CURRICULUM GUIDE 2012-2013 copy - The Ethel Walker School

INTRODUCTIONWelcome to the academic program of the EthelWalker School. As you will see in this guide, weoffer over 150 courses in both Middle and UpperSchool. Some courses are required, others you canchoose and with such a broad set of offerings, youwill find something that fits for you. In fact,sometimes the challenge lies in limiting yourchoices! Do read carefully the descriptions ofcourse offerings for students in grades 6–12 andPG that follow so you can be well prepared to makethose tough choices.Middle School required courses are designed toprepare students for our rigorous high schoolprogram.Upper School students prepare a four-year planwith their advisors to ensure a balanced,challenging, and appropriate program for theirspecial talents and interests which also fulfills thegraduation requirements listed below.Students must take a total of at least five courseseach semester. It is strongly encouraged that thesebe from the five major academic departments -English, History, Language, Mathematics, andScience. Students are also encouraged to take an artclass whenever possible. Enrollment in AdvancedPlacement and Honors level courses is bydepartment recommendation.In order to receive a diploma from The EthelWalker School, students must be enrolled andpresent at the school for at least two semesters,including the spring semester of a student's Senioryear.Post Graduate (PG) students at Walker’s can take afull load of courses in the 6 different core subjects(including art) or they may choose to focus theirstudies in an area that interests them or in whichthey need more support. PG’s will arrive at Walker’swith a high school diploma already completed sothere is more flexibility in scheduling their courses.PG students will receive a special certificate ofcompletion at graduation.We encourage students to engage in the mostrigorous academic program they can that is alsocompatible with a student’s particular interests andskill sets. All students are encouraged to completethe following credits in Upper School to ensurepreparation for the college or university of theirchoice:EnglishMathematicsLanguageScienceHistoryGrade Point AverageThe grade point average (GPA) is calculated on afour-point scale; AP courses are weighted by onethird extra point; honors courses by one-sixth extrapoint. A C+ in an AP course is, for the purposes ofdetermining eligibility for honor roll, considered aB-. Pass/Fail courses and choir are not figured intothe GPA for honor roll. The GPA is calculated bytotaling the product of the quality points andcredits for each course, then dividing by the totalnumber of credits – excluding audited classes (N),Pass/Fail classes (P/F), and Withdrawals (W/F orW). Incomplete grades should be converted togrades within two weeks of the next quarter or thegrade may be converted to an F.Table of Quality PointsGrade Quality Points PointsA+ 4.33 97-100A 4.00 93-96A- 3.67 90-92B+ 3.33 87-89B 3.00 83-86B- 2.67 80-82C+ 2.33 77-79C 2.00 73-76C- 1.67 70-72D+ 1.33 67-69D 1.00 63-66D- 0.67 60-62F 0.00 Below 60W/F 0.00N n/c *P/F n/c *4 credits4 credits4 credits4 credits4 creditsW n/c *1

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ENGLISHThe English curriculum at Walker’s in both Middle and Upper Schools focuses on the teaching of literature andcomposition and seeks to nurture a love of reading, intelligent habits of speaking, listening, and informationgathering in preparation for not only the next grade level, but for college, the workplace, and the world at large.As each student rises through the levels of instructions and our carefully selected texts grow in complexity, ourexpectation is that, through close reading, she increases her proficiency in critical literary analysis. At the same time,we constantly seek to retain a sense of meaningful personal involvement with literature. One of our key aims is forstudents to learn to appreciate literary craftsmanship -- the artistry in each individual work – in every genre.Our first concern in composition is for each student to express herself in a clear straightforward style and find herauthentic voice, qualities we consistently emphasize in both analytical and personal expressive writing in every grade.Even in this digital age, correct English still matters; we maintain that correct grammar usage and the acquisition ofvocabulary remain as important as ever, so their study is embedded in every course.At the same time, we acquaint students with some of the major cultural and aesthetic movements of literature, bothclassic and contemporary, throughout America and the world, paying particular attention to the voices of womenand of minority writers. To this end, we have committed to regular reviews of the breadth and depth of both ourcurriculum and summer reading choices. Summer reading in English is a required component at each grade level,6-12. A full list of titles is available online via the School’s website.Whether in the Middle or Upper School, each course is designed to encourage and support each girl as she finds hervoice in her writing and grows to her fullest potential in the study of the English language and its literature.ENGLISH: ANCIENT AND MODERN CULTURESRequired in Grades: 6 & 7 Coordinates with Ancient and Modern Cultures (history) in the 6th and 7thgrade.This unique course coordinates with the looping curriculum in the history department to capitalizeon cross-curricular opportunities in the humanities. In any given year, both the 6th and 7th graderswill be studying either Ancient Cultures (2011-12) or Modern Cultures (2012-2013) and will takean English course that selects text to align with that topic. Different skills in reading, writing andspeaking are emphasized at the 6th grade and 7th grade level.At the sixth-grade level, reading and composition are emphasized. The study of literature drawsupon every genre to focus largely on texts about growing up and emerging into society, andstudents have many opportunities to discuss their reading and to write about their ownexperiences. Previous texts have included Tom Sawyer, Jacob Have I Loved, A Break With Charity, andA Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other texts are at the discretion of the teacher, but are carefullyselected to be appropriate to the age and developmental level of sixth grade girls while challengingthem to think in increasingly complex ways.At the seventh-grade level, students maintain their momentum by continuing to explore thevarious genres of literature. We read a challenging collection of texts which has previouslyincluded To Kill a Mockingbird, The House on Mango Street, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Romeo and Juliet.Other texts are at the discretion of the teacher, but are carefully selected to be appropriate to theage and developmental level of seventh grade girls as we continue to help them grow and makesense of the complexities of the world at large.As we keep encouraging each student to find her authentic voice, writing is an integral componentin each course with frequent assignments of varied lengths and types, including persuasive andanalytical essays, and personal writing. Once again, the process is emphasized as much as the finalproduct, and standard English conventions are taught through basic texts, and then applied to thestudent's own written work.3

HONORS ENGLISH 9: THE SELF AND BEYONDOpen to Grade: 9 Credit: 1This rigorous honors course helps each student move from her own perspective outward to theperspectives of others in the world at large. As we observe the world an author creates and theways characters act and react to each other, we expand our knowledge of our own world and howit works. During the year we study novels such as The Catcher in the Rye, The Secret Life of Bees, andTheir Eyes Were Watching God. Previous selections of drama have included Oedipus Rex, Antigone, andone of Shakespeare’s comedies chosen fromMuch Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the Shrew, andAs You Like It. Additionally, we read several short stories and poems chosen at the teacher’sdiscretion. Epic poetry is represented by The Odyssey.Each student is supported and challenged to improve her skills in both analytical and personalessays to grow as a persuasive and sophisticated thinker and writer.ENGLISH 9: THE SELF AND BEYONDOpen to Grade: 9 Credit: 1The English 9 course focuses on the same core themes and works as the honors ninth-gradecourse. The standards expected of students both in class discussion and in writing are equallyhigh, although the number of works read may be fewer and the pace of reading more measured inthis course.HONORS ENGLISH 10: AMERICAN LITERATURE: THE INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETYOpen to Grade: 10 Credit: 1In Sophomore Honors English students strive to advance the twin skills of reading and writingwell, and to expand their understanding of American life and letters. They read as many of thegreat texts of American literature as time allows and assess each one’s aesthetic brilliance and whatthe authors are telling us about American culture in its various manifestations through time. Thestudy begins with The Heart is a Lonely Hunter as the summer reading text and then proceedsretrospectively in the following order: The Great Gatsby, My Antonia, Huckleberry Finn, poetry byWhitman and Dickinson, essays by Thoreau and Emerson, Melville’s Benito Cereno and Bartleby,Hawthorne’sThe Scarlet Letter, and finally they return to the present and read a variety of shortfiction and poetry by contemporary authors. A concession is made to include Macbeth in thiscourse in order to give students as much exposure to Shakespeare’s works as we can. A variety ofwriting assignments including analytical essays, personal response essays, and creative writing usingvocabulary are supplemented by a reading journal in which each student records her reflections,questions and significant literary observations as she reads the texts.5

ENGLISH 10: AMERICAN LITERATURE: THE INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETYOpen to Grade: 10 Credit: 1Working with a variety of American literary texts, this course examines the theme of individualityin American literature. The English 10 course focuses on the same core themes and works as thehonors tenth-grade course. The standards expected of students both in class discussion and inwriting are equally high, although the number of works read may be fewer and the pace of readingmore measured. We look at how individuals struggle against social forces as well as integratethemselves into communities. Each student uses her personal reactions to texts from every genreto help her write critical and analytical essays of her own. Through reading, class discussion andconferencing over drafts, students work towards an understanding of American literature andthemselves as writers. Previous selections of texts have included The Great Gatsby, TheAwakening, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Young Goodman Brown, Sula, and Huckleberry Finn, as well asexcerpts from Emerson and Thoreau. Poetry choices are made at the teacher’s discretion. Aconcession is made to include Macbeth in this course in order to give students as much exposure toShakespeare’s works possible.HONORS ENGLISH 11: LOVE, POWER, AND REVENGEOpen to Grade: 11 Credit: 1This demanding class exposes students to several classic and contemporary texts in a variety ofgenres to explore the themes of love, power, and revenge. We learn how some of the world’sgreatest authors have dealt with the eternal subject of love. We also see how power corrupts eventhe strongest among us, and we examine the furious complexity of revenge.We read several shortstories including those in The Interpreter of Maladies. Poetry is prominent, with emphasis on boththe Renaissance and the Romantic periods. Our novels may include 1984, Brave New World, Prideand Prejudice, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Frankenstein, and Lord of the Flies. Our dramaincludes Hamlet and The Importance of Being Earnest. This class is an important preparation for APEnglish. Therefore, students are required to analyze texts as critical thinkers, and then write tosupport their opinions with clarity, fluency, and sophisticationENGLISH 11: LOVE, POWER, AND REVENGEOpen to Grade: 11 Credit: 1The English 11 course focuses on the same core themes and works as the honors eleventh-gradecourse. The standards expected of students both in class discussion and in writing are equallyhigh, although the number of works read may be fewer and the pace of reading more measured.AP ENGLISH LITERATUREOpen to Grade: 12 Credit: 1The purpose of this course is to offer advanced study in literature and composition, and toprepare students for the AP Exam in Literature and Composition. The course involves the readingand close examination of texts from a variety of periods and in each of the major genres. Studentsentering the course should expect to read sophisticated works at a rigorous pace, to writefrequently and according to exacting standards of both depth and style, and to participate regularlyin seminar-style discussions. Writing in this course is primarily analytical. Texts to be studied in thiscourse may include King Lear, Book IV of Gulliver’s Travels, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Light in August,A Doll House, Hedda Gabler, A Streetcar Named Desire, Song of Solomon, and selections of poetry fromthe Renaissance to the present.6

ENGLISH ELECTIVESFor those students not enrolled in the Advanced Placement English course or for those wishing to study more thanone English course in their 12th grade year, the following semester–long electives are offered. Each senior notenrolled in AP English must state a preference for one of these electives per semester, and should definitely list hersecond and third choices for each semester on her registration forms. Qualified juniors who wish to take one ofthese senior electives may do so, subject to available space and, in the case of a student with multiple Englishcourses, departmental approval.ENGLISH: “HAPPY ENDINGS, SORT OF . . .”Open to Grade: 12 Fall SemesterCredit: ½The inspiration for this elective was an essay question on the AP English exam a few years agothat began with a quotation from the novelist Fay Weldon: “The writers, I believe, who get thebest and most lasting response from readers are the writers who offer a happy ending throughmoral development. By happy ending, I do not mean mere fortunate events . . . but some kind ofspiritual reassessment or moral reconciliation, even with the self, even at death.” In this course,students read such works, examining, in particular, whatever is offered of positive moral possibilityin them. Works studied in this course may include A Doll House, Song of Solomon, Jane Eyre,Atonement, or Great Expectations., with additional works at the teacher’s discretion.ENGLISH: PRAIRIE LITERATURE - NOT OFFERED 2012-2013Open to Grade: 12 Fall SemesterCredit: ½The Midwest and Southwest have produced many of America’s best writers, particularly in thepast couple of decades. Students in this course sample various writers who have drawn theirinspiration and set their fiction and poetry in this region. They begin retrospectively with a look atNative American spirituality in Neihardt’s Black Elk Speaks. Then they proceed to contemporarywriters such as Cormac McCarthy (All the Pretty Horses) who write about cultural conflict along ourborder with Mexico. Students then turn to Kent Haruf and read Plainsong and Eventide, a pair ofnovels that are sequential and include many of the same characters and settings in easternColorado. Haruf is followed by Richard Ford and Annie Proulx, who tell stories about love andloneliness set in Wyoming in the aftermath of America’s pioneer heritage. Students read novels,short stories, poetry, and literary nonfiction such as Eiseley’s The Immense Journey. The literatureoffers students a window on America’s soul as it has been represented by these great regionalistwriters. Each student practices her writing skills in a variety of forms from the analytical essay topersonal response, and she also keeps a reading journal in which she is responds to, reflects upon,questions and includes her literary observations.ENGLISH: LITERATURE OF THE FUTURE: THE PROMISES AND THE PERILSOpen to Grade: 12 Fall semesterCredit: ½In this elective students will read a series of novels and short stories that are set in the futureincluding novels such as: Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land; Walter Miller Jr. ‘s Canticle forLeibowitz; Phillip Dick’sDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep; William Gibson’s Neuromancer; OlafStapleton’s Starmaker; Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. It has often been argued that science fictionor novels about the future are really just sensitive novels about current cultural evolutionextrapolated into the future. This course will give students an opportunity to think in more thanthe usual depth about new trends in cultural evolution based upon technological innovations suchas robotics, artificial intelligence, genetics and the internet. Like all of our electives the goals of thecourse include learning to read more sensitively, think more critically and write more gracefully.7

LINGo (Language Immersion for Non-Native Girls)A special course of instruction required for all new international students at The Ethel Walker SchoolAt Walker’s, our international students have come from more than eighteen different countries to pursue scholarship,to be a part of our vibrant and diverse community, and to perfect their spoken and written English. Walker’s offerssupport and instruction through the “Language Immersion for Non-Native Girls” (LINGo) program for studentswhose first language is not English. Participation in LINGo is required for all new international students and isoffered at different levels that are designed to be supportive as well as challenging; not every international studentwill need the same thing. While we do require a minimum level of English proficiency for all applicants, we fullyexpect that students for whom English is not their first language will need help and support in acclimating to life inan American school.OverviewOur international students participate in an English-immersion program that offers a high level of instructionbalanced with structured support to insure these non-native speakers of English advance at every level. Ourapproach allows students to assimilate into life as an American student as they prepare for study in an Americancollege or university. At the same time, each student is valued for what she brings to our community, her rich culturaland national identity, and her gifts and talents as an individual. Rather than a traditional ESL course where studentspractice rote drills and English grammar worksheets or a more modern ELL course that focuses solely on readingcomprehension and writing skills in English, our LINGo program offers a language and cultural immersionexperience.During the summer before coming to Walker’s, each international student will complete a placement test to assessher proficiency in written English. Upon her arrival for orientation, each student will also interview with a facultymember and participate in orientation activities that help us to determine the appropriate level of English languagesupport. At that time, a recommendation will be made about what LINGo class she should enter.• LINGo3 is for students needing the most assistance with English speaking, reading and writing.• LINGo2 is for students who need occasional extra help with English speaking, reading and writing.• LINGo1 is for all international students upon their arrival at Walker’s. Some students may transfer out atthe end of the first semester; others will benefit from remaining in LINGo 1 for the entire year.LINGO 1:Students in LINGo 1 program will enroll in two courses:American Literature and Culture, an English course, explores American culture and literaturethrough challenging but accessible choices of short fiction, drama, novels, and poetry. Eachstudent becomes familiar with the terms and methods for literary analysis which aid discussion andenhance comprehension and enjoyment of texts from the various genres. Throughout the year,each student is supported as she increases her confidence and proficiency in spoken and writtenEnglish. When a student is ready to move up to the next level of coursework, upon the teacher’srecommendation, entry into the next level of the English program is facilitated.Introduction to US History provides an overview of United States history, along with support inessential skills needed for the study of history at higher levels. The primary goal of the class is thestrengthening of analytical and descriptive reading and writing skills. Assessments are designed todevelop reading comprehension, foundations of research and modes of oral and writtenexpression. Writing is a central focus in this course. In each unit, the girls develop a five-paragraphessay comparing and contrasting an element of American history with the same element in theirown nation, utilizing the rich perspective offered by a diverse group of international students. Theclass approaches the content of United States history from a topical, rather than a chronological,perspective.9

LINGO2:International students in LINGo2 will enroll in American Literature and Culture and Intro to USHistory (included in LINGo1). In addition, they will be enrolled in a supportive English languagecourse that will provide grammar, vocabulary and language instruction for two blocks a week andan intensive conversation and aural comprehension class for one block a week. Students will becharged an additional fee of $500 for participation in this course.LINGO3:International students in the LINGo3, our most supportive and intensive English languageinstruction, will enroll in American Literature and Culture and Intro to US History (included inLINGo1) and in LINGo2 class described above. Additional one-on-one English language tutoringwill be arranged for an extra fee to our LINGo3 students. Fees are $75 / hour, either one or twohours per week.Participation for all new international students in our Global Girls Academy Summer Program is strongly encouraged.More details are available at http://www.ethelwalker.org/summer.10

ETHICSWith the belief that character matters as much as knowledge, Walker’s is committed to helping students learn tovalue individual differences, make sound moral judgments, and live an examined life. Toward these ends, students arerequired to take a one-semester course that focuses first on philosophical ethical theory and on current ethical issuesor a survey of World Religions. Each course in this section fulfills the Ethics graduation requirement. Environmentalscience, a full-year course offered through the science department, also fulfills the ethics requirement.ETHICSOpen to Grades: 11-12Credit: ½Fall semesterStudents open their study of the discipline of Ethics with the text: Happier by Ben-Shahar. Thetext is based on findings from the positive psychology movement: the cornerstone of both ourwellness and ethics programs. Students are asked to keep a journal in which many specific writingtasks (including reflection and analysis) accompany the text. Next, students read an introduction toEthics: Being Good by Simon Blackburn. Blackburn surveys the contemporary philosophical scenein the field of ethics first addressing various threats to the ethical enterprise and then pointingreaders to important trends in ethical reflection. Finally, students are asked to research a moralleader of their choosing and present their findings to the class. A research paper on the ethical lifestudied is the culminating assessment of the course.WORLD RELIGIONSOpen to Grades: 11-12Credit: ½Spring SemesterThe course is designed to introduce students to the world’s great religious traditions. The primaryintellectual assumption will be appreciative: religions have ethical insights and world-views that areworth understanding. Among the traditions studied are: Indigenous Sacred Ways, Hinduism,Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism. If time allows, we willalso look at new religious movements on the contemporary scene. Attention to scriptures that aresacred to the traditions will be incorporated at every opportunity. At least two visits to religiousservices will be required along with anthropological accounts of the experience. The course willinvolve a significant amount of discussion and its success will depend on the teacher’s ability tofoster trust, tolerance of differing beliefs and a search for the truth. The goal of the course will beto help students understand the contributions religions have made to civilization and to promotetolerance for beliefs which differ from their own.SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHYOpen to Grades: 11-12Credit: ½Spring SemesterAlthough the course will focus primarily on the development of political philosophy in the 20 thcentury, it will begin with a preliminary examination of the rise of liberal democracies in the Westsince the Enlightenment. Particular attention will be paid to the tragic struggle between Marxistand Capitalist societies over the values of freedom and justice and on the contrast betweenphilosophies that advocate violent or non-violent social change. Students will have the opportunityto read Gandhi and Martin Luther King in significant depth and finally to think about the strugglefor human rights and the well being of people in the modern world through the efforts of nongovernmentalorganizations such as Amnesty International or the Bill and Melinda GatesFoundation.11

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HISTORYBy its very nature, history is a synthesizing discipline which seeks to clarify contemporary issues and concerns in lightof past experience and changing concepts that invite us to rethink the record of human experience. In all coursesour goal is to lead students to an awareness of the forces and conditions that transform human society. We arecommitted to developing the basic competencies for academic achievement - critical reading, reasoning, writing,speaking, listening, and effective research skills. Our objective is to enable our students, through thoughtfulexamination of the human environment, past and present, and the development of basic competencies, to gain adeeper understanding of their social, cultural, and physical environments and to empower them with the tools theywill need for a lifetime of learning.All elective courses in the department are subject to enrollment and may be offered in alternating years. Enrollmentin all honors and AP courses is subject to departmental approval.MIDDLE SCHOOLANCIENT CULTURES" " " " "Required course for Grades 6 and 7Offered alternating years - will be offered in 2013-2014Ancient Cultures is offered in conjunction with Modern Cultures. Ancient Cultures begins with adetailed look at how historians learn about the past. Through discussions about prehistory, writtendocuments and material remains, students identify the sources that inform the study of history.This year-long course primarily focuses on the study of ancient civilizations includingMesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and China. In each unit, students gain an appreciation for thegeography, government, art and architecture, religion, daily life, and major achievements of eachcivilization. With a combination of individual and group work, students learn analytical and criticalthinking skills while also developing collaborative skills.MODERN CULTURESRequired course for Grades 6 and 7Offered alternating years - will be offered 2012-2103This course focuses on the same regions of the world during different time periods. This classallows students to see that landforms and resources that affected life thousands of years ago stillaffect people today. Students who learn about Ancient Egypt in Ancient Cultures will learn aboutNorthern Africa in Modern Cultures. Other regions covered will include the Middle East and EastAsia. Before studying specific regions, students will undertake a unit on reading and understandingmaps, as well as a unit on important “geography” terms, including the study of geography itself,climate, and vegetation.AMERICAN IDENTITYRequired course for Grade: 8Students begin the year by examining cultural encounters set in motion by the arrival ofEuropeans to the Americas, and conclude their study of American History with a detaileddiscussion of Reconstruction. They finish the year by picking a cultural event in American Historyof their choice to explore in a research paper. Students use primary documents as well asdiscussion and video to understand everyday life and significant events that have shaped Americansociety. Essay writing is a skill that is emphasized throughout the course. Students are taught towrite outlines that provide a sound structure for these essays. The use of thesis statements,supporting evidence, and primary sources to strengthen their writing is also learned. Students areassessed based on nightly homework assignments, tests, and occasional reading quizzes.13

UPPER SCHOOLINTRODUCTION TO US HISTORYOffered to Grades: 9 - 12 Credit: 1This course is designed for new International students as part of the LINGo program. The classwill survey United States history from the era of European exploration and settlement to thepresent. Students will have an opportunity to focus in greater depth on specific events or culturalaspects of this country in which they have a particular interest: life among Native Americanswhen the Europeans arrived, how slavery began and ended, and the impact of World War II onAmerican families are recent examples of topics chosen by students. Readings from a variety ofsources, videos, written assignments, and oral presentations are among the activities designed toencourage critical thinking about historical topics as well as to strengthen English language skills.GLOBAL CONNECTIONSRequired course for Grade: 9 Credit: 1This course is designed to develop critical thinking skills through units of regional study in whichstudents consider the relationship between physical systems and human systems. Students learngeneral information about resources, population, land use, government structures, and economicsystems relevant to the unit they will be examining. That information is built upon over the courseof the year through its application to the research projects. Students learn to formulate questions,select data, look for cause and effect relationships, and make assumptions about consequences allwhile working in collaborative groups, further developing this critical skill. Each unit has apresentation and critical writing component. Students are evaluated in groups and as individualsand are required to evaluate each project upon completion.FOUNDATIONS OF THE MODERN WORLDRequired course for Grade: 10 Credit: 1This course is designed to introduce students to the people, events and ideas that have shaped the20th and 21st centuries in cultures around the world. During the first semester, emphasis will beon the period from the 1400s through the 1800s. Units include: (1) the world in 1400 as reflectedin the Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal Empires, the civilizations of China and Japan, the empire ofMali, and the Aztec and Inca civilizations; (2) the European explorations and conquests in the 15thand 16th centuries; (3) European religious, political and economic revolutions, such as theReformation, the Scientific Revolution, the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution; and(4) European Imperialist in Africa and Asia. In the second semester, the units of study will focuson the 20th century and feature units on: China’s and Japan’s response to imperialism; World WarI; the rise of fascism and communism; World War II and the Holocaust; the Cold War; theindependence movements in Africa and Asia; and contemporary issues, such as recent genocides.The class will include a major research paper, power point presentations, primary documentanalyses, essay writing and discussion of documentary films relevant to the topics being covered.14

HONORS FOUNDATIONS OF THE MODERN WORLDRequired course for Grade: 10 Credit: 1Recommendation of the department required.Students in this honors course use an Advanced Placement World History text. They plunge moredeeply into the material and move through a substantially larger body of reading assignments.While bound by the same expectations for presenting, students in this honors course also spend aconsiderable amount of time on challenging writing assignments, grappling all year withDocument Based Questions and embarking on a substantial research project in the spring.Students begin their study of World History circa 600 C.E. and learn about the expansion andflowering of the first truly global civilization: Islam. After studying the rise of the West andimperialism, they end the year examining human rights. While investigating the causes andconsequences of twentieth century genocides, and the first 21 st century one in Darfur, they willalso evaluate the response of the United States government.US HISTORY: FROM JAMESTOWN TO 9/11Required course for Grade: 11 Credit: 1This course surveys the history of the United States from early European/Native Americanencounters up through the 1970s. Extensive use of primary documents familiarizesstudents with voices of the past, while secondary readings offer students varying scholarlyopinions on such issues as ethnohistory, slavery, social reform, labor, Vietnam, and globalization.Students study the influence of geographic features on agricultural and industrial development,foreign policy, and the character of American people. The interaction between the private life ofcitizens and the public world of government is examined in each unit as students consider howpeople seek to safeguard their way of life or to press for change and, in doing so, alter the role ofgovernment.AMERICAN GOVERNMENTElective for Grades: 11-12Credit: ½Fall semester, offered in alternate years that correspond to a national election (will be offered in fall 2012)This American government and civics elective will give students the opportunity to gain anunderstanding of the American political system, but more importantly, it will provide a forum forthem to apply their understanding as they discuss their role, as women, in the American politicalsystem. The core of the course will focus on developing a sound knowledge base by discussing thedevelopment of the democratic-republican system through a traditional study of the AmericanConstitution, and readings from Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and W. C. Mills ThePower Elite. However, with each topic addressed we will also narrow our lens to mediate the role ofwomen in the development of the American system of government, and the role of women inAmerican politics today. Linda Kerber’s No Constitutional Right to Be Ladies will be a seminal sourceas summer reading to facilitate these discussions. Teaching this course in an election year, duringthe 2012 presidential elections, provides a natural segue from discussing exciting news of the day,to evaluating the intent, purpose and role of the documents from the 18th century. An integralpart of each day will be the presentation of current events, and tracking the progress of theelection. The course will prepare students to approach active citizenship and participation in thedemocratic process by helping them understand their historic role as women in America, and tounderstand the issues they will have to confront as they become effective citizens.15

WORLD OUTREACH: AFRICAN STUDIESElective for Grades: 11-12Credit: ½Spring SemesterThis elective is designed to give students a broad view of the historical record and contemporaryissues of Africa. While some attention will be directed toward the Islamic societies of the areabordering the Mediterranean, most of the focus will be on sub–Sahara Africa. Units of study willinclude: early pre–colonial empires, the age of imperialism, independence, and present–daychallenges. Case studies will be of such countries as Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. Features ofthe course include the use of novels and short stories, student PowerPoint presentations, andresearch papers on significant people and events.WORLD OUTREACH: CARIBBEAN STUDIES - NOT OFFERED 2012-2013"Elective for Grades: 11-12Credit: ½Fall SemesterGeography may not be destiny but it has certainly played a critical and constant role in shaping thehistory of this region. It is a place of spectacular beauty. People from allcontinents have played a role in its often-turbulent history: one that has been molded bycolonialism, slavery, and resistance. The shape and evolution of societies in this region have beenboth enriched by its multi-ethnic identity and burdened by the control and intervention of foreignpowers up to the present day. Students will consider the central themes of slavery, capitalism,emancipation, colonialism, revolution and imperialism. Because the Caribbean is a place whosehistory has been written and rewritten by European and U.S. scholars, students will discusshistoriography and concentrate on the voices of people native to the island countries by studyingthe art, music, and literature of this culturally vibrant region.WORLD OUTREACH: EAST ASIAN STUDIESElective for Grades: 11-12Credit: ½Fall semesterThis is a one–semester course that gives students the opportunity to understand “a fundamentalshift in world history––a basic realignment of global stature and political power that will changethe way the world has worked for the past five hundred years…we are launching the Asiancentury.” T.R. Reid, Confucius Lives Next Door. This course focuseson the history of two Asian super–powers: Japan and China. One of them, Japan,has emerged in the last 30 years to become a wealthy economic power, while the other, China, hasmore recently come on to the international scene as a major economic, political and military force.Features of the course include the use of novels and short stories, student PowerPointpresentations, and a research paper about significant people and events.WORLD OUTREACH: RUSSIAN STUDIESElective for Grades: 11-12Credit: ½Spring SemesterRussia is the largest country in the world, a major nuclear power, and a nation rich in resources.This course covers the study of important people and events in Russian History beginning in the13 th century. Starting with the early Tsars and continuing with the Romanov dynasty throughWorld War I, the course will focus mostly on the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the subsequenthistory of the rise and fall of the Soviet Union. Emphasis will also be placed on literature (Tolstoy,Turgenev, Dostoevsky, Solzhenitsyn), music (Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov,Mussorgsky), and films of the Russian and Soviet eras.16

WORLD OUTREACH: THE MIDDLE EAST AND BEYOND: THE ISLAMIC WORLD - NOT OFFERED2012-2013Elective for Grades: 11-12Credit: ½Spring SemesterThe United States has frequently defined its national interests in terms of securing vital naturalresources, seeking and supporting friendly allies, responding to acts of aggression, providing aid tonations in need, and seeking ways to defend democracy and human rights. This course will focuson how the U.S. has used these national interests to deal with events in countries that are mostlyIslamic, that are mostly associated with oil and strategic locations, and that are at times involved inconflicts that have resulted in our intervention. Major emphasis will be on the background to theevents leading up to and following 9/11.INEQUALITY IN THE UNITED STATESElective for Grades: 11-12Credit: ½Spring SemesterPrerequisite: Completion of U.S. HistoryThis course will introduce students to systems of social inequality in the United States. Thestructural, interpersonal and psychological dimensions of oppression will be investigated. Coursematerial will explore the ways that racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism and religious oppressionhave developed over time as well as the ways they impact each of us every day. As a result of thisclass, students will be able to link course concepts to their observation and experience of theworld around them, develop an awareness of their own complex social identity, and gain the toolsneeded for productive dialogue about systems of power, privilege and difference in the UnitedStates.HISTORY T.A.Open to Grade: 12Credit: ½Fall and/or Spring SemesterThis position is open to seniors in good academic standing who have a strong interest in history.Students will assist teachers with the required ninth grade history course, Global Connections.After a series of training workshops, teaching assistants will help present new material to the ninthgraders and reinforce the research, writing, and presentations skills that the course is designed todevelop through project work. In addition to theirinvolvement during class time and preparation outside of class, these senior assistants will meetweekly with the teacher to review, assess, and preview units of study and student work.They will keep a weekly log and must submit an in-depth, formal evaluation of the course andtheir performance at the end of the term. Interested students apply to the history department inthe spring of their junior year during course registration. The history department reviews theapplications and makes its decisions by the end of the year.AP U.S. HISTORYOpen for Grade: 11 Credit: 1Recommendation of the department required. This course fulfills the U. S. History Requirementand and covers events from the seventeenth century through the end of the Cold War. Chaptertests, the primary assessment tool, are designed to familiarize students with the format and typesof questions they will face on the AP examination in May. The course emphasizes critical reading,techniques for improving the organization and development of essays, and primary documentanalysis. After the AP exam, students work exclusively on a research project. Students who enrollin this rigorous course must be willing to commit at least 12 hours of reading and studying perweek. They will also be expected to get a jump on their coverage of U.S. History during thesummer with required reading, as well as study during vacation breaks.17

AP EUROPEAN HISTORYElective for Grade: 12 Credit: 1Recommendation of the department required.This upper level history course provides an in-depth study of European History from the 1400’sto the present. Emphasis is on such skills as critical thinking, writing essays, researchingcontroversial topics and presenting information by means of PowerPoints and debates. Otherfeatures include summer reading, an additional lab period per week, and a commitment to workduring vacation breaks. The course is intended to prepare students to take the AP exam in May,and students will be required to take that test.SOUTH AFRICAElective For Grades 10, 11 and 12Credit: ½Ethel Walker’s first on-line course will focus on the historical parallels between South Africa andthe United States. The course will be team taught by Kelsey Berry, a member of the Ethel Walkerhistory department, and Caryn Stedman, chair of the history department at the MetropolitanLearning Center (MLC) in Bloomfield, CT. Additionally, other members of the Walker’s facultywill be involved in both the course work and in leading the travel component. A group of sixteenstudents from Walker’s and the MLC will be selected to participate in this course which will focuson social activism, conflict resolution, and civic engagement. Supplemented by face-to-facemeetings, the on-line format will bring students from the two schools together for a dynamic 21stcentury learning experience. Students will study together during the summer and fall, and thenspend two weeks traveling in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa in November, 2012.During the trip students will have an opportunity to meet with government leaders, teachers,economists, activists and more.AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHYElective for Grade: 10, 11 and 12 Credit: 1Recommendation of the department required.This course is a fast-paced upper level social studies course that introduces students to thepatterns and processes that have shaped the understanding, use and alterations of Earth. Studentswill be expected to not only understand but also analyze maps and spatial data, to recognize thedifferent regions of the world and to understand how events and processes influence one another.Topics covered will include population, cultural patterns, cities and urban land use, and economicdevelopment. Students will be required to take the AP Exam in May.AP MICROECONOMICS(OFFERED IN 2012-2013 ALTERNATING YEARS WITH AP MACROECONOMICS)Elective for Grade: 10, 11 and 12 Credit: 1Recommendation of the department requiredThis class presents the principles of economics that apply to the functions of individual decisionmakers, both consumers and producers, within economic systems. The nature and functions ofproduct markets are emphasized, including the study of factor markets and of the role ofgovernment in promoting greater economic efficiency and equity. In addition to basic economicconcepts such as supply and demand, topics include market failures and externalities, elasticity,profit, costs, competition, monopolies, and taxes.AP MACROECONOMICS(OFFERED IN 2013-2014 ALTERNATING YEARS WITH AP MICROECONOMICS)Elective for Grade: 10, 11 and 12 Credit: 1Recommendation of the department requiredThis class presents the principles of economics that apply to an economic system as a whole. Thestudy of national income and price-level determination are emphasized, including economicperformance measures, the financial sector, stabilization policies, economic growth and18

international economics. In addition to basic economic concepts such as supply and demand,topics include inflation, unemployment, business cycles, GDP, money and banking, financialmarkets, and international trade.19

Languages20

LANGUAGESModern language courses seek to promote student proficiency in the target language in four areas: speaking,listening, reading, and writing. These skills should be mastered so that the student will, according to her level, be ableto engage in conversation about general subjects; pronounce the language well enough to be understood by a nativespeaker; read and comprehend prose addressed to the general reader; and write correct prose. Latin, naturally,focuses more on reading and writing. The student should also gain a basic knowledge of the geography, customs,and, to some extent, the history and literature of the various countries where the target language is spoken. Allcourse offerings in foreign languages are subject to sufficient enrollment.REQUIREMENTSThe Language Department requires students to complete three consecutive years of the same language while in theUpper School in order to meet the minimum requirements for graduation. However, in order to gain a degree offluency, to enhance their educational experience and to meet the admission standards of competitive colleges, moststudents take four (and in some cases Advanced Placement) courses in the Upper School.PREREQUISITES AND STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCEThe Language Department requires that students meet the following criteria for advancing from one level toanother:1. An average of C- or better to advance to the second level.2. A recommendation of the instructor to advance to subsequent levels.Course levels for new students will be determined by their previous school record and by completion of the Walker’splacement test.The Ethel Walker School offers formal, classroom instruction in three languages: Spanish, Mandarin Chinese andLatin. For those interested in studying either French or German, we offer the option of online courses viaMiddlebury Interactive Languages (MIL), an online language school taught in the world-famous Middlebury Collegemethod. If a student wishes to study any other language not currently offered at Walker’s, she may enroll in an onlinecourse at another, approved online school. Students will work online independently and then meet once a week witha member of Walker’s language department to track their progress. Courses taken in this manner will fulfill thelanguage requirement at Walker’s. These online courses are offered at an additional expense and are not included inour gross tuition.INTRODUCTION TO LANGUAGE:EAST MEETS WEST: A LANGUAGE COURSE FOR 6TH GRADERSRequired for all 6th Grade StudentsThis unique course is designed to introduce our youngest students to the study of both a modernand a classical language and to have our 6th graders become accustomed to the basic functioningof language; its constructs, its ability to convey meaning and its unique way of reflecting theculture of those people who first used it.The first semester of the Introduction to Language Course will focus on Latin. It will includework on vocabulary, memorization skills, and analysis of grammatical structures. There will also besome time devoted to the understanding the influence of Latin on English and the RomanceLanguages, and the influence of classical Roman civilization on modern society.21

The second semester of the Introduction to Language Course will focus on Chinese. It is designedfor beginner level students who are learning Chinese in non-Chinese speaking communities. Itbegins with an introduction to the sound system of Mandarin Chinese and moves on to training ofbasic skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. By the end of this course, students areexpected to (1) have a fairly good pronunciation, (2) recognize and write approximately 130-150characters, and (3) carry out simple conversations on highly relevant topics, such as school, family,daily life, sports, etc. in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.LATINLATIN 1AOpen to Grades: 7 & 8Students will cover lessons 1-10 of Jenney’s First Year Latin. By then they should have a goodgrounding in many of the inflections of Latin verbs, nouns, pronouns and adjectives, a vocabularyof approximately two hundred words and the ability to translate some basic prose passages. Thestories encompass the Trojan hero Aeneas’ journeys after the Trojan War and are based on Vergil’sAeneid. The linguistics elements are the most important part of the course, but students also learnabut a variety of distinctive institutions and customs of the Romans such as local government,architecture and interior design, and every day life. Students will also take the National Latin Examin the spring.LATIN 1BOpen to Grades: 7 & 8Pre-requisite: successful completion of Latin 1AThis is a continuation of Latin 1A, and the two courses combined allow students to begin Latin 2 at the highschool level. The course covers lessons 11-20 of Jenney’s First Year Latin. Students will also take the NationalLatin Exam in the spring.LATIN 1Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1This course serves as an introduction to the Latin language. Students will cover lessons 1-20 ofJenney’s First Year Latin. By then they will have a good grounding in many of the inflections ofLatin verbs, nouns, pronouns and adjective, a vocabulary of some four hundred words and theability to translate some basic prose passages.The stories encompass the Trojan here Aeneas’ journeys after the Trojan War and are based onVergil’s Aeneid. The linguistic elements are the most important part of the course, but students alsolearn about a variety of distinctive institutions and customs of the Romans such as localgovernment, architecture and interior design, and gladiators, and gods. Students will also take theNational Latin Exam in the spring.LATIN 2Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Pre-requisite: Completion of Latin 1 with a grade of C- or betterThis course is open to those who have successfully completed Latin 1. Students will reinforce andadd to their knowledge of Latin accidence and vocabulary by covering stages 21 - 40 of Jenney’sFirst Year Latin. In particular, there will be an introduction to complex sentence structure. Therewill be practice in grammatical drills, comprehension, and unseen translation. Reading passagescontinue with the story of Aeneas and continue through his family line to the founding of Romeby Romulus and Remus. Cultural material will include Roman medicine,business practices, andfunerary customs. Students will learn about the cultural and political contexts of the prescribedliterature. Students will also take the National Latin Exam in the spring.22

LATIN 3Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Pre-requisite: Completion of Latin 2 or equivalentStudents will utilize unit 4 of the Cambridge Latin Course, as well as continue review and practiceof the grammar and vocabulary covered previously. Students will cover material that will maketheir knowledge of the accidence and syntax of Latin almost complete. It is now that a start ismade in reading passages from some Latin authors in the original language. There will be study ofthe poets Martial, Ovid and Catullus and Virgil; prose reading will include some of thecorrespondence between Pliny and the emperor Trajan, and some stories from Suetonius and Livy.As well as translation of the material, there will be an examination of the meter and literary styleof the works, and of their cultural and historical setting. Students will also take the National LatinExam in the spring.HONORS LATIN 3Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Pre-requisite: Completion of Latin 2 or equivalent and approval of the departmentThis course covers the same content as Latin 3 at a pace and depth that is greater and morechallenging for our top Latin students at this level.LATIN 4/5Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Pre-requisite: Completion of Latin 3/4 or equivalent and approval of the departmentThis course is open to those who have completed Latin 3 or Honors Latin 3 and are hoping tocontinue their study of Latin to the AP level. The course will consist of a two-year rotatingcurriculum in which one year AP Vergil is studied and the next the poets Horace, Ovid, andCatullus are studied. In this way, the students have the opportunity to investigate a broader rangeof Roman authors while still being able to take the Latin AP exam during their studies at Walker’s.Both courses will focus on the intricacies of Latin grammar and poetic devices in Roman poetry.In addition to being able to translate the material, there will be an examination of meter andliterary style of the authors, as well as discussions about the culture and history surrounding theseworks.GREEKANCIENT GREEKOpen to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Does not fulfill the language requirement, elective only.This elective language course, open to all students, will consist of two parts. During the firstsemester, the class will study the Ancient Greek language at a college pace; completing theequivalent of an Ancient Greek I course. During the second semester, the class will study theworks of Plato and Aristotle (primarily in English with Ancient Greek supplements.)CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGYOpen to Grades: 9-12Credit: ½Does not fulfill the language requirement, elective only.This semester long course will provide students with an in depth overview of Roman and Greekmythology. Topics of discussion will include, but are not limited to: the creation of the universe,the Titans and Olympian gods, the ages of man and the qualities that make a hero. The class willalso discuss the Trojan War at length and the aspects of the Iliad that make it a cautionary anti-warepic. This class will provide excellent supplementary knowledge for any current Latin students aswell as for anyone interested in myths and legends.23

MANDARIN CHINESEINTRODUCTION TO CHINESEOpen to Grades: 8-12 Credit: 1This is a beginning course in Mandarin Chinese. Students learn the principles and practices ofPinyin pronunciation system to correctly pronounce the Chinese characters from the very start.Emphasis is placed on conversational skills and correct character writing habits. Reading andlistening skills are also introduced so that students can begin to feel comfortable expressingthemselves verbally and in writing. By the end of the first year, students will have mastered aworking written vocabulary of roughly 400 characters and have exposed themselves to roughly450-470 characters. Students are expected to be able to introduce themselves, their friends, andfamily members; discuss their hobbies and school; and to hold simple dialogue, paying particularattention to the tones and proficiency in handling everyday situations in the Chinese language.INTERMEDIATE CHINESEOpen to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Pre requisite: Introduction to Chinese or equivalentThis is a continuation of Introduction to Chinese, this course’s prerequisite. Students will learnadditional vocabulary in order to handle increasingly complicated situations in the language.Students will master most of the basic grammatical structures of the Chinese language. Characterwriting and computer inputting gradually replace the use of Pinyin symbols in writing. Emphasis isalso placed on oral proficiency and short written works using the structures learned. Individualand group projects focus on learning the different provinces, physical geography, ethnic groupsand languages, and current political and environmental issues facing China. History, traditions,social customs, holidays, movies, music, and food are also introduced. By the end this course,students can expect to have mastered a total of around 700-750 characters, and to have beenintroduced to about 825 characters.ADVANCED CHINESEOpen to Grades: 10-12 Credit: 1Pre-requisite: Successful completion of Intermediate Chinese (Chinese 2) or the equivalent.This course follows the successful completion of Intermediate Chinese (Chinese 2) and continuesto develop the students’ Chinese language proficiency at advanced levels. Students will haveopportunities to study selected works of Chinese literature and learn some of the most importantChinese proverbs and expressions to deepen their understanding of Chinese culture. The readingand writing of Chinese characters are continued and intensified. Writing skills will be enhancedthrough reading authentic materials. Original movies and related TV programs will also beintroduced as discussion topics. This course is taught mostly in Chinese.HONORS CHINESEOpen to Grades: 10 - 12Pre-requisite: Completion of Advanced Chinese or equivalent Credit: 1The objective of this course is to provide students with the acquisition of more refined Chineselinguistic skills, exposure to a wider range of Chinese culture, and the experience ofsome of China’s rich heritage of literature. Taught exclusively in Chinese in small class settings, itenables the students to advance their knowledge and skills to higher linguistic and literarystandards, and subsequently, empowers them to communicate more proficiently and professionallyin speaking and writing. Through linguistic practice and appreciation for Chinese culture andliterature, students will be highly motivated to continue their studies of Chinese at the college leveland beyond.24

AP CHINESEPre-requisite: Completion of Advanced Chinese or equivalent, approval of department chair Credit: 1The AP Chinese Language and Culture course is designed primarily for proficiency in Chinese and along withthe national AP Board standards. It develops the students’ ability to interpret difficult authentic materials(meant for native speakers), and to communicate in a culturally appropriate manner. Students not only learn toperform in Chinese to accomplish tasks, and interpret and exchange information, but also utilize analyticalskills in conjunction with linguistic and cultural knowledge to function in Chinese. In addition, it exposesstudents to the challenge of rigorous Chinese course work, similar to, or even exceeding college level Chinese,and prepares the students for future studies or academic research in Chinese. As a culminating assessment inthis course, students will take the AP Exam in Chinese.ADVANCED CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE FOR HERITAGE STUDENTSPre-requisite: NoneCredit: ½Fall SemesterThis course is designed for native speakers of Chinese in American contexts. It covers the majoraspects of the Chinese language and culture, including the writing system, historical developmentas well as social and cultural traditions. It aims at heritage students of Chinese who need toadvance their systematic grammar knowledge and further refine their linguisticproficiency to better communicate in a comparative cultural and bilingual environment. Emphasisis given to the studies of Chinese linguistics and rhetoric to enhance the students’ idiomaticinterpreting and translating capacity in the English-speaking contexts. This course is taught inChinese and English.SPANISHSPANISH 1AOpen to Grades: 7 and 8 Credit: 1This course introduces and develops the four basic skills of reading, listening, writing, andspeaking. There is a special emphasis on pronunciation, especially in the beginning of the course.Cultural topics from around the world are explored. Vocabulary required for mastery includesgreetings, family members, occupations, travel, telling time, numbers, weather, foods, animals, andclothing. Grammatical concepts include: structure of words; verb tenses in the present indicative,and present progressive; regular and irregular verbs; stem changing –ar, –er, and –ir verbs; subjectpronouns; differences between ser and estar; and idiomatic expressions with tener, hacer, andgustar.SPANISH 1BOpen to Grades: 7 and 8 Credit: 1Pre-requisite: Completion of Spanish 1A or approval of departmentThis course is a continuation of Spanish 1A, and the two courses combined will allow eighthgraders to begin Spanish 2 in high school. This course will have a heavier focus on grammar aswell as on the four basic skills of reading, listening, writing and speaking.Grammatical concepts include: stem-changing verbs; commands; indirect object; pronouns;affirmation and negotiation; reflexive verbs; adverbs; demonstrative adjectives; ordinal numbers;and a small introduction to verbs in the preterit tense.25

SPANISH 1Open to Grades: 8-12 Credit: 1The course introduces and develops the four basic skills of reading, listening, writing, andspeaking. There is a special emphasis on pronunciation, especially in the beginning of the course.Cultural topics from around the world are explored. Vocabulary required for mastery includesgreetings, calendar, family members, school, occupations, travel, telling time, numbers, weather,foods, animals, parts of the body, clothing, descriptions of physical characteristics and basicpersonality traits, sports and pastimes, directions, places around town, the house and questionwords. Verb conjugation is explored in detail to include all regular and irregular verbs in thepresent indicative, present progressive, immediate future, formal commands, stem-changing andreflexive verbs. Other grammatical concepts studied in Spanish 1 include: gender and numberagreement; subject pronouns; direct object pronouns and indirect object pronouns used withgustar; affirmative and negative expressions; differences between ser and estar, saber and conocer;idiomatic expressions with tener, hacer, and gustar; comparisons; the personal “a”; expressing likesand dislikes.SPANISH 2Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Pre-requisite: Completion of Spanish 1A and 1B, 1 or equivalent with a grade of C- or higherIn this course students will improve communication skills in listening, speaking, reading, andwriting. They also will gain additional cultural knowledge and awareness about the areas of theworld in which Spanish is spoken. This course begins with the review of basic grammar pointsalong with more complex structures. Grammatical concepts include verb tenses of the present, thepreterit, imperfect, present and past progressive, future and conditional, imperative, and a briefintroduction to the present subjunctive. Grammatical concepts include: por and para; possessiveadjectives; direct and indirect object pronouns; informal and formal commands; personal andreflexive pronouns; demonstrative pronouns; use of prepositions; and adjective and adverbialexpressions.HONORS SPANISH 2Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Pre-requisite: Completion of Spanish 1A and 1B, 1 and approval of the departmentThis course covers the same content areas as Spanish 2, but with stronger emphasis on effectivecommunication in all areas of the target language. Students read short stories and literary pieces bySpanish and Latin American authors, in addition to readings from the text. They also write morecompositions. This course is offered to qualified students having a minimum B average in Spanish1, with teachers' recommendation.SPANISH 3Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Pre-requisite: Completion of Spanish 2 or equivalent and approval of the departmentIn this course students receive a review of grammar with special emphasis on structures that areparticularly problematic. There is a more sophisticated approach to writing and self-expression inthe target language. The focus of the course continues to be effective communication with moreemphasis on developing writing and speaking skills along with reading and listeningcomprehension. Students read selections and research material on the Internet that emphasizesissues of current interest in the Spanish-speaking world. Grammatical concepts include: All tensesof the indicative; Passive voice; Relativepronouns; Idiomatic expressions; Impersonal se; Regular and irregular past participles; All formaland informal commands; Pronoun placement with commands; All perfect tenses including presentand present perfect of subjunctive; Subjunctive versus indicative, Subjunctive with impersonalexpressions, to express wishes and hopes, with expression of doubt and emotion; Review ofpresent progressive and past progressive; and por and para.26

HONORS SPANISH 3Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Pre-requisite: Completion of Spanish 2 or equivalent and approval of departmentThis course covers the same content areas as Spanish 3, but with stronger emphasis on effectivecommunication in all areas of the target language. Students read additional text short stories andliterary pieces by Spanish and Latin American authors. They also write more compositions. Thiscourse is offered to qualified students having a minimum B average in Spanish 2, upon teachers’recommendation.SPANISH CONVERSATION/COMPOSITIONOpen to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Pre-requisite: Completion of Spanish 3 or equivalent and approval of the departmentThis course is designed for students who want to strengthen their speaking and writing abilities.The focus of this course is on conversation and composition writing with topics pulled from thetextbook as well as those suggested by students. Students are given the opportunity to sharpentheir conversation skills by presenting arguments in class debates, giving oral presentations andputting together theatrical productions. Students are asked to write journal entries andcompositions weekly. Students are expected to watch Spanish television and listen to Spanishmusic as often as possible. Students are also expected to overcome any barriers created bygrammar struggles by reviewing these points for homework.SPANISH 4Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Spanish 4 continues the development of language skills from Level 3. It broadens vocabulary,increases fluency, and deepens knowledge of the mechanics of Spanish. It also reviews in depththe conjugation and use of Spanish verbs, such as all perfect tenses and subjunctive forms. Thiscourse includes the reading of short stories written by Spanish and Latin American authors.Spanish 4 requires students to do the following work: read short stories, answer comprehensionquestions, complete exercises designed to increase vocabulary, participate in class discussions,cover grammar units independently, write in a journal on a daily basis, and complete listeningcomprehension exercises. Quizzes that assist students’ development of test-taking adeptness areadministered bi–weekly.HONORS SPANISH 4Open to Grades 9-12 Credit: 1This course is similar to Spanish 4, but with stronger emphasis on effective use of the language inwriting and speaking. The students are also exposed to Spanish literature in greater depth. Theywill be required to read and analyze one additional short story per term and present a writtenanalysis on the readings. This course is offered to qualified students having a minimum B averagein Spanish 3 or 3 Honors, upon teachers’ recommendation.27

REQUIREMENTS FOR ENROLLING IN AP SPANISH COURSES:Students must be in their fifth year of Spanish and be recommended by their Honors Spanish IV teacher in order toenroll in the AP Spanish language course. In some instances, students will be able to enroll in the course if they havehad an equivalent experience with the language or if they are native or heritage speakers.AP SPANISH LANGUAGEOpen to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1This course prepares students for the AP Spanish language examination in May. Students must berecommended in order to study at this level. Students qualifying for this course have alreadyacquired advanced skills in speaking, writing, reading, listening, and comprehension. Thecurriculum for this course is designed to refine and perfect these skills as well as to broadenstudents’ understanding of Hispanic culture. Students are provided with a learning experienceequivalent to that of a third year college course in Spanish language and presented withinstructional materials, assignments and assessments at this level. Students read and writeextensively, listen to authentic sources and participate in discussions and activities frequently. Theyare also given the opportunity to view, analyze and discuss feature films in Spanish. Classes areconducted completely in Spanish. In addition, students are expected to expose themselves to thespoken language outside the classroom as much as possible. It is also required that they reviewgrammar independently.AP SPANISH LITERATUREOpen to Grades: 9-12. Credit: 1This course is conducted completely in Spanish and prepares students for the AP SpanishLiterature Examination in May. Students must be recommended in order to study at this level. Thecourse covers some of the finest literary works written by Peninsular and Latin American authorsfrom the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The main goal of the course isto teach students the necessary analytical tools to read, discuss and analyze the literary works onthe AP syllabus, and to understand their importance within the cultural and historic context inwhich they were written.LANGUAGE T.A.Open to Grades: 11-12Fall and/or Spring SemesterCredit: ½This position is open to juniors and seniors in good academic standing who have a strong interestin languages and have completed at least three years of language study. Students will assist inbeginning-level language courses. After receiving some training in learning styles and learningstrategies, assistants will help beginning students to understand the fundamental concepts of thetarget language. They may also provide extra help, supervise projects or help present new material.In addition to their involvement during class time, assistants will meet weekly with the teacher toreview, assess and preview important concepts and units of study. They will keep a log, to besubmitted weekly, and must also do an in-depth evaluation of their performance at the end of theterm. Interested students apply to the Language Department in the spring prior to their junior orsenior year as part of their course registration. The Department will notify students in June aboutwhether or not their applications have been approved.28

FRENCHWhile we are currently phasing out formal instruction in French, any student wishing to study French for course credit atThe Ethel Walker School may wish to enroll in a course at the Middlebury Interactive Languages Online School run byMiddlebury College. Students will work online independently and then meet once a week with a member of Walker’slanguage department to track their progress. French courses taken in this manner will fulfill the language requirement atWalker’s. These online courses are offered at an additional expense and are not included in a student’s tuition.FRENCH 4 - ONLY OFFERED 2012-2013Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1This course is designed to give students who have studied French previously at Ethel Walker andhave covered all basic aspects of language the solid knowledge of grammar required to expressthemselves correctly in French and to appreciate the reading of journalistic and literary texts.Students practice their oral, written and aural skills on a daily basis through class discussions andexercise drawn from the media, literature, songs, and movies. Student-written analyses are theculmination activity after studying literary texts. Students are continuously exposes to the history,literature, current events and trends of the French-speaking world. Literary selections varyaccording to the interests and abilities of the students and may include works by Balzac, BenJelloun, Cardinal. Flaubert. Joffo, Maupasssant, Oyono, Sartre, Zola and others; poetry byAppollinaire, Baudelaire, Hebert, Philombe, Rimbaud, Tzara and Verlaine.AP FRENCH LANGUAGE - ONLY OFFERED 2012-2013, AND 2013-2014Open to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1This course is geared toward preparing students to take the AP French Language examination inMay each year. It also develops intensive insight into the language, literature, culture, and history ofthe French-speaking world. Students familiarize themselves with the exam format as well ascontinue an intensive study of grammar and language on a sophisticated level. They strengthen thebreadth of their vocabulary through the reading of authentic materials and literature as well asthrough videos, films and other media. Theycontinue to use French through class discussions and to improve their written expression throughessays, research papers and creative writing assignments. Literary works include selections ofFrancophone literature, including Albert Camus, L’Etranger, Mauriac, Rabelais and others; poetryselections including Cesaire, La Fontaine, Hebert, Nerval, Romain, Breton, Guillen, Durand,Maalouf, among others.29

Mathematics30

MATHEMATICSIt is the goal of the mathematics department that every student will develop a competence in fundamentalmathematical processes and a foundation for logical thinking. In accordance with the National Council of Teachersof Mathematics Standards, an emphasis is placed on problem-solving techniques. TI-84 Plus graphing calculators areintroduced in Algebra I and used extensively beginning in the second year of algebra. In our highly technologicalsociety all young women must increase their mathematical sophistication so that their future career options will bekept open.The study of mathematics is required through the junior year and strongly recommended for senior year. Everystudent must complete two years of algebra and a year of geometry. The mathematics department places a student inthe course and level most appropriate to her aptitude and preparation. Placement in all math classes is based ondepartmental recommendation and is determined by a student’s overall academic performance as well as a goodaptitude for mathematical reasoning and active learning.FOUNDATIONS OF MATHEMATICSStudents will explore practical as well as theoretical mathematics. Basic math and computationalskills, problem solving, patterns, estimating and mental math are emphasized. Topics includedecimals, integers, fractions, exponents, ratios, rates, proportions, percents, measurement, graphingin the coordinate plane and an introduction to variables, equations, inequalities and geometry.PRE–ALGEBRAThis course is for students who have completed Foundations of Mathematics or an equivalent course. Topicinclude further exploration of decimals, factors, fractions, exponents, ratios, proportions, and percents, as wellas algebraic expressions and integers, linear equations, and solving equations and inequalities.ALGEBRA ICredit: 1 (if taken in 9th grade or above)Students entering this class are expected to have already studied positive and negative integers, thebasic properties of numbers, and simple equations. The course covers all topics of elementaryalgebra, including verbal problems, factoring, graphing of linear equations, radicals, solving linearand quadratic equations, and linear systems.HONORS ALGEBRA ICredit: 1 (if taken in 9th grade or above)This course is for students who have a strong background in arithmetic facts and skills and inelementary algebra, including positive and negative numbers, the basic properties of numbers, andsimple equations. They must have demonstrated a good aptitude for mathematical reasoning. Thecourse covers all topics of elementary algebra, including verbal problems, factoring, algebraicfractions, graphing of linear functions, radicals, solving linear and quadratic equations, systems ofequations, variations, and the quadratic formula.GEOMETRYCredit: 1This course is for students who had had a full year of elementary algebra. Plane geometryrelationships are developed as part of a logical system, and the student learns to write short proofsbased on these relations. Algebraic and numerical applications are provided, and units on righttriangle trigonometry, three-dimensional figures, and coordinate geometry are included.31

HONORS GEOMETRYCredit: 1This course is for students who have a strong mathematical background, good insight, and solidproblem solving skills. Plane geometry relationships will be explored in depth with algebraic andnumerical applications provided. Units on congruence, similarity, polygons, right triangles,trigonometry, circles, plane and solid figures, and coordinate geometry will be included.ALGEBRA IICredit: 1This course is for students who have completed a full year of elementary algebra. The yearconsists of a review and extension of Algebra I topics including inequalities, linear equations,operations with polynomials, and application of algebraic skills through verbal problems.Additional topics include functions, complex numbers, and quadratic graphs.HONORS ALGEBRA IICredit: 1This course is for students who have a strong background in elementary algebra, including systemsof equations, radicals, and quadratics. They must have demonstrated a good aptitude formathematical reasoning. This course begins with an extension of Algebra I topics and continueswith the study of complex numbers, quadratic functions, rational and polynomial functions,exponents, radicals and logarithms.TRIGONOMETRYCredit: 1This course consists of a review of advanced algebraic topics as well as an exploration of basictrigonometry. The algebraic topics include quadratic functions and their applications, compositeand inverse functions, exponents, radicals and logarithms. The study of trigonometry consists ofright triangle and general triangle relationships and applications, the unit circle, and sine and cosinegraphs.PRECALCULUSCredit: 1This course is for students who have a strong background in advanced algebraic topics. Thetransition from a focus on algebraic skill building and processes to that of their application andconceptual analysis is a challenging one that students must make in this challenging course.Students are expected to be quite proficient with a graphing calculator and to extract informationfrom the textbook effectively in order to make connections and to contribute to class discussionsand discoveries. Topics reviewed and studied consist of various functions (including compositions,inverse, polynomial, rational, exponential and logarithmic) and trigonometry.HONORS PRECALCULUSCredit: 1This course is for students who have a strong background in advanced algebraic topics and havedemonstrated a good aptitude for mathematical reasoning and intellectual curiosity. The transitionfrom a focus on algebraic skill building and processes to that of their application and conceptualanalysis is a challenging one that students must make in this challenging course. Precise arithmeticand algebraic skills are essential to ensure accurate data for proper analysis and to attain a stronglevel of command and understanding of the concepts studied. Students are expected to be quiteproficient with a graphing calculator and to extract information from the textbook effectively inorder to make connections and to contribute to class discussions and discoveries. Topics reviewedand studied consist of several types of functions (including compositions, inverse, polynomial,rational, exponential, logarithmic and circular) and an introduction to limits.32

HONORS CALCULUSPrerequisite: Precalculus or Honors Precalculus Credit: 1This course is a survey of topics in Calculus from limits and continuity to basic differentiation. Itis an opportunity for students to integrate ideas from algebra and geometry to do analyticalapplications of trigonometry, rational functions, compositions and logarithmic functions. It is acourse geared toward deeper understanding of the material but without the focus being onpreparing for the AP exam. Students enrolled in this course will not be permitted to take the APCalculus exam.AP CALCULUS - ABPrerequisite: Honors Precalculus, Recommendation of department Credit: 1All students registered for this course must take the AP exam. The methods and techniques ofdifferential and integral calculus are developed and applied to algebraic, trigonometric, logarithmicand exponential functions. Students are required to use a graphing calculator. A thorough reviewof the year’s work is made in the final weeks before the AP exam.AP STATISTICS "Open to Grades: 12Prerequisite: Precalculus Credit: 1The purpose of the AP course in statistics is to introduce students to the major concepts andtools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students are exposed to fourbroad conceptual themes;1. Exploring Data: Describing patterns and departures from patterns2. Sampling and Experimentation; Planning and conducting a study3. Anticipating Patterns: Exploring random phenomena using probability and simulation4. Statistical Inference: Estimating population parameters and testing hypotheses5. Students who successfully complete the course and exam may receive credit, advanced placement, or bothfor a one-semester introductory college statistics course.INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCEOpen to Grades: 10-12Credit: ½Spring SemesterThis course focuses and engages the entire discipline of computer science. By demystifyingcomputer hardware and how it works; using computer software and exploring design andimplementation; Problem solving and developing software; and understanding how computers,people and society interoperate in this course, we will look to build quantitative reasoning skillsand a basis for future survival and exploration in our advancing world.33

Science34

SCIENCEA Walker’s graduate should incorporate into her personal philosophy the key concepts and basic principles ofscience. She should be familiar with the natural world, appreciate its beauty and diversity, and recognize its vital rolein shaping human destiny. She will be conversant with the methods of obtaining scientific knowledge and willappreciate the relevance of science to all spheres of life.There is a minimum three-year laboratory science requirement for graduation: students must take one course each inphysics, chemistry, and biology. Common to all science courses is the emphasis on understanding basic conceptsthrough active personal involvement in laboratory and field experiences, in discussions, and in collaborative learningexercises.All elective courses in the department are subject to enrollment, and enrollment in all honors and AP courses issubject to departmental approval.MIDDLE SCHOOLECOLOGYRequired for Grade: 6Ecology is a hands-on course designed to investigate the natural world including laboratory work in theclassroom as well as in the Walker’s Woods and at the Community Farm of Simsbury. Math is integratedwhere appropriate throughout the school year. Through a combination of group and individual work,students explore field, forest and aquatic ecosystems and human impacts on them.HUMAN BIOLOGYRequired for Grade: 7This course covers how the human body works from a systems approach. The emphasis will be onhow to be healthy and how the body keeps itself healthy. Lab work, dissections, study skills, andcurrent events will be integral parts of the course.EARTH SCIENCERequired for Grade: 8The emphasis in the eighth grade is an introduction to the basic themes of the Earth Sciences,including both Geology and Astronomy. The students are given the chance to pursue theirindividual interests, as well, by means of independent projects assigned on various topicsthroughout the year.UPPER SCHOOLPHYSICS 9Required for Grade: 9 Credit: 1The concepts and analytical techniques of physics underlie the major concepts of biology andchemistry and a mastery of these physics concepts is a prerequisite for success in all scientificfields. Laboratory work and mathematical skills are given equal emphasis with conceptualunderstanding. Students will also be taught to solve quantitative problems and to collect, analyze,and present data in both written and oral form.35

HONORS PHYSICS 9Open to Grade: 9 Credit: 1Prerequisites: Departmental approval and concurrent enrollment in Honors Geometry or a higher level mathcourseThis course covers the same content areas as Physics 9 but moves more rapidly and involves morein depth mathematical analysis and problem solving. Time required outside of class: 4 hours/week.CHEMISTRYOpen to Grades: 10-12 Credit: 1Prerequisites: Algebra IChemistry is a laboratory-based course that encourages students to take their conceptualunderstanding of science and apply these principles to everyday phenomena. The course coversthe scientific method, atomic theory, nuclear chemistry, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, aqueouschemistry, bonding, acid-base chemistry, organic chemistry and gas laws.HONORS CHEMISTRYOpen to Grades: 10-12 Credit: 1Prerequisites: Honors Conceptual Physics and concurrent enrollment in Honors Algebra II or department approvalThe Honors Chemistry course covers the same content as the regular Chemistry course but isfaster paced and requires greater depth of analysis. This is a rigorous course with highexpectations for student effort and commitment.Time required outside of class: 5-6 hours/week.AP CHEMISTRYOpen to Grades: 11-12 Credit: 1Prerequisites: Completion of Honors Chemistry and department approvalThis course is the equivalent of a college level introductory course in chemistry and will preparethe student for the AP exam in May. This course emphasizes the advanced topics of equilibrium,kinetics and thermodynamics. Time required outside of class: 10-15 hours/week.BIOLOGYOpen to Grades: 11-12 Credit: 1Prerequisites: ChemistryThis first year course surveys the field of biology from biochemistry, cells and genetics toevolution, microbiology, plants and animals. Many of the most important topics in biology relyheavily on an understanding of the fundamental concepts from physics and chemistry. Generousamounts of laboratory work allow students to work independently. Through field-work, they willbecome familiar with the woodlands and ponds that surround the school and appreciate thediversity of life that exists right in our community. They will learn to collect and analyze samples,use microscopes, conduct experiments, and do research.HONORS BIOLOGYOpen to Grades: 11-12 Credit: 1Prerequisites: ChemistryThe Honors Biology course is faster paced than the regular Biology course and requires studentsto integrate multiple chapters at one time in their analysis of the material. The laboratory work isalso more demanding and allows students to have more independence concerning laboratorydesign.36

AP BIOLOGYOpen to Grades: 11-12 Credit: 1Prerequisites: Completion of Biology and Chemistry and departmental approvalExceptional students may be allowed to enroll in this course as their biology course. This course isthe equivalent of a college level introductory biology course and prepares students to take theadvanced placement exam in May. Topics covered in depth include biochemistry, cells, heredity,evolution, organisms and populations. The course is demanding, moves quickly, and requires agreat deal of independent work outside of class (10-15 hours/week).PHYSICSOpen to Grades: 11-12 Offered in 2012-2013 Credit: 1This first course in Physics examines everyday phenomena such as motion, wave phenomena, andelectricity and magnetism. The goal is to apply fundamental principles to understanding commonoccurrences and devices. The course emphasizes, equally, understanding concepts and solvingquantitative problems. Students are taught to rely on analysis rather than memory. Laboratorywork and lab reports are two very important parts of this course. Emphasis is on clear thinkingand concise writing. The mathematical analysis of data and error is explored in depth. This is ahands-on laboratory based course.HONORS PHYSICSOpen to Grades: 11-12 Offered 2013-2014 Credit: 1Prerequisites: Chemistry, honors math placement and department approvalThis course is designed for those students entering Walker’s after 9th grade who have not yet taken Physics.Honors Physics explores the fundamental concepts of physics. The emphasis is on understandingthe basic forces and phenomena of the physical world. Applying that understanding to practicalsituations is also stressed. Students are taught to rely on analysis rather than memory. The course isfaster paced and more in-depth than the regular physics course. Laboratory work and lab reportsare two very important parts of this course. Emphasis is on clear thinking and concise writing.The mathematical analysis of data and error is explored in depth. This is a hands-on, laboratorybased course.Time required outside of class: 5-6 hours/week.AP PHYSICS BOpen to Grades: 11-12 Offered in alternating years with Astronomy Credit: 1Prerequisites: an introductory physics course, concurrent enrollment in Precalculus or higher math, and department approvalAdvanced Placement Physics B covers the syllabus used in introductory college physics coursesand prepares students to take the advanced placement exam in the spring. The major topicsinclude kinematics, dynamics, energy, wave phenomena, electricity, and magnetism. The courseuses mathematical concepts from Algebra and geometry, but notfrom Calculus. The course is very rigorous, mathematical, and fast-paced and assumes the studentis very comfortable will all aspects of mathematical problem solving.Time required outside of class: 10-15 hours/weekASTRONOMYOpen to Grades: 11-12 Offered in alternating years with AP Physics, Offered 2012-2013 Credit: 1Exceptional sophomores may be allowed to enroll in this class concurrently with Honors Chemistry.Astronomy is a yearlong course that includes such topics as the evolution of astronomical thoughtand a study of our solar system, stars, galaxies, and beyond. Some physics is included in thecourse, but concurrent enrollment in physics is acceptable.There will be mandatory evening observation sessions each month (weather dependent).37

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCEOpen to Grades: 11-12 Credit: 1This course also satisfies the Ethics requirement for graduation.Exceptional sophomores may be allowed to enroll in this class concurrently with Honors Chemistry.The first semester of Environmental Science is designed to provide an understanding of theenvironment and human impact on it. With this dual purpose in mind, the first semester of thiscourse covers the study of the basic principles of ecology, ecosystems, population dynamics, andthe interdependence of all life forms, human population growth; pollution; endangered speciesand biological diversity; deforestation issues and global warming; finite fossil fuels and nuclearenergy; alternative energy sources; and developing a sustainable society. The impact of economicsand politics on the environment is stressed.The second semester is an inter-disciplinary course which is team taught by teachers from theScience, History and Art departments. The course evolved through discussions among facultyabout the need to help students become sensitive observers of the environment, and to thinkseriously about how people interact with their world. The course is designed to make sophisticatedconnections among the latest findings in environmental science, recent discussions in ethicsconcerning bio-ethical issues, classic literary writers such as Thoreau, historical considerations suchas the history of humanities’ technological relations to the natural world and how artists haveinterpreted the natural environment in painting, sculpture and film. The course plan is to focusfirst on the immediate socio-ethical and physical environment of Walker’s, the Farmington Valley,and the State of Connecticut and, ultimately, expand awareness to global ecology. The course willinclude field trips to sensitize students to the local ecology and the significant ways in whichpeople affect the environment and how the environment has shaped the culture of New England.HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGYOpen to grades: 11-12 Offered in alternate years with Equine Science, Not Offered 2012-2013Prerequisites: Current enrollment in or completion of Biology Credit: 1The Human anatomy and Physiology class will be a yearlong course covering all twelve of thehuman body systems. Each body system will be studied on the basis of structure, function, anddisorders. Class assessments will include homework, tests, projects, and labs. Students will also beintroduced to medical journals, current event articles, and guest speakers. Labs will includemicrobiology, pathology, hematology, and dissection (nonhuman).EQUINE SCIENCEOpen to grades: 11-12 Offered in alternate years with Anatomy, Offered 2012-2013Prerequisites: Current enrollment in or completion of Biology Credit: 1This course will introduce students to the many aspects of equine science and medicine. Studentswill acquire a general foundation of equine anatomy and physiology as well as anunderstanding of equine general care, nutrition, common diseases, and sports medicine throughlectures, laboratories, and extensive case studies. Students will have hands on laboratories in theEthel Walker barn as well as classroom based laboratories.FORENSICSOpen to Grades: 11-12 Credit: 1Exceptional sophomores may be allowed to enroll in this class concurrently with Honors Chemistry.Forensics is a yearlong course that will study the fundamentals of criminal investigations. In thishands-on course, students will gather and analyze data and participate in lab activities. Studentswill develop lab skills as well as critical and analytical thinking skills. Topics will include genetics,bloodstain pattern analysis, fingerprinting, ballistics, tool marks, casting of footprints and tiretracks as well as skeletal analysis.38

INVENTEAMSOpen to Grades: 10 and 11 Credit: 1.5A three semester course, this class aims to explore the basics of engineering and the process ofinvention through project-based, hands-on activities. During the first semester, students will learnto design, model and construct basic robots; develop a grant proposal for a large-scale project; andconnect with the community surrounding Walker's to engage real-life problem solving. Thefollowing year students will focus on developing an engineering project in depth from concept toprototype. This course is for elective credit only and does not fulfill the science requirement. Allstudents still must take Physics, Chemistry and Biology in order to graduate.PSYCHOLOGYOpen to Grades: 11-12 Credit 1Prerequisites: Completion of or concurrent, enrollment in BiologyPsychology is a senior science elective designed to introduce students to the scientific study of behavior andmental processes. The course follows the APA National Standards of Introductory Psychology and includesthe following topics: history and perspectives; social psychology; memory; research methodology; biologicalbases of behavior; sensation and perception; states of consciousness; theories of personality; theories oflearning; psychological disorders; and treatment of disorders. A tremendous amount of terminology must belearned, and understood. Readings are drawn from the text as well as professional journals and other sources.Students will design and conduct an in-depth research project to be presented at the end of the year.AP PSYCHOLOGYOpen to Grades: 11-12 Credit: 1Prerequisites: Completion of Biology and the recommendation of the Science DepartmentAdvanced Placement Psychology is a rigorous senior science elective designed to encourage students to thinkcritically about the scientific study of behavior and mental processes, and to prepare them for the AP Exam inMay. The course follows the AP College Board Curriculum which includes the following topics: history &approaches; research methodology & statistics; biological bases of behavior; behavior genetics; life-Spandevelopment; sensation & perception; states of consciousness; theories of learning; memory; cognition;language; intelligence; motivation; theories of emotion; stress; theories of personality; abnormal psychology;treatment of psychological disorders; and social psychology. Students will conduct an in-depth literaturereview to be presented at the end of the year and all students must take the AP Psychology exam.39

The Arts40

THE ARTSThe philosophy of the Arts Department, encompassing the media of Dance, Music, and Theatre, is to engage andenlighten students in the arts and allow them to discover a vehicle to develop the expressive aspects of their lives.Elective courses allow students choices in which to pursue their artistic spirit. Recitals, concerts, gallery showings,dance performances, and theatre productions engage the entire community in a process of creative comprehension.The Arts are a vital part of Walker's curriculum.All students are required to take at least 1.5 credits (three semesters) in the Arts – at least one, preferably two, infreshman or sophomore year and at least one in the junior or senior year from two of the following areas: music,visual arts or theatre. Studio art courses may be repeated with departmental permission for more in-depth work.Students are encouraged to enroll in Choir throughout their years at Walker’s.DANCEThe Dance Department aims to develop the student's appreciation of dance as an art form and to expose the student to afull range of dance experiences. In addition to fulfilling the needs of the gifted and talented dance student, the departmentencourages beginners aiming to identify undiscovered dance ability and to encourage its development. The School viewsdance as an educational tool that develops self- confidence, creativity, self-discipline, respect for others, coordination,stamina, teamwork, and responsibility. Students are encouraged to understand functional alignment and to treat their bodieswith respect and intelligence. By drawing upon the rich and diverse backgrounds of its students, the dance departmentemphasizes dance as a vibrant form of cultural expression. Students are exposed to modern, ballet/pointe, jazz, culturaldance forms, improvisation, and choreography. Master classes are offered in these areas and others including, character,ballroom, and musical theatre. Each year a professional dance concert, as well as two student concerts, are presented.MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCEMIDDLE SCHOOL DANCERequired for Grades: 6, 7 & 8The Middle School Dance program concentrates on the development of technical skills, and theappreciation of the art form. An annual dance performance is included in the yearly activities.Dance is scheduled during the academic day and is under the direction of the Head of the EWSDance Department.MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE COMPANY – JUNIOR DANCE WORKSHOPOffered: Fall and Spring as a sports optionThe Junior Dance Workshop is for students who wish to participate in a more rigorous dancetraining program in addition to the introductory level middle school classes. The dance companyfocuses on technique, composition, and performance skills. The Junior Dance Workshop meetsthree days a week during Middle School athletic practice time.41

UPPER SCHOOL DANCEOffered: Weekly each trimester Open to Grades: 9-12Upper School Dance classes are broken up into 3 dance companies as well as general enrollmentclasses.DANCE WORKSHOP(Fall and Winter Commitment)By Audition Fulfills Team Sport RequirementDance Workshop is the advanced level dance company at Walker’s. Students are selected byaudition and must commit to dance for the fall and winter seasons. Dance Workshop memberstake daily advanced level technique classes in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Character, and Stretch &Strengthen. These classes are supplemented with weekly rehearsals for student, faculty, and guestartist choreography. Senior members of Dance Workshop take choreography classes and run theirown rehearsals. Dance Workshop performs in the annual Winter Dance Concert.DANCE ENSEMBLE(Fall and Winter Commitment)by Audition Fulfills Team Sport RequirementDance Ensemble is the high intermediate level dance company at Walker’s. Students are selectedby audition and must commit to dance for the fall and winter seasons. Dance Ensemble memberstake daily intermediate level technique classes in Ballet, Modern, Jazz and Character. This groupalso has the opportunity to work with guest artists and they perform in the annual Winter DanceConcert.DANCE CORPS(Fall and Winter Commitment)by Audition Fulfills Team Sport RequirementDance Corps is for students who would like to commit to dance for the fall and winter seasonsand participate in the annual Winter Dance Concert. These students participate in weeklytechnique classes at their appropriate level in Ballet, Modern, and Jazz. This group also has theopportunity to work with guest artists and they perform in the annual Winter Dance Concert.GENERAL ENROLLMENT DANCEOpen registration: Fall, Winter, and SpringThese classes are open to students at any level of dance from beginner-advanced. Studentsparticipating in the general enrollment classes have exposure to ballet, modern, jazz and culturaldance forms. In the spring, students are placed in classes by level (beginner- advanced).DANCE/THEATRE CONCENTRATIONTo participate in the dance/theatre concentration, a student must complete one of the following year-long programs.The completion of any of these year-long programs will fulfill the student’s team sport/athletic requirement.The Winter Play, Spring Musical, and two of the upper-level dance classes are open to students by audition. If astudent chooses to participate in dance or theatre for only one of or two seasons, she must then choose a team sportduring another season. (Yoga, Personal Fitness and Outdoor Adventure do not count as team sports.)FALL WINTER SPRINGDance – Fall Dance – Winter Dance – SpringDance – Fall Play – Winter Musical – SpringDance – Fall Play – Winter Dance – SpringDance – Fall Dance – Winter Musical – Spring42

The Winter Play, Spring Musical, and two of the upper-level dance classes are open to students by audition. If astudent chooses to participate in dance or theatre for only one of or two seasons, she must then choose a team sportduring another season. (Yoga, Personal Fitness and Outdoor Adventure do not count as team sports.)THEATREThe Theatre Department at Walker’s emphasizes the theatrical process and its relationship to the development ofacting talent in each individual student. Our theatre activities are designed for creative, highly-motivated studentswho have an interest in performing and/or technical theatre.MIDDLE SCHOOL PRODUCTIONOffered: Winter, Grades: 6-8Credit: Winter Season AthleticsPrerequisite: AuditionDuring the winter months, cast members rehearse a theatrical production to be presented to thecommunity in early March. Past productions have included The Secret Garden, The Jungle Book, TheLady Pirates of Captain Bree, The Hobbit , Wonderland and Robin Hood.MIDDLE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE FUNDAMENTALSRequired: One semester during 8th grade yearThis one semester course (the compliment to Art 8) focuses on the fundamentals of dramaticperformance. This class will build necessary skills and confidence for successful performance inthe classroom and on stage. The course will emphasize communication and expression throughthe presentation of speeches, the recitation of poetry, and storytelling. Other topics may include(but are not limited to) character development, scene work, and theatre history. Each student willbe expected to keep a journal of her experiences.UPPER SCHOOL THEATERCOLLABORATIVE ARTS PROJECTOffered every Semester. All levels of experience are welcome.Credit: .5 per semesterThere is no limit to the number of semesters for which you may register for this course.This innovative new course provides a venue for performing artists to expand their repertoire andskills to encompass many different aspects of theater, improvisation, writing, acting, music,technical theater and film. In the model of a seminar, the Collaborative Arts Project (CAP) willfocus on a different project each semester, allowing students to participate in the course multipletimes while still learning new skills. The class will work collaboratively to develop and performtheir project for the community, both on campus and beyond. The course depends on the variedtalents and interests of the class. Due to the fluid nature of this course, students of all levelsparticipate together, and much of the course is student directed. There is no pre-requisite to thiscourse, and the instructor will support students to realize and develop their individual interests andtalents, whether they are a beginner or a seasoned performer. Students have the opportunity tolearn about all facets of the performing arts. Possible CAP projects include an improv comedyshow, a mystery dinner theater, a silent film or children’s theater.WINTER PLAYOffered: Nov.-Feb. Open to Grades: 9-12Prerequisite: Audition in NovemberCredit: Winter Season AthleticsDuring the winter months, cast members rehearse a play which is presented to the community inmid-February. Past productions have included Good Help is so Hard to Murder, Haiku, AnimalFarm, All in the Timing, and Rope, and an original Shakespearean adaptation, The Food of Love.43

SPRING MUSICALOffered: Feb.-May Open to Grades: 9-12Prerequisite: Audition in FebruaryCredit: Spring Season AthleticsThe Theatre, Music, and Dance Departments collaborate on a full-scale musical that goes up inMay. Recent productions include Seussical, The Boyfriend, The Mystery of Edwin Drood,Godspell, Illyria and Noises Off.MUSICThe Music Department is dedicated to developing an understanding of music both as an art form and as a valuedpart of our society and culture. The department provides opportunities for all levels of musicians and believes thatstudents should experience music through participation. Music enhances emotional, social, psychomotor andpsychological skills and, through performance, develops self-discipline, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment.MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSICMUSIC 6, 7, & 8Required in grades: 6 - 8Includes singing and choral activities, folk dancing, rhythm training, music theory, musical theater/theater exercises, sight singing, and audition preparation. There is continued emphasis on listeningand skill development as well as music appreciation.CHORISTERSRequired for all students in Grades: 6 - 8All Middle School students participate in this choral group, which performs in the Holiday andSpring Concerts as well as all-school chapels.MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRAOpen to Grades: 6–8, without auditionThis ensemble is for Middle School students who are interested in preparing andperforming orchestral music. The Middle School Orchestra rehearses after school on Mondays andperforms at Middle School concerts. This experience will prepare the musician for the UpperSchool Orchestra.UPPER SCHOOL MUSICCHOIROpen to Grades: 9-12, open without audition Credit: 1A full Arts credit is given for this course; it will fulfill the graduation requirement but is not figuredinto GPA. Choir is a full–year course and the group performs regularly at many school functionsand presents two major choral concerts.MUSIC THEORYOpen to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1A two–semester course that can be taken as a lesson or a credited course. The course is taught atthe level of the student and progresses according to her capacity. It presents the basics of musictheory, dictation and notation, and ear training. The advanced student may study composition andmusical analysis.44

MUSIC MAJOR PROGRAMOpen to Grades: 9-12 Credit: 1Credit is given to students who wish to take two private lessons a week or two music disciplines,not including Choir. A half credit is given along with grades and comments for each semester.Music Majors are expected to perform during the school year.MUSIC LESSONSOpen to Grades: 6-12, additional feeExtra-Curricular ActivityPrivate lessons, as well as ensemble and duet lessons, are offered on many instruments. Grouplessons create chamber groups that perform regularly on campus. There are many recitals andchapels that involve the Music Program, and public performance in these events is encouraged.FINANCIAL COMMITMENT: Private lessons are billed through the Business Office. Pleaserefer to the booklet that contains all financial agreements and return the completed informationform. The Music Instruction Agreement must be returned before lessons can be given to astudent.The following ensembles or activities are not for credit but may be combined with other music disciplines to satisfythe requirements of the Music Major Program.CHAMBER ENSEMBLESOpen to Grades: 9–12, by audition onlyExtra-Curricular ActivityThe chamber ensembles afford the serious musician the opportunity to perform fine works.Students must be proficient on their instrument and enjoy working in a focused, musicalenvironment. These ensembles are called upon to perform at many functions throughout theschool year.GOSPEL CHOIROpen to Grades: 7–12, without auditionExtra-Curricular ActivityThe Gospel Choir is a lively vocal ensemble that incorporates musical styles from the spiritual,blues and gospel genres. This ensemble demands a willingness to participate in the appropriatestyle that this music commands.GRAPESOpen to Grades: 9-12, by audition onlyExtra-Curricular ActivityThis vocal ensemble is an a cappella singing group. Only members of the Choir may audition.Singers perform off campus to earn community service credits required for graduation. Thisensemble performs music from the folk, pop, jazz and Broadway genres. Auditions take place atthe beginning of the school year and include a simple sight-singing exercise, presentation of apiece that best shows the singer's voice and a group piece that determines vocal blend andintonation.GROUP KEYBOARDOpen to Grades: 9-12, without auditionExtra-Curricular ActivityThis course provides beginner to intermediate piano students with an opportunity to improvetheir keyboard skills. The classes allow each student to progress at her own pace. Students areinvited to participate in recitals at the end of the year.45

GROUP VOICEOpen to Grades: 6-12, without auditionExtra-Curricular ActivityThis course provides students with an opportunity to learn and improve vocal technique and toexperience a repertoire of various styles. Enrollment in choir is not required. A fine vocalensemble, Voce Felice, is formed from members of this class. Individual singers have theopportunity to perform as soloists at the close of the year.HARMONIOUS BELLSOpen to Grades: 9-12, without auditionExtra-Curricular ActivityThe bell choir performs for many events on campus and can be taken as a music discipline forMusic Majors. This course teaches a basic understanding of rhythm and note reading and allowsstudents of all levels to perform in an ensemble.ORCHESTRAOpen to Grades: 9-12Extra-Curricular ActivityOpen to instrumentalists who are capable of individual preparation and working toward astandard of musical excellence in a group setting. Rehearsals are not frequent and attendance iscrucial. This is a wonderful environment to develop technique and broaden the musicalexperience.VISUAL ARTThe Visual Arts program allows the student to satisfy the need for personal expression and the community need fordisplay, celebration, and communication. Walker’s students can focus on a variety of areas in the Visual Arts:drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, textile arts, 3D design, and digital photography. These optionsengage students who are new to the visual arts as well as serious art students looking to explore advanced concepts.MIDDLE SCHOOL ARTRequired for all students in grades 6, 7, and 8This course explores the basic modes of visual expression, which may include drawing, painting,printmaking, sculpture, photography, textile arts, and ceramics. Coursework is designed to helpeach student develop her own identity through art, as well as self-confidence and independence.The curriculum connects with the Middle School program of study whenever possible andprovides a well-rounded artistic basis for Upper School-level visual art courses.UPPER SCHOOL ARTCERAMICSGrades 9-12 All levels of experience are welcome.Credit: .5 per semesterThere is no limit to the number of semesters for which you may register for this course.The Ceramics class will provide an opportunity for students to develop a body of work that isboth conceptually valid and reflective of their artistic style. Sculpture techniques, the science ofglazing, and wheel skills are taught to all levels of students, and they will be encouraged toexperiment at all times. In addition to developing technique, students will design their own multipartconstruction based on exploration of pottery around the world. Each student will beexpected to produce work that portrays her creative powers and technical abilities.DRAWINGGrades 9-12 All levels of experience are welcome.Credit: .5 per semesterThere is no limit to the number of semesters for which you may register for this course.Students will use a variety of media to learn the technical skills necessary to accurately drawobjects from our environment, as well as how to create the illusion of a 3-D form on a 2-D46

surface. Beyond representational drawing, students are provided with the opportunity to explorepersonal ideas about life in imaginative compositions.GRAPHIC PUBLICATIONGrades 9-12 Credit: .5Fall SemesterThis course allows 6-8 students to develop the photographic and compositional skills needed tocreate a graphic essay on the life of the school, the official school yearbook, Pepperpot. Studentswill receive additional responsibilities and take greater leadership roles each time the course istaken.PAINTINGGrades 9-12 All levels of experience are welcome.Credit: .5 per semesterThere is no limit to the number of semesters for which you may register for this course.Students will begin by exploring the expressiveness of color, mixing paint, and paint applicationtechniques. They will learn about scale and composition and how these are instrumental elementsin the development of a visionary concept. Works of varying sizes and media will be emphasized.PHOTOGRAPHYGrades 9-12 All levels of experience are welcome.Credit: .5 per semesterThere is no limit to the number of semesters for which you may register for this course.Students will learn the artistic elements essential to photography – composition, color, contrast,and others – by using digital cameras and Photoshop techniques to enhance their work. They willfind and develop their artistic voices through a variety of thematic units that may vary dependingon level of experience. Over the course of the semester, independent shooting, collaborative peercritiques, and historical research will contribute to each student’s final portfolio that exhibits herphotographic expression.SCULPTURAL TECHNIQUESGrades 9-12 Credit: .5This is a required course for students wishing to take AP 3-D DesignSculpture is the art of using materials to transform an idea into a real object. This course willexplore numerous media, such as clay, wood, wire, fabric, paper, and found objects, to transformideas into a three-dimensional forms. Students will be introduced to the elements and principles ofdesign, historical and contemporary sculpture, and beginning techniques of molding andconstruction. They will be asked to think outside the box and be daring with their creative ideas.This course may be taken multiple times due to the numerous sculpture techniques and processesthat are available to explore. Each semester will offer different techniques.47

TEACHING ASSISTANT - MIDDLE SCHOOL ARTGrades 11-12Fall and/or Spring SemesterThis position is open to juniors and seniors in good academic standing who have completed twoUS Art Classes; either Drawing, Painting, Ceramics, or Digital Photo. Students will assist in day-todayactivities. They will also develop a lesson on a topic of interest and present it to the class. Inaddition to their involvement during class time, assistants will meet weekly with the teacher toreview, assess, and preview important concepts and units of study. They will keep a log, to besubmitted weekly, and also do an in-depth evaluation of their performance at the end of the term.Interested students must apply in the spring prior to their junior or senior year. The Departmentwill notify students by the end of the year about whether or not their applications have beenapproved.EMPTY BOWLS PROJECT - ART FOR A CAUSEWalker's collaborates with Avon Old Farms School in the Empty Bowls Project, a program inwhich students, faculty, parents, alumnae, and friends of the School create hundreds ofhandcrafted bowls on the pottery wheel. Finished pieces are are then offered for sale, andproceeds from this annual event benefit the Food Share and the Connecticut Humane Society.ADVANCED STUDIOGrades 10-12 May Enroll Multiple SemestersCredit: .5 per semesterPrerequisite: One art course and Teacher RecommendationAdvanced Studio is designed for the student who has completed at least one visual art course andwill set personal goals that stretch them beyond their previous art experiences. Students may workin a variety of techniques and media, from dress making, printmaking to wire sculpture. Studentsplanning on taking either AP 2D Design or 3D Design during Advanced Studio can begin buildinga portfolio for the AP Studio Art portfolio.AP 2-D DESIGNGrades 11-12 Credit: 1Prerequisite: Departmental Approval and Advanced Studio or a Portfolio of 5 pieces of artThe body of work required for AP submission in this course includes a wide variety of 2-Dimages including collage, prints, drawings, paintings and a variety of digital media. Students areexpected to work with a high level of independence with the support of an instructor.AP 3-D DESIGNGrades 11-12Prerequisite: Intro to Sculpture and Departmental approvalA wide range of 3-Dimensional pieces are required for submission in a portfolio to the nationalAP board. Works ranging from ceramics, wood, fabric and metal sculpture, textiles and otherpieces are produced by students working at a very high level of independence with the support ofan instructor.AP DRAWINGGrades 11-12 Credit: 1A variety of 2-Dimensional, hand drawing techniques are reinforced through the creation of anextensive portfolio of images as required by the national AP Drawing curriculum. Printmaking,collage and other forms of 2-D art are required for inclusion in this portfolio produced bystudents who are able to work independently with the guide of an instructor.48

Athletics49

ATHLETICSThe Ethel Walker School believes that the teaching and learning environment extends to the sports and activitiesarenas. Sports teach time management, instill a commitment to life-long fitness and challenge participants to winwith humility and lose with grace.Every student at Walker’s participates in a sport or activity each season. Walker’s offers programs for the novice aswell as the athlete interested in playing at the collegiate level. We offer teams at the Varsity, Junior Varsity, and MiddleSchool levels. Sportsmanship, leadership and discipline are emphasized at every level.All students select 3 sports or activities per year from a menu of offerings divided by fall, winter and spring seasons.One season must be a team sport; Interscholastic sports teams, riding, dance or theater concentration all fulfill thisobligation.Upper school sports and activities most often meet directly after school. Some teams, including Squash andSwimming, meet off campus so they may have practice at alternate times.TEAM SPORT OFFERINGS*Fall Winter SpringField Hockey Basketball LacrosseSoccer Skiing SoftballVolleyball Squash TennisDance Swimming RidingRiding Dance DanceRidingGolfTheatre*Note: If there is sufficient enrollment in any Upper School sport option, a “thirds” team may be added.INDIVIDUAL SPORT OFFERINGSFall Winter SpringDance Technique Dance Technique Dance TechniqueRiding Lessons Riding Lessons Riding LessonsOutdoor Adventure Personal Fitness Outdoor AdventurePersonal Fitness Yoga Personal FitnessCommunity ServicePERSONAL FITNESSOpen to Grades: 9-12Credit: AthleticsFall, Winter and Spring seasonsThis course is designed to teach the basic components of fitness and to assist a student indesigning her own individual workout program. The student will develop greater understanding ofthe role fitness components play in managing overall health-related fitness. Activities includefitness assessment and work on both aerobic and strength training equipment. The class utilizesthe equipment in the Goodrich Fitness Center.50

RIDINGOUTDOOR ADVENTUREOpen to Grades: 9-12Credit: AthleticsFall and Spring seasonsThe students will explore various outdoor activities and enjoy the local scenery of Connecticut inthe fall. Activities to include short hikes, rock climbing, canoeing, trail maintenance, and bicycling.YOGAOpen to Grades: 9-12Credit: AthleticsWinter seasonStudents will explore yoga postures, philosophy and learn the therapeutic benefits of yoga.Activities will include yoga dance and movement.DANCEOpen to Grades: 9-12Credit: AthleticsOffered: Fall, Winter and Spring for experienced dancers/Fall and Spring for BeginnersDance classes are offered throughout the year with exposure to character dance, ballet, moderndance, tap, Afro Caribbean, and jazz. By declaring a dance major, students can take dance eachtrimester or audition for the winter play and/or the spring musical. Placement for experienceddancers is by the Chair of the Dance Department. Placement for Dance Workshop, varsity level dance, isby audition.The riding program at The Ethel Walker School is designed to suit riders of all ability levels andinvolves them in every aspect of the equestrian experience. The goal for many girls is to competein horse shows and in combined training events. Other riders are happy to ride and to spend timewith the horses. Modern methods of riding are based on establishing principles of goodequitation. Both the girls who compete and the instructors who teach them and coach them earnrecognition at the local, national and, at times, international levels. All levels of instruction areoffered in order to supplement the various skill and theory levels of the students. Please contactthe Director of Riding for more information.TEAM SPORTOpen to Grades: 6-12Offered: Fall, Winter, SpringStudents have three lessons per week plus a practice ride and a classroom activity. Riders aregrouped according to ability and experience. The EWS Riding Program offers riders extensiveopportunities to compete at home and away. There is an additional fee.RIDING LESSONSOpen to Grades: 6-12Extracurricular activityAfter having an evaluation, riders are placed in an appropriate group. The fee is on a per-lessonbasis.51

MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICSBecoming a part of an athletic team is a valuable experience for all students. Walker’s MiddleSchool sports program offers participants the chance to learn new skills, form new friendships anddevelop teamwork and commitment. Practices are held 4 times a week during an 80-90 minuteactivity block scheduled during the school day. Games are scheduled after school on weekdays andoccasional weekends.Sixth, Seventh and Eighth grade students are required to participate on a sports team, danceworkshop (by audition) or riding during each season.FALL WINTER SPRINGSoccer Basketball SoftballField Hockey Riding RidingRiding Middle School Play LacrosseDanceWELLNESSEmotional and physical well-being are important ingredients for success in all areas of life. Our Wellness Curriculumsupports the development of the skills girls need to navigate life in the 21st Century while maintaining a healthysense of self, strong connections with others, and a commitment to global responsibilities. As a school, we valuecharacter traits of our students like honesty, respect, perseverance, confidence, courage and compassion. Whencharacter traits are integrated into daily life, all facets of life improve, including relationships with others.GRADE 6: KNOWING YOURSELFThis weekly Wellness Class, required for all 6th graders, focuses on knowing oneself as a learnerand friend. Topics include study skills, learning styles and health education. In addition, studentslearn that the development of healthy self-esteem begins with self-mastery and the knowledge ofone’s own strengths, competencies, and resilience.GRADE 7: KNOWING OTHERSWeekly meetings of a Wellness/Life skills class continue and are required for 7th graders.Discussion broadens to include areas such as: physical and emotional changes during adolescence;healthy boundaries in relationships; the appropriate use of technology as a communication tooland resource; dealing with stress; finding balance; developing a healthy life style, and makingresponsible choices. Health Education in the 7th grade focuses on the physical and emotionalchanges that take place during adolescence. A unit on drug and alcohol education is included,focusing on the impact of substance use on brain development during adolescence. 7th gradeWellness culminates in a group service project relevant to our campus community.8TH GRADE: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIPThis required course provides a purposeful approach to the cognitive, emotional and behavioralwell being of the students. Specifically, this class will:• Promote components of character and leadership• Develop critical thinking and problem solving skills• Build and reinforce positive social skills• Help students create both short and long-term positive goals• Help students develop strong values and high standards• Ensure students understand the consequences of their actions52

GRADE 9: 9TH GRADE SEMINARRequired for Grade 9 Credit: 1This required year-long course is team-taught and covers topics such as:• Technology: Managing Your Digital Footprint• Leadership: Equity and Social Justice• Public Speaking• Wellness: Building Emotional ResilienceGRADE 10: WOMEN, HEALTH AND CULTURERequired for Grade: 10Fall and Spring SemesterCredit: ½Women, Health and Culture is a one semester, required course taught by our School Nurse. Usinga medical model, a comprehensive analysis of issues related to the health status and health care ofwomen is presented in this course. A broad spectrum of topics will be explored. Knowledge ofhealth concerns of particular importance to women will be shared to aid in maintaining wellness,as well as assisting in identification and early treatment of specific physical illnesses. In addition,students will have the opportunity to become certified in American Red Cross CPR and AED.GRADE 10: 10TH GRADE SEMINAR: A QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE - A CALL TO ACTIONRequired for Grade: 10Fall and Spring SemesterCredit: ½The 10th grade seminar is a one semester, required course taught by a team of teachers andoutside speakers. In the first quarter, "Quest for Knowledge," students will learn about the criticalissues women face around the globe and domestically/locally. Topics covered will be human rightsissues, in particular, as they relate to women. A series of guest lecturers and outside speakers willprovide a depth of understanding in each area. In the second quarter, "Call to Action," studentswill learn collaboration skills in order to choose a cause for which they will direct their energiesand efforts as a group. Philanthropy, micro lending, finances and entrepreneurship will be theelements taught in conjunction with the execution of a culminating project.GRADE 11: THE COLLEGE PROCESSRequired for Grade: 11Throughout the year, the College Counseling Office offers a series of required workshops focusedon learning skills relevant to the college process, including panel discussions, outside presenters,and on-line instruments designed to clarify values, hone communication skills, and identify areas ofstrong interest. Students are given the opportunity to craft personal mission statements and todevelop action plans to help guide them through the application process.GRADE 12: TRANSITIONS/COLLEGE 101Required for Grade: 12Workshops, speakers, and panel discussions cover topics such as: managing your finances; personalhealth and safety; decision-making; developing and maintaining healthy relationships; adjusting tonew-found independence; as well as the resources that are available on a college level. This seriesis designed to prepare students for the transition from Walker’s into the college / university settingwhere much more independence is required.53

APPENDIXINDEPENDENT STUDYThe idea behind Independent Study is to provide an opportunity for juniors and seniors who are in good academicstanding to go beyond the boundaries of the curriculum offered by The Ethel Walker School and pursue a topic ofgreat personal interest to them.An Independent Study is not the same thing as taking an existing course at a special time by special arrangement witha teacher.An Independent Study should not constitute one of the 5 required academic courses students take each semester.Before beginning an independent study project, students must have completed all the required courses in the subjectarea of the independent study as well as any relevant courses needed as background preparation.The ProposalThe Independent Study proposal should be written by the student and a teacher who has agreed to be the sponsor. Itshould address in some detail:• Goals and primary topics/questions to beexplored• Materials and texts to be used• Meeting times and deadlines to be met• Assessment and standardsNumber of credits (1 semester = ½ credit: 2 semesters = 1 credit)The proposal first must be submitted to the appropriate academic department for review and then to the Dean ofthe Upper School for approval. Independent Study projects which are to begin in the fall semester must besubmitted by May 31 of the previous school year. Proposals for projects beginning in the second semester must besubmitted by January 4 of the same school year.The Independent Study SponsorThe teacher who is working with a particular independent study student is expected to:• meet with the student on a regular basis• hold the student accountable for meeting incremental deadlines• keep a log documenting the progress of the independent study• give the student quarter grades and commentsThe Independent Study StudentThe student who is doing an independent study is expected to:• meet with the sponsor on a regular basis• meet incremental deadlines as outlined in the proposal• understand that her independent study project is another class and be prepared to put in the necessarytime and effort54

AssessmentQuarter grades will be determined by the teacher/sponsor, who will assess student progress: how well deadlines arebeing met, the quality of the work, etc. The teacher/sponsor will write comments as well as give quarter grades.An independent study student will present her final project in both a written and oral form to a committee forevaluation. The committee will be made up of members of the department within which the study was done andthe Dean of the Upper School. This presentation will be given in January if a one-semester study project and inMay if a full year study project. The committee will assign a grade to the presentation worth 50% of the student'sfinal grade.For a one-semester independent study project:Quarter 1 = 25%Quarter 2 = 25%Committee = 50%For a year long independent study project:Each Quarter = 12.5%Committee = 50%55

ONLINE COURSESThe Ethel Walker School is a Charter Affiliate member of the Online School for Girls(http://www.onlineschoolforgirls.org/courses/course-catalog). Any student at Walker's who enrolls in a course atThe Online School for Girls (OSG) will receive a 10% discount on her fees for the course (fees for OSG coursesare not included in tuition). The Ethel Walker School encourages students to pursue any courses at OSG thatmight help them to broaden their academic experience. If an Ethel Walker student wishes to study a language thatis not formally offered here, she may wish to explore enrolling in a class in French or German at the MiddleburyInteractive Languages program (http://www.middleburyinteractive.com/) or she may wish to study anotherlanguage at a different, approved online school.Online courses at a variety of different schools can be a good choice for students who wish to pursue study insubjects not formally offered at Walker’s. Online courses taken during the summer might be considered as a goodoption for acceleration or credit recovery but online courses in the summer will rarely if ever be accepted forgraduation credits. Any online courses that you wish to take for course credit should be approved by the Dean andacceptable under the policy outlined below. The student and her family will be responsible for any financialobligation incurred by the on-line course.1. The online course must be a class that is not offered on campus at the Ethel Walker School OR not able to bescheduled into a students normal weekly schedule due to unavoidable scheduling conflicts.2. The course must be offered at a reputable on-line school or school that offers on-line courses (EWS reserves theright to determine the appropriateness of the on-line school/course).3. The course must be approved by the department chair that would have oversight of that topic AND approved bythe Dean of Upper School.4. On-line courses will be treated and credit given as an independent study if it is a supplemental course. Onlycourses taken in a language not offered here at Walker’s or advanced math classes will be considered for credittoward graduation requirements.5. A partner teacher here at EWS will be assigned to work with the student.6. The student and the partner teacher will meet briefly on a weekly basis to discuss the student's progress in the onlinecourse.7. The partner teacher will monitor the student's progress and report any difficulties immediately to the Dean ofUpper School.8. The partner teacher will write a brief quarterly comment summarizing the students' work.9. The partner teacher will submit the grades the student has received according to the assessments given by the onlinecourse.10. The role of the partner teacher is one of support only. Any on-line course requiring excessive involvement by anEWS teacher may not be approved.11. All students at Walker's must be enrolled in at least 5 academic courses per semester. Consideration will be givento those students wishing to have their on-line course be counted as their fifth class. However, this is notguaranteed.12. Credit will be given to only one on-line course per semester.If a student wishes to enroll in an online course but does not follow the above protocols, the Ethel Walker Schoolis in no way obligated to accept the course for any sort of credit.In order to have an on-line course approved, you must see Mrs. Allerton, Dean of Upper School to receive anapplication form.Students wishing to take an online course for credit must be in good academic standing and must be current ontheir tuition payments in order to be considered.56

JUNIOR/SENIOR PROJECT GUIDELINES, 2012-13DefinitionThe Junior/Senior Project provides students the opportunity to pursue a topic in depth outside of the regularclassroom setting. Completing a project is a graduation requirement and students must meet the social and academicstandards set forth in the project guidelines. Projects can be done both the summer before junior and senior years,though only one project is required.Dates of projectStudents are generally expected to complete projects during times when school is not in session, especially during thesummer. It is difficult to miss class time and keep up with assigned work, and the school discourages missing time,however, in special circumstances, students may petition the Project Coordinator to be excused from school inorder to complete a project.Planning a ProjectFind a topic of interest and look for mentors, both on- and off-campus. Your mentor on-campus could be ateacher in your field of interest, your advisor, or the Project Coordinator. Off-campus, your mentor will most likelybe your supervisor in whatever field you choose.TopicsStudents most often use the project to explore either a professional interest or a topic that they are passionateabout. Successful projects in the past have usually been either internships (e.g., business, fashion, law, media,medicine, museums, zoology) or independent projects (e.g., training for equestrian or musical competitions,research).PROJECT REQUIREMENTS:1. Students are required to spend a total of two weeks or approximately 80 hours in all on theirsenior project.2. Students are required to submit a typed proposal, which must be approved by the seniorproject coordinator in order to begin their senior project. The proposal should include aclearly defined topic, three to five questions you intend to answer during the course of theproject, the name, title, address, and phone number of your off-campus sponsor. We willcontact your off-campus sponsor, so please be sure you have obtained approval from him orher prior to submitting proposals.3. Students are expected to keep a daily journal during their project.4. Students are required to write a brief paper (3-5 pages) describing their project, theirexperiences and reflections.5. Students completing projects will also be expected to make a brief 10-15 minutepresentation within several weeks of returning to school. Presentations can take place infront of a variety of groups, including the whole school at a projects assembly, the faculty(e.g., faculty meetings, department meetings, committee meetings), class meetings, oracademic classes. Presentation dates and times will be scheduled and posted by the projectcoordinators.6. In addition, students will prepare a poster and present it for Senior Project Night (Fall 2012)summarizing their projects and experiences.57

AssessmentProjects are graded and are reported to colleges on the student’s final transcript, though not included in thecalculation of GPA’s. In the case of off-campus projects, supervisors will complete evaluation forms to help withassessment. Grades will be based on:Thoroughness in planning 10%Journal 10%Written report 20%Oral presentation 20%Poster 10%Supervisors’ evaluation 30%Questions: Mrs. Quinlan, Junior/Senior Project Coordinator860-408-4338squinlan@my.ethelwalker.orgImportant Due DatesNote: Students who do not meet deadlines will be assigned detentions, and may incur other penalties as well.Friday, April 12th, 2012Proposals are due for sophomores and juniors working on their projects over the summer.Friday, September 21st, 2012Journals, papers and evaluations are due.Senior Project Night- TBA58

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHEDULEMiddle School Class ScheduleMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00F HA G 8:50 8:50D9:20 9:20 9:20Morning Meeting 9:25BXHSportsED11:1011:1511:35ChapelXMorning Meeting9:4510:159:45 9:459:5010:1510:158:55 8:55 9:25GE10:35 10:20 10:2010:3510:4010:40 10:4010:4511:40AF12:00 12:00 12:00Advisor/AdviseeLunch(Class meeting asLunchscheduled)Lunch12:20Lunch12:25Lunch12:35D1:10ASports12:30B12:35X1:251:151:201:251:30E2:05C1:25C1:3010:208:50H2:202:102:152:202:202:252:25FSportsSportsG3:153:153:303:3059

UPPER SCHOOL SCHEDULEUpper School Class ScheduleMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00AGF8:50 8:50HD8:55 8:559:20 9:20 9:20Morning Meeting 9:25BXHCED11:1011:1511:35ChapelXMorning Meeting9:4510:159:45 9:459:5010:1510:1510:35 10:20 10:2010:3510:4010:40 10:4010:4511:40GAEF12:00 12:00 12:00Advisor/AdviseeLunchLunch(Class Meeting asLunchscheduled)Lunch12:20Lunch12:35D1:10A12:4512:35X1:251:30E1:152:05C2:05B1:251:3010:208:50H2:202:102:102:202:25FBC2:25G3:153:003:003:1560