10th grade
10th Grade Science
Chemistry II: Inorganic Chemistry
This block opens on an investigation of salt properties. Experiments are performed to observe the dilution of salts in water and alcohol. A discussion follows and the need to perform more experiment on the electrostatic properties of water arises. Ions are then introduced as “tiny charged particles”. Then the dissolving power of alcohol and water are compared. The next experiment focuses on the evaporation of a salt solution and brings out a discussion on the difference between a hydrated and an anhydrous salt. Saturation and super saturation are explored. The comparison of solubility of different salt is used to perform the titration of chloride ions in seawater.
At this point and throughout this course, to avoid unnecessary confusion, salts and ions are not referred to by their formulae but by their name. Then, an observation of the influence of dilution on a colored salt solution serves as an introduction to quantitative chemistry: students calculate the percentage of copper in a US penny. Through a wide array of reactions, students devise their own analytical process to identify some metallic ions in an unknown solution. Here again, for the study of double replacement reaction, names rather than formulae are used. Through experiments, the difference between a metal and its metallic ion is strongly emphasized. Student observe the reactions between metals and different ions, make an hypothesis on what is happening and are then ask to devise and perform experiments that will allow them to check the validity of their hypothesis. From this they arrange metals in a reactivity list. Later, after observing the reaction of acids on metals, hydrogen is added on the reactivity list. Using the table of standard potentials, students study an alkaline Zinc/Manganese oxide battery and perform the electrolysis of a Nickel coin. The class time is mostly devoted to experiments and discussions of the observations.
Mechanics
The course of mechanics provides an introduction to kinematics and to some basic ideas of dynamics. The concepts of average and instantaneous velocity and acceleration are first introduced as tools to describe the motion of an object. The freely falling motion becomes then the focal point of our investigation, and Galileo Galilei, as portrayed by Bertolt Brecht in his play, becomes the leading figure of the block. The students perform the inclined plane experiment, and with the help of further demonstrations, are guided to the discovery of the geometrical nature of the projectile motion. The idea of inertia is then explored in connection to both translation and rotation. Working in teams, the students build and gauge a projectile launcher, which is tested against a target on the last day of the block.
Embryology
The study of embryology begins with a survey of creation myths from many cultures. The course focuses closely on the physiology and development of a new human being from the production cycles of egg and sperm cells through the birth of a baby. Along the way, comparisons with the embryonic development of other organisms are examined and the commonalities and differences discussed. Students follow the embryonic development of live zebra fish from egg to fry. The course ends with a brief overview of the history of genetics, simple models of heredity, and the processes of mitosis and meiosis. Several class periods are devoted to discussions of current issues in biology today such as stem cell research, cloning, and reproductive rights.
Meteorology
This block is an exploration of the fluid elements of our earth, the air and the water. The class begins with an investigation of some of the ways in which heat manifests- radiation, convection, and conduction, with examples of these processes in nature. Experiments are performed that illustrate the action of heat on water and air, as well as the properties of water such as cohesion, adhesion, and its dynamics of movement. A major part of the block is an investigation of the factors of the Earth’s system that produce climate and weather such as the Coriolis Force, Hadley cell circulation, and insolation. Students make and record a daily weather chart that consists of 9 separate observations and a general summary of the changes in relation to barometric pressure and the movements of fronts. We also study the hydrologic cycle, the structure of the atmosphere, ocean current circulation, and how the world’s oceans contribute to climate. Students go on a scow schooner for a four day trip into the Delta as far as Brannan Island where they learn sailing techniques, navigation, and take water samples along the way to test for salinity and investigate the organisms living in the water. Throughout, an emphasis is placed on how this vast fluid expanse of air and water is so closely linked to human activity here on the surface of the Earth.
10th Grade Mathematics
Advanced Geometry
This rigorous geometry course is intended to strengthen the problems solving abilities of the most capable math students. We move on from the first semester topics of plane and solid geometry to the second semester coordinate plane and analytic geometry. The students learn to understand the necessity of mathematical proves, and they learn how to prove geometrical theorems themselves. The geometric problems proposed vary in difficulty, from basic applications of a single theorem, to challenging applications of several theorems in sequence. Learning how to live with a problem for several days is part of the training. A good part of the second semester is devoted to the study of conic sections starting from their purely geometrical definition as cross sections of cones, to their analytical geometric representation in terms of quadratic equations.
Geometry
Topics covered include: proofs of triangle theorems, perimeter, area and volume of similar polygons and solids, circles, inscribed angles and tangent lines, and coordinate geometry of lines, circles, ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas. Students also review topics covered in Algebra I in preparation for Alegebra II next year.
Precalculus
The pre-calculus course follows an algebra II and trigonometry curriculum. Emphasis is given to the correspondence between an algebraic and a geometric problem through analytic geometry. Equations, system of equations, and inequalities are all studies with this idea in mind. Function notation and transformations of functions are used extensively. During the year the students learn how to analyze and graph polynomial functions, rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, and trigonometric functions. The study of trigonometry is then extended to the solution of trigonometric equations with use of trigonometric identities when needed. An introduction to the idea of sequence is provided using the arithmetic and geometric sequences as examples.
Trigonometry
Because trigonometry is inextricably linked with the mathematical concept of similarity, our work starts with scaling and ways similar triangles can be used to calculate the measurements of distances that are inaccessible. Once introduced, the sine, cosine, and tangent functions are used in calculations involving right triangles and eventually in deriving the Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines for (not necessarily right) triangles. Applications include the use of a simple surveying instrument: the Abney level.
Although the first definitions of the trigonometric functions are in terms of triangles, these functions can also be defined using the unit circle, a definition that makes them periodic, or repeating. Students work in this broader context toward the end of the block.
In addition to work in trigonometry, students read Flatland, by Edwin A. Abbot (1838- 1926). This imaginative mathematical classic introduces the concept of the multiple dimensions (including dimension four) of space.
10th Grade English
Poetics
This course combines the study of the history of language and the evolution of poetic form. We read and appreciate poems from the Classical World (including Homer, Virgil, Ovid) before moving into “English” poetry. This begins with the Anglo-Saxons and Beowulf and continues on into Middle English and Geoffrey Chaucer with readings of the texts in the original and translated versions. We also look at Shakespeare and the sonnet form, and ask, “What makes Modern poetry modern?” Ultimately, students are expected to create a main lesson book of beauty, filled with illustration, transcribed poetry, as well as some of their own poetic creations.
English II: The Iliad and Writing
This class introduces students to Homer’s first epic poem. Through extensive reading and group discussion we begin to form a view of the Classical world at the time of Homer. This includes relevant backgrounds Greek mythology, the Trojan War, and its aftermath. Essay work is central here and students are encouraged to engage fully in the re-drafting process in order to improve their writing skills.
English II: American Literature
This skills course addresses some major themes in 20th century American history through the lens of literature from the period. We read Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, and Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath while exploring historical themes from the 1920’s and 1930’s. We examine how these themes manifest today, socially and individually. Students in this course will be expected to hone their reading and writing skills as well as further develop their research skills.
English II: Medieval World
This course follows the course of Medieval history and thought, beginning with the Gospels of the New Testament. Students read the New Testament in order to understand the rupture that begins to alter the nature of the Classical world. We discuss the turn away from paganism under the Emperor Constantine, his Edict of Milan and the import and impact of the Council of Nicea. We look at the writings of church fathers, such as Saint Augustine, discuss the “fall” of Rome and the rise of “barbarian” kingdoms under such leaders as Charlemagne. The course culminates with a careful reading of Dante’s masterful and influential Inferno.
10th Grade History
Africa
Africa, the mysterious continent that we often see only as the background for tragedy, is also the birthplace of humans, the musical soul of the world, a center of folklore and oral tradition, and a focal point of the world’s cultural and biological diversity. So much of what Americans take for granted—our language, music, food, religion, and our entire culture-- has been shaped by African words, tastes, rhythms, and worldviews. The better we understand Africa, the better we understand ourselves.
In this block we will focus on African culture, history, politics, economics, and art. After an overview of African culture and its historical roots, we will zero in on two countries as case studies-- Nigeria and South Africa. We will end the block with a look at how African culture has influenced American life.
Activities will include reading stories, biographies, historical and cultural analysis, art appreciation, poetry and musical composition, map making, oral presentations, guest speakers, and trips to the Museum of the African Diaspora, as well as a film at the Mill Valley Film Festival.
Ancient Civilization
This course examines the development of humankind from the origins of the earliest human beings through some of the first great civilizations. We focus on the events of the Neolithic Revolution and examine several cultures of Mesopotamia, as well as those of ancient Egypt, Persia, India, and Israel. In pursuit of greater understanding of these ancient worlds the students read various selections from Egyptian and Persian sources that I assign, as well as the epics Gilgamesh and the Ramayana, and selections from the Tanakh (known by Christians as the Old Testament).
Classical World
We try to identify their essential characteristics of the Greeks by looking at the emergence of the individual in the West. We look closely at the history of the Hellenes, the rise of drama, the development of philosophy from the Ionian Philosophers, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, the use of Olympic games, and the character of Odysseus in the Odyssey. At the end of the block, we approach the nature of the individual as a modern phenomenon as well.
U.S. History
Some view the United States as the greatest nation on earth. Others believe the U.S. is a 21st century empire that primarily benefits its elites at the expense of the masses. Only by examining the history of our country from such varied points of view can one come to his/her own conclusion about our shared past. More importantly, only through critical evaluation of where we have been, both individually and collectively, can we determine the kind of person-- and to the extent possible the kind of nation-- we want to be in the future.
In this class we will focus on the formation and structure of our Constitutional republic, with special emphasis on its late 18th and early 19th century roots, and the relation of individuals with their government in the 21st century. The lens through which we examine the past will generally be our experiences today, as these reflect conflicts about our shared identity. Main themes/subjects will include: the Articles of Confederation, formation of the U.S. Constitution, federalism vs. anti-federalism, the three branches, checks and balances, strict construction vs. “living” constitution, the Bill of Rights, legislative and judicial processes, and early U.S. geography.
We will continue to develop skills in:
- historical analysis and interpretation via verbal, written and visual processing activities
- distinguishing fact from interpretation in primary and secondary sources
- historical research by selecting relevant and appropriate source materials for small research projects and position papers
- oral expression and argumentation
- connecting personal experience with shared history
10th Grade Languages
Spanish
During this semester we have studied the present progressive, direct and indirect object pronouns, demonstrative adjectives and pronouns, preterite tense of regular and irregular verbs, the preterite and the imperfect contrasted, vocabulary of clothing, negotiating a price and buying. Ongoing activities include: poems, songs and short stories
Spanish
The following topics are addressed: all simple indicative conjugations; building a paragraph; introduction to Spanish poetics; grammar: simples tenses of indicative mood, linking words (prepositions and conjunctions), verb complements (prepositional phrases); oral expression: daily situations, poetry staging and recitation, English comparison; writing expression: paragraph strategies, verse and prose comparison, articles of opinion; literature: overview of classical lyric Spanish poetry from the middle ages to the modern era; culture: life, works and culture of classical Spanish poets.
German 2
In German II, the lessons are based on a textbook, supplemental reading materials, and an audio drama. These materials provide the learning opportunities for reading and listening comprehension, grammar, vocabulary exercises, and comparative discussions of German and American language and culture. We introduced and reviewed basic grammatical concepts, especially verb tenses, modal and reflexive verbs, separable and inseparable prefixes, cases and word order. The students completed written and oral exercises, and took quizzes and tests.
10th Grade Arts
Weaving
The students learn to design and weave chenille scarves on four-harness floor looms. Working with a partner, each student is responsible for accurate threading and set-up of his or her loom. In addition to a scarf, each student also learns to weave a colorful band on an inkle or card weaving loom. These bands are designed to be used as belts, guitar straps, camera straps, or other functional items. Together, the experience of the various looms leads to a broad range of weaving skills. Our class also participates in an on-going cultural weaving exchange with students from Chinchero, Peru.
Stagecraft
A stage play is an intricate fabric woven from many different threads. Director, designers, actors, stage manager, lighting and sound technicians- all must work as one to create the magical moments that lift and transport the audience. In this block, the 10th Grade looks at how the production of a play is accomplished, how the imagination and the practical are reconciled on stage. The students experiment with narrative, mood, metaphor, and working together creatively to stage non-verbal skits, still life creations, and finally a miniature production of Jean Cocteau’s version of Antigone, the classic Greek tale of kingly hubris and civil disobedience.
Drawing
Techniques of Drawing is a follow up class to 9th Grade’s Black and White Drawing class. This course expands on the foundation of working with light and shadow, to include color, composition, and experimental drawing techniques.