12th grade
12th Grade Science
Environmental Science
This block begins with an introduction to basic concepts in ecology such as energy budgets, trophic relationships, and different types of symbioses. From this starting point, the class addresses the many environmental issues facing the world today focusing particularly on the topic of waste and recycling. The class looks in detail at environmental and social issues current environmental issues and hears presentation by activists involved in this work. Other guest lecturers such as Jacques Leslie and Paul Hawken have come and presented their work to the class. Students create a project with the goal of making San Francisco a more environmentally sustainable city.
Chemistry IV
The goal of this block is to prepare the students to perform a three-day independent project during which they will perform the extraction of the essential oil of their choice, the synthesis of one of its components (preferably an ester), and the comparison of the oil and their synthetic ester by thin layer chromatography.
In order to prepare themselves, the students perform the following labs: Esterification of linalool and acetic acid to prepare linalyl acetate; Extraction and purification of the ester and calculation of the yield; Steam extraction and of the essential oil of orange peels; Discovery of the two stereo isomers of limonene and of the asymmetric carbon; Synthesis of aspirin from salicylic acid and acetic anhydride; Thin Layer chromatography of store bought aspirin, lab made aspirin and salicylic acid; Choosing an eluent according to the polarity.
Optics
From a phenomenological point of view optics is approached as the science of the visual world. Light cannot be seen directly, it is only through the interaction with matter that we perceive its existence. The students explore the phenomena of reflection, refraction, polarization, dispersion and colors, interference, and diffraction. The study of the images generated by mirrors (flat, convex and concave) and lenses (biconcave and biconvex) is done first only through observable quantities (parallax and perspective), and later through the ray-tracing model. The wave and particle models of light are discussed at various moments throughout the course. The double slit experiment is used in the end to open up the discussion of the particle/wave duality. Topics of special relativity and quantum mechanics are added according to the time available.
Honors Biology II
This elective is open to seniors who have successfully completed Honors Biology I. The topics covered are: the molecular biology of RNA and DNA, genetics, and population biology. The class consists of the same elements as Honors Biology I; labs, advanced readings, lectures, and a comprehensive final.
Zoology and Evolution
This class begins with a review of the five Kingdoms of life and the qualities that set one Kingdom apart from the others. The major Phyla of animals are studied in detail with special attention paid to modes of reproduction, life cycles, and the characteristics of the nervous and circulatory systems in each group. Laboratory assignments involve detailed observations and descriptions of various living marine invertebrates and the skeletons of vertebrates. The last third of the class is devoted to an historical approach to the examination of biological and geological evidence that indicates the fact of evolution in the development of life. A survey of evolutionary theory from ancient times to the present is studied, with an emphasis on the life and thought of Charles Darwin and the development of his theory of natural selection. In addition, theories such as Neo-Darwinism, endosymbiosis, complexity theory, and ideas that incorporate the spiritual dimension are also presented and discussed.
12th Grade Mathematics
Calculus
Teacher: Cynthia Renegar
Guided by the principle of Archimedes, formal definitions and procedures evolve from the investigation of practical problems. The following topics are introduced this quarter: the definite integral, antiderivatives, integration, and applications of the definite integral.
Independent Study
In this independent study class, each student works at his or her own level and speed.
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.
12th Grade English
English IV: Russian Literature
This course focuses on the masters of Russian Literature in the nineteenth century: Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy. We consider both their biographies and their writings in detail, as well as the political and historical events that have helped make Russian self-identity and expression distinct and fascinating. To cap our studies, we also make explorations into twentieth-century expression (the Modernist novel, early Soviet cinema) and begin making connections with contemporary events. Students undertake written essays as well as creative presentations here.
English IV: Contemporary Literature
Although we span a wide range of cultures in this class, the primary focus of this advanced seminar is on fiction written in the wake of British post-colonialism. Indian writers in particular (such as VS Naipaul, Salman Rushdie, and Hanif Khureishi) are studied for the way they helped shape the evolution of the novel in English by way of the intercultural encounter. Some historical background is given but the emphasis is on literary traditions and style.
Senior Play
The senior play is the culmination of dramatic studies of a Waldorf education. It is the last chance of the graduating students to collaborate on an artistic effort, bringing into play many of the skills they have learned over the years. It is also a gift the seniors give the entire community.
Transcendentalism
We study Transcendentalism to discover its importance in the nineteenth century and its relevance, if any, in this the twenty-first. We concentrate on the lives and writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller and Henry David Thoreau. The students are responsible for reading the assigned texts and discussing them in class, keeping a journal, finding and reading a poem for the opening of class, taking a final exam (of one paragraph) upon which they deliberate for more than forty-eight hours, and, finally, an artistic rendering of an important concept discovered in class.
Faust
We read Goethe’s magnum opus Faust in English translation. The course is intended to be both a culmination of students’ high school academic careers and a scaled-down example of what they can expect to see in future undergraduate humanities courses. We engage in extensive and detailed discussions of the text, including its origins, and its echoes in Western culture. The class is taught as a seminar which posits group inquiry into some of the most profound questions we face in life. At the end, each student is expected to bring in an artistic rendering in image form of one important concept found in Faust.
12th Grade History
History of Architecture
This course follows a broad survey covering 5000 years of Western architecture. Beginning with the first stone monuments of Neolithic Europe and ending with some of the great buildings of 20th century architecture, we examine how human beings create edifices to express their spiritual, civic and personal aspirations. We look at how various aspects of architecture reflect the specific human impulses of given peoples and given times. We also explore how these monuments in turn work on us, how architecture affects the mind, body and spirit of those who encounter it. Students are responsible for creating an Architect's Journal comprising the work done for this class. This is not a "main lesson book" per se, but an aesthetically satisfying compilation of work completed. The journal consists of class notes, titled sketches, writing assignments and a seven-page biography of an historically significant architect with eight detailed and comprehensive sketches of his or her work. Students also take a comprehensive final exam on the last day of the course. Student work is assessed according to accuracy, thoroughness, effort and participation.
Symptomatology
In symptomatology we try to develop a consciousness that lets us reflect more self-consciously (in the best sense) upon the way we live and think in this day and age. We find that we are truly children of our times when we, having seen an event, first gather a lot of information about it and then proceed to analyze and/or synthesize it. We share the agonies of the times when we seldom can move effectively beyond the polarities that so engulf us in almost all facets of life. We call this paralysis an illness. Reading 1984, Brave New World and a few dedicated handouts helps us formulate accurate pictures of our predicament. At the end of the block, we try to introduce some health-giving elements into the paradigm. At the end, we see how beneficial it could be to consider others not as ideas but as human beings, as reputable as we.
Economics
This course reviews the Nineteenth Century beginning with Napoleon and looks at the development of economic thinking from Adam Smith to modern economics. We cover imperialism, the period before the World Wars, the two World Wars, their results, and their effects on the larger globe and on our lives today. In addition, we work to understand the nature of money in relationship to modern life. Current events are a part of our daily work as we try to become more conscious of the world in which we live. Students report daily on certain aspects of the news. Copies of the Wall Street Journal and The Christian Science Monitor are available for student use.
Students read regularly in The Worldly Philosophers by Robert Heilbroner as well as other selected pieces appropriate to the course. There is a daily reading quiz. In addition, students draw a geophysical map of the world, which includes major mountain ranges, water systems, and cities. They are also asked to write a five-to-eight-page, typed and double-spaced paper based on at least three sources with a correctly formatted bibliography. The topic is the modern economic history of a foreign nation. The paper includes an understanding of how economics shaped that country’s history over the last two centuries. An art project related to the theme of the paper or its nation is also required. (Culinary arts were encouraged). Students are evaluated on their reading quizzes, paper, map, and on one test reviewing the material we cover. On the final test, students sketch a free hand map of the world and label it as requested.
America in the Modern World
This course begins with the second half of the Nineteenth Century, in both Europe and America, to set the stage for our study of the Twentieth Century. Beginning with Napoleon, we examine imperialism and its effects, the rise of capitalism, the labor movement, communism, as well as World Wars I and II. We also study the results and effects of the two World Wars on the larger globe and the rise of the Cold War. We learn how America has impacted global economics and politics as we look at current events today. We read primary source material from The American Reader, commentary from various authors, as well as articles from other primary and contemporary sources. Students choose a foreign country, write a five-to-eight-page research paper on the modern history of their nation, and reflect especially on how America has shaped their country's history over the last century. They give an oral report on the same and present an art project related to the theme of the nation they chose. In addition, students draw freehand maps of the world, which include major geophysical features and cities
12th Grade Languages
Spanish IV
The following topics are addressed: subjunctive tenses; complex sentences and clauses; research documents; masters of Latin-America literature; grammar: subjunctive mood, coordinative and subordinated clauses and conjunctions, relative pronouns; oral expression: staging small plays, analyzing magazine, newspaper and literary articles; writing expression: narrative, lyrical poetry and theatre, literature forms and prosody; literature: Nicolas Guillén, Pablo Neruda, Jorge Luis Borges, Jaime Sabines; culture: Marxism in Latin-America, Cold War, Cuban Revolution, the era of Chilean Socialism.
Spanish IV
During this semester we have reviewed the present tense, the preterite, the imperfect, the preterite versus the imperfect, the present subjunctive and commands (all regular and irregular verbs). Ongoing activities include: poems, songs, articles and short stories.
German IV
In German IV, the lessons are based on two readers and supplemental written and audio materials. These materials provide the learning opportunities for reading and listening comprehension, grammar, vocabulary exercises, and comparative discussions of German and American language and culture. The students work with vocabulary, answer comprehension questions, write summaries, and discuss the ideas presented by the authors. In German grammar, we worked in depth on cases, prepositions, verb tenses, and word order. In addition, the students completed written and oral exercises, and took quizzes and tests.
12th Grade Arts
Acting Elective
The 12th grade acting elective is a continuation of the scene study begun in the 11th grade. Particular attention is paid to scoring test and other tools for using language, voice and movement to create compelling, believable characters.
Glass Elective
The students develop a unique stained glass panel with one repeating design element. First, a pattern is created; then they proceed to cutting and grinding the glass. Next, the foil is applied, and the glass pieces soldiered together. Lastly, they resolve a way to mount it to a window. The goal is that the students understand the process of making stained glass and what it takes to do so. Working with glass has considerable risks of miscalculation and breakage, thus great care and precision has to be exercised. Students learn from their mistakes and resolve problems in order to complete the work. Every student is faced with particular issues and tackles them with great success.
Sewing and Design Elective
In this course the students design a garment based on a commercial pattern. As a group, they shop for fabrics at a local store, purchasing the necessary materials according to a budget. Next, they make alterations to the pattern to reflect their designs. Then they learn how to pretreat the fabric, lay out the pattern pieces onto the fabric and cut out their garments. Each student uses the remainder of the course time to sew their garments using various sewing techniques. Upon completion, the students model their fashions for the school community.
Advanced Photography Elective
This class will be based on fine-tuning specific aspects of each student's own techniques of shooting. Students should bring with them a strong foundation in shooting and printing. We will examine other artist's work to see how composition, subject matter and the idea of time create a successful image. Class time will be devoted to shooting and printing along with discussions and demonstrations. Students are expected to shoot at least one roll per week either during class time or out side of class. Some film will be supplied however cost of the majority of film and processing is the responsibility of the individual student. Printing supplies and dark room time will be covered by class budget. Required equipment for class is a working 35mm camera or Holga. Students should have a basic working knowledge of their camera, which includes: loading film, setting aperture, shutter speed and film speed.
Metal Arts Elective
The 11th & 12th Grade Metal Arts course is intended to give students hands-on experience in the process of manipulating and embellishing sheets of copper, brass and or nickel to create useful and beautiful objects. Through a series of directed projects students will learn how to hand make rivets to attach metals together, they will use an acetylene torch for silver soldering, they will also be introduced to molds and mold making in sand and plaster. Castings will be completed in pewter. All students will be encouraged to design pieces that are unique while utilizing the metal art techniques learned.
Modern Art
This two-part course is team taught by Suzanne Darley and Deidre de Franceaux. Ms. Darley presents an overview of the art historical highlights and related cultural and societal events that surround each movement. Ms. De Franceaux guides students through a second component of this course as they create artwork in the style of each modern art movement. In essence, a student not only learns the social and historical context of a movement in contemporary art history, but they are able to create artwork in each style. The course includes a field trip to the new De Young Museum. Final evaluation is based on work produced and participation in class and critique.