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BOSQUE SCHOOL PHILOSOPHY
The best educational environment is one that encourages and supports a lifelong love of learning, self-esteem, and respect for the community and the world in which we live. Students need a rich variety of academic and experiential activities to channel their energies in the most positive and constructive ways. One of our main functions as a school is to help students become more open to future growth. They must be able to continue their intellectual growth and development, to represent their experiences through language and other appropriate symbols, to form guiding and lasting values, to become knowledgeable about themselves, and to develop social and interpersonal skills. The curriculum at Bosque School fosters this philosophy.
ACADEMIC POLICIES
UPPER SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
In order to graduate from the upper school, a student must successfully complete the requirements set forth below. One credit is equivalent to a yearlong course.
English 4 Latin 2 History/Humanities 4 Spanish 3** Math 3* The Arts 2 Science 3* PE/Health 2
In addition, students participate in community service each year. * Students must take a fourth year of either math or science during their upper school years. ** Students must take Spanish through Spanish 3, which normally means two years in upper school for those who have gone through our middle school program successfully. Language requirements are sometimes modified for students who enter Bosque School after their freshman year. Other languages studied outside of Bosque School may not be substituted for Spanish or Latin.
UPPER SCHOOL HONOR ROLL
An upper school student must have a yearly B+ average with no grade lower than a B- to be on the honor roll. The honor roll is determined at the end of each school year.
UPPER SCHOOL INDEPENDENT STUDY
Students in the upper school may arrange to take independent study projects for credit. The course must be supervised by a faculty member, and arrangements must be made with the Head of the Upper School.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS
All middle school students take the following courses: Social Studies, English, Math, Science, Spanish, Fine Arts, Performing Arts, and Physical Education. During their Performing Arts block, students enroll in Choir, Drama, Band, or String Ensemble. Eighth graders also have the option of enrolling in Drama Tech. All middle school students are also involved in Community Service, which meets as a class once every two weeks. In order to complete middle school successfully, all students must meet the academic requirements of each of these courses. In cases where a student is struggling academically or at risk of failing a middle school course, the teacher(s), the advisor, or the Head of the Middle School will meet with the family to determine the appropriate course of action.
STUDENT EVALUATION
The core of Bosque School's evaluation system for middle and upper school students consists of written reports combined, when necessary, with conferences between student and teacher and/or parent and teacher. Teachers use various methods for communicating with students about daily work. Grades are sent home four times during the year—at each mid-term and at the end of each semester.
In the middle school, grades are accompanied by written comments at both the mid-term and end of the first semester. In the second semester, all middle school students receive written comments at the mid-term. At the end of the second semester, however, only those students with a C or below or whose grade has dropped a full letter grade receive written comments along with the letter grades.
Upper school grades are accompanied by written comments at the first mid-term and at the end of the first semester. At the end of the second mid-term, a letter from the student’s advisor and, when necessary, a warning of dramatic decline will be sent with upper school grades. Grades only for all students are sent at the end of the year. Mid-term reports are intended to inform families about student progress, in general, and particularly when students are struggling or at risk of failing a course for the term. The comments are meant to help students see and understand that their education is a continuous internal process and not one measured solely by external symbols. Number and letter grades follow these ranges:
A = 100%-90% Excellent D = 69%-60% Poor B = 89%-80% Good F = below 60% Failing C = 79%-70% Average
Conferences with both teachers and advisors complement written reports and provide an opportunity for students and parents to respond to the written comments. In addition to discussion of an individual's intellectual growth, the conference provides an opportunity to discuss personal and community concerns.
THE CURRICULUM
ARTS
MIDDLE SCHOOL FINE ARTS
Fine arts courses are an integral part of the middle school curriculum. Sixth, seventh, and eighth graders all take fine arts for the entire academic year. The classes meet regularly, for the same amount of time that other courses meet. The middle school fine arts curriculum sets goals and standards for skills, techniques, and knowledge. The goals in every art class include both objective skills and innovative design and creation. Group and individual projects are designed to foster delight, serious observation, introspection, and growth in design and skill. Students complete a variety of projects including mosaics, paper crafts, batik, printmaking, color work, painting, ceramics, pastel drawings, mural making, and sculpture. Basic drawing lessons teach value, contrast, whole-page composition, contour, perspective, and observation. All students learn how to participate in constructive critiques and are introduced to historical and contemporary art and artists. Throughout the three years of middle school art, students are encouraged to think in innovative and creative ways, and the importance of play and experimentation is never forgotten.
UPPER SCHOOL FINE ARTS
STUDIO ART This course is an introduction to the foundational elements and principles of art and their applications. Students will engage in a variety of artistic disciplines including drawing, painting, design, printmaking, sculpture, photography, and art history. Students will explore expression, visual communication, and analytical processes to create works that will comprise their portfolio. This will be accomplished by demonstration of artistic processes and terminology as well as theory and practice through the means of intensive projects. We will work to develop an increased sensitivity to the creative process with ultimate outcomes that are both thoughtful and inventive.
PERFORMING ARTS OVERVIEW Performing Arts play an essential role in shaping the learning experience of all students at Bosque School. As part of the core curriculum, participation in the performing arts will engage students in content and skills that will provide meaningful and successful life experiences. Bosque School offers a rich variety of performing art disciplines which include drama, technical theatre, choir, string ensemble, wind ensemble, dance, and guitar. All Performing Arts activities at Bosque lead to performance opportunities where students build self-confidence and a sense of pride in their accomplishment.
MIDDLE SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS
CONCERT BAND, SYMPHONIC BAND, AND WIND ENSEMBLE Instrumental ensembles in the middle school teach the students the subject of music through performance. Each level of ensemble provides a unique learning experience to strive for musical excellence and challenge the individual to grow as a confident musician. Ensemble classes cover a wide variety of subjects, including music theory, music history, form and analysis, improvisation, and composition. The goal for all ensembles is to develop a lifelong appreciation for music, beginning with performance.
MIDDLE SCHOOL STRING ENSEMBLE Middle School String Ensemble teaches the students the subject of music through performance. Each level of ensemble provides a unique learning experience to strive for musical excellence and challenge the individual to grow as a confident musician. Ensemble classes cover a wide variety of subjects, including string technique, music theory, music history, form and analysis, improvisation, and composition. The goal for all ensembles is to develop a lifelong appreciation for music, beginning with performance.
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR Middle school choir focuses on teaching music through performance, movement, singing games, sight reading, basic music history, and music theory. There are three choirs in the middle school and each increase in grade level, increases the degree of difficulty of the music and music theory involved. Students in middle school will learn what it takes to become part of a group that fosters a sense of community and how to be self-evaluators. The choral program encourages students to take creative risks, develop independent thought and creative problem-solving, develop tolerance and sensitivity toward others, and respect the work of their fellow students while developing an acceptable, productive voice.
MIDDLE SCHOOL DRAMA Students in this course develop acting skills through a study of technique, improvisation, theater games, mime, camera work, and scene study. In addition, theater history is introduced in a general survey, exposing the students to the themes, styles, and the development of dramatic arts. Each grade has a different area of concentration: 6th—improvisation; 7th—mask and contemporary drama; 8th—Shakespeare. All courses culminate in a performance at the end of the year.
EIGHTH GRADE DRAMA TECH This class is intended to give students a broad experience in stage design, scenery, props, lighting, sound and stage management. Students will learn the components of stage production including safety, history, lore, etiquette, and protocol. Every student will learn the proper use and care of tools and equipment in each discipline. During the course of the year, production needs will be supported by the work done during class. Students will increase the depth of experience as a working member of the stage crew on at least four Bosque productions.
UPPER SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS
UPPER SCHOOL DRAMA In this class, students are taught to appreciate theatre as a whole by participating in all aspects of theatre production. It is a hands-on course with the belief that students learn best by doing. Students have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of theatrical subjects including process, technique, team building, improvisation, camera work, scene study, script writing, acting, and directing. Occasionally, we join with the upper school tech class to study various “crossover” subjects like costuming or makeup.
DRAMA TECH This class is intended to give students a broad experience in stage design, scenery, props, lighting, sound, and stage management. Students will learn the components of stage production including safety, history, lore, etiquette, and protocol. Every student will learn the proper use and care of tools and equipment in each discipline. During the course of the year, production needs will be supported by the work done during class. Students will increase the depth of experience as a working member of the stage crew on at least four Bosque productions.
UPPER SCHOOL CHOIR Cantate and Treble Choir are groups that focus on healthy singing and excellent choral tone. In addition, students work each day on sight reading music, and attention is paid to learning about and understanding all aspects of the repertoire. This includes learning the history of the music and composer, considering any cultural or political influences that shaped the music, and gaining an understanding of the structural composition of the music through basic music theory.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
OVERVIEW The aim of the community service program is to make students aware of social and environmental issues in our community and to participate in meaningful activities that relate to those issues. Bosque’s community service program aims to inspire students and to give them skills to continue to make volunteering a part of their lives.
MIDDLE SCHOOL The community service program’s middle school goals are threefold: to introduce students to the social and environmental problems and issues that are facing the bosque and the Albuquerque area today; to learn what organizations are available to help alleviate these problems or conditions; and to volunteer time to assist in being part of the solution. Students are exposed to a variety of projects with the hope that they encounter some issue that piques their interest. Through projects focusing on ways we can improve our own community at Bosque, emphasis will also be placed on enhancing the spirit of volunteering close to home before looking outward to a more global context.
UPPER SCHOOL Community service has a more independent focus in the upper school. In keeping with the increased responsibility that comes with the move into upper school, students will work towards independence by joining a service learning organization as well as working with their class as a whole in the 9th through 12th grades. The goal of the upper school community service program is to allow students to take responsibility and ownership of their ideas and concerns. Students will have leadership opportunities that allow them to learn how to organize group volunteers to become involved in the community. This focus will encourage independent student involvement in the community in a way that complements their own interests, with the long-term hope that volunteering becomes a permanent part of students’ lives well beyond graduation.
ENGLISH
SIXTH GRADE ENGLISH Sixth grade is the beginning of a new journey for students. Therefore, it is fitting that they are introduced to the hero's journey as it appears in literature, in their own lives, and in the world around them. Although we will read and discuss many different types of writing, and create many varying pieces of our own writing, there is an idea at the heart of it all: how do I make a difference in the world? In exploring this idea, we will work at becoming more comfortable and more skilled at reading and writing. We will begin by securing the basic building blocks of writing—strong sentence structure, effective paragraph composition, cemented by regular grammar instruction and vocabulary—and leave room to explore the worlds without and within. A significant amount of time will be dedicated to writing, revising, and polishing our work. As we read various works, including poetry, non-fiction such as The Diary of Anne Frank, and novels such as The Hobbit, Ender's Game, and The House of the Scorpion, we will react to and discuss the stories of the journeys found therein. We will also be learning to view these works through the writer's lens, and looking for ways to apply those lessons to our own writing.
SEVENTH GRADE ENGLISH The unifying theme for seventh grade English is Diversity in Community. Our exploration of literature will be framed by the essential question, “What is the role of an individual in a community?” We will build our literary repertoire by reading and writing in a variety of genres, including poetry, short stories, novels, essays, and speeches. Students will advance their reading and writing skills as they refine their thinking about themselves and the world around them. Class discussions and homework assignments are designed to stimulate the students' personal responses to both the literature and their world at large, and to provoke independent thinking and analysis; the emphasis remains on developing each student's ability to construct meaning from the text. Throughout the year, students are introduced to more complex rhetorical strategies as they develop their skills at writing the expository essay and continue to work on articulating and supporting their ideas, maintaining the unity and coherence of their focus, and finding confidence in their voices. The core of our reading will be a thoughtful representation from traditional and young adult novels with strong adolescent protagonists and diverse perspectives within an historical setting. Seventh grade readings include When the Legends Die by Hal Borland, The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Spears, Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Students will also read independently from a list of thematically appropriate novels.
EIGHTH GRADE ENGLISH Eighth grade students explore a variety of genre and styles in English. As well, they are required to write extensively, honing their skills as critical readers and thoughtful, articulate writers. To this end, students read short stories, essays, poems, and novels and study the essential elements of these various genre. Some of the works that we will consider this year are The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Anthem by Ayn Rand, To Kill a Mockingbird, a Haper Lee novel, and William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. In addition, we will immerse ourselves in a study of poetry and short fiction in preparation for Writers' Cafe. Throughout the year, students will navigate essay writing: shaping and refining thesis statements embedding them in effective and engaging opening paragraphs, developing solid supporting paragraphs, and crafting satisfying, effective concluding paragraphs. Each student will also develop a corpus of original, creative work. Included in the writing process is the requirement to polish the written text. In this effort, we will review grammar usage and the mechanics of writing on a regular basis. And of course, we will be vigilant about expanding our cache of new vocabulary.
NINTH GRADE ENGLISH This course explores myth in its varying forms. From the personal myth to cultural foundations, myth guides us as individuals, giving us definition and contrast while allowing us to position ourselves in a larger context. Personal interaction between a reader and text stimulates understanding, and with an emphasis on reading in context, perspective and social awareness, we will explore literature as both a cornerstone and an ever shifting site of struggle. Ninth grade English is a companion to the ninth grade History course. Example texts include classics and contemporary voices: The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, Homer’s Odyssey (paired with The Penelopiad, by Margaret Atwood,) and Lord of the Flies, by William Golding. Additional short stories, essays and poetry complement the major texts. Writing assignments are designed to empower student voices and focus on mastery of crafting strong thesis statements, developing paragraphs, and solidifying standard usage. In addition to reading and formal essay writing, students develop college level vocabulary, practice debate, discussion and presentation, and function in small group settings.
TENTH GRADE ENGLISH This course focuses on writing about and reading great works of literature that deal with the themes of exile and alienation. The first semester introduces the theme in major readings including Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and Grendel by John Gardner. In the second semester, students read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bront, Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Candide by Voltaire, and Maus I and Maus II by Art Spiegelman. In each semester, major readings will be supplemented with thematically related short stories, essays, and poetry. This course heavily emphasizes close reading and writing skills. Students concentrate on developing sentence, paragraph, and essay structure, while strengthening their vocabulary. Throughout the year, students will be asked to complete several essays that require them to direct their writing from draft form to polished essay.
ELEVENTH GRADE ENGLISH This course deals with the American experience and themes such as freedom, individuality, and nonconformity. Variations of the “American Dream” are explored, along with its subsequent disillusionment. This course provides an overview of American voices throughout history. Students read Death Comes for the Archbishop, The Chaneysville Incident, short stories from Hawthorne to Hemingway, Love Medicine, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Namesake, and The Things They Carried. We will also explore Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman, and Twain. Students will learn critical analysis, personal essay, research skills, and persuasive writing. Students make presentations, write argumentative essays, and learn creative writing in order to add their own American voice to the exploration. Other activities include discussion roles and in-class writing assignments.
TWELFTH GRADE ENGLISH Twelfth grade English at Bosque continues to challenge students to think critically about themselves and their world, both the one they are living in as high school students and the wider one they will be encountering as they move beyond Bosque. The course centers on completing the senior thesis, a culminating project that challenges students to develop an original argument in answer to a question of their choice. Students will write a research question, a prospectus, an annotated bibliography, and numerous drafts of a twenty-plus page paper as they complete this project. They will present their research to the community in the spring. As students complete this work, they will be learning to see themselves as competent scholars, ready to take their places among the adults in their fields. In addition to the senior thesis, students will continue to interact with great literature from around the world. They will read, write, and talk about literature and the mystery of the human condition. In the fall, students will read The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula LeGuin, The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee, and The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Spring readings will include novellas by Alice Munro and Heinrich von Kleist, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. By the end of the year, students should feel well-prepared to research in college libraries, read fiction and nonfiction critically, write extensive arguments, and participate meaningfully in both civic and scholarly discourse.
FILM This course focuses on introducing students to historically and aesthetically important films of the 20th and 21st centuries. It starts with a historical overview of film, beginning with Edison and the Lumière Brothers. As with all historical surveys, not all important films can be included, but the crucial ones will be thoroughly examined. Students will learn basic terms and tools for analyzing movies as they look at the origin and development of cinematic storytelling techniques. In addition to getting a strong foundation in film history, students will examine the artistic and narrative possibilities of film. They will be required to “read,” discuss, and write about movies in a way that critically examines both the methods of the filmmakers and the way that we look at the films. The goal is to have students see both what film is and what it can be.
HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES
MIDDLE SCHOOL OVERVIEW The middle school social studies curriculum is designed to help young people develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse democratic society. Through the exploration and study of historical events, as well as significant themes and ideas throughout history, students gain the information and tools necessary to become critical and informed thinkers about their world. Throughout the three courses, middle school students are taught basic research skills, mapping skills, essay writing, how to make a formal presentation, note taking, and the art of meaningful discussion and debate.
SIXTH GRADE: WORLD STUDIES AND GEOGRAPHY This course is a general exploration of contemporary history, people, and places of the world. Throughout the course, the students are actively involved in conversations, hands-on projects, and study skill-building activities that explore the facts and the issues associated with community, gender, race, values, nationality, history, and geography. Through reading, research, discussion, and writing, students are encouraged to find meaningful answers to the following questions: Can the actions of an individual make a difference? Why should I seek to understand different cultures and perspectives? What are my roles and responsibilities to the wider community? This course does not use one specific text but draws information from a variety of sources such as primary documents, biographies, encyclopedias, atlases, field trips, short essays, and multimedia resources.
SEVENTH GRADE: AMERICAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE Students in this course focus on contemporary issues in the United States, while also exploring this country's historical struggle to become a nation and realize its democratic ideals. Throughout the year, students are actively involved in an ongoing dialogue that examines critical issues in U.S. history, government, politics, economics, demographics, geography, and multiculturalism. By reading a variety of primary documents and historical accounts, students search for answers to the following central questions: What does it mean to be an American? What is our story as a nation? What is our multicultural heritage and how has it shaped America? What are the critical issues that America has faced, currently faces, and will face in the future? Writing is an integral part of this course, as are group presentations.
EIGHTH GRADE: ISSUES AND IDEAS IN WORLD HISTORY Utilizing a thematic approach, the eighth grade social studies curriculum explores the major issues, ideas, patterns and social concepts in world history. Students investigate the themes of world religions, the individual and the state, war and conflict, and gender and ethical issues, all of which span the course of human existence and transcend all cultural and political boundaries. The course does not rely on a specific text, but rather utilizes a multitude of resources including primary and secondary sources, guest speakers, short essays, multimedia resources, historical fiction, as well as group and individual projects. Strong emphasis is placed on strengthening the tools necessary for success in higher level social studies classes. These skills include writing, researching, debating, cooperative learning and note-taking skills. Students will also be expected to critically analyze and synthesize the information presented.
UPPER SCHOOL OVERVIEW Bosque’s upper school students are required to complete a four-year course of study in history: Ancient World History, Medieval World History, United States History, and a culminating senior course in Modern History. The program embraces a unique approach to the study of world history. Using the major events and personalities as a framework for studying ancient, medieval, and modern world histories, students read enduring works of literature and study dominant philosophies, major religions, and characteristic art and architecture to understand the distinctive societies and cultures that make up the human experience. Through the close reading of original texts, class discussions, and historical research, students investigate these civilizations and seek to understand their worldviews, cultural values, religious ideas, institutions, daily life, and place in world history. This program is designed to engage students’ minds, demand their active participation in learning, and challenge them to attain an in-depth knowledge and deeper understanding of humanity’s story.
Different from but complementary to these three civilization courses is the one-year United States course that focuses on historical method and process. Students grapple with historical cause and effect, description, and exposition as they study the major events and personalities of American history.
Because we believe a fundamental grounding in the liberal arts is essential, our history courses emphasize analytical reading, critical thinking, meaningful discussion and debate, and effective writing. To these ends, the study of primary sources is central to our upper school history curriculum.
NINTH GRADE: ANCIENT WORLD HISTORY The first course of the upper school history program focuses on studying the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China, Greece, and Rome. In particular, this course emphasizes the human story—the details of human life, thought, and culture – underlying the facts of history. What was life like in the ancient world? What motivated ancient peoples? What were their hopes and fears? What did they value? What beliefs shaped their lives? To answer these questions, students grapple with works such as The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Ramayana, The Analects of Confucius, and The Iliad of Homer. And yet, the unifying theme of this course is the idea that we cannot fully understand the peoples of these civilizations unless we try to understand the society and time in which they lived. To this end, students also study the history and development of each ancient civilization in depth.
TENTH GRADE: MEDIEVAL WORLD HISTORY In the second year, students explore life, thought, and culture in the early Islamic world, medieval Europe, classical and feudal Japan, and the West African empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. Using the historical narrative as a framework for studying each civilization, we continue to concentrate on primary sources to better understand the past on its own terms. In this course, we study literary compositions (poems, prose, letters, biographies), narrative histories (chronicles, annals, histories), documentary records (laws, writs), material sources (art objects, manuscripts, archeological evidence), and architectural structures (monuments, edifices, public works). In particular, students study Arthurian Legends, Al Qur'an, The Ten Foot Square Hut, and the old Malian epic Sundiata, among other works. Through close reading and the careful examination and interpretation of these primary sources, the humanity and history of medieval people come alive for us.
ELEVENTH GRADE: UNITED STATES HISTORY The third year of study focuses on the history of the United States. This course devotes more time to historical method and process. Students explore how historians construct their stories of the past by studying the economic, political, and social developments of the United States from the Pre-Columbian era to the end of the Cold War. Using selected primary documents and secondary sources, students answer some of the most important questions about the historical evolution of the United States. Most of the texts for the class change yearly. This year, students are reading: Indian Uprising on the Rio Grande; A Brilliant Solution: Inventing the American Constitution; Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass; and Why We Can’t Wait. Other texts used in the past are: Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin; A Woman’s Dilemma: Mercy Otis Warren and the American Revolution; Days of Defiance: Sumter, Secession, and The Coming of the Civil War; My Antonia; Twenty Years at Hull House; The Autobiography of Malcolm X; A Rumor of War; With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln; and Coming of Age in Mississippi. Students also improve their ability to write expository, descriptive, and narrative essays through writing extensively. The most significant project they undertake is a 15- to 20-page research paper where they conduct original research at the University of New Mexico. Students who put in additional time and effort in this course are prepared to take the College Board Advanced Placement U.S. History exam in May.
TWELFTH GRADE: MODERN HISTORY In this course, students will examine the central figures, events, and ideas of the modern period and write their senior research papers. During the modern period, the West becomes the dominant force in the world. As new meanings are assigned to what it means to be human, the question of power and how it is to be distributed socially, economically and politically and what it means to us personally, characterize our inquiry. Studying texts including The Prince, The Communist Manifesto, and Beyond Good and Evil, students will reflect on this period and how it has shaped our postmodern existence. With the required research project, students engage in an inquiry of their own devising and defend an original thesis. Through this process, students develop and refine critical thinking, reading and writing skills. The project culminates in the Senior Colloquium, a presentation of their research to the entire Bosque community at the end of the year.
STUDENT GOVERNMENT The Bosque Student Government class is in part a student-directed class that is driven by a clear mission statement and bylaws that focus its efforts on supporting the student body and the Bosque community at large. Students will plan, implement, participate in and reflect on school activities and policies as well as make decisions which affect the overall school culture. Students will be given an opportunity to set goals, organize events, debate school policies, manage time and budgets, problem solve as well as develop team building skills. In addition, students will have an opportunity to examine our nation’s political structures by studying campaigns, elections, and domestic and foreign policies. The class is designed to help students compare and contrast their involvement with Bosque School policies and culture, with that of our city, state and federal governments.
LANGUAGES
OVERVIEW Spanish is required each year at the middle school level. Upper school students are required to take Spanish until they attain a Spanish III level of proficiency. All upper school students take both Latin I and Latin II.
MIDDLE SCHOOL SPANISH
SIXTH GRADE SPANISH The primary goal of the sixth grade Spanish classes is to provide appropriate material for students of all levels and to inspire students to want to learn or improve a second language. Spanish is taught in a non-threatening environment, instilling a positive attitude toward learning languages. New, advanced, and bilingual students are taught using a variety of mediums including music, gestures, group work, word study, journal writing, and literature circles. The program strives to improve all students’ basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish and introduces the cultures of Spanish-speaking people. This course presents students with level-appropriate grammatical structures of Spanish along with situations in which students can use new expressions and practice topical vocabulary. The class is taught primarily in Spanish, providing constant exposure to the sounds of the language and continual practice in listening and understanding. A large part of the curriculum integrates concepts and vocabulary from other subjects (science, English, and social studies) in thematic units. Games, short dialogues, plays, crafts, and writing activities enrich the daily activities in Spanish class.
SEVENTH GRADE SPANISH The focus of seventh grade Spanish is “Everything New Mexican.” We began by working with the seventh grade team to create meaningful activities surrounding the summer reading of Serafina’s Stories. We are focusing on the fusion of European and indigenous cultures in the Southwest. We will begin by looking at place names in New Mexico and discussing their origins. We will discuss local traditions, and we will also be learning several traditional stories. Students will learn how to talk about their own lives and experiences in structured contexts. They will also have the opportunity to compare traditional New Mexican food with the cuisine of other Spanish-speaking areas of the world.
EIGHTH GRADE SPANISH The driving theme of eighth grade Spanish is “Art as Social Commentary.” We will be exploring the work of artists representing social issues throughout the Spanish-speaking world. We will journey to Spain and study the works of Velázquez, Goya, and Picasso. Students will also study the works of the great Mexican artists Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros, and Frida Kahlo. In addition to these artists, we will study popular and folk art as it represents the societal and political concerns and values of people in Spanish-speaking communities throughout Latin America and the United States. Students will have opportunities to investigate the artistic elements and styles, as well as the social contexts and historical events surrounding each artist and their pieces. Additionally, students will have ample opportunity to create art following the masters’ personal styles. As a result, they will also be using vocabulary pertinent to these studies. UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH
Upper school students are required to take Spanish until they attain a Spanish III level of proficiency. Interested students may continue a course of study that prepares them to continue on with the language at the university level. Throughout their studies, students will improve their proficiency in the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish. They will also acquire a command of the key vocabulary and structures necessary for personal communication, as well as an appreciation of the history and culture of the Spanish-speaking world.
SPANISH I Upper school students who do not yet have the proficiency required for Spanish II take Spanish I. This course presents the basic structures of the language along with situations in which the students use elementary and intermediate expressions of the language and practice topical vocabulary. A variety of methods is used, and Spanish is spoken most of the time. Students learn to tell stories, describe themselves and others, express likes and dislikes, and converse about daily activities and routines, obligations and commitments, home and family, feelings, health, and the environment.
SPANISH II In this sequel to Spanish I, students learn to describe activities and narrate sequential events in the present and past tenses. They are also able to speak about future events with ease, as well as hypothesize. By the end of this course, students know the following tenses and grammar structures: present, preterit, imperfect, future, imperative, conditional, present perfect, present subjunctive; por vs. para, impersonal se, the use of direct and indirect object pronouns, expressions with hace, and past participles as adjectives. Emphasis is given to writing, speaking, reading, and listening.
SPANISH III The main objectives of Spanish III are to perfect the students’ command of the structures of the language, as well as to communicate with more ease about more complex topics orally and in writing. We will move at a comfortable pace which will allow for plenty of practice. Usage and grammar will be reviewed and practiced through a variety of fun, challenging activities that will help the students boost their proficiency in Spanish. Throughout the year, topics will be introduced through real-life situations/dialogues that will allow each student to become familiar with the intermediate expressions of the language, as well as to practice topical vocabulary. These situations/dialogues will generally be followed by activities that will extend the use of the structures and functions introduced in ways that will fit different learning styles. A wide range of evaluation techniques will monitor the students’ progress. At the end of this course, my strong hope is for the students to walk out feeling that they have had a rewarding learning experience both culturally and linguistically.
SPANISH IV This course provides advanced students with the guidance they need to continue discovering, learning, and using the language in meaningful, creative, and engaging contexts. It promotes oral and written communication, as well as listening and reading comprehension, through a variety of exercises and thematic units. By the end of the year and having put forth the necessary effort, students should have greatly improved their skills in listening, reading, writing, and speaking Spanish. Each unit is based on a Spanish or Latin American author, a historical or cultural subject, or a Spanish-speaking movie. Students will read excerpts from one or more of the authors’ works. With each unit, students learn advanced vocabulary and delve into the most complex structures of grammar. In order to develop students’ writing skills, written essays are required for each unit. Every unit will require that students get closer to the mastery of Spanish by providing a context in which to share vocabulary, sophisticated grammatical formations, and ideas developed through the readings of celebrated authors.
SPANISH V This course exposes students to the literature, customs, and current events of the Spanish-speaking world. Spanish grammar is reviewed and the techniques of literary analysis are reinforced. It promotes written and oral communication, as well as listening and reading comprehension, through a variety of written and oral exercises and thematic units. The students will have the chance to acquire much vocabulary and structural expertise through the reading of literature from Argentina, Chile, and Spain, watching movies from two of these three countries, discussing/debating themes from the readings and viewings, writing opinion and critical papers, and participating in a number of activities in class. Students are prepared to understand a lecture in Spanish and to engage in discussions of literary, social, and historic topics in Spanish. This is a demanding course that will provide the hard-working student with the necessary tools to speak, read and write Spanish with sophistication and ease at an academic level by the end of the school year. Students who put in additional time and effort are prepared to take the College Board Advanced Placement exam in May.
SPANISH VI Advanced Spanish Seminar: Asuntos Latinoamericanos In this course we will be studying the history, culture and current events of Latin America. This seminar will allow students the opportunity to achieve a deep understanding of Latin American perspectives on issues of global importance. We will be researching the historical underpinnings of important issues, analyzing policy, debating different inter and intra country perspectives, and formulating possible solutions. Our theme will revolve around five issues: ecology, human rights, indigenous cultures, narcotraffic/the guerrillas, and health care. We will study and analyze these issues from their origins and history to their impact in modern society. This analysis will precede and be the focus of discussions and debate. Equally relevant will be the student’s personal experience living in Latin American countries (if applicable). We will focus on refining writing through essays as well as position and research papers. Grammar will be polished and generated from the material collected from the students’ writing work. Our culminating project will be a simulated United Nations forum. In this project, each student will present and defend topics decided upon in advance.
UPPER SCHOOL LATIN
LATIN I This course provides students with a working knowledge of the Latin language. Students develop Latin grammar and vocabulary, and strengthen and acquire skills in English as a result. Because Latin is primarily a literary language, the focus of the course is translation. During the process of the course, students are taught basic grammatical forms to aid them in translation. Class activities include sight translations, prepared translations, reading out loud in Latin, grammar exercises, and memorization of noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, and adverb forms. The text for this class is Latin for Americans I. The topics in Latin I include first conjugation of verbs in the six tenses, active and passive voice, and the first and second declension nouns and adjectives.
LATIN II This course expands on and strengthens the material learned in Latin I. The year begins with a comprehensive review of first year Latin. Class activities include sight translations, prepared translations, reading out loud in Latin, and grammar drills. The text for this class is Latin for Americans I. The topics in Latin II include the third, fourth, and fifth declension nouns; participles; ablative absolute; the subjunctive mood of verbs; and sequence of tenses. The objective of this year is to prepare the students to read Latin literature.
LATIN III Latin III is an elective course that reviews Latin grammar in the fall term. The text is Wheelock’s Latin. In the spring term, the course shifts to translation accompanied by frequent review. The students are introduced to Latin poetry through selections from Ovid’s Metamorphoses.
LATIN IV Latin IV begins with a grammar review while reading in Latin the primary sources in Finis Rei Publicae, a course in Latin literature focusing on the end of the Republic and the transition to empire. Sources include the Commentaries on the Civil Wars of Caesar and Vergil’s Aeneid. This advanced course in Latin literature develops the student’s ability to translate literally, to analyze, to interpret, and to read poetry. Latin grammar, vocabulary and syntax are reviewed throughout the course. In the spring semester, students read selections from the poetry of Catullus.
MATHEMATICS
SIXTH GRADE MATH This course is intended to reinforce basic arithmetic skills, to introduce algebra concepts such as evaluating variable expressions, and to strengthen each student’s problem solving skills. The curriculum covers such diverse subjects as operations with fractions and decimals; statistics; probability; geometry (two and three-dimensional); dealing with negative numbers, ratios, and proportions; and solving an equation with a variable. Students are encouraged to participate actively in class discussions during which they themselves discover the principles being discussed rather than merely being given a set of rules to memorize in a lecture format. This process is supported by homework assignments and various individual and group activities and projects. Students work primarily from the textbook, McDougal Littell’s Math: Course 2, but that material is supplemented as needed.
SEVENTH GRADE MATH This course is designed to assist students as they make the transition between the concrete subject of arithmetic and more abstract subjects like algebra and geometry. This is accomplished by working with variables, variable expressions, equations, inequalities, and formulas. Subjects covered in earlier math courses such as fractions, ratios, percents, exponents, roots, and probability are studied in further depth for greater mastery. The students also explore the geometry of polygons and similarity. The course is taught so that a wide range of abilities is challenged through riddles, puzzles, and more complex mathematical problems supplementing the daily coursework. In addition to the specific arithmetic, algebraic and geometric skills and concepts mentioned above, this course aims to develop students’ ability to communicate technical information and mathematical knowledge, which places a heavy emphasis on the processes and reasoning to support answers as well as proper mathematical notation.
ACCELERATED 6th AND 7th GRADE MATH This course is designed to accelerate mathematically talented sixth and seventh grade students. Participants are identified through a teacher-created above grade level exam administered in the spring. The exam looks for advanced conceptual, arithmetic and problem solving skills. Selected sixth grade students will, at a minimum, cover the material required of seventh grade students. Seventh grade students will, at a minimum, cover the eighth grade algebra curriculum. For the specific topics covered in each of these classes, please see the seventh grade math and eighth grade algebra course descriptions. Students will be pre-tested on each chapter and work only on topics on which they did not demonstrate mastery. More in-depth, whole-class problem solving activities will also be introduced weekly. In order to accommodate this schedule, all of the sixth graders participating in the class have been placed in the same section, as have all of the seventh graders. These two sections meet at the same time for math in a designated classroom.
EIGHTH GRADE MATH The course uses Connected Mathematics, a middle school series developed with funding from the National Science Foundation. This integrated curriculum helps students develop understanding of important concepts, skills, procedures, and ways of thinking and reasoning. Topics covered include linear, exponential, and quadratic functions, area, volume, and perimeter of polygons and solids, and writing and solving equations and inequalities. Conceptual learning is balanced with ongoing skills review. These include operations with whole numbers, integers, fractions, decimals, exponents, and percents.
EIGHTH GRADE ALGEBRA The eighth grade algebra course provides students with opportunities to gain greater mastery and awareness of mathematical properties crucial in the transition from arithmetic to algebra. Students work with data, study patterns and spatial relations, investigate the properties of two and three-dimensional geometric shapes, and experiment with probability to relate mathematics to its real world applications as much as possible. The course also reinforces basic math concepts such as signed numbers, order of operations, and ratio and proportion. Algebraic topics of linear equations, exponents, and functions are covered to prepare students for all subsequent math courses that rely heavily on student’s mastery of algebra. Students work on building algebraic equations from real situations tying abstract notation to concrete problems. The text for this course is Glencoe’s Algebra I.
ALGEBRA 1 This class covers the fundamental concepts of beginning algebra. Algebraic concepts are viewed from varied perspectives to help students develop their abilities with abstraction and generalization. Application of knowledge is fundamental to each topic; this course emphasizes real-world problems with relevant uses of elementary algebra, statistics, probability, and geometry. The content of the course focuses on the concept of variable, the four basic arithmetic operations from an algebraic perspective, linear equations and inequalities, the geometry of lines in the plane, and the concepts of distance, square roots, and absolute value. The course also studies the algebraic descriptions of lines in the plane, using slope intercept and linear combination forms of lines. Other topics include exponential growth and powering, compound interest, exponential growth and decay, operations with polynomials, linear systems, and quadratics.
GEOMETRY This is the analysis of shapes and their characteristics. All traditional topics are covered in the course such as lines, angles, two-dimensional figures, three-dimensional figures, area, volume, similarity of shapes, and trigonometry. Students are asked to develop properties of various shapes using their problem-solving skills. The students will create these shapes by using the traditional straight edge, compass and protractor. This constructive approach allows students to understand how shapes are created and what characteristics they have. Students have an opportunity to fully visualize what is true about two- and three-dimensional objects through this hands-on approach. The students are challenged to use rigorous logical reasoning throughout the course and are required to justify their conclusions by developing provable arguments.
ALGEBRA 2 This course encompasses the following goals: to help students understand why they need algebra; to develop skills of algebraic manipulation and sentence-solving; to apply geometric knowledge gained in previous courses; to develop the ability to read mathematics; to integrate widely available and inexpensive technology; and tointroduce fundamentally important mathematical ideas. The content of the course is designed to create mathematically literate students who have a good grasp of the fundamentals of sophisticated algebra. Broadly, that content includes the language of variables and the solving of linear equations and inequalities; subscript notation; inverse, direct, and variations of power; arithmetic sequences; matrices; systems of linear equations and inequalities; linear programming; quadratic equations and complex numbers; translations of graphs; linear, quadratic, variation, greatest integer, circular and power functions; exponents and exponential equations; logarithms; trigonometry; polynomial equations, conics, and quadratic relations and systems. At the completion of this course, students have finished their study of the fundamentals of algebra and geometry. The text used is Glencoe’s Algebra 2 (2007 ed.).
PRE-CALCULUS Pre-Calculus, as the name implies, is a course in which students hone their mathematical skills before they begin the study of calculus. The subjects of study are generally trigonometry and a detailed examination of topics previously learned to some extent in algebra, including logarithmic functions, exponential functions, polynomials, and rational functions. Graphing skills, both with and without the TI-83/TI-84 graphing calculator, are emphasized heavily. The course also covers various other topics such as sequences and series (including an introduction to the concept of limits). The text for this course is Glencoe’s Advanced Math Concepts (2006 ed.).
STATISTICS AND APPLIED MATH This course explores the practical application of mathematics through the study of sequences, statistics, matrices, and functions. It involves gathering, organizing, simplifying, analyzing, and interpreting data. Students model real life situations through mathematical equations and develop the capacity to communicate technical information to others. Problems studied in the course arise from financial, scientific, and historical perspectives. Students are expected to have a graphing calculator (the various versions of the TI-83 or TI-84 are preferred), and they work with these calculators, as well as computers, to solve practical problems. The course includes material from a wide variety of sources, including the textbooks Understandable Statistics (8th Edition) and College Algebra (7th Edition) published by Houghton Mifflin. Successful completion of Algebra II is a prerequisite for STAM.
CALCULUS Building heavily upon skills and concepts studied in previous courses, Calculus explores “the mathematics of change.” The concept of a limit is developed while working towards an understanding of instantaneous rates of change. Analytic techniques for evaluating limits lead to derivatives, which are used to analyze and graph functions, investigate rates of change, and explore optimal solutions. Reversing and expanding upon the derivative concept gives rise to definite and indefinite integrals. These are used to solve simple differential equations, find areas of irregular 2-dimensional regions, and find volumes of 3-dimensional objects. Throughout the course, students investigate applications of calculus topics in fields such as science, engineering, and economics. This course also aims to develop a student’s ability to communicate mathematical knowledge and technical information in a sophisticated yet clear manner. Students are expected to have a graphing calculator (the various versions of the TI-83 or TI-84 are preferred), which is used daily as an instructional tool since graphical analysis plays a major role in the development of many concepts and realistic applications involve complicated calculations. The course includes material from a variety of sources, including the textbooks Calculus: Single Variable (2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons) and Calculus of a Single Variable: Early Transcendental Functions (3rd ed., Houghton Mifflin). With additional effort and understanding, students in this course may be prepared to take the College Board Advanced Placement Calculus (AB) exam in May. Successful completion of a Pre-Calculus course that includes linear, quadratic, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions is a prerequisite for Calculus.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH
SIXTH GRADE PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH This class provides students with a program that emphasizes fitness and skill development in a non-competitive environment. A variety of cooperative games and experiences are sequentially planned for students of all ability levels. Activities concentrate on the development of basic locomotion skills. Biomechanical principles such as lever, force, and momentum are covered in the lessons. The basic functions of the heart, lungs, and muscular systems are explored in the health component of the course. Fitness and nutrition are also covered. Team sports included in this course are basketball, flag football, soccer, softball, ultimate Frisbee, and volleyball.
SEVENTH GRADE PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH This course is designed to encourage lifelong participation in sport and recreational activities by developing within each student knowledge and skills of various physical activities and health concepts. Physical education classes are planned to teach basic skills needed for safe and successful participation in a variety of sports including basketball, field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, ultimate Frisbee, and volleyball. Units consist of instruction, practice, playing time, and skills testing. Health classes are used to teach students about topics pertinent to their physical, social, and emotional development. Health sections include life skills, personal and family health, emotional health, nutrition, substance abuse, diseases and disorders, sexually transmitted diseases, community health, and environmental health.
EIGHTH GRADE PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH The course builds on skills and concepts taught in the seventh grade physical education course. Units might include soccer, flag football, field hockey, volleyball, basketball, indoor soccer, physical fitness, lacrosse, and ultimate Frisbee. There are many opportunities for competition as students spend time scrimmaging in each sport. Units consist of instruction, discussion, practice, playing time, and testing. Written tests are based on information obtained through lectures, readings, handouts, and videos. Health topics taught in this course include exercise and physical activity, psychological issues, reproductive anatomy, healthy relationships, sexually transmitted diseases, and substance abuse.
UPPER SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION Upper school physical education classes continue to build upon skills and concepts taught in middle school classes. The benefits of lifelong participation in sport and recreational activities are emphasized. Individual, team, and outdoor activities are offered. Students have input into which sports are played. Units might include soccer, flag football, field hockey, volleyball, basketball, indoor soccer, physical fitness, lacrosse, and ultimate Frisbee. Students who play interscholastic sports earn physical education credits.
SCIENCE
MIDDLE SCHOOL OVERVIEW Bosque School’s middle school science program is a field- and community-based curriculum. It is designed to engage students in real, inquiry-based science. Students are given the opportunity to contribute to the larger world of science by participating in actual research and applied science projects. Whenever possible, students work and share their data with government, university, and other scientists. Students experience their local landscape in ways that allow them to build direct, personal, and visceral connections with it. These connections lay the foundation for students to construct scientific understanding from authentic experiences. The courseworkis consistent with the middle school standards as stated in the National Research Council’s National Science Education Standards (1996). Roughly a third of the curriculum is covered in each grade; concepts, assignments, and working methods are designed to build upon previous work over the three middle school years. Sources for these courses are current scientific literature from both governmental and private entities.
SIXTH GRADE SCIENCE In sixth grade, students work along the Rio Grande, in a riparian forest known locally by its Spanish name, bosque. The Rio Grande bosque is undergoing tremendous transformation, mostly brought on by human activity. Students study this change. In particular, they assist with the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Project (BEMP), a University of New Mexico-sponsored, National Science Foundation-funded research project related to long-term environmental monitoring of this forest ecosystem. Core research activities include: measures of biodiversity and ecosystem change through the survey of arthropods found on the forest floor; weather conditions including rainfall and temperature; and gross measures of forest production including the study of leaf litter on the forest floor, tree diameter and growth, and woody plant distribution and frequency. Students also participate in porcupine surveys, small mammal trapping, and beaver activity surveys. In the classroom, laboratory, and computer lab, students participate in a variety of other learning experiences. They conduct labs, prepare reports, and learn to use spreadsheets to manage and analyze their data. Students also reach out into the wider community by hosting and conducting various educational outreach projects.
SEVENTH GRADE SCIENCE In seventh grade, students expand their studies outward from the Rio Grande and engage in a watershed wide exploration. On a monthly basis, students monitor the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of their home watershed. Research findings will be shared with other students, natural resource agencies, UNM, and other scientists. Students will be engaged in activities that facilitate the learning of science process skills and the Scientific Method. Students conduct their surface monitoring through participation in a New Mexico Department of Game and Fish- sponsored Watershed Watch program. In it, students are part of a state-wide network of student monitors. The surface water research sites include a high mountain stream north east of Albuquerque, a small stream in Albuquerque's eastern foothills, two merging streams in the Jemez Mountains, and the main channel of the Rio Grande. Seventh grade science students share their data with other researchers and the community at large. Students make formal presentations to other students from other schools. Student field work is supported by laboratory, classroom, and computer lab activities.
EIGHTH GRADE SCIENCE In eighth grade, students expand their knowledge of the environment by exploring topics in earth science. Scientific principles are tied back to the students’ everyday experiences and ongoing fieldwork. Students probe more deeply into their scientific surroundings, participating in a variety of group projects, such as a volcano project, the complex machine project, and building solar ovens and cars. Students also complete several individual research projects. By the end of eighth grade science, students have a strong understanding of the relationship between technology and science. They improve upon the laboratory and research skills learned in seventh grade, while functioning in a more formal laboratory setting. Students also have the opportunity to see how their local experiences connect to the larger global context.
UPPER SCHOOL OVERVIEW The upper school science program strives to inculcate scientific literacy by having students obtain a thorough understanding of basic scientific principles, and developing the realization that science—the search for objective truths—is a uniquely human process. Our methodology focuses around the notion that students develop a sharper understanding of their world when they are actively engaged in scientific inquiry. Therefore, laboratory work and experimentation are central to every course, whereby students have opportunities to observe, question, predict, collect data, measure, analyze, evaluate, and express their ideas both verbally and in writing. The upper school program consists of coursework that is consistent with the benchmarks as stated in the National Research Council’s Science Education Standards. The program is comprised of a more traditional sequence of academically challenging coursework—physical science (ninth grade), biology (tenth grade), and chemistry (eleventh grade) are required for graduation. In twelfth grade, students have the option to enroll in physics, advanced biology, or advanced wildlife studies. All science courses are full-year (two-semester) courses that stress exploring concepts in greater depth and complexity. Although possessing a solid foundation in science is one program goal, more importantly, we realize that our students’ success depends less on factual knowledge, but more so on their ability to raise questions, think and learn independently, solve problems, and express their knowledge well.••
NINTH GRADE CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS This course is designed to provide students with a full-year physics program (including topics such as mechanics, properties of matter, heat, sound and light, electricity and magnetism, and atomic and nuclear physics). The program takes advantage of students’ everyday world and language in addressing and understanding core principles in physics. Lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and laboratory activities are used to explore everyday problems and experiences, develop an understanding of key concepts, and apply an understanding to answer questions and solve problems. Students are expected to have successfully completed Algebra 1 or be enrolled in Algebra 1 at Bosque.
BIOLOGY This course investigates the topic of biology through independent and group projects, lecture and laboratory work. The course is dedicated to the investigation of the biological composition, structure, and function of natural systems. Topics covered are: biochemistry, cell structure and function, genetics, evolution, and human physiology. The primary textbook used in this course is Biology: the Dynamics of Life by Glencoe. This is supplemented with various readings from outside sources.
CHEMISTRY Chemistry is the science that deals with the materials of the universe and the changes that these materials undergo. It lies at the heart of our efforts to produce materials that greatly influence our lives. The lab-intensive chemistry course is designed to help students gain a better understanding of the composition and properties of matter and how chemical substances undergo changes. Basic chemical concepts as well as the fundamental skills of chemical calculation will be emphasized and form the basis for numerous applications throughout the course. Through lab investigations, students search for patterns, exploring the behavior of many substances common in our world. Students are expected to have mastered the basic algebraic skills of solving equations and using a scientific calculator. The text for the course is World of Chemistry, by Steven S. Zumdahl (McDougal Littell Publishing Company, 2006).
ADVANCED BIOLOGY Advanced biology is an elective course for seniors. In this course we build on the biological foundations from 10th grade biology and on a number of the concepts from 11th grade chemistry. In addition to class lectures and discussions, students explore different topics, including cellular metabolism, gene regulation and expression, biotechnology, evolution, behavioral ecology and island biogeography, through individual and group work in theclassroom and through the frequent use of basic and advanced laboratory techniques. During the course of the year we emphasize the unifying themes of evolution, form fits function, unity in diversity, and science as a human process. The successful completion of labs, the productivity of group assignments, and the quality of class discussion are dependent upon the commitment and participation of all members of the class. Prerequisites for the course are ninth grade conceptual physics, tenth grade biology, and eleventh grade chemistry.
WILDLIFE BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION Wildlife Biology and Conservation (WBC) is a field-based, college preparatory course devoted to student participation in actual wildlife research and conservation projects. Through those activities, and supported by supplemental readings, students gain a broad understanding of the fields of wildlife and conservation biology as well as an understanding of each studied species’ natural history, its landscape and ecological context, as well as its relationship with humans. Students select one of the WBC research projects to take primary responsibility for managing and analyzing its data and preparing its annual technical report. Furthermore, during each semester, students participate in a substantial outreach activity related to a WBC research or conservation project with groups beyond the Bosque School community. Each quarter WBC students provide leadership and environmental education programs to younger students on several wildlife and conservation projects. Key areas of study in WBC projects include: the ethical and moral implications of live animal research; safety; wildlife management techniques and procedures; field research design and execution; data management; and the preparation of technical reports. WBC is an elective science class open to juniors and seniors and can be used to meet the fourth credit of science that a student must complete to graduate from Bosque’s Upper School. Furthermore, students enrolled in WBC can also enroll concurrently with NM State University’s online wildlife biology class “WLSC 110 Introduction to Natural Resource Management.”
WILDLIFE BIOLOGY RESEARCH Wildlife Biology Research (WBR) builds upon the coursework in Wildlife Biology and Conservation (WBC). After having had a broad exposure to research techniques, wildlife biology, and conservation issues in WBC, students in WBR focus in on a particular wildlife biology research topic. Students design, execute, and prepare for scientific publication and/or professional presentation a wildlife research project or comparable project. Each student, in addition to Bosque School’s WBR teacher, works with an additional mentor who has specific research experience in the studied topic. Supporting coursework and activities are based upon the selected research topic and vary from one student to the next, though principles of research design, data analysis, and ethical live animal research are components of all WBR projects. Furthermore, students enrolled in WBR can also enroll concurrently with NM State University’s online wildlife biology class “WLSC 110 Introduction to Natural Resource Management.”
PHYSICS I Physics is the science that studies how the known universe works. In an inquiry-based, lab-intensive approach, students draw conclusions about the natural world based on the results of experiments. Students must have completed Algebra II in good standing to take this course. Topics include motion, force, work, energy, relativity, and astronomy. At the completion of the course, students should possess a greater understanding of the natural world; an ability to solve problems and draw conclusions from experimental data; and the ability to succeed in a college-level physics class. If taken junior year, students have an opportunity to take the second year of physics their senior year.
ADVANCED CHEMISTRY |
