COMPASS
COMPASS courses are designed for students currently in grades 9, 10, 11 or 12.
| Curriculum Course Selection Eligibility |
Course Descriptions Arts English History & Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Courses Language Mathematics Science |
Curriculum
The COMPASS program (formerly known as Summer Session) provides a wide array of courses for high school students in six general academic areas. The program provides a challenging yet supportive atmosphere in which students can expand upon concepts and skills they already learned as well as explore completely new areas of study. For instance, a course such as Algebra B helps students refine skills they learned in Algebra I courses in their home schools and then introduces concepts that students will learn in future algebra courses. Alternatively, students may choose an interdisciplinary course such as Essential Questions that might introduce tem to a field of study they have never experienced before.
COMPASS courses provide an opportunity for students to develop skills that will serve them in future academic settings, and they provide the opportunity for students to explore new subjects, reaching beyond the normal high school curriculum. Teachers of Compass courses are dedicated to working closely with students so that each student maximizes his or her achievement in developing skills and gaining understanding during the five-week session. Courses are demanding but the progress that accompanies this intensive work is significant.
Course Selection
Students should carefully read the course descriptions and program requirements before making their selections. Early enrollment will help ensure placement of students in their desired courses. Residential students are required to carry a full program: two major courses and one minor course. Day students may arrange to take less than a full program. Occasionally it is necessary to withdraw a course offering for which there is insufficient interest or to close a course after it has been fully subscribed.
Note: International students who wish to enroll in COMPASS must submit a documented TOEFL score of at least 550 on a paper-based test or 213 on a computer test.
Eligibility
Students are required to submit an application, application fee, topic essay, current transcript, school recommendation, two teacher recommendations and a graded English paper.
Course Descriptions
Major courses are denoted by upper case letters and minor courses are denoted by lower case letters.
ARTS
For all art courses, no previous experience is required.
Note: Art fees cover expendable materials used in lieu of textbooks.
Arts Portfolio - New for 2008!
For the student who has a special interest in the arts, this concentration provides for advanced and independent study. A student selects any two double-period minor courses, i.e. architecture and painting, in addition to a third double-period minor art class or any single-period course in COMPASS – i.e. SAT Verbal. Faculty in each art course collaborate and review student work in a seminar setting and advise students on work to be used for portfolio development. This program is designed for student-artists with varying artistic levels as instruction is geared to ability levels.
MINOR COURSES
fa011 Architecture (double period)
In this course, students are introduced to the ways that architects organize functional areas into meaningful spaces and how they integrate these spaces into the world we inhabit. Students learn how to develop and transform their creative ideas into architectural models. This is a hands-on and fun class. No prior experience is necessary. (Art Fee: $90)
fa012 Ceramics (double period)
This hands-on course develops basic fundamentals in clay construction, whell work, glazing, underglazing, and a variety of other finishes. Strong emphasis is placed on freedom of expression using hand-building and wheel-throwing skills. (Art Fee: $90)
fa013 Drawing (double period)
Students expand their visual literacy through the drawing process. Using a variety of media, students sharpen their skills through projects created from observation and the imagination. Such fundamental elements as line, form, value, and composition are explored. Emphasis is placed on individual growth and development. (Art Fee: $90)
fa014 Photography (double period)
Open to students with or without previous experience, the class explores black and white photography, including use of the camera, film, and the photographic print. Each student shoots, processes, and prints at least one roll of film each week. A working 35mm camera with manual control of all functions is required. (Art Fee: $90 Note: Students must provide their own camera).
fa015 Acting and Performance (double period)
This course focuses on the fundamentals of the actor’s craft, including vocal and emotional expression. Students learn character and scene study as well as participate in improvisation and movement exercises. Students explore various dramatic forms which culminate in the production of a five-to-ten-minute scene showcasing their work.
fa016 Painting (double period)
Students investigate fundamental painting techniques and the power of color. Students are taught how to mix color and develop form. Assignments are based on traditional and contemporary painting techniques. Recognizing that art is a catalyst for expressive discovery, students create paintings from observation and work to synthesize imagery from a variety of sources, including master works and their own imagination. (Art Fee: $90)
ENGLISH
MAJOR COURSES
EN12 Go To The Stacks
Summer is time for reading for pleasure and broadening your horizons. Reading is the focus of this course and students will select novels from Choate’s library. After completion of each novel, students will learn how to write brief book reviews. Class time will be devoted to reading and discussion.
EN25 Writing Workshop
Students receive instruction in writing clear, coherent and balanced sentences and in constructing unified paragraphs. They also review basic grammar and usage and work on vocabulary development. This popular course is wonderful preparation for many higher-level English classes. Readings, which complement the varied writing assignments, may include short stories, essays and poems.
EN28 Reading Great Literature
A measure of a great book, piece of fiction, poem or short story is that it can change your life each time you encounter it – not just the first time. This class samples literature from various global and timeframe perspectives. Class is discussion-based and written assignments may include journal entries on the reading and reflections on the literature. Students should be prepared to read nightly and come to class eager to participate.
EN30 Journalism
What do Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck and Gabriel Garcia Marquez have in common? Two things: the Nobel Prize for literature and a strong background in journalism. Whether a student plans to become an award-winning author or just wants to improve his or her skill in composition, journalism trains writers to be descriptive, concise, and timely. In this course, students study exemplary models of writing from a variety of journalistic genres and then learn to write their own news, features, editorials and review articles to produce a summer publication.
EN32 Creative Writing
This is a course for students with mastery of basic grammar and usage who want to advance in other aspects of writing. Emphasis is on the analysis of published models and on writing autobiographical, imaginative and experimental pieces. Each student is encouraged to be creative and to develop a personal style.
EN33 The Expository and Critical Essay
Students read short works—essays, stories, poems—and write about them every day. This course stresses close reading, clear writing, the mechanics of exposition and adequate development of the topics. This writing workshop focuses on persuasive and argumentative writing and enables students to improve their analytical writing with the goal of producing well-crafted prose and effective conclusions.
EN34 Etymology
Students are presented with a systematic approach to enlarging their vocabulary through the study of the major roots and affixes, words and phrases, and principles of word formation. Daily exercises in word analysis, word building and word use enable students to master correct diction and develop a sense of style.
EN35 Creative Non-Fiction Writing
This course explores the wide range of feature writing to be found in magazines and some newspapers. Students read and then imitate interviews, profiles, travel writing, sports essays and movie reviews. Students also focus on the personal essay, paying special attention to how nonfiction writers incorporate various techniques into their articles.
ID21 The Big Questions
Students read literary works of various genres from ancient Greek to modern times that describe man’s attempt to understand such concepts as God, faith, fate, free will, good and evil. They also write papers in reaction to the texts as well as to express their own views on these subjects. This course is recommended for students who have completed at least the tenth grade. Texts may include The Oedipus Cycle, The
Stranger, Heart of Darkness and assorted poems.
MINOR COURSES
en011 Public Speaking
This course introduces students to types of speeches, methods of delivery, and qualities an audience looks for in a speaker and allows ample practice in both prepared and extemporaneous speaking. Students deliver their own prepared speeches as the culmination of their work. Students speak in a variety of settings and are videotaped at least once for self-critiquing purposes. Building a speaker's confidence is the main goal of the course.
en013 Reading and Study Skills
This course involves many effective study techniques including time management, organization of materials, note-taking procedures and studying for and taking exams. Vocabulary development and reading comprehension are stressed and the skills required to write an effective essay are also covered.
en015 The Personal Essay
Knowing how to appropriately write the personal essay is important, for it has a wide variety of uses: college, scholarship and employment applications. Assignments for this course, therefore, focus on writing the personal essay for the appropriate audiences as well as artistic expression. Also covered is a general overview of English grammar and punctuation. By the end of the course, students produce two or three working drafts of personal essays that may be used for application purposes.
en016 SAT Verbal/Writing
The goal of this course is to enhance the student's ability to correctly answer a variety of questions on the Verbal/Writing sections of the SAT. Sample SAT-type questions and problems are used throughout. Vocabulary development, critical reading and sentence completion activities are done daily. Strategies for preparing for and taking the SAT are also covered.
HISTORY & SOCIAL SCIENCE
MAJOR COURSES
HS11 Introduction to U.S. History
Students interested in an introduction to American history and culture will be exposed to themes of United States history at a pace that emphasizes basic skills and encourages personal exploration. Topics and biographical profiles from each century serve as vehicles for the development of critical reading, writing, and research skills.
HS21 Economic Principles
Students examine fundamental concepts and macroeconomic theories, including current economic conditions and the government's policy choices. Supply and demand, opportunity cost, scarcity, national debt, and international trade are discussed to gain a greater understanding of the U.S. economy and its links to a global economy.
HS23 World Issues 2008
A variety of media sources (newspapers, magazines, films) serve as the source material for an in-depth study of the current state of affairs around the world. Careful reading and historical research are emphasized. Class discussions are integral to this course. Students write weekly essays on selected topics.
HS41 American Government and Politics
In this foundation course the Constitution and federalism are viewed through the lens of contemporary politics. Students learn how the offices of the President, Congress, and the Supreme Court operate in theory and reality. This course focuses on topics of current interest and major political candidates and their respective party platforms.
Note: Primarily for students enrolled in The John F. Kennedy Institute in Government.
HS42 Foundations of Economics and Political Thought
This course explores the underpinnings of Western political philosophy and, in doing so, students also are exposed to the basic tenets of modern economics and the ways in which public policy shapes and is shaped by economic conditions. The course explores the meanings of conservatism and liberalism in contemporary politics and provides comparisons with other political and economic systems where appropriate.
Note: Primarily for students enrolled in The John F. Kennedy Institute in Government.
ID22 Wall Street
Though only a mile long, it may be the most celebrated street in the world. This course emphasizes basic microeconomics, an understanding of the current stock market, a history of the stock market in the twentieth century, and an overall investigation of the financial world and the decision-making processes of corporations. Students develop a thorough understanding of the stock market and financial terminology.
MINOR COURSES
hs010 The Spy Game
What is intelligence? How does intelligence relate to national security? How vital was the creation of intelligence in America? Students will learn about the Golden Age of Central Intelligence. The Golden Age spans from Pearl Harbor to the end of the Cold War to the changes the U.S. intelligence community must make on a regular basis since the information age. A simulation intelligence game is a culminating class project.
Some knowledge of U.S. history required.
hs011 Society and Sports
The influence that sports have on our world may be greater than you think. How have pivotal sporting events changed the way we look at life? Black-white relations, civil rights, Title IX, the Cold War and terrorism are social events that can be examined through sports. Students will study these events by reading and watching films.
INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES
MAJOR COURSES
ID20 Biographies and More!
Who do you want to know more about? This reading and discussion course explores various individuals who have shaped literature, history, sports, humanitarian efforts, entertainment and more. Students develop skills for close reading and discussion that can assist them in English and history classes. Oral presentations and short writing assignments complement this exciting discussion-based course.
ID21 The Big Questions
Students read literary works of various genres from ancient Greek to modern times that describe man's attempt to understand such concepts as God, faith, fate, free will, good and evil. They also write papers in reaction to the texts as well as to express their own views on these subjects. This course is recommended for students who have completed at least the tenth grade. Texts may include The Oedipus Cycle,
The Stranger, Heart of Darkness and assorted poems.
ID22 Wall Street
Though only a mile long, it may be the most celebrated street in the world. This course emphasizes basic microeconomics, an understanding of the current stock market, a history of the stock market in the twentieth century, and an overall investigation of the financial world and the decision-making processes of corporations. Students will develop a thorough understanding of the stock market and financial terminology.
ID33 Introduction to Psychology
Focusing on self-understanding, this course covers several theories of personality and behavior. A developmental approach to various psychological theories (e.g. those of Freud, Horney, Skinner, Erikson, Rogers) creates a framework for the study of identity and self-image, gender, family and peer relationships, conformity and prejudice.
MINOR COURSE
id020 Essential Questions
This course has students asking themselves the essential questions that transcend all people, all culture, all religions and have been discussed throughout the ages. Some fundamental questions to be examined may include: What is integrity? Why do we care more about winning than playing by the rules? What is commitment? Share your thoughts with classmates and listen to other viewpoints as you examine difficult, but essential questions about values, behavior and society.
LANGUAGES
MINOR COURSES
fr011 Conversational French
Aimez-vous parler français? For those students who have had at least two years of French, this course helps to improve their fluency, pronunciation, accent, and oral skills. Grammatical structures are reviewed. Students read, write, and converse in French daily.
sp011 Conversational Spanish
?Hablas tu español. For those students who have had at least two years of Spanish, this course helps to improve their fluency, pronunciation, accent and oral skills. Grammatical structures are reviewed. Students read, write and converse in Spanish daily.
MATHEMATICS
Students are required to bring a graphing calculator (TI-83 plus or TI-84 recommended).
MAJOR COURSES
MA10 Algebra A
For students who will enter Algebra I in the fall or who have had limited exposure to algebra, this course introduces basic algebraic concepts and applications. The course begins with an introduction to functions and reviews basic arithmetic and algebra concepts. Additional topics include solving linear equations and inequalities, rates of change, graphing linear functions, and solving systems of linear equations and inequalities.
MA 20 Algebra B
For students who have completed Algebra I and desire to be introduced to Algebra II, this course aims to enhance understanding of fundamental concepts and offers ample opportunity to strengthen skills. Topics include evaluating algebraic expressions, solving linear equations and inequalities, and exposure to various techniques for solving systems of linear equations, as well as linear programming applications. In addition to studying polynomial functions, quadratic equations, functions and relations are examined in detail. Graphing calculators are used not only for demonstration purposes but also as a tool for investigation. Prerequisite: a full year course in Algebra I
MA30 Algebra C
This course is designed for students who want to revisit some of the more important concepts in Algebra II before continuing their study of mathematics. Students review quadratic, polynomial, and rational functions, with emphasis on proper equation-solving techniques. Other topics include an exploration of conic sections, matrices and determinants, as well as an introduction to statistics. Graphing calculators are used to discover and enhance understanding of key concepts.
Prerequisite: a full year course in Algebra II
MA23 Introduction to Geometry
A broad introduction to the study of plane geometry, this course is designed for students who plan to take geometry during the next school year or who need to review important concepts in geometry. Students routinely carry out experiments and use inductive reasoning skills to formulate conjectures about geometric relationships. In addition to the classical tools of straightedge and compass, students use The Geometer's Sketchpad software to conduct investigations. Topics include a study of line and angle relationships, polygons, and congruence in triangles. In addition, students are challenged with logic problems and geometric puzzles.
MA39 Trigonometry
In this course, students will thoroughly examine the six trigonometric functions and their graphs. They learn how trigonometric expressions are evaluated, using not only a calculator, but also reference angle computations. They also review the concept of an inverse function and learn to evaluate and graph inverse trigonometric functions. In addition, trigonometric identities are derived and verified, and students learn a variety of techniques for solving trigonometric equations. The course concludes with a study of right triangle trigonometry and the laws of sines and cosines. Prerequisite: Algebra II
MA40 Precalculus
This course is fundamentally a study of functions. In addition to gaining a better conceptual understanding of functions in general, students extend their knowledge of polynomial, exponential, and logarithmic functions. Graphing technology enables students to fully investigate and understand the relationship between families of functions and their graphs. A variety of applications, including growth and decay models, provide students with the opportunity to use mathematics to examine real world phenomena. Depending upon the needs of students in the class, the course will also draw from such topics as parametric equations, vectors, sequences and series and limits. This course does not include a study of trigonometric functions. Prerequisite: Algebra II
MA50 Introduction to Calculus with the Graphing Calculator
For students who intend to take calculus in the fall, this course offers an introduction to the concepts of limits, derivatives and integrals. Students use a graphing calculator on a daily basis to explore some of the big ideas and develop a fundamental understanding of many of the core topics of calculus. At the conclusion of the course, students are well prepared to answer the essays on the AP Calculus AB examination. Prerequisite: Trigonometry and Precalculus
MINOR COURSE
ma035 Math SAT
The goal of this course is to enhance the student's ability to solve a wide variety of problems whose solutions are not readily apparent. Sample SAT-type problems are examined daily. If there is sufficient enrollment, separate sections will be created for those who have completed one year of algebra and geometry and for those who have completed a second year of algebra.
SCIENCE
Our offerings encourage new ideas. Students become excited about science by doing science under close supervision and incorporating next-generation technology.
MAJOR COURSES
SC11 Introduction to Biology
Students planning to take biology in the fall find that this course sets the stage by acquainting them with various scientific skills. They use microscopes, construct graphs, carefully report observations and analyze experimental data. The course also introduces some of the important processes of biochemistry, cell biology and organismal biology through a direct, experimental approach.
SC12 Introduction to Chemistry
This laboratory-based course is designed for students planning to study chemistry and stresses the skills necessary for successful work in high school chemistry. Almost 20 different laboratory exercises, along with problem solving, data analysis, and class discussion complement the study of introductory concepts. Topics include chemical reactions, chemical equations, the mole, and stoichiometry.
SC13 Introduction to Physics
Designed for students planning to begin the study of physics, this course stresses the skills necessary for successful work in that field. Students practice solving problems and gain familiarity with some fundamental principles. They experience the excitement of laboratory work and of drawing conclusions from experiments. Topics include aspects of motion, force, and waves.
SC14 Forensics
The application of scientific principles to modern criminal justice is examined through a range of inquiry-based units. Activities and laboratory experiments are used to introduce aspects of crime scene investigation, including fingerprint analysis, DNA typing, a comparison of animal and human hair, forensic osteology (talking bones), simulated blood stain analysis, impressions collection and forensic entomology (paper lab). The final lab exercise consists of a crime scene investigation, during which students work in a collaborative way to examine the evidence before presenting their findings to the class. Field trips may include visits to the Connecticut Forensic Science labs in New Haven/Meriden. Prerequisite: All three sciences—Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students who wish to take this course should have a good aptitude for all three sciences in order to get the most out of it.
SC32 Advanced Concepts in Biology
Current applications of biotechnology in areas of industry, human health, and agriculture are discussed. Students carry out laboratory investigations ranging from antibiotic production in fungi to the manipulation and electrophoretic analysis of bacterial plasmids. All the experiments in molecular biology required in the AP Biology syllabus are included in the course.
Prerequisite: Biology
SC33 Human Anatomy and Physiology
The systems of the human body and their interactions are examined through dissections, physiological experiments, class discussions and readings. Laboratory experiments include dissection of mammalian organs such as the heart and eye and recording of muscular, circulatory and respiratory responses to rest and exercise. The final lab exercise consists of a whole mammal dissection, during which the anatomy of the major systems of the body are explored over the course of three days. Prerequisite: Biology