History

In this course, students learn how space defines the human experience. During the first semester, the course focuses on global studies and current events. Students will study physical and human geography topics ranging from rain forest conservation in the Amazon to micro-entrepreneurship in Africa’s Sahel. During the second semester, the course shifts focus to the local history and geography of L.A. Students will study topics ranging from the water wars of the early 1900s to the race riots of the early 1990s. Students will show their understanding of concepts by completing group and individual research projects: take-home essays, poster boards and oral presentations.

This course covers the history of the United States from the American Revolutionary Era to the Twentieth Century with a focus on the following particular themes: geography, the Constitution, the Presidency, the Civil War and its aftermath, equality and America’s role in the twentieth century. Current events are discussed regularly in class. Emphasis is placed on developing oral, analytical and writing skills.

9th Grade; 1 unit
A comprehensive survey of global history prior to 1500. The course probes historical events and trends of worldwide importance and highlights essential characteristics of the cultures and civilizations of Europe, Western and Eastern Asia, Africa and the Americas. This course will examine the political, cultural, economic, geographic, religious and philosophical differences, similarities and interactions of the major world regions. Students will gain an appreciation and an acceptance of the diversity and uniformity of the world cultures. Topics will include: Mediterranean civilizations, Islam, Imperial China, Hinduism and Pre- Columbian America.

10th Grade; 1 unit
A continuation of World History I, 1500 to the present. Major topics will include: Rise of nation/states, Renaissance, comparative religions, imperialism, industrial revolution, enlightenment, constitutionalism vs. absolutism, World Wars I and II, political and social revolutions and creation of national and cultural identities.

10th Grade; 1 unit
This course covers the Renaissance, Rise of Nation States, Age of Discovery, Reformation and religious wars, scientific revolution and enlightenment, social, cultural, intellectual developments, gender issues, capitalist economy and industrialization, nationalism and competing ideologies, World War I and Russian Revolution, dictatorships, democracy and the second World War, and complexity of post-war Europe. A combination of lecture, discussion-debate, reading, public speaking and comprehensive papers are used to provide activities and basis for evaluation of European History. A research paper is required. Students who are successful in the Honors Section will be qualified to take the Advanced Placement exam.

11th Grade; 1 unit
This course is a survey of American History from the colonial period in the seventeenth to the end of the twentieth century. Social, political, economic and cultural themes are examined. Assignments include tests, essays, research projects and oral presentations.

11th grade; 1 unit
This course is a rigorous survey of American History from the colonial period in the seventeenth to the end of the twentieth century. Social, political, economic and cultural themes are examined. Assignments include tests, essays, research projects and oral presentations. Upon completion of this course, students will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement examination. This course is open to juniors with the permission and/or recommendation of the faculty.

11th and 12th Grades; 1/2 unit
This course begins with a study of the United States Constitution focusing on the powers of the Congress, President and Judiciary. The electoral process including the electoral college, campaign finance reform and political advertising is examined. Students will also study free speech, equal protection and the right
to privacy by reading and discussing Supreme Court cases. Assignments will include argumentative essays, oral arguments and oral presentations. As a final assignment, students will write a research paper on a case currently before the Supreme Court.

12th Grade; 1 unit
This full-year course will give students an overview of important facts and concepts in U.S. government and politics. Topics will include the Constitution, federalism, political behavior, political parties, interest groups, the media, the three branches of government and public policy. Civil rights and civil liberties will be the focus of intensive study, discussion and debate. Students will also study criminal law and procedure and engage in a mock trial. Upon completion of this course, students will be prepared to take the Advanced Placement examination.  

1 unit
This course surveys the history of Western art chronologically from prehistory to present. Art is examined as an expression of culture and as a medium of cultural critique. Students are particularly encouraged to analyze critically the interaction between works of art and their social, political and cultural context. Development of the necessary vocabulary and methodologies for the examination of visual media is a key component of this course. Students are exposed to art and art history through slides, primary and secondary texts, independent research, oral presentations and museum visits, including field trips to at least two of the following: the Getty, the Norton Simon Museum of Art, the Huntington Library and Art Galleries and/or the Museum of Contemporary Art. Upon completion of this course, students have covered material equivalent to one year of college-level art history and are prepared to take the Advanced Placement examination.

11th and 12th Grades; 1/2 unit
Using Friedrich Hegel’s definition of a “World Historical Individual,” students will study historical figures whose actions and decisions caused a rift in the flow of history causing it to take a different course. Some of the figures to be studied are: Xerxes, Seneca, Nero and Napoleon. Students will examine the question of whether twentieth- century figures can be placed in the realm of historical significance. The twentieth-century figures will include: Hitler, Mao, Gandhi, Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Martin Luther King, Jr., and others.
Course not offered this academic year. 

12th Grade; 1/2 unit
This seminar uses the study of written and spoken Mandarin as a gateway into the traditional culture, history and thought of one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Language studies are contextualized and enriched through the reading, analysis and discussion of such classics as The Analects of Confucius, Tao Te Ching, and Art of War. Mandatory workshops are convened once a week in the black box theater, where students practice and apply their language skills in living scenarios, practice Chinese calligraphy with a brush, and learn the Tai Chi Chuan 24 form. Students generate and submit independent projects in lieu of an examination.

12th Grade; 1/2 unit
This course will explore a variety of topics in the areas of macroeconomics, microeconomics, economic theory and contemporary issues. The use of projects, tests, papers and lecture- discussion will allow the study of economics on both an intellectual and personal basis. This course is open to all seniors as an elective.

12th Grade; 1/2 unit
This is an honors seminar course that introduces students to significant writings and ideas of western civilization. Examined and analyzed through discussions are the works of Plato, Sophocles, Aristotle, Shakespeare, Freud, Shaw, Locke, Hobbes, Marx, and Engels. The logical, rational use of the intellect is strongly emphasized. Considerable emphasis is placed upon participation in class discussions and the preparation of comprehensive papers at a rather sophisticated level. This course is open to seniors with the permission and recommendation of the faculty involved. 

11th and 12th Grades; 1/2 unit
A seminar course that examines the origins of the warrior, the cultures that nurture them and the evolution of warfare from human beginnings to the contemporary world. Heavy emphasis will be placed on analysis of complex situations with a seminar/discussion environment. This will prepare students to write comprehensive papers that will challenge them to think critically and express themselves clearly. A research paper will be the final exam.
Course not offered this academic year. 

11th and 12th Grades; 1/2 unit
This semester-long course examines those factors that promote both cooperation and conflict between and among nation-states in the international system. Topics covered in the course include rules of effective diplomacy, economic development, the use of force, and human rights. The centerpiece of the course is a simulation exercise in which the class assumes the identity of a contemporary nation. The students then develop diplomatic relations with several West Coast schools also posing as nations. Communication among the schools/nations takes place online. The first third of the course is devoted to preparing for the simulation, the middle third to the simulation itself, and the final third to a continuation of the study of the principles of international studies.

12th Grade; 1/2 unit
This year-long course is designed to introduce the students to the world of investments. Students will learn how to research and evaluate companies and industries. They will make real investment recommendations and decisions based upon original research. A special emphasis is placed upon online research and public speaking skills.

11th and 12th Grades; 1/2 unit
This interdisciplinary class will focus on the issues surrounding Post-Colonial Sub-Saharan Africa by developing conceptual and historical approaches
to the varied patterns of modern imperialism from the 18th century (briefly) to today. The students will be assessed through discussion, bi-weekly short papers, presentations and a final exam paper.

12th Grade; 1/2 unit
This lab course is designed to give students a view of psychology as a scientific discipline with applications in the peer counseling program. The course presents a comprehensive look at widely varying psychological theories and methods of therapy with emphasis on the terminology of the psychologist. The course work emphasizes the principles of social psychology, with applications made to real-life settings.