Untitled

Course

Catalog

2024 – 2025

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 1

Upper School Curriculum 2024-2025

Introduction

This section is intended to provide an overview of Upper School courses and graduation

requirements for the 2024–2025 academic year. For students who enroll, the requirements for

graduation in the box on page 2 should serve as a guide in making course selections. These

requirements ensure an appropriate distribution of courses and areas of study while allowing

students a measure of individual freedom of choice to pursue their own interests.

Faculty members serve as academic advisors and play an important role in shaping a student’s

course of study and extracurricular participation. Advisors and college counselors work

together to assist students in the course selection process to help students plan a curriculum

that not only provides appropriate background for further study but also takes into account

the student’s abilities and interests. In addition to the assigned advisor and college counselor,

students and parents may also consult teachers, department chairs, or other administrators

when planning a course of study.

Since Greenhill is a college preparatory school, the basic curriculum is accelerated and

intensive. To meet the needs of students who have demonstrated both special abilities and

interests, honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses are oered in many subjects. Students

are recommended for AP or honors courses based on that student’s demonstrated ability,

personal motivation, intellectual desire, and other departmental information. Students who

enroll in honors or AP-level courses should expect a more in-depth exploration and a heavier

workload in those courses. Each student’s strengths, goals, and extracurricular commitments

are dierent, and thus the course planning and selection process is a very individual one. We

encourage students to challenge themselves in areas of strength and interest, but we also

remind all students that a balanced life and curriculum is critically important. A student is

considered fully enrolled every semester if that student is in a minimum of six courses, one of

which can include a design & innovation course, a ﬁne arts course, a PE course, or participation

on an athletic team for that season. However, from a college admissions perspective, most

students are best served and best prepared by studying each academic discipline each year

and preferably each semester.

Upper School Curriculum Contents

1 Introduction

4 Community Service

5 Design & Innovation

7 English

11 Fine Arts

18 History/Social Science

22 Mathematics

25 Modern and Classical Languages

29 Physical Education

32 Science

35 Summer on the Hill

36 Global Online Academy

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org2 Greenhill School

Requirements for Graduation

Department

COMMUNITY SERVICE

• 18 hours in grades 9 & 10

• 24 hours in grades 11 & 12

DESIGN & INNOVATION

• 1 semester of Design & Innovation

ENGLISH

• Full year of 1010 English (9th)

• Full year of 1020 English (10th)

• 1 semester of 1730 Narrative Nonﬁction (11th)

• Juniors and seniors must complete an English elective every

semester of 11th and 12th grade. In 11th grade, students must

complete 1730 Narrative Nonﬁction as one of their electives.

FINE ARTS

• 4 semesters of Fine Arts classes

HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

• Full year of 4010 Global History

• Full year of 4020 U.S. History

• 2 semesters during 11th & 12th grades; at least 1 semester must be

a Government course

MATHEMATICS

• 6 consecutive semesters starting in 9th grade

MODERN AND CLASSICAL LANGUAGES

• 4 consecutive semesters starting in 9th grade

• Students must demonstrate competency through Level III

of one language

PHYSICAL EDUCATION/ATHLETICS

• 2 semesters of Physical Education or 1 semester and 1 season of

Team Sport or 2 Team Sports (9th); Foundations of PE course is

required if you are not in 2 Team Sports in both 9th grade and

10th grade

• 2 semesters of Physical Education or 1 semester and 1 season of

Team Sport (10th)

• 1 semester of Physical Education or 1 season of Team Sport (11th)

• 1 semester of Physical Education or 1 season of Team Sport (12th)

SCIENCE

• Full year of Physics (9th)

• Full year of Chemistry (10th)

• Full year of Biology (11th)

WELLNESS

• Completed in group and class settings

Cross-Listed Courses

Students must declare the department number for any cross-listed course

by the add deadline of the semester the course is in.

Literature of Human Rights U.S. English (1330) History (4220)

Chemistry of Photography Fine Arts (6140) Science (5340)

Dance Technique Fine Arts (6445) PE (8510)

Theater: Musical Production Fine Arts (6450) PE (8560)

Greenhill Dance Company Fine Arts (6440) PE (8570)

Design of Immersive &

Interactive Art

Fine Arts (6005) Design &

Innovation (9610)

NCAA Eligibility

Students who wish to play Division I or Division II sports in college must

meet the eligibility requirements of the National Collegiate Athletic

Association (NCAA). Eligibility is determined, in part, by completing a

speciﬁed number of NCAA-approved classes in the subject areas of

English, History/Social Sciences, Science, Mathematics, and Foreign

Language. Almost all Greenhill courses in these areas meet eligibility

requirements. However, a small number of our courses are NOT NCAA-

approved, typically because they are too interdisciplinary in subject

matter to meet the NCAA’s narrowly deﬁned requirements. Academic

advisors and college counselors work with students considering Division

I or II sports to select courses for a curriculum that will ensure NCAA

eligibility. Students can also contact the Greenhill College Counseling

Oce for guidance.

Courses that are NOT NCAA-approved include Design & Innovation

courses, Advanced Tutorials in English, Writing Tutorial, Reading Tutorial,

Tutorials in History/Social Studies, Advanced Tutorials in History/Social

Studies, Personal Finance, Accounting and Finance, Advanced Tutorial

in Mathematics, Advanced Tutorials in Modern and Classical Language,

Chemistry of Photography, and Advanced Tutorials in Science. The

Literature of Human Rights course may only count for English credit for

NCAA eligibility purposes. The History of Human Rights course may only

count for History/Social Sciences credit. Many Global Online Academy

courses are approved by the NCAA. Please conﬁrm approval status with

the College Counseling Oce or the Global Online Academy Site Director.

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 3

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The academic year features a program

emphasizing breadth and skill development.

The basic unit of measure is the credit,

representing the equivalent of a six-week

course. Thus, a semester course is a three-

credit course, and a full-year course is a six-

credit course. Credits are earned by passing

a graded course with a grade of D– or better

or by passing a course designated as Pass/

Fail. The graduation requirements consist of

departmental requirements and completion of

a minimum of six courses each semester.

COLLEGE PREPARATION

Greenhill’s graduation requirements provide

students with more ﬂexibility in course

selection for grades 11 and 12. Students,

parents, and advisors are urged to keep in

mind that colleges evaluate students in good

part by the course selection reﬂected on

the transcript. Simply fulﬁlling graduation

requirements doesn’t necessarily mean one

has met the academic expectations of most

colleges’ admission oces.

It is vital to select a balance of academic

courses and to think carefully about

choosing appropriately challenging classes

in all academic areas. Colleges do not look

favorably on transcripts that are light on

academic challenge or overly skewed in any

direction. The more selective the college, the

greater the expectation that students will

challenge themselves within the context of

Greenhill’s academic oerings.

By all means, pursue your academic and

co-curricular interests, but remember

that colleges are looking for evidence of a

balanced course of study.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSE

PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

A maximum of the equivalent of three

yearlong Advanced Placement (AP) courses

is permitted per student per year. With the

exception of AP Government, AP courses

follow a yearlong college-level curriculum and

culminate with an examination given in May.

These examinations are given on campus at

Greenhill, and students must pay a fee for

each examination (though this fee is covered

for students who qualify for supplemental

Financial Aid).

Students taking a Greenhill AP course are

required to take the examination in that

course. It is important to note that not all

colleges give credit hours or advanced

standing for AP test scores, regardless of

score or discipline. Therefore, individual

college curriculum guides must be

consulted for precise policies. Greenhill’s

AP courses are listed with an accompanying

“AP” to distinguish them from the other

advanced courses oered in the curriculum.

Prerequisites for enrollment in an AP

course are speciﬁed within each AP course

description.

THE CAPSTONE PROJECT

The Capstone Project (7900)

Full year

The senior capstone project provides

outstanding seniors with in-depth exploration

and study in a self-selected area of interest.

This student-driven project requires

advanced, independent, and interdisciplinary

study that culminates in an exhibition of

a ﬁnal product. This yearlong experience

also requires students to develop an idea,

explore further understanding, and create an

innovative product based on their analysis,

synthesis, and unique presentation of learning

outcomes.

A senior capstone experience culminates in

a wide variety of projects, such as traditional

academic research papers, creative writing

projects, ﬁne arts performances, or other

unique presentations. Students must work

closely with both a Greenhill faculty mentor

and a professional mentor who will guide

the student’s project closely throughout the

year. By combining their current interests

with relevant learning, students gain valuable

experiences throughout their capstone

project that will apply to future endeavors.

A student’s capstone project proposal must

include the following:

• A clear statement of focus that includes

the motivation behind the topic

• A proposed bibliography/contact list

(where applicable), including a list of

outside expert(s)

• A list of credits/courses sought

(maximum of 12) and the rationale;

• The name of the mentor

To receive more details and to obtain a

proposal form, a student should contact the

Director of Academics.

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org4 Greenhill School

Community Service

In keeping with the school’s core values,

Upper School students are expected

to experience and learn about dierent

community needs as a requirement for

graduation. The goal of the community

service program is for students to build an

awareness and understanding of genuine

community needs and how their actions,

large and small, can make a dierence.

As students identify and select their

community projects, they begin to see

themselves as leaders and resources in the

community. By serving their community,

students are using critical thinking and

problem-solving skills in new and challenging

ways and ultimately changing their views of

themselves and the world they live in.

The school’s service aligns with the school’s

mission and vision because we see our

world more hopeful because of the Greenhill

community.

Note: Please see the Upper School

Community Service box at right.

Upper School Community Service

The community service guidelines have been updated for the 2024-2025 school year. Please note

these guidelines are subject to change for the 2025-2026 school year.

Upper School graduation requirement:

Upper School students are expected to complete a minimum of 42 hours of community service during

their four years in Upper School. All students are encouraged to exceed the minimum requirement.

A minimum of 18 hours during 9th and 10th grades

• Students may begin accumulating this block of hours June 1, the summer before their 9th grade

year.

• Service hours may come from virtual, in-person, or for-school volunteer opportunities.

• A new student entering the 10th grade is required to complete at least nine (9) hours of service by

the last day of the 2024-2025 school year.

• For students in the Class of 2027, it is expected that all service hours are submitted and veriﬁed

by the last day of the 2024-2025 school year.

A minimum of 24 hours during 11th and 12th grades

• Students may begin accumulating this block of hours June 1, the summer before their 11th grade

year.

• Service hours may come from virtual or in-person volunteer opportunities. For-school volunteer

hours will not count towards the 24 hours graduation requirement.

• For students in the Class of 2025, it is expected that all service hours are submitted and veriﬁed

by March 1, 2025.

• Students must complete a service project between the summer before their 11th grade year and

January 31 of their 12th grade year. 12 of the 24 hours will come from the service project. More

details about the service project will be available in the all-school handbook.

Summer hours begin June 1, 2024.

All summer hours must be submitted by September 30, 2024.

Community Service Guidelines

Greenhill School deﬁnes community service as time contributed to a nonproﬁt 501c3 organization.

Service can be done onsite, virtually, or through a school-sponsored community service project. As a

rule, the community should be beneﬁtting from your volunteer service and you should not be receiving

payment for your service.

Greenhill School deﬁnes “for-school service” as time given on campus for a faculty member, sta

member, group, division, or department in need of assistance within regular job parameters. There are

many volunteer opportunities that DO NOT meet the Community Service Guidelines. Students should

request pre-approval from the Director of Service Learning and Community Engagement prior to

performing community service outside the above stated guidelines.

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 5

procedures to successfully complete

automated projects. This course will bring

together electronics, materials, and software

to solve real problems.

Honors Automation & Robotics (951H)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Automation & Robotics & Departmental

approval

After successfully completing Automation

& Robotics, students may elevate their

Automation and Robotics skills. Team

members will be expected to deliver

professional solutions faster. In the honors

level course, time and emphasis will be

focused more on the customer and their

needs, all while producing professional

documentation and fully functioning solutions.

Customers may be internal (like our USFIRST

team), or external (corporations around the

area).

Design Thinking to Open Entrepreneurship

(9310)

Full year; 6 credits

Have you ever had an idea for a product or

service or thought to yourself, “There has

to be a better way”? Or maybe you wonder,

“How did they think of that?” or “Why would

anyone think of that?” If so, this is the

course for you. In this course, students will

experience and learn the entire process of

developing a solution, from identifying the

right problem to solve to building functional

products to creating a business plan and

pitch deck to raise money from venture

capitalists. Who knows, you might make the

next big kitchen gadget, or you might develop

something to help those in need. During the

course, students will learn industry-proven

processes such as ethnographic research,

design thinking, prototyping to learn, and Lean

Startup methodologies. Students will learn

how to determine the size of their market and

how much money is needed for success. By

the end of the course, you will have a solution

that is market ready.

Honors Design Thinking to Open

Entrepreneurship (931H)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Design Thinking to Open Entreprenueurship

& department approval

After successfully completing Design Thinking

to Open Entrepreneurship, students may

continue their journey mastering the skills

they have learned. Students will be required

Design & Innovation

The Design & Innovation department and

program’s goal is to provide students with

an opportunity to learn how to become

innovators as it has been deﬁned by industry.

The deﬁnition of innovation is the overlap

of human need, technical feasibility, and

business viability (or self-sustainability).

From this deﬁnition, the Design & Innovation

program has been designed to teach

students how to:

1. Identify relevant problems

2. Solve problems technically

3. Make their solutions proﬁtable or self-

sustaining

Innovation is about story, design, the human

experience, and entrepreneurship, not just

about technology, robots, and engineering.

If you see yourself as a highly technical

person, please join us to explore this more

deeply. You will learn about how impactful

it can be to discover what problems people

really need solved and how to solve them in

elegantly simple and beautiful ways that can

be productized.

If you see yourself as someone nontechnical,

please join us to tell your story, design your

dream, and see how easy it can be to make

your ideas physically come to life. Come

experience how this newfound knowledge will

inspire your next dream.

Design & Innovation Graduation

Requirement

All students are required to complete

one semester of an oering under

the Design & Innovation program to

satisfy their graduation requirements.

Courses are oered in both semester

and yearlong variations. Although one

semester is required, two semesters

of credit will be given for yearlong

courses.

Introduction to Engineering I (9110)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

This course serves as an interactive way

for students to get exposed to a variety of

engineering processes while creating a fun

project. Within the course, students will be

introduced to the Arduino microcontroller

platform, learn some basic programming,

learn about dierent types of sensors and

actuators, and explore 3D modeling, 3D

printing, 2D mechanical design, and 2D CNC

processes, such as laser cutting. Your project

is of your choosing. Examples of past projects

include innovative clock designs, an audible

system to help guide the blind, IoT-enabled

light-up “heart messaging” devices, and

more. The ﬁrst half of the semester will be

dedicated to learning skills, while the second

half will be dedicated to completing your

project. Each class will culminate in a gallery

showing of student work.

Automation & Robotics (9510)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Departmental approval

Students taking this course will be able to

choose between a real-world automation/

robotics project or Greenhill’s FIRST Tech

Challenge competition robot team(s).

Automation and robotic challenges may

include building an automated food assembly

machine, using machine vision to sort objects,

teaching a robotic arm to perform a task,

or other types of projects. In both cases,

students should expect to collaborate with

others and learn new technologies processes/

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org6 Greenhill School

to develop their own project plan and

deliverables working either in a group or on

their own. Projects may be a continuation of a

prior DTOE project, a venture capital funded

endeavor or a brand-new idea. Emphasis on

the three core lenses of Design & Innovation,

human-centered design, technical feasibility

and business viability will be required.

App Development (9320)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Have you ever wanted to design and build

your own iOS or Android app but didn’t

know where to start or thought that the

coding would be too hard? Well, this course

is for you! Through this course, you will

learn how to use various prototyping tools

to wireframe ideas to test functionality and

user experience (UX) and ﬁnalize an app

that you can publish on Google Play and

the Apple App Store! We will teach students

digital prototyping methods and how to

design for and analyze the eectiveness

of various user experiences, learn graphic

design fundamentals and how to code the

functionality of an app.

UX Design & Exploration (9330)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

UX Design & Exploration will teach students

how to explore, tell the stories of, and design

human experiences. Why is this important?

Because these experiences drive consumer

choice. Think about the experience of a

Chick-ﬁl-A drive-through vs. a McDonald’s

drive-through, standing in line for a ride at

Disney World vs. Six Flags, or visiting an

Apple Store vs. a Best Buy. These experiences

have dramatic eects on consumer choice

and a business’s success. Within this

course, students will learn the skills to

assess and design user experiences through

methodologies such as journey mapping, the

ﬁve E’s model, persona development, and

others. Students will then learn how to build,

prototype, and test user experiences that

they develop.

Honors UX Design (933H)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: UX Design & departmental approval

Elevate your UX design skills by mastering

the art of crafting designs that captivate and

inspire. From navigating the digital jungle to

creating interactive prototypes, you’ll develop

skills that make your designs stand out. This

course will allow you to take creative control

of the additional tools you learn to specialize

in as a UX Researcher or UI Designer.

Collaborate with engineers to be a part of

a real industry experience from ideation to

development. Become a project manager and

design the user journey from start to app

launch!

Advanced Computer Science (9400)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Departmental approval

During this course, students will learn and

use professional processes and procedures

to solve computer science problems. The

problems that students will work on come

from various sources inside and outside of the

Greenhill community. The process students

learn will allow the teams to successfully

deliver their solutions to their client by the

end of the year. Students should expect to

work collaboratively within groups where the

focus will be on learning how professional

code development is accomplished.

Honors Computer Science (940H)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Advanced Computer Science & departmental

approval

After successful completion of Advanced

Computer Science, students may elevate

their Computer Science skills while creating

professional deliverables. Students will work

with real customers, driving the project

timelines, and creating professional content.

Students will work with their classmates,

and the Honors UX class to create dynamic

applications to solve real problems.

Design of Immersive & Interactive Art

(9610 DI or 6005 FA)

Full year; 6 credits

Students may enroll in this course for either Design &

Innovation or Fine Arts credit

In partnership with the department of visual

arts and the department of innovation,

instructors will lead students through a

course where they will explore and develop

interactive art. Design of Immersive &

Interactive Art students will learn how to

integrate art with technology to design and

create unique experiences. These experiences

may be embodied in an immersive 2D/3D art

installation, robotics, games, or augmented

performances using a variety of media and

materials. Students’ culminating piece will be

a fully functioning and installed piece of art.

Patrons don’t just look at the visual aesthetic

but are able to interact with the art. The

work that is developed should recognize the

presence of an individual, understand at least

at a basic level their engagement with the

piece, and must respond intentionally and

intelligently to the patron.

Advanced Topics Tutorial (9920)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Permission from instructor and approval by

the Head of Upper School and the Design & Innovation

Department Chair are required.

This class allows students who have prior

Design & Innovation experience, are self-

starters, and have scheduling conﬂicts

to explore a variety of advanced topics

related to Design & Innovation. Students can

explore independent work that builds on

prior projects or new initiatives. Students

in this graded course will have very high

expectations for self-governance and project

management. Student goals will be agreed

upon at the beginning of each course and will

only be adjusted under unique circumstances.

NOT OFFERED IN 2024–2025

Digital Game Design (9130)

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 7

English

For ﬁve thousand years, humans have

employed reading and writing to make sense

of themselves and their surroundings. The

Greenhill Upper School English department

explores how literature has been a necessary

form of expression to develop the mind, body,

and character in humans throughout history.

English 9 and 10 are required yearlong

courses: English 9 traces the development

of literature and human thought through

the classical, medieval, and early-

modern periods. English 10 continues to

examine literature as a necessary form of

expression through Romanticism, Realism,

and Modernism. Juniors and seniors take

semester electives. While students are

encouraged to write in new forms and read

works representing diverse voices and

experiences, they are also urged to sharpen

their critical writing skills and deepen their

study of favorite authors. Students in grades

11 and 12 must take and pass an English

elective every semester. The only required

course is Narrative Nonﬁction, which is

oered the second semester of 11th grade.

The minimum requirement for a student to

pass each English course is to submit all

assignments for the class.

Greenhill’s US English department teaches

students to craft writing for a variety of

audiences and purposes. All writing reﬂects

critical thinking and creativity, which can

take the form of traditional argumentative

essays, personal narratives, creative

nonﬁction, and creative writing (both poetry

and prose). Students in the Upper School

read critically across a rich array of voices

and genres for a greater understanding

of diverse perspectives. When students

complete their four years of study in the

Greenhill English department, they are

prepared for critical, imaginative, and

empathetic engagement in the world.

Distribution of graded semester-long English courses by semester

11th grade required:

2nd semester... Narrative Nonﬁction: Finding Your Voice (1730)

11th/12th grade electives: juniors and seniors must complete

an English elective every semester.

1st semester Modern Fiction (1110) 2nd semester Modern Fiction (1110)

Reading and Writing Short

Fiction (1120)

Sublime Darkness: Gothic

Literature and High

Romanticism (1130)

Sublime Darkness: Gothic

Literature and High

Romanticism (1130)

Literature and Detective

Fiction (1190)

Frontier Literature and

American Identity (1140)

Literature of the

American Wild (1210)

Global Literature (1150)

Race & Subjectivity in

Literature (1350)

Literature and Detective

Fiction (1190)

Literature and Philosophy

(1420)

Literature of Human

Rights in the U.S. (1330)

Social Class in Literature:

Class on Class (1555)

Literature of World Religions

(1410)

Narrative Nonﬁction:

Finding Your Voice (1730)

Literature and Philosophy

(1420)

Multicultural Literature:

Survey of Modern Poetry

(1530)

Women’s Literature (1620)

Creative Writing (1710)

Nature and Uses of Language

(1720)

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org8 Greenhill School

NINTH GRADE

Ninth Grade English: Tales That Tell Us

Who We Are: The Evolution of Human

Consciousness in Literature, Part I (1010)

Full year; 6 credits

In addition to the main theme of humanity’s

continuing search for answers through writing,

English 9 explores enduring concerns such

as the relationship with the divine, concepts

of virtue and the heroic ideal, the individual

versus community, the search for the

promised land/utopia, the search for identity,

human possibilities versus human limitations,

and conceptions of truth. Students study texts

from a variety of traditions as they read for

patterns and develop their critical-thinking

skills.

Since writing is essential to the student’s

success in all academic areas, instruction in

composition emphasizes not only imaginative

patterns of thinking but also clear and

persuasive expression of ideas. Classes

include a focus on writing skills such as

generating a thesis, organizing clear patterns

of thought, phrasing sentences eectively,

developing analytical paragraphs, revising,

and editing.

TENTH GRADE

Tenth Grade English: Tales that Tell Us

Who We Are: The Evolution of Human

Consciousness in Literature, Part II (1020)

Full year; 6 credits

This course builds upon skills developed

in Ninth Grade English so that students

may become stronger readers, writers,

and thinkers. Students examine U.S.-based

literature to consider how literature responds

to and shapes identity, oppression, culture

and belonging, and power and voice. Tenth

grade students write critically and creatively

in response to their readings, enabling them

to experience the artistic endeavor from both

perspectives.

In addition to critical essays, students may

write stories, poems, plays, explications,

personal narratives, and response journals.

Classes include a focus on writing skills

such as generating a thesis, organizing clear

patterns of thought, phrasing sentences

eectively, developing analytical paragraphs,

revising, and editing.

ELEVENTH GRADE

Juniors must take Narrative Nonﬁction

second semester of junior year.

Narrative Nonﬁction: Finding Your Voice

(1730)

Required for juniors

2nd semester; 3 credits

We tell stories to reveal and share how we

think and feel about the world and ourselves.

This course focuses on rhetoric as a means

to self-knowledge. Students use rhetorical

modes such as description, narration,

exposition, and persuasion as tools to

identify, develop, and craft their voices. In

addition, students learn how to pair audience

and purpose. The course also includes

opportunities for public expression of these

skills coupled with personal reﬂection.

ELEVENTH & TWELFTH GRADE ELECTIVES

Juniors and seniors must complete an

English elective every semester. The

department oers a wide array of courses,

so students can tailor their course of study

according to their passions and interests.

All electives are AP preparatory, and, for

those students interested, the Language and

Composition exam is oered at the end of

junior and senior years.

Modern Fiction (1110)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

This course explores the development of

prose ﬁction in the recent past and builds

upon the foundation established in earlier

courses. Particular attention is given to the

changes literature has undergone in the post-

modern period. Readings include selected

works by such diverse authors as Saul Bellow,

Jorge Luis Borges, Anthony Doerr, Elena

Ferrante, Etgar Keret, Valeria Luiselli, Toni

Morrison, Haruki Murakami, and Zadie Smith.

Reading and Writing Short Fiction (1120)

1st semester; 3 credits

In her essay on writing short ﬁction, Flannery

O’Connor states that a short story is “a

complete dramatic action” that “should

be long in depth and should give us an

experience of meaning.” Indeed, for all

of its relative brevity, a good short story

can pack a sizeable, memorable, and even

transformative punch. The course explores

how this artistic form creates such a

powerful eect, and discussions center on

both literary interpretation and the creative

process. The assessments reﬂect both ends

of this spectrum, ranging from an analytical

essay to a fully realized short story. Student

groups also have the opportunity to teach

a story of their choosing. In gaining a fuller

understanding of the craft of writing short

ﬁction and developing their own creative

voices, students experience a variety of

perspectives, places, time periods, styles,

techniques, and themes. Authors have

included Flannery O’Connor, James Joyce,

Gabriel García Márquez, Helena Maria

Viramontes, Ralph Ellison, Edgar Allan Poe,

Bernard Malamud, Amy Tan, Alice Walker, and

Stephen King, among many others.

Sublime Darkness: Gothic Literature and

High Romanticism (1130)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

This course explores the cultural context of

the Romantic Movement and attempts to

identify the core elements of Romanticism by

examining the relationship between Gothic

ﬁction and the poetry of its canonical poets,

such as Coleridge, Shelley, Wordsworth,

and Scott. The eorts of contemporary

scholars have provided new insights into

the ideological complexities and social

function of this intriguing literary genre.

Because the Gothic explores what lies

beyond Enlightenment attitudes toward

reason, literacy, superstition, sensuality,

crime, punishment, tyranny, marriage, social

class, and nationhood, it provides writers

of this period with a means of pushing the

boundaries of what is known and what can be

known. It asks whether we can separate pain

from pleasure, sex from violence, justice from

corruption, and punishment from tyranny.

Furthermore, we examine works of visual art

from this period in connection to our reading.

Frontier Literature and American Identity

(1140)

1st semester; 3 credits

This course examines the role of the American

frontier in the formation of a distinct American

mythology and identity. By looking at a variety

of media, focusing especially on literature

from the late 19th-century through the

present day, we examine the way mythology,

and speciﬁcally the mythology associated

with the American frontier, “symbolizes…

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 9

society’s ideology and dramatizes its moral

consciousness” (Slotkin, 1992). The class is a

seminar course that uses daily discussion of

the material covered to help students arrive

at a more nuanced understanding of the

collective narratives (with attendant symbols

and linguistic commonplaces) formed through

American experience with shrinking frontiers.

Global Literature (1150)

1st semester; 3 credits

This course explores contemporary

global ﬁction writing in English and English

translation. What literary conversations exist

beyond Western tradition? We explore the

imaginations of writers who are not only

innovative but also push the boundaries

between their home cultures and the global

village. The literature asks students to explore

the power of the literary imagination as we

consider how people make sense of their

world. The course supports the mission of

creating cross-cultural dialogues. Students

will have the opportunity to do independent

reading projects.

Literature and Detective Fiction (1190)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Detective ﬁction has become one of the

most popular types of genre ﬁction today.

It originated in America in the early 19th-

century as a fairly literary genre, with Edgar

Allan Poe as its founding father. Emphasizing

the hard-boiled and noir ﬁction that ﬂourished

between the Jazz Age and the Cold War,

as well as the police procedural and the

true crime novel, this course examines a

number of detective narratives in an attempt

to answer the following questions: What is

the appeal of detective ﬁction? How has it

developed as a genre over the past 150-plus

years? What are the limitations and potentials

of the detective genre? What can a study of

detective ﬁction reveal about sociocultural

anxieties, gender relations, interactions of

ﬁction, and reality and epistemology? We

read detective novels and short stories as

complex, pleasurable narratives that seem

to bespeak America’s anxiety over personal

safety and security in a free society.

Literature of the American Wild (1210)

2nd semester, 3 credits

This course focuses on analyzing how

nature and environmental issues have been

represented in literary narratives. Students

will analyze texts that illustrate environmental

concerns and examine the various ways

literature treats the subject of nature to

develop a deeper understanding of how they

shape our attitudes toward the environment.

These texts depict varying senses of what

the world around us is, how it works, why it is

the way it is, and what all that means for us

as human beings. The readings, discussions,

and writing assignments will help students

develop the analytical skills appropriate

to interpreting literary texts, formulating

and sustaining critical arguments in writing,

understanding the stakes of speciﬁc attitudes

toward the natural world, and understanding

how environmental issues are linked to other

social and cultural concerns.

Literature of Human Rights in the U.S.

(1330 English or 4220 History)

1st semester; 3 credits

“With Liberty and Justice for All,” eh? Not for

everyone! Using primary source documents,

plays, graphic novels, short stories, essays,

poems, movies, and oral history interviews,

we explore the legacy of human rights

challenges in the history of the United States

and the continuing struggles of Americans

today to live up to the founding credos. We

may be the “City on the Hill,” and our human

rights heroes are many, but the American

track record on social justice is not pristine.

The course will include study in at least two

of the following areas: U.S. Policy of Ethnic

Cleansing/Genocide/Culturicide against

Native Americans in Texas, The Civil Rights

Movement of the 1950 and 1960s, The

Contemporary LGBTQ Revolution, and A Case

Study of Miscarriages of Justice in Dallas, TX.

Race and Subjectivity in Literature (1350)

2nd semester; 3 credits

This is a course for people of all backgrounds

to think about and discuss structures of race.

Our ability to understand issues of race, our

own story and role in race relations, and our

own ability to participate in constructive

dialogue and healing is constrained and

limited by the belief systems we have

inherited and embody, often unconsciously.

We all possess implicit bias, and it colors

our perceptions of everything we encounter.

Importantly one of these is the way we

perceive the issue and realities of race in

our world. Even when challenged, these

belief systems often hold fast stubbornly and

prevent us from understanding ourselves

and others fully, as well as prevent us from

understanding the consequences of systemic

oppression on individuals, our social fabric,

and our cultural, economic, political, and

educational institutions. Students in this

course develop tools of self-compassion and

loving kindness that can help us live with

and heal from the hurts and the trauma that

systemic oppression has caused.

Literature of World Religions (1410)

1st semester; 3 credits

Even in a supposedly secular scientiﬁc age,

religions remain a dominant force in most

societies. Faith traditions obviously address

some deep human needs. While they vary in

their theologies, rituals, and commandments,

religions endure and address the same

profoundly human questions: What is ultimate

reality? What are the fundamentals of human

nature? Does life have a purpose? Why is

evil so prevalent and so powerful? How can

humans achieve wholeness and wisdom?

By comparing the answers that religions

oer to these questions, we may ﬁnd clues

to understanding both our neighbors and

ourselves.

Literature and Philosophy (1420)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

This course pairs philosophy—the concepts

of knowledge, truth, personal identity, ethics,

existentialism, fate, determinism, and free

will—with literature. After an introduction to

a philosophical concept, students examine

a work of literature using philosophical

theories to guide the discussion. Students

determine if characters make decisions

based upon knowledge or a belief, if they

apply and maintain a consistent ethical

standard, if personal identity is a product

of the mind or the body, and if existence is

fated or fashioned by free will. In both the

philosophy and literature, readings range from

the classics to contemporary selections and

probe current cultural epistemology or whose

voice carries the weight of “one who knows”

and whose does not.

Multicultural Literature: Survey of Modern

Poetry (1530)

1st semester; 3 credits

This course is designed as a survey of poetry

from the 1980s to present day. Students

learn how to think critically about complex

social issues by examining the lyrical style

of contemporary poets. Students focus on

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org10 Greenhill School

meter, rhyme scheme—end rhyme, slant

rhyme, and internal rhyme—and the eect of

line breaks and exaggerated stress patterns.

By concurrently analyzing traditional poetic

canon, students are able to make connections

between the two styles of writing by

familiarizing themselves with myriad poetic

devices. Students write original poems, as

well as complete an independent project

that focuses on an individual poet’s writing

style, and analyze the eect of their poetry on

contemporary society.

Social Class in Literature: Class on Class

(1555)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Social Class in Literature explores elements

of the expansive issue of socioeconomic

class in 20th- and 21st–century America.

Although it lies at the heart of the American

Dream and our reputation as the “Land of

Opportunity,” socioeconomic status too

often goes unexamined. Yet the questions it

raises remain central to the American identity

and vital to our unfolding story. Through

critical analysis and personal reﬂection,

the course delves into that narrative and

seeks to heighten awareness of how

socioeconomic status aects individual and

collective identities, perceptions, interactions,

experiences, and outcomes. In examining how

writers have addressed these issues over

the years, students read a variety of literary

and critical pieces and consider other artistic

mediums such as plays, ﬁlms, songs, and

television shows. As part of the organic and

collaborative nature of the course, students

teach a topic of their choosing, and there is

often a service-learning opportunity.

Women’s Literature (1620)

1st semester; 3 credits

This course focuses on writings by women

in a wide variety of literary genres, including

poetry, ﬁction, and essays. Though most

materials are contemporary American,

students also sample a wide range of

women’s writings from a variety of cultures

and historical periods. Students have the

opportunity to choose from a selection

of reading materials by modern and

contemporary writers such as Virginia Woolf,

bell hooks, Roxane Gay, Lindy West, and

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Written work may

include journals, creative writings, analytical

essays, biographies, and interviews.

Creative Writing (1710)

1st semester; 3 credits

This course experiments with dierent

techniques for writing poetry and short

ﬁction. Students have two tools at their

disposal: the workshop format for class

meetings and sample texts. The workshop

format challenges students to produce drafts

on deadline while also providing constructive

critiques of peer work. Students thereby

improve their own writing by continuously

playing the role of both author and editor.

The class also reads a brief but focused list

of sample texts. Attention shifts away from

interpretation toward identifying writing

techniques that we can incorporate into our

own work. Depending on student interest,

we may expand the course to include one of

the following: screenwriting, playwriting, or

personal essay (creative nonﬁction).

Nature and Uses of Language (1720)

1st semester; 3 credits

This course engages students in close reading,

class discussion, and written analysis of

American linguistics and semantics. The

course examines the interaction of language

and cultural change, and students read

critically to decode the larger meaning

of language within its cultural and social

context. Students study the logical aspects

of language, such as sense, reference,

implication, and logical form; semantics,

such as word meanings and word relations;

and the cognitive structure of meaning.

Students read selected works, both ﬁction

and narrative nonﬁction, to arrive at a deeper

understanding of American linguistics and

semantics and how language is used to create

meaning and identity.

Advanced Tutorials in English (1910)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Permission from instructor and approval by the Head

of Upper School and the English Department Chair are

required.

Semester–long graded tutorials are available

to advanced Upper School students. Topics

are to be jointly proposed in writing by the

student and instructor.

ADDITIONAL PASS/FAIL COURSES

Permission from instructor and approval by the Head

of Upper School and the English Department Chair are

required.

Writing Tutorial (1950)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Students interested in this studio course

must submit a written proposal specifying

the particular kind of writing in which they

are interested and the length and number of

works they attempt to complete during the

semester.

Reading Tutorial (1960)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Students interested in this studio course must

submit a written proposal explaining the

rationale of the tutorial and specifying the

particular titles they are interested in reading

during the semester.

NOT OFFERED IN 2024–2025

Coming of Age in America (1160)

Literature of Cosmic Horror and the

Supernatural (1170)

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 11

Fine Arts

Arts education at Greenhill School is based

upon the conviction that aesthetic curiosity,

self-discipline, and internal motivation are

fundamental to learning. We believe that the

arts are multidimensional and teach import-

ant life skills through art skills.

Fine Arts at Greenhill provide students with

an opportunity to celebrate their uniqueness

and to strive for opportunities for collabora-

tion.

Some visual art classes incorporate science,

while plays written and produced by students

often deal with important social issues. Like-

wise, video projects address social issues and

concerns that confront young people.

While many students at Greenhill seize the

opportunity to focus on a speciﬁc artistic

discipline, many continue to explore and

enjoy the broad and diverse arts oerings

available.

Some Fine Arts courses are oered for credit

during Summer on the Hill. Most students

at Greenhill graduate with more than the

minimum requirements. Fine Arts courses are

oered at both the beginning and advanced

levels, and all classes are graded.

STUDIO ARTS

Design of Immersive & Interactive Art

(6005 FA or 9610 DI)

Full year; 6 credits

Students may enroll in this course for either Design & Inno-

vation or Fine Arts credit.

In partnership with the department of visual

arts and department of innovation, instructors

will lead students through a course where

they will explore and develop interactive art.

Design of Immersive & Interactive Art students

will learn how to integrate art with technolo-

gy to design and create unique experiences.

These experiences may be embodied in an

immersive 2D/3D art installation, robotics,

games, or augmented performances using a

variety of media and materials. Students’ cul-

minating piece will be a fully functioning and

installed piece of art. Patrons don’t just look

at the visual aesthetic but are able to interact

with the art. The work that is developed

should recognize the presence of an individ-

ual, understand at least at a basic level their

engagement with the piece, and must respond

intentionally and intelligently to the patron.

Digital Art (6090)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Digital Art is an exciting and creative class

designed to introduce the innovative world

of digital media and graphic design. In this

semester-long course, students gain a com-

prehensive introduction to the latest in digital

art techniques, utilizing various software pro-

grams such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe

Illustrator. Instead of paints and pencils, stu-

dents will use their own photography or found

images for digital manipulation and drawing!

They’ll become familiar with concepts around

visual communication, learn about elements

and principles of design, and have opportu-

nities to animate their creations—all while

establishing their foundation in digital art. For

those of you wondering if this could be the

perfect class for you—if you’re interested in

creating beautiful art from a dierent per-

spective or eager to see what graphic design

has to oer—the answer is yes! Come explore

and get ready for lots of fun!

Drawing I (6010)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

This is an introductory course that gives

students a foundation in both technical and

conceptual subject matter. Instruction is given

on skill building, understanding vocabulary as

it relates to drawing, and experimentation of

materials through creative problem-solving.

Sketchbook assignments will be used to rein-

force skills and concepts as students navigate

class assignments. Observational and con-

ceptual assignments with various surfaces,

techniques, and mediums will be explored.

Learning how to create visual narratives is

a component of the course so students can

begin to ﬁnd their voice as an artist.

Drawing II (6060)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Drawing I or Instructor approval

This course continues to focus on honing both

technical and conceptual drawing skills.

Students continue their investigation of space,

image, and form as they relate to still life, ﬁg-

urative, and conceptual studies, and have the

opportunity to explore various surfaces and

media to aid them in communicating content.

In addition to in-class assignments, students

create a de-constructed book with weekly

illustration prompts as starting points. A ﬁnal

work/series is the focus for the second half of

the semester. Students interested in building

their portfolio in preparation for an AP course

and/or students who really enjoy the drawing

process may repeat this course.

Painting I (6030)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

This course gives students a strong founda-

tion of painting concepts and techniques that

allow for experimentation and exploration of

materials and painting media, painting meth-

odology, brush techniques, and basic color

theory. Students can explore water-based

mediums, oils, and mixed media while work-

ing on observational and conceptual assign-

ments. A brief background in art history that

includes important movements and artists

will proceed experimentation and exploration

of media for assignments. Learning how to

create strong visual narratives is a component

of this course so students can begin to ﬁnd

their artistic voice.

Painting II (6070)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Painting I or Instructor approval

This course continues the foundational skills

and concepts explored in Painting I while

helping students ﬁnd their artistic voice. Stu-

dents will have the chance to explore water

and oil-based mediums, printmaking, experi-

mental painting, and mixed media works while

exploring both traditional and non-traditional

surfaces including fabric, Masonite, clay

board, corrugated, and un-stretched canvas

as well as sewing, collage, weaving, and relief.

A ﬁnal series or large work is the culminating

assignment for the course. This course may

be repeated for credit.

Design I (6050)

1st semester; 3 credits

This course explores the basic elements of

design including line, color, shape, form,

value, space, and texture in connection with

both abstract and applied design. Stu-

dents will gain knowledge and experience

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org12 Greenhill School

working with concepts of positive/negative

form, typography, size and scale, repetition,

symmetry, and basic color theory, before

moving into more applied design assignments.

These may include logo design, posters, and

signage. Students have the option to work in

both hand rendered and digital art collage for

assignments.

Design II (6080)

1st semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Design I or Instructor approval

This course continues to explore the basic

elements of design in ﬁne art and print design.

Students will use the skills and knowledge

gained in Design I and use creative prob-

lem-solving while focusing on prompt-based

assignments. For the second half of the

semester, students will create a sequential

series or ﬁnal large work for exhibition, which

could include book art, installation art, mixed

media, digital art, or printmaking.

AP 2D Art and Design (6095)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: 3 semesters of Drawing, Painting, or Design,

and Instructor approval

Note: The AP Examination in Art is required.

AP 2D Art and Design focuses on the develop-

ment of a portfolio addressing the principles

of 2D drawing and 2D design. This course is

designed for students who intend to pursue

art in college. Students complete a portfolio

for submission to the AP Program Evaluation

Committee and as part of college applica-

tions. In order to qualify for AP Art, students

must submit a written request and portfolio

by the end of the previous year to be admit-

ted to the program. Summer work, whether

working at home or taking an outside course,

is strongly suggested before the start of their

AP year. A packet with possible assignments

to choose from is handed out at the end of

the year.

Ceramics I (6210)

1st semester; 3 credits

This is an introductory course to explore

ceramic processes involved with pottery and

sculpture. This class will introduce students

to building with clay based on contemporary

and historical inﬂuences. Emphasis will be

placed on the elements and principles of

design, such as line, shape, texture, and color.

Students will start with hand-building tech-

niques and pinch, coil, and slabs and then be

introduced to the craft of wheel-thrown pot-

tery. Students will be able to work with clay

through all its states, from wet clay to ﬁnished

ﬁred ceramics.

Ceramics II (6260)

1st semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Ceramics I

Students continue to advance their

hand-building and/or wheel-throwing skills.

This course is designed for students with

previous clay experience. Assignments will

be given at the beginning of the semester,

working toward independent projects based

on the student’s skill level, interest, and in-

structor approval. Students will develop their

own style of working and experiment with

advanced wheel/hand-building and glazing

techniques.

Sculpture I (6220)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Students learn sculpting skills, including

the forming methods: additive, subtractive,

fabrication, casting, and found object. Work

is created in the round, and presentation of

sculpture is addressed. Students work on

assignments with paper, cardboard, wood,

clay, glass, wax, and found objects.

Sculpture II (6230)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Sculpture I

Assignments will be given at the beginning of

the semester, working toward independent

projects based on the student’s skill level, in-

terest, and instructor approval. Students work

on assignments with paper, cardboard, wood,

clay, glass, wax, and found objects. Students

are encouraged to begin to ﬁnd their voices

sculpturally.

Honors 3D Art (6295)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Ceramics I, Ceramics II, and Sculpture I, or

Sculpture I, Sculpture II, and Ceramics I. Instructor approval

is necessary.

Honors 3D art is an advanced course that

builds on the foundational skills learned

in previous ceramics and sculpture cours-

es. Throughout the course, students work

independently to create eight major works of

art using a speciﬁc set of materials based on

independently established artists’ statements.

As they work, students will reﬁne their skills

while developing their own ideas and themes.

Over the course, we will use the critique

process for self-improvement and explore the

relationship between expression and personal

style. The yearlong course is divided into

two sections. Students will focus on working

with clay during the ﬁrst semester, while the

second semester will cover various sculp-

tural media. At the end of the year, students

will submit a ﬁnal portfolio showcasing their

highest levels of craftsmanship and personal

voice.

Photography I (6110)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Class size is limited to 13 students.

Camera provided by Greenhill Technology Department

There is a fee for class-related supplies.

This is a beginning-level course for the novice

photographer and is a hybrid of analog

and digital darkrooms. A series of projects

introduces students to a basic understanding

of Adobe Photoshop, the generation of digital

negatives for darkroom and experimental

process use, camera capabilities, and how to

utilize composition, form. and light. Stu-

dents learn how to photograph using manual

settings and how to improve their visual per-

ception through individual assignments. Color

theory and color correction are introduced.

Weekly critiques are conducted to enforce

syntax and process learning. Selected prints

are matted for display, student exhibitions,

and local contests.

Photography II (6120)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Class size is limited to 15 students.

Prerequisite: Photography I

Camera provided by Greenhill Technology Department

There is a fee for class-related supplies.

Photography II is an exploration of digital

photography as an artistic expression utilizing

Adobe Photoshop and further integration of

the darkroom. Assignments explore creative

ways to solve problems in the digital dark-

room and challenge the artist both creatively

and technically. An introduction to studio

lighting and creative control of exposure

enhances the technical prowess of the artist.

Issues-based photographic projects are ex-

plored throughout the course in the form of a

written thesis called an Artist Statement. This

course may be repeated for credit.

Chemistry of Photography (6140 FA or

5340 SCI)

1st semester; 3 credits

There is a fee for class-related supplies.

This course allows students to explore the

interconnectedness of a ﬁne arts discipline

(photography) and a science discipline

(chemistry). Students simultaneously explore

several photographic techniques and the

chemical explanations behind those tech-

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 13

niques. Students who have completed this

course are able to reﬂect and speak on the

artistic meaning of their images and explain,

on a chemical level, the processes and tech-

niques used to achieve the ﬁnal works of art.

Experiments and imagery are produced with

black-and-white developer techniques, toning

techniques, Sabattier eects, and 19th-cen-

tury printing techniques. A ﬁnal portfolio is

produced along with a ﬁnal project assessed

on artistic and chemical understanding.

Honors Photography (6150)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisites: Photography I and II and either another se-

mester of Photography II OR Chemistry of Photography OR

Abstract & Experimental Photography. Instructor approval is

necessary. There is a fee for class-related supplies.

Honors Photography is a further exploration

of the issues surrounding the pursuit of pho-

tography as a medium of personal expres-

sion. Students are responsible for writing an

artist-statement (thesis) and supporting the

proposal with an exhibition-quality portfolio,

a custom-printed book, and an online account

detailing the process of artistic intent. An

abundance of 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-centu-

ry technologies are utilized and integrated.

These include historical and alternative print-

making, 20th century silver gelatin, instant

Polaroid techniques, Mordançage, Sabattier,

and further explorations of new digital medi-

ums (19th through 21st century integration).

Alternative aspects of book art and collabo-

rative work are highly encouraged. Students

will collaborate with campus-wide projects

and prepare their work for submission to stu-

dent exhibitions, contests, publications, and

professional gallery and online opportunities.

Video Production (6510)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Class size limited to 20 students.

This course can be many things. We work in

small groups to produce several short ﬁlms

in a semester. For the Middle School student

who worked in a large group, this class allows

you to be much more in charge of learning all

aspects of ﬁlm preproduction, production,

and postproduction. For the ﬁlm fan, this

class gets your feet wet with a greater appre-

ciation of the art form. For the driven young

ﬁlmmaker, this class starts to shape your

skills and voice and fulﬁlls the requirement for

the Advanced Video Production (AVP) classes.

No matter your motivation, this class is a

space to watch, dissect, evaluate, and pro-

duce ﬁlms. Prompts change from project to

project and class to class, including animation

projects. Students can take Video Production

a total of two times in Upper School. Students

can take Video Production: SOTH all four

summers for credit.

Advanced Video Production (6560)

Full Year; 6 credits

Class size limited to 20 students.

Prerequisite: US Video Production and Instructor approval

Advanced Video Production (AVP) is a year-

long class for the student who wants a more

rigorous class of ﬁlmmaking. AVP students

work in small, tight-knit groups to make

high-quality short ﬁlms. Class time is used

for watching, discussing, and evaluating ﬁlms,

pitching stories in small and large groups, and

preproduction and postproduction of shorts,

ﬁeld trips, and visiting artists. AVP ﬁlms have

been shown all over the state, nation, and

world. AVP is a rigorous class and a strong

family of makers.

Woodworking I (6240)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Class size limited to 8 students

Woodworking I is an introductory course

designed for students interested in exploring

woodworking techniques and materials.

Focused on developing craft skills, artistic

creativity, and understanding form and

function, students will learn about wood

types, milling, joinery, and ﬁnishing. The

course uniquely combines 3D art and

carpentry in a studio-based environment.

Through a series of projects, students will

apply both hand and machine techniques to

produce works that blend aesthetics with

utility. The semester culminates in a gallery

showing their creations, showcasing their

journey in the art of woodworking. This

course is perfect for those looking to begin

their journey in woodworking or to expand

their artistic skills.

Tutorial in Advanced Studio Art (6910)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Students must have taken a beginning visual

art course for a tutorial; permission from instructor and

approval by the Head of Upper School and the Fine Arts

Director are required.

One-semester tutorials are available to

advanced art students. Topics are to be

jointly proposed in writing by the student and

instructor.

THEATER

Theater Appreciation (6310)

1st semester; 3 credits

Class size is limited to 12 students

This survey course is an exploration of ev-

erything theater and is designed to introduce

students to the history of theater and all the

exciting hands-on aspects of theater both

onstage and backstage. Students will learn

basic theater terms and attend professional

live performances. They will also participate

in dierent projects such as stage makeup,

writing and performing a personal monologue,

set building, stage combat and movement,

lighting eects, and vocal work. By the end

of this course, students will have a deeper

understanding of theater and their potential

place in it.

Technical Theater I (6320)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Class size is limited to 12 students

A hands-on course based on the process

and techniques used in creating and manip-

ulating scenery, properties, costumes, light,

and sound to enhance a theatrical event.

Workshop demonstrations and hands-on

experience are featured and oer the student

a project-based learning environment. This

class can be repeated and tailored to the

individual concentration and skill level of each

student.

Technical Theater II (6325)

1st semester; 3 credits

Prerequisites: Technical Theater I

Class size is limited to 12 students

Technical Theater II is an advanced course

tailored for students with prior experience

in technical theater. This course provides an

opportunity to delve deeper into specialized

areas such as scenic painting, lighting, pro-

jection work, props design and fabrication,

sound, and scenic construction. Students

will have the ﬂexibility to focus on their area

of interest, enhancing their skills through

hands-on workshops, demonstrations, and

individual projects. A signiﬁcant course com-

ponent involves contributing to the semester’s

production, oering practical experience in a

real-world setting. Assessments are proj-

ect-based, emphasizing student commitment,

engagement, and skill development. This

course bridges the gap for students interest-

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org14 Greenhill School

ed in advanced technical theater but unable

to commit to the extensive outside-of-school

time required by other technical practicum

courses.

Technical Theater: Stage Design (6350)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Technical Theater I, Theater Appreciation, or

Instructor approval

An in-depth course focusing on ﬁnding your

vision as a designer and learning to communi-

cate your designs as an artist and craftsper-

son. In this course, students dive into works

from theater, dance, and visual art to develop

their personal design style. Through discovery

and creative freedom, students create their

own designs and gain tools to communicate

their ideas through research, sketches, visual

renderings, light plots, and building models.

This class can be repeated and tailored to

oer real-world design projects and possibly

lead to designing main stage productions for

Greenhill.

Acting I (6330)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

This engaging course is for the beginning

actor or those with acting experience solely in

Middle School. The class focuses on develop-

ing the actor’s conﬁdence and performance

skill set in a low-risk, high-success environ-

ment with theater games, exercises, vocal

work, stage combat, and character and script

analysis. Over the semester, students are

introduced to preparation techniques and

fundamental performance skills. Students

develop and present monologue audition

pieces and scenes that challenge them to

create lively, exciting characters. This course

culminates in a ﬁnal showcase of work.

Acting II (6335)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Acting I or Instructor approval. This course may

not be oered every year.

This advanced course is for the more experi-

enced actor and is strongly recommended for

the student who may be exploring an acting

or ﬁlm focus in college. The course concen-

trates on scene work in dierent acting styles

for the stage and screen. Actors analyze

scripts, develop movement and characters,

and increase their improvisational acting

skills. Works include texts written for the

stage, ﬁlm, and television. Scene work is often

video recorded for review and critique. This

course culminates in a ﬁnal showcase to be

presented to an invited audience.

Introduction to Writing for Stage and Film

(6360)

1st semester; 3 credits

This course is designed to help all aspiring

playwrights and screenwriters dive into the

world of theatrical and cinematic storytelling!

Students will learn practical writing tech-

niques, the use of physical space in their writ-

ing, build believable and dynamic characters

through dialogue, and develop plot structure

with an emphasis on action and conﬂict. Stu-

dents will have the opportunity to put what

they’ve learned into practice right away, with

assignments that range from short playwrit-

ing all the way up to a ten-minute play and

a screenplay suitable for video production.

When it’s all over, we’ll cap things o with

readings of each student’s work for real-life

feedback in an intimate setting.

Student Directing: Directing and Acting

(6370)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Acting I or Theater Appreciation or

Instructor approval

This is a hands-on, fun, challenging, and

extremely exciting course for both student

actors and student directors! Formal applica-

tions of interested student directors are due

in the fall. Students will learn about develop-

ing a rehearsal schedule, casting a show, di-

recting actors, and producing for the theater.

Interested student actors are encouraged to

enroll! Actors will participate in an audition

process with the selected student directors,

then continue with the rehearsal process, and

ﬁnally perform in a one-act play directed and

produced by a student director.

Improv Comedy: Finding Your Funny

(6340)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Learn how to unlock your authentic comedic

voice on stage! In this semester-long course,

students will focus on ﬁnding the fun, being

spontaneous, and making big choices! In the

ﬁrst quarter, students will collaborate with

their classmates to tell stories on their feet,

support each other’s ideas, and ﬁnd their own

truth in comedy based on their experiences

and perspectives. In the second quarter, stu-

dents will work together to create improvised

scenes and comedic characters with strong

points of view and absurd behaviors with a

focus on what it takes to create an improvised

show of short form games and longer for-

mats. This class will culminate in a short form

improv performance for a small audience.

Students can take Improv Comedy a total of

two times in Upper School but not in consec-

utive semesters.

Tutorials in Advanced Drama (6930)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Acting I or Theater Appreciation or permission

from instructor and approval by the Head of Upper School

and the Theater Director

Tutorials are available to advanced drama

students. Topics are to be jointly proposed in

writing by the student and instructor.

THEATER PRODUCTIONS

Theater: Musical Production (6450 FA or

8560 PE)

1st Semester; 3 credits (FA = Graded; PE = Pass/Fail)

Class of 2028: a Prerequisite of one of the following

courses: Acting I, Improv Comedy, Choir, Dance, or Theater

Appreciation. A prerequisite can be taken concurrently with

this class. Students may enroll in this course for either Fine

Arts or Physical Education credit.

This course is designed for the student whose

interests lie in musical theater performance.

Every student is part of the ensemble, attends

rehearsals, and learns dances and songs in

the production. Students also develop exciting

characters suitable for the production with an

emphasis on character development, tech-

nical proﬁciency (correct posture, alignment,

breath), and performance quality (focus, style,

and musicality). Auditions generally take place

during the ﬁrst week of the ﬁrst semester.

This course culminates in a performance

weekend where students are showcased to

the Greenhill community and beyond. Later

in the year, the production travels to the ISAS

Fine Arts Festival.

Theater: Technical Practicum (6460)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Technical Theater I

Tech Crew assists in the creation of sets,

props, costumes, light, and sound through-

out the term during the production cycle

of theater and dance performances. Stage

managers and assistant stage managers are

also selected from the crew. During perfor-

mances, Tech Crew members are responsible

for running lights, sound, special eects, stage

managing, facilitating costume changes, and

moving set pieces and props. This rewarding

yet time-intensive course culminates in pro-

ducing all technical elements for an audience

either in the Studio Theater or Rose Hall. As

an advanced theater course, there are out-of-

class expectations and commitments.

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 15

Theater: Play Production (6470)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Class of 2028: a Prerequisite of one of the following

courses, Acting I, Improv Comedy, Choir, Dance, or Theater

Appreciation. A prerequisite can be taken concurrently with

this class.

This course is designed for students inter-

ested in developing and showcasing their

performance skills performing in a nonmu-

sical theater production. Every student is

part of the performing ensemble, attending

rehearsals, learning lines and blocking, and

creating lively, exciting characters. Auditions

generally take place during the ﬁrst week of

the second semester. This course culminates

in a performance weekend for the Greenhill

community and beyond. The production also

travels to the ISAS Fine Arts Festival.

SPEECH AND DEBATE

Introduction to Debate I (6710)

1st semester; 3 credits

Introduction to Debate I is a one semester

entry level course for students who are new

to Greenhill School, have limited Middle

School debating experience, or have never

debated before. This course surveys the

formats of Lincoln Douglas Debate, Policy

Debate, and World Schools Debate over the

semester. You will have the opportunity to

practice each type of debate in class and

are highly encouraged to sign up for, and

compete in, at least one tournament. Students

learn portable skills such as best practices in

public speaking and critical thinking; learning

to develop, defend, and respond to well-rea-

soned arguments; enhanced research skills;

and collaboration and teamwork. Together

these skills build a foundation for eective ar-

gumentation and advocacy, vital skills needed

in an everchanging world. Most students in

this class are 9th graders, but any student

who chooses to explore Debate could enroll

in the class. Students interested in pursuing

debate should sign up for both Introduction to

Debate I and Introduction to Debate II in the

2nd semester.

Introduction to Debate II (6715)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Introduction to Debate I or Instructor approval

Introduction to Debate II is a one semester

course for students who are interested in

debate. This course introduces new concepts

across the three formats Greenhill Debate

competes in: Lincoln Douglas Debate, Policy

Debate, and World Schools Debate. Stu-

dents will have the opportunity to practice

each type of debate in class and are highly

encouraged to sign up for, and compete in,

at least one tournament. The curriculum in

Introduction to Debate II builds heavily on the

concepts learned in Introduction to Debate I.

Most students in this class are 9th graders,

but any student who chooses to explore

Debate could enroll in the class. Students in-

terested in pursuing debate should sign up for

both Introduction to Debate I and Introduction

to Debate II in the 2nd semester.

Intermediate Debate (6720)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Introduction to Debate II or Director of Debate

approval

This course builds upon the principles of

Introduction to Debate by emphasizing the

research component of argumentation, in

addition to building on skills such as eec-

tive writing of arguments and enhancing

the most-eective delivery techniques to

persuade audiences and judges in interscho-

lastic competitions. Students who complete

Introduction to Debate and/or have the writ-

ten permission of the debate sta may take

this course. Students in this class will have

the option to focus on any of the formats of

debate in which Greenhill competes. Students

in Intermediate Debate are required to attend

a minimum of four interscholastic competi-

tions per semester.

Advanced Debate: Policy (6740)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Intermediate Debate or Director of Debate

approval

This course, intended for students active in

interscholastic competition, covers advanced

concepts in policy debate. Each year, the

course material changes to correspond to

the National High School Debate Resolution.

This course may be repeated for credit. The

minimum participation requirement for

successful completion of this course is four

tournaments per semester.

Advanced Debate: World Schools (6750)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Intermediate Debate or Director of Debate

approval

This course examines the practice of

contemporary World Schools Debate by

engaging in a study of the topics related

to many of the major societal issues of the

day. The course introduces students to ar-

gumentation, persuasion theory, research,

and strategy necessary to participate in

interscholastic debate. The course may be

repeated for credit. The minimum partici-

pation requirement for successful comple-

tion of this course is four tournaments per

semester. Students of all grade levels may

take this course with the approval of the

Director of Debate.

Advanced Debate: Lincoln Douglas (6770)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Intermediate Debate or Director of Debate

approval

This course is intended for students active

in competing at high levels of debate—it will

cover advanced concepts in Lincoln Douglas

debate, including moral and political philoso-

phy, critical theory, public policy, and content

knowledge relating to the ﬁve Lincoln-Douglas

topics that are debated each school year. The

course may be repeated for credit. The mini-

mum participation requirement for successful

completion of this course is four tournaments

per semester.

Tutorial in Advanced Forensics (6940)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Permission from instructor and approval by the Head of

Upper School and the Director of Debate is required.

One-semester tutorials are available to

advanced debate and forensic students in the

Upper School. Topics are to be jointly pro-

posed in writing by the student and instructor.

MUSIC

Greenhill Singers (6410)

Full year; 6 credits

This course is an intermediate music course.

It is a non-auditioned course, and all are

welcome. Singers perform an eclectic array

of choral repertoire spanning many styles,

periods, and traditions. It covers basic and

advanced principles of musicianship, theory,

vocal technique, performance, and pro-

fessionalism practices. Singers perform at

various functions and concerts throughout the

year. Students have the opportunity to com-

pete in individual and interscholastic contests,

such as all-region choir and all-state choir.

Songwriting (6415)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Students of all music experience levels will

ﬁnd challenges and rewards in this unique

course. Those enrolled in Songwriting will be

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org16 Greenhill School

immersed in a unique and exciting learning

experience. Combining lectures with work-

shop classes, students will explore the many

components of song, such as lyrics, melody,

delivery, harmony, rhythm, form, texture, and

timbre. They will learn to use these elements

to compose and record original material and

gain insight into the music industry by attend-

ing live concerts and reviewing performances.

This is an introduction to songwriting that

broadens creativity and understanding of the

art of songwriting.

Greenhill Concert Band (6430)

Full year; 6 credits

The Greenhill Concert Band is a full instru-

mentation band that performs a variety

of music throughout the school year. This

non-auditioned ensemble focuses on musi-

cianship and ensemble playing. Students have

the opportunity to participate in ATSSB and

TPSMEA contests, such as all-region, all-state,

and solo and ensemble contest. Members of

the Greenhill Concert Band ﬁll various en-

sembles such as the Greenhill Drumline, Jazz

Band, Jazz Combo, Pep Band, and chamber

groups.

Greenhill Chamber Orchestra (6420)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Audition/approval from Instructor

The Greenhill Chamber Orchestra rehears-

es music from a wide range of styles with

special emphasis on standard repertoire for

orchestra. In addition, students are placed in

trios or quartets to pursue chamber music,

which forms a vital part of the curriculum.

Students are expected to progress in skill and

musicianship through their participation. Daily

practice is expected. Private lessons are not

required but are highly encouraged. Participa-

tion is by audition and is open to students of

intermediate to advanced ability.

Tutorial in Advanced Music (6950)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Permission from instructor and approval by the Head of

Upper School and the Department Head is required.

One-semester tutorials are available to

advanced music students. Topics are to be

jointly proposed in writing by the student and

instructor.

DANCE

Dance Technique (6445 FA or 8510 PE)

After School; 1st semester; 3 credits (FA = Graded; PE =

Pass/Fail)

Students may enroll in this course for either Fine Arts or

Physical Education credit.

This course is designed to address the

various aspects of dance technique, includ-

ing correct posture, alignment, movement

qualities, musicality, breath, and expression.

Emphasis is placed on technical proﬁciency,

performance quality, and stylistic variations.

The class strives to increase coordination,

strength, ﬂexibility, and a greater understand-

ing and appreciation for the art of dance.

Dance technique classes meet after school.

Greenhill Dance Company (6440 FA or

8570 PE)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

(FA = Graded; PE = Pass/Fail)

Students are encouraged to enroll in this course as a full-

year member but may enroll in a single semester. Credit

can be received for either Fine Arts or Physical Education

and may change enrollment each semester depending on

credit needs.

This is the Greenhill dance performance

group. This course is designed for the dance

student whose interests lie in dance tech-

nique and performance. Emphasis is placed

on technical proﬁciency, performance quality,

and working as a vital member of the com-

pany. Students perform advanced movement

sequences, participate in improvisation

experiences, learn choreography, and engage

in class discussions and peer-to-peer critique

sessions. For those who are interested,

students also have the opportunity to cho-

reograph. Company members also engage in

various aspects of production and promotion

for dance performances, including the ISAS

Fine Arts Festival.

Dance for Athletes (6455)

2nd semester; 3 credits

This Fine Arts class is a fantastic way to

enhance your athletic performance. Designed

for athletes who want to enhance their

athletic and physical performance through

techniques used in dance, the class will focus

on agility, ﬂexibility, balance, and endurance

so you can perform at your best physically.

No experience required—this beginner’s pro-

gram will help students improve movement

skills needed when performing the demand-

ing tasks required in sports and ﬁtness, with

a bonus: it is fun, too. Athletes should plan by

wearing loose-ﬁtting clothing. A large portion

of the class will be devoted to stretching and

conditioning, emphasizing proper placement

and technique within a dance class structure.

No public performance is required.

PUBLICATIONS

Montage Literary Magazine: Publication

Creation (6670)

2nd semester; 3 credits

This course takes you through the process

by which a literary magazine gets made. The

class compiles and transforms written and

visual art submissions into a publication

that primarily examines and showcases the

relationship between aesthetics and rhetoric.

Students learn what it takes to create a com-

pelling and powerful presence on a printed

page that includes compositional consider-

ations, color, and typography. The course

also includes design theory, basic layout, and

technical Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photo-

shop skills.

Cavalcade Yearbook (6650)

Full year; 6 credits

Cavalcade is a full-year course that teaches

students about all the essential elements

that go into producing a publication from

conception to ﬁnished product. Students

work in teams for each section of the book

and create layouts centered on the ideas,

graphics, typography, and design that the

editor(s) in chief have created and discussed.

Areas of concentration include team building,

creating an eective theme, writing for publi-

cation, the interviewing process, typography

and graphic design, eective caption writing,

email etiquette, and photography. Instruction

of Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop is

a huge component of the course, as these

programs are used for the layout and design

of the publication. Students can apply for

future leadership positions at the end of the

year. These are decided by the editor(s) after

the interviewing process is completed.

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 17

Introduction to Journalism (6610)

Full year; 6 credits

This course prepares students to join the sta

that produces the school newspaper, The

Evergreen, and the digital news platform, Ev-

ergreen Online. Students learn the elements

of journalism, focusing on the fundamentals of

news gathering and writing. They analyze the

structure, sourcing, arrangement of facts, and

use of direct quotes in newspaper and mag-

azine stories and learn to write short news

stories and more complex articles, including

in-depth features, proﬁles, and sports stories.

They also learn the fundamentals of eective

page design and how art and text work to-

gether to communicate meaning. As students

learn how to responsibly inform and represent

the Greenhill community, they demonstrate

comprehension of the goals and ethics of

a campus newspaper and digital news site.

They also consider which stories are best

suited for print versus online platforms.

Advanced Journalism (6640)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Introduction to Journalism and permission

from Instructor is required.

This course is designed for students interest-

ed in deepening their involvement with the

print Evergreen or Evergreen Online sta.

In addition to planning, writing, and editing

articles and creating podcasts and video

segments, students assume more editorial

responsibilities, including story selection,

evaluation and feedback, headline and photo

caption writing, and participation in sta edi-

torial and policy decisions. They also deepen

their knowledge of eective page design and

how art and text work together to communi-

cate meaning and then apply that knowledge

in their work on the newspaper or digital

news platform. Students who serve on the

editorial sta must sign up for this course.

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org18 Greenhill School

History/

Social Science

The Greenhill Upper School history cur-

riculum deepens students’ knowledge of

history; sparks their curiosity about the

world; promotes an understanding of global

cultures; encourages students to become ac-

tive citizens; and develops the research and

communication skills that allow students to

explore and convey information in sophisti-

cated ways.

The Upper School program is divided into

two sections: a core program in 9th and 10th

grades in which students learn about global

history and the history of the United States,

and an 11th–12th grade program in which

students are given a wide choice of semester

electives. In the 9th and 10th grade courses,

students learn ﬁrst about the history of the

world with a focus on non-Western cultures

before diving into the history of the United

States and its role in the world. The 11th and

12th grade electives encourage students

to broaden their understanding of world

history, social sciences, global cultures,

and pressing international issues. All Upper

School students must take a government

course and are given two options to satisfy

this requirement: Government in Action or AP

Government. The department has also added

a special course for seniors who display a

passion and aptitude for history. This Senior

Seminar course has a dierent topic and

teacher each year, and rising seniors must

apply for consideration and acceptance into

the class.

Across the program, primary documents,

current events, and guest speakers supple-

ment course material and enhance student

interest. Research skills are also embedded

into the program at every stage. All 9th and

10th graders are required to complete a for-

mal research paper, and these skills are re-

ﬁned and advanced in the various upper-di-

visional elective courses. After completing the

Upper School history program, students are

prepared for continued study of history at the

university level, as well as a life of thoughtful

and engaged citizenship, locally, nationally,

and globally.

NINTH GRADE

Global History (4010)

Full year; 6 credits

Global History surveys the evolution of

empires from the ancient world through the

20th-century by assessing and addressing

key questions based on political, economic,

social, religious, and artistic themes. How

are empires deﬁned and formed? What are

the characteristics of a golden age? What

factors contribute to the decline and fall of

empires? What are the power dynamics be-

tween rulers and subjects? What interactions

occurred between rival empires? Do empires

exist in the modern world? These questions

will be explored through a variety of textual

analyses and discussions utilizing primary and

secondary sources. The course will conclude

with a research component that will form the

foundation for success in the social sciences.

TENTH GRADE

United States History (4020)

Full year; 6 credits

United States History surveys the political,

economic, and social history of the United

States from the Civil War to the present. The

class is a chronological study of the modern

U.S., focusing on themes of freedom, power,

and the American Dream. How did the United

States rise from a regional backwater to

a global superpower? Who does “We the

People” include? How have individuals and

groups fought for full citizenship and rights?

How have race and class impacted the pursuit

of life, liberty, and happiness? Is America “ex-

ceptional”? How have Americans interacted

with their landscape and environment? These

are some of the questions this class seeks to

explore. This class ties the study of the past

to current events. For example, we trace the

legacies of an unﬁnished Reconstruction to the

Civil Rights Movement and then to protests in

the news today. Students hone critical thinking,

research, and writing skills and complete an

independent research paper.

ELECTIVES

Juniors and seniors are required to take at

least two semesters of electives that reﬂect

their interests in history or social science. One

semester of electives must be from a govern-

ment course. Students satisfy their government

credit by taking either Government in Action

(4110) or AP Government (4120). Students

may not take both government courses without

departmental approval.

Government in Action (4110)

2nd semester; 3 credits

The ultimate objective of this course is to help

students become better-informed citizens re-

garding the workings of American government

and politics. It is a process that begins with an

in-depth study of the American political sys-

History/Social Science Courses

Yearlong Courses

Global History (4010)

United States History (4020)

AP European History (4640)

1st Semester Courses

History of Human Rights in the U.S. (4220)

The Cold War: 1945–1991 (4240)

Understanding September 11 (4270)

Women’s History (4280)

Sports and Society (4410)

International Relations (4465)

Military History (4490)

LGBTQ History (4510)

Economics and Society (4610)

2nd Semester Courses

Government in Action (4110)

AP Government (4120)

World War I and the Modern World (4235)

War at Home: The WWII Homefront (4245)

Genocide in the Modern World (4310)

Urban Studies: A History of Dallas (4320)

Economics and Society (4610)

Senior Seminar: Modern Middle East (4850)

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 19

tem, from its beginnings under the founding

fathers to its current existence. Tracing and

analyzing the evolution of the government’s

role allow students to gain insight into Ameri-

can politics and to assess how the American

government has been a constantly evolving

entity. Topics of study include the U.S. Con-

stitution, the three branches of the federal

government, the electoral process, the ideas

and organization of the two major parties,

and current issues facing the U.S., both at

home and abroad. Analyzing how these topics

aect students’ lives—from knowing one’s

legal rights to understanding the importance

of surage to the value of participating polit-

ically—helps make this a hands-on course as

well. Students may not take both government

courses without departmental approval.

Advanced Placement Government (4120)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Note: AP Examination in Government is required. Students

are encouraged to consider AP Government if they have a)

demonstrated proﬁciency in their previous history courses

and b) displayed a real interest in the study of politics and

government. A grade of B or better in Global History and

U.S. History is recommended.

The AP Government course is designed

to give students a critical perspective on

government and politics in the United States.

This one-semester course is designed for the

highly motivated student who wishes to earn

college credit in government by taking the

AP test. This survey of our political system

examines the constitutional underpinnings

of our system of government, how it has

evolved over time, and how various actors

and inﬂuences shape the making of policy.

Primary emphasis is placed on the national

government, with special attention given to

the interaction between the branches of the

federal government and, to a lesser degree,

the states. Materials for the course include

texts, supplementary readings, current maga-

zines, ﬁlms, and videos.

History of Human Rights in the U.S. (1330

English or 4220 History)

1st semester; 3 credits

“With Liberty and Justice for All,” eh? Not for

everyone! Using primary source documents,

plays, graphic novels, short stories, essays,

poems, movies, and oral history interviews,

we explore the legacy of human rights chal-

lenges in the history of the United States and

the continuing struggles of Americans today

to live up to the founding credos. We may be

the “City on the Hill,” and our human rights

heroes are many, but the American track

record on social justice is not pristine. The

course will include study in at least two of the

following areas: U.S. Policy of Ethnic Cleans-

ing/Genocide/Culturicide against Native

Americans in Texas, The Civil Rights Move-

ment of the 1950 and 1960s, The Contempo-

rary LGBTQ Revolution, and A Case Study of

Miscarriages of Justice in Dallas, TX.

WWI and the Modern World (4235)

2nd semester; 3 credits

The assassin’s bullets that sprayed Archduke

Franz Ferdinand’s car not only killed the

Archduke and his wife but also brought an era

to its end. World War I birthed the modern

world. The war spanned continents and

forced troops from across the globe to face

one another in a conﬂict of unprecedented

bloodshed. This class will explore WWI from

multiple angles: geopolitics, military strategy,

art and literature, technology, and psychol-

ogy. We will trace how this conﬂict’s ripple

eects changed existing world systems. We

will try to answer questions, such as How

did imperialism cause WWI? Why did trench

warfare dominate the Western Front? Why

do people ﬁxate on the Western Front and

ignore the global reach of WWI? How did

WWI impact soldiers and the home front?

And why did this war create an outpouring of

ﬁction and poetry? This course will crisscross

the globe from Gallipoli to Verdun and from

Tokyo to Mexico City and will explore warfare

from U-boats under the ocean to airplane

dogﬁghts.

The Cold War: Global History and Politics

from 1945 to 1991 (4240)

1st semester; 3 credits

This course examines the geopolitical, eco-

nomic, and ideological struggle that materi-

alized in the aftermath of WWII. Two super-

powers emerged, and although the largest

threat of confrontation came from the Cuban

Missile Crisis, the course looks at eects on

a global scale as the world became polar-

ized: the Greek Civil War, the Korean War,

the Vietnam War, and the Soviet-Afghan War

were all products of the larger battle between

communism and the capitalist democracies.

In addition, conﬂicts in Angola, El Salvador,

and Nicaragua are examined. Throughout the

course, we look at the modern relationship

between Russia and the United States and

how it continues to evolve.

War at Home: The WWII Homefront (4245)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Did Rosie rivet? How did Donald Duck ﬁght

Nazis? What role did Dr. Seuss play in guid-

ing the war eort? This course explores the

experience of World War II on the American

home front. Students explore demograph-

ics and a rapidly changing industrial nation,

paying special attention to race, gender, pop

culture, and propaganda. The course also

looks at several controversies: the American

reaction to news of the Holocaust, the deci-

sion to build and drop nuclear weapons, and

the place of the war in popular imagination.

The class culminates in a research project

creating a museum exhibit to teach about the

impact and lasting legacy of this conﬂict on

American life.

Understanding September 11 (4270)

1st semester; 3 credits

This course examines the key issues sur-

rounding the terrorist attacks of September

11, 2001. In seeking to understand this mo-

mentous event, we explore the recent history

of the Middle East (and the wider Islamic

world), as well as America’s often-conﬂicted

role in this region. Using a variety of sourc-

es, media, and perspectives, students view

9/11 through a number of dierent “lenses.”

None of these lenses is sucient by itself,

but each has something to contribute as we

construct an understanding of this complex

event. Students also assess 9/11’s impact

on a global scale, looking at media reaction,

policy responses, and the continued threat of

terrorism worldwide.

Women’s History (4280)

1st semester; 3 credits

Do you know your grandmother’s maiden

name? Your great-grandmother’s? Women

make up half of the population, but their

deeds and names tend to be obscured in the

historical record. In this class, we attempt to

reclaim women’s place in history from pre-

1492 to the present. While much of this class

covers women who lived in the public sphere

and left their names in the history books, we

also try to look at the lived experiences of

women who never made the news. We pay

particular attention to how women’s stories

are recorded. We use the lens of intersection-

ality to guide our historical work. While we

focus primarily on women in American history,

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org20 Greenhill School

we also try to examine women and the birth

of feminism in a global context.

Genocide in the Modern World (4310)

2nd semester; 3 credits

With our world “growing smaller” each day

due to the advent of new technologies, par-

ticularly social media, what is our respon-

sibility and what should be our response to

mass violence and propagandized hate?

Through a deep dive into case studies of

modern genocides across each of the inhab-

ited continents, students engage in not only

historical analysis but also the study of human

behavior, especially as it relates to racism,

religious intolerance, and prejudice. Genocide

in the Modern World asks students to wrestle

with ethical decision making, themes of

justice and equality, and questions of whether

genocide is always an intentional act, whether

its result is always death and violence, and

how communities attempt to reconcile with,

repair, and remember their dead. In the end,

students should expect to come away with a

greater understanding of their own role and

responsibilities as a global citizen.

Urban Studies: History of Dallas (4320)

2nd semester; 3 credits

What do you know about the city you live

in? If we don’t know our own stories, then

what chance do we have to impact our local

community going forward? The old axiom

that “there is no compelling reason for Dallas

to exist” bears examination, because the city

does, indeed, exist, and its unique challenges

and unique excellence today can be traced

back to key moments in the city’s evolution.

Our fair city now ﬁnds itself in the midst of

a boom that experts say will anchor the

nation’s third largest metropolitan area in the

next ten years.

In this class, we’ll explore a handful of these

watershed events – the KKK’s stranglehold

on Dallas politics in the 1920s, the awarding

of the Texas Centennial to Dallas, the role

of Deep Ellum in the birth of the Blues, the

Kennedy Assassination and the City of Hate

moniker, the role of the Dallas Cowboys in

helping the city come out of this dark period,

the founding of DFW International Airport, in

creating the foundation for the city we know

today, and then we’ll consider the changing

demographics of Dallas in the 21st century

and confront the whitewashing of our civic

history through a deep-dive into local human

rights atrocities. Each student will create a

unique service project around a particular

place of interest in the city, and the semester

will end with a synthesizing of elements of

Dallas’ past with a commitment to bending

the city’s historical arc in a direction that each

student believes worthy of their own personal

investment.

Sports and Society (4410)

1st semester; 3 credits

Sports and Society is an elective for students

interested in expanding their knowledge of

sport and how it relates to culture. It is based

on the premise that sport is a reﬂection of

society with all of its good points as well as

its negative ones. Thus, sample questions in-

clude: To what extent is a sport connected to

the culture of its place of origin? How closely

linked is a country’s sport to the land’s

customs, economy, and society? Ultimately,

how can sports serve as a window into a

particular culture? Beginning with a reading of

Buzz Bissinger’s Friday Night Lights, regional,

national, and international sports are covered,

and topics range from those initially proposed

by the teacher to student-generated ones as

the course develops. Students also examine

the notion that the sports community can,

and should, take a lead role in bringing about

positive social change.

International Relations (4465)

1st semester; 3 credits

Are China and the U.S. on a collision course

for war? Can the Israelis and Palestinians

ﬁnd a two-state solution in the Holy Land?

Can the Paris climate accord help to cool a

warming planet? Do powerful nations have a

responsibility to assist vulnerable populations

in faraway lands? These questions dominate

global headlines and our daily news feeds.

In this course, we go beyond the sound-

bites and menacing headlines to explore the

context, causes, and consequences of the

most pressing global issues. Grounding our

understandings in the leading IR theories, we

assess real-world problems, including the

complex interplay of war and peace, conﬂict

and cooperation, and security and human

rights. Working with classmates and leaning

on the expertise of guest speakers, students

also identify and model ways to mediate and

resolve some of the most pressing global

conﬂicts.

Military History (4490)

1st semester, 3 credits

Military History provides a global survey of

human conﬂict from ancient times through

the present. This course, while examining

traditional concepts of strategy and tactics,

also delves into the social and cultural history

of war-making. The chronological focus

for the ﬁrst part of the course spans from

the Greco-Persian Wars to the Gunpowder

Revolution. The second half examines the

important developments that occurred from

the gunpowder age through the World Wars.

Thematic topics include, but are not limited to

military professionalism, armies and empire

building, war-making and the nation-state,

cultural perceptions of war, the experience

of battle and the common soldier, the role of

technology in conﬂict, modern war, limited

war, total war, and asymmetric warfare.

LGBTQ History (4510)

1st semester, 3 credits

This course will analyze the social, cultural,

and political history of queer genders and

sexualities, primarily in the United States,

during the 20th-century. Students will exam-

ine major LGBTQ+ ﬁgures in history, such as

Harvey Milk, Bayard Rustin, Barbara Gittings,

Harry Hay, Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera,

and others. Major topics include the shifts in

social and political policing of “normal” sexu-

ality and gender, the emphasis on normative

sexuality, speciﬁcally heterosexuality, and the

impact that the First and Second World Wars,

the Cold War, urbanization, and the social

revolutions of the 1960s and 1970s had on

the community. Major themes include the

emergence of homosexuality and heterosex-

uality as categories of identity; the develop-

ment of diverse lesbian and gay subcultures

and their representation in popular culture;

the sources of antigay hostility; generational

change and everyday life; AIDS; and gay, anti-

gay, feminist, and queer movements.

Economics and Society (4610)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

How can Economic Reasoning help us

understand the world? How do people and

ﬁrms make decisions? How does a nation’s

economy grow? How does inequality aect

both the individual and the economy as a

whole? Economics and Society will oer

students a comprehensive introduction to the

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 21

key principles of microeconomics and macro-

economics.

Topics covered include demand and supply,

free enterprise, the function (and failure) of

markets, economic cycles, ﬁscal policy, mon-

etary policy, income inequality, environmental

economics, and globalization. Students will

gain an understanding of the United States

economy and world economies along with in-

sight into how economics shapes the daily life

of each individual in dierent ways. Classes

will include discussions, simulations, debates,

role-playing, research, and presentations.

AP European History (4640)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisites: Completion of GX 9 and US 10 with a

minimum grade of B+; students should not take multiple AP

History classes at the same time

What role did the Black Death play in the

development of the Renaissance? How did

sugar change European politics? How did

political consolidation aect the art world?

What role did technology and scientiﬁc

innovation play in shaping global commu-

nications? This class seeks to answer these

questions and more as it covers European

History from 1450 to the present. Students

will develop historical arguments and make

connections across time and place. The

course will prepare students to take the

AP Exam in May. The class is open to both

juniors and seniors, but students will not be

able to take AP European History and AP

Government concurrently.

Senior Seminar: Modern Middle East

(4850)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Note: Seniors only; enrollment is limited to approximately

twelve students. Interested students need to submit a 1–2-

page statement of interest to Mr. Cotton.

We’ve all seen the alarming headlines from

the Middle East recently:

“Hamas Launches Terror Attack Against

Israel”

“Iran Aims for Breakthrough in Nuclear

Weapons”

“Oil Markets Shaky on Fear of Middle East

War”

And on and on.

This class will take you beyond the headlines

and the soundbites and will oer a compre-

hensive look at the broader forces shaping

the Middle East. Through readings, seminars,

guest speakers, and case studies, you will

gain insights and perspectives on the origins

of these conﬂicts, their eect on the region

and the world, and possible steps toward

greater peace and security.

As unstable and conﬂict-ridden as this region

can be, however, it is also home to three

great religions, a rich cultural heritage, and

many inspiring activists, humanitarians, and

artists. This class will introduce you to these

aspects of the Middle East as well, as you

will research the people and movements that

don’t always make the headlines but do make

a positive dierence in everyday lives.

Tutorials in History/Social Science (4900)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Advanced Tutorials in History/Social

Science (4910)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Graded)

Permission from instructor and approval by the Head of

Upper School and the History Department Chair is required.

One-semester tutorials are available to ad-

vanced students. Topics are jointly proposed

in writing by the student and instructor.

NOT OFFERED IN 2024–2025

Independence in the Non-Western World

(4210)

History of World Religions (4330)

Latin America in the 20th Century (4390)

Globalization, Identity, and U.S. Food Cultures

(4425)

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org22 Greenhill School

Mathematics

The Greenhill School mathematics curriculum

is designed to furnish Upper School students

with a strong conceptual understanding of

mathematics, an appreciation for the power

of mathematics, the ability to communicate

mathematically in an increasingly techno-

logical world, and the mathematical skills

required for college and future careers.

While the graduation requirement entails

three consecutive years of mathematics in the

Upper School, virtually all students go be-

yond graduation requirements and complete

four full years of mathematics. Some courses

are oered at regular, advanced, and honor

levels. In consultation with advisors and their

current math teacher, students may move

between levels from year to year. All courses

require a math teacher recommendation.

There are opportunities to double up in math

in the same year at two junctures: Algebra

II and Geometry, or with Precalculus or

Calculus and Statistics. Students doubling

in Algebra II and Geometry must maintain

a B– average in both courses, or they will be

required to drop Algebra II and retake it the

following year. For the student who takes

Calculus, it is usually a one-year program.

High-level students who take AP Calculus

AB prior to their senior year and who have

an interest in pursuing hard sciences such as

Physics or Engineering may be recommended

to take AP Calculus BC the following year.

Read the course requirements carefully for

these options and consult your advisor and

current teacher should you be considering

this approach.

Each student in a math course is required

to own a TI-83/84 or a TI-Nspire (non-CAS)

graphing calculator. In all math classes, the

calculator is used to enhance the under-

standing of concepts as well as to carry out

certain processes. Proﬁciency in the use of a

graphing calculator is an integral component

of the curriculum.

Greenhill does not allow any yearlong math-

ematics course to be completed for Greenhill

credit by independent study, by correspon-

dence, or by a summer program, except for

the GOA Geometry class in the Summer 1

Term.

Integrated Math I (2040)

Full year; 6 credits

This is the ﬁrst course in a required two-year course

sequence.

This course includes the study of numbers

and sets, properties of operations, real

numbers, equations and inequalities, verbal

problems, factoring, operations with rational

expressions, systems of linear equations and

inequalities, irrational numbers, and quadratic

equations. Students also learn to graph linear

equations, systems of linear equations, abso-

lute value functions and quadratic functions,

and inequalities of the aforementioned group.

Students acquire the necessary manipulative

skills of algebra along with an understanding

of the concepts involved. Additional topics

are covered if time and talent permit.

Advanced Geometry (2110)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Algebra I

This course integrates the concepts of plane

and solid geometry with an eective use of

algebra. Topics covered include points, lines,

planes, angles and angle relationships, paral-

lel lines and planes, triangles, quadrilaterals,

circles, similar polygons, area of polygons

and circles, surface area and volume of

solids, the basic unit circle and right triangle

trigonometry, and other extended topics as

time permits. These topics are taught using

induction as a method of discovery, deduc-

tion, and formal proof with an emphasis on

logical thinking.

Honors Geometry (211H)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Algebra I and faculty recommendation

This course includes all topics studied in

Advanced Geometry, going into greater depth

and with a more rigorous approach.

Algebra II (2210)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Advanced Geometry and faculty recommen-

dation

The purpose of this course is to complete

mastery of basic algebra concepts and ma-

nipulations by stressing the “how” and “why”

of mathematics. Topics include equations

and inequalities, verbal problems, factoring,

fractions, functions and graphs, polynomials,

complex numbers, systems of equations, and

probability.

Advanced Algebra II (2220)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Algebra I (with an average for the year of at

least C–), Advanced Geometry or the Honors equivalent, and

faculty recommendation

The purpose of this course is to complete

mastery of basic algebraic concepts and ma-

nipulations by stressing the “how” and “why”

of mathematics. Topics include equations

and inequalities, verbal problems, factoring,

rational expressions, graphs of elementary

functions, complex numbers, systems of

equations, conics, exponents, logarithms, and

sequences and series.

Honors Algebra II (222H)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Algebra I, Advanced or Honors Geometry, and

faculty recommendation

This course includes all topics studied in

Advanced Algebra II, going into greater depth

and with a more rigorous approach.

Precalculus (2310)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Algebra II or Advanced Algebra II and faculty

recommendation

This course covers the initial topics of Ad-

vanced Precalculus (2320) with a focus on

functions and trigonometry. Topics include

general function concepts: conics, absolute

value, piecewise-deﬁned functions, symmetry,

inverses, and transformations. These con-

cepts are reinforced through examples from

families of graphs, including polynomial, ratio-

nal, exponential, and logarithmic functions.

In addition, this course reviews triangle

trigonometry and circular function deﬁni-

tions of sine and cosine, and then proceeds

to a treatment of all six trig functions, their

graphs, inverses, and applications. Solving

techniques for trig equations and veriﬁcation

of trig identities are studied.

Advanced Precalculus (2320)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Advanced or Honors Algebra II and faculty

recommendation

This course bridges the foundational material

learned in Algebra II and the concepts needed

in Calculus, with a focus of preparing students

to be prepared for AP Calculus AB. Topics

include general function concepts: absolute

values, piecewise-deﬁned functions, symme-

try, inverses, transformations, and slope func-

tions. These concepts are reinforced through

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 23

examples from families of graphs, including

polynomial functions, rational functions,

exponential and logarithmic functions, and

conics. The course also reviews triangle trig-

onometry and circular function deﬁnitions of

sine and cosine and then proceeds to a treat-

ment of all six trig functions, their graphs,

inverses, and applications. Solving techniques

for trig equations as well as veriﬁcation of

trig identities are studied. Finally, students

learn elementary calculus concepts and other

advanced topics, including limits, sequences

and series, parametric equations, and vector

equations. Many of these topics are prerequi-

sites for a full-year college calculus course.

Honors Precalculus (232H)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Honors Algebra II and faculty recommendation

This course covers all of the topics of

Advanced Precalculus, going into greater

depth and with a more rigorous approach.

Additional topics include relations deﬁned

parametrically, basic matrix theory, and par-

tial fraction decomposition, polar curves, the

complex plane, and DeMoivre’s Theorem. The

course ends with an in- depth introduction

to Calculus, including a deeper emphasis on

the theory of limits, derivatives, and conti-

nuity with some of their applications. Many

of these topics are prerequisites for the AP

Calculus BC course.

Calculus (2410)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisites: Precalculus or Advanced Precalculus and

faculty recommendation

This course is an introduction to the calculus

of functions of a single variable intended for

students who may need some calculus in their

future for ﬁelds such as biology, economics,

and business management. Topics include a

brief review of polynomials, trigonometrics,

and exponential and logarithmic functions,

followed by a discussion of limits, derivatives,

and applications of dierential calculus. The

course then moves on to an overview of inte-

gration, basic techniques for integration, and

a variety of applications.

Advanced Placement Calculus AB (2420)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Advanced Precalculus or Honors Precalculus

and faculty recommendation

Note: The AP Examination in Calculus AB is required.

Calculus AB is an intensive ﬁrst-semester

college course in the calculus of functions of a

single variable. This course covers dierential

and integral calculus by engaging with prob-

lems represented graphically, numerically,

analytically, and verbally and using deﬁnitions

and theorems to build arguments and justify

conclusions. The content includes but is not

limited to topics covered on the AP AB exam-

ination. Class attendance is required until the

AP Exam in May.

Advanced Placement Calculus BC (2430)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Honors Precalculus and faculty recommenda-

tion. Note: The AP Examination in Calculus BC is required.

Calculus BC is an intensive ﬁrst-year college

course in the calculus of functions of a single

variable. This course covers the material of

AP Calculus AB as well as polar coordinates,

parametric functions, Taylor and Maclaurin

series, and advanced integration techniques,

among other topics. The content includes but

is not limited to topics covered on the AP BC

Examination. Class attendance is required

until the AP Exam in May.

Multivariable Calculus (2460) (post-AP)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: AP Calculus BC and faculty recommendation

This course is a study of advanced mathemat-

ics beyond the AP Calculus BC curriculum.

The course covers the content of a multiple

variable and vector calculus course. Topics

include double and triple integrals and their

applications to volumes and surface areas,

cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems,

and vector topics such as line and surface

integrals, Green’s Theorem, curl and diver-

gence, Stokes’ Theorem, and the Divergence

Theorem. The course emphasizes graphical

and numerical solutions as well as analytical

ones. With time permitting, students will learn

a basic introduction to dierential equations

or introduction to linear algebra. This course

is considered an honors course.

Advanced Placement Statistics (2520)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Rising 11th grade students must have complet-

ed Advanced Algebra II or the Honors equivalent; rising 12th

grade students must have completed Advanced Precalculus

or the Honors equivalent.

Note: The AP Examination in AP Statistics is required.

The purpose of the AP Statistics course is to

introduce students to the major concepts and

tools for collecting, displaying, analyzing, and

drawing conclusions about data. The course is

built around four main topics: exploring data,

planning a study, understanding probabili-

ty theory, and acquiring critical inferential

reasoning skills. AP Statistics is a one-year

course that is writing-oriented (communica-

tion of results and explanations of processes

are emphasized) and calculator-based. Stu-

dents who successfully complete the course

and examination may receive credit and/

or advanced placement for a one-semester

introductory college Statistics course. Class

attendance is required until the AP Exam in

May.

Statistics (2530)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Algebra II or the Honors equivalent

The purpose of this course is to introduce stu-

dents to major statistical concepts, such as

data displaying, data collection, data analysis,

linear regression, probability, statistical infer-

ence, and conﬁdence intervals. There will be

more hands-on data collection and discovery

through repeated trials than the AP course.

Finance and Accounting (2830)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: 11th or 12th grade and completed Algebra II

This course has three components that will

require students to apply many algebraic and

precalculus concepts to real-world scenarios.

The ﬁrst component is an introduction to ac-

counting and investing. This will include ﬁnan-

cial statement analysis and business ethics.

The second component will involve develop-

ing a business plan, including a deep dive into

the ﬁnancial side of creating a business. The

ﬁnal component will involve creating a budget

from a given scenario. The costs of leasing

vs. buying a vehicle, gas and transportation,

housing, utilities, taxes, retirement and sav-

ings, the importance of building a good credit

score, purchasing food, entertainment, taking

a vacation, having children, and obtaining var-

ious insurances—life, car, property, renter’s,

health, disability, etc.—are discussed. Finally,

there will be a service component required to

receive credit for the course.

Advanced Tutorial in Mathematics (2910)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Permission from instructor and approval by the Head of

Upper School and the Math Department Chair is required.

One-semester tutorials are available to ad-

vanced students. Topics are to be jointly pro-

posed in writing by the student and instructor.

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org24 Greenhill School

Advanced Tutorial in Mathematics (2920)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Graded)

Permission from instructor and approval by the Head of

Upper School and the Math Department Chair is required.

One-semester tutorials are available to ad-

vanced students. Topics are to be jointly pro-

posed in writing by the student and instructor.

LEGACY CORE COURSES

Algebra I (2010)

Full year; 6 credits

This course includes the study of numbers

and sets, properties of operations, real

numbers, equations and inequalities, verbal

problems, factoring, operations with rational

expressions, systems of linear equations and

inequalities, irrational numbers, and quadratic

equations. Students also learn to graph linear

equations, systems of linear equations, abso-

lute value functions and quadratic functions,

and inequalities of the aforementioned group.

Students acquire the necessary manipulative

skills of algebra along with an understanding

of the concepts involved. Additional topics

are covered if time and talent permit.

NOT OFFERED IN 2024–2025

Personal Finance (2810)

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 25

Modern and

Classical Languages

The Upper School curriculum of the Mod-

ern and Classical Languages Department

traverses diverse cultures from ancient and

modern times and prepares students to be

thoughtful global citizens. The department

oers a wide range of courses at all levels in

Chinese, Latin, and Spanish.

The requirement for graduation in the Mod-

ern and Classical Languages Department is

twofold: ﬁrst, students must be enrolled in a

language course during their 9th and 10th

grade years; second, students must complete

Level III of one language. In order to advance

to the next level, students must earn a mini-

mum yearlong course grade of C–. Yearlong

courses are the structure of our foundational

levels I–III, and semester courses become

available for students beyond the minimum

requirement. While the semester courses al-

low some degree of ﬂexibility in scheduling, it

is necessary for a student to maintain a level

of competency through sustained enrollment.

Thus, a student must seek departmental ap-

proval if they interrupt the study of language

for more than one semester.

The study of modern and classical languages

at Greenhill provides students with the option

of studying more than one language, with

access to AP courses in all languages, and

with a wealth of knowledge and experience

from the instructors. Additionally, language

study promotes the mission and embodies the

core values of Greenhill School. Regardless

of the language or level, the instructors in this

department constantly challenge students to

actively engage not only with the language

forms but also with the culture of the lan-

guage they are studying.

Spanish I (3110)

Full year; 6 credits

Spanish I is the introductory level for students

who have very little or no background in

Spanish. Students focus on the basic grammar

structures as well as vocabulary dealing with

daily activities, cultural experiences, and dif-

ferences in the Hispanic world. Students begin

to develop the four basic language skills:

listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The

thrust of the program, taught predominantly

in the target language, is to develop oral and

written proﬁciency with the long-term goal

of mastering the necessary linguistic skills in

order to communicate with native speakers.

Spanish II (3120)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: 3110 with a minimum yearlong course

grade of C– or placement by exam

Spanish II is the continuing course for

students who have successfully completed

Upper School Spanish I, 8th grade Spanish at

Greenhill School, or who can satisfy the pre-

requisite through a placement test. The class

reviews basic grammatical concepts present-

ed in Spanish I and continues to improve the

student’s communicative proﬁciency in the

basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and

writing. The goal is to enhance language ac-

quisition and oral expression, thus preparing

students for Spanish III. Cultural awareness

and appreciation of the ever-increasing Span-

ish-speaking world is emphasized through the

use of supplemental materials.

Honors Spanish II (312H)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: 3110 or placement by exam

and departmental recommendation

This course is designed for students who

have demonstrated a strong background and

interest at the beginning level of Spanish and

would like to be considered candidates for

an AP-level course in the future. It aims to

strengthen the basic skills: listening, speaking,

reading, and writing through the three modes

of communication: interpretive, interper-

sonal, and presentational. The objective of

the course is to develop and strengthen the

grammatical components crucial to succeed

in future honors courses. Assessments include

traditional written exercises, oral presenta-

tions, and collaborative projects.

Spanish III (3130)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: 3120 with a minimum yearlong

course grade of C– or placement by exam

The objective of Spanish III is to advance the

students’ oral communication and writing

skills, strengthen their comprehension, and in-

troduce them to contemporary and traditional

topics in Hispanic countries. It continues to

strengthen the basic skills: listening, speaking,

reading, and writing through the three modes

of communication: interpretive, interpersonal,

and presentational. Students expand their

grammar and vocabulary through sponta-

neous conversational situations and planned

oral presentations. In addition, students con-

tinue to build cultural awareness and personal

responsibility skills throughout the course.

Honors Spanish III (313H)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: 312H or placement by exam

and departmental recommendation

Honors Spanish III is a yearlong course intend-

ed to further strengthen the student’s mas-

tery of Spanish and to prepare the student for

an AP-level course. It is conducted in Spanish

and requires spontaneous use of the language

in written, oral, and listening form through the

three modes of communication: interpretive,

interpersonal, and presentational. The course

integrates a thorough review of previous

material by using topic-based vocabulary and

grammar activities with consistent exposure

to authentic materials in Spanish. History, cul-

ture, and current events of Spanish-speaking

countries are integrated into the lessons.

Spanish IV (3140)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Spanish 3130 with a minimum

yearlong course grade of C– or placement by exam

Spanish IV is designed to review previous-

ly learned grammar concepts while taking

the students’ ﬂuency to a more advanced

level of oral and written expression through

the three modes of communication: inter-

pretive, interpersonal, and presentational.

This course focuses on the culture and daily

activities of Spain, Mexico, and Central and

South America and introduces students to

the Hispanic culture in the United States. The

course, taught predominantly in Spanish, also

explores ﬁlms, music, art, history, and current

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org26 Greenhill School

events from the Hispanic world. In addition,

students continue to build cultural awareness

and personal responsibility skills throughout

the course.

Spanish V: Readings in Mexican History

(3150)

1st semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Spanish 3140 or 3170; may be taken con-

currently with 3180. This course requires considerable

competency in Spanish.

This course seeks to strengthen a student’s

proﬁciency in Spanish through the study of

various social, cultural, and political devel-

opments in Mexico from the 16th-century to

the present day. Beginning with pre-Colom-

bian cultures, we will see how the Spanish

Conquest of Latin America established what

we consider today to be most of the Span-

ish-speaking world. We will then progress

through the ﬁght for independence and the

struggles encountered as Mexico estab-

lished itself as a sovereign nation. In order

to enhance their Spanish through a historical

context, students apply the four language

skills: listening, reading, speaking, and writing

through three modes of communication: in-

terpretive, interpersonal, and presentational.

The course is taught entirely in Spanish, and

it requires extensive reading and exposure to

various digital media.

Spanish V: Composition and Culture

(3160)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Spanish 3140 or 3170; may be taken con-

currently with 3180. This course requires considerable

competency in Spanish.

In this course, students focus on dierent

forms of creative writing by reading examples

from inﬂuential authors of the Spanish-speak-

ing world. Students then use the styles of

these authors as models for original essays,

short stories, poetry, and comics. Students

explore contemporary cultural topics in the

Hispanic world, such as art, history, identity,

politics, and pop culture. Students are expect-

ed to enhance their four language skills: lis-

tening, reading, speaking, and writing through

three modes of communication: interpretive,

interpersonal, and presentational. The course

is taught entirely in Spanish, and it requires

extensive reading and exposure to various

digital media.

Advanced Placement Spanish Language

and Culture (3170)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Spanish 313H, 3140, or placement by exam

and departmental recommendation.

Note: The AP examination in AP Spanish Language is

required.

This course, which is preparation for the

AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam, is

conducted entirely in Spanish. The content of

the course is in accordance with the College

Board Advanced Placement program and is

centered on six basic themes. Vocabulary

expansion plays a major role due to the expo-

sure to authentic and unabridged materials.

Integration of advanced grammar as well as

synthesis of information from various sources

into written and oral work is expected.

Extensive use of digital resources is essential

for developing interpretive, interpersonal, and

presentational skills.

Honors Spanish Literature (post-AP)

(3180)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Spanish 3170 or placement by

exam and departmental recommendation.

This course is designed for students who

have taken the AP Spanish Language course

and wish to continue their study of language,

literature, and culture at the same level and

depth as an AP course. The course objective

is to introduce students to the formal study of

a representative body of texts from Peninsu-

lar Spanish, Latin American, and U.S. Latino

literature (in Spanish). The course provides

opportunities to develop greater proﬁciency

in the Spanish language while developing the

necessary skills and vocabulary to analyze,

discuss, and write about dierent genres of

literature. The course aims to help the stu-

dent progress beyond reading comprehension

to read with historical, cultural, and literary

sensitivity to empower critical thinking and

spontaneous discussion.

Latin I (3210)

Full year; 6 credits

This is the introductory course for students

who have very little or no background in Latin.

This course introduces study skills required

for language study as well as the language,

history, and culture of the ancient Romans.

Students engage in a variety of assessments

that allow the opportunity to demonstrate

their proﬁciency.

Latin II (3220)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Latin 3210 with a minimum yearlong

course grade of C– or placement by exam.

This course continues the work begun in Latin

I, furthering students’ knowledge of the Latin

language and Roman history and culture.

Students build language proﬁciency through

reading increasingly complex Latin text and

gain cultural competence through exam-

ining the cultural products, practices, and

perspectives of ancient Romans and those

who interacted with them. Cultural topics

include the city of Pompeii and its excavation,

gladiatorial games, and political oce and

power dynamics. Students engage in a variety

of assessments that allow the opportunity

to demonstrate their development of such

mastery and prepare them for the next level

of Latin.

Latin III (3230)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Latin 3220 with a minimum yearlong

course grade of C– or placement by exam.

This course serves as a transition from adapt-

ed Latin and grammar paradigms to authentic

Latin and complex grammatical structures.

Students begin to read both prose and poetry

from the Late Republic and Augustan Age.

Students engage in a variety of assessments

that allow the opportunity to demonstrate

their proﬁciency and prepare them for the

next level of Latin.

Latin IV (3240)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Latin 3230 with a minimum yearlong course

grade of C– or placement by exam.

This course continues studies in authentic

Latin and complex grammatical structures.

Students read both prose and poetry from

various genres of Latin literature. Students

explore the world of the Romans as de-

tailed by authors such as Cicero, Catullus,

and Sulpicia and articulate similarities and

dierences across ancient Roman culture and

modern cultures. Students engage in a variety

of assessments that allow the opportunity to

demonstrate their development of such mas-

tery. Plus, they continue developing their skills

of literary analysis and criticism in prepara-

tion for the Advanced Latin Literature or AP

course experiences.

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 27

Advanced Placement Latin (3250)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Departmental recommendation

Note: The AP Examination in AP Latin is required.

Students read excerpts from dierent Roman

authors, both in Latin and English, as set forth

by the AP course syllabus. Students are ex-

pected to be able to translate accurately from

Latin into English the texts they are reading,

demonstrate a grasp of grammatical struc-

tures and vocabulary, and discuss passages

within the context of each work as a whole.

Stylistic analysis and interpretation, which

develop from a student’s ability to read the

Latin version, are integral parts of this course.

Readings from modern critical commentaries

and other ancient texts help students to place

their thoughts and ideas into context.

Advanced Latin Literature (3260)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Latin 3240 with a minimum yearlong course

grade of C– or placement by exam and departmental

recommendation

With any portion of the extant literature writ-

ten in Latin at the ﬁngertips of the instructor,

students in this course delve into themati-

cally related units. Through class discussion,

collaborative projects, and scholarly analysis,

Latin students engage with all facets of the

language, culture, and history. By striving for

mastery of Latin, students prepare themselves

for further advanced study, both here and

beyond. This course may be taken multiple

times for credit.

Honors Latin Seminar (post-AP) (3280)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: 3250 or departmental recommendation

With any portion of the extant literature of the

ancient Romans at their ﬁngertips, students in

this course delve into areas of their own inter-

est. In the ﬁrst portion of the course, teachers

provide overarching themes within which the

students research both primary and second-

ary works. Students engage in critical reading

and participate in Socratic Seminars on these

themes. They also craft teaching units that

lead their peers through lesser-known works.

Later, students select one aspect of their

research during the year to prepare and write

a lengthy research paper (similar to an honors

thesis).

Chinese I (3410)

Full year; 6 credits

Chinese I is an introductory-level course for

students who have very little or no back-

ground in Chinese. Students will develop

an appreciation of the Chinese culture, its

language, and its people through ﬁeld trips,

videos, and online authentic resources. The

primary focus is the development of language

skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Activities include games, skits, communicative

activities, and songs. Students completing

Chinese I will have the ability to engage in

limited, freestyle conversations. The expected

outcome of this course is performing at the

ACTFL novice mid-proﬁciency level.

Chinese II (3420)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Chinese 3410 with a minimum yearlong course

grade of C–, Middle School Chinese 8, or placement by

exam

Chinese II continues to expand cultural aware-

ness of the Chinese world and to develop

global cultural competency through cultural

comparisons and small research projects.

Expansion of high-frequency vocabulary and

grammar structures continues. The goal of

Chinese II is to enhance the proﬁciency of

language skills to prepare students for Chi-

nese III. By the end of the course, students are

expected to perform at the ACTFL proﬁciency

level of novice high to intermediate low.

Chinese III (3430)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Chinese 3420 with a minimum yearlong course

grade of C–, or placement by exam

Chinese III introduces the students to greater

structural complexity, both in terms of

phonology and syntax. No longer is the short,

simple sentence sucient. Students must

create sentences, both written and oral, of

at least ﬁfteen words while demonstrating

creative engagement with a topic. Public

speaking is also emphasized. Crucial is the

student’s ability to communicate freely using

vocabulary and sentence patterns in fresh,

original ways. Students at this level must

show that they are making Chinese an integral

part of their lives and worldview. Successful

completion of Chinese III means that students

can communicate within a variety of every-

day contexts as well as interact with Chinese

culture through increased demand for textual

literacy.

Chinese IV (3440)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Chinese 3430 with a minimum yearlong course

grade of C–, or placement by exam

Chinese IV introduces discourse-level com-

plexity to both written and oral communica-

tion in Modern Standard Mandarin. Students

are required to recognize dierences in reg-

ister based on position and context, even as

they continue to build their functional vocab-

ulary and reﬁne their pronunciation. Fluency,

even in limited contexts, is the goal. Students

are now expected to take fuller individual

responsibility for their study of Chinese, and

they must work independently to develop

automaticity in tonal contour while expressing

themselves freely. Regular discussion based

on readings in culture and current events

exercise and extend the work in pronunciation

and grammar of the ﬁrst three years while

introducing students to the practice of using

Chinese to learn about the world we inhabit.

After the successful completion of Chinese IV,

students will have secured a lifelong, habitual

learning relationship with Chinese.

Advanced Chinese (3460)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Chinese 3440 with a minimum yearlong course

grade of C–, or placement by exam

Advanced Chinese is the precursor to AP

Chinese. The course introduces the advanced

student to the practice of developing cultural

knowledge while training in linguistic proﬁ-

ciency. Students in Advanced Chinese must at

all times be prepared to use Chinese to learn

Chinese, as the class is conducted primarily

in the target language (Modern Standard

Mandarin), and students become familiar with

linguistic variation across Greater China. Ad-

vanced Chinese is demanding and engages all

aspects of the Greenhill Chinese Program—

listening, speaking, reading, writing, culture,

the Chinese writing system, and research.

Signiﬁcant time and emphasis is placed on

writing Chinese essays. Students taking this

course should be making Chinese a crucial

part of their worldview and daily experience.

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org28 Greenhill School

Advanced Placement Chinese Language

and Culture (3480)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: Chinese 3460 with a minimum yearlong course

grade of C– and departmental recommendation

Note: The AP Examination in AP Chinese Language is

required.

AP Chinese Language and Culture is the

capstone course of the Greenhill Chinese

Program. The goal of this course is to provide

highly qualiﬁed students with rich and varied

opportunities to further their proﬁciency in

listening, speaking, reading, and writing Mod-

ern Standard Mandarin Chinese. This, in turn,

positions them for success on the AP Chinese

Exam. Students enrolled in this class experi-

ence maximal exposure to myriad aspects of

Chinese culture integrated into the process

of communicating in and learning through

Mandarin. Students practice using Chinese

to comprehend and analyze issues that are

pertinent to their life and community. Chinese

is both the target language and the language

of instruction, and assessments are regular

and varied.

Advanced Tutorials in Modern & Classical

Languages (3310)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Prerequisite: Level III and approval of the Department Chair

and Head of Upper School.

One-semester tutorials are available to

advanced students who are looking to pursue

studies beyond, or in addition to, prescribed

courses in the Modern and Classical Languag-

es Department. Topics are to be jointly pro-

posed in writing by the student and instructor.

Advanced Tutorials in Modern & Classical

Languages (3320)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Graded)

Prerequisite: Level III and approval of the Department Chair

and Head of Upper School.

One-semester tutorials are available to

advanced students who are looking to pursue

studies beyond prescribed courses, not to

shadow courses oered due to a scheduling

conﬂict, in the Modern and Classical Languag-

es Department. In order to be considered as

a graded tutorial, clear expectations, syllabi,

and rubrics must be presented for consid-

eration. Topics are to be jointly proposed in

writing by the student and instructor.

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 29

Physical Education

The Greenhill Physical Education program

provides students with opportunities for

the acquisition of the knowledge and skills

necessary to create the foundation for

engaging in an active, healthy lifestyle. Each

course is designed to help students learn

what it means to be physically ﬁt by learning

the components of health and skill-related

physical ﬁtness. Students are introduced to a

wide variety of activities that emphasize how

to manage and maintain a well-balanced

ﬁtness program. We strive to create a learn-

ing environment for our students to explore

challenges in an active, supportive, and

non-threatening atmosphere. Each student

learns about the need for assessment and

variety in their ﬁtness program. In addition to

the physical domain, it is our goal to help stu-

dents develop a positive self-image, develop

self-discipline, learn the basics of nutrition,

and develop stress relief techniques. Ulti-

mately, it is our goal to develop students who

value the role of physical ﬁtness and take

personal responsibility for making informed

decisions that help them achieve and main-

tain a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle.

As stated in the requirements for gradua-

tion, students must complete six credits (two

courses/sports) of physical education in

both the 9th and 10th grade years. In both

the 11th and 12th grades, students must

complete three credits (one course/sport) of

physical education each year. These credits

may be earned through physical education

courses or through participation on any

Greenhill Interscholastic Athletics Team. Stu-

dents may take only one physical education

course per semester (unless prior approval

has been granted by the Department Chair).

It is recommended that students vary their

physical education selection by taking a

dierent course each semester.

Note: Foundations of Lifetime Fitness is the

course that lays the foundation for many of

the other courses in the physical education

program. Students participating on Green-

hill Athletics teams for two seasons in 9th

grade and two seasons in 10th grade will

receive this foundational information through

their work with our sports performance sta

during those seasons. Students not com-

pleting their physical education requirement

by participating on a Greenhill Athletics

team for two seasons in 9th grade and two

seasons in 10th will be required to take Foun-

dations of Lifetime Fitness. 9th/10th grade

students may take Yoga, Group Fitness, or

Musical Production prior to taking Founda-

tions of Lifetime Fitness as long as Founda-

tions of Lifetime Fitness is taken during the

next semester in that school year.

Required Devices: All Upper School students

must acquire an approved ﬁtness tracking

device if they participate in Physical Edu-

cation classes and/or on Greenhill sports

teams. Speciﬁcs about approved devices will

be provided by the sports performance sta

prior to the school year.

Foundations of Lifetime Fitness (8010)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Note: Students participating in a sport and Foundations of

Lifetime Fitness in the same semester will be required to

complete the classroom portion of this course concurrently

with their sport. This may often apply to a student in a

winter sport. Physical activity labs will be adjusted since the

students are also involved in an in-season sport.

This course is designed to introduce students

to the knowledge and skills that are neces-

sary to build a lifelong balanced approach to

ﬁtness and wellness. Throughout the course,

students gain an understanding of the com-

ponents of health-related ﬁtness, learn safe

techniques, participate in ﬁtness assess-

ments, learn a variety of eective training

principles, develop eective goal-setting strat-

egies, and explore the psychological beneﬁts

of exercise. It is the goal of the course to help

students begin to create ﬁtness habits to sup-

port them in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Disc Sports (8025)

After School; 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Class size is limited based on class location.

Prerequisite: Foundations of Lifetime Fitness or 4 seasons of

Greenhill Athletics (two in 9th grade and two in 10th grade)

Disc Sports are sports that can be played

throughout your life, helping to keep you

active and engaged in your local communi-

ty. This PE course will teach the basic skills

needed to play the sport of Ultimate and will

include active participation in scrimmages

and drills that help to practice those skills.

Depending on space and time we will also

explore the basics of Disc Golf, an increas-

ingly popular sport with multiple courses

throughout the DFW metroplex, as well as

Disc FreeStyle and Guts.

Workout Challenge (8030)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Prerequisite: Foundations of Lifetime Fitness or 4 seasons of

Greenhill Athletics (two in 9th grade and two in 10th grade)

This course is designed to be an enjoyable,

challenging, easy-to-follow workout program

for students of all abilities. Students partic-

ipate in a program designed by the sports

performance sta. This course builds upon

skills learned in Foundations of Lifetime

Fitness. Workouts include elements of cardio,

strength, core, and ﬂexibility training.

Yoga (8040)

After School; 1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Class size is limited based on class location.

Prerequisite: Foundations of Lifetime Fitness or 4 seasons of

Greenhill Athletics (two in 9th grade and two in 10th grade)

Beyond being a physical system of exercise,

yoga is a discipline, a philosophy, and a way

of life. Through yoga, we become clearer of

mind, stronger of body, and more peaceful at

heart. The class focuses on breathing practic-

es, physical postures, and ﬂowing sequences

that bring body and mind into alignment.

Independent Program Design (8050)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Prerequisite: Instructor approval/placement exam, a mini-

mum of Foundations of Lifetime Fitness or four seasons of

Greenhill Athletics (two in 9th grade and two in 10th grade)

This course is designed for self-motivated stu-

dents who have the foundational knowledge

through physical education courses to begin

to create and implement a personal ﬁtness

plan. Students are responsible for establishing

SMART goals and developing strategies of

achievement on their own time, with assist-

ed instruction by the sports performance

sta. These programs are to be completed

o-campus. Students are monitored by an

instructor but are responsible for maintaining

a complete ﬁtness portfolio, including workout

logs, food journals, activity monitor reports,

and pre- and post-ﬁtness tests. This course

requires multiple orientation sessions prior to

beginning the individualized program.

Additional notes: Students must have o-cam-

pus gym accessibility and access to ﬁtness

tracking gear/equipment (software, hardware).

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org30 Greenhill School

varsity and junior varsity athletic teams. Our

athletics teams strive to provide competitive

opportunities for students to develop not

only their athletic skills, but also to learn the

equally important concepts of sportsman-

ship, teamwork, leadership, relentless eort,

resilience, and goal setting.

Teams practice for approximately two hours

at the conclusion of the academic school day.

Games and practices may be scheduled on

Saturdays and during the holidays. Greenhill’s

teams participate in the Southwest Preparato-

ry Conference (SPC).

Student Athletic Training Aide

Fall, Winter, Spring; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Prerequisite: Must receive prior approval from the Head

Athletic Trainer, Foundations of Lifetime Fitness, or four

seasons of Greenhill Athletics (two in 9th grade and two in

10th grade)

The Student Athletic Training Aide program

oers students an opportunity to explore

their interest in sports medicine and related

allied health ﬁelds. This course provides stu-

dents with an opportunity to assist and learn

from a certiﬁed athletic trainer. Throughout

the course, students are exposed to basic

techniques used daily in the athletic training

profession. This course satisﬁes a physical

education requirement and requires some

physical activity.

Full-time Team Managers

Fall, Winter, or Spring; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Prerequisite: Prior approval from the Director of Athletics,

Foundations of Lifetime Fitness, or four seasons of Greenhill

Athletics (two in 9th grade and two in 10th grade)

Note: Each team will have a preapproved number of slots

for managers each season. Students accepted as team

managers will register for the sport and are added to the

team roster.

The purpose of the team manager pro-

gram is to provide support for the school’s

interscholastic sports teams. The program

is designed to give students valuable work

experience by being a part of an interscho-

lastic athletic team. A team manager’s duties

include completing post-game write-ups,

assisting with practices, sports nutrition

pickup, management of home contests, travel

to away contests, scorekeeping, stat-keeping,

videotaping, and various other administrative

duties. Team managers must invest an amount

of time comparable to the athletes. In order

for a team manager to receive PE credit, they

must participate in all team activities, includ-

ing practices and competitions, and complete

a required number of sports performance

training sessions.

Dance Technique (8510 PE or 6445 FA)

After School; 1st semester; 3 credits (FA = Graded; PE =

Pass/Fail)

Students may enroll in this course for either Fine Arts or

Physical Education credit.

This course is designed to address the

various aspects of dance technique, includ-

ing correct posture, alignment, movement

qualities, musicality, breath, and expres-

sion. Emphasis is on technical proﬁciency,

performance quality, and stylistic variations

of concert-style dance (ballet, modern, and

jazz). The class strives to increase coordina-

tion, strength, and ﬂexibility and a greater

understanding and appreciation for the art of

dance. Dance technique classes meet after

school.

Theater: Musical Production (8560 PE or

6450 FA)

1st Semester; 3 credits (FA = Graded; PE = Pass/Fail)

Class of 2028: a Prerequisite of one of the following

courses, Acting I, Improv Comedy, Choir, Dance, or Theater

Appreciation. A prerequisite can be taken concurrently with

this class. Students may enroll in this course for either Fine

Arts or Physical Education credit.

This course is designed for the student whose

interests lie in musical theater performance.

Every student is part of the ensemble, attends

rehearsals, and learns dances and songs in

the production. Students also develop exciting

characters suitable for the production with an

emphasis on character development, tech-

nical proﬁciency (correct posture, alignment,

breath), and performance quality (focus, style,

and musicality). Auditions generally take place

during the ﬁrst week of the ﬁrst semester.

This course culminates in a performance

weekend where students are showcased to

the Greenhill community and beyond. Later

in the year, the production travels to the ISAS

Fine Arts Festival.

Greenhill Dance Company (8570 PE or

6440 FA)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

(FA = Graded; PE = Pass/Fail)

Students are encouraged to enroll in this course as a full-

year member but may enroll in a single semester. Credit

can be received for either Fine Arts or Physical Education

and may change enrollment each semester depending on

credit needs.

This is the Greenhill dance performance

group. This course is designed for the dance

student whose interests lie in dance tech-

nique and performance. Emphasis is placed

on technical proﬁciency, performance quality,

and working as a vital member of the com-

pany. Students perform advanced movement

sequences, participate in improvisation

experiences, learn choreography, and engage

in class discussions and peer-to-peer critique

sessions. For those who are interested,

students also have the opportunity to cho-

reograph. Company members also engage in

various aspects of production and promotion

for dance performances, including ISAS Fine

Arts Festival.

Backpacking and Camping (8610)

After School/1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Prerequisite: Foundations of Lifetime Fitness, or four

seasons of Greenhill Athletics (two in 9th grade and two in

10th grade)

This course develops skills, enhances ﬁt-

ness, and raises students’ awareness of the

environment outside of their doors. Through

various activities, including navigation exercis-

es, orienteering races, and backpacking trips,

students learn to access outdoor recreational

areas safely and responsibly. After-school

hiking trips to Dallas-area parks and nature

preserves help build strength and endur-

ance, while class instruction focuses on the

necessary skills to create a home away from

home in the wilderness. This course requires

attendance at two weekend backpacking trips

(Friday-Sunday). The school will furnish most

necessary equipment for class time and trips,

but students must bring a sleeping pad and

sleeping bag.

Athletics Tutorials (8900)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Prerequisite: Foundations of Lifetime Fitness, or four

seasons of Greenhill Athletics (two in 9th grade and two in

10th grade)

Students who are participating at an ad-

vanced level in an outside activity or sport

may apply for a tutorial in lieu of participating

in PE/Athletics. An online application must

be completed prior to the school year that

meets a set of criteria for approval by the

Athletics Tutorial Committee. Criteria for

approval include participation at the highest

level available within a student’s age group

and a commitment of hours similar to that of

an interscholastic sports team. A full list of

criteria is listed on the online tutorial appli-

cation.

INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS

Greenhill Interscholastic Athletics Teams

Fall, Winter, or Spring; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Greenhill School places a high degree of

importance on the educational value of our

interscholastic athletics programs.

Each semester, Greenhill oers a variety of

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 31

The following teams represent Greenhill

FALL WINTER SPRING

Boys Boys Boys

Cross Country Basketball Baseball

Football Soccer Golf

Volleyball Swimming Lacrosse

Cheerleading Cheerleading Tennis

Track

Girls Girls Girls

Cross Country Basketball Softball

Field Hockey Soccer Golf

Volleyball Swimming Lacrosse

Cheerleading Cheerleading Tennis

Track

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org32 Greenhill School

Science

LAB SCIENCES

Physics (5410): 9th Grade

Full year; 6 credits

Physics is the introductory course in Upper

School science. This course is hands-on,

minds-on, and in alignment with our 8th

grade science class and frames science as a

process of inquiry and model development.

Class time is spent in lab investigations, group

discussions, and problem-solving exercises

as students create models to describe the

natural world. Speciﬁc topics include motion,

momentum and force in one dimension,

energy, electric force and energy, mechanical

waves, and models of light. These models are

used to explore relevant, authentic, and in-

teresting problems, such as a meteor impact,

vision and the human eye, and imaging atoms.

Learning progression is assessed using a stan-

dards-based, or competency-based, model

that is currently being used in our Greenhill

Middle School Science Department, in several

Upper School courses, at our online partner

school, the Global Online Academy, and in

many progressive independent institutions

across the nation.

Chemistry (5310)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: 9th Grade Physics

Chemistry comprises a study of the many

areas of general chemistry, focusing both

on those foundational areas necessary to

understand modern biology and advanced

topics necessary to succeed in a follow-on AP

course in biology or chemistry. The character

of this course is lab-centered, inquiry-based,

and challenging. The process of science and

the acquisition of essential facts are covered

implicitly, and students are expected to inte-

grate conceptual aspects from all disciplines

of science while achieving an advanced

chemistry experience. Speciﬁc topics include

atomic and molecular structure, intermo-

lecular forces, particulate understanding of

matter, systems-based approach to chemical

reactions, and thermodynamics. Learning pro-

gression is assessed using a standards-based,

or competency-based, model that is currently

being used in several Upper School cours-

es, at our online partner school, the Global

Online Academy, and in many progressive

independent institutions across the nation.

Honors Chemistry (532H)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: 9th Grade Physics and departmental approval

Honors Chemistry is an introductory course

in chemistry delivered at an accelerated

pace. The course comprises a study of the

many areas of general chemistry, focusing

both on those foundational areas necessary

to understand modern biology and advanced

topics necessary to succeed in a follow-on AP

course in biology or chemistry. The character

of this course is lab-centered, inquiry-based,

in-depth, and fast-paced. The process of

science and the acquisition of essential facts

are covered implicitly, and students are ex-

pected to integrate conceptual aspects from

all disciplines of science while achieving an

honors chemistry experience. Speciﬁc topics

include atomic and molecular structure, inter-

molecular forces, particulate understanding of

matter, systems-based approach to chemical

reactions, kinetics, equilibrium, and thermo-

dynamics. Learning progression is assessed

using a standards-based, or competen-

cy-based, model that is currently being used

in several Upper School courses, at our online

partner school, the Global Online Academy,

and in many progressive independent institu-

tions across the nation.

Biology (5210)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisite: 9th Grade Physics, 10th Grade Chemistry

Biology serves to continue a student’s growing

sophistication in modern sciences by building

upon core concepts presented in Green-

hill’s 9th grade and 10th grade Physics and

Chemistry courses. Units of study are tied

together by central themes in biology, such as

emergent properties, cells, heredity, structure

and function, environmental interactions,

homeostasis, diversity, evolution, and science

as a process of inquiry. This course utilizes

inquiry-based labs to emphasize foundational

concepts while drawing on concepts from all

disciplines of science. Learning progression is

assessed using a standards-based, or com-

petency- based, model that is currently being

used in several Upper School courses, at

our online partner school, the Global Online

Academy, and in many progressive indepen-

dent institutions across the nation.

SCIENCE ELECTIVES

Biochemistry (post-AP) (5230)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisites: AP Chemistry, Biology (or AP Biology) and

departmental approval

Biochemistry is a ﬁeld that encompasses a

broad range of scientiﬁc queries and serves

as a foundation for numerous careers in the

ﬁeld of biomedicine. It is both life science and

chemical science and explores the chemistry

of living organisms and the molecular basis

for the changes occurring in living cells. The

goal of this course is to provide a pathway for

AP students to further explore several of the

key topics covered in AP Chemistry and Biolo-

gy (or AP Biology) by studying and researching

background biochemical information so as

to learn the rationale for how an organism

functions on a molecular level. Students are

expected to apply theoretical knowledge

gained during discussions, instructor-guided

and inquiry-based laboratory activities, and

critical readings of scientiﬁc literature toward

the application of eorts on novel projects

involving the expression, isolation, and char-

acterization of proteins.

Biotechnology Lab Techniques (5240)

1st semester; 3 credits

Prerequisites: Chemistry and Biology

Biotechnology is the use of biological pro-

cesses, organisms, or systems to manufacture

products intended to improve the quality

of human life. Society is facing physical and

biological problems of global proportions.

How will we continue to get sucient energy?

How can we feed the world’s population?

Minimum requirements for Science

courses:

9th Grade: Physics

10th Grade: Chemistry

11th Grade: Biology

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 33

How do we remediate global warming? How

do we preserve biological diversity? How do

we secure clean and plentiful water? These

are crises that require scientiﬁc insight and

innovation. Biotechnology provides valuable

insight and technologies for meeting these

challenges. This semester-long elective

course involves the application of biology to

solving problems. Many disciplines, including

medical research, bioinformatics, bioengineer-

ing, agriculture, and environmental sciences,

routinely draw upon biotechnological tools to

treat sickness, develop sustainable industries,

address hunger, and decontaminate waste,

etc. Much of the work that goes into solving

these problems involves the application of

modern molecular biological and microbi-

al techniques. This biotechnology course

stresses the development of good laboratory

techniques and skills through the application

of dierent laboratory activities while also

understanding and applying theoretical and

supplemental information developed during

class discussions. The focus of the curriculum

is to enhance student knowledge of theoret-

ical and practical applications involved with

basic work with microbes, bioengineering,

and bioremediation. Through this process,

students become familiar with and are able to

apply good laboratory practices toward any

potential future biotechnology problem.

Human Reproductive Biology (5250)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Chemistry and Biology (may be concurrent)

Human Reproductive Biology continues

students’ familiarization with their repro-

ductive biology, personal development, and

their expression. Providing greater depth

and exploration of topics presented in other

areas, students examine the evolution of

sexual reproduction; hormone regulation of

living systems; sexual anatomy, development,

and diversity; sexual activity; pregnancy and

childbirth; embryonic development; puberty;

fertility, contraception and sexually transmit-

ted infections; and other topics that explore

and represent the variety of human sexuality.

Chemistry of Photography (5340 SCI or

6140 FA)

1st semester; 3 credits

This course may be taken for either Fine Arts 6140 or

Science 5340 credit.

This course allows students to explore the

interconnectedness of a Fine Arts discipline

(photography) and a Science discipline (chem-

istry). Students simultaneously explore several

photographic techniques and the chemi-

cal explanations behind those techniques.

Students who have completed this course

are able to reﬂect and speak on the artistic

meaning of their pictures and explain, on a

chemical level, the processes and techniques

used to achieve the ﬁnal works of art. Experi-

ments and imagery are produced with the wet

plate collodion process, black-and-white ton-

ing techniques, solarization, and 19th-century

printing/ shooting techniques. A ﬁnal portfolio

is produced along with weekly tests/quizzes,

critiques, and a ﬁnal project assessed on

artistic and chemical understanding.

Physics II: Astronomy (5435)

2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: 9th Grade Physics

This is a descriptive survey course studying

our struggle to comprehend the universe.

It begins with an extension of the 9th grade

Physics topics to celestial motion as de-

scribed using Kepler’s Laws and Newton’s

Law of Universal Gravitation. Additional topics

covered include changing skies, constella-

tions, the solar system, astronomical tools,

strange and distant celestial phenomena, ex-

traterrestrial life, and cosmological theories.

Physics II: Biophysics (5455)

1st semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: 9th Grade Physics

Biophysics is the branch of physics that ap-

plies the principles and methods of physics to

study biological systems. Biophysics is rapidly

becoming one of the most important frontiers

of basic research and already has an enor-

mous impact on our daily lives and on the

environment. This includes, for example, using

and developing tools from physics to study

biological systems, such as medical imaging,

structural biology (examining proteins in 3D),

and single molecule biophysics (examining

intact cells in their environment in real time).

The focus of this course is to study life from

the molecular scale to cells. The ultimate goal

is to computationally describe the dynamics

of how neurons and muscle cells work and

apply cutting-edge technology to ﬁnd out

how biological systems function on the most

detailed level.

Climate Science (5550)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: Chemistry and Biology (may be concurrent)

The objectives of this course include using

eective claim-evidence-reasoning argumen-

tation to clarify concepts related to climate

science and anthropogenic climate change.

The course examines essential questions

such as: What is climate change? What is

Earth’s energy budget? What role do green-

house gases play in determining climate?

What impacts does climate change have on

physical systems? What are the consequenc-

es of climate change on living systems and

adaptations? What is the current scientiﬁc

consensus and how has the climate change

debate progressed in the scientiﬁc, public,

and political arenas? What are climate change

mitigation strategies, and how eective might

they be? Essential skills that are assessed

through the course include: explaining climate

concepts, processes, and models presented

in written format; analyzing visual represen-

tations of climate concepts and processes;

determining scientiﬁc questions and methods;

representing and describing data; performing

statistical tests and mathematical calculations

to analyze and interpret data; and develop-

ing and justifying scientiﬁc arguments using

evidence.

Materials Science (5560)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits

Prerequisite: 9th grade Physics and Chemistry

Materials Science is an interdisciplinary

course that combines elements of physics,

chemistry, and engineering to unlock ﬁelds of

study and research that focuses on under-

standing and manipulating dierent types

of materials to create new and improved

products for various industries and technol-

ogies. It involves investigating the structure,

properties, and behavior of materials, such as

metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites,

without requiring a deep knowledge of chem-

istry. This application is a critical aspect of

engineering, as virtually all technological ad-

vances are limited by the available materials.

As a result of this challenge, Materials Scien-

tists and Engineers are engaged in exploring

the numerous ways that materials can enrich

everyday lives. Without this eort to discover

and develop new materials, our world of com-

puters, wireless phones, biomedical implants,

and varying modes of transportation would

not be possible.

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org34 Greenhill School

Advanced Tutorials in Science (5910)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Pass/Fail)

Advanced Tutorials in Science (5920)

1st or 2nd semester; 3 credits (Graded)

Permission from instructor and approval by the Head of Up-

per School and the Science Department Chair is required.

One-semester tutorials are available to ad-

vanced students. Topics are to be jointly pro-

posed in writing by the student and instructor.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

ELECTIVE COURSES

Advanced Placement Biology (5290)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisites: Chemistry and departmental approval

Note: The AP Examinations in Biology is required.

This is a rigorous one-year college-level

biology program culminating in the AP Exam-

ination. Coursework includes laboratory and

independent projects. Students perform an

extensive series of laboratory investigations

as speciﬁed by the College Board. Students

taking this course are expected to complete a

series of summer assignments to review basic

chemistry and biology concepts they may not

have considered for several years. Credit for

two semesters of biology is typically awarded

by colleges for a qualifying AP Exam score.

Advanced Placement Chemistry (5390)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisites: Chemistry, Algebra II, and departmental

approval

Note: The AP Examination in Chemistry is required.

AP Chemistry covers all topics studied in

a typical one-year, college-level chemistry

course. The course has an intensive lab

component. Students taking this course are

expected to complete a series of summer as-

signments to review basic chemistry concepts

they may not have considered for several

years. Credit for two semesters of chemistry

is typically awarded by colleges for a qualify-

ing AP Exam score.

Advanced Placement Physics II (5480)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisites: Physics; Precalculus, or Honors Algebra II (may

be concurrent) and departmental approval

Note: The AP Examination in Physics II is required.

This course provides a study of ﬂuid me-

chanics, thermodynamics, electricity and

magnetism, optics, and elementary modern

physics. Group collaboration, critical thinking,

problem-solving, and scientiﬁc inquiry, and

communication skills are stressed. Credit for

the second semester of college physics is

typically awarded by colleges for a qualify-

ing AP Exam score. This course of advanced

physics study is most appropriate for stu-

dents interested in a medical or life sciences

major in college.

Advanced Placement Physics C (5490)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisites: AP Calculus AB or BC (may be concurrent) and

department approval

Note: The AP Examinations in both Physics C-Mechanics and

Physics C-Electricity & Magnetism are required.

This is a college-level physics course for stu-

dents intending to pursue advanced study in

physics, chemistry, or engineering. It includes

an in-depth study of mechanics at a mathe-

matical level that requires the use of calculus.

Computational techniques using programming

will be included to explore thermal and har-

monic systems. There is a signiﬁcant labora-

tory component to the course, and it moves

at a brisk pace. Credit for one semester of

engineering physics is typically awarded by

colleges for each qualifying AP Exam score.

This course of advanced physics study is

most appropriate for students interested in

an engineering or physical science major in

college.

Advanced Placement Environmental

Science (5590)

Full year; 6 credits

Prerequisites: Chemistry, Biology (may be concurrent),

Algebra II, and departmental approval

Note: The AP Examination in Environmental Science is

required.

Dynamic processes operating on a timescale

of milliseconds to millennia to millions of

years shape the landscape and ecosystems

that we experience every day. Perhaps the

two most compelling revelations in environ-

mental and earth science are: 1) these pro-

cesses are intricately connected, and 2) we,

as humans, have a unique ability to impact

these unlike any other species. Understanding

environmental systems begins with a broad

understanding of biology, chemistry, physics,

geology, and ecology and how these disci-

plines interconnect. In addition, there is great

social, political, and economic signiﬁcance

to the appreciation of environmental dynam-

ics over the past century. This college-level

course gives students a solid quantitative

background in addressing environmental

issues and aords students the opportunity to

wrestle with the monumental task of deciding

what to do about it.

NOT OFFERED IN 2024–2025

Science and Sustainability (5530)

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 35

Summer on the Hill

(courses for credit)

The Summer on the Hill Program oers

myriad courses over an 11-week season for

students of all ages. Below are the courses

that are available for Upper School students

that also are accepted as credits toward

graduation. These courses and credits are

recorded on transcripts. Online registration

will open in February 2024 at www.greenhill.

org/summer. Inquiries, questions, and

clariﬁcations may be sent to Vicki Van Liew in

the Summer on the Hill Oce (x5490).

Please note: Greenhill does not accept summer work from

other programs or schools.

Note: Courses, schedules, and costs shown in this section

are oered during summer 2024.

Economics and Society (4610)

For credit: Course 4610; Grades 11-12; June 3-21

To receive credit, Upper School students are required to

attend all three weeks and have 100% class attendance.

How can Economic Reasoning help us

understand the world? How do people and

ﬁrms make decisions? How does a nation’s

economy grow? How does inequality aect

both the individual and the economy as a

whole? Economics and Society will oer

students a comprehensive introduction to the

key principles of microeconomics and macro-

economics.

Topics covered include demand and

supply, free enterprise, the function (and

failure) of markets, economic cycles, ﬁscal

policy, monetary policy, income inequality,

environmental economics, and globalization.

Students will gain an understanding of the

United States economy and world economies

along with insight into how economics shapes

the daily life of each individual in dierent

ways. Classes will include discussions,

simulations, debates, role-playing, research,

and presentations

Human Reproductive Biology (5250)

For credit: Course 5250; Grades 11-12; June 17-July 5

To receive credit, Upper School students are required to

attend all three weeks and have 100% class attendance.

Human Reproductive Biology continues

students’ familiarization with their

reproductive biology, personal development,

and their expression. Providing greater depth

and exploration of topics presented in other

areas, students examine the evolution of

sexual reproduction; hormone regulation of

living systems; sexual anatomy, development,

and diversity; sexual activity; pregnancy

and childbirth; embryonic development;

puberty; fertility, contraception, and sexually

transmitted infections; and other topics that

explore and represent the variety of human

sexuality.

Abstract and Experimental Photography

(6135)

For credit: Course 6135; Grades 9-12; June 3-21

To receive credit, Upper School students are required to

attend all three weeks and have 100% class attendance.

Prerequisite: Photo I, or for instructor’s approval, see Mr.

Lopez.

There is a fee for class-related supplies.

Join Mr. Lopez as we delve deeper into the

meaning and redeﬁnition of the process

of photography. Utilizing traditional and

contemporary techniques, this course will

explore the relationship between silver, light,

metal, glass, and paper, and we’ll endeavor

to create images using untraditional and

experimental ways. Students will create

wet cyanotypes, chemigrams, solargraphs,

alternative silver emulsion toning methods,

experimental Polaroid techniques, and pinhole

imagery. Finally, students will explore the

highly experimental process, Mordançage—a

process that melts the gelatin of the black-

and-white print. We will take a ﬁeld trip to

photograph in downtown Dallas to generate

images for the class. Images will be submitted

to future exhibitions and contests.

Video Production: SOTH (6520)

For credit: Course 6520; Grades 9-12; June 3-14

To receive credit, Upper School students are required to

attend both weeks and have 100% class attendance.

This course is a dierent but equally engaging

ﬁlmmaking experience from the semester

Video Production class; similar in that

students divide into groups to produce small

ﬁnished ﬁlms during the class, very dierent

because this is the only time of the year that

ﬁlm students get to use all of the MPAC, it

is also the only time where they have the

option to work alongside AVP students, the

only time that AVP alums return to help as

counselors for the class, giving hands-on help

and advice as you produce your ﬁlms, the

only time ﬁlm students from other schools

can work together on your ﬁlms. It is also the

only time you can really dedicate your mind

to ﬁlmmaking for a solid two weeks. This is

a singular ﬁlmmaking experience and a lot of

fun. Video Production: SOTH can be taken all

four US summers for credit.

App Development (9320)

For credit: Course 9320; Grades 9-12; July1-19 or

July 15-August 2

To receive credit, Upper School students are required to

attend all three weeks and have 100% class attendance.

Have you ever wanted to design and build

your own iOS or Android app but didn’t

know where to start or thought that the

coding would be too hard? Well, this course

is for you! Through this course, you will

learn how to use various prototyping tools

to wireframe ideas to test functionality and

user experience (UX) and ﬁnalize an app

that you can publish on Google Play and

the Apple App Store! We will teach students

digital prototyping methods and how to

design for and analyze the eectiveness

of various user experiences, learn graphic

design fundamentals and how to code the

functionality of an app.

UX Design & Exploration (9330)

For credit: Course 9330; Grades 9-12; July1-19 or

July 15-August 2

To receive credit, Upper School students are required to

attend all three weeks and have 100% class attendance.

UX Design & Exploration will teach students

how to explore, tell the stories of, and design

human experiences. Why is this important?

Because these experiences drive consumer

choice. Think about the experience of a

Chick-ﬁl-A drive-through vs. a McDonald’s

drive-through, standing in line for a ride at

Disney World vs. Six Flags, or visiting an

Apple Store vs. a Best Buy. These experiences

have dramatic eects on consumer choice

and a business’s success. Within this

course, students will learn the skills to

assess and design user experiences through

methodologies such as journey mapping, the

ﬁve E’s model, persona development, and

others. Students will then learn how to build,

prototype, and test user experiences that

they develop.

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org36 Greenhill School

Greenhill is a member of a global consortium

of independent schools that are collectively

known as the Global Online Academy or

GOA. GOA is a nonproﬁt, global partnership

of leading independent schools bringing

intellectually challenging programs and

excellent teaching online. These classes

are open to all Greenhill students during

their junior and senior years. Junior and

senior students receive priority enrollment.

Sophomore students can be nominated by an

advisor but are not guaranteed enrollment.

GOA courses are not open to freshmen.

Tuition is $550 per semester and $1,100 for

a yearlong course. Summer tuition ranges

from $800 to $1,100. As an added beneﬁt

to students during the school year, Greenhill

covers 50% of the tuition. Summer courses

are exempt from this beneﬁt.

Students interested in enrolling in GOA

courses must complete the application

process online. The form is located through

the GOA box on the Greenhill Resource

Board. Enrollment in GOA courses is also

contingent upon advisor and GOA Site

Director approval. (For select courses,

Department Chair approval is also needed.)

Students are allowed to take one GOA class

each semester for a total of four GOA classes

during their time at Greenhill. Students may

also choose to enroll in one GOA course per

summer. Under special circumstances, these

limits may be waived to accommodate the

special needs of an individual student. Those

requests originate with the advisor and are

approved by the GOA Site Director.

Reasons for taking a GOA class include:

• GOA oers a course that is not currently

oered at Greenhill.

• Create ﬂexibility in your schedule and

explore the world of online learning.

• The class you want at Greenhill is full,

and GOA oers a similar course.

• Connect with students from across the

country and around the world.

Online courses are not for everyone. They

require a high level of ability to be self-

disciplined and self-directed. These courses

follow set schedules, which are largely

asynchronous and are NOT self-paced.

Students should expect to commit a minimum

of ﬁve to seven hours a week (or more) to

a single GOA class during the year, and

10 to 15 hours a week (or more) during the

summer. Summer courses designed to replace

a yearlong high school course will require a

minimum of 15 to 20 hours a week.

GOA courses must be part of a student’s

daily schedule and cannot exceed Greenhill’s

deﬁnition of a full schedule of eight academic

classes and one after-school sport/activity.

Including GOA, a student may not exceed

eight course enrollments on a semester

transcript. Students must schedule a GOA

course in lieu of a free period and utilize the

designated time to work on their GOA class

as if it were a Greenhill class meeting on

campus.

Students earn three credits for each semester

class taken.

Global Online Academy

Design & Innovation

All courses labeled Design & Innovation count

toward the graduation requirements.

Fine Arts

Courses labeled Fine Arts count toward the

graduation requirements and are applied to

the (junior or senior) year the course is taken.

English

Courses labeled English count toward English

electives.

History

Courses labeled History and Social Science

count toward history electives.

Mathematics

These courses count as Math elective credits

but cannot be used to fulﬁll any part of our

existing sequential course requirements.

Modern & Classical Languages

Students must complete Greenhill

requirement of level III in any single

language. GOA language classes may be

taken concurrently to expand a student’s

experiences in languages. These classes earn

a language elective credit.

Science

Courses labeled Science count toward

elective science.

Integrated Studies

These classes count toward general

graduation credits but do not satisfy any

speciﬁc graduation requirement.

Global Online Academy

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 37

Global Online Academy Academic Calendar 2024-2025

SUMMER 2024 DATES

Enrollment opens Thursday, February 15, 2024

Summer: June 17-August 2, 2024

These seven-week summer courses may be taken by Greenhill students for credit. Summer courses are exempt from the 50% tuition coverage Greenhill provides during the school year.

Course tuition ranges from $800 to $1,100.

Abnormal Psychology Computer Science II: JAVA International Relations Medical Problem Solving I

Algebra I* Creative Nonﬁction Introduction to Artiﬁcial Intelligence Microeconomics

Architecture Cyber Security Introduction to Branding & Marketing Personal Finance

Business Problem Solving Digital Photography Introduction to Legal Thinking Precalculus*

Computer Science I:

Computational Thinking

Fiction Writing Introduction to Psychology Problem Solving with Engineering & Design

Computer Science II: Game Design

& Development

Geometry Investing I

Computer Science II: Python Health & Fitness Investing II

*Courses not eligible for Greenhill credit and may be taken for remediation purposes only.

Semester 1 dates: August 28–December 13, 2024

Semester 2 dates: January 10–April 25, 2025

Full-year dates: August 28, 2024––April 25, 2025

Enrollment opens Sunday, March 31, 2024. Important note: Students should be aware of both Greenhill and GOA add/drop deadlines. GOA deadlines outline potential ﬁnancial penalties.

SEMESTER 1

August 21, 2024 Semester 1 and yearlong course welcome pages published for students

August 28–30 Synchronous teacher/student pre-course conversations. These are important (ungraded) initial conversations between teachers and students.

August 28 Semester 1 and yearlong courses open

September 6 (6 pm CDT) Last day to ADD a GOA course (and last day to DROP with no ﬁnancial penalty)

September 13 (6 pm CDT) Last day to DROP a GOA course

October 18 End of Grading Period 1

October 25 Midterm Learning Reports distributed

Semester Break Due to the diversity of GOA schools’ calendars, teachers in Semester 1 may choose the week during which their class will be on break. They make this choice

the ﬁrst week of the semester based on the schedules of the students on their roster and communicate that to students, Site Directors, and GOA.

December 6 Course Catalog for 2024–2025 is published, along with 2024–2025 Academic Calendar

December 13 Semester 1 ends (end of Grading Period 2)

December 20 Semester 1 Grade Reports distributed

SEMESTER 2

January 2, 2025 Semester 2 course welcome pages published for students

January 8–10 Synchronous teacher/student conversations for Semester 2 courses. These are important (ungraded) initial conversations between teachers and students.

January 8 Semester 2 courses open (yearlong courses resume)

January 17 (6 pm CST) Last day to ADD a Semester 2 GOA course (and last day to DROP with no ﬁnancial penalty)

January 24 (6 pm CST) Last day to DROP a Semester 2 GOA course

February 28 End of Grading Periods 1 (semester) and 3 (yearlong)

Semester Break Due to the diversity of GOA schools’ calendars, teachers in Semester 2 may choose the week during which their class will be on break. They make this choice

the ﬁrst week of the semester based on the schedules of the students on their roster, and communicate that to students, Site Directors, and GOA.

March 31 (6 pm CDT) Enrollment opens

April 25 Semester 2 ends; end of Grading Periods 2 (semester) and 4 (yearlong)

May 2 Grade Reports distributed

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org38 Greenhill School

the traditional high school geometry

curriculum. Focusing on Euclidian geometry,

students examine topics relating to parallel

lines, similar and congruent triangles,

quadrilaterals, polygons, and circles. Students

can expect to analyze lengths, areas, and

volumes of two- and three-dimensional

ﬁgures and explore transformations and other

manipulations. Particular attention is paid to

introductory trigonometry with right triangles

and the study of circles (radians, sectors, arc

length, etc.). In addition, the development

of a mature, logical thought process begins

through a formal introduction to arguments,

deductions, theorems, and proofs. Because

this course covers topics that are typically

presented in a yearlong course, students

should expect to dedicate 15–20 hours

per week during the intensive seven-week

summer session.

Precalculus

Summer; 0 credits.

Department: N/A. This course is not eligible for credit and

may only be used for remediation purposes.

Prerequisite: Algebra 2 or its equivalent.

In this intensive summer course, students

deepen and apply their understanding

of mathematics in order to be prepared

for higher-level courses. The emphasis

is on understanding functions, including

transformations, domain/range, and visual

representations. In addition, students

deepen their understanding of the concept

of equivalence through numerical, graphical,

and algebraic representations. This

includes developing ﬂuency with algebraic

manipulation. Much of the work involves

problem-solving and the application of

previous and current skills to new situations.

Projects include opportunities to apply topics

such as polynomials, matrices, trigonometry,

and sequences and series to real-world

scenarios. Students analyze situations, create

models, develop solutions to problems,

and then reﬂect on this work. The course

culminates in a project that provides students

a chance to explore a situation and bring to

bear the skills they have learned to analyze

it and present their understanding of the

situation. This course is intended for students

who are looking to accelerate through a

precalculus course, and, as such, concepts

and topics are presented quickly, allowing for

time to apply the skills to novel situations.

SUMMER COURSES EQUIVALENT TO

YEARLONG COURSES

MATHEMATICS

Algebra

Summer; 0 credits

Department: N/A; This course is not eligible for credit and

may only be used for remediation purposes.

Prerequisite: Pre-Algebra or its equivalent

This intensive seven-week summer course is

engineered to fast-track your journey through

the foundational Algebra I curriculum, and

to lay a strong foundation for a successful

transition from middle school into high-

school Algebra. Students in this course

will master key algebraic concepts such

as linear equations and systems of linear

equations. In addition, students will be

exposed to inequalities, functions, and

polynomials (including quadratics). Students

will be guided through solving equations,

understanding the properties of numbers,

and grasping the intricacies of mathematical

relationships. Special emphasis is placed on

mastering basic operations with polynomials,

understanding the coordinate plane, and

tackling word problems that translate into

algebraic equations. To ensure you’re set

up for higher-level math, we’ll also lay the

groundwork for Algebra II topics, such

as quadratic equations and systems of

equations. Alongside the subject matter,

the course aims to cultivate analytical

reasoning and problem-solving skills, crucial

for your future studies in STEM. Given the

accelerated pace, be prepared to put in

15-20 hours a week. This course condenses

a year’s worth of material into a seven-

week sprint, so buckle up! At the end of

the course, the Algebra I teachers will make

a recommendation to a student’s home

institution as to whether the student has

mastered the key competencies of Algebra I.

Geometry

Summer; 6 credits

Department: Mathematics

Prerequisite: Algebra I and Department Chair approval.

With Department Chair approval and Advisor and GOA Site

Director approval, this summer course may be taken as an

equivalent to a yearlong Geometry course. Students must

pass with a B– or above in order to receive credit for this

course and advance to Algebra II.

This intensive summer course is designed

to provide an accelerated path through

This course replicates what is typically a

yearlong course, so students should expect

to dedicate 15-20 hours per week during the

seven-week summer session.

YEARLONG COURSES

MODERN AND CLASSICAL LANGUAGES

Students must complete the Greenhill

requirement of level III in any single

language. GOA language classes may be

taken concurrently to expand a student’s

experiences in languages. These classes earn

a language elective credit.

GOA’s World Language courses seek

to awaken student interest in language

and culture through an approach that

is at once rigorous and modern. Our

competencies and learning outcomes for

these courses are adapted from ACTFL’s

Can-Do statements. Our students typically

achieve novice proﬁciency by the end of a

level I course. While our courses teach all

four language skills, they place particular

emphasis on interpersonal communication

(as opposed to more presentational modes

of communication). In addition to building

their speaking and writing skills, students

learn to leverage a modern understanding

of language acquisition, how to align goals

with practice, how to ask questions, how to

curate resources from the internet, and an

extended network of native and non-native

speakers of the target language. Students

in these courses connect with one another

frequently to discuss their language learning

process and to take deep dives into the

culture and history of the languages that they

are studying.

Japanese II and Japanese III students

will share a Canvas space—allowing for

dierentiated levels of language instruction

and practice within a larger community for

cultural exchange and discussions. The same

is true for Arabic II and Arabic III. Level I

students in Arabic and Japanese will be in

Canvas courses with only level I students.

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 39

Japanese Language through Culture I

Full year; 6 credits

Department: Modern and Classical Languages

Prerequisite: Must have completed Greenhill language

graduation requirement.

This full-year course is a unique combination

of Japanese culture and language, weaving

cultural comparison with the study of basic

Japanese language and grammar. While

examining various cultural topics such

as literature, art, lifestyle, and economy,

students learn the basics of the Japanese

writing system (Hiragana and Katakana),

grammar, and vocabulary. Through varied

synchronous and asynchronous assignments,

including hands-on projects and face-to-

face communications, students develop

their speaking, listening, reading, and writing

skills. The cultural study and discussion are

conducted in English, with topics alternating

every two to three weeks. The ultimate goal

of this course is to raise awareness and

appreciation of dierent cultures through

learning the basics of the Japanese language.

The focus of this course is 60 percent on

language and 40 percent on culture. This

course is appropriate for beginner-level

students.

Japanese Language through Culture II

Full year; 6 credits

Department: Modern and Classical Languages

Prerequisite: Must have completed Greenhill language

graduation requirement and Japanese Language through

Culture I or permission from the instructor.

Through language learning, students in this

course share their voices, cultivate global

perspectives, and foster appreciation of self

and others. Students expand their knowledge

of the basic skills introduced in Japanese

Language through Culture I while further

developing their speaking, listening, writing,

and reading skills. Each unit follows the IPA

model (Integrated Performance Assessment),

blending three modes of communication:

interpretation of authentic material in

Japanese, synchronous and asynchronous

practice in speaking and writing, and oral and

written presentations. Each unit focuses on

one of the following cultural topics: Design

and Expression, Ecology, Entertainment,

East meets West, Harmony, and Nature. In

addition, students have the opportunity to

select and pursue topics of their own interest.

Grammar topics cover the essential forms

that are typically introduced in the second

and third year of a high school Japanese

program. By learning the dictionary form,

nominalizer, TE form, TA form, NAI form, and

noun modiﬁer, students are able to add more

complexity to their sentence construction.

In doing so, they shift from forming simple

sentences to communicating in a coherent

paragraph.

As online learners, students are expected

to exhibit superb time management and

communication skills, as well as take

ownership of their learning. While grammar

instruction is delivered through asynchronous

work and face-to-face meetings, much of

the course content is curated and created

by students through their research and

collaboration. The focus of this course is

60 percent on language and 40 percent on

culture.

Japanese Language through Culture III

Full year; 6 credits

Department: Modern and Classical Languages

Prerequisite: Must have completed Greenhill language

graduation requirement and Japanese Language through

Culture II or permission from the instructor.

Students in Japanese III have mastered most

of the conjugation patterns (TE/TA form,

dictionary form, and NAI form) that are

necessary to speak and write in complex

structures. While advancing their grammatical

knowledge (including giving and receiving,

potential form, and honoriﬁc form), students

compare and examine similar functions and

their subtle dierences. In speaking, students

are allowed to speak in an informal/casual

style with each other and with the teacher

in order to solidify their control of the plain

form. Interpersonal communications are

done through face-to-face conversation and

recorded messages. In reading and listening,

students curate, share, and practice grasping

the gist of authentic materials. Such material

may include TV commercials, news, movies,

children’s books, online newspapers, and

cooking recipes. In writing, students work

on creative writing, expository writing, and

analytical writing (compare-and-contrast

in the AP format). Semester 1 incorporates

JLPT N5 exam material. Taking the exam is

not necessary but encouraged. In Semester

2, students participate in the GOA Catalyst

Conference.

Arabic I

Full year; 6 credits

Department: Modern and Classical Languages

Prerequisite: Must have completed Greenhill language

graduation requirement

Through study of Levantine (Jordanian) Arabic

and the Arabic writing system, students

develop novice proﬁciency in interpersonal

communication. Students communicate

in spontaneous spoken conversations on

very familiar and everyday topics, including

personal introductions, families, daily

routines, and preferences, using a variety

of practiced or memorized words, phrases,

simple sentences, and questions.

Arabic II

Full year; 6 credits

Department: Modern and Classical Languages

Prerequisite: Must have completed Greenhill language

graduation requirement and Arabic Language through

Culture I or permission from the instructor.

Arabic II students have one year of

Arabic Language through Culture or have

demonstrated Novice proﬁciency through

summer coursework or other experiences.

Students communicate in spontaneous

spoken conversations on familiar topics,

including food, weather, and hobbies, using

a variety of practiced or memorized words,

phrases, simple sentences, and questions.

Arabic III

Full year; 6 credits

Department: Modern and Classical Languages

Prerequisite: Must have completed Greenhill language

graduation requirement and Arabic Language through

Culture II or permission from the instructor.

Students in Arabic III have demonstrated

intermediate interpersonal proﬁciency in

Arabic (MSA or a dialect) through two years

in Arabic Language through Culture or other

coursework and have demonstrated an

ability to work online independently and

reliably with instructors and peers in Arabic

Language through Culture or another GOA

class. Students in Arabic III have opportunities

to direct their own study through choice

of material and topic. They use Arabic to

interact with native speakers on topics of

their choosing and to explore topics of

interest through a variety of media (written

works, audio, video, and face-to-face

interviews).

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org40 Greenhill School

MATHEMATICS

These courses count as Math elective credits

but cannot be used to fulﬁll any part of our

existing sequential course requirements.

Multivariable Calculus

Full year; 6 credits

Department: Mathematics

Prerequisite: The equivalent of a college year of single-

variable calculus, including integration techniques, such as

trigonometric substitution, integration by parts, and partial

fractions. The AP Calculus BC curriculum with a score of

4 or 5 on the AP Exam would be considered adequate

preparation.

In this course, students learn to dierentiate

and integrate functions of several variables.

We extend the Fundamental Theorem of

Calculus to multiple dimensions, and the

course culminates in Green’s, Stokes’, and

Gauss’ Theorems. The course opens with a

unit on vectors, which introduces students to

this critical component of advanced calculus.

We then move on to study partial derivatives,

double and triple integrals, and vector

calculus in both two and three dimensions.

Students are expected to develop ﬂuency

with vector and matrix operations.

Understanding a parametric curve as a

trajectory described by a position vector is

an essential concept, and this allows us to

break free from one- dimensional calculus

and investigate paths, velocities, and other

applications of science that exist in three-

dimensional space. We study derivatives in

multiple dimensions and use the ideas of the

gradient and partial derivatives to explore

optimization problems with multiple variables

as well as consider constrained optimization

problems using Lagrangians. After our study of

dierentials in multiple dimensions, we move

to integral calculus. We use line and surface

integrals to calculate physical quantities,

especially relevant to mechanics, electricity,

and magnetism, such as work and ﬂux. We

employ volume integrals for calculations of

mass and moments of inertia and conclude

with the major theorems (Green’s, Stokes’,

Gauss’) of the course, applying each to some

physical applications that commonly appear

in calculus-based physics.

SEMESTER COURSES

INTEGRATED STUDIES

These classes count toward general

graduation credits but do not satisfy any

speciﬁc graduation requirement of any one

department.

Arts Entrepreneurship

Spring; 3 credits

Department: Integrated Studies

In this course, aspiring visual artists,

designers, ﬁlmmakers, musicians, and other

creatives learn how to ﬁnd success in the

dynamic ﬁelds of their choosing. Students

learn about art careers and organizations

by attending virtual events and interviewing

art practitioners, entrepreneurs, and

administrators. Beyond exploring trajectories

for improving their crafts, students build

skills in networking and personal branding

while examining case studies of a variety of

artistic ventures—some highly successful

and some with teachable ﬂaws. Using real-

world examples of professional and emerging

creative and art organizations, students

gain a better understanding of the passion

and dedication it takes to have a successful

creative career.

Business Problem Solving

Summer, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Integrated Studies

How could climate change disrupt your

production and supply chains or impact

your consumer markets? Will taris help

or hurt your business? How embedded is

social media in your marketing plan? Is your

company vulnerable to cybercrime? What

21st-century skills are you cultivating in your

leadership team? Students in this course

tackle real-world problems facing businesses

large and small in today’s fast-changing global

marketplace, where radical reinvention is on

the minds of many business leaders. Students

work collaboratively and independently

on case studies, exploring business issues

through varied lenses, including operations,

marketing, human capital, ﬁnance and

risk management, and sustainability. As

they are introduced to the concepts and

practices of business, students identify,

analyze, and propose solutions to business

problems, engaging in research of traditional

and emerging industries, from established

multinationals to startups.

Discourse Across Dierence

Spring; 3 credits

Department: Integrated Studies

Our increasingly interconnected, globally

networked society presents us with complex

social, political, and ethical dilemmas. This

course equips students with strategies for

engaging such issues through constructive

dialogue focused on building understanding

across dierences. Through structured

conversations, debate, rhetorical analysis,

and guided reﬂection, students will gain skills

for having dicult yet thoughtful dialogues.

They will learn how to carefully evaluate

multiple perspectives, make evidencebased

claims, ask insightful questions, take others’

viewpoints into account, and seek common

ground. Speciﬁc topics examined may include

technology’s impact on privacy, environmental

sustainability, social justice reform, and other

current events that are sure to emerge! By

practicing perspective-taking, identifying

shared goals, and ﬁnding compromise,

students will be able to have productive

conversations even when they disagree.

The course aims to foster civil discourse,

strengthen critical thinking abilities, and build

understanding across diverse perspectives.

Students will emerge better prepared for

responsible civic participation and prepared

to thrive in a globally networked society.

Health & Fitness

Fall or Summer; 3 credits

Department: Integrated Studies

Approval for PE credit requires Department Chair, Athletic

Director, and GOA Site Director approval and will only be

considered for special circumstances.

In this course, students take a comprehensive

look at multiple factors that inﬂuence our

bodies over a lifetime to maintain an active

and healthy lifestyle. Students gain physical

literacy by identifying, applying, analyzing,

and evaluating components of the FITT

Principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time, and

Type), principles of training, phases of

movement, and athletic performance.

Students set personal improvement goals

for both ﬁtness and movement skills utilizing

baseline testing and performance analysis.

Each week, students complete a variety of

physical exercises to target speciﬁc areas of

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 41

ﬁtness and movement to assist in achieving

their goals. Reﬂection and feedback will

inform students regarding their improvement.

The course culminates in a student-led

project where students explore, synthesize,

and implement an exercise or sport-speciﬁc

topic that directly impacts their lives. Topics

of exploration include but are not limited to

nutrition in sports, exercise psychology or

mental health in sports, sports exploration

for the lifetime, exercise science or sports-

speciﬁc performance and biomechanics,

careers in sports, and community-based

improvement design and implementation.

Introduction to Artiﬁcial Intelligence

Summar, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Integrated Studies

Aspects of artiﬁcial intelligence (AI) permeate

our lives, and its algorithms power your

favorite apps. How much do you really know

about how AI works or how it is changing

the world around us? This course will

explore the history of research into artiﬁcial

general intelligence and the subsequent

focus on the subﬁelds of narrow AI: neural

networks, machine learning and expert

systems, deep learning, natural language

processing, and machine vision and facial

recognition. Students will learn how AI training

datasets cause bias and focus on the ethics

and principles of responsible AI: fairness,

transparency and explainability, human-

centeredness, and privacy and security.

Introduction to Blockchain &

Cryptocurrency

Spring; 3 credits

Department: Integrated Studies

Much attention has been brought to the

cryptocurrency space by the meteoric

rise in the valuation of bitcoin and other

cryptocurrencies. More recently, meme

tokens have also grabbed the spotlight.

When thinking about cryptocurrency, there

is much more to consider than just market

capitalization or coins named after canines.

Introduction to Blockchain & Cryptocurrency

is an entry-level course for anyone excited

by the space. This course explores how we

arrived at the place we are now and what the

current and possible applications of crypto

are. We’ll explore how markets in crypto

operate, where they’ve received practical

application, and where the space may head

in the future through the lenses of creators,

consumers, and governments. In addition,

we will take a deeper look at blockchain,

the underlying technology that powers

cryptocurrencies, and its many far-reaching

implications for the future of government,

business, the arts, and more.

Each lens represents a dierent way to view

the complex and interrelated causes and

outcomes of the changing crypto landscape.

Using a variety of technologies and activities,

students work individually and with peers

to evaluate each lens. Students then analyze

and explore how these technologies may

shape and disrupt the future not only of the

crypto space but of many current and future

industries.

Introduction to Branding & Marketing

Summer, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Integrated Studies

In our increasingly digitalized world, we are

bombarded by ads every day and presented

with an immeasurable amount of content

across all media platforms. It has become

increasingly dicult for brands to break

through the noise and capture the attention

of their intended audience. In this course,

students learn what it takes to build an

eective brand that can authentically connect

with consumers and create long-term brand

equity. The course starts with introducing

what a brand is and goes on to explore

how dierent branding elements, such as

visual identity, advertising strategy, content

marketing, as well as the intangible elements

of the customer journey, come together to

create a unique brand experience. By applying

marketing theories, interviewing experts, and

analyzing modern case studies, students will

develop and strengthen their competencies

as brand strategists. Students will also

examine how responding to important ethical,

social, and environmental issues can impact

the brand’s success. The course culminates

in a ﬁnal project where students collaborate

to design an impactful brand campaign for

a mission-driven company, organization, or

initiative.

Introduction to Legal Thinking

Summer, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Integrated Studies

Inspired by GOA’s popular Medical Problem-

Solving series, this course uses a case-based

approach to give students a practical look

into the professional lives of lawyers and legal

thinking. By studying and debating a series of

real legal cases, students sharpen their ability

to think like lawyers who research, write,

and speak persuasively. The course focuses

on problems that lawyers encounter in daily

practice and on the rules of professional

conduct case law. In addition to practicing

writing legal briefs, advising ﬁctional clients,

and preparing opening and closing statements

for trial, students approach such questions

as the law and equity, the concept of justice,

jurisprudence, and legal ethics.

Problem Solving with Engineering and

Design

Summer, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Integrated Studies

This course investigates various topics in

science, technology, computer programming,

engineering, and mathematics using a series

of projects and problems that are both

meaningful and relevant to the students’

lives. Students develop engineering skills,

including design principles, modeling, and

presentations, using a variety of computer

hardware and software applications to

complete assignments and projects. This is a

course that focuses on practical applications

of science and mathematics to solve real-

world issues. Prototyping and project-based

learning are, therefore, essential components

of the course. Upon completing this course,

students will have an understanding of the

application of science and mathematics in

engineering and will be able to make informed

decisions concerning real-world problems.

Furthermore, students will have worked

on a design team to develop a product or

system. Throughout the program, students

step into the varied roles engineers play in

our society, solve problems in their homes

and communities, discover new career paths

and possibilities, and develop engineering

knowledge and skills. There are no particular

math or science prerequisites for this course,

just an interest in using STEM to solve

problems and a desire to learn!

Race & Society

Fall; 3 credits

Department: Integrated Studies

What is race? Is it something we’re born with?

Is it an idea that society imposes on us? An

identity we perform? A privilege we beneﬁt

from? Does our own culture’s conception of

race mirror those found in other parts of the

world? These are just a few of the questions

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org42 Greenhill School

that students in this course explore together

as they approach the concept of race as a

social construct that shapes and is shaped

by societies and cultures in very real ways.

Throughout the course, students learn about

the changing relationship between race and

society across time and across cultures.

Engaging with readings, ﬁlms, and speakers

from a variety of academic ﬁelds (history,

sociology, anthropology, literature), students

explore, research, reﬂect on, and discuss the

complex set of relationships governing race

and society.

FINE ARTS

Courses labeled Fine Arts count toward

graduation requirements and are applied to

the (junior or senior) year the course is taken.

Architecture

Summer, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Fine Arts

In this course, students build an

understanding of and apply skills in various

aspects of architectural design. While gaining

key insights into the roles of architectural

analysis, materials, 3D design, and spatial

awareness, students develop proﬁciency

in architectural visual communication. We

begin by learning the basic elements of

architectural design to help analyze and

understand architectural solutions. Through

digital and physical media, students develop

an understanding of the impact building

materials have on design. At each stage of

the course, students interact with peers

from around the globe, learning and sharing

how changes in materials, technology, and

construction techniques lead to the evolution

of contemporary architectural style and

visual culture. The course culminates with a

ﬁnal project in which each aspiring architect

has the opportunity to work toward a

personal presentation for the GOA Catalyst

Conference. Students present, through

a variety of outcomes, an architectural

intervention that they have proposed as a

solution to an identiﬁed need, one emanating

from or focused within their own community.

Throughout the course, students refer

to the design process and use journaling

techniques to track, reﬂect, and evidence

their understanding of architecture.

Digital Photography

Summer or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Fine Arts

Note: Students must have daily access to a DSLR camera.

In an era where everyone has become a

photographer obsessed with documenting

most aspects of life, we swim in a sea of

images, whether posted on Instagram,

Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest, or another

digital medium. Yet what does taking a

powerful and persuasive photo with a 35mm

digital single lens reﬂex (DSLR) camera

require? Digital Photography explores this

question in a variety of ways, beginning

with the technical aspects of using and

taking advantage of a powerful camera,

then moving to a host of creative questions

and opportunities. Technical topics such

as aperture, shutter, white balance, and

resolution get ample coverage in the ﬁrst

half of the course, yet each is pursued with

the goal of enabling students to leverage the

possibilities that come with manual image

capture. Once conﬁdent about technical

basics, students apply their skills when

pursuing creative questions such as how to

understand and use light, how to consider

composition, and how to take compelling

portraits. Throughout the course, students

tackle projects that enable sharing their local

and diverse settings, ideally creating global

perspectives through doing so. Additionally,

students interact with each other often

through critique sessions and collaborative

exploration of the work of many noteworthy

professional photographers whose images

serve to inspire and suggest the diverse ways

that photography tells visual stories.

Filmmaking

Fall; 3 credits

Department: Fine Arts

Prerequisite: Students must have access to an HD video

camera, tripod, or other stabilizing equipment, and editing

software such as iMovie, Premiere Pro, etc.

This course is for students interested in

developing their skills as ﬁlmmakers and

creative problem-solvers. It is also a forum

for screening the work of peers and providing

constructive feedback for revisions and

future projects while helping develop critical-

thinking skills. The course works from a set

of speciﬁc exercises based on self-directed

research and culminates in a series of short

experimental ﬁlms that challenge students

on both a technical and creative level.

Throughout, we increasingly focus on helping

students express their personal outlooks and

develop their unique styles as ﬁlmmakers. We

review and reference short ﬁlms online and

discuss how students might ﬁnd inspiration

and apply what they ﬁnd to their own works.

ENGLISH

Courses labeled English count toward

English electives.

Creative Nonﬁction

Summer or Fall; 3 credits.

Department: English

Tell your own stories and the stories of the

world around you! This course centers on the

art of shaping real experiences into powerful

narratives while growing foundational writing

skills. Participants read, examine, and

write diverse works of creative nonﬁction,

including personal narratives, podcasts,

opinion editorials, proﬁle pieces, and more.

Emphasizing process over product, this

writing workshop provides opportunities

to create in new ways. Students practice

essential craft elements (e.g., voice, style,

structure) while reﬂecting on stories from

their own lives, communities, and interests.

They also build a personalized library of

inspiring mentor texts, consider opportunities

for publication, and develop sustainable

writing habits. Both in real-time video chats

and online discussion spaces, students

support one another intentionally. Feedback

is an essential component of this course, and

students gain experience in the workshop

model, actively participating in a thriving,

global writing community. Creative nonﬁction

has never been as popular as it is today;

participants experience its relevance in their

own lives as they collaboratively explore this

dynamic genre.

Fiction Writing

Summer or Spring; 3 credits

Department: English

This course connects students interested

in creative writing (primarily short ﬁction)

and provides a space for supportive and

constructive feedback. Students gain

experience in the workshop model, learning

how to eectively critique and discuss one

another’s writing in an online environment.

In addition to developing skills as a reader

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 43

within a workshop setting, students strive to

develop their own writing identities through

a variety of exercises. The course capitalizes

on the geographic diversity of the student

body by eliciting stories that shed light on

both the commonalities and dierences

of life experiences in dierent locations.

Additionally, we read and discuss the work

of authors from around the globe. Students’

essential responsibilities are twofold: to

engage in the class as readers and writers

and to focus on their development as writers

and readers. Both require participation in

discussions of various formats within our

online community, as well as dedicated

time outside of class reading and providing

feedback on one another’s work and writing

original pieces for the workshop.

HISTORY

Courses labeled History and Social Science

count toward history electives.

Abnormal Psychology

Summer, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: History

This course provides students with a

general introduction to the ﬁeld of abnormal

psychology from a Western perspective while

exploring the cultural assumptions within the

ﬁeld. Students examine the biopsychosocial

aspects of what we consider abnormal while

developing an understanding of the stigma

often associated with psychological disorders.

Through book study, videos, article reviews,

and discussions, students consider how our

increasingly global world inﬂuences mental

health in diverse settings. In learning about

the dierent areas of Western abnormal

psychology, students study the symptoms,

diagnoses, and responses to several speciﬁc

disorders such as anxiety, depression,

eating disorders, or schizophrenia. Students

develop an understanding of how challenging

it can be to deﬁne “normal” as they begin to

empathize with those struggling with mental

distress. Throughout the course, students

are encouraged to attend to their own

mental well-being. The course culminates

in an independent project where students

showcase their learning with the goal of

making an impact in their local communities.

Applying Philosophy to Modern Global

Issues

Fall; 3 credits

Department: History

This is an applied philosophy course that

connects pressing contemporary issues

with broad-range philosophical ideas

and controversies drawn from multiple

traditions and many centuries. Students

use ideas from inﬂuential philosophers to

examine how thinkers have applied reason

successfully, and unsuccessfully, to many

social and political issues across the world.

In addition to introducing students to the

work of philosophers as diverse as Confucius,

Immanuel Kant, John Rawls, and Michel

Foucault, this course also aims to be richly

interdisciplinary, incorporating models

and methods from diverse ﬁelds, including

history, journalism, literary criticism, and

media studies. Students learn to develop

their own philosophy and then apply it to the

ideological debates that surround eorts to

improve their local and global communities.

Capitalism: Past, Present, & Future

Spring; 3 credits

Department: History

In some circles, capitalism has been

blamed for most of society’s ills. In others,

it has been credited with the grandest

achievements in human history. In this course,

students examine advocates from both

circles, looking closely at the components

of capitalism—and other systems of

economic and social control—to decide

what they think. As students build their own

philosophies around capitalism, they work

collaboratively and independently on case

studies, exploring examples of capitalism

around the world and in the world around

us. Throughout the course, students immerse

themselves in the history of various forms of

capitalism, learning the speciﬁc components

of capitalism. Students investigate how

capitalism has impacted social, political, and

economic systems around the world. The

ﬁnal project requires students to pull from

historical and modern case studies to present

a coherent portfolio of their thinking. Students

also create a proposal for articulating shifts

as we look to the future of capitalism.

Climate Action and Sustainability

Fall; 3 credits

Department: History

Nowhere is the face of global inequality

more obvious than in climate change, where

stories of climate-driven tragedies and the

populations hit hardest by these disasters

surface in every news cycle. In this course,

students investigate the causes and eects

of climate change and the public policy

debates surrounding it. In case studies, we

research global, regional, and local policies

and practices, along with what the choices

of decision makers mean to the populations

they serve. Who beneﬁts, who suers, and

how might we change this equation? Following

the Learning Studio model, in the second

half of the course, students work with their

teacher to design their own independent

projects, reﬂecting their individual interests

and passions, and collaborate in workshops

with classmates to deepen our collective

understanding of the complex issues

surrounding climate change. Throughout the

semester, we build and curate a library of

resources and share ﬁndings in varied media,

engaging as both consumers and activists

to bring increasing knowledge to challenge

and advocate for sustainable norms. Finally,

students have the opportunity to reach a

global audience by participating in GOA’s

Catalyst Conference in Spring 2025 as they

present their individual projects to spark

change in local communities through well-

informed activism.

Developmental Psychology

Fall or Spring; 3 credits

Department: History

Over a few short years, most human beings

grow from infants who are not even able

to hold up their heads to become walking,

talking, and thinking people who are able to

communicate using language, understand

complexities, solve problems, and engage

in moral reasoning. This course is an

introduction to the fascinating study of human

growth and development, focusing on the

signiﬁcant changes that occur physically,

emotionally, cognitively, and socially

from birth through adolescence. Students

consider the big questions of heredity versus

environment, stability versus change, and

continuity versus discrete stages of change

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org44 Greenhill School

as they investigate language acquisition,

sensorimotor development, thinking and

learning, and personality and emotions.

Through readings, observations, case studies,

and application activities, students examine

development from the perspectives of major

theorists in the ﬁeld from both Western and

non-Western traditions.

Entrepreneurship in a Global Context

Fall or Spring; 3 credits

Department: History

How does an entrepreneur think? What

skills must entrepreneurs possess to remain

competitive and relevant? What are some of

the strategies that entrepreneurs apply to

solve problems? In this experiential course,

students develop an understanding of

entrepreneurship in today’s global market;

employ innovation, design, and creative

solutions for building a viable business model;

and learn to develop, reﬁne, and pitch a new

startup. Units of study include the Business

Model Canvas, Customer Development vs.

Design Thinking, Value Proposition, Customer

Segments, Iterations & Pivots, Brand Strategy

& Channels, and Funding Sources. Students

use the Business Model Canvas as a road

map to building and developing their own

team startup, a process that requires

hypothesis testing, customer research

conducted in hometown markets, product

design, product iterations, and entrepreneur

interviews. An online startup pitch by the

student team to an entrepreneurial advisory

committee is the culminating assessment.

Additional student work includes research,

journaling, interviews, peer collaboration, and

a case study involving real-world consulting

work for a current business.

Gender & Society

Spring; 3 credits

Department: History

This course uses the concept of gender to

examine a range of topics and disciplines

that might include feminism, gay and lesbian

studies, women’s studies, popular culture,

and politics. Throughout the course, students

examine the intersection of gender with

other social identiﬁers: class, race, sexual

orientation, culture, and ethnicity. Students

read about, write about, and discuss gender

issues as they simultaneously reﬂect on the

ways that gender has manifested in and

inﬂuenced their lives.

Genocide and Human Rights

Spring or Fall; 3 credits

Department: History

Students in this course study several of the

major 20th-century genocides (Armenian,

the Holocaust, Cambodian, and Rwandan),

analyze the role of the international

community in responding to and preventing

further genocide (with particular attention

to the Nuremberg tribunals), and examine

current human rights crises around the

world. Students read primary and secondary

sources, participate in both synchronous and

asynchronous discussions with classmates,

write brief papers, read short novels, watch

documentaries, and develop a human rights

report card website about a nation of their

choice.

International Relations

Summer, Fall or Spring; 3 credits

Department: History

Are China and the U.S. on a collision course

for war? Can the Israelis and Palestinians ﬁnd

a two-state solution in the Holy Land? Will

North Korea launch a nuclear weapon? Can

India and Pakistan share the subcontinent

in peace? These questions dominate global

headlines and our daily news feeds. In this

course, you go beyond the soundbites and

menacing headlines to explore the context,

causes, and consequences of the most

pressing global issues of our time. Through

case studies, you explore the dynamics

of international relations and the complex

interplay of war and peace, conﬂict and

cooperation, and security and human rights.

Working with classmates from around the

world, you also identify and model ways to

prevent, mediate, and resolve some of the

most pressing global conﬂicts.

Introduction to Psychology

Summer, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: History

What does it mean to think like a

psychologist? With this question anchoring

Introduction to Psychology, students

explore three central psychological

perspectives— the behavioral, the cognitive,

and the sociocultural—in order to develop a

multifaceted understanding of what thinking

like a psychologist encompasses. The

additional question of “How do psychologists

put what they know into practice?” informs

the study of the research methods in

psychology, the ethics surrounding them,

and the application of those methods to

practice. During the ﬁrst ﬁve units of the

course, students gather essential information

that they apply during a group project on

the unique characteristics of adolescent

psychology. Students similarly anticipate a

case study on depression, which also enables

the application of understandings from the

ﬁrst ﬁve units. The course concludes with a

unit on positive psychology, which features

current positive psychology research on living

mentally healthy lives. Throughout the course,

students collaborate on a variety of activities

and assessments, which often enable learning

about each other’s unique perspectives while

building their research and critical-thinking

skills in service of understanding the complex

ﬁeld of psychology.

Investing I

Summer, Fall, or Spring: 3 credits

Department: History

This course is a prerequisite to Investing II at GOA.

In this course, students simulate the work of

investors by working with the tools, theories,

and decision-making practices that deﬁne

smart investment. We explore concepts

in ﬁnance and apply them to investment

decisions in three primary contexts: portfolio

management, venture capital, and social

investing. After an introduction to theories

about valuation and risk management,

students simulate scenarios in which they

must make decisions to grow an investment

portfolio. They manage investments in

stocks, bonds, and options to learn a range

of strategies for increasing the value of their

portfolios. In the second unit, they take the

perspective of venture capital investors,

analyzing startup companies and predicting

their value before they become public. In

the third unit, students examine case studies

of investment funds that apply the tools of

ﬁnance to power social change. Throughout

the course, students learn from experts

who have experience in identifying value

and managing risk in global markets. They

develop their own ideas about methods for

taking calculated ﬁnancial risks and leave this

course not just with a simulated portfolio of

investments but with the skills necessary to

manage portfolios in the future.

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 45

Investing II

Summer: 3 credits

Department: History

Prerequisite: Investing I

In this course, students expand their

knowledge of practices that deﬁne smart

investment. They explore concepts in ﬁnance

and apply them to investment decisions

in four primary contexts: ﬁxed-income

investments, foreign exchange and crypto,

commodities, and real estate. After an

introduction to theories about behavioral

ﬁnance, students simulate scenarios in which

they must make decisions to add to their

portfolio of equities.

In the ﬁrst unit, they learn how ﬁxed-income

assets like bonds ﬁt into a larger portfolio to

hedge risk in their portfolios. In the second

unit, students examine forex trading and the

cryptocurrency markets, a riskier and more

volatile investment vehicle. In the third unit,

students examine how commodities can

be a part of a larger portfolio but also how

commodity prices might aect the larger

economy. Finally, in the fourth unit, students

learn about the array of strategies in real

estate investing.

Macroeconomics

Fall or Spring; 3 credits

Department: History

Macroeconomics is the study of economic

units as a whole rather than of their individual

components. The aggregate unit is usually a

national economy, and that is our focus in this

course. Students learn to better understand

how to measure national economic activity

with concepts like the gross domestic

product, unemployment, and inﬂation and the

strengths and weaknesses of these statistics.

Students then study theoretical methods

of inﬂuencing national economic activity

with monetary and ﬁscal policy and learn

about some of the controversy surrounding

these policy tools. The advantages and

disadvantages of international trade and of

methods of setting exchange rates are also

introduced. The course includes an individual

student investigation of a national economy

other than their home country. Students

identify their economic ﬁndings and present

resolutions in their ﬁnal report.

Microeconomics

Summer or Fall; 3 credits

Department: History

In this course, students learn about how

consumers and producers interact to

form a market and then how and why the

government may intervene in that market.

Students deepen their understanding of

basic microeconomic theory through class

discussion and debate, problem-solving,

and written reﬂection. Students visit a local

production site and write a report using the

market principles they have learned.

Economic ways of thinking about the world

help them better understand their roles as

consumers and workers and, someday, as

voters and producers.

Positive Psychology

Fall; 3 credits

Department: History

What is a meaningful, happy, and fulﬁlling

life? The focus of psychology has long been

the study of human suering, diagnosis,

and pathology, but in recent years, positive

psychologists have explored what’s missing

from the mental health equation, taking up

research on topics such as love, creativity,

humor, and mindfulness. In this course, we

dive into what positive psychology research

tells us about the formula for a meaningful

life, the ingredients of fulﬁlling relationships,

and changes that occur in the brain when

inspired by music, visual art, physical

activity, and more. We seek out and lean on

knowledge from positive psychology research

and experts, such as Martin Seligman’s Well

Being Theory, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s

idea of ﬂow, and Angela Lee Duckworth’s

concept of grit. In exploring such theories and

concepts, students imagine and create real-

world measurements using themselves and

willing peers and family members as research

subjects. As part of the learning studio format

of the course, students also imagine, research,

design, and create projects that they

share with a larger community. Throughout

the development of these projects, they

collaborate with each other and seek ways to

make their work experiential and hands-on.

Students leave the class with not only some

answers to the question of what makes life

meaningful, happy, and fulﬁlling but also the

inspiration to continue responding to this

question for many years to come.

Prisons and the Criminal Justice Systems

Fall or Spring; 3 credits

Department: History

How do societies balance individual freedoms

with security? How do deﬁnitions of “crime”

and “punishment” shift across jurisdictions

and time periods? How do recent protests

and discussions about racial biases and

systemic racism inform our understanding of

criminal law and its applications? Although

the United States has been frequently cited

as having the highest “mass incarceration”

rate, other countries in the world have also

been criticized for injustices in their criminal

justice systems. In this course, students

become familiar with the legal rules and

institutions that determine who goes to prison

and for how long. Along the way, students

gain a concrete, practical understanding

of legal systems while grappling with mass

incarceration as a legal, ethical, and practical

issue. To understand current views on crime

and criminal punishments and to examine

proposed systemic reforms, we immerse

ourselves in the dierent forms of rhetoric

and media that brought the U.S. and other

nations to our present. We read and analyze

jury arguments, courtroom motions, news

op-eds, judicial decisions, recent cases, and

other forms of public persuasion that shape

the outcomes of criminal defendants. The

ﬁnal project requires students to advocate for

a major reform to a criminal justice system

in a city, state, or country. Having developed

research skills, students apply them to build

an eective argument that includes a real-

world solution.

Religion & Society

Spring: 3 credits

Department: History

Religion is one of the most salient forces

in contemporary society but is also one of

the most misunderstood. What exactly is

religion? How does religious identity inform

the ways humans understand themselves and

the world around them? How can increased

levels of religious literacy help us become

more eective civic agents in the world today?

Students in this course will conduct several

deep dives into speciﬁc case studies in order

to understand how religious identity intersects

with various systems of power, including

race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and

ethnicity. By engaging with material from a

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org46 Greenhill School

variety of academic ﬁelds (history, sociology,

anthropology, psychology), students will

grapple with the complex ways in which

society and religious identity relate to one

another.

Social Psychology

Fall or Spring: 3 credits

Department: History

Are you thinking and acting freely of your own

accord, or is what you think, feel, and do a

result of inﬂuences by the people around you?

Social psychology is the scientiﬁc study of

how and why the actual, imagined, or implied

presence of others inﬂuences our thoughts,

feelings, and behavior. The principles of social

psychology help explain everything from why

we stop at stop signs when there is no one

around to why we buy certain products, and

why in some situations, we help others, and

in some, we don’t, and what leads to more

dramatic (and catastrophic) events such

as mass suicides or extreme prejudice and

discrimination. As we take up these topics

and questions, students build and engage

in a community of inquiry aimed primarily

at learning how to analyze human behavior

through the lens of a social psychologist.

Social Psychology invites students to explore,

plan, investigate, experiment, and apply

concepts of prejudice, persuasion, conformity,

altruism, relationships, groups and the self

that brings the “social” to psychology. The

course culminates in a public exhibition

of a student-designed investigation of a

social psychological topic of their choice.

This course uses a competency-based

learning approach in which students build

GOA core competencies that transcend the

discipline and learn how to think like a social

psychologist. Much of the course is self-

paced; throughout the semester, students are

assessed solely in relation to outcomes tied

to the competencies.

DESIGN & INNOVATION

All courses labeled Design & Innovation

count toward the graduation requirement.

Computer Science I: Computational

Thinking

Summer, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Design & Innovation

Computational Thinking centers on

solving problems, designing systems, and

understanding human behavior. It has

applications not only in computer science,

but also in myriad other ﬁelds of study.

This introductory-level course focuses on

thinking like a computer scientist, especially

understanding how computer scientists

deﬁne and solve problems. Students begin

the course by developing an understanding of

what computer science is, how it can be used

by people who are not programmers, and why

it’s a useful skill for all people to cultivate.

Within this context, students are exposed

to the power and limits of computational

thinking. Students also are introduced to

entry-level programming constructs that help

them apply their knowledge of computational

thinking in practical ways. They learn how to

read code and pseudocode, as well as begin

to develop strategies for debugging programs.

By developing computational thinking and

programming skills, students gain the core

knowledge to deﬁne and solve problems in

future computer science courses. While this

course would be beneﬁcial for any student

without formal training as a programmer or

computer scientist, it is intended for those

with no programming experience.

Computer Science II: Game Design and

Development

Summer or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Design & Innovation

Prerequisite: Computer Science I: Computational Thinking or

its equivalent; Department Chair approval required

In this course, students practice designing

and developing games through hands-on

practice. Comprised of a series of “game

jams,” the course asks students to solve

problems and create content, developing

the design and technical skills necessary to

build their own games. The ﬁrst month of

the course is dedicated to understanding

game design through game designer Jesse

Schell’s “lenses”: dierent ways of looking at

the same problem and answering questions

that provide direction and reﬁnement of

a game’s theme and structure. During

this time, students also learn how to use

Unity, the professional game development

tool they use throughout the class. They

become familiar with the methodologies of

constructing a game using such assets as

graphics, sounds, and eects and controlling

events and behavior within the game using

the C# programming language. Throughout

the remainder of the course, students work in

teams to brainstorm and develop new games

in response to a theme or challenge. Students

develop their skills in communication, project

and time management, and creative problem-

solving while focusing on dierent aspects of

asset creation, design, and coding.

Computer Science II: JAVA

Summer or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Design & Innovation

Prerequisite: Computer Science I: Computational Thinking;

Department Chair approval required

This course teaches students how to

write programs in the JAVA programming

language. JAVA is the backbone of many web

applications, especially eCommerce and

government sites. It is also the foundational

code of the Android operating system and

many tools of the ﬁnancial sector. Students

learn the major syntactical elements of the

JAVA language though objected oriented

design. The emphasis in the course is on

creating intelligent systems though the

fundamentals of Computer Science. Students

write working programs through short lab

assignments and more extended projects that

incorporate graphics and animation.

Computer Science II: Python

Summer or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Design & Innovation

Prerequisite: Computer Science I: Computational Thinking or

its equivalent; Department Chair approval required

In this course, students utilize the Python

programming language to read, analyze,

and visualize data. The course emphasizes

using real-world datasets, which are often

large, messy, and inconsistent. Because

of the powerful data structures and clear

syntax of Python, it is one of the most widely

used programming languages in scientiﬁc

computing. Students explore the multitude of

practical applications of Python in ﬁelds like

biology, engineering, and statistics.

Cybersecurity

Summer, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Design & Innovation

Department Chair approval required

Cybercriminals leverage technology and

human behavior to attack our online security.

This course explores the fundamentals of and

vulnerabilities in the design of computers,

networks, and the internet. Course content

includes the basics of computer components,

connectivity, virtualization, and hardening.

Students learn about network design, Domain

Name Services, and TCP/IP. They understand

switching, routing, and access control for

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 47

internet devices and how denial of service,

spooﬁng, and ﬂood attacks work. Basic

programming introduced in the course informs

hashing strategies, while an introduction

to ciphers and cryptography shows how

shared keys encryption works for HTTPS

and TLS trac. Students also explore the

fundamentals of data forensics and incident

response protocols. The course includes an

analysis of current threats and best practice

modeling for cyber defense, including

password complexity, security, management,

breach analysis, and hash cracking.

Computational thinking and programming

skills developed in this course help students

solve a variety of cyber security issues.

There is no computer science prerequisite

for this course, though students with some

background will certainly ﬁnd avenues to ﬂex

their knowledge in this course.

Data Visualization

Fall; 3 credits

Department: Design & Innovation

Department Chair approval required

Through today’s fog of overwhelming data,

visualizations provide meaning. This course

trains students to collect, organize, interpret,

and communicate massive amounts of

information. Students begin wrangling data

into spreadsheets, learning the basic ways

professionals translate information into

comprehensible formats. They explore

charts, distinguishing between eective

and misleading visualizations. Employing

principles from information graphics, graphic

design, visual art, and cognitive science,

students then create their own stunning and

informative visualizations. From spreadsheets

to graphics, students in this course practice

the crucial skills of using data to decide,

inform, and convince. There is no computer

science, math, or statistics prerequisite

for this course, though students with

backgrounds in those areas will certainly ﬁnd

avenues to ﬂex their knowledge in this course.

Graphic Design

Fall or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Design & Innovation

Department Chair approval required

What makes a message persuasive and

compelling? What helps audiences and

viewers sort and make sense of information?

This course explores the relationship between

information and inﬂuence from a graphic

design perspective. Using an integrated

case study and design-based approach, this

course aims to deepen students’ design,

visual, and information literacies. Students

are empowered to design and prototype

communication projects about which they

are passionate. Topics include principles

of design and visual communication,

infographics, networks and social media,

persuasion and storytelling with multimedia,

and social activism on the internet. Student

work includes individual and collaborative

group projects, graphic design, content

curation, some analytical and creative

writing, peer review and critiques, and online

presentations.

MATHEMATICS

These courses count as Math elective credits

but cannot be used to fulﬁll any part of our

existing sequential course requirements.

Game Theory

Fall or Spring; 3 credits.

Department: Mathematics

Do you play games? Do you ever wonder if

you’re using the “right” strategy? What makes

one strategy better than another? In this

course, we explore a branch of mathematics

known as game theory, which answers these

questions and many more. Game theory has

many applications as we face dilemmas and

conﬂicts every day, most of which we can

treat as mathematical games! We consider

signiﬁcant global events from ﬁelds like

diplomacy, political science, anthropology,

philosophy, economics, and popular culture.

Speciﬁc topics we discuss include two-person

zero-sum games, two-person non-zero-sum

games, sequential games, multiplayer games,

linear optimization, and voting and power

theory.

Linear Algebra

Fall or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Mathematics

Prerequisite: Geometry and Algebra 2 or equivalents

In this course, students learn about the

algebra of vector spaces and matrices

by looking at how images of objects in

the plane and space are transformed in

computer graphics. Some paper-and-pencil

calculations are done early in the course, but

the computer software package GeoGebra

(free) is used to do most of the calculating

in the course. No prior experience with this

software or linear algebra is necessary.

This introduction is followed by looking at

the analysis of social networks using linear

algebraic techniques. Students learn how

to model social networks using matrices

and discover things about the network with

linear algebra as their tool. We consider

applications like Facebook and Google.

Number Theory

Fall; 3 credits

Department: Mathematics

Prerequisite: Precalculus and above, as well as a desire to

do rigorous mathematics and proofs

Once thought of as the purest but least

applicable part of mathematics, number

theory is now by far the most commonly

applied: Every one of the millions of

secure internet transmissions occurring

each second is encrypted using ideas from

number theory. This course covers the

fundamentals of this classical, elegant, yet

supremely relevant subject. It provides a

foundation for further study of number

theory, but even more, it develops the skills

of mathematical reasoning and proof in a

concrete and intuitive way: good preparation

for any future course in upper-level college

mathematics or theoretical computer science.

We progressively develop the tools needed

to understand the RSA algorithm, the most

common encryption scheme used worldwide.

Along the way, we invent some encryption

schemes of our own and discover how to

play games using number theory. We also get

a taste of the history of the subject, which

involves the most famous mathematicians

from antiquity to the present day, and we see

parts of the story of Fermat’s Last Theorem,

a 350-year-old statement that was fully

proved only twenty years ago. While most

calculations are simple enough to do by hand,

we sometimes use the computer to see how

fundamental ideas can be applied to the huge

numbers needed for modern applications.

Personal Finance

Summer, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Mathematics

In this course, students learn ﬁnancial

responsibility and social consciousness. We

examine a wide array of topics, including

personal budgeting, credit cards and

credit scores, career and earning potential,

insurance, real estate, ﬁnancial investment,

retirement savings, charitable giving, taxes,

and other items related to personal ﬁnance.

Students apply their understanding of

for more information, please visit www.greenhill.org48 Greenhill School

these topics by simulating real-life ﬁnancial

circumstances and weighing the costs and

beneﬁts of their decisions. Throughout

the course, students have the opportunity

to learn from individuals with varying

perspectives and expertise in numerous

ﬁelds. By reﬂecting on their roles in the

broader economy as both producers and

consumers, students begin to consider how

they can positively impact the world around

them through their ﬁnancial decisions.

SCIENCE

Courses labeled Science count toward

elective science.

Bioethics

Fall or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Science

Ethics is the study of what one should do as

an individual and as a member of society.

Bioethics refers to the subset of this ﬁeld

that focuses on medicine, public health, and

the life sciences. In this course, students

explore contemporary pressing issues in

bioethics, including the right to die, policies

around vaccination and organ transplantation,

competence to consent to care, human

experimentation and animal research, and

genetic technologies. Through reading, writing,

research, and discussion, students explore

the fundamental concepts and questions

in bioethics, deepen their understanding

of biological concepts, strengthen their

critical-reasoning skills, and learn to engage

in respectful dialogue with people whose

views may dier from their own. The course

culminates with a student-driven exploration

into a particular bioethical issue, recognizing

the unique role that bioethics plays within the

ﬁeld of ethics.

Global Health

Fall; 3 credits

Department: Science

What makes people sick? What social and

political factors lead to the health disparities

we see both within our own communities

and on a global scale? What are the biggest

challenges in global health, and how might

they be met? Using an interdisciplinary

approach to address these questions, this

course improves students’ health literacy

through an examination of the most signiﬁcant

public health challenges facing today’s global

population. Topics addressed include the

biology of infectious disease, the statistics

and quantitative measures associated with

health issues, the social determinants of

health, and the role of organizations (public

and private) in shaping the landscape of

global health policy. Throughout the course,

students use illness as a lens through which

to critically examine such social issues as

poverty, gender, and race. Student work

includes analytical writing, research, and

curating sources around particular topics,

readings, and discussions exploring a variety

of sources, and online presentations, created

both on their own and with peers.

Introduction to Organic Chemistry I

Fall; 3 credits

Department: Science

The purpose of the course is to teach organic

chemistry content and to prepare students

for organic chemistry at the collegiate

level. This course dives into mechanisms

and reaction types that make up all living

things on this planet, carbon chemistry.

From a content perspective, this course

introduces the magniﬁcent world of complex

molecules and their properties, reactions, and

applications. Understanding the properties

and appreciating the incredible organic world

we live in is the key to understanding how

to address some of the most challenging

problems that we face today and in the future.

This course also helps students build their

problem-solving and pattern-recognition skills

so that when students take organic chemistry

at the collegiate level, they will be prepared

to “speak” the language. At the collegiate

level, introductory organic chemistry is

oftentimes a challenging course for many

students entering pre-health programs of

study or science majors getting their prereqs

taken care of. Organic Chemistry I focuses on

the “language of organic chemistry.” Students

learn to predict electron movement for

organic reactions. They focus on molecular

structure (i.e., bond angles, shapes, polarity,

and resonance), basic nomenclature, and

prediction of electron movement. This course

is the ﬁrst in a two-part series. Organic

Chemistry I is oered in Semester 1, and

Organic Chemistry II is oered in Semester

2. While it is possible to take only this ﬁrst

course, we recommend signing up for both

semester courses.

Introduction to Organic Chemistry II

Spring; 3 credits

Department: Science

Prerequisite: Introduction to Organic Chemistry I

In this course, students continue to explore

the incredible world of carbon chemistry.

Students add to their language skills and

learn about additional functional groups and

classes of organic molecules. They build on

our understanding of reaction types and how

to predict what can be made from certain

precursors. The purpose of Introduction

to Organic Chemistry II is to foster an

appreciation for the incredible organic world

we live in. Students develop an understanding

of how we can use this knowledge of the

structure of molecules to address some

of the most challenging problems that we

face today and in the future. Some example

questions that students may explore: What

are some things that need to be considered

when creating materials that can cause lasting

issues for the health of aquatic and human

life upon disposal? How can we manufacture

new materials that can have applications

to improve and extend life through medical

technologies? How can we create better,

more sustainable energy sources that lead

us away from our fossil fuel dependency?

What characteristics will new synthetic

materials need so that they don’t need to be

replaced as often (to create less waste, etc.)?

Students continue to hone their understanding

of nomenclature, work with reaction types

with a focus on polymerization and material

science, and receive an introduction to

spectroscopy. Introduction to Organic

Chemistry II focuses on the important building

and structures of organic molecules. Students

learn to appreciate the interconnection and

complexity of the organic world.

Medical Problem-Solving I

Summer, Fall, or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Science

In this course, students collaboratively

solve medical mystery cases, similar to the

approach used in many medical schools.

Students enhance their critical-thinking skills

as they examine data, draw conclusions,

diagnose, and treat patients. Students use

problem-solving techniques in order to

Curriculum Guide 2024–2025 49

understand and appreciate relevant medical/

biological facts as they confront the principles

and practices of medicine. Students explore

anatomy and physiology pertaining to medical

scenarios and gain an understanding of the

disease process, demographics of disease,

and pharmacology. Additional learning

experiences include studying current issues

in health and medicine, building a community-

service action plan, interviewing a patient,

and creating a new mystery case.

Medical Problem-Solving II

Fall or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Science

Prerequisite: Medical Problem-Solving I

Medical Problem-Solving II is an extension

of the problem-based approach in Medical

Problem-Solving I. While collaborative

examination of medical case studies remains

at the center of the course, Medical Problem-

Solving II approaches medical cases through

the perspectives of global medicine, medical

ethics, and social justice. The course

examines cases not only from around the

world but also in students’ local communities.

Additionally, the course addresses the

challenges patients face because of a lack

of access to health care, often a result of

systemic discrimination and inequity, along

with more general variability of health care

resources in dierent parts of the world.

All students in Medical Problem-Solving II

participate in the Catalyst Conference, a

GOA-wide conference near the end of the

semester where students from many GOA

courses create and publish presentations

on course-speciﬁc topics. For their projects,

students use all of the lenses from the earlier

parts of the course to choose and research

a local topic of high interest. Further, their

topics enable identifying a local medical

problem, using local sources, and generating

ideas for promoting change.

Neuropsychology

Fall or Spring; 3 credits

Department: Science

Neuropsychology is the exploration of

the neurological basis of behavior. Within

this course, students learn about basic

brain anatomy and function as well as

cognitive and behavioral disorders from a

neurobiological perspective. They do an

in-depth analysis of neural communication

with an emphasis on how environmental

factors such as smartphones aect nervous

system function, their own behaviors,

and the behaviors of those around them.

Students also have the opportunity to

choose topics in neuropsychology to explore

independently including Alzheimer’s disease,

addiction, neuroplasticity, and chronic

traumatic encephalopathy, and share their

understanding with their peers in a variety

of formats. The course concludes with a

study of both contemporary and historic

neuropsychological case studies and their

applications to everyday life.

It is the policy of Greenhill School to administer its educational

programs, including admission and ﬁnancial aid, without regard

to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,

gender expression, national or ethnic origin, or disability.

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