Humanities

Humanities I & II, taken in 9th and 10th grades, is an interdisciplinary program that integrates the study of literature, history, world religions and belief systems, ethics, and the arts. The two-year course examines the human condition in a historical context asking essential questions aimed at understanding our core experiences as human beings. For example, how do different peoples and cultures perceive their worlds? Where do they find importance and place value? How do differing world views affect their behavior?

Humanities I
Students examine the variables of nature and nurture as they relate to the development of societies. Particular emphasis is given to the roles of geography and human nature and the manner in which they shape both people's world views and cultures' belief systems. Students focus on early civilizations, examining their origins and what these civilizations look like in today's society. Through learning about the geography, history, literature, politics, religion, and cultural norms of a range of global regions, students also understand and broaden their own views.

Humanities II
Humanities II is an exploration of the religious, cultural, and philosophical values that have shaped the world's civilizations as depicted in art, literature, philosophy, and historical documents. During the first trimester, students investigate the history and cultures of the Middle East and the belief systems underlying contemporary conflicts. During the second trimester, students engage in a comparative study of political and social systems in early modern Europe and East Asia. In the third trimester, students focus on the upheavals of the 20th century, beginning with the Russian Revolution and ending with the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

Some of the texts to be read and discussed include:
Siddhartha, Antigone, Lord of the Flies, Things Fall Apart, Bhagavad-Gita, Richard III, Animal Farm, Galileo, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Guns, Germs, and Steel, as well as selected short pieces of fiction and nonfiction, and a customized historical reader produced by the Humanities faculty.

Writing & Research

Writing Workshop is a required one-trimester course for all freshmen. The objective of the course is to develop and to hone the basic skills of effective writing: annotation/note-taking, organization, composition, and revision. Frequent exercises in descriptive, narrative, persuasive, scientific, and expository writing help students respond confidently to a variety of writing challenges. An important feature of the course is an individually directed vocabulary program designed both to increase active vocabulary and to sharpen basic sentence skills.

Research and the Community is a required one-trimester course for all sophomores. The course builds a foundation of research skills while opening students' eyes to the needs and issues of their community. Students learn and apply basic research principles, strive to better understand the issues facing their neighborhoods today, and work with local agencies and companies, many of them located in the Presidio, to produce work that will serve community needs. The trimester concludes with a presentation of student projects to the school community.