List of 4 items.

• Chinese

  In business, economics, politics, culture, and literature, China has taken an increasingly important role on the world stage. More people speak Chinese than any other language. College Prep’s Mandarin Chinese program encourages students to participate in this global conversation by providing a strong foundation in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students begin by learning the simplified characters that are used primarily in mainland China. Those who study Chinese leave College Prep prepared for advanced language study in college and are well equipped to interact—both in writing and in conversation—with native speakers of Chinese throughout the world.

  
  Chinese I, II, and III

  Beginning and intermediate Chinese courses focus on developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in modern standard Chinese, using pinyin and simplified characters. Emphasis is placed on establishing a solid foundation in speaking, tones, and general pronunciation. As students progress through the program, they deepen their understanding of Chinese language and culture with the help of multimedia materials and acquire the ability to thrive in a real-world Chinese-speaking environment.

   

  AP Chinese

  The culminating course in the Chinese program seeks to spark discussion and answer questions through readings, films, and presentations. Who was Confucius and how has his philosophy influenced how Chinese people think and live? What are the major traditional Chinese holidays and how do people celebrate them? What is a typical day for a high school student in China? Students compare various norms and practices that distinguish and connect the Chinese and American cultures, all while continuing to build their vocabulary and understanding of grammar. All students in this class are prepared for and practice the material found on the AP Chinese Language and Culture Exam.

• French

  The College Prep French program teaches students to listen, speak, read, and then write, in a way similar to how they learned their native language: total immersion. French levels I, II, and III will not be offered in the 2022-23 school year. Fourth and fifth year French students are eligible to enroll in a French seminar. Literary analysis, sociological interpretations of French society, essay writing, idiomatic usage, conversation, and fine points of style are integral to each seminar. To supplement class work, teachers occasionally schedule trips to French plays, films, and restaurants.

  
  French I, II, and III will not be offered in 2022-23

  
  

  AP French Seminar: Art in Perspective

  This class focuses on modern and contemporary art from 1860 to the present. Examinations of painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, film, and mixed media from global and thematic perspectives illuminate how the diverse world movements in politics, philosophy, economy, and the environment affect the realm and the space of art. Students in this class are prepared for and practice the material found on the AP French Language and Culture Exam.

   

  AP French Seminar: France and the Francophone World Today

  This class examines the relations between France and the Francophone worlds. How and why has France built and maintained its empire in Africa, Asia, and the Americas? How do the leaders of the Francophone world cope with the politics of hegemony put in place by the (ex)rulers? How do the former question and reject the latter in their quest for self-affirmation and nation building before, during, and after independence? Pan-Francophone textual and filmic selections help answer these questions. Sources including news articles, films, novels, scenes from French television, popular songs, and podcasts explore the newly emerging notions of civilizing mission, Francophonie, Francosphere, postcolonialism, and neocolonialism. Students in this class are prepared for and practice the material found on the AP French Language and Culture Exam.

• Latin

  The Latin program gives students facility in reading Latin and an understanding and appreciation of Roman civilization. All Latin classes emphasize the language, literature, history, and culture of the ancient Romans. From the beginning of the program, students learn to recognize Latin idioms in poetry and prose, capture the brilliance of literary allusion, and express their opinions within the context of academic research. College Prep’s Latin Club supports students in their love of the material. All Latin students take the National Latin Exam in March, and those who choose to take AP Latin are prepared thoroughly for the examination in May.

  
  Latin l, II, and III

  Latin is a beautiful language. To access its glory, students spend the beginning courses delving into the basics, including grammar, vocabulary, culture, and history. Etymologies, legal and medical expressions, and introductory research techniques for the field of Classics are introduced. Wheelock’s Latin is the primary textbook, with supplemental stories and fables from Thirty-Eight Latin Stories. Intermediate courses mark the first foray into sustained Roman literature. Translation, interpretation, and context are emphasized. Students learn to recognize idiomatic expressions within specific periods of history. Both prose and poetry are read in preparation for AP Latin. Students explore the period from the Late Republic to the Julio-Claudian Dynasty; this span incorporates the traditional periods of Classical and Golden Latin, including works from Catullus, Cicero, Horace, and Ovid.

  
  AP Latin: The Roman Experiment

  This course uses two main texts, Julius Caesar’s De Bello Gallico and Vergil’s Aeneid. The fall of the Res Publica, in all its drama, is contrasted with the rise of Augustus’s glorious Principate. Concepts such as pietas, leadership, the role of the gods, and love flow throughout these works, and conversations center on the narrative and its themes. Students expand their grammatical, syntactical, and analytical skills with more depth in literary interpretation. Historical context is key to comprehension, and this course asks students to think critically about how Roman culture and politics intersects with these action-packed texts. This class prepares students for the AP Latin Exam.

• Spanish

  With their conversational skills at the ready, Spanish students have a linguistic passport to explore almost two dozen countries and territories that conduct life in Spanish. All Spanish classes incorporate activities that draw on this wealth of cultural and linguistic variety. Spanish is learned via immersion through conversing, problem solving, debating, speech making, acting, and composing. After completing the third year of Spanish, students are ready to take AP seminars.

  
  Spanish l, II, and III                          

  In Spanish I and II, students are encouraged to communicate orally and, from the beginning, are required to use the language in class. The primary textbooks, Diverso I, II, and B offer an innovative, student-centered approach that develops language skills and emphasizes cultural competency. Communication skills, grammar, and vocabulary are integrated into a variety of activities that include small-group projects, skits, presentations, videos, songs, and conversations. The text is supplemented with music, film, and internet clips. The theme of Spanish III is “creativity and imagination.” Activities include writing poems and stories, and reading, writing, and presenting a short play about La Casa de Mango Street. Students develop and deliver presentations modeled on TED talks. Course topics include professions, relationships, food, science, technology, the environment, and human rights. Beyond the textbook, the course materials include films, articles, music, podcasts, and local cultural events.

   

  AP Spanish IV-V Seminar: A Study of Place—Culture, History and Life in the Hispanic World

  In this AP seminar we will study a variety of topics using a wide range of materials and a geographical place in the Hispanic world as a starting point. Why has Machu Picchu become a symbol for the Americas? How does a city built on top of the city of their ancestors—Tenochtitlán—affect the identity of Mexicans and their relation to history? What does it mean for Cubans to live on an island, surrounded by sea and close to the United States? How is all this, together with a constant redefinition of their identities, reflected and expressed through their art, their music, their celebrations? These are some of the questions we will ask ourselves during the course of this seminar. The first semester will focus on countries with big indigenous populations that shape their societies today, while the second semester will focus on the Caribbean and Spain. Movies are chosen to enrich the knowledge and understanding of the countries covered in the course. Students will improve their communication skills while deepening their understanding of the Spanish-speaking world. Discussions, research, and oral presentations will be based on readings, research, films, YouTube clips, literature, visual art, and music. Group work will be central to this seminar. Attendance at cultural events outside of class is always encouraged. Additionally, we will have periodic grammar reviews, and students who plan to take the Advanced Placement examination will have assigned time to prepare for it and to become familiar with each section of the exam. Class is conducted entirely in Spanish.

  
  AP Spanish Seminar

  Identity in Latin American and US Latino Culture

  This seminar explores Latin-American and US Latinx identity through the ages, beginning with the creation story of the Maya people. Topics include indigenous deities and cultural icons such as La Virgen de Guadalupe, tracing their evolution and symbolism in contemporary Chicano art and murals in San Francisco’s Mission District. Excerpts from the one Latin-American slave narrative in print help students learn how Afro-Latino identity has been shaped by the legacy of enslavement and abolition. US Chicano and Latinx identity are explored: the many terms used to describe a diverse collective and how these have evolved, the relationship to Latin American identity and people of color in the US, and how “estadounidenses” articulate their experiences. Class discussions, papers, and oral presentations are based on readings, films, video clips, news articles, visual art, and music. This class prepares students for the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam.