (standard utility on Mac computers) or Autograph, and must be

comfortable using or learning to use new technology.

Online Journalism

The GOA Journal will be an online news magazine that is designed, written and

published by students from around the globe. This collaborative course will focus on

learning the fundamentals of journalistic writing, understanding the historical arc of

journalism, and becoming comfortable with online tools such as Twitter, Dipity, Storify

and Wordpress that are utilized by news sites around the world. Students will gain

applied skills such as layout, blogging, vlogging, news tweeting as well as the crafting of

budget lines, leads, op-eds, features, photo-essays and graphics. The staff will work as a

team to produce frequent content for the site. While school newspapers write for a school

community, stories in the GOA Journal will be geared toward a broader audience with

stories as pertinent to students in Jakarta as they are to students in Minneapolis. For

example, students could cover events unfolding in the Middle East, Facebook’s

censorship of art or recent trends in science education from the unique perspectives

students bring to GOA’s international community. Students who take Online Journalism

are eligible to write for the GOA Journal after their course.

FALL 2013 COURSES

Arabic I: Language Through Culture

This course will highlight Modern Standard Arabic, and the spoken dialect of the Levant.

With an emphasis on Arabic culture, students will learn commonly used expressions and

proverbs from North Africa, the Levant and the Persian Gulf. Students will develop their

skills in listening, reading, writing, forming grammatically correct structured sentences,

and most importantly, conversation. This will be accomplished through podcasts, videos,

chat logs, web conferencing and letters, which will be exchanged between the

participating students in this course and native Arabic speakers from Jordan. Since

Arabic is becoming one of the most functional languages in the world, especially in the

areas of commerce, business and trade, students participating in this course can avail

themselves of the opportunity to learn the language in a highly stimulating and rich

cultural context.

Comparative Governments

This course introduces students to the comparative method of understanding power by

studying the political systems of six nations: Great Britain, France, the United States,

China, Russia and India. Some questions that will be addressed are: what are the different

models of representative democracy?; and how does religion play a role in shaping

government? Students use these case studies to gain insight into international relations


and other political science subfields and concepts. Histories, institutions, political

processes and current events will be covered through a variety of readings and sources.

Crimes Against Humanity

The 20th

century witnessed some of the most horrifying examples of inhumanity in world

history. The Armenian Genocide during World War I, the Holocaust in Europe during

World War II and the Rwanda Genocide in 1994 demonstrated how hatred and violence

could unfold in dramatic fashion by the actions of both private citizens and the policies of

governments. Yet these atrocities also led to new perspectives in international justice by

developing definitions and punishments for crimes against humanity in the Nuremberg

Tribunals and the subsequent International Criminal Court proceedings. This course first

explores the three genocides in depth, using primary and secondary source readings,

group projects, documentaries, and literature, and then turns to an examination of

international justice with particular attention to the significance of the Nuremberg

Tribunals. Students will write a research paper, collaborate on group presentations and

create a human rights report card website for a current nation of the world.

Digital Photography

Photography can be a powerful and persuasive tool. This course is designed for students

to learn how to give an emotional context to social, political, environmental and global

issues through photography. Students will learn how to prepare for and execute specific

types of photographs, as well as the technical elements of digital editing. While students

work on photo-based projects they will simultaneously engage in discussions about such

topics as the appropriate use of Photoshop, or the ethics of digital advertising. Students

will be given opportunities to interpret specific global issues through their own

photographs. In addition to taking photographs, students will write descriptions and

reflections about their photographs, and give constructive feedback on their peers’ work.

Note: Students must have access to a digital camera.

Global Health

What makes people sick? What social and political factors lead to the health disparities

we see both within our own communities and on a global scale? Using an

interdisciplinary approach to address these two questions, this course hopes to improve

students' health literacy through an examination of the most significant public-health

challenges facing today's global population. Topics addressed will be the biology of

infectious diseases; the statistics and quantitative measures associated with health issues;

the social determinants of health; and the role of organizations (public and private) in

shaping the landscape of global health policy. Students will use illness as a lens through

which to examine critically such social issues as poverty, gender and race. Student work

will include analytical and creative writing; peer review, critique and discussion; and

online presentations.

Global Voices: Poetry Writing

This will be a poetry-writing workshop that explores identity. How are you shaped (or

not) by the community you live in? Our goal will be to create a supportive online network

of writers that uses language to discover unique and mutual understandings of what it


means to be a global citizen from a local place. Students will investigate who they are,

where they come from, what issues matter to them and how they compare to teens across

the globe. They will draft and revise poetry and prose, learn to provide constructive peer

responses and create podcasts and video interpretations of poems. Reflective writing will

also be an integral part of the learning process. Readings will center on contemporary

poetry but will also include art, audio and film. Projects will include portfolios of writing,

collaborations, independent study and an online class publication. All writers will be

encouraged to send their work to international contests and publications.

Medical Problem Solving

In this course students will collaboratively solve medical mystery cases, similar to the

approach used in many medical schools. Students enhance their critical thinking skills as

they examine data, draw conclusions, diagnose and treat patients. Students will use

problem-solving techniques in order to understand and appreciate relevant

medical/biological facts as they confront the principles and practices of medicine.

Students will explore anatomy and physiology pertaining to medical scenarios and gain

an understanding of the disease process, demographics of disease and pharmacology.

Additional learning experiences will include studying current issues in health and

medicine, analyzing personal health and lifestyle, interviewing a patient and creating a

community-service action plan.

Microeconomics This course provides students with an overview of the modern market economy as a

system for dealing with resource scarcity. Students will learn basic microeconomic

theory: supply, demand and resource allocation; profit maximization; analysis of various

market and industry structures; social costs and benefits; and international trade. Students

will: test their understanding of demand and supply in a stock market simulation;

investigate profit maximization by looking at case studies such as Apple; and experiment

with game theory to gain insight into the behavior of firms. Using a problem-solving

approach, students will learn through interactive lectures, group work, individual

projects, discussions and simulations.

9/11 in a Global Context

September 11, 2001 was a tragedy that must be understood on multiple levels. Locally, it

radically altered New York City, leaving physical and psychological scars. Nationally, it

shook a superpower, prompting widespread fear, confusion and new policies that

highlighted the tension between freedom and security. Internationally, it rewrote

diplomatic relationships, launching the War on Terror and spurring many human-rights

concerns. While 9/11 was a starting point for all of this, it was also an end point, the

product of decades of global transformations. This class situates 9/11 where it belongs, at

the center of an extended narrative, amidst the contemporary trends of post- imperialism,

globalization and terrorism.

Music Theory and Digital Composition

This course focuses on the building blocks of music (scales, chords, keys, intervals,

harmonic relationships, rhythm and meter) with the ultimate goal of helping students


create compositions of their own. Students will use a variety of online resources to build

their skills and to learn to create and arrange music using various digital media. The

intent is for students to craft their own work without resorting to pre-determined, canned,

digital samples, but rather to draw from their own intellect musical tools that can be

written down, tweaked and ultimately performed and recorded. Class members will share

their work with others online, offer peer feedback in conjunction with faculty guidance

and begin building a body of their own compositions.

SPRING 2014 COURSES

Comparative Religions

This course will compare Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism.

We will view each faith through the same lens, applying a shared vocabulary and

framework to discover the origin, theology and practices of each tradition. Students will

work together to consider similarities among these faiths and to identify significant points

of divergence. In the final weeks of the semester, students will be charged with questions

that tap both personal and global perspectives. What are my own religious beliefs, and

how do my own religious beliefs influence the way I interact with others? Where in the

world do I see religion influencing political, economic and/or social issues, and how

might the similarities we have identified be utilized to ameliorate tensions caused by the

differences among different faiths?

Declaring Our Humanity: Applying Philosophy to Modern Global Issues

Declaring Our Humanity is an applied philosophy course that will use the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as a way of connecting pressing contemporary

issues with broad-range philosophical ideas and controversies, drawn from multiple

traditions and many centuries. We will also reverse our gaze and ask whether we must

consider the declaration itself differently, and perhaps more critically, in light of recent

political events like the global economic downturn and the sweeping revolutions of the

Arab Spring, as well as new developments in fields as diverse as biology, cognitive

science and political theory. In addition to introducing students to the work of

philosophers as diverse as Confucius and Martin Heidegger, this course also aims to be

richly interdisciplinary, incorporating models and methods from diverse fields including

history, journalism, literary criticism and media studies. The topics we will explore in this

class include the institution of slavery in the 21st century; the use of torture by Western

countries during the War on Terror; the questions that new technologies raise for the

rights to property, privacy and freedom of speech; the deepening problem of global

poverty; and the hope (and fear) inspired by the emergence of new populist movements

around the globe.

Game Theory

Do you play games? Ever wonder if you’re using “the right” strategy? What makes one

strategy better than another? In this course, we’ll explore a branch of mathematics known

as game theory, which answers these questions and many more. Game theory is widely

applicable in the real world as we face dilemmas and challenges every day, most of


which we can mathematically treat as games! We will consider significant global events

like the Cuban Missile Crisis, Mandela’s rise in South Africa or the rise of Nobel Peace

Prize winner Sirleaf in Liberia from a math perspective. Specific mathematical ideas we'll

discuss include two person zero sum games, utility theory, two person non-zero sum

games, multi-player games, game trees, matrix algebra, linear optimization and

applications of game theory techniques to a plethora of real world problems.

Prerequisite: Students must be comfortable with Algebra

Global Voices: Fiction Writing

This course will connect students who are interested in creative writing (primarily fiction)

and provide a space for supportive and constructive feedback. Students will gain

experience in the workshop model, learning how to effectively critique and discuss one

another's writing in a digital environment. In addition to developing skills as a reader

within a workshop setting, students will work to develop their own writing identities

through a variety of writing exercises. The course will capitalize on the geographic

diversity of the student body by eliciting stories that shed light on both the commonalities

and differences of life experiences in different locations. Additionally, we will investigate

the notion of “place” by reading the work of authors from around the globe. Students’

essential responsibilities will be twofold: to act as writers and readers. Both will require

participation in discussions of various formats within our online community, as well as

dedicated time outside of class reading one another’s work and writing pieces for the

workshop.

Graphic Design

This course will explore the relationship between information and influence from a

graphic design perspective. What makes a message persuasive and compelling? What

helps audiences and viewers sort and make sense of information? Using an integrated

case study and design-based approach, this course aims to deepen students’ design, visual

and information literacies. Students will be empowered to design and prototype

communication projects they are passionate about. Topics addressed will be: principles of

design and visual communication; infographics: the art of making information accessible;

digital search skills; networks and social media; persuasion and storytelling with

multimedia; and social activism on the internet. Student work will include individual and

collaborative group projects, graphic design, content curation, some analytical and

creative writing, peer review and critiques, and online presentations.

International Macroeconomics

In this course, students will study macroeconomic theory as it relates to domestic and

global policies on employment, national income, government spending and the impact of

foreign spending on domestic economies and foreign exchange markets. Students will use

real world events and data as case studies in order to develop a better understanding of

the driving forces behind domestic and international macroeconomic markets. In the final

portion of the course, students will have the opportunity to develop their own solutions to

a local/global issue of their choice (such as poverty, environmental pollution and limited

access to education) based on their new understanding of macroeconomic theory.


iOS App Development

Learn how to build apps for the iPod, iPhone and iPad in Objective-C and publish them

in the App Store. Students will work much like a small startup: collaborating as a team,

sharing code and learning to communicate with each other throughout the course.

Individual projects will differ, but there is an emphasis on collaboration. When students

finish this course, they will have had the experience of being integrally involved in a

project team. Students will understand the fundamentals of object-oriented programming,

which is transferable to any modern programming language. Students will learn the

valuable skills of creativity, collaboration and communication in the service of creating

something incredibly cool, challenging and worthwhile.

Note: For this course, it is required that students have access to a computer running

the most current version of Mac OS X. An iOS device that can run apps (iPod Touch,

iPhone or iPad) is also highly recommended.

Neuropsychology

This course is an exploration of the neurological basis of behavior. It will cover basic

brain anatomy and function as well as cognitive, behavioral and psychiatric disorders

from a neurobiological perspective. Examples of illness to be covered include:

schizophrenia, depression, ADHD, Alzheimer's disease, obsessive compulsive disorder,

traumatic brain injury and stroke. Diagnostic and treatment issues, including behavioral

and pharmaceutical management, will be addressed. Additional topics include:

professional standards and the code of ethics governing all psychologists; psychometrics;

and the history of neuropsychology. This course can be taken as a continuation of An

Introduction to Psychology, although it is not a prerequisite.


ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular attendance at school is essential for academic success at King’s Academy. A

student’s grade may be affected by excessive absences. Attendance is recorded at the

beginning of each class period. According to Jordanian law and the policies of King’s

Academy, no more than 21 absences in a year-long course, or seven absences per term,

are allowable for completion of a course and for a final grade to be granted for the course.

Failure to meet this rate of attendance will result in loss of credit for the term and

removal from the course. Students who are removed from a course due to excessive

absences will be required to either take the course the following year or in an accredited

summer school or correspondence program.

All absences whether excused or unexcused, with the exception of school-sponsored

activities, count as part of the maximum allowable absences during a term.

Excused Absences

King’s Academy has defined which situations can be considered excused absences:

Illness (requires a doctor’s report if the student is absent for more than two days)*

Death in the immediate family

Observation of a religious holiday not normally observed at school

School-sponsored activities

Extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student to be determined by

the headmaster

*Students have two days after returning from an absence to present a note. After two

days the absence will be unexcused. All notes are brought to the attendance office.

If a student needs to leave school early during a school day, the student must first report

to the Office of Student Life which will then obtain/confirm parent permission by phone

or email. Leaving early during the week requires the permission of the appropriate class

dean.

Absences from school or class for the following reasons will be considered excused,

allowing the student to make up missed work and assignments for credit, the deadlines

for submission of which are at the discretion of the classroom teacher:

Illness

Family emergencies

Religious observances

Traditional national observances

College interviews, entrance exams


Students attending school-sponsored activities or programs must have prior approval

from their class dean to miss class. Students are asked to notify their teachers in advance

if they know they will be absent from school; it is the student’s responsibility to obtain

and complete all work missed during an absence.

The faculty will not be obligated to provide make-up work for students who are absent

from class for reasons other than those listed above.


ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

King’s Academy has prepared this statement because we want to emphasize to all of you,

our students, the importance of academic honesty. We recognize that King’s Academy

students are generally committed to achieving success through honest effort.

Because trust and honesty are critical to the well-being of any community, we expect

King’s Academy students to be truthful at all times.

We expect students to do their own work, unless they have explicit permission from their

instructors to collaborate with others.

Violations of our Academic Honesty Statement

1. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the unauthorized use of someone else’s work.

Possible examples of plagiarism include using another's work from print, web

or other sources without acknowledging the source; quoting from a source

without citation; using facts, figures, graphs, charts or information without

acknowledgement of the source. If you are unsure of whether something is

plagiarism, it is your responsibility to consult your teacher.

2. Cheating: Cheating is using or receiving any aid on a test, assessment or assignment that is

not specifically allowed by the teacher. (An assessment is any formal or informal assignment

that is given by your teacher, including but not limited to a quiz, test, essay, take-home test,

open-book test, exam, worksheet, lab report, question set or project.) Cheating also includes

looking for, using, giving or receiving unauthorized assistance or information. Possessing

such aids or information, even if it is not used, is still considered cheating.

Possible examples of cheating include copying from another student's paper or

receiving unauthorized assistance during a quiz, test or exam; using books, notes or other

devices (such as calculators, cell phones or computers) or formulas, statements or any

information written on the body or clothes when it is not authorized; finding and using

without authorization a copy of or information about an exam before the scheduled time;

unauthorized collaboration on exams.

3. Unauthorized group work: Unauthorized group work is collaborating with another person

or persons without having the explicit permission of the teacher to do so. This includes

working with any other student or students when the assessment is meant for an individual. It

also includes receiving aid or assistance from outside your activity group from, but not

limited to, honors or AP students, alumni, tutors, parents, siblings or online assistance when

the work should be completed only by the members of that group.

Possible examples of unauthorized group work include working with another person

or persons on any activity that is intended to be individual work, when such collaboration

has not been specifically allowed by the teacher.


4. Fabrication, falsification and misrepresentation of submitted work: These three terms

mean altering or inventing of any information or citation that is used in assessing academic

work. This includes multiple submission of work, i.e. handing in the same assignment for

more than one class or using a project, presentation or speech for more than one class.

Possible examples fabrication, falsification and misrepresentation of submitted

work include inventing or counterfeiting data or information; falsely citing the source of

information; altering the record of or reporting false information about labs; altering

grade reports or other academic records; submitting a false excuse for absence or

tardiness for a school day, test or exam; lying to a teacher to increase a grade.

5. Complicity in academic dishonesty: This means intentionally helping another to commit an

act of academic dishonesty, being a knowing or willing accomplice to academic dishonesty or

purposely failing to report an incident of academic dishonesty.

Possible examples of complicity in academic dishonesty include knowingly allowing

another student to copy from one's paper during an exam or test; distributing test

questions or substantive information about the material to be tested before a scheduled

assessment or exam; deliberately furnishing false information.

6. Attempting to commit any offense as outlined above: Trying to cheat or having the intent

to cheat is the same as cheating.

Responses/consequences to academic dishonesty

If a student violates the Academic Honesty Statement, he or she will sit for an Academic

Honor Committee meeting. The Academic Honor Committee is comprised of faculty and

students and can make one of the following for recommendations to the headmaster: 1) a

formal letter of reprimand, 2) school separation, 3) school suspension (reported to

colleges and universities) and 4) a required withdrawal from King’s Academy.

These responses are levied in accordance with the severity of the violation. This means

that the responses are not sequential, i.e. the response to your first violation may be a

required withdrawal from school.

[adapted from Florida State University]


DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION, RHETORIC & THE

LITERARY ARTS (CRLA)

It is the aim of the Department of Communication, Rhetoric and the Literary Arts

(CRLA) to develop students' ability to use and appreciate the English and Arabic

languages, both orally and in written discourse, to cultivate their facility for verbal

analysis and persuasive writing and to introduce them to the major forms of literary

expression. During their years at King's Academy, students progress systematically

towards these goals by writing regularly for their courses and by participating

periodically in formal declamations that will help them express themselves confidently in

public speaking situations and prepare them for a life of cultural interactions, academic

pursuits and political and social engagement. Students extend their knowledge of the

grammatical and literary complexities of language as well as of its development, structure

and beauty. Students study both English and Arabic in separate year-long courses for four

years each.

Because King’s Academy attracts and welcomes students from around the world, for

many of whom English is a second or third language, the CRLA department seeks to

ensure that all students entering the school have the opportunity to receive any additional

support they may need. To this end, the regular four-year English program is

supplemented with an additional series of English courses (English Language and

Composition) which students may be asked to take before embarking on the study of a

third language. Similarly, students with limited exposure to the Arabic language and who

need to develop a firmer grounding in the fundamentals of Arabic are required to enroll

in Arabic Enhancement Seminar (AES). This is offered at the four levels of schooling

and prepares the students until they are ready to join the regular Arabic class of the grade.

Finally, for students with no background in the study of Arabic, the CRLA department

offers a four-year course in Arabic as a Second Language (ASL).

CRLA courses emphasize clarity of thought and expression, logical analysis and a close

reading of literary texts, including fiction, essays, poetry and drama. Students study a

broad array of writings and perspectives from a variety of traditions and historical

periods. Class discussions encourage students to develop their own thinking skills,

interpretations and voices. Because the student body is diglossic and bilingual, it is

imperative that students are well prepared in both languages. Hence, the two departments

are housed together and have regular meetings to discuss shared curricular materials and

academic concerns.


CRLA-ENGLISH

Language and Composition

This course is designed to develop the language skills students need to succeed not only

in their English literature classes, but in all the academic work that requires them to be

proficient readers, writers, speakers, listeners and thinkers. Language and Composition

focuses on the essential skills and understandings that students need to thrive

academically: how to gather, develop, organize and express ideas clearly and effectively.

An examination given at the end of the school year determines their readiness to leave the

course, at which time they will have the opportunity to enroll in the other world language

courses offered at the school.

Course length: One year

Prerequisite: Placement exam and/or teacher recommendation

Introduction to Literary Genres

This course introduces 9th

grade students to a world literature curriculum in which they

encounter literary texts from different times and cultures, allowing them to explore

narrative, verse and drama in their specific historical contexts. Students review the

fundamentals of English grammar and syntax, expand their vocabularies to enhance their

facility in reading and sense of diction, and become familiar with different genres of

writing and the range of imaginative literature.


Arabic Literatures in a Global Context

This 10th

grade course, which is taught in conjunction with the Department of History and

Social Studies 10th

grade course and CRLA-Arabic, provides students with the

opportunity to study a variety of Arabic literary works that complement the material they

explore in related courses. In addition, students participate in a number of language

exercises involving debate and rhetoric, both oral and written.


World Literature in English

In this 11th

grade course, students concentrate on literature written in the English

language as it emerged in the United Kingdom, the United States and throughout the

world. The emphasis is on writing, close readings of texts and the elements of literary

analysis. This course prepares students to take the SAT Subject Test in literature.


Readings in World Literature

This course concentrates on a variety of texts from around the world. In their fourth year

of English study, 12th

grade students will have become discerning, passionate readers of

literature whose facility in English allows them to express themselves lucidly and

persuasively in oral and written discourse.



Honors English

Honors English courses in grades 10, 11 and 12 are designed for students who have

demonstrated the motivation, self-discipline, ability and academic readiness sufficient to

read and explore more difficult texts in greater depth and complexity. Honors courses

accommodate the needs of students who have demonstrated that they are ready to read

more challenging texts and meet more challenging expectations, particularly in their

written work.


Prerequisite: Students must receive a recommendation from their current English

teacher to be eligible to take an entrance exam intended to demonstrate their readiness

to thrive in an honors course. The department will recommend students for the course

based on their entrance exams, academic readiness and motivation as demonstrated by

disciplined work habits.

AP Language and Composition

This course is designed to prepare students to develop the reading, writing and thinking

skills necessary to meet the challenge of the Advanced Placement examination in

Language and Composition, which tests students’ abilities to demonstrate a deep

understanding of how authors use the principles and elements of rhetoric and language to

develop meaning. Students enrolled in this course are challenged to read difficult

nonfictional texts from a variety of disciplines, and to write for a variety of audiences and

purposes in various genres.



teacher to be eligible to take an entrance exam intended to demonstrate their readiness

to thrive in an Advanced Placement curriculum. The department will recommend

students for the course based on their entrance exams, academic readiness and

motivation as demonstrated by disciplined work habits.

AP Literature and Composition

This course is designed to prepare students to develop the reading, writing and thinking

skills necessary to meet the challenge of the Advanced Placement examination in

Literature and Composition, which tests students’ abilities to demonstrate a deep

understanding of how authors use language to convey meaning. Students enrolled in this

course are challenged to read difficult works in a variety of genres and to develop the

analytical skills necessary to develop a deep understanding of and appreciation for the

subtleties and nuances of complex texts.



teacher to be eligible to take an exam intended to demonstrate their readiness to thrive

in an Advanced Placement curriculum. The department will recommend students for

the course based on their entrance exams, academic readiness and motivation as

demonstrated by disciplined work habits.


CRLA-ARABIC

Introduction to Literary Genres

This course introduces 9th

grade students to the various Arabic literary genres through

exposure to a variety of works. Students encounter poetry, fiction, epistles and

biographies from different literary periods of Arab history. Specific focus is directed at

the pre-Islamic age and its famed Mu’allaqat, as well as the main literary figures and

characteristics of that era. Students also read contemporary novels, including Ivy Tree by

Mohammad Abdul Halim Abdallah, short stories from Mikhail Nuaymeh’s Kan Ma Kan

(“Once Upon a Time”) and the play The Elephant, Oh King of the Times by Sa’adallah

Wannous. Finally, students refine their writing skills while working with “Al Khatera” –

topical essays developed around an idea or a thought. Language skills, integrated through

context, include more complex spelling and grammatical/syntactical applications, as well

as some metrical exercises in poetry.


Prerequisite: Placement exam

Literature and Literary Appreciation

This course offers 10th

grade students exposure to a wide variety of literary texts with the

aim of cultivating their abilities in literary analysis, criticism and appreciation. Students

experience a variety of readings that cover several genres: the rich heritage of gnomic

literature with its proverbs and aphorisms, philosophical essays, selections from Arab

narrative poetry and the epistolary tradition. Emphasis is placed on the Ummayad age

through the study of the Andalusian Muwashahat and their lyrical stanzas, as well as

some outstanding writers from that epoch. Additionally, two contemporary literary works

are studied: Ghassan Kanafani’s novella Men in the Sun and Ahmad Shawqi’s poetic

drama Antara. Finally, students hone their skills in essay writing, debate and oral

communication.


Prerequisite: Placement exam for new students; faculty recommendation and

department consent for returning students

Literary Analysis

Delving deeper into newer, more modern literary forms, this course introduces 11th

grade

students to autobiographical works, oration, extended critical literary essays, poetry,

fiction and epistles. Students learn the basic elements of these genres and refine their

analytical writing skills. The course focuses on expanding students’ knowledge of major

poets and authors of the Abbasid age, including the Fatimi, Mamluki and Ayyoubi

literary periods, with readings of the Maqamat and their comparative and contrastive

verse. Students explore Hanna Mina’s End of a Courageous Man, and Heinrik Ibsen’s A

Doll’s House in translation, the study of which may culminate in a stage performance.


Prerequisite: Faculty recommendation and department consent


Selected Literary Topics

Senior students in this section study the approaches of authors in modern and

contemporary Arabic literature, focusing on literary forms such as free verse, overseas or

emigrant literature, poetic drama and literature in translation. They also study texts

related to everyday themes and issues. For example, they read Charlotte Brontë’s Jane

Eyre in translation and playwright Tawfik al Hakim’s Almalek Oudeeb (“Oedipus the

King”) – which offers dramatic enrichment possibilities – as well as some short stories,

both in Arabic and in translation. This course content also aims to enhance writing skills

by focusing on the analytical essay.


Prerequisite: Faculty recommendation and department consent

Honors Arabic

Honors Arabic courses in grades 9, 10 and 11 are designed for students who are gifted in

the Arabic language, and who have demonstrated the necessary motivation, self-

discipline, ability and academic readiness. Students expand upon the regular grade level

curriculum and read literary works of different genres in greater depth and with more

profound analysis.


Prerequisite: An excellent mark on the placement test prior to grade 9. For grades 10

and 11, a minimum average of A- in previous Honors Arabic courses, or an A in

standard grade Arabic, in addition to department consent

Advanced Arabic (A-Level)

Senior students gifted in Arabic read and write in preparation for the GCE Advanced

Level Arabic exam. The course places special emphasis on literary text comprehension,

translation from and into Arabic and English, using grammar to supply diacritical marks

to texts and the study of issues related to Arab history, culture and art. In addition,

students read three novels: The Thief and the Dogs by Naguib Mahfouz, Kalilah Wa

Dimna by Ibn Al Muqaffa’ and The Lamp of Um Hashim by Yahya Haqqi. It is the

expectation that those enrolled in this course will sit for the A-Level British examination.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of 11th

Grade Honors Arabic, a minimum average

of B+ in the regular 11th

Grade Arabic course, or having passed the placement exam

Arabic Enhancement Seminar (AES)

The AES courses (3, 5, 7, and 9 to 12) are designed for students who are native speakers

of Arabic but are not yet competent enough to join the regular Arabic class for their

respective levels. They are also for those students who may enroll without the benefit of

sufficient years of Arabic in their previous schools, whether in Jordan or abroad.

Levels 3 - 7 expose students to vocabulary and language suited to each level, starting

from a simple approach in the 3rd

Level and advancing to more difficult standards of

reading, writing, vocabulary and expression – both oral and written. This is done through

audio visual materials, in-class exchange, research and reading. By Level 7, students’

vocabulary, grammar, language, oral and writing skills are established so that they can

move on to the next level. Level 7 concludes with an introduction to literature.


Levels 9 - 12 study a simplified and shorter version of the corresponding, regular grade

level syllabi, with less focus on the conventions and techniques of writing poetry. In

addition, students read a variety of story selections in order to improve their language,

sentence structure and modes of expression. Special attention is given to the expansion of

each student’s vocabulary and idiomatic skills. Upon the successful completion of this

course, students are integrated into the regular Arabic curriculum the following year.

Course length for each Level: One year or less



Arabic as a Second Language (ASL)

The ASL courses cater to non-native speakers of Arabic and for students facing

significant problems in reading, writing and expressing themselves in Arabic. The

department offers four levels, which can be broadened to suit individual learning.

Through written and oral placement tests, the student’s level is assigned upon admission

into the Academy. Students are able to move on to a higher level during the school year

according to their progress in their language skills. Methodologies used are similar to

those implemented in World Languages.

Level 1

In this level, students learn the Arabic alphabet and a reasonable repertoire of

vocabulary, along with some major grammatical rules. Students then work to

compose short conversations in Arabic related to everyday situations.


Prerequisite: Placement exam

Level 3

This level exposes students to longer conversational texts and detailed

grammatical structures. During this stage, students engage in short, guided writing

and role playing. Students should also able to write short descriptive paragraphs at

this stage.




Level 5

In this level, students are exposed to longer texts and a wider range of vocabulary

through more informative and cultural materials. They are also introduced to the

aesthetic genre of Arabic poetry, which enables them to begin appreciating Arabic

literature more deeply. Special attention is paid to functional learning of the

language and to fluency of speech, as well as to listening skills.





Level 7

This final level teaches students to analyze poetry and prose. Students work to

broaden and deepen their comprehension of more complex Arabic texts. In

addition, they continue to hone their writing skills while working within the

structure of analytical and descriptive writing. Those who successfully complete

this course either join the AES or the regular stream, depending on the

recommendation of the teacher.





DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

Computer science education means far more than learning how to use a computer,

building a spreadsheet or even creating a webpage. It’s about problem solving,

computational thinking and abstract reasoning across a broad range of subjects. A

fundamental understanding of computer science enables students to be not just educated

users of technology, but the innovators capable of using computers to improve the quality

of life for everyone.

The first aim of the Department of Computer Science is to assist students in learning

logical reasoning, algorithmic thinking, design and structured problem solving – all

concepts and skills that are valuable well beyond the computer science classroom.

The second aim of the department is to encourage students to move beyond the

fundamentals and hence, following Introduction to Computer Science, students are

required to take one additional term of computer science, in the 10th

, 11th

or 12th

grade,

with the opportunity to pursue further computer science courses in which they learn

effective programming methods, design skills and advanced use of various software

applications.

The Department of Computer Science also supports students in developing the computer-

based skills that will allow them to enhance how they learn, how they think and how they

articulate their ideas. For many students, this means working in a networked environment

with mostly web-based tools and standard applications such as email, word processing

and spreadsheets. Hence, students in the 9th

grade are required to take Introduction to

Computer Science (one term-long course), which covers fundamental concepts and skills.

More importantly, this requirement reflects the school’s belief that as they acquire

computer literacy, students should also become fluent in the resources, techniques and

ethics of 21st century internet research and usage.

Introduction to Computer Science

All 9th

grade students at King’s Academy are enrolled in this course, which serves to

fulfill one of the requirements of the Jordanian Ministry of Education. It meets the need

of students to understand and learn how to use the various applications and skills

necessary for them to be successful in their studies throughout their high school careers.

This course is designed to introduce students to the breadth of the field of computer

science through an exploration of engaging and accessible topics. Rather than focusing

the entire course on learning particular software tools or programming languages, the

course focuses on the conceptual ideas of computing and helps students understand why

certain tools or languages might be utilized to solve particular problems. The goal of this

course is to develop in students the computational thinking practices of algorithm

development, problem solving and programming within the context of problems that are

relevant to the lives of today’s students. Students will also be introduced to topics such as

interface design, limits of computers and societal and ethical issues.

Course length: One term


Introduction to Programming

This one-term course provides students with a general understanding of what computer

programming is all about. Students learn essential programming/analysis skills to break a

problem down into discrete steps and use various programming constructs to solve the

problem by addressing those individual steps. The 3D interactive programming

environment, Alice, is used in this course. For the most part, students learn to program

not by listening to a teacher or watching the instructor do examples, but by doing

programming themselves. This course is very hands on and students are programming in

class regularly. Topics include problem solving, programming languages, storyboarding,

pseudocode, functions, expressions, control structures and object-oriented design and

programming. Upon completing the course, students will have a good basis for further

study of computer programming and better general problem-solving skills.


Introduction to Flash Game Programming

This term-long course introduces core concepts of computer programming in the context

of computer games. The course covers concepts and skills in problem solving and

programming not limited to game programming, but also applicable to other application

context. Students will use Adobe Flash, the ubiquitous Web multimedia and

programming platform that serves many different purposes: a drawing program; an

animation program; and a full-featured, modern programming language powered by the

increasingly sophisticated scripting language known as ActionScript. ActionScript is a

great language for beginners to learn to program games as it allows easy incorporation of

graphics, animation, and sound. In addition, the syntax of ActionScript 3.0 is very similar

to other programming languages. Learning ActionScript 3.0 also lays a foundation for

students to learn other programming languages.


Prerequisite: Introduction to Programming and approval of department head

Website Design and Development

This course provides students with a basic introduction to website design and

development using HTML, PHP and SQL for data storage and retrieval. Students will

learn fundamentals of HTML and commercial web-creation software packages; scanners

and digital video cameras; and use of digital resource creation-and-manipulation

programs. In addition to basic web design and coding, students will also learn basic

database design principles while creating simple interactive websites.


Introduction to Java Programming (Pre AP course)

This course aims to introduce students to the fundamentals of computer programming

like data storage principles and the main control structures of procedural programming

languages. Students are expected to develop and improve their skills and problem-solving

techniques. The course uses the Java language to help the students be prepared for the

more advanced programming courses such as the AP Computer Science course.


Prerequisite: Introduction to Programming or its equivalent and department consent


AP Computer Science

This course is based on AP Computer Science A which is equivalent to the first semester

of a college level computer science course. The course involves developing the skills to

write programs or part of programs to correctly solve specific problems. AP Computer

Science also emphasizes the design issues that make programs understandable, adaptable

and when appropriate, reusable. At the same time, the development of useful computer

programs and classes is used as a context for introducing other important concepts in

computer science, including the development and analysis of algorithms, the

development and use of fundamental data structures and the study of standard algorithms

and typical applications. In addition, an understanding of the basic hardware and software

components of computer systems and the responsible use of these systems are integral

parts of the course. The course uses Java as a tool to help learn the methodology of

object-oriented programming and problem-solving techniques through the development

and usage of algorithms.


Prerequisite: Introduction to Programming or its equivalent and department consent


DEPARTMENT OF ETHICS, PHILOSOPHY & RELIGION (EPR)

At the core of the King’s Academy mission is a commitment to fostering an educational

environment in which students from many different cultures can explore, share and

thereby enrich one another’s values. At the same time, the school maintains a dedication

to cultivating in students a thoughtful and impassioned loyalty to their own traditions,

beliefs and personal commitments.

In the Department of Ethics, Philosophy and Religion (EPR), Islamic and Christian

Theology courses go far beyond the requirements of the Ministry of Education to deal

with the entire spectrum of religious education, including theology, law, history, visual

culture and contemporary social issues. The gateway course, World Religions, employs

the guiding principles of global citizenship, responsibility and respect as it engages in the

academic study of varying religious beliefs, practices and traditions throughout the

world. The course seeks to instill a sense of compassion and curiosity in the minds of

students that allows them to enhance their appreciation for and responsibility towards

their own religion and those of others.

In all courses, the department takes as a starting point the dictum that education is

philosophy in action, and seeks to produce students who are not only well-versed in the

theories of prominent ethicists and philosophers, but also fully committed to

philosophical and ethical practice. As in all other disciplines, this department aims to

foster academic rigor, exactitude and a mastery of materials, but it does not turn to

external exams as a means of verifying how much is accomplished in the classroom. One

of the central aims of the department is to produce young men and women intent upon

discovering, for themselves, what it means to live a good life, and to prepare them for the

longest and most exacting external exam: a life of self-reflection.

Introduction to World Religions Religion has enriched cultures and civilizations since the beginning of recorded history. It

has shaped humanity’s triumphs, its struggles, its deepest concerns, questions and

emotions. Often the root of breathtaking human creativity, religion is sometimes misused

for horrifying destructive ends. For these reasons and others, the study of world religions

acquires greater urgency in our global civilization. This course introduces the five major

religions of the world—Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam—from a

historical and anthropological perspective. To that end, the belief systems of these five

religions are discussed with maximum openness and with as little judgment as possible.

By examining the religious beliefs, practices and images of others in this manner, we

hope to understand what religion means to its adherents and how it shapes their lives.


Prerequisite: Open to 10th

, 11th

and 12th

graders

Introduction to Ethics The course introduces students to the most common positions in moral philosophy,

including Ethical Relativism, Utilitarianism, and Kantian Ethics. During the course,

students critically examine the contributions of some leading moral philosophers such as

Socrates, Kant, Bentham, al-Ghazali and ‘Abd al-Jabbar to the field of ethics. From this


theoretical foundation, students are able to generate questions, explanations and possible

solutions in response to different moral dilemmas. The course also enables students to

formulate, communicate and write ideas clearly with due regard for academic honesty

and integrity.

Course length: One term Prerequisite: Open to 10

th, 11

th and 12

th graders

First Questions in Philosophy Some questions perpetually baffle, excite or antagonize great thinkers and everyday folk

alike. The mysteries of good and evil, proper behavior and good government, thought and

perception, beauty, time and language—these are issues that philosophers, theologians,

politicians and countless others have tried to resolve. This course introduces students to

the way philosophers have dealt with these great questions, while encouraging a spirit of

philosophical inquiry. As students approach these major topics, they also begin to

assemble a philosopher’s toolkit: acquiring familiarity with formal argumentation, critical

thinking skills and essay writing, as well as a conversancy with classic logical fallacies.


Prerequisite: Open to 10th

, 11th

and 12th

graders

Sufism

Sufism is a mystical trend in Islam, and mysticism is an integral aspect of every religious

tradition. The course investigates the historical origins of Islamic mysticism or Sufism

and the nature of the long-standing relationship between certain Sufi traditions and other

trends in Islam. It traces the evolution of Sufism from personal spiritual practice and

experience to the establishment of Sufi brotherhoods, which spread throughout the

Islamic world. Students learn how Sufism influenced various aspects of diverse cultures

and traditions, including European and Middle Eastern philosophy, poetry, literature,

music and art. Students also examine some essential elements of Sufi thought in the

works of mystical authors, including Tagore, Jibran, Ibn al-Farid, Ibn ‘Arabi, Farid al-

Din al-Attar, al-Yashruti, Kierkegaard and Spinoza.


Open to 10th

, 11th

and 12th

graders (taught in Arabic)

Declaring our Humanity: A Philosophical Perspective on the UDHR and

Contemporary Global Issues

This course uses the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to provide a

framework for examining today’s world, a world that is markedly different from the one

envisioned in that document. The course also ask whether the UDHR should be

considered differently, and perhaps more critically, in light of recent political events such

as the global economic downturn and the sweeping revolutions of the Arab Spring, as

well as developments in fields as diverse as biology, cognitive science and political

theory.

Declaring Our Humanity attempts to be a course in “applied” philosophy, using the

UDHR as a means of making a connection between pressing contemporary issues and a

broad range philosophical ideas and controversies, drawn from multiple traditions and


many centuries. To achieve this end, it also aims to be a richly interdisciplinary,

incorporating models and methods from diverse fields including history, journalism,

literary criticism and media studies. The topics explored in this class include the survival

of the institution of slavery into the 21st century, the use of torture by the United States

and other Western countries in the war on terror, the complex relationship between the

internet and free speech, the deepening problem of global poverty, and the hope (and

fear) inspired by the emergence of new populist movements around the globe.


Prerequisite: Course open to juniors and seniors only; permission of instructor

required

Islamic Studies This course serves as an introduction to the core principles and practices of the Muslim

religion. In the first year, students focus on the following topics: the Qur’an, the Hadith,

the doctrine of Islam, lessons from the life of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon

him), concepts of Islamic jurisprudence, and Islamic morals and principles. Students

study and learn to recite a number of designated Qur’anic verses. This course fulfills

Jordanian Ministry of Education requirements for Muslim students.


Prerequisite: The alternative course, Islamic Studies (in English), is for students with

no previous knowledge of the subject or whose Arabic proficiency does not allow them

to take it in Arabic.

Islamic Studies II The second year of Islamic Studies builds on the foundation laid by the first year of study

by expanding the students’ perspective to include early Islamic history, Islamic law and

theology and aspects of Islamic civilization. Students study the practice and beliefs of

Islam and understand it in the context of contemporary society across the Muslim world.

This course fulfills Jordanian Ministry of Education requirements for Muslim students.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Islamic Studies I; the alternative course,

Islamic Studies (in English), is for students who have taken the 9th

grade course in

English

Islamic Studies III

This course continues to build upon what the students have learned during the first two

courses and expands their knowledge of the prophet’s bibliography, the holy Qur’an, the

Hadith, Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic civilizations.

Course length: Two terms

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Islamic Studies II; the alternative course,

Islamic Studies (in English), is for students who have taken the 9th

grade course in

English


Christian Theology I This course provides an introduction to the history and beliefs of the Christian religion,

based primarily on the study of the Bible and historical texts. Students read excerpts from

the Bible, analyze its structure and become acquainted with various translations that have

been made throughout history. Readings from the Bible emphasize attention to author,

audience, background, purpose and timeframe of each book. Through study of the

dominant figures and events in the Bible, students extrapolate the lessons conveyed and

the basis for doctrine and practice. The course uses a variety of biblical resources and

maps to convey the historical, cultural and social context.


Christian Theology II Based on the foundation set in Christian Theology I, this course surveys major

developments in the history of Christian theological thought through a critical

examination of key theological concepts as they relate to worship and the evolution of the

Christian faith. The course covers the books of the New Testament, the influence of

Greek philosophy, the early church councils and the emergence of fundamental Christian

doctrines (Trinity, Grace and the Incarnation). The distinctive features of Eastern

Orthodoxy are also covered, as is the history of and theological basis for the division

between the eastern and western churches. Medieval and Reformation theology is

discussed, as well as emergence of Protestantism, the Evangelical movement and the state

of Christianity in the modern world. Students gain an informed understanding of the

Christian faith through a deeper understanding of its background and history.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Christian Theology I


DEPARTMENT OF FINE & PERFORMING ARTS

Central to the philosophy of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts is the belief that

artistic sensibility is a vital part of a well-rounded education. The department's courses

are designed to nurture an appreciation for art in all its forms and to provide students with

the opportunity to discover the joy that comes with creating and performing.

In this department, students explore the study and conscious production of sounds, colors,

shapes, forms and movements, engaging human awareness within the specific arts of

theater, dance, visual arts and music. While a few courses are devoted to art appreciation,

most of the courses in this department focus on artistic creation, performance and

exposure to different forms of expression. Special emphasis is placed on local and

regional artistic traditions such as mosaics, music and ceramics.

Students are introduced to the department, and to the formal study of the arts at King's

Academy, through three term-long courses. After attaining familiarity with the forms and

techniques of artistic creation, students are able to pursue a variety of different artistic

endeavors during their time at King's. In cases where students enter school with an

already developed artistic ability, they may qualify for a higher-level course in the arts, or

the introductory courses may be amended to meet their interests. These introductory

courses recognize that students are coming to King's Academy with different

backgrounds in the arts, and the school's program of instruction is therefore able to

accommodate their experience and interests.

The school’s ambitious arts program is not limited to the classroom. Co-curricular

opportunities abound, with performance groups, gallery exhibitions, concerts and

theatrical presentations. Accordingly, there is co-curricular time set aside in the

afternoons for artistic activity.

Students interested in private instruction in vocal and instrumental music are able to

arrange lessons through the department.

Introduction to Performing Arts (IPA)

This course is designed to develop students’ basic technical skills, and to encourage

thoughtful engagement with many types of performance. It covers essential concepts

common to dance, music and theater including principles such as physical coordination,

observation, memory, breath control and rhythm. After obtaining a strong grasp of these

fundamentals, students are introduced to more advanced concepts, including dance

choreography, memorization and performance of dramatic scenes, as well as elements of

music composition and theory. Although this is a prerequisite course for Theater I only, it

is a great introductory course to take for students interested in any of the disciplines of

performing arts.



Theater I

This course is practically oriented, allowing each student the opportunity to direct and act

in numerous short scenes. These scenes are drawn from classic dramatic texts including

Sophocles, Shakespeare, Moliere, Chekov, Ibsen and Pinter. This practical work is

augmented by lecture discussion sessions aimed at building theater vocabulary,

developing an understanding of acting technique and introducing the fundamentals of

theatrical production. Although the primary focus of the course is on acting, students also

begin to interact creatively with elements of stagecraft including costuming, lighting,

sound and set design.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Introduction to Performing Arts (IPA) or

department consent

Theater II

Theater II is an upper-level course in which students examine drama thoughtfully and in

depth. Although the class is practically oriented, allowing students to act every day, it

also focuses closely on the history and development of theater. In addition to studying

and performing scenes from classic dramatic texts, students read excerpts from works by

major writers on theater and acting theory, including Artaud, Brecht and Stanislavski.

Students also have the opportunity to alternate between the roles of actor and director,

fully exploring multiple aspects of performance.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Theater I

Advanced Theater Tutorial

Advanced Theater Tutorial is an intensive, practically oriented arts course for students

with considerable acting experience. Students prepare and perform a mixture of scenes,

monologues and one-act plays related to a particular theme or author. Potential focuses

may include Commedia dell’Arte (comedy of the art of improvisation), political theater,

improvisation, pantomime, acting for the camera and playwriting. Students may repeat

this course each term, and are encouraged to do so.

Course length: One term (full year highly recommended)

Prerequisite: Entry into this course is based on department consent following an

interview with the student

Theater Co-Curricular

Each term, a group of very committed King’s Academy students put on a full length

theatrical production. In the past, we have produced a wide range of plays including

Christopher Durang’s The Actor’s Nightmare, William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer

Night’s Dream, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, and Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Our

Country’s Good. The co-curricular theater program is intended to complement academic

theater classes by allowing students to employ the skills they have learned in a product-

oriented environment. Participants have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of

the production, including acting, assistant directing, stage-managing and costuming.

Note: Students who wish to be a cast member of the play must audition each term


Dance I

This course places its primary emphasis on creativity and introduces students to basic

concepts of contemporary dance, while also encouraging each individual to develop a

unique, individualized movement vocabulary. Through the study of technique and

improvisation, students expand their physical range and expressive capabilities and

heighten spatial awareness. They also investigate concepts such as momentum, spiraling,

breathing, alignment, musicality and timing. Students ultimately learn to apply the

various aspects of dance to the composition of original, cohesive and exciting public

presentations.


Dance II

Dance II continues to nurture each student’s original voice in dance, while examining

other movement styles. Rather than mastering one specific dance style such as salsa, hip

hop or ballet, students briefly examine elements from these styles, as well as others, to

quickly analyze and adapt to each movement style or concept and to then incorporate

them into their own technique. Other styles and concepts students may encounter during

this course (depending on availability) are break dancing, dabkeh, acrobatics, African

dance, Kabuki, swing, Feldenkrais technique, Alexander technique, yoga and Bartenieff

fundamentals. Ultimately, the goal of this course is to develop a strong and flexible mind

and body that the students can utilize to create innovative and original dance works.


Prerequisite: Dance I or department consent

Advanced Dance Tutorial

Advanced Dance Tutorial is an advanced level course for experienced dance students.

Students may repeat this course each term, and are encouraged to do so. The focus

changes with each trimester – depending on student interest and guest artist availability.

Concepts that may be examined include text and movement, animation and silent movies,

dancing for the camera, guerilla dancing, contact improvisation and sight-specific

choreography. In the past, students from this class have performed under the direction of

such acclaimed choreographers as Elizabeth Johnson, Young Seung Lee, Yuko Mitsuishi

and Yoshiko Chuma. They have also performed alongside artists from the USA, Japan

and Palestine in the Amman Contemporary Dance Festival, one of the premiere dance

festival in the region.


Prerequisite: Entry into this course is based on department consent following an

interview with the student

Afternoon Dance Company

This dance company is a non-credit course that meets three afternoons per week during

the co-curricular slot. Students spend the first 30 minutes of class warming up and

learning various techniques and the second 30 minutes creating new and exciting dances

together. This term-long course is open to beginners as well as advanced dancers.

Students have an opportunity to perform for the larger community if they so choose.



String Ensemble (I, II, III)

This course is open to both beginners and to students who have had previous instrumental

experience. Each student may choose to specialize in one of the offered stringed

instruments. Students meet in sectional rehearsals with the instructor twice a week. In the

third class, students meet together to play in a string orchestra ensemble. Students explore

the required levels of music theory, ear training, music appreciation and music history

relating to their specialized level. This course may be repeated as many times as the

student wishes.

Course length: One term each

Evening Orchestra

Evening Orchestra is designed for instrumentalists with previous playing experience who

aim to play in a larger ensemble and focuses on developing individual playing skills in a

group setting. Students learn the techniques of playing together, while focusing on

listening skills and musical awareness. This course meets two evenings per week with

one required musicianship class during the school day.

Course length: Full year

Prerequisite: Successful completion of String Ensemble III or department consent

Chamber Singers

This course introduces students to vocal techniques which include posture, breathing and

vocal production, along with ensemble techniques such as listening, voice blend and

awareness of balance. These techniques develop students’ skills as ensemble singers and

ultimately as soloists. Students are also exposed to different styles and genres of singing

such as classical, Arabic, world, jazz and more.


Prerequisite: Department consent

Evening Choir

This course is a year-long evening commitment. Students registered for this course are

asked to take one musicianship class along with the once-a-week evening choir

commitment. During the musicianship class, students are introduced to a variety of

musical learning activities such as reading, music appreciation and one-on-one vocal

technical training sessions. The evening classes include an introduction to a variety of

repertoire and styles of singing and is open to any member from King’s Academy.

Course length: Full year

Music Appreciation: From Folk Tunes to iTunes

This course is offered in the winter term of each academic year and focuses on a different

topic each class. Topics range from folk tunes, jazz, minimalism, rock ’n’ roll, opera,

Broadway, hip hop, electronic dance music, techno, world music and iTunes. Students

may repeat this course each year.



Introduction to Studio Art

This course is designed to provide students with the means to think, feel, talk about art

and understand the world around them in unique ways. Through a variety of drawing and

painting lessons, mostly based on perception, students study line, shape and form,

focusing on light, tonal drawing and perspective in black and white and color. Students

learn to apply the elements and principles theory on 2D and 3D shapes made out of clay,

plaster and wood.

The purpose of this course is to promote lifelong participation in the arts by developing

skilled artists, critics and historians of the arts. In order to do this, students must be

immersed in opportunities to learn about the arts, perform and create in one or more of

the art forms and learn to analyze and critique the arts. Students build on sequential

learning experiences that encompass art history, criticism, drawing, painting, ceramics

and production through the curriculum units in the area of drawing and painting, history

of art, ceramics and sculpture.


Drawing and Painting I

In this course, students learn drawing techniques as well as explore a variety of drawing

media (ink, pastel, mixed media, etc.). Drawing focuses on black and white or

monochromatic rendering from life, pictures, masterworks and imagination. Painting

includes wet media with processes such as transparent and opaque painting and focuses

on the operations of color, with an introduction of basic water color and acrylic principles

and techniques. Students are required to paint eight to 10 paintings covering a wide range

of themes and styles.


Prerequisite: ISA or permission of instructor

Drawing and Painting II

This course expands on the painting techniques and principles that were introduced in

Painting I. Students are required to have some painting experience and to have a basic

understanding of paint handling and color theory. Exercises are designed to challenge

students to increase their technical and conceptual repertoire.


Prerequisite: Drawing and Painting I or permission of instructor

Advanced Drawing and Painting

In this course, students work on their own projects within a certain theme. Each student

should submit a proposal for the project with sketches explaining materials needed,

different phases and a time line for each phase. Students will be expected to exhibit their

work in the annual art show. This course provides the opportunity for students to pursue

AP Studio Art: 3-D Design in grades 11 and 12 if they wish.


Prerequisite: Drawing and Painting II or permission of instructor


AP Studio Art: Drawing

AP Studio Art: Drawing is a rigorous but potentially rewarding process, in which

students work towards submitting a well-polished portfolio in drawing for AP

recognition. This full-year course is designed for students who have advanced talent and

interest in visual art. The course helps them improve their technical methods, learn the

functions of elements and principles of art, and help them to become creative thinkers

who will contribute creatively and critically to their culture through the making of art.

The AP process is a two-year commitment: in the first year, students take Advanced

Drawing and Painting and in the second year, they work in AP Studio Art building and

submitting a portfolio.


Prerequisite: Advanced Drawing and Painting and permission of instructor; open to

juniors and seniors only

Ceramics I

Ceramics develops basic skills in the creation of 3D forms and pottery from clay. This

course teaches students the basics of hand building techniques. Pinching, coil building,

additive sculpture, slab building and combinations of these may also be introduced.

Students use various decorative techniques, in addition to learning how to glaze and how

to research ceramics. They will create four to five pieces of ceramics and develop a

ceramics vocabulary.


Ceramics II

This course provides the use of the wheel, and students learn to throw the basic forms

that include cylinders, bowls, plates and bottles. Students work with surface treatments

including paint, textures, colored slips and glazes, and non-firing stains. Ceramics history

and appreciation is included in the course.


Sculpture I

Sculpture I is an overview of basic skills used to create three-dimensional works of art.

With an emphasis on studio production, this course is designed to develop higher-level

thinking, art-related technical skill, art criticism, art history and aesthetics.



Sculpture II

This course introduces students to 3-D design principles such as form, structure, volume,

visual balance, surface treatment, texture, composition, movement and scale. Students

gain exposure to a variety of materials and the techniques – as well as the tools employed

– with which to sculpt. A visual vocabulary is developed through an understanding of the

creative process, personal aesthetic and conceptual intent.


Prerequisite: Sculpture I or permission of instructor


Advanced 3-D Art

In this course, students continue the study of three-dimensional artwork through an

investigation of various materials and the application of techniques. Those who came into

this class from sculpture continue developing their expertise in that area while also being

introduced to ceramics and other approaches to three-dimensional art. A similar statement

can be made about students entering from the ceramics perspective. Students will be

expected to exhibit their work in the annual art show. This course provides the

opportunity for students to begin AP Studio Art: 3-D Design in their sophomore or junior

year if they wish.


Prerequisite: Ceramics II, Sculpture II or permission of instructor

AP Studio Art: 3-D Design

AP Studio Art is a rigorous but potentially rewarding process, in which students work

towards submitting a well-polished portfolio for AP recognition. Students will continue

to develop the artistic skills that they have developed in ceramics or sculpture. The AP

process is a two-year commitment: in the first year, students take advanced 3-D Art and

in the second year, they work in AP Studio Art building and submitting a 3-D portfolio.


Prerequisite: Sculpture II, Ceramics II and permission of instructor; open to juniors

and seniors only

Printmaking

This course is designed as an introduction to traditional methods of printmaking. Students

design and construct basic relief, intaglio and paleographic techniques. The unique

quality of the graphic aesthetic is emphasized along with the ability to produce original

multiples through hands-on methods in print.


Design I

This course introduces students to design which is more than just a question of fashion or

taste, but rather a way of asking fundamental questions to solve complex problems.

Students are challenged to achieve a breadth of stronger design solutions in various

media, including Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and GeoSketch, by exploring projects

along the full continuum of design disciplines: branding, advertising, editorial dsign,

creative interactive projects, video and motion graphics.


AP Studio Art: 2-D Design

AP Studio Art: 2-D design is a rigorous but potentially rewarding process, in which

students work towards submitting a well-polished portfolio for AP recognition. This full-

year course is intended to address two-dimensional (2-D) design issues that involves

purposeful decision making. Students are expected to end up with a portfolio that

demonstrates mastery of 2-D design through any two-dimensional medium or process,

including, but not limited to, graphic design, digital imaging, photography, collage, fabric

design, weaving, illustration, painting and printmaking. The AP process is a two-year


commitment: in the first year, students take Drawing and Painting and Introduction to

Design, and in the second year, they work more independently in AP Studio Art, building

and submitting a portfolio.

Prerequisite: Completion of advanced level art course and permission of instructor

Animation

This course introduces students to the basic concepts of animation. Using stop motion,

pixilation and computer programs such as Flash and Photoshop, students learn how to

make a story board and how to use the camera, drawings and the computer to create

animation. All students complete one final project: their own animated story to be shown

to the class and to a King’s Academy audience.




DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY & SOCIAL STUDIES

History rests on the collective memory of cultures and societies, accounting for their core

values while also examining the impact of past decisions on present circumstances.

Without history, one cannot undertake any sensible inquiry into the political, social or

moral issues of contemporary society. The study of history opens students to

opportunities necessary to develop a comprehensive view of the world and an

understanding of societies including those whose traditions and values differ from their

own. King's Academy believes that an understanding of world history fosters the kind of

tolerance, empathy, respect, critical thinking and civic courage required by an

increasingly pluralistic society and inter-dependent world.

The Department of History and Social Studies at King's Academy uses the methods of

the humanities—research, analysis and interpretation—to promote learning and the

understanding of a shared historical past. The department's interdisciplinary approach

begins with the study of the concepts of present individual and communal cultural

identities. It then moves to methods for evaluating the past, and concludes with an

examination of positive citizenship in the world. The goal is to recreate the context of an

era so that students can identify and understand struggles, debates and accomplishments

of that period. Possessing the facts of history, students can then engage with the past,

weaving together these facts into interconnected patterns, and emerge with an

understanding not only of what happened, but why it happened. Courses foster a sense of

how it must have felt to stand in another historical era. In addition, students, especially in

advanced courses, discuss issues of historiography—that is not only what happened and

why it happened, but the different ways in which history can be narrated and the uses to

which these different narratives are put.

World History This course helps students recognize the ways in which their own outlook has been

shaped by world events. Course curriculum begins with a study of geography as

historically conceived, differentially understood and currently realized—in short, how it

applies to our lives in the 21st century. Upon this foundation, students build a

comprehensive knowledge of the history of the world, using cultural artifacts from

ancient times to current day, including personal letters, works of art, architecture,

political documents, memoirs and films. Using these historical tools, students analyze the

evolution of turning points that have helped to shape civilizations and examine the

parallel cultural and social transformations that underlie the modern world. In the second

half of the course the emphasis shifts to the Middle East, allowing students to see the

world’s history with an emphasis on this region, one of the primary axes of the world.

The course concludes with an examination of the life and career of Ibn Khaldun (1332-

1406), the well-traveled North African who became a model for social scientists. Ibn

Khaldun was apparently the first scholar anywhere to look for patterns and structures in

history.



History of the Middle East in the Context of the World

This course discusses the totality of Middle Eastern history in the context of the world,

emphasizing the world in which our students live and operate as global citizens. One of

the major themes of the year should be continuity and transformation in our world.

Viewing the Middle East as “the crossroads of civilization,” the course begins with the

events of the 2011 “Arab Spring” and uses the historian’s lens to try to make sense of

what has transpired in the Middle East in the last year. Students learn that they need

deeper understandings of history in order to make sense of their contemporary world, so

they study the era in which their grandparents have lived. Ultimately, they come to

understand again that they need even more history to better understand their

grandparents’ lives. The course then returns to the era of 14th

century Arab-Muslim

historian Ibn Khaldoun, and moves forward, returning in the spring to the events and

transformations and unfinished work of 2011-2012. The course innovatively highlights

developments in the Arab world, but not by seeing this region in a vacuum. The course

explores how this region fits in with other currents of the world in terms of the Indian

Ocean trade routes, the conquest/fall of Constantinople, the Islamic imperial revival, the

triumphs and challenges with the Americas, Africa and Asia from 1450-1750, the trade

and development of coffee and coffeehouses, global imbalances and the making of the

modern world from 1750-1945, the impact of Imperialism in Africa, Asia and the Middle

East, world wars, global depression and revolutions from 1914-1945, and the world since

the second world war, emphasizing the new nations and old societies of the Middle East. .

Students see how the revolutions of the 18th

and 19th

centuries gave way to the diplomatic

and social convulsions of the 20th

century. This course has been designed to help students

recognize the ways in which their own outlook has been shaped by world events.


History of the 20th

Century This course is designed to illuminate two significant forces of the 20

th century: the

intricacies of diplomacy and foreign policy in a world of zealous nationalists and the

power and influence the media has had on the shaping of Western history and worldview.

The course opens in the late 1890s, an era which propelled America to the forefront of

world affairs for the first time. Students move from an understanding of Victorian

sensibilities to the paradigm breakers of the early 20th

century: Einstein, Freud, Picasso

and Emma Goldman. Students study the geopolitics of the age which plunged nations

into the Great War, and see how the rise of communism and fascism created a teetering

balance of political ideologies in the post-war world. After a study of the Second World

War, focus shifts to the post WW II rise of powers beyond the Western tradition. The

course ends with a study of the turn of the 21st century.


Prerequisite: Department consent; open only to seniors

American Studies

American Studies is a three-term offering in the Department of History for students in

grades 11 and 12. Students may take the course term by term, or as a year-long course, as

each term relates to the others but can also stand alone thematically. The overarching

goal of the course is to look at a series of themes and issues that have arisen within and


come to define the American consciousness from the perspectives of both history and

literature. Term 1 focuses on American exceptionalism, nationhood and the role of the

frontier. Term 2 digs into the conflict presented by slavery to American ideals of freedom

and equality. And finally, Term 3 focuses on America and its role in global politics. The

course is designed to be a critical look at America from the outside: a study of not only

the country’s founding principles, but also the ways in which those principles have

affected America’s sense of itself, and informed its actions on the world stage.

Course length: One, two or three terms

AP World History

This course surveys the history of the world, but rather than simply covering prehistoric

times to contemporary history through conventional classroom methods, students explore

history as historians do; by engaging in the extensive examination and analysis of

primary sources in order to gain a better understanding of past events, figures and

phenomena. Students should expect regular reading and writing assignments throughout

the year, as the course aims to help them improve their critical reading and composition

skills. It is the expectation that those enrolled in the course will sit for the AP World

History exam in May.



AP United States History This course surveys the history of the United States from the earliest European colonial

impulses to the beginning of the 21st century. The course is interdisciplinary in its scope,

and multicultural in its exploration of the formation and evolution of the United States.

Students engage in the extensive examination and analysis of primary sources in order to

gain a better understanding of past events, figures and phenomena. As with the other AP

history courses, students should expect regular reading and writing assignments

throughout the year, as the course aims to help them improve their critical reading and

composition skills. It is the expectation that students enrolled in this course will sit for the

AP United States History exam in May.



AP Art History

This course allows students to study world history through the artistic images created by

humankind – its scope spanning from prehistoric cave paintings to artistic works of the

year 2000. Students see the history of the world unfold within its intellectual, social,

religious, economic and cultural context, and thereby deepen their understanding of art,

architecture, painting and sculpture, as well as the civilizations from which these forms of

expression were born. Since this is an AP course, it emphasizes the sharpening of writing

skills and the habits of mind of effective thinking, speaking, reading and writing. It is the

expectation that students enrolled in this course will sit for the AP Art History exam in

May.




AP Human Geography AP Human Geography introduces students to the systematic study of patterns and

processes that have shaped human understanding, use and alteration of the Earth’s

surface. Students employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to analyze human social

organization and its environmental consequences. They also learn the methods and tools

geographers use in their science and practice. Over the course of the year, students work

to develop skills aligned with five college-level goals based on the National Geography

Standards. These topics include: nature and perspectives, population, cultural patterns

and processes, political organization of space, agricultural and rural land use,

industrialization and economic development, and cities and urban land use. The course

includes in-depth reading, case studies, projects and assessments. It is the expectation that

students enrolled in this course will sit for the AP Human Geography exam in May.



AP Economics

In this course which covers both macroeconomics and microeconomics, students gain a

keener understanding of how scarcity and rational economic decision making shape

individual decisions within a nation’s economic system and various market systems.

Individual households, firms and industries become the focal point for understanding

laws, principles and models that give meaning to economic systems. The course also

explores the vagaries of international trade, labor intensive goods, land intensive goods,

capital intensive goods, gains from trade, trading possibilities line, free trade, supply and

demand, exports and imports, and production. It is the expectation that students enrolled

in this course will sit for the AP Macro and Micro Economics exams in May.



AP Microeconomics This year-long AP Microeconomics course is designed for students who might struggle

with the pace and demands of a full AP Economics course. Unlike AP Economics, which

ends in writing two separate AP exams (one micro and one macro-economics), AP

Microeconomics ends in one AP Exam. The course looks at the individual person, firm

and industry to better understand how people manage scarce resources like land labor and

capital. Students learn about market systems and supply and demand to help them grasp

how and why economic choices are made, and how scare resources are distributed.

Complex mathematics is not critical for the successful completion of this course. An

understanding of how to solve basic formulas and work out percentages suffices.



AP Psychology This course introduces students to the study of the human mind. Students learn about the

biological basis for human emotions, personality traits, behavior, thought and learning

processes. Special emphasis is placed on the study of human relationships (e.g. love and

family relationships). In addition, students explore the role of psychology in phenomena


such as racism, prejudice and various phobias. They have an opportunity to discuss and

debate ethical dilemmas in psychology for instance: should mood-based illnesses like

depression be considered actual illnesses? To supplement this course of study, students

engage in the works of influential psychologists such as Freud and Jung, with emphasis

on their contributions to the contemporary understanding of human behavior. Students

enrolled in this course are expected to sit for the AP Psychology exam in May.



AP Macroeconomics

Macroeconomics takes us into a deeper understanding of a nation’s economy. Nations

seek to measure the health of their economies through a number of statistics. Total

production in a country is measured by Gross Domestic Product, and the price level or

inflation rate tells us if the income we make is purchasing as much of this production as it

did before. We purchase this output with an income generated from the resources we

own and sell, including our own labor. We then spend our income to support the

production within the country. What we don’t spend becomes savings, and savings then

becomes investment. Banks and financial institutions provide the means for savings and

investment. The amount we are willing to invest and save depends on interest rates. The

central back in a country manipulates interest rates. Central banks also print currency.

Governments in control of central banks then manipulate currency production, interest

rates, government spending and finally taxes to boost economies in recession and to slow

economies that are at full employment. So you see macroeconomics exposes the insides

of an economy so that we can understand how everything works. A nation’s economy is a

vicious circle of production, spending, saving, investment and back around again. Take

the course and all will be revealed.


AP Modern European History

This course surveys the history of Europe from the late Middle Ages to contemporary

history. The course emphasizes the evolution of political, economic, social,

philosophical, artistic and scientific trends. As in other AP history courses, students

engage in the extensive examination and analysis of primary sources in order to

understand the complexity and multiple perspectives of past events, figures and

phenomena. There is intensive reading and writing throughout the year as the course

strives to hone the students’ critical reading and composition skills. It is the expectation

that students enrolled in the course will sit for the AP Exam in May.


AP Comparative Government and Politics

The AP course in Comparative Government and Politics is based on college-level

introductory comparative government courses that focus on the comparative study of

political institutions and processes in different regions of the world. This course provides

an introduction to the essential questions and concepts used by political scientists to

examine various state systems and investigates the functions of a state, relationships

between citizens and the government, separation of powers, democracy and electoral


systems, government-parliament relations, and fundamental questions of social and

political rights. Throughout the course, students examine the political and constitutional

systems of Great Britain, China, Nigeria, Mexico, Russia and Iran and use these

examples to draw conclusions about global trends in government and politics. It is the

expectation that students enrolled in the course will sit for the AP exam in May.


Prerequisites: Department consent

The United States and the Middle East

This course examines the history of contact between the United States and the Middle

East since 1900. In keeping with King’s Academy’s guiding principle of global

citizenship, students gain a better understanding of the interconnected histories of the

Middle East and the United States, particularly the effects of US involvement in the

area. The course follows the chronology of US-Mideast relations, focusing on key events

such as the 1956 Suez War, the 1974 oil embargo and 9/11. Current events are also

analyzed. Among the sources used are news articles, excerpts from books and political

cartoons. Assessment is technology based. Students are expected to keep a journal about

the course in the form of a blog. They are also asked to build a website on US-Mideast

relations. The final assessment involves creating a 10-minute documentary about one key

event in the history of US-Mideast relations, which requires using video editing software.

Videos are podcasted and shown to the school community. The course is open to juniors

and seniors.


The Modern Middle East: Continuity and Transformation This elective course surveys the main issues of debate in modern Arab society, including

social, economic, intellectual and political. This course focuses on key turning points in

the 20th

century and familiarizes participants with the historical roots, development,

dynamic structure and problems of how peace, dignity and security are envisioned in the

Middle East. The course explores peace proposals, both existing and possible, evaluating

their shortcomings and their merits. Moreover, this course examines changes in

definitions of identity, modernist thought, nationalism and views of the West in the Arab

world. Students analyze representative samples of these trends, including novels,

memoirs, treatises and films.


History of Freedom

This course examines the history of this abstract concept from the birth of liberty in

classical Greece to how it has influenced the events of Arab Spring. This course rests on

the premise that ideas change history. Arguably, no idea in the history of the world has

been more influential than freedom. The course enables students to penetrate definitions

of freedom, and deal with the political, economic, social, cultural and moral dimensions

of this concept. Students spend the year tackling difficult questions such as: What is

freedom? Where did the idea come from? Is it a right, or something that must be earned?

Is freedom the same as equality? How do we decide who takes part in a free society and

who does not? What responsibilities come with freedom? What risks? Students discover

that people have struggled with these questions for thousands of years and that the


abstract concept of freedom offers few definitive answers to these difficult questions. The

course examines 10 seedtimes of freedom, along with the people and events that helped

shape the character of each. A great deal of time is spent discussing how the key thinkers

of these periods affect the world today, and what it means to be a citizen of a free

country. The seedtimes studied are: Ancient Greece, Rome, Islamic Golden Age, Age of

Enlightenment and the US Declaration of Independence, US Civil War, Holocaust,

India, South Africa, Palestine and Arab Spring.


Power of the People

The Arab Spring and the energy of youth is a constant reminder that we live in a world

where understanding the social science of civic participation is essential. The political

and social arena of the Middle East is changing drastically and the demand for reform has

grown stronger. Entire populations have brought about tidal changes. It is more important

than ever that students understand what their civic responsibilities are, how governance

works and how reform can be a positive process in any given society. This course is a

survey of the different forms of political systems, rules of law and governance of

different states through time and within the Middle East and the world. It also examines

the rights and duties of citizens within each political system. It takes a closer look at the

legislative and judicial processes of Jordan and how reform can be brought about in a

constructive manner.


The Peace to End All Peace

This course explores the legacies of the various peace treaties that concluded World War

I as to how they resonated throughout the 20th

century and continue today. This is not a

course on the war itself, but rather, on the crises and decisions made by the Allies after

the conclusion of the war. How is the world today shaped by these crises and decisions?

The course focuses on the creation of the modern Middle East, but also explores the

quagmire that became modern Yugoslavia, the work of economists such as John Maynard

Keynes who sought to grapple with the problems of the war, the concept of mandates and

colonies, the power and rivalries of the British and the French, the retreat of Russia from

the world stage and the emergence of the United States as the world’s leading creditor

nation. The course also offers an unusual feature in exploring the history of this political

legacy in terms of music, exploring the preponderance of requiem music and how various

folk music is “discovered” by western musicologists.



DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

At King’s Academy, there is an appreciation for the intrinsic value of the study of

mathematics: its power lies not with the mere manipulation of numbers, but in developing

a mental discipline for approaching the solution of problems with a methodical, rational

approach that is readily applicable to other disciplines. So, for example, when the

processes used in proving geometric theorems are taught, what is stressed is the

approach’s application to demonstrating theses in English or historical research. Starting

with a set of given information, how do you systematically support a conclusions with

data that is known? Leveraging a solid basis of mathematical knowledge and expertise in

fundamental skills, the focus of the curriculum is the development of critical thinking by

incorporating an ever increasing number of word problems of greater complexity as

students transition from introductory to advanced courses in mathematics.

King’s Academy has adopted a well-tested and proven course program that moves from

Algebra I to Geometry and Algebra II to establish the basic mathematical thought

processes and skills in both computation and visualization. Having completed those,

students have a variety of higher level math courses from which to choose, including pre-

calculus, calculus and AP Calculus AB or BC. Mathematics is one of the tools at the

school’s disposal to prepare students to meet challenging problems in their future lives.

Algebra I

This is a course in first-year algebra with emphasis on such topics as the properties of the

real number system, solving first degree sentences in one variable, the fundamental

operations involving polynomial and rational expressions, systems of linear equations in

two variables, fractions, factoring, ratio, proportion, variation, exponents, roots, quadratic

equations, the trigonometry of right triangles and problem solving. All of the material of

a typical first year of algebra is completed as well as a variety of enrichment topics.



Integrated Mathematics

Integrated Mathematics weaves together numeric, algebraic, geometric and statistical

curricula to enable students from a range of math backgrounds to tackle challenging

problems with a variety of approaches. The emphasis is on abstract thinking and

communicating ideas mathematically. The algebra topics of study include writing,

solving and graphing linear equations and inequalities, solving and graphing systems of

linear equations, operations involving polynomials and factoring, solving quadratic

equations, and exponents and radicals, while the geometry topics of study include the

properties of lines in a plane, triangles, polygons, similar polygons and right triangles

including trigonometric ratios, circles, area and volume.




Geometry This course is designed to provide students with a robust and rigorous foundation in

mathematical skills and concepts via the twin pillars of algebraic manipulation and

Euclidean geometry. Beginning with introductory logic, the course inextricably

interweaves geometric and algebraic concepts with the ever present deductive process.

Students use both intra and interdisciplinary topics and projects to enrich their education,

creating verve for the subjects that will extend throughout their mathematics career.



Algebra II

Fundamental to the study of advanced Algebra is the thorough development of the

concept of functions. Course material includes an emphasis on slope as an average rate of

change, introduction of inverse functions, exponential and logarithmic functions,

polynomial functions, rational expressions and functions, radical expressions and

functions, the introduction of imaginary numbers, right triangle trigonometry and

matrices, and an overview of statistics and probability. A graphing calculator is required.


Prerequisites: Completion of Algebra I and Geometry or Integrated Mathematics

Pre-Calculus

Pre-Calculus is not a specific, discrete study in mathematics, but rather a course that

focuses upon establishing the student's knowledge and skills in preparation for

undertaking more advanced math studies. While many of the topics introduced in

Algebra II are revisited, they are covered in greater depth and breadth. Included are more

challenging studies in functions, analysis of their domains and ranges, recognition of

families of curves and their transformations, the study of conic sections, advanced

trigonometry, arithmetic and geometric series, and statistics and probability. A graphing

calculator is required and integral to the course as methods of solution include algebraic,

numeric and graphical approaches.


Prerequisites: Algebra II and department consent

Algebra II Honors

Algebra II Honors includes all of the material studied in the regular Algebra II course

(linear functions and systems, matrices, quadratic and polynomial functions, exponential

and logarithmic functions, radical and rational functions, trigonometry and probability

and statistics) with particular emphasis on challenging word problems and applications of

the concepts. This course is an excellent choice for students who want to enhance and

develop furthermore their critical thinking and problem-solving skills and prepare well

for the Pre-Calculus Honors course the year after. A graphing calculator is required.


Prerequisites: Completion of Algebra I and Geometry or Integrated Mathematics and

department consent


Pre-Calculus Honors

Pre-Calculus Honors includes all of the material studied in the regular pre-calculus course

as well as limits, continuity and an introduction to derivatives. The purpose of the course

is to prepare students to undertake the completion of both AP Calculus AB and BC in one

school year. By necessity, the pace of instruction is faster than the regular course. No

material from the regular course is omitted or abbreviated; students should be prepared to

expend nearly as much effort outside of the classroom as they would in an AP course. A

graphing calculator is required.


Prerequisites: Algebra II or Algebra II Honors and department consent

Functions, Statistics and Trigonometry (FST)

Designed to supplement the material presented in Algebra II, FST completes the study of

the elementary functions; linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric.

Additionally, the course develops some material from finite mathematics including an

introduction to probability and statistics, and additional applications of trigonometry. The

topics cover a wide range of mathematics and are designed to significantly enhance

students' ability to undertake the study of advanced statistical applications. Throughout

the entire course, modeling of real phenomena is emphasized. A graphing calculator is

required.


Prerequisites: Algebra II and department consent

Calculus

This course covers all of the first semester as well as some of the second semester topics

of a college-level calculus survey course. Included are studies in limits and continuity,

derivatives and integrals and selected applications of them and an introduction to

differential equations. Pre-calculus topics are reviewed when appropriate to ensure

contextual presentation of new material. A graphing calculator is required.


Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus or Functions, Statistics and Trigonometry and department

consent

AP Calculus AB

A rigorous and challenging course comparable to courses in colleges and universities, AP

Calculus AB is designed for students with excellent mathematical skills who seek college

credit, college placement or both from institutions of higher learning. Based on the

College Board Advanced Placement AB syllabus, the course approaches the calculus

concepts (limits and continuity, derivatives and integrals and their applications) from

multiple perspectives – graphically, analytically, numerically and verbally. A graphing

calculator is required. After the completion of this course, students are expected to take

the AP Exam.


Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus or Pre-Calculus Honors and department consent


AP Calculus BC

Designed as an extension of Calculus AB rather than an enhancement, AP Calculus BC

includes, along with all Calculus AB topics, additional topics such as: integration by parts

and by tables, improper integrals, Euler’s Method and L’Hôpital’s Rule, infinite series,

parametric equations, and polar coordinates and polar graphs. A graphing calculator is

required. After the completion of this course, students are expected to take the AP Exam.


Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus, Pre-Calculus Honors or AP Calculus AB and department

consent

Multivariable Calculus

Unlike AP Calculus AB and BC in which students study calculus of a single variable,

Multivariable Calculus is a rigorous college course focused on functions of two or more

independent variables. The concepts studied in this course are applied in many different

fields – thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, economics, modeling fluid or heat

flow, etc. Topics include vectors and the geometry of space, vector-valued functions,

functions of several variables, multiple integration, vector analysis and second order

differential equations. A graphing calculator is required.


Prerequisites: AP Calculus BC

AP Statistics

This course follows the College Board Advanced Placement syllabus and is designed to

introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing and drawing

conclusions from data. Students are exposed to four broad-conceptual themes: exploring

data (describing patterns and departures from patterns), sampling and experimentation

(planning and conducting a study), anticipating patterns (exploring random phenomena

using probability and simulation) and statistical inference (estimating population

parameters and testing hypotheses). A graphing calculator is required. After the

completion of this course, students are expected to take the AP Exam.


Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus or Functions, Statistics and Trigonometry and department

consent

Applications of Problem Solving

Problem solving has been defined as knowing what to do when you don’t know what to

do. Applications of Problem Solving will be an extension of the basic ideas taught in

entry level Algebra and Geometry courses. Students will explore interesting puzzles,

games and problems with real world and pure math applications. On a daily basis,

students will discuss, teach others and debate different methods of approaching a

selection of various problems. This course is for students who have a curious mind and

want to further explore the true beauty of mathematics. The course will provide students

an opportunity to enhance their presentation, debating and critical thinking skills, with the

latter of the three being especially helpful in preparation for the SATs.


Prerequisites: Algebra II


Descriptive Geometry

“How can a solid having three dimensions be exactly represented upon a surface having

but two dimensions? This is the problem which Descriptive Geometry seeks to answer.”

Clarence A. Waldo

The main goal of the Descriptive Geometry course is building up three-dimensional

imagination and thinking which are very important for architecture, engineering, design

and in art. A specific set of procedures will be introduced during the course, and at the

end of the course the student will be able to develop an auxiliary view, project successive

auxiliary views, solve for various projections, construct a point view of a line and an edge

view of a plane surface, develop a drawing of the intersection of two planes and the

intersection of cylinder/prism/sphere and a plane surface.



Introduction to Statistical Reasoning and Probability

Topics covered include sampling and experimentation, descriptive statistics, probability,

binomial and normal distributions, estimation, basic probability models, combinatorics,

discrete and continuous probability distributions, and an introduction to linear regression.




DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL & LIFE SCIENCES

The study of science at King's Academy instructs students in the fundamentals of

investigating phenomena in the world through systematic observation, the gathering of

empirical evidence and the quantitative analysis of data. Students learn how to amass a

body of objective knowledge about the world through the formulation of scientific

hypotheses and their validation through experimentation, thereby creating an

understanding of the laws and mechanisms that govern specific fields of inquiry from

human biology to solid-state physics.

King’s Academy offers a comprehensive range of science courses. Ninth graders start

their journey by taking a one-year introductory course in biology. In the 10th

grade

students experience the joy of chemistry in an introductory course. Upon completion of

these two introductory courses, in addition to courses offered by the Department of

Mathematics, students would be prepared to take more rigorous courses in the 11th

and

12th

grade, such as advanced placement courses in biology, chemistry and environmental

sciences. Students are also required to take one year of introductory physics, which

prepares them for taking an advanced physics course.

In their upper class years, King's Academy students are expected to sit for AP and SAT

tests in the sciences; upon graduation, they will possess a scientific literacy that enables

them to think critically not only about the material questions of science, but also about

current issues in the various fields some of which include bioethics, genetic testing,

global warming and nuclear power—which attest to the potential of science and

technology as well as their limitations.

Introduction to Biology

This course is intended to familiarize 9th

grade students with the major concepts of

biology. After successful completion of this course, students will be prepared to study

concepts in more detail in advanced courses. Students explore fundamental topics in

biology, with particular emphasis on cell biology, comparative anatomy and physiology,

and the diversity of life. Evolution, energy cycles and modern issues in biology are

themes that run throughout the course.


Conceptual Physics

This course is intended to familiarize 9th

grade students with the major skills needed to

explore and investigate the classical laws of physics and its applications. Students are

exposed to the following topics: kinematics, thermodynamics, waves and optics,

electricity, magnetism, and atomic and nuclear physics. This course focuses on the

qualitative understanding of the laws governing the physical universe rather than a

quantitative approach. Successful completion of this course with a final grade of B+ or

higher allow students to purse their interest in physics by joining the AP Physics 1 and/or

AP Physics 2 course in 11th

or 12th

grade.

Course length: One year Prerequisite: Approval of the department


Introduction to Chemistry

In this introductory course for 10th

graders, students become familiar with principles of

chemistry through experimentation. The study of the fundamental properties of matter

allows for the development of quantitative models of chemical systems. Students

investigate atomic theory, chemical bonding, periodicity, kinetics, equilibrium, acid-base

behavior and oxidation reduction reactions by direct lab experience. This course is

designed for students enrolled in math courses lower than Algebra II.


Prerequisites: Consent from both the Department of Physical and Life Sciences and

the Department of Mathematics

Chemistry

In this course, students become familiar with principles of chemistry through

experimentation. The study of the fundamental properties of matter allows for the

development of quantitative models of chemical systems. Students investigate atomic

theory, chemical bonding, periodicity, kinetics, equilibrium, acid-base behavior and

oxidation reduction reactions by direct lab experience. Students enrolled in this course

are expected to take the SAT Chemistry test upon its completion.


Prerequisites: Successful completion of or parallel enrollment in Algebra II

Honors Chemistry

This course is an accelerated version of the regular chemistry course. Students who have

taken that course will not be admitted into the honors course at a later point. Students

enrolled in this course are expected to take the SAT Chemistry test upon its completion.


Prerequisite: Students are eligible for Honors Chemistry only if they have earned an

average of A- or higher in the first two terms of their 9th

grade science course.

Successful completion of or parallel enrollment in Algebra II is also a prerequisite.

Biology

This course builds upon the concepts studied in Introduction to Biology in order to

prepare 11

th and 12

th grade students for college. Topics covered include biochemistry,

cells, ecology, heredity, microbes, evolution and classification, diversity of organisms,

and plants and organ systems. Students enrolled in this course are expected to take the

SAT Biology test upon its completion.


Honors Biology

This course is an accelerated version of the Biology course, and as such, students explore

the same concepts as the regular course but progress through topics at a faster pace and in

greater depth. Students enrolled in this course are expected to take the SAT Biology test

upon completion of the course.


Prerequisite: Students are eligible for Honors Biology only if they have earned an

average of A- or higher in the first two terms of their 9th

grade science course


Physics

The purpose of this course is to explore and investigate the classical laws governing the

physical universe. Students examine and seek to explain various physical phenomena

based on these fundamental laws. The course exposes students to the following topics:

kinematics, thermodynamics, waves and optics, electricity, magnetism, and atomic and

nuclear physics. Students enrolled in this course are expected to take the SAT Physics

test upon its completion.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra II

Honors Physics

This course is an accelerated version of the regular physics course, and as such, is

intended to replace the regular course, not as the next course in a sequence. Students who

have taken Physics will not be admitted into Honors Physics at a later point. Students

enrolled in this course are expected to take the SAT Physics test upon its completion.


Prerequisite: Students are eligible for Honors Physics only if they have earned an

average of A- or higher in the first two terms of chemistry or biology. They must also

have earned an average of A- or higher in Algebra II

AP Biology This laboratory course is designed for students with proven interest and ability in science.

Students investigate topics of cell structure and function, genetics and ecology. All

subject matter is presented within the context of modern evolutionary theory and human

interaction with the environment. Reading and discussion of current scientific literature is

also an integral part of the course. Students enrolled in this course are expected to take

the AP Biology exam in May.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Introduction to Biology, basic knowledge of

chemistry and department consent

AP Chemistry

This course explores the major topics in modern inorganic chemistry at the first-year

college level. Through extensive lab work, independent reading and class discussion,

students investigate topics in atomic structure, nuclear chemistry, bonding, equilibrium,

kinetics and electrochemistry. Students enrolled in this course are expected to take the AP

Chemistry exam in May.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chemistry, Algebra II and department consent

AP Physics B

The AP Physics B course includes topics in both classical and modern physics. A solid

understanding of algebra and basic trigonometry is required for the course. Curriculum

seeks to cover similar college courses. Accordingly, AP Physics B covers five general

areas of study: Newtonian mechanics, fluid mechanics and thermal physics, electricity


and magnetism, waves and optics, and atomic and nuclear physics. Students enrolled in

this course are expected to take the AP Physics B exam in May.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Physics, Algebra II and department consent

AP Physics C

This course is designed to simulate college-level study for those students who show

particular strength in mathematics. Half of its curriculum is devoted to mechanics. Use of

calculus in problem solving and in derivations is expected to increase as the course

progresses. In the second half of the course, the primary emphasis is on classical

electricity and magnetism. Calculus is used freely in formulating principles and in

solving problems. Students enrolled in this course are expected to take the AP Physics C

exam in May.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Physics, completion or parallel enrollment in

AP Calculus and department consent

Marine Biology

This course explores the relationships and interactions between marine organisms and

their environment. Topics covered include chemistry of oceans; tides, waves and ocean

currents; plankton, plankton communities and nekton; the ecology of coral reefs; marine

invertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals; marine productivity and fisheries; and

marine pollution and conservation. Students engage in a variety of activities both in the

classroom and in the field. Course length: One term

Astronomy

This course serves as a comprehensive survey of the universe as we know and understand

it. Students conduct observations of the night sky using on-campus and remote

telescopes. Topics covered in this course include the formation and development of stars,

solar systems and planets, the nature of light, optics and historical astronomy.


Investigating Biological Cases

This course is designed to enable students to solve case studies using various methods

and/or resources such as lab work, field investigations, interviews, group work,

presentation and other methods students wish to employ at their own discretion, with

minimal guidance and supervision from the instructor. Students in this course depend

heavily on their computers and utilize the library as a major resource center for this

course. Evaluation consists of three areas: rubrics on the performance and presentation of

their work, peer-evaluations and self-assessment questionnaires.


Prerequisites: Prior experience in programming and department consent

Microbiology

The microbiology course covers the study of microorganisms and their relationship to

health, ecology and related fields. This course includes both a laboratory and lecture


component with the lab component being an integral part of the course and reinforcing

what the students have learned in class.


Prerequisites: Introduction to Biology and Chemistry

Introduction to Biotechnology

Introduction to Biotechnology integrates the fundamental concepts of life and physical

sciences together with the basic laboratory skills necessary in the biological sciences.

This course may serve as either the second course in the Biotechnology Research and

Development pathway or as an independent science elective. The course introduces

students to the fundamentals of biotechnology, current trends and careers in

biotechnology, and the business, regulatory and ethical aspects of biotechnology. The

knowledge and skills gained in this course will provide students with a broad

understanding of biotechnology and its impact on society. Introduction to Biotechnology

is intended to meet the needs of a diverse body of learners. The target audience includes

all students who choose postsecondary education, providing them with foundational

concepts and established laboratory protocols in a broad spectrum of disciplines such as

biology, chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, microbiology, molecular and cell

biology, genetics and immunology. In addition, the course has the potential to foster

scientific literacy and to provide entry into the biotechnology career field.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Introduction to Biology; only 11th

and12th

graders can take this course

Projects in Environmental Engineering and Design

Students will design and build functional, full-size projects using alternative energy

technologies. Specifically, students will explore environmental engineering procedures

and practices through hands-on application of solar and wind power technologies.

Projects may include solar-powered laptop computer charging stations to be placed

around campus, underwater submersible robots (AUVs) designed for water quality

monitoring, a solar-powered water purification system, a mid- to large-scale wind

generator prototype, designing and building a full-sized solar/hydrogen hybrid car, and/or

student-generated project ideas approved by the instructor. Students will interact and

learn from professionals through guest lectures, mentorships and internships in a unique

curriculum that utilizes the latest technology and equipment.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of one-year biology and chemistry courses and

parallel enrollment in a physics year-long course; only 11th

and 12th

graders can take

this course


DEPARTMENT OF WORLD LANGUAGES

In the Department of World Languages, students pursue a rigorous and practical study of

one of three major world languages – Chinese, French or Spanish. Keeping in mind the

objectives of an AP curriculum and following the recommendations of the Common

European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for foreign language teaching and learning,

the department has established a pedagogical structure based on three main levels of

communicative competency: basic user, independent user and proficient user.

In accordance with an action-oriented approach that considers languages preeminently as

tools for social interaction and communication, instruction and assessment are

proficiency-based, centered on the integrated performance of the four traditional

language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. In addition, these courses

underscore the role of culture and the tacit aspects of non-verbal aspects of

communication within a linguistic system. Advanced coursework includes the study of

literary texts and literary analysis in the vernacular.

In order to provide students with as much exposure to the language as possible, classes

are taught in the target language from the most basic level onwards. Finally, each year,

selected students may participate in a summer study-abroad program, affording them the

opportunity to immerse themselves fully in the culture of their chosen language.

Elementary French I-101, Elementary French I-102

Elementary Spanish I-101, Elementary Spanish I-102

Course length: One year for complete and false beginners

Elementary French II

Elementary Spanish II

Course length: One year for breakthrough-level students

These courses aim to enable beginners and breakthrough-level students, respectively, to

become basic users of these foreign languages. For this purpose, these courses look to

develop students’ abilities from the very beginning in three dimensions: as social agents;

students progressively acquire the knowledge and skills that allow them to carry out basic

tasks relating to immediate needs and to participate in simple social interactions

exchanging information on everyday activities and personal issues, as intercultural

speakers; students start familiarizing themselves with basic elements of the new cultural

system conveyed by the target language and begin to build their intercultural awareness,

and as autonomous learners; students are taught how to use strategies and techniques that

allow them to plan and control their learning process. Methodologically, both course

levels aim to familiarize students from the very first stages with a task-based approach to

foreign language teaching and learning.

The main focus of coursework is on bringing authentic communicative contexts into the

classroom and using the foreign language as a tool for completing real tasks and for real

communicative purposes.


Note: Elementary French and Spanish I-101 are for total beginners who have not taken

any French or Spanish previously, while Elementary French and Spanish I-102 are for

students who have either taken the languages before but for a short period of time, or

students who have been unable to pass the placement test to the level above. Elementary

French and Spanish I-102 help such students review and strengthen their knowledge and

basis of the languages and give structure to their fragmentary and dispersed

knowledge, while also building on their communicative competency through the

integration of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing).

Intermediate French I


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Elementary French II

Intermediate Spanish I


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Elementary Spanish II

Intermediate French II


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Intermediate French I

Intermediate Spanish II


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Intermediate Spanish I

These courses lead to the achievement of the threshold level—the lowest level of general

foreign language ability that is academically recognized. Students who reach this level in

French or Spanish dispose of the minimal means needed to transact the business of

everyday life and to make social contact with those they meet, for example, while

traveling in a country where French or Spanish is the native language. These courses aim

to broaden students’ linguistic, cultural and strategic knowledge and skills in order to

enable them to carry out less simple tasks relating to needs that go beyond basic survival

and that embrace a larger array of communicative settings. Students are also taught how

to deal with basic intercultural situations and how to identify their language learning

needs as well as those resources and strategies that may help them in the process of

“learning to learn.”

Task-based learning activities (e.g. establishing classroom rules, relating anecdotes about

a trip, inventing a gadget to solve an everyday-life problem, editing a newspaper,

participating in a debate on the future of the environment, etc.), which require the actual

use of the target language, reflect the communicative expansion that the T-Level

represents and strengthen students’ motivation by providing them with an immediate

sense of accomplishment and utility. For basic users, these intermediate courses represent

two successive stages leading to the completion of the next level of communicative

competency.


AP French AP French focuses on developing student proficiency in the language and aims at

preparing students for the different components of the AP French Exam which they are

expected to take in May upon completion of the course. The objectives of the course are:

The development of student fluency in oral description of a picture or a scene, and

opinion making and giving in a limited timeframe. The aim is to have students

gather and utilize all their oral communication skills in a short time, obliging them

to use their full potential in speaking.

The ability to complete a text with missing words or logical links, which can only

be reached through extensive reading in the target language in addition to the

observation of the language structures in authentic documents and texts (literary

extracts, press articles, etc.).

The improvement of student writing skills as this is a major part of the AP Exam.

In order to give students a comprehensive understanding of what is expected from

them in the AP Exam, the course stresses self-assessment regarding students’ own

production and according to precise criteria that help them know where they stand

in the grading scale for the exam.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Intermediate French II

Intermediate Spanish III/AP Spanish

The course aims to enable students to become fully independent users of the Spanish

language. They have at their disposal an expanded range of grammar and vocabulary as

well as greater control of discourse and conversational strategies and wider socio-cultural

awareness. This allows them to be more flexible in dealing with the unexpected and with

the normal complexities of daily living, including use of Spanish in their fields of interest

or for study purposes. Therefore, an important part of coursework focuses on exposing

learners to various kinds of oral and written texts (articles, reports, interviews,

documentaries, TV debates, movies, literary extracts etc.) on contemporary topics, which

involve argumentation and expression of opinion. Accordingly, the course syllabus at this

stage is flexible and open to negotiation in order to accommodate the specific interests of

the students. Listening and reading comprehension activities are integrated into task-

based projects that also stress writing skills (e.g. elaborating the electoral program of a

new political party, preparing the presentation of a product, etc.). Students gradually

realize a more nuanced vision of Hispanic cultural references. This course is a combined

level and prepares students for the AP Spanish Language Exam.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Intermediate Spanish II

French: Le Monde Francophone

This course explores current events from a variety of French-speaking cultures around the

world. Students read news websites and blogs, listen to radio programs, watch news

videos and summarize and report events to the class (all in French). Concurrently,

students explore the history, current news, the music, literature, the way of life within the

French speaking countries. These experiences will offer students the opportunity to

deepen their understanding of global diversity, and collaborative and individual diversity


and will help them develop their own critical thinking. Assessment of learning will be

based on conversations with the instructor and classmates, and collaborative and

individual projects and presentations.

Course length: One term (can also be taken over three terms)

Prerequisite: Open to students who have taken two years of high school French or who

obtain department consent after a level assessment; this course does not exempt

students from the two-year language requirement

Elementary Chinese I This course is designed for students who have no prior knowledge of the Chinese

language, and is intended to train students in using basic Mandarin Chinese both orally

written. Students are initially introduced to pinyin—a more simplified Romanization of

the written language—and basic strokes as guides for pronunciation and writing. Pinyin

is gradually replaced as students become familiar with Chinese characters and

vocabulary. Chinese culture is an integral part of this course.


Elementary Chinese II This course aims to expand conversational skills, reading practice and grammatical

constructions. The course develops students’ reading and writing skills and emphasizes

effective spoken communication. Pinyin is gradually omitted. Chinese culture is

continually taught as an integral element of the course program.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Elementary Chinese I or an equivalent

proficiency

Intermediate Chinese I This course continues to focus on the expansion of conversational skills, reading and

writing practice and grammatical constructions. The use of Chinese characters takes over

the use of pinyin. Cultural components represent a significant part of the course content.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Elementary Chinese II or an equivalent

proficiency

Intermediate Chinese II

This course builds on skills learned in Intermediate Chinese I and works to build

confidence in speaking and writing. Students learn how to use complex sentence

constructions to describe a variety of situations about the world around them. Pinyin is

used only for learning how to pronounce new vocabulary, otherwise all reading and

writing is in simplified characters. Cultural norms and Chinese history are also

investigated.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of Intermediate Chinese I or an equivalent

proficiency

Chinese Independent Study


This course aims to develop a communicative competency in Chinese with a special

emphasis on conversational skills. It also aims to enable students to tackle more

challenging reading and writing tasks and to help them broaden their vocabulary. Cultural

and social influences on expressions and styles are discussed. Instruction takes place

solely in Chinese.


Prerequisite: Understanding the teacher’s instructions in and communicating in

Chinese and recognizing approximately 1000 characters

Chinese: Intercultural Investigations Is it okay to belch in public? Do you shake hands or bow when you first meet someone?

Are there any universally accepted customs among all cultures? How do we navigate on

this planet where we increasingly interact with people whose fundamental understanding

of the world may be different from ours? These are a few of the questions this course

aims to get students pondering through the use of personal experiences, professional case

studies and historical examples of where culture clash has caused serious repercussions.

Students are asked to examine how cultures interact with each other and how they can

become more aware of their own cultural biases when dealing with people from around

the globe. The course asks students to shelve some of their preconceptions on which is

the “right” way of doing things in favor of looking at the many different approaches

people have developed to deal with similar situations.


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