Cheshire Academy’s Writing, Composition, and Expression courses offer an intensive, context-based, genre-focused sequence of study in writing for academic purposes. These courses are for students whose home/comfort language is not English.

Students enhance grammatical, mechanical, and lexical control. The course focuses on improving writing styles such as memoirs, scientific articles, short stories, analytical responses, and research papers. Students explore how academic writing presents problems, poses questions, gives feedback, and supports discussion in all disciplines. Rhetorical modes include analysis, description, chronology, process, argument, cause and effect, classification, comparison and contrast, and opinion.

Cheshire Academy’s Writing, Composition, and Expression courses offer an intensive, context-based, genre-focused sequence of study in writing for academic purposes. These courses are for students whose home/comfort language is not English.

Students focus on models of academic genres in all disciplines and develop an understanding of the purpose of each genre, how each genre is organized, argumentative patterns, and specific language features of each genre. They develop tools to critique academic texts, understand conventions, link audience and purpose, and revise papers with structural accuracy, lexical and syntactic mastery, clarity, and coherence.

This course probes what it means to be human by asking questions about identity formation, the relationship between individuals and society, and the ways in which various modes of expression make and convey meaning. Who we are is, in large part, shaped by our cultural heritage, but also by the decisions we make and the person we want to be. This course explores the factors that go into making those decisions.

Students in this course read a wide range of texts—novels, plays, poems, short stories, and nonfiction—from diverse regions, time periods, voices, and perspectives. Through critical engagement with these texts, students develop their own perspectives and voices. Students discuss, write about, and present their ideas in formal academic language as well as in more personal and affirming ways.

In this course, students explore the universal themes that have fascinated writers of poetry, novels, short fiction, and drama for centuries: themes such as triumph over adversity, hope and courage, jealousy, revenge, love, friendship, loyalty, free will versus duty, war, national identity, and coming-of-age journeys. Students search for and create deeper symbolic meanings and contextualize those meanings within their own worlds.

Students encounter a range of literature from various time periods and regions of the world. Students use these texts as vehicles for the important work of close readings as well as identifying and understanding literary devices and their effect on a written work. In concert with active reading skills, students work toward clear and effective communication of their ideas in their own writing.

This course examines what it means to be shaped by the regions, homes, landscapes, and architectures that humans exist within. Students explore the reciprocal relationship between place, culture and identity formation, and literature expression. Understanding that these factors shape humans, literature, and imagination, students will question just how much interaction occurs between place, human life, and story.

Students in this course read a wide range of texts—novels, plays, poems, short stories, and nonfiction—from diverse regions, time periods, voices, and perspectives. Through critical engagement with these texts, students develop their own perspectives and voices. Students discuss, write about, and present their ideas in formal academic language as well as in more personal and affirming ways.

The story of the late 20th and 21st centuries is a story of increasing global connectivity with increasing social isolation, of social uprisings for inclusive freedom with the rise of authoritarianism, repressive theocracy, and international terrorism, and of massive technological progress with seemingly insurmountable climate and health crises. This course explores this story.

Through the study of diverse literature across a multitude of genres from 1950 through the present day, students in this course develop skills of critical analysis and creative response while learning to look through literary lenses that provide novel perspectives.

In this course, students discover the power that words can have to inspire and provoke change. This course challenges students to see the relationship between art and revolution, between words and action, and between literary movements and social ones.

Students read a wide range of works in this course from around the world, spanning eras and genres. Students sharpen their analysis skills by exploring several critical lenses, including new historicism and cultural studies. The course heavily emphasizes purposeful writing and speaking, putting students’ words into action.

In this course, students study language in its many forms and the cultural contexts that produce and consume it. They examine the impact that evolving cultures have on the uses of language as a means of communication within and among those cultures.

Students study nonfiction texts, including essays, speeches, journalism, and advertising, as well as novels, short stories, poetry, and drama from a wide array of regions and time periods, allowing them to closely examine the relationship between a literary text and its cultural context.

The study of literature enables an exploration of one of the more enduring fields of human creativity, and provides opportunities for encouraging independent, original, critical, and clear thinking. It also promotes respect for the imagination and a perceptive approach to the understanding and interpretation of literary works.

Students appreciate the artistry of literature and develop an ability to reflect critically on their reading. Works are studied in their literary and cultural contexts, through close study of individual texts and passages, and by considering a range of critical approaches.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

The study of literature enables an exploration of one of the more enduring fields of human creativity, and provides opportunities for encouraging independent, original, critical, and clear thinking. It also promotes respect for the imagination and a perceptive approach to the understanding and interpretation of literary works.

Students appreciate the artistry of literature and develop an ability to reflect critically on their reading. Works are studied in their literary and cultural contexts, through close study of individual texts and passages, and by considering a range of critical approaches.

College-level reading and writing require flexibility, open-mindedness, discernment, and a willingness to learn along the way. This course is designed around those principles, and encourages students to discover new ways of finding and making meaning.

Students plan, draft, and complete written compositions in response to readings and oral discourse. Students are expected to read critically, think analytically, and communicate clearly in both writing and speech. They respond to the readings with a variety of registers as they interpret the influences of historical and social context on literary works.

This course focuses on drawing as a means of visual inquiry. Students learn to see with an artist’s eye and to know what it is like to look at the world through that lens.

Students learn about gesture, contour line, positive and negative space, visual space, shadow and light, composition, and perspective. They use these methods to render still life, landscape, live model, and the self-portrait. Students manipulate pencil, ink, pastel, oil pastel, colored pencil, and charcoal to complete various projects.

In this course, students learn to accurately discern relationships of shape, form, color, and value, and to interpret this information through various paint media. Students discover a painting’s potential as a medium of communication and creative visual expression.

Students explore various approaches to the use of watercolor, acrylic, and tempera paint. Students develop disciplined technical skills such as paint handling and application. There is no prerequisite for this class, though knowledge of how to draw is helpful.

This course is about literally making meaning. Physical sculpture, in the form of ceramics, is one of the oldest and most powerfully enduring forms of human expression there is. This course opens students’ minds to the ways in which working in a physical medium can create meaning and achieve purpose.

This course consists of hand, wheel, and mold methods of construction. Students examine special hand-building and wheel techniques, glaze and decoration methods, and firing processes. Students create both functional and decorative pieces. There is no prerequisite for this class, though knowledge of how to draw is helpful.

In this course, students are exposed to a variety of printing processes such as monoprint, lithography, transfer, woodcut, linoleum, and dry point. With these methods, students learn to mix various elements to achieve the correct viscosity of ink, to apply just the right amount of ink to whatever surface they are working on, and to master the ability of wiping a plate so as to achieve a good print without under or over-wiping.

Students use the basic elements of art and principles of design to create two-dimensional works. This course is a structured yet spontaneous environment that encourages involvement and commitment to originality and self-expression. Students are introduced to the work of past and present artists who have used various printing methods to great effect as a way to inspire one’s creative imagination.

Artists see the world differently than one another. The same thing, photographed by different people, can yield vastly different effects and meanings. This course teaches students how to develop their artistic visions and to notice the ways in which the visual elements of the world around them interact to affect our perceptions and our lives.

This course covers all of the tools and techniques a budding photographer needs and allows students the freedom to independently explore and develop their photographic vision. Compositional tools such as framing, “rule of thirds,” light, texture, pattern, lines, symmetry, depth of field, distance, perspective, space, and balance are the center of projects and discussions.

Digital imaging is a truly 21st-century way of looking closely at the world and then representing it in terms of aesthetics and truth. In this course, students create work that reveals their spirit and vision. Students develop their own style, mode of expression, and artistic vision.

Students are introduced to digital imaging technology and software. Emphasis is placed on the production and analysis of expressive and thoughtful artwork. By exploring digital media, students develop a body of work that reflects a range of ideation and technical versatility.

This course engages students in a wholly creative experience of the path artists embrace as a vital part of the creative process. Each student discovers the artist within and develops a body of work that is both personal and relevant to the current times in which we live.

Each student keeps their thoughts and ideas in a visual art journal, which becomes an invaluable tool in the creative process. Studio work involves practical exploration and artistic production. Investigative work involves independent contextual, visual, and critical investigation, and both visual and written reflection. As a culmination of the program, each student has a formal showing of their work.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

This course engages students in a wholly creative experience of the path artists embrace as a vital part of the creative process. Each student discovers the artist within and develops a body of work that is both personal and relevant to the current times in which we live.

Each student keeps their thoughts and ideas in a visual art journal, which becomes an invaluable tool in the creative process. Studio work involves practical exploration and artistic production. Investigative work involves independent contextual, visual, and critical investigation, and both visual and written reflection. As a culmination of the program, each student has a formal showing of their work.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR.

This honors-level course, requiring department recommendation, is where the most dedicated art students pursue their passion of making and expressing meaning through art. The artistic process is the core of this class, with an intense focus on the ways in which editing, refining, revising, and reworking pieces is the true way of not just achieving an artistic vision, but of expressing it.

This class is for students who are interested in applying to art and design programs for college, although any student with a strong interest and background in the arts would certainly feel at home. In this course, students develop portfolios culminating with a body of work for the annual Art Major show. This work should represent each student’s passion for the arts and the best of their abilities.

The study of music is the study of craftsmanship in which students learn to appreciate the creation of good work. It is one of the best ways of developing the ability to think creatively and to use our imaginations to see the world in new ways. In this course, students improve their technique, write songs, form ensembles and, most importantly, play music.

Each student practices and rehearses music, and motivated students may choose to participate in one of the many performance opportunities available on campus throughout the year. Students may take this class more than once with a more challenging curriculum; advanced musicians can continue to study their main instrument or explore a secondary instrument.

In this course, students gain an understanding of the core fundamentals of music, including the basic elements of pitch, rhythm, notation, scale structure, tonality, intervals, chords, melody, harmony, and musical terminology and score reading. Students will apply these concepts to analyzing various examples of music, creating original music, and performing various styles of music.

The study of the fundamentals of music develops listening, creative, and analytical skills, as well as encouraging cultural understanding and international mindedness. Musical study encourages inquiry into creative practices and performance processes. In this way, music is a catalyst for the expansion of critical thinking.

This course focuses on the fundamental skills that help musicians of all levels create music of any genre, from the first stages of songwriting to the final steps of recording and production. It is a 21st-century approach, studying and creating contemporary music using various kinds of technology.

Students learn how to record and edit audio, and how to produce a final product using digital audio workstations. As a culmination to the course, each student puts together an end- of-semester album that includes several written, recorded, and produced tracks. Some familiarity with reading music and/or piano playing is recommended, but not required.

Informed and active musical engagement allows students to discover relationships between lived human experience and specific sound combinations and technologies, thus informing them more fully of the world around them and the nature of humanity. This course fosters curiosity and openness to both familiar and unfamiliar musical worlds.

Students learn to hear relationships of pitch in sound, pattern in rhythm, and unfolding sonic structures. At the standard level, and by recommendation, higher level, this course covers music perception, music creation, solo performance, and ensemble performance. This course provides all students with the opportunity to engage in the world of music as lifelong participants.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

Informed and active musical engagement allows students to discover relationships between lived human experience and specific sound combinations and technologies, thus informing them more fully of the world around them and the nature of humanity. This course fosters curiosity and openness to both familiar and unfamiliar musical worlds.

Students learn to hear relationships of pitch in sound, pattern in rhythm, and unfolding sonic structures. At the standard level, and by recommendation, higher level, this course covers music perception, music creation, solo performance, and ensemble performance. This course provides all students with the opportunity to engage in the world of music as lifelong participants.

Studying theater helps students build confidence in public speaking and creative expression. Acting asks students to explore using their voices and bodies to portray character, plot, and emotion, while directing asks students to develop the leadership skills to coach others and enact their unique perspective of a performance. This process also relies on building trust as students create art collaboratively.

This course provides students with opportunities to develop characters, act in monologues, experiment with voice, perform scene work, and devise staged movement. Advanced students can progress to study directing methodology including how to create a directorial vision, coach actors in their process, and give feedback in supportive and productive ways. This course provides excellent preparation for the IB SL or HL Theatre class.

Theater production, the designing of each aspect of the stage environment, is essential to the creation of effective theatrical arts. Developing an eye and ear for creating stage pictures, color palettes, and soundscapes aids in layering meaning to any theatrical piece. This class allows students to apply the principles of design and visual art to a dramatic context.

In this course, students learn the fundamentals of all elements of theater production, including the study of lighting design, sound design, stage design, costuming, and more. Students demonstrate their skills by creating production elements that are utilized in the Fall Play and Winter Musical. Advanced students can take on leadership roles as lead designers. This course provides excellent preparation for the IB SL or HL Theatre class.

The creation of new material for theater performance is an evolving field, comprised of more traditional methods of scriptwriting along with the latest devising techniques. In creating original theater works, students can explore their own interests and add their voices as writers and creators to the Cheshire Academy performance repertoire.

Students immerse themselves in the creation of original theater works by writing monologues, scenes, or one-act plays, and by crafting devised theater pieces. The class functions as a writing workshop with table readings, practice staging, and a supportive feedback and revision process. The course culminates in final products that will be used as material in other theater classes and showcased in the afternoon theater program. This course provides excellent preparation for the IB SL or HL Theatre class.

This multi-faceted theater-making course emphasizes the importance of working both individually and collaboratively as part of an ensemble and offers the opportunity to engage in the creative process, transforming ideas and research into action. Students have the opportunity to experience theater as creators, designers, directors, and performers.

The syllabus comprises three interrelated areas: theater in context, theater in process, and theater presentation. Students at the standard level and, by recommendation, higher level, complete a director’s notebook, chronicling ideas on the staging of a specific play; a research presentation, outlining and physically demonstrating the research into a convention of a theater tradition; and a collaborative theater project.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

This multi-faceted theater-making course emphasizes the importance of working both individually and collaboratively as part of an ensemble and offers the opportunity to engage in the creative process, transforming ideas and research into action. Students have the opportunity to experience theater as creators, designers, directors, and performers.

The syllabus comprises three interrelated areas: theater in context, theater in process, and theater presentation. Students at the standard level and, by recommendation, higher level, complete a director’s notebook, chronicling ideas on the staging of a specific play; a research presentation, outlining and physically demonstrating the research into a convention of a theater tradition; and a collaborative theater project.

Connecting the past to the present is vital both as a skill and as a mindset. This course examines the story of the United States through a thematic study of the United States. Students explore themes like immigration, race relations, the role of government, international relations, competing political philosophies, and the idea of the American Dream.

Through the examination of primary and secondary sources, students enhance their knowledge and understanding of the events and people that have shaped this nation. Students develop their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills, as well as their ability to look at the world through the lens of a historian.

Connecting the past to the present is vital both as a skill and as a mindset. This course examines the story of the United States through a thematic approach that emphasizes not only America through its own view, but also its role in a more globalized world. Students explore themes like immigration, race relations, the role of government, competing political philosophies, and the idea of the American Dream all while highlighting how America weaves its own story with countless others from around the world.

Through the examination of primary and secondary sources, students enhance their knowledge and understanding of the events and people that have shaped this nation. Students develop their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills, as well as their ability to look at the world through the lens of a historian.

This course leans into history as an interpretive discipline, allowing an opportunity for engagement with multiple perspectives and opinions. Studying history develops an understanding of the past, which leads to a deeper understanding of the nature of humans and of the world today.

In this course, students survey modern world history from the High Middle Ages to the turn of the 20th century, focusing on various aspects of politics, economics, society, and culture. Students learn to identify common themes in world history, as well as to make connections from different eras and cultures. Moreover, the course strengthens analytical and interpretive skills specifically applied to source evaluation.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR.

This course leans into history as an interpretive discipline, allowing an opportunity for engagement with multiple perspectives and opinions. Studying history develops an understanding of the past, which leads to a deeper understanding of the nature of humans and of the world today.

In this course, students survey modern world history from the High Middle Ages to the turn of the 20th century, focusing on various aspects of politics, economics, society, and culture. Students learn to identify common themes in world history, as well as to make connections from different eras and cultures. Moreover, the course strengthens analytical and interpretive skills specifically applied to source evaluation.

This course explores the notion that the past IS the present. Students explore what it means to live in a truly globalized, interconnected world, and what the implications of this are for their lives and the life of society and the planet.

Students examine the impetus to create colonial empires, the movement away from foreign rule toward independence, and the impacts to current day that nations have faced due to colonial pasts. This course asks students to look simultaneously to the past, present, and future, gaining skills as historians and social scientists.

This course opens students’ minds to the ways in which abstract political concepts and theories have practical implications in our lives and in the way the world works. Students delve into questions about what it means to live in a pluralistic society, and how a system founded on the idea of equality strives and struggles to live up to that creed.

Students explore the classical foundations of the American system from Ancient Greece and Rome, the contextual debates around the substance of the Constitution, the development of the American political two-party system, the evolution of American law and justice, and broader themes of civics, rights, and the ideals and realities of American governance. This course is highly recommended for students who have not previously taken high school U.S. or American History.

This course plumbs the depth of the human psyche. Students uncover what makes people—and themselves—tick, and they learn to analyze the world through the mind’s eye.

This course provides a foundational exploration of psychology, with an emphasis on developmental psych, social cognition, personality formation, as well as topics as varied as addiction, anxiety, therapy, and trauma.

This course explores the way the world works, or at least the way capitalism and its rival economic systems make the world work. Students discover how social forces and systems operate on a grand scale to shape the lives they lead.

This course covers the behaviors of the economy as a whole, focusing on the relationships between governments, financial markets, corporations, the workforce market, the commodity market, and households.

This course shows students the ways in which human interactions shape their economic status. This will lead students to question just how rational the choices people—themselves included—are in a system of competing incentives and disincentives.

This course covers fundamental topics including supply and demand, and uses model-based, quantitative, and qualitative methods of analysis.

This course explores the nature of thought and the questions behind how humanity got to be the way it is and how it might be made better if we were to change it. Ultimately, to study philosophy is to study the nature of being and to determine our place in the world.

In this course, students learn of the major movements and thinkers in the history of philosophy. Through reading, reflection, and discussion, students also come to form their own philosophical view and are challenged to articulate it to themselves and each other.

This course emphasizes the importance of encouraging students to think historically. It focuses on developing critical thinking and on an understanding of multiple interpretations of history. In this way, the course involves an engaging and critical exploration of the past.

This course is based on a comprehensive and multi-perspective approach to history. It involves the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social, and cultural, and provides a balance of structure and flexibility. This course focuses on six key historical lenses: change, continuity, causation, consequence, significance, and perspective.

The study of economics is essentially about dealing with scarcity, resource allocation, and the methods and processes by which choices are made in the satisfaction of human wants. This course encourages students to develop international perspectives, to foster a concern for global issues, and raises students’ awareness of their own responsibilities at a local, national, and international level.

Economics uses scientific methodologies that include quantitative and qualitative elements. This course emphasizes the economic theories of microeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting individuals, firms, and markets, and of macroeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting countries, governments, and societies.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

This course emphasizes the importance of encouraging students to think historically. It focuses on developing critical thinking and on an understanding of multiple interpretations of history. In this way, the course involves an engaging and critical exploration of the past.

This course is based on a comprehensive and multi-perspective approach to history. It involves the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social, and cultural, and provides a balance of structure and flexibility. This course focuses on six key historical lenses: change, continuity, causation, consequence, significance, and perspective.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

The study of economics is essentially about dealing with scarcity, resource allocation, and the methods and processes by which choices are made in the satisfaction of human wants. This course encourages students to develop international perspectives, to foster a concern for global issues, and raises students’ awareness of their own responsibilities at a local, national, and international level.

Economics uses scientific methodologies that include quantitative and qualitative elements. This course emphasizes the economic theories of microeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting individuals, firms, and markets, and of macroeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting countries, governments, and societies.

This course offers a range of intellectual inquiry, from history and economics to physical science, moral philosophy, and literature. At its core, this class challenges students to see the ways in which they are learning in an interconnected world which they can influence.

The overall concept of this course is to explore a series of broad contemporary issues in an interdisciplinary, unit-based manner, and features a high degree of independent investigation and group sharing. Possible units of study include climate change, global terrorism, poverty, and genetic engineering.

This language acquisition course focuses on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the intercultural elements related to the topics studied and communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations.

Students learn the fundamental lexicon and grammar necessary to communicate through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students respond to visual stimuli, present orally, role play, and write emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements.

This language acquisition course continues to focus on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, demonstrate linguistic competence and intercultural understanding, use language appropriate to a range of interpersonal and cultural contexts, use language to express and to respond to a range of ideas in a clear, coherent, and convincing manner, and use written texts and works of literature written in French.

Students learn the advanced lexicon and grammar necessary to communicate through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students respond to visual stimuli, present orally, role play, and write emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements.

This language acquisition course focuses on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the intercultural elements related to the topics studied and communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations.

Students learn the fundamental lexicon and grammar necessary to communicate through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students respond to visual stimuli, present orally, role play, and write emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements.

In this language acquisition course, students focus on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, demonstrate linguistic competence and intercultural understanding, use language appropriate to a range of interpersonal and cultural contexts, use language to express and to respond to a range of ideas in a clear, coherent, and convincing manner, and use written texts and works of literature written in French.

Students at standard level learn the advanced lexicon and grammar necessary to communicate through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students respond to visual stimuli, present orally, role play, and write emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

In this language acquisition course, students focus on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, demonstrate linguistic competence and intercultural understanding, use language appropriate to a range of interpersonal and cultural contexts, use language to express and to respond to a range of ideas in a clear, coherent, and convincing manner, and use written texts and works of literature written in French.

Students at higher level learn the advanced lexicon and grammar necessary to communicate through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students respond to visual stimuli, present orally, role play, and write emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements.

This language acquisition course focuses on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the intercultural elements related to the topics studied and communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations.

Students learn the fundamental lexicon and grammar necessary to communicate through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students respond to visual stimuli, present orally, role play, and write emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements.

This language acquisition course continues to focus on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, demonstrate linguistic competence and intercultural understanding, use language appropriate to a range of interpersonal and cultural contexts, use language to express and to respond to a range of ideas in a clear, coherent, and convincing manner, and use written texts and works of literature written in Spanish.

Students learn the advanced lexicon and grammar necessary to communicate through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students respond to visual stimuli, present orally, role play, and write emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements.

This language acquisition course focuses on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the intercultural elements related to the topics studied and communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations.

Students learn the fundamental lexicon and grammar necessary to communicate through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students respond to visual stimuli, present orally, role play, and write emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements.

In this language acquisition course, students focus on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, demonstrate linguistic competence and intercultural understanding, use language appropriate to a range of interpersonal and cultural contexts, use language to express and to respond to a range of ideas in a clear, coherent, and convincing manner, and use written texts and works of literature written in Spanish.

Students at standard level learn the advanced lexicon and grammar necessary to communicate through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students respond to visual stimuli, present orally, role play, and write emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

In this language acquisition course, students focus on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, demonstrate linguistic competence and intercultural understanding, use language appropriate to a range of interpersonal and cultural contexts, use language to express and to respond to a range of ideas in a clear, coherent, and convincing manner, and use written texts and works of literature written in Spanish.

Students at higher level learn the advanced lexicon and grammar necessary to communicate through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students respond to visual stimuli, present orally, role play, and write emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements.

This is an introductory, dual-level language acquisition course that focuses on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the intercultural elements related to the topics studied, communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, and use accurately the basic structures of Mandarin.

Students improve their language skills by responding to visual stimuli, presenting orally, role playing, and by writing emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements. Students also listen to authentic radio and television programs related to current events, watch videos, and engage in conversations with native Mandarin speakers.

This introductory language acquisition course focuses on five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet. Students demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the intercultural elements related to the topics studied, communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, and use accurately the basic structures of Mandarin.

Students improve their language skills by responding to visual stimuli, presenting orally, role playing, and by writing emails, blogs, articles, letters, creative stories, and advertisements. Students also listen to authentic radio and television programs related to current events, watch videos, and engage in conversations with native Mandarin speakers.

This course is the first year of a three-year integrated math sequence exploring the topics traditionally covered in Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and Precalculus. This course uses an integrated approach to lay the conceptual and technical groundwork for the study of further algebra, geometry, statistics, and discrete mathematics. It is appropriate for students who have completed Pre-Algebra.

Topics from the traditional Algebra I curriculum include algebraic operations with variable expressions, solving and graphing linear equations and inequalities, and solving quadratic equations. Foundational concepts from geometry and statistics include transformations and similarity, right triangles and the Pythagorean theorem, calculating area, theoretical probability, and quantitative statistics.

PLACEMENT IN THE ACCELERATED OR HONORS LEVEL REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR.

This course is the second year of a three-year integrated math sequence covering the topics traditionally covered in Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and Precalculus. The goal of this course is to extend and apply the topics studied previously and to introduce higher-level topics. This course is appropriate for students who have completed Pre-Algebra and Algebra I

(Integrated Math I). Throughout the course, there is a focus on developing problem-solving skills, evaluating the potential uses of technology in mathematics, and communicating methods and solutions. Students learn to model and may present or produce projects incorporating content from throughout the course.

Topics in the integrated level include linear equations, inequalities and systems, graphing and analyzing functions, exponents and radicals, and quadratic functions. Concepts from geometry include parallel lines and transversals, polygon angles, triangle congruence and basic proofs, properties of quadrilaterals and circles, and 3D geometry. Additional topics in the accelerated level include exponential functions, and right triangle and unit circle trigonometry. The honors level involves deeper explorations, extensions, and applications of all topics and includes further proofs and trigonometric functions on the coordinate plane.

PLACEMENT IN THE ACCELERATED OR HONORS LEVEL REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR

This course is the third year of a three-year integrated math sequence covering the topics traditionally covered in Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and Precalculus. The goal of this course is to integrate all previously learned math content, solidify retention of technical skills, and lead students into the questions that can be answered with higher-level study of mathematics including calculus and statistics. This course is appropriate for students who have completed Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II (Integrated Math II). Throughout the course, there is a focus on problem solving, comparison of methods and solutions, and self-reflection on both conceptual and technical mastery.

Topics in the integrated level include an integrated look at linear, quadratic, polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, radical, and rational functions, an introduction to complex numbers, equations of circles, and an in-depth study of trigonometry. Non-algebraic concepts include one-variable data analysis, graphical representations of two-variable statistics, and area and volume calculations. Additional topics in the accelerated level include sketching parent functions and their transformations without technology, as well as sequences and series. Further additional topics in the honors level include two-dimensional vectors, theoretical probability, and an introduction to limits and basic differential calculus.

This course is for students who want to learn a more intuitive and less formulaic version of mathematics, where fluid understanding of concepts is centered. Students will work through the basic building blocks of math at a deeper level and learn to apply them to more complex and varied situations.

Students will then use these skills to learn and cover mainstream content based on their proficiency levels. Topics can cover any content from Integrated Math I, II, or III, as well as prerequisite knowledge and extended learning.

In this course, students learn how to gather data strategically and use data analytics to make actionable recommendations. Through project-based learning, particular attention is given to how data-based decisions can change the way businesses and other organizations operate.

This course provides an introduction to the data science process, including asking interesting questions, gathering data, analyzing data with statistics, data visualizations, and communication of findings. Spreadsheet and presentation software are utilized throughout the course.

Larger real-world systems like weather, biological systems, sports, and economics have patterns that we can come to understand. In seeking their encapsulation, this course directly promotes meaning making and investigating connections between concepts. Topic coverage arises largely from student interest, so the course also allows students to holistically consider the issues they are concerned about.

Students use current data in relevant fields as the context for making and interpreting mathematical models. They review basic data analysis techniques to investigate and challenge current popular interpretations before completing explanatory projects. Students specifically focus on being able to untangle complexity using mathematical analysis and careful consideration of contextual factors before elegantly expressing their crystallized understanding.

This course is designed for students with varied backgrounds and abilities in mathematics. Students develop practical mathematical skills for describing our world, modeling and solving real-world problems using the power of technology.

Students learn to create and use models with linear, exponential, natural logarithmic, cubic, and simple trigonometric functions. Students learn right-angled and non-right-angled trigonometry, bearings, surface area and volume of 3D figures, and methods for collecting, displaying, and analyzing one- and two-variable data sets.

This course develops curiosity and enjoyment of mathematics, and appreciation for its elegance and power. Students develop logical and critical thinking and refine their powers of abstraction and generalization.

This course is for students with a solid background in algebraic and geometric thinking. The course covers number sets and scientific notation, sequences and series and their financial applications, probability, one-variable statistics, linear correlation for two-variable data sets, triangle trigonometry, and analytic trigonometry.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

This course develops curiosity and enjoyment of mathematics, and appreciation for its elegance and power. Students develop logical and critical thinking and refine their powers of abstraction and generalization.

Students with a solid background in precalculus explore exponential, logarithmic, rational, and polynomial functions and function operations, statistics and probability, sequences and series, and advanced trigonometry. The course moves on to methods of proof and the study of differential and integral calculus.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR.

This is a non-calculus-based, college-level introductory statistics class. This course explores problems in many fields, including business, science, sports, and public policy. Students should be confident with high school math through Algebra II or its equivalent. Department approval is required to enroll in this course.

Data analysis, collection, and probability occupy the first semester. These topics are combined to discuss inference during the second semester. Students will also understand the conditions and assumptions necessary to use particular statistical tools, construct confidence intervals, and perform hypothesis tests.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR.

This fast-paced, college-level course in single variable calculus explores the interpretation of graphs and tables as well as analytic methods. Students must be confident with prior mastery of precalculus concepts. Department approval is required to enroll in this course.

The primary topics of this course are limits, derivatives, integrals, and their applications. Students learn to work with functions presented numerically, algebraically, and graphically, and to discuss the connections among these representations.

This course studies creativity within a global context. It raises awareness of the moral, ethical, social, economic, and environmental implications of using science and technology and the possibilities and limitations associated with continued developments in IT systems and computer science.

This teaches computing system fundamentals, program construction using Java, systems life cycles, and software development. Students come to understand the use of computers in a variety of disciplines and learn methods to analyze problems and plan computer solutions. It is recommended that students take Coding prior to enrolling in this course.

We spend tremendous amounts of our lives surfing the web, but what is it, and how do the pages we work, shop, share, read, fight, and get information on come to be? This course explores the inner workings of how websites come to be and operate.

This project-based course introduces students to the wide world of web design. Students learn to create websites using open-source internet resources. They use a variety of coding languages, including HTML, CSS, SASS, and JavaScript to develop a foundation for creating and adding a variety of aspects to webpages. Students ranging from coding beginners to experienced programmers can take this course to learn new coding languages and broaden their understanding of how computers and webpages work.

This course is an introduction to the exciting, rapidly growing world of coding and teaches structured program logic. Students discover the role computation and analysis of animation can play in solving problems. They learn the process of writing and debugging a program through algorithms and simulation. Good style and logical thinking will be emphasized throughout the semester. This course is appropriate for students who have completed Integrated Math I or the equivalent.

What do Google and Amazon do with all the data they collect every day? Data science is booming. Fundamental to this course is the difference between scientific experimentation, statistics, and big data.

Students in this course learn some of the tools that data scientists use to get value from huge amounts of data. Students complete their own research on data of interest and generate statistics using software such as Stata, R, and SQL. A unit of this class also focuses on managing data with Excel. This course is appropriate for students who have completed Integrated Math I or the equivalent.

In this course, students uncover the patterns that characterize the universe, life, and the physical world. They learn to think like scientists, inquiring into systems, processes, and interactions by directly observing, questioning, and analyzing the world around them.

This course covers the spectrum of scientific fields, from biology to chemistry, from earth science to physics, and from environmental science to engineering. Students put these themes to practical use through hands-on research, conducting experiments, and collaborating to creatively address real-world problems.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

In this course, students examine the interactions that characterize living and non-living systems, explaining and predicting phenomena via the development of scientific models. They learn to think like scientists, inquiring into causes and effects by directly observing, questioning, and analyzing the world around them.

This course covers the spectrum of scientific fields, from biology to chemistry, from earth science to physics, and from environmental science to engineering. Students put these themes to practical use through hands-on research, conducting experiments, and collaborating to creatively address real-world problems.

Physics reveals the mathematical beauty of the universe at scales ranging from subatomic to cosmological. It is the study of nature in an attempt to understand how the universe behaves.

Physics students investigate topics including an in-depth conceptual and quantitative investigation into motion, forces, energy, and electricity and magnetism, and learn to appreciate the development of scientific principles and the people who developed them. Students are expected to have succeeded in Integrated Math II or the equivalent to take this course.

This course sharpens student pattern recognition, observation, analysis, and critical thinking skills. Students are challenged in this course to consider, at a deeper level, the implications of subjects like biology and skills like deductive reasoning in the real world.

Students engage in the scientific study of searching and processing crime scenes, as well as the proper collection and analysis of simulated physical evidence. Students experience a variety of procedures to analyze things such as fingerprints, hair and fiber, blood splatter, cybercrime, DNA analysis, and more.

In this course, students see science, mathematics, and engineering through the real-world connections made in the classroom. They see how these disciplines play a major role in their everyday world and the importance of being scientifically and technologically literate.

The course focuses on the design process and its application. Topics include mechanisms, energy, statics, materials, and kinematics. Students create solutions to different challenges, and then document their work and communicate their solutions to their peers.

In this introductory course, students investigate the nature of the universe and how we know about it. Concepts of scientific evidence and justification, structure and evolution, and understanding humanity’s place in the universe are emphasized as we learn about the solar system, stars, galaxies, and cosmology.

Students develop an understanding of and ability to practice techniques in observational astronomy, including the practice of night sky observation and spectroscopic analysis. They pursue independent projects investigating astronomical phenomena of their choice and hone their scientific presentation and communication skills.

This course gets at the heart of how scientific knowledge progresses and how we distinguish science from pseudoscience. Students develop both a sense of scientific intuition and imagination.

This course incorporates the disciplines of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, psychology, and nutrition, which are studied in the context of sport, exercise, and health. Students acquire the knowledge and understanding necessary to apply scientific principles and analyze human performance. Ethical issues that exist within sporting competitions are considered.

This course develops globally minded students who understand and appreciate the world’s biodiversity and interconnectedness by explaining and discussing all aspects of life. Students design their own experiments to test aspects of their world and knowledge to empower decision-making.

This course empowers students to investigate their world with the knowledge and skills needed for scientific inquiry. Students explore life from the molecular level through organismic evolution and its ecological role.

Chemistry enables us to understand the properties of different materials and to transform materials into new and useful substances. Through chemistry, we can understand changes that we observe in the physical world.

This course covers core concepts in chemistry, comprising, essentially, a college-level syllabus. Topics include atomic structure, stoichiometry, periodicity, chemical bonding and structure, energetics, kinetics, and equilibrium. The second year covers organic chemistry, analytical techniques, acids and bases, redox, and an option of medicinal chemistry. Extensive laboratory work is conducted, and problem-solving skills are emphasized throughout the course.

This class is about the concepts and principles of physics, abstract thought, and the global impacts of science on the cultures of the world. Students discover and explore the nature of science through past and present discoveries and the direction of science in the future.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of measurements, uncertainties, mechanics, thermal physics, waves, electricity and magnetism, circular motion and gravitation, atomic, nuclear, and particle physics, and one option to be chosen by the teacher.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

This course develops globally minded students who understand and appreciate the world’s biodiversity and interconnectedness by explaining and discussing all aspects of life. Students design their own experiments to test aspects of their world and knowledge to empower decision-making.

This course empowers students to investigate their world with the knowledge and skills needed for scientific inquiry. Students explore life from the molecular level, through organismic evolution and its ecological role.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

Chemistry enables us to understand the properties of different materials and to transform materials into new and useful substances. Through chemistry, we can understand changes that we observe in the physical world.

This course covers core concepts in chemistry, comprising, essentially, a college-level syllabus. Topics include atomic structure, stoichiometry, periodicity, chemical bonding and structure, energetics, kinetics, and equilibrium. The second year covers organic chemistry, analytical techniques, acids and bases, redox, and an option of medicinal chemistry. Extensive laboratory work is conducted, and problem-solving skills are emphasized throughout the course.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/IB COORDINATOR.

This class is about the concepts and principles of physics, abstract thought, and the global impacts of science on the cultures of the world. Students discover and explore the nature of science through past and present discoveries and the direction of science in the future.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of measurements, uncertainties, mechanics, thermal physics, waves, electricity and magnetism, circular motion and gravitation, atomic, nuclear, and particle physics, and one option to be chosen by the teacher. At higher level, students further explore wave phenomena, fields and forces, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear and quantum physics.

This course demonstrates the ways that environment and justice intersect, and how individuals can work to understand and take action against injustice.

This course explores rites of passage through anthropology, psychology, literature, dreams, and popular culture.

This course explores the intersection between words, melody, and emotional experience.

This highly experiential course focuses on the connections between U.S. History, French/French-Canadian culture, and the lives of the communities in and around Cheshire and the state of Connecticut.

This course explores the integral role music plays in the development of culture and society, and in turn, the ways culture has always influenced music.

This course tackles the information age in all of its complexity and confusion so that students can become strong synthesizers and analysts of the information that bombards them every day.

This course combines film studies, theater studies, and women’s studies to explore the ways in which culture shapes gender and the ways gender shapes culture.

Engaging in civil dialogue and conversation makes us effective mechanisms of change in society. The ability to deliver a convincing message benefits students throughout their public, personal, and professional lives. This course explores persuasive writing and speaking and helps students learn to craft messages of influence. Students create and assess arguments, detect discrepancies and faults in reasoning, and learn to understand commonsensical associations between thoughts and ideas.

In this semester course, students engage in audience analysis during speech brainstorming, organization, and delivery. Students explore different areas of persuasive speaking including, but not limited to, law, social media, public issues, and policy. Students create formal speeches to inspire a call to action and sway opinion, brief extemporaneous speeches, argument analyses, and peer speech evaluations. Group work aids preparation and provides a forum to try out arguments and ideas.

This course prompts students to be aware of themselves as thinkers, encouraging them to become more acquainted with the complexity of knowledge. Students come to recognize the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected but uncertain world.

This course for full IB Diploma Programme candidates asks students to reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and areas of knowledge. It asks questions about the role and nature of knowledge in students’ cultures and the cultures of others in the wider world.

Core IB Diploma Programme course.

This course prepares postgraduates for college and life outside school. The first semester focuses on the college preparation process, with dedicated time for work on applications (including essays and supplements), as well as discussions around learning styles, the recruitment process, practice for on-campus tours and interviews, and college athletics. The semester concludes with lessons on leadership and financial literacy, culminating in a group presentation with written reflection.

The second semester is defined by each student’s individual passion through the Postgraduate Project. This is a multi-faceted assignment that requires design, critical thinking, problem solving, research, media literacy, organization, communication skills, and hands-on experiential learning. This project is a culminating academic and intellectual experience to prepare students for college, modern careers, and adult life.

This STEM-oriented course examines the intersection of emerging tech and the forces driving the world together.

This course invites students to explore frameworks of moral philosophy, military doctrine, international codes of conduct, and the Humanitarian Charter, applying them to real-life global crises.

This course combines language, history, human geography, demographic research, and socio-economic critical theory in a survey of Latinx North America.

This course connects hard science with literary activism to explore the ramifications of natural selection.

This course uses cutting-edge research on the brain to explore the ways in which we experience, express, and understand our feelings.

This course gets at the heart of how scientific knowledge progresses and how we distinguish science from pseudoscience. Students develop both a sense of scientific intuition and imagination.

This course incorporates the disciplines of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, psychology, and nutrition, which are studied in the context of sport, exercise, and health. Students acquire the knowledge and understanding necessary to apply scientific principles and analyze human performance. Ethical issues that exist within sporting competitions are considered.

THIS IS A ONE-YEAR IB COURSE. PLACEMENT PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO FULL IB DIPLOMA STUDENTS, STARTING WITH 12TH-GRADE STUDENTS.

This course is firmly grounded in the real world and focuses on the interactions between individuals, societies, and physical processes in both time and space. It seeks to identify trends and patterns in these interactions. It also investigates the way in which people adapt and respond to change and evaluates actual and possible management strategies associated with such change.

This course integrates physical, environmental, and human geography, and ensures that students acquire elements of both socio-economic and scientific methodologies. Geography examines relevant concepts from a variety of disciplines. This helps students develop life skills and have an appreciation of, and a respect for, alternative approaches, viewpoints, and ideas.

History and society have been shaped by athletic competition. From the ancient Olympic Games to the modern fight for pay and gender equity, nations and people are shaped by sport. Many social justice movements have found champions in athletes; Jim Thorpe, Greg Louganis, Jackie Robinson, Billie Jean King, and Colin Kaepernick have all used their athletic skills to bring light to social issues.

This class will target the complex relationship between the world of sport and the greater world in which sport and competition operates within. Students will develop critical thinking and research skills while investigating topics of sports and politics, sports and ethics, sports and business, and sports and social movements.

PLACEMENT IN THIS COURSE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR.

This honors-level course, requiring department recommendation, is where the most dedicated music students pursue their passion of making and expressing meaning through music. The process of music mastery is the core of this class, with an intense focus on the ways in which practice, nuance, phrasing, performance, and technical mastery all come together as part of the process of making great music.

This class is for students who are interested in applying to music programs for college, although any student with a strong interest and background in music would certainly feel at home. This course builds toward regular performances throughout the year as well as audition preparation. This work should represent each student’s passion for music and the best of their abilities.

THIS IS A ONE-YEAR IB COURSE. PLACEMENT PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO FULL IB DIPLOMA STUDENTS, STARTING WITH 12TH-GRADE STUDENTS.

This course invites students to explore perceptions of reality and ways in which literary art forms uplift the mind. Students express emotion, create beauty, and build community by exploring the creative process and through transforming texts.

This interdisciplinary course incorporates essential elements of literature and performance and aims to explore the relationship between the two. Students approach literary and dramatic texts as readers, actors, and directors in order to develop their imagination, confidence, and creativity.

FOR STUDENTS NOT PURSUING THE IB DIPLOMA, THIS COURSE MAY BE TAKEN AS AN ENGLISH CREDIT OR A FINE & PERFORMING ARTS CREDIT.

FOR STUDENTS PURSUING THE IB DIPLOMA, IF TAKEN, THIS COURSE MUST BE THEIR GROUP 1 COURSE.

THIS IS A ONE-YEAR IB COURSE. PLACEMENT PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO FULL IB DIPLOMA STUDENTS, STARTING WITH 12TH-GRADE STUDENTS.

This course invites students to explore perceptions of reality and ways in which literary art forms uplift the mind. Students express emotion, create beauty, and build community by exploring the creative process and through transforming texts.

This interdisciplinary course incorporates essential elements of literature and performance and aims to explore the relationship between the two. Students approach literary and dramatic texts as readers, actors, and directors in order to develop their imagination, confidence, and creativity.

FOR STUDENTS NOT PURSUING THE IB DIPLOMA, THIS COURSE MAY BE TAKEN AS AN ENGLISH CREDIT OR A FINE & PERFORMING ARTS CREDIT.

FOR STUDENTS PURSUING THE IB DIPLOMA, IF TAKEN, THIS COURSE MUST BE THEIR GROUP 1 COURSE.

Self-examination, reflection, and observation are essential to the craft of writing. The sharing of the self allows stories to impact others. The work that students produce in this course is grounded in imagination, as students learn to craft fiction.

Utilizing workshop and writing group techniques, students work to develop their writing skills, and produce a variety of work that reflects exposure to short stories, plays, poetry, and experimental genres. Through free-writing exercises and journaling, students articulate and explore their feelings in response to prompts that touch upon a wide range of beliefs and experiences.

Self-examination, reflection, and observation are essential to the craft of writing. The sharing of the self allows stories to impact others. The work that students produce in this course is based on personal experience.

This course immerses students in the written and spoken word, develops their writing skills, and produces a variety of work that reflects exposure to short stories, plays, poetry, memoirs, and experimental genres, all with a non-fiction focus. Through free- writing exercises and journaling, students articulate and explore their feelings in response to prompts that touch upon a wide range of beliefs and experiences.

In this course, students examine the interactions that characterize living and non-living systems, explaining and predicting phenomena via the development of scientific models. They learn to think like scientists, inquiring into causes and effects by directly observing, questioning, and analyzing the world around them.

This course covers the spectrum of scientific fields, from biology to chemistry, from earth science to physics, and from environmental science to engineering. Students put these themes to practical use through hands-on research, conducting experiments, and collaborating to creatively address real-world problems.