Performing Arts

The Stoneleigh-Burnham School Performing Arts program is a place where students can express themselves through a community oriented, student centered, culturally responsive environment. Students are encouraged to explore, experiment, and share themselves and their creative endeavors through dance, music, and theater.

  • Middle School Chorus

    Middle School Chorus is a vocal music ensemble open to middle school students of all experience levels. Students learn and perform choral arrangements of a wide variety of styles of music, while exploring vocal technique, singing in harmony, and blending and working together as an ensemble. Middle School Chorus frequently explores musical concepts through play, including music games and creative warmups. Students also learn a strong foundation of music literacy skills, including learning to read pitch and rhythm and training their musical ears.

  • Dance 7

    Dance 7 is a class in which students explore kinesthetic awareness and creative expression through movement. Students learn fundamentals of jazz, ballet, and contemporary forms. To learn dance is to learn dance history, so students also investigate the larger cultural contexts of each form’s origin and current iteration. Dance 7 members view different examples of dance in performance and reflect on the ways dance can impact their daily lives. Students also develop their performance skills and share a dance in formal or informal concerts. 

  • Music 7

    Music 7 is a class where students learn to listen to and discuss different styles of music, including classical, jazz, film, and popular music. Students learn basic music literacy skills, including reading rhythm and identifying note names on the treble and bass clefs. Students also explore music through creating projects and presentations, including creating their own songs in GarageBand. 

  • Theater 7

    Theater 7 is a class where students explore acting, improvising, and creative thinking and writing. Students learn the fundamentals of theater by exploring the different jobs in a theater production and learning important theater terminology, including stage directions. Students practice learning and delivering monologues, building characters, and writing scenes and dialogue. The class concludes with a final project where students perform scenes and monologues they have written as a class. 

  • Theater 8

    In Theater 8, students will practice character study, scene writing, and exploring movement and expression on stage. Students will work on projecting their voices and articulating to an audience, and will learn to get into character and use their voices and movements intentionally. We will learn to block monologues and scenes on stage and will practice memorizing scripts and blocking. The class will culminate in a final performance.

  • Dance Performance Project (DPP)

    Dance Performance Project (DPP) is a student-led choreography ensemble. Students devise their own choreographic projects and develop their directorial and performance skills. Dancers share their choreography in formal and informal concerts. 

  • International Baccaluareate (IB) Dance

    In IB Dance, students develop their movement technique and their choreographic skills. Students also learn about the dance elements of time, space, and energy. Dancers study dances and cultures from outside their own perspective and write a comparative paper about two dance forms: one familiar, and one unfamiliar. Students choreograph two or three dance pieces and share their compositions and creative process at an annual concert. Additionally, dancers learn one, two, or three dance pieces to showcase their movement technique, interpretative ability, and performance skills.

  • Dance Repertory

    Dance Repertory is an ensemble-based, process-oriented course. Students develop group dance pieces through weekly rehearsals over the course of a year. Dancers learn to be active, generative artists within a rehearsal process and engage in multiple collaborative processes. Students share these compositions in formal and informal concerts.

  • Upper School Chorus

    Upper School Chorus is a vocal music ensemble open to upper school students of all experience levels. Students learn and perform choral arrangements of a wide variety of styles of music, while exploring vocal technique, singing in harmony, and blending and working together as an ensemble. Students also learn a strong foundation of music literacy skills, including learning to read pitch and rhythm and training their musical ears.

  • Octet

    Octet is an auditioned vocal music ensemble open to upper school students. Students in Octet explore challenging choral and a cappella arrangements, often singing with two or three voices on a part. Octet singers also expand their knowledge of musical literacy skills through consistent practice with reading, dictating, and improvising music.

  • Rock Band

    Rock Band is open to any interested student regardless of experience. Students propose and select music to learn and rehearse, participate in creating arrangements, and may perform in any or all of the six or more shows we hold each year. This is a full-year course open to both middle and upper school students. 

  • World Music

    Students explore music-cultures through the four components of a music-culture model which includes ideas and beliefs, activities, repertories, and material culture. Students engage in how to study, play, dance, and listen to music from different cultures.

  • Big Band

    Big Band is open to students who play traditional and jazz band instruments. Students must be at least at a beginner to intermediate playing and score reading level to join. Students develop individual and ensemble instrumental techniques through the study and performance of a variety of musical styles. They perform at all Performing Arts concerts and sometimes at other school and outside school functions. Throughout the year, students learn band and jazz band repertoire. Styles covered include, but are not limited to, jazz standards, popular, funk, Latin, rock, and holiday music.

  • Chamber

    Chamber Music is a performance class designed for students who have some instrumental experience and are interested in studying and performing chamber music. A variety of ensembles may be formed according to instrumentation and ability. Students develop individual and ensemble instrumental technique and perform at concerts, school functions, and outside events. Styles covered can include but are not limited to classical, baroque, romantic, modern, Latin, popular and more.

  • International Baccalaureate (IB) Music

    This practical course encourages and fosters the acquisition of knowledge and understanding of diverse musical material, and development of musical competencies and related musical skills in the roles of performers, creators, and researchers through the practical processes of exploring, experimenting and presenting. It introduces students to a wide range of music from familiar and unfamiliar contexts that expands their horizons and provides new and exciting musical stimuli for their own work. To achieve this, the course uses a framework of areas of inquiry and contexts. Students broaden their knowledge by engaging with diverse musical material from personal, local and global contexts. They develop their musical identities by considering music and its functions in four areas of inquiry (AoIs).

Visual Arts

Students in the Visual Arts learn direct observation, cultivate a sense of self and personal vision, and use tools and materials to make meaning. Our program fosters trust in the process of both individual and collaborative growth and a consideration of historical and contemporary artist practices. We celebrate the joy in making, playful inquiry, and expansive thinking.

  • ART 7

    This course is an introduction to visual art through an art historical lens. Students learn about and create work in a variety of art mediums while concurrently investigating cultural, historical and geographical contexts of the art forms. In this class students work both independently and collaboratively to explore how people have expressed their traditions, beliefs, identities and daily actions through art, and experiment with using symbolism to express their own cultural and personal identities. (MS)

  • 3D Design 7

    Continuing to work with the use of symbolism and visual narrative, students will break from the page and explore three-dimensional form. Using paper, cardboard, clay, wire, and found material students will investigate strategies of occupying and moving through three-dimensional space. (7th grade)

  • DESIGN & COLOR

    This foundation course focuses on an introduction to the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Students complete a sequence of projects related to contemporary topics that ask them to apply their understanding of concepts and techniques, and think critically about their own work, the work of their peers, and historical works of art. Students explore how images work, how they are constructed, and what they mean, and gain practice writing about art. This class highlights creative problem solving, interdisciplinary learning, and critical thinking in the visual arts. (8th and 9th grades)

  • INTRO TO DRAWING & PAINTING 8

    This elective is open to eighth graders who have completed Design & Color and offers an introduction to drawing and painting techniques on paper. Students will use pencil, ink, acrylic, and watercolor to create both observational and invented studies and compositions. (MS)

  • ANIMATION

    This elective is an introduction and exploration of animation primarily through hand-drawn animation. Students will learn the basics of animation but have room to experiment and follow their ideas. The course uses iPads and a Pencil/Crayon to create digitally drawn animations and understand the tools and platforms for digital animation. (US)

  • CERAMICS

    In this course students learn the fundamentals of hand-building, throwing on the potter's wheel, underglazing, glazing, carving, and other decoration techniques. Students work on a variety of projects, from simple forms, to elaborate functional and sculptural pieces. (MS/US)

  • DRAWING

    This course focuses on observational technique while fostering careful observation and an inquiry of basic problems of line, value, space and composition. (US)

  • FILM/VIDEO

    This elective introduces students to a variety of basic filmmaking techniques, tools, and topics, from scripting and cinematography, to directing, video editing, and color grading. Students will learn narrative and concept development, as well as context for their practice in a brief history of lens-based media and contemporary examples. (US)

  • PAINTING

    A prerequisite for students considering IB Art, this course explores composition, color theory, and narrative while developing brushwork and understanding of paint application using primarily watercolor, gouache, and acrylic paints. (US)

  • Paper Making / Book Making

    Students will explore several paper making techniques that utilize recycled paper goods, found natural materials, as well as applications of pigment and use of natural dyes. After an inquiry into the historical and contemporary practice of book making, students will learn several bookbinding techniques and projects that consider content, user experience and overall aesthetic— even creating a small book made from paper samples they made at the beginning of term. (US)

  • PHOTO

    In this elective, students use digital SLR cameras to learn photography techniques using traditional and contemporary concepts and skills. Students learn how to use their cameras, compose photographic images, and develop their personal photographic vision. The course material is presented within a cultural and historical context of the form, from modern to contemporary. Emphasis is on photographic practice, with some research and writing assignments intended to deepen understanding of the material. Students work in black and white to focus on formal qualities, structure, and contrast. (US)

  • PRINTMAKING

    This elective explores a variety of methods for making monoprints and carved block prints using water soluble oil- and water-based inks on a variety of surfaces. Art historical and contemporary practices act as context for each technique introduced. (US)

  • Props & Set

    In collaboration with the winter musical Once Upon a Mattress, this course will introduce students to various set building strategies and materials. Students should come ready to adorn the stage with their creations! An interest in painting, drawing, and building imaginative worlds is key. (MS/US)

  • SCULPTURE

    An introduction to three-dimensional fabrication techniques, this course uses paper clay, wire armature, papier mache, and site-specific mixed media to explore traditional and experimental approaches to sculpture with context in historical and contemporary practices. (MS/US)

  • WEAVING

    This course explores weaving on a four harness loom. Students will become familiar with the parts of the loom, weaving terminology, basic weave structures, color effects, reading drafts, and fiber types. Students will weave and finish three items over the course of the trimester. (MS/US)

  • INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) ART

    In the first year of this course, students investigate and explore art from diverse cultures and time periods. Students plan and create studio artworks with an emphasis on documenting their influences through research and keeping a sketchbook, known as the visual arts journal. Students learn to formally analyze art and will frequently compare and critique art throughout the year. The class will visit galleries and museums at least three times during the year. As the year progresses, each student is encouraged to find and develop their own voice in the visual arts. (US)

    In the second year of this course, students further develop their personal style to create a realized body of work. They will continue to work in their visual arts journal, documenting their process of creating and investigating art, including sketches, planning notes and expressive intentions as well as connections to pertinent works that have influenced the student’s work. In March, there is a formal exhibit of each student’s work which they will install. Each student will complete a Comparative Study, Process Portfolio, and Exhibition documentation and statements for submission to the IB. (US)

Languages

Language is a means of self-expression, play, and understanding the world. The Stoneleigh-Burnham School language program guides students as they explore global citizenship and learn to communicate in a safe environment while respecting differences. We embrace how language, culture and identity are inextricable. Literacy and cultural competency grow over a multi-year course of study.

  • INTRODUCTION TO LANGUAGES

    Taken in the seventh grade, Introduction to Languages is a foundational language course for Middle School students. Through a variety of experiences in French, Latin, Arabic, linguistics, Spanish, and Polish, students explore some of the world’s many languages, investigate how they work, and learn to be successful students of language. The class takes both a conversational and an analytical approach to language learning. Each language section focuses on different language-learning strategies, conversational topics, and grammar concepts, from Latin roots to buying food in a Polish deli. In the linguistics section, students study phonology, grammar, writing systems, the history of English, language families, endangered languages, and the politics of language. Cultivating a deeper appreciation of the languages of the world is an important goal of the course.

  • FRENCH AND SPANISH (LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2, & LEVEL 3)

    These three courses function as a sequence structured around the Comprehensible Input (CI) approach to language acquisition. We use Notre Histoire/Nuestra Historia from the Voces Digital platform to build students' proficiency through communicative tasks based on authentic resources and real-world scenarios. This interactive resource provides opportunities for independent work that includes listening and speaking exercises. Students read and create stories, they learn and practice small sets of vocabulary used repeatedly, and they delve deeper into the language in a low anxiety and joyful environment. Students learn about other cultures in a dynamic and inclusive way. Through the use of relevant authentic materials they gain global awareness and witness the language used with a purpose. Each course is adapted to the students’ proficiency level. Teachers give considerable input that the learner can understand, being nonetheless challenging. Students then produce output with confidence and accuracy.

  • INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) FRENCH AND SPANISH (YEAR 1 AND YEAR 2)

    At SBS we offer both Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) Language courses in French and Spanish. These two-year courses develop students’ linguistic ability through the enhancement of receptive, productive and interactive skills. Students develop conceptual understandings of how language works and how culture intersects language. Students hone their skills through reading, watching/listening to, analyzing, and discussing poetry and prose, nonfiction articles, music and film. Materials chosen represent authors/speakers from various francophone/hispanophone regions, thereby showcasing different accents, registers and language variation. Materials examine issues of global significance. Activities provide an opportunity to understand and evaluate the written/spoken word, as well as think critically about the message. Discussions and presentations help students to develop critical thinking skills, defend their opinions, organize their thoughts, and question assumptions and cultural bias. International-mindedness is central to the IB philosophy and instrumental in aspiring to a more peaceful world. The goal of this course is not only the development of communication skills, but also fostering intercultural understanding and global engagement.

     

    10 Attributes of the IB Learner Profile

    International-mindedness provides opportunities for students to progress in the development of IB Learner Profile traits. Through exposure to, examination of, and reflection on, texts from cultures other than their own, students nurture their curiosity (inquirers), engage with issues and ideas of global significance (knowledgeable), use critical-thinking skills (thinkers) and listen carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups (communicators). They learn to show respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere (principled), critically appreciate the values and traditions of others (open-minded), show empathy, compassion and respect (caring), recognize their interdependence with other people and the world in which they live (balanced), consider the world thoughtfully (reflective) and explore new ideas (risk-takers).

Humanities

In the Stoneleigh-Burnham School Humanities program, students develop and express their authentic voices and selves. They hone essential critical thinking, reading, and writing skills by examining, interpreting, and evaluating ideas and texts with both an open mind and a critical viewpoint. Our courses foster creativity, curiosity, and engagement with multiple perspectives, as students study the past, chronicle their present, and look towards the future as global citizens.

  • HUMANITIES 7

    Humanities 7 is a course that combines English/Language Arts and History/Social Studies, has four strands that support students in learning about identity, developing skills, acquiring knowledge, and understanding systems of oppression and marginalization and how to resist them. In unit work, students collaborate to design units based on their own questions and interests, producing an essay and presentation in Focus Question units, interacting with the larger community in Civic Engagement units. Students choose read-aloud books using Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s “Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors” model as a lens to ensure diverse representation. Students also choose their own books to read individually, and have free choice writing every week.

  • HUMANITIES 8

    Humanities 8 is an interdisciplinary course designed to help students read, write, speak, listen and use language effectively in the content areas of social studies and English through a study of global movements and their impact on human identity. Select student-identity-centered units have focused on contemporary refugee journeys of Middle Eastern girls as well as historic US freedom movements in response to the transatlantic slave trade, among others. Through a close reading of a variety of sources, both textual (literature, newspaper articles, government documents) and non-textual (from films and documentaries to cultural artifacts, including maps, artwork and photographs) students engage as critical thinkers, consider many perspectives, gather evidence to shape and support interpretations, express themselves with strong thesis statements and better understand their world through formal research of it. All MS Humanities courses rely on critical frameworks of culturally responsive literacy provided by Dr. Ruth Sims Bishop and Dr. Ghouldy Muhammad.

  • THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE

    Theory of Knowledge is a required core course for the IB Diploma that runs from January to January and is open to any interested junior or senior. Students actively think about what we know, how we know it, and how we know we know it. The core theme is knowledge and the knower. Two optional themes are mandatory, but we study all five: Knowledge and Indigenous Cultures, Language, Politics, Religion, and Technology. Students then write a 950 word essay, called the Exhibition, in response to their choice of prompts and using three objects of their choice. As the title implies, students share their work with an audience. We continue on to study the five Areas of Knowledge: Knowledge and the Arts, History, Human Sciences, Mathematics, and Natural Science. Students wrap up the course by writing a 1600-word essay on their choice of six prompts, interacting with the teacher through the process and submitting their work to the IB for evaluation.

  • GEOGRAPHY

    Geography offers a broad introduction to geographic thinking and concepts, exploring the central question of how geography influences our lives and points of view individually and collectively, locally and globally. Students will practice using a geographic lens to develop a better understanding of connections between people, places, and power, and to challenge preconceived notions about the world. Study of the principles of various geographic representations (e.g. maps, globes, GPS apps, etc.) will prepare students to use and critically analyze information being communicated via these media. Students will also have the opportunity to observe their surroundings and produce a portfolio of their own maps at a variety of scales, including both hand-drawn and digitally produced maps. Projects dealing with current and historic events, as well as with topics/regions of personal interest to the students will be used to frame units of study. Throughout the course, creativity, curiosity, and a sense of exploration will be encouraged, preparing students to think geographically and make further discoveries in the future.

  • WORLD HISTORY

    World History, the 9th grade core history course, provides an introduction to human history. Over the course of the year, students learn how humans came to populate the world with a focus on the formation of human societies. As they explore this theme, they look critically at social hierarchies, systems of oppression, and how humans govern themselves. Students are encouraged to make personal connections to the topics by exploring their own identities and by using their knowledge of the past to make sense of the present. The course includes an emphasis on building foundational academic skills including, reading for understanding, annotating, note taking, studying, discussion participation, and persuasive writing.

  • US HISTORY

    US History students learn that history is a contested account of the past. They engage with a broad overview of American history, connecting their studies to current events and honing their written and verbal communication skills. The course emphasizes our responsibility to investigate the past from different perspectives to build our understanding of history through primary sources, scholarship, and the ideas of other students. By expanding our understanding of the past through the study of multiple lived experiences, students learn to respectfully challenge historical authorities, their peers, and themselves in a way that contributes to the making of knowledge and a more democratic community.

  • INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) HISTORY

    IB History is offered at the standard level (SL) and higher level (HL). It is a two-year global history course focusing on the Cold War, the roots of authoritarianism, and comparative social movements. Students also undertake a significant research project on a topic of their choosing. IB History compels students to engage the past through multiple perspectives in order to understand the ways in which the stories we tell about the past shape our understanding of the present. In the process, they develop a greater appreciation of their own historical context and their role as agents of historical change.

  • ADVANCED EL

    Advanced EL is an advanced academic English language and literature course for English language learners. In this course, students explore works of American literature, young adult literature, and multiple writing and presentation genres, all while honing their English language skills. The course is designed to facilitate a variety of student interactions with literature, allowing students to focus on fluency, accuracy, expression, and critical thought. Speaking activities are integrated with reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar, and are central to the course. Areas of focus in this course include reading comprehension and interpretation; literary devices; familiarity and fluency within a variety of writing genres; discussion and presentation skills; basic and advanced grammar; common academic vocabulary words and phrases; and a variety of academic strategies. The overarching goal of this course is development of the skills necessary for active and successful participation in literature courses, and in all courses, at the high school level.

  • ENGLISH 9

    In English 9, students read a variety of authors whose work adds to our understanding of the world and of ourselves. Students hone their skills as readers as they consider the writing techniques an author employs, search for deeper meanings, make personal connections, and articulate the ways a text can make a statement about the society of its time. Through this process, students gain the literary vocabulary needed to discuss, analyze, and write about literature at the high school level. Writing skills include writing original theses, structuring paragraphs and essays, providing textual evidence, and applying literary devices to both analytical and creative pieces. Foundational skills include effective discussion, annotation, and presentations.

  • ENGLISH 10

    In English 10, "American Voices, Voicing America," students explore the ways in which diverse authors of novels, poems, stories, plays, essays and personal narratives have given voice to an American experience that speak to each other and to the reader. The course focuses on how these authors have both navigated complex concerns about American identity as shaped by their race, gender, ethnicity, class, and sexuality within the body politic, and, from unique perspectives and genres, questioned notions of power and justice more broadly. English 10 students hone their skills as close readers as they attend to the nuances of our course texts, develop their analytical and creative voices, write a series of argumentative and personal narrative pieces, and engage in a collective search for meaning in seminars. They have an opportunity to experiment in a variety of creative and academic genres and discover how choice of literary device impacts meaning. Finally, students develop their own voices, through a study of rhetoric, with an emphasis on strength and style of self-expression.

  • INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) ENGLISH LITERATURE

    IB English Literature is offered at the standard level (SL) and higher level (HL). In this two-year course, students engage with a range of texts, in a variety of forms, from different periods, styles, and cultures, including literature studied in translation. This course explores seven main concepts: identity, culture, creativity, communication, perspective, transformation, and representation. Students develop skills in interpretation, analysis, and evaluation of literature, including sensitivity to the stylistic qualities of texts and an understanding of how the authors shape meaning with the choices they make. Students also develop an understanding of the relationships between texts and are exposed to a variety of perspectives, cultural contexts, and local and global issues. Communication skills in both writing and speaking are emphasized throughout the two years.

Sciences

The Stoneleigh-Burnham School science program is grounded in playful, curiosity-driven inquiry and scientific literacy.  Through our program, students build confidence in their STEM skills (experimental design, data analysis, lab technique), make interdisciplinary connections, and apply what they have learned to real-world issues.

  • SCIENCE 7

    The 7th grade Science curriculum introduces students to life science through the themes of matter and its interactions, chemical reactions, and structure and function. Some topics include properties of matter, the relationship between energy and molecule organization, using and understanding atomic models, and understanding cell structures and their use for survival. Students will be introduced to collaboration opportunities with peers, organizational skills, and begin to make claims that can be supported with evidence. Students have the opportunity to develop their skills in the laboratory setting by planning and conducting investigations. They also have the ability to acquire skills in developing and using models, analyzing and interpreting data, all of which they will use to demonstrate their understanding of the core ideas. Students will be exposed to many real word connections to content, hands-on demonstrations, opportunities for project based learning with an opportunity to express their creativity, and opportunities for playful curiosity driven inquiry. This is a year-long course.

  • SCIENCE 8

    In 8th grade Science, the focus is physical science, with an exploration of topics such as energy, forces, motion, and space systems. Some topics include the motion of objects, Newton’s Laws, forms of energy, and models of space systems. Opportunities for enhancing their skills in collaboration, leadership, and taking charge of presenting what they know will be provided. Students have the opportunity to build confidence in their STEM skills including their skills in the laboratory setting by planning and conducting investigations. They also acquire skills in developing and using models as well as analyzing and interpreting data,which they will use to demonstrate their understanding of the core ideas and defend claims and opinions using evidence. Students will be exposed to many hands-on demonstrations, opportunities for project based learning, real world connections,and opportunities to express their creativity. This is a year-long course.

  • BIOLOGY

    Biology provides a lens through which ninth grade students will develop their scientific habits of mind and laboratory skills. Our primary goal will be to cultivate curiosity, questioning, critical-thinking, analysis of evidence, and communication. Students will also gain confidence in the lab through practice with experimental design, the use of microscopes and the tools of biology, and through collaboration with others. The core topics that will serve as a lens for this skill-building include biomolecules, metabolism, cell division, genetics, and evolution.

  • CHEMISTRY

    Chemistry opens the door for tenth grade students to learn the “language” of chemistry, develop more technical laboratory skills, apply their quantitative reasoning to chemical reactions, and build confidence in the face of new challenges. In this course, we examine physical observations and connect them to the chemical structure, movement, and relationships happening at the atomic level. In the lab, students will learn how to predict outcomes and conduct chemical reactions, measure, observe, infer, and analyze data, and maintain a clean and safe lab environment.

  • COMPUTER SCIENCE

    Computer Science introduces students to foundational concepts related to problem-solving, coding and programming, machine learning, and more. Students also explore the ways in which technology is connected to social justice and global issues. There may also be opportunities to design websites, develop apps, and build digital portfolios. Computer science is offered to students in grades 10, 11, and 12 based on interest and scheduling flexibility.

  • PHYSICS

    Physics introduces students to the fundamental principles of mechanics, electricity and magnetism, heat, light, sound, and the properties of matter in a hands-on laboratory setting. Emphasis is placed on determining or understanding the theories and laws about the physical world through the laboratory experience, as well as applying those theories and laws. Laboratory skills and quantitative reasoning skills are stressed. Concepts are reinforced through class work, homework and a variety of hands-on activities. A previous course in Algebra I is recommended.

  • ADVANCED LIFE SCIENCE

    Advanced Life Science is offered to eleventh and twelfth grade students who are interested in a deeper exploration of both the core concepts encountered in biology, ecology, and physiology as well as the methods and techniques employed by scientists in these fields. Grounding questions may include: What can sampling aquatic insects tell us about the water quality of a stream? How private should your genetic information be? How similar are the digestive systems of a human and an earthworm? Through hands-on laboratory work and project-based learning, students will gain an appreciation for the process of science as well as the knowledge gained from it. The course will be offered as three trimesters: Fall: Experimental Design, Field Studies, and Ecology Winter: DNA, Biotechnology, and Bioethics Spring: Evolution, Classification, and Comparative Anatomy Note: Offered every other year.

  • PHYSICAL SCIENCE APPLICATIONS: OCEANOGRAPHY

    Courses under the heading “Physical Science Applications” provide 11th and 12th grade students with an opportunity to explore research techniques, career paths, and current issues in science. Students will gain a strong background in physical and chemical science, which grounds the study of life and applied sciences.

    Oceanography is for students who are interested in diving into the physical, chemical, and geological processes that support biological life in ocean systems (seas, oceans, and coastal estuaries). Covering approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface and making up 97% of Earth’s water resources, oceanic systems are essential for supporting life. We will begin the course discussing the origins and importance of liquid water and move onto core concepts such as elemental cycling, seafloor formation, marine life, physical water movement, and technical advances in water exploration. A large feature of this course will also involve laboratory and field activities that will strengthen student understanding of the scientific method using techniques routinely applied by scientists in oceanographic research. Students will leave this course with concrete scientific experience, refined critical thinking skills, and a greater appreciation for oceanic systems more broadly.

  • INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) SYSTEMS & SOCIETIES

    IB Environmental Systems and Societies is a two-year, interdisciplinary course that examines the environment through the lens of cultural, economic, ethical, political, and social systems. Using international case studies and current events as guideposts, we will explore the impact of societies on the natural world and draw connections to personal experiences and perspectives, both at the local and global scale. In year one of this course, we will focus on gaining practical laboratory and field experience, while also developing strong scientific writing and critical thinking skills. Core topics include ecology, ecosystem dynamics, biodiversity, and soil/water systems. In year two, we will continue to refine our laboratory and scientific writing skills and apply those developed skills toward the design and implementation of an independent research project.

    Core topics covered in Year 2 include atmospheric systems, climate change, sustainability, and human population dynamics. Students will leave this course with a stronger understanding of the interconnectedness of the natural world, how to analyze and communicate complex environmental issues, and to critically evaluate solutions to these problems.

Mathematics

The Stoneleigh-Burnham School math program embraces a broad view of mathematics. Students develop mathematical thinking using both inductive and deductive reasoning as a means of discovery, problem solving, and creation of knowledge. Our students build a willingness to engage in understanding and identifying problems, applying and extending current knowledge, and reflecting critically. As important as creating ideas, our students strive to communicate their thoughts with precision, efficiency and clarity. Students play with and connect skills and ideas that allow them to describe and think about the world through a mathematical lens.

  • MATH 7

    Math 7 is guided by the IB Middle Years Programme curriculum for seventh grade. Students study 4 different realms of mathematics throughout the year that include numbers and algebra, functions, geometry, and statistics and probability. It is an inquiry-led approach to learning as students investigate ratios and percentages, solving two-step equations, straight line graphs, circles and congruence in geometry, and probability of events. Math 7 students develop the skills of inquiry and problem solving through discovery based activities as they are the creators of knowledge. This is a year-long course.

  • MATH 8

    Math 8 is guided by the IB Middle Years Programme curriculum for eighth grade. Students expand upon their knowledge gained in Math 7 as they investigate four realms of mathematics that include numbers and algebra, functions, geometry, and statistics and probability. Students investigate pythagoras’ theorem, gradient and equations of straight lines, multi-step equations and equations with variables on both sides, regular shapes in geometry, the difference between theoretical and experimental probabilities. Math 8 students develop their communication skills through precision and accuracy, while also taking risks as they build their knowledge. This is a year-long course.

  • MATH 9

    Math 9 will first be taught during the 2023-2024 school year for the ninth grade, and is guided by the IB Middle Years Programme curriculum. The math sequence is different from a traditional American school where students explore multiple realms of mathematics instead of an in depth study of one topic (think Algebra 1 or Geometry). Instead, SBS students investigate four realms of mathematics that include: numbers and algebra, functions, geometry, and statistics and probability. Throughout Math 9, students will study linear functions, systems of equations, quadratics, similarity, coordinate geometry, trigonometry, and sequences and series. This is a year-long course.

  • GEOMETRY

    Geometry will last be taught during the 2023-24 school year. In the course, students will use their own logic and reasoning, along with tools like the compass, straightedge, and patty paper to create axioms about the material. Through a set of foundational concepts, they will develop knowledge of plane geometry, coordinate geometry, congruent figures, polygons, similar figures, right-triangle trigonometry, and more. The course is designed so students can understand concepts through inductive and deductive reasoning, communicate ideas with precision and clarity, and use that understanding to see the world through a mathematical lens.

  • MATH 10 and MATH 10E (Extension)

    Math 10 and Math 10 Extension will first be taught during the 2024-2025 school year for the tenth grade, and is guided by the IB Middle Years Programme curriculum. The math sequence is different from a traditional American school where students explore multiple realms of mathematics instead of an in depth study of one topic (think Geometry or Algebra 2). Instead, SBS students investigate four realms of mathematics that include: numbers and algebra, functions, geometry, and statistics and probability. Throughout Math 10, students will study inverse, logarithmic, and exponential functions, 3-D geometry, trigonometry functions and applications, rational and irrational expressions, combined events probability, measures of central tendency and dispersion, and linear regression lines and correlation. The 10 Extension course extends concepts and ideas from the Standard Level course, as well as covering a few more topics. 10E is a prerequisite for Higher Level IB math courses. This is a year-long course.

  • ALGEBRA 2

    Algebra 2 will last be taught during the 2023-24 school year and it focuses largely on understanding families of functions and using this understanding to model real world situations. Students will revisit many topics from Algebra 1 and work to understand those topics on a deeper level. Students will also expand their knowledge of probability and trigonometry by approaching these concepts with an algebraic lens. Students will learn to create and analyze graphs and will develop a deeper understanding of the behavior of numbers.

  • FUNCTIONS

    Functions will last be taught during the 2023-24 school year. In the course, students will investigate the properties of polynomial, rational, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions; develop techniques for combining functions; broaden understanding of rates of change; and develop facility in applying these concepts and skills. This course is for students who have successfully completed Algebra 2 and have an interest in continuing to IB Analysis and Approaches at the Higher Level.

  • INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) Applications and Interpretations SL

    IB Applications and Interpretations is part of the IB Diploma Programme that explores topics of Numbers and Algebra, Functions, Geometry, Statistics and Probability, and Calculus. This course is designed for students who enjoy describing the real world and solving practical problems using mathematics. Students explore the more practical side of mathematics as they spend their time conducting experiments and investigations to better understand probability and statistics. Probability and statistics topics include combined event probability, correlations, chi-square tests, and two-sample t-tests. Students also study quadratic and exponential functions, trigonometric functions and applications, rate of change functions (derivatives), and 3-D geometry. The class focuses on the use of investigations and manipulatives to help students develop conjectures of concepts and ideas of the lessons and units. This class is similar to a statistics class with additional geometry, functions, and calculus topics. This is a two-year course for 11th and 12th graders.

  • INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) Analysis and Approaches SL and HL

    IB Analysis and Approaches is part of the IB Diploma Programme that explores topics of Numbers and Algebra, Functions, Geometry, Statistics and Probability, and Calculus. These courses are designed for students who wish to study mathematics in-depth and who enjoy problem solving and generalization. The courses gravitate towards a more pure mathematics focus, covering various families of functions, probability and statistics, and derivative and integral calculus. A strong emphasis is placed on the ability to construct arguments, communicate ideas, and build upon one’s current understanding. The Higher Level course covers the same material as the Standard Level course, but goes into more depth and covers a few more topics. The Higher Level course is fast-paced, designed for students who have a passion for mathematics and problem solving. These courses are similar to AP Calculus AB for Standard Level and AP Calculus BC for Higher Level, with an additional emphasis on statistics and probability. These courses are designed for students interested in pursuing a STEM field and it is a two-year course for 11th and 12th graders.