Year at a glance
Ten monthly themes, 36 weeks. Tap a month for its goals, or a week for its skills and plans.
September: Welcome / Foundations of Government
September builds the routines that carry senior year: a reading journal, a vocabulary notebook, a math warm-up and a writing portfolio. We read Beowulf and the medieval poems that followed it, review functions with an eye on money, think in systems about the environment, and study why Americans built the government they did.
Reading & writing
Read Beowulf, two Old English elegies and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; write claim, evidence and commentary paragraphs with MLA citations; write and revise a literary analysis essay and a comparative timed write
RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3, RL.11-12.4, W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.8, L.11-12.4b
Math
Use function notation, domain and range and average rate of change; transform parent functions; evaluate and graph piecewise functions including tax brackets; compose and invert functions
HSF-IF.A.1, HSF-IF.A.2, HSF-IF.B.6, HSF-IF.C.7b, HSF-BF.B.3, HSF-BF.A.1c, HSF-BF.B.4a
Science
Design a fair investigation, model Earth systems with stocks, flows and feedback loops, describe ecosystems and biomes, and estimate populations with quadrat sampling
HS-ESS2-2, HS-ESS2-5, HS-ESS3-1, HS-LS2-2, HS-LS2-6
Social studies
Compare forms of government and social contract theory; trace the path from the Declaration and the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution; explain its compromises and principles
C3 D2.Civ.3.9-12, D2.Civ.4.9-12, D2.Civ.8.9-12, D2.His.1.9-12
- Week1Heroes and Hard QuestionsOld English words and kennings · Beowulf begins · Functions and notation · Experimental design · Why government? · 5 day plans
- Week2The Hall, the Mere and the DragonGreek roots of government · Beowulf to the end · Transformations · Systems and feedback · Declaration and Articles · 5 day plans
- Week3Elegies and the ConventionLatin roots of law · The Seafarer and The Wanderer · Piecewise functions · Ecosystems and biomes · Constitutional Convention · 5 day plans
- Week4The Green Knight and the Balance of PowerFrench words after 1066 · Sir Gawain and the Green Knight · Composition and inverses · Field sampling · Principles of the Constitution · 5 day plans
October: Fall / Rights and Responsibilities
October is about rights, responsibilities and the choices that test them. We ride with Chaucer's pilgrims and watch ambition ruin Macbeth, study polynomial and rational functions, follow energy and populations through ecosystems, and learn what the Bill of Rights protects and what citizens owe in return.
Reading & writing
Analyze characterization, satire and irony in The Canterbury Tales; read Macbeth for character, structure and theme; write a satirical portrait, an irony essay and a theme essay with act, scene and line citations
RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.6, W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.5, L.11-12.4b
Math
Analyze polynomial functions by degree, end behavior, zeros and multiplicity; divide polynomials and use the Remainder and Factor Theorems; graph rational functions and solve rational equations including average cost
HSF-IF.C.7c, HSF-IF.C.7d, HSA-APR.B.2, HSA-APR.B.3, HSA-APR.D.6, HSA-REI.A.2
Science
Model energy flow with trophic levels and the 10 percent rule; explain biodiversity and its value; model exponential and logistic growth; estimate population size by mark and recapture
HS-LS2-1, HS-LS2-2, HS-LS2-4, HS-LS2-6, HS-LS4-6
Social studies
Explain the Bill of Rights, the rights of the accused, due process and equal protection through landmark cases; distinguish civic duties from responsibilities and plan a civic action
C3 D2.Civ.2.9-12, D2.Civ.10.9-12, D2.Civ.12.9-12, D2.Civ.14.9-12
- Week5Pilgrims and the First AmendmentLatin roots of speech · Chaucer's General Prologue · Polynomial functions · Energy flow · The Bill of Rights · 5 day plans
- Week6Tales of Greed and the Rights of the AccusedRoots of truth and trust · The Pardoner's Tale · Polynomial division · Biodiversity · Due process · 5 day plans
- Week7Macbeth Begins: Ambition and Equal ProtectionWords of tragedy · Macbeth Acts 1 and 2 · Rational functions · Population growth · The 14th Amendment · 5 day plans
- Week8Macbeth Ends: Fate, Choice and Civic DutyRoots amb, mal and noc · Macbeth Acts 3 to 5 · Rational equations and average cost · Mark and recapture · Civic participation · 5 day plans
November: Family and Gratitude / Markets and Choice
November is the month of persuasion and choices. We study how speakers and satirists move an audience, from Elizabeth I to Jonathan Swift to Mary Wollstonecraft, and write our own arguments. In precalculus, exponential and logarithmic functions explain compound interest, debt and decay; in science, human population and water; and in economics, scarcity, supply and demand.
Reading & writing
Analyze the rhetorical situation and appeals in speeches, satire in A Modest Proposal and argument in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman; write rhetorical analysis paragraphs, an original gentle satire and an argument essay with a counterclaim
RI.11-12.3, RI.11-12.6, RI.11-12.8, RL.11-12.6, W.11-12.1, W.11-12.4, L.11-12.4b
Math
Model growth and decay with exponential functions, compound and continuous interest; use logarithms and their properties to solve exponential equations; apply doubling time, half-life and log scales
HSF-LE.A.2, HSF-LE.A.4, HSF-LE.B.5, HSF-BF.B.5, HSA-SSE.B.3c, HSF-IF.C.8b
Science
Interpret human population growth, the demographic transition and age-structure diagrams; explain freshwater sources, aquifers and overdraft; test water quality and engineer a simple filter
HS-ESS3-1, HS-ESS3-3, HS-ESS2-5, HS-ESS3-4, HS-ETS1-2
Social studies
Apply scarcity, opportunity cost and production possibilities; analyze supply, demand, equilibrium and shifts; explain elasticity and the intended and unintended effects of price controls
C3 D2.Eco.1.9-12, D2.Eco.2.9-12, D2.Eco.3.9-12, D2.Eco.4.9-12, D2.Eco.8.9-12
- Week9The Art of PersuasionGreek roots of rhetoric · Speeches and appeals · Exponential growth and compound interest · Human population · Scarcity · 5 day plans
- Week10A Modest Proposal and the MarketRoots oikos, merc and pend · Swift's satire · Logarithms · Freshwater and aquifers · Supply and demand · 5 day plans
- Week11Arguments, Gratitude and PriceRoots grat, argu and claim · Wollstonecraft and Austen · Doubling time and debt · Water use and quality · Elasticity and price controls · 5 day plans
December: Winter Holidays / Change and Progress
December is about change: poets who changed how English verse sounds, amendments and court cases that changed the country, and a climate system that responds to change. Students write and revise a college application essay, learn trigonometry from right triangles to the unit circle, and close the semester with a portfolio reflection.
Reading & writing
Read the British Romantic poets and Frankenstein for imagery, form and theme; scan meter; write, revise and polish a college application essay and a semester reflection
RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.4, RL.11-12.5, W.11-12.3, W.11-12.3d, W.11-12.5, L.11-12.3
Math
Solve right triangles with trigonometric ratios and special triangles; use radian measure and arc length; build the unit circle; find trig values in every quadrant with reference angles and the Pythagorean identity
HSG-SRT.C.6, HSG-SRT.C.7, HSG-SRT.C.8, HSF-TF.A.1, HSF-TF.A.2, HSF-TF.A.3, HSF-TF.C.8
Science
Describe the atmosphere and the major air pollutants and read the AQI; model the greenhouse effect, albedo and ocean currents; read carbon cycle and Keeling Curve data and explain climate feedbacks
HS-ESS2-4, HS-ESS2-6, HS-ESS3-4, HS-ESS3-5
Social studies
Explain the amendment process and the amendments that expanded rights; analyze landmark Supreme Court cases; compare government in 1789 and today; describe how holidays become federal law
C3 D2.Civ.4.9-12, D2.Civ.12.9-12, D2.His.1.9-12, D2.His.14.9-12
- Week12Romantic Rebels and Right TrianglesRoots of change · Blake and Wordsworth · Right triangle trigonometry · The atmosphere and air quality · Amending the Constitution · 5 day plans
- Week13Odes, Radians and Landmark CasesGreek roots of poetry · Keats, Shelley, Coleridge and Byron · Radians and the unit circle · Climate systems · Landmark cases · 5 day plans
- Week14Looking Back, Moving ForwardRoots of memory and tradition · Frankenstein and semester review · Trig values anywhere · Carbon cycle and feedbacks · Government then and now · 5 day plans
January: New Year / Global Connections
January opens the second semester with a Victorian novel and a research paper. Jane Eyre travels from a harsh childhood to independence while students learn to research and write to inform. In precalculus, the trig functions become waves; in science, we weigh the evidence for climate change and compare energy resources; in economics, we follow goods, money and agreements around the world.
Reading & writing
Read Jane Eyre for character development, setting and Victorian context; research and write an informative paper with an annotated source list and MLA citations
RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3, RI.11-12.7, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8
Math
Graph sine, cosine and tangent with amplitude, period, phase shift and midline; model periodic data; use inverse trig functions and verify identities
HSF-IF.C.7e, HSF-TF.B.5, HSF-TF.B.6, HSF-TF.B.7, HSF-TF.C.8, HSF-TF.C.9
Science
Analyze climate change evidence from temperature, ice, sea level and ocean data; compare fossil fuel and renewable energy resources by costs, benefits and risks
HS-ESS3-5, HS-ESS2-4, HS-ESS3-2, HS-ESS3-6
Social studies
Explain comparative advantage, trade, exchange rates and tariffs; describe international organizations, treaties and the tools of foreign policy; weigh the effects of globalization
C3 D2.Eco.14.9-12, D2.Eco.15.9-12, D2.Civ.3.9-12, D2.Civ.6.9-12
- Week15Gateshead, Lowood and the Sine WaveLatin roots of the world · Jane Eyre Chapters 1 to 10 · Graphing sine and cosine · Climate evidence · Comparative advantage · 5 day plans
- Week16Thornfield and the TidesRoots of exchange · Jane Eyre Chapters 11 to 20 · Sinusoidal models · Sea level and the oceans · Exchange rates and tariffs · 5 day plans
- Week17Secrets, Tangents and EnergyRoots of power and energy · Jane Eyre Chapters 21 to 27 · Tangent and inverse trig · Energy resources · International organizations · 5 day plans
- Week18Independence, Identities and Renewable PowerRoots of identity · Jane Eyre to the end · Trig identities · Renewable energy · Globalization · 5 day plans
February: Friendship / Personal Finance
February connects friendship, loyalty and trust with modern British and world literature, while students learn the money skills they will use right after graduation. Precalculus turns to analytic geometry and vectors; environmental science studies soil, farming and land; and the economics block covers budgeting, credit, taxes and the basics of investing.
Reading & writing
Analyze evidence and theme in modern world and British literature: Things Fall Apart, World War I poetry and modernist short stories; write analytical essays that compare texts
RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.6, W.11-12.1, W.11-12.9a
Math
Write and graph circles, parabolas, ellipses and hyperbolas from their equations; represent and add vectors and find magnitude and direction
HSG-GPE.A.1, HSG-GPE.A.2, HSG-GPE.A.3, HSN-VM.A.1, HSN-VM.A.3, HSN-VM.B.4
Science
Describe soil formation and horizons; compare farming methods and irrigation; analyze land use and deforestation; test erosion controls
HS-ESS2-5, HS-ESS3-1, HS-ESS3-3, HS-LS2-7
Social studies
Build a budget from a real paycheck, explain credit scores and interest, read basic tax forms and describe saving and investing basics (general education, not personal advice)
C3 D2.Eco.1.9-12, D2.Eco.2.9-12, D2.Eco.9.9-12
- Week19Things Fall Apart and the CircleRoots of trust and bond · Things Fall Apart Part One · Circles · Soil · Budgeting and the paycheck · 5 day plans
- Week20Exile, Return and the ParabolaRoots of credit and debt · Things Fall Apart Parts Two and Three · Parabolas · Agriculture · Banking and credit · 5 day plans
- Week21War Poets and EllipsesRoots of war and peace · World War I poetry · Ellipses and hyperbolas · Land use · Taxes · 5 day plans
- Week22Modernist Stories and VectorsRoots of growth and value · Joyce and Mansfield · Vectors · Soil conservation · Saving and investing basics · 5 day plans
March: Spring / Policy and Environment
March asks how communities solve shared problems. Hamlet wrestles with action and delay while students sharpen complex analysis; precalculus moves to sequences, series and the math behind savings plans and loans; environmental science studies pollution, waste and the laws that address them; and government covers how public policy is made and weighed.
Reading & writing
Analyze complex character, structure and ambiguity in Hamlet and in a landmark work of environmental nonfiction; build academic vocabulary; write a literary analysis and a policy-focused argument
RL.11-12.3, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.7, RI.11-12.5, W.11-12.1, L.11-12.6
Math
Write arithmetic and geometric sequences and sums; compute the future value of a savings plan and the payment on a loan; read an amortization table
HSF-BF.A.2, HSF-IF.A.3, HSA-SSE.B.4, HSF-LE.A.2
Science
Explain water pollution, solid and hazardous waste, toxicology and biomagnification; summarize the major U.S. environmental laws of the 1970s
HS-ESS3-4, HS-ESS3-6, HS-LS2-7, HS-ESS3-3
Social studies
Describe the policy process and how a bill becomes a law; explain externalities and market failure; compare regulations, taxes, cap-and-trade and subsidies; use cost-benefit analysis
C3 D2.Civ.13.9-12, D2.Eco.6.9-12, D2.Eco.7.9-12, D2.Eco.8.9-12
- Week23Hamlet and the Arithmetic SequenceAcademic vocabulary of analysis · Hamlet Acts 1 and 2 · Arithmetic sequences and series · Water pollution · The policy process · 5 day plans
- Week24To Be or Not To Be and the Geometric SeriesWords of judgment · Hamlet Acts 3 and 4 · Geometric sequences and series · Solid waste · Externalities · 5 day plans
- Week25The Rest Is Silence and the Savings PlanRoots of poison and harm · Hamlet Act 5 · Annuities · Toxicology · Policy tools · 5 day plans
- Week26Silent Spring and the LoanWords of law and policy · Environmental nonfiction · Loans and amortization · Environmental laws · Cost-benefit and how a bill becomes law · 5 day plans
April: Earth and Environment / Senior Projects
April is senior project month. Each student researches a question and writes a senior research paper, while the class designs and tests a solution to a real sustainability problem. Precalculus introduces limits, the doorway to calculus, and the government block connects Earth Day to how citizens, cities and markets shape the environment.
Reading & writing
Plan, research, draft, revise and present a senior research paper with an annotated bibliography and MLA citations
W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.6, SL.11-12.4
Math
Estimate limits from tables and graphs, evaluate limits algebraically, connect limits at infinity to asymptotes, and preview the derivative as an instantaneous rate of change (limits are an introduction beyond Common Core)
HSF-IF.B.6, HSF-IF.C.7d, HSF-IF.B.4
Science
Define sustainability and measure an ecological footprint; use the engineering design process to design, test and refine a solution that reduces a human impact
HS-ETS1-1, HS-ETS1-2, HS-ETS1-3, HS-ESS3-4, HS-LS4-6
Social studies
Trace the history of Earth Day and citizen action; explain local land use decisions and zoning; read labor market data on green jobs; write a balanced policy brief
C3 D2.Civ.5.9-12, D2.Civ.12.9-12, D2.Eco.11.9-12, D2.Civ.13.9-12
- Week27Asking a Good QuestionWords of research · Senior research question · Limits from tables and graphs · Sustainability · Earth Day history · 5 day plans
- Week28Sources and the Design ProblemWords of design · Annotated bibliography · Limits algebraically · Engineering design: define the problem · Local government and land use · 5 day plans
- Week29Drafting and BuildingWords of argument and evidence · Drafting the paper · Limits at infinity and continuity · Build and test prototypes · Green jobs and labor data · 5 day plans
- Week30Revise, Refine, PresentWords of presentation · Revise and present the paper · From average to instantaneous rate · Refine designs · Policy brief · 5 day plans
May: Oceans / College and Career Readiness
May brings the ocean and the future together. We read sea voyages and world voices, review precalculus through real applications, study the ocean and finish with a capstone field investigation, and prepare for life after graduation with civic engagement, careers and paying for college.
Reading & writing
Read The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Joseph Conrad's The Secret Sharer and poems by Rabindranath Tagore for symbol, structure and theme; build fluency with performance reading; write a final literary analysis
RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.4, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.10, W.11-12.1, SL.11-12.4
Math
Review functions through modeling; solve oblique triangles with the laws of sines and cosines in navigation; apply exponential and financial models to student loans; final review
HSS-ID.B.6, HSG-SRT.D.10, HSG-SRT.D.11, HSF-LE.A.2, HSF-BF.A.1
Science
Describe ocean structure, currents and tides; explain coral reefs, bleaching and acidification; analyze fisheries and plastic pollution; complete a capstone field investigation
HS-ESS2-5, HS-ESS3-6, HS-LS2-6, HS-LS2-7, HS-ESS3-4
Social studies
Compare civic movements then and now; build a resume and practice interviews; explain FAFSA, grants, scholarships and loans; present a senior civic capstone
C3 D2.Civ.10.9-12, D2.Civ.14.9-12, D2.Eco.1.9-12, D2.His.3.9-12
- Week31The Ancient Mariner and Ocean MotionRoots of the sea · The Rime of the Ancient Mariner · Modeling with functions · Ocean structure, currents and tides · Civic engagement then and now · 5 day plans
- Week32The Secret Sharer and NavigationRoots of work and career · Conrad's The Secret Sharer · Laws of sines and cosines · Marine ecosystems · Career readiness · 5 day plans
- Week33World Voices and Paying for the FutureRoots of money and aid · Tagore and world voices · Exponential models and student loans · Fisheries and plastics · Paying for college · 5 day plans
- Week34Capstone WeekWord review · Final literary analysis · Final review · Capstone field investigation · Senior civic capstone · 5 day plans
June: Review and Celebration
June wraps up the year with mixed review, independent reading and a celebration of everything seniors have learned. Students revisit favorite texts, solve applied problems from every unit, present investigations and look back on their year and ahead to what comes next.
Reading & writing
Mixed review of literary and rhetorical analysis; independent reading and a final book talk; a senior reflection essay
RL.11-12.10, RI.11-12.10, W.11-12.3, SL.11-12.4
Math
Mixed review and real-world applications from every unit of precalculus
HSF-IF.B.4, HSF-LE.A.2, HSF-TF.B.5, HSA-SSE.B.4
Science
Review investigations from the year and present a favorite one
HS-ESS3-4, HS-ETS1-3
Social studies
My year in review: civic and economic lessons for life after graduation
C3 D2.Civ.10.9-12, D2.Eco.1.9-12