HUMANITIES
HSArts’ academic curriculum focuses on traditional liberal arts. Interdisciplinary studies include ancient history to modern world history and a wide sample of literary works including Greek and Chinese classics, Shakespeare, poetry and contemporary authors. Students examine the politics, religion, culture, and ideals of different eras, and the roles men and women have played in significant historical events. Students also study grammar, logic, and rhetoric as they learn how to communicate effectively. Qualified, highly motivated students can elect to take advanced coursework in English Language and History and qualify for graduating with Humanities Honors after having completed at least three AP Humanities courses.
English Language
Our English program focuses on Western classics. Students explore the merits of traditional values through activities designed to enhance core language skills, critical thinking, and literary analysis.
Our literature-based program helps students’ develop literary analysis skills, understand complex rhetorical analysis, and learn how to write well-organized, expository essays. Grammar, vocabulary, poetry, and public speaking are all formally taught in our English program. Further, students practice creative writing through interdisciplinary activities such as playwriting and media projects.
Our Intensive ESL Program facilitates the development of essential academic and everyday English language skills for international students from non-English speaking backgrounds.
Course Description
Grades Offered: 9
Prerequisites: none
UC Approved: Yes
English I is a comprehensive reading, writing, and public speaking course. Students practice literary analysis skills using novels, short stories, and poetry of multiple genres. They build a foundation of strong writing skills through essay writing, literary response, and creative writing. In this class, students expand their academic vocabulary, demonstrate proper use of grammar, and strengthen their public speaking skills.
Grades Offered: 10
Prerequisites: English I or equivalent
UC Approved: Yes
English II, focuses on rhetorical analysis, application of rhetoric to writing, and composing extensive academic papers. Students refine their listening and reading comprehension, writing skills, and academic vocabulary. They prepare and deliver effective messages in a variety of ways. This includes learning how to conduct an interview or give a speech on an academic topic. Completion of a substantial creative writing project is also required for this class.
Grades Offered: 11
Prerequisites: English II or equivalent
UC Approved: Yes
English III, explores American culture, traditions, and history through a diverse study of literature, beginning with oral stories of Native Americans and ending with works from contemporary American authors. Major themes include the forming of American identity; transcendentalism; national conflicts and the Civil War; modernism and postmodernism; and modern media and its implications. Possible readings include: The Grapes of Wrath, A Raisin in the Sun, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Moby Dick, and The Red Badge of Courage.
Grades Offered: 11/12
Prerequisites: English II or equivalent
UC Approved: Yes
English IV explores the origins of the English language and English literature through European classical works that have significantly influenced western thought and culture. Possible readings include: Pride and Prejudice, Lord Jim, The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Macbeth, A Man For All Seasons, Excerpts from Utopia, Canterbury Tales, Gulliver’s Travels.
Grades Offered: 12
Prerequisites: English II or equivalent
UC Approved: Yes
This course enables students to read and comprehend complex non-fiction texts and to write prose of sufficient richness and complexity to communicate effectively with mature readers.
See AP & Honors Course Offerings in English Language
High School Academic Departments
History
As well as fundamental understandings of historical events, the history curriculum facilitates in-depth development of skills in chronological and spatial thinking, historical research and interpretation, academic literacy and writing, as well as interdisciplinary learning.
This four-year program is made up of two years of world history and two years of US history. Students will learn to interpret the correlation and causation of events; analyze the impact of a historical event on a region’s – or the world’s – economy, politics, society and technology; think and write critically about historical events; and explain how they have affected the modern world.
Course Description
Grades Offered: 9
Prerequisites: None
UC Approved: Yes
In Ancient World History, students will study the time period from the Neolithic Revolution (B.C.E. period) up to the Columbian exchange (16th century). The course focuses on the following topics: Cultural/technological contributions of the six ancient world civilizations, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance; human migration and cultural diffusion; development of political and social structures; and empire expansion and downfall.
Grades Offered: 9, 10
Prerequisites: None
UC Approved: Yes
This 9th/10th grade course spans the years 1500-present; subjects covered include the Scientific Revolution, Enlightenment, the American and French revolutions, Industrialization, the Age of Imperialism, the two World Wars, the Cold War, and 21st-century globalization.
Focal Points
Some of the focal points include the Reign of Terror period of the French Revolution, the Stalinist era of the USSR, and the economic imperialism of the 19th-20th centuries. Students do gallery walks, analyze primary documents, and answer challenging reflection questions. What is a government’s role in the lives of its people? What is the right balance between liberty and order? We also discuss stories of genocide, resistance, and standing up for one’s values.
History-Literature Integration
Narratives hold the unique power to __ different perspectives and voices. They also serve to hone students’ close reading, contextualizing, and analytical skills. In the course, students read excerpts from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (British slave trade), All Quiet on the Western Front (World War I), Animal Farm (as a comparison to the Soviet Union), Night (Holocaust),
Interdisciplinary Studies & Real-World Connections
Students complete one or more lengthy projects that connect historical units to real-world problems. Past project topics include:
- Alternate Histories: WWII-present (2016-2017)
- Genocide Research Project (various years)
- Politics, Economy, and Education in Developing Countries (2019-2020, 2020-2021)
- Democracy in the Digital Age (2021-2022)
- The Debate on Standardized Testing (2021-2022)
- Corporations: Positive Impacts and Controversy (2022-2023)
Grades Offered: 11
Prerequisites: None
UC Approved: Yes
This is a comprehensive course intended to cover key topics and information from the Pre-Columbian period up to the current presidential administration. Students will take a thematic approach to analyzing U.S. History along with seeing history through different perspectives (including disenfranchised groups). American achievements will be celebrated, but students will not receive a whitewashed version. The class will explore controversy and failure during readings and discussions on the American experiment with nationhood as well as much deserved feathers in the cap. Time will be spent analyzing and responding to historical documents, literature, and influential speeches. Students will improve upon their map reading skills along with analyzing charts and graphs containing relevant statistics.
Grades Offered: 12
Prerequisites: None
UC Approved: Yes
In this course, students will examine the history of the American federal government and the meaning of democracy with focus on the three branches of government, civil rights and liberties, and modern-day issues. Students will study and analyze increasingly challenging primary texts, including excerpts from the Federalist papers, court cases, and original legislative documents; debate, challenge, and evaluate public policy, demonstrating comprehensive understanding of the complex and unique issues that pervade today’s society; and demonstrate active citizenship by writing a proposal addressed to a member or entity of the U.S. government. Students in the AP course will follow the AP curriculum and will be required to take the AP exam in May for possible college credit.
Grades Offered: 12
Prerequisites: None
UC Approved: Yes
In this course, students will focus on the following topics: economic policy, money movements, banks and other financial institutions operating, economic growth, trade and exchange, consumer behavior, and modern-day issues. Students should be prepared for quantitative work (graphing, algebraic problems) as well as challenging reading assignments. Students in the AP course will follow the AP curriculum and will be required to take the AP exam in May for possible college credit.
This course covers the study of art from prehistory to the 19th century.
Students explore and analyze artwork through five units of study:
- Global Prehistoric Art
- Ancient Mediterranean Art: Artwork from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Themes explored: beliefs about human origins, harmony and order, cosmology, soul/rebirth
- Early European Art to the Renaissance:
- Global Art Traditions:
- Interdisciplinary Studies: Some of the interdisciplinary topics covered in the past include:
- Analysis of commercial interior design, how design/color/lighting corresponds w purpose
- Effect of art on mental health, biological processes(pleasure/reward systems, release of dopamine)
- Role of art in politics – art as propaganda; censorship of artistic expression; use of art to make a statement, expose an issue, satirize or criticize
See AP & Honors Course Offerings in History and Social Sciences
High School Academic Departments
Chinese Language & Culture
HSArts has seven consecutive Chinese courses, students learn Chinese based on their level of language mastery. No prerequisites are required. The beginning levels focus on vocabulary and building key skills in speaking and listening. Reading comprehension and writing abilities are further refined through interpreting and responding to classical Chinese texts and poetry in more advanced classes.
The first three levels in the course sequence, Chinese I-III, focus on building students’ vocabulary as well as key skills in speaking listening. Reading comprehension and writing abilities are refined through interpreting and responding to classical Chinese texts and poetry. Chinese IV-VI are honors courses for advanced Chinese learners and native speakers, that focus on reading complex literary works and extensive writing tasks.
Course Description
Grades Offered: 9, 10, 11, 12
Prerequisites: None
UC Approved: Yes
This course is designed for students with little or no background in Chinese. In Chinese I, students will learn the four tones and pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese and speak in complete sentences, learn Chinese romanization (pinyin), decipher Chinese written character structure and memorize stroke order, accumulate everyday vocabulary, and gain knowledge of famous Chinese legends and historical characters. By the end of the course, students will be expected to recognize at least 500 Chinese words and be able to write in complete sentences.
Grades Offered: 9, 10, 11, 12
Prerequisites: Chinese I or equivalent
UC Approved: Yes
In Chinese II, students will continue developing their Chinese speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. They will engage in real-life conversations with Chinese speakers in local communities, learn to write coherent and well-organized short essays on assigned prompts, and give oral presentations completely in Chinese. They will also study and analyze Tang dynasty poetry and give dramatic readings on selected poems.
Grades Offered: 9, 10, 11, 12
Prerequisites: Chinese II or equivalent
UC Approved: Yes
In their third year of Chinese, students will continue advancing their language skills. They will also study excerpts from the Tao Te Ching, Li Ji, San Zi Jing, and The Art of War, and construct analytical responses in 300- to 500- word essays. Students will come to understand the geography and cultural importance of the modern Sinophone world and write a 3- to 5-page research report on a Chinese city and its historical and geographical significance.
Grades Offered: 10, 11, 12
Prerequisites: AP Chinese or equivalent proficiency
UC Approved: Yes
Chinese IV focuses on the artistic and literary heritage of ancient China. In this class, students will learn about the origins, development, and principles of Chinese dance, music, apparel, visual arts, architecture, and literature. They will study excerpts from famous Chinese literary works including Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Peach Blossom Spring, and Journey to the West, and write a 1500-word expository essay on the themes and motifs in a classic Chinese novel.
Grades Offered: 11, 12
Prerequisites: Honors Chinese IV or equivalent proficiency
UC Approved: Yes
In Chinese V, students will continue to develop their analytical skills across a variety of literary styles, allowing students to study and compare fiction and nonfiction, premodern and modern, and native and translated works in Chinese. They will accumulate an expansive Chinese academic vocabulary and gain working knowledge of Chinese proverbs and idioms; study poetry and prose; conduct debates on real-world and philosophical questions; study translated works; independently compose poetry and give a multimedia presentation to showcase their work; and finally, they will write a 1500-word persuasive essay on a contemporary issue.
Grades Offered: 12
Prerequisites: Honors Chinese V or equivalent proficiency
UC Approved: Yes
Chinese VI is a rigorous course administered as a history course taught entirely in Chinese.
See AP & Honors Course Offerings in World Languages and Culture