Module 4

English with Jill Sugg Ay, forsooth, 'twas the module for William Shakespeare. Grades 7, 8, and 9 read "Macbeth" and saw the 1971 film by Roman Polanski. Grades 10,11, and 12 read "Othello" and saw the 1995 film version starring Laurence Fishburn and Kenneth Branagh. Elizabethan English is never easy, but the great bard always draws kids in with treachery, murder, witches, ghosts, villains, infidelity, and swordplay. Math with Annie Tally Everyone in math is working hard to meet semester goals and there have been some dramatic successes. I am very proud of my students for hanging in there when the going got rough, as it sometimes does. On top of everything else, they are learning "the greater the challenge, the more rewarding the triumph"! Upper School Sciences with Lori Hilliard Chemistry The Chemistry class has been working hard to write complete, balanced equations and identify the type of reaction. Their success was not measured on paper, but by laboratory exercise. The lab is still standing and they all passed their tests. Biology Biology students have enjoyed the completion of the plant unit and have moved into their study of genetics. Mendelian genetics and Punnett Squares have kept them engaged and amazed. Anatomy Oral lab practicals, Latin terminology, clinical diagnosis and ankle surgery has dominated this module for the Anatomy students. We have completed the skeletal system by looking at the bones in an up-close and personal way. Environmental Science Debating the impact of humans on the environment has been an ongoing preoccupation of this class. All successfully navigated a major exam and have learned to share their ideas in a productive manner. Physical Science with Dan Hill Module 4 started with a brief look at Gas Law as we finished up with the phases of matter. Since then we have completed a short history of the model of the atom, studying its structure with mainly the Bohr model in mind, but with the occasional nod to Quantum Mechanics. We are now ready to examine how the Periodic Table is organized. Social Studies with Matt Wilhelm World History explored the roots of monarchy in Europe and read works of Thomas Aquinas, Sir Thomas More, Niccolo Machiavelli, and Martin Luther. US History learned about the Trail of Tears, read the Seneca Falls Declaration of the Rights of Woman, and examined the development of the abolitionist movement in the United States. The history elective, Radical Islam and the War on Terror, learned about the development of al Qaeda and started to look at the Bush Administration's response to the 9/11 attacks. Current Events has continued their stock market simulation and started to explore the meaning of history as an academic discipline. Finally, Civics has wrapped up its overview of the legislative branch and is moving on to the executive. Spanish Upper School students will resume instruction with our new faculty member - Celia Battle (pronounced: Sail-ya). Celia was born in Cuba and moved to Chicago when she was twelve years old. She has taught everything from preschool to AP Spanish over her distinguished career. Our Spanish III students have had two classes with her and are very enthusiastic about what she will bring to our school. Celia and her husband are new to our area and eager to put down roots. They are the proud parents of three grown children. Performing Arts with Matthew Etherington 7th/8th Grades This module, students finished mixing their jingles as part of the Commercial Music composition project. The students then engaged in an extension activity on sound manipulation with the program Miraton. In Chorus, the group rehearsed and refined songs for the Academic Fair performance. The students have really started to pull together as an ensemble, which is heartening, and the sound has improved dramatically as a result. Jazz Combo This was an important module for the Jazz Combo. We began with our first major test which covered the student's ability to recognize basic intervals on the C major scale. They were also asked to write some dominant 7th chords and recall key facts about the origins of Jazz in New Orleans. The students didn't score as well as they hoped on this first test. The remainder of the module was spent rehearsing for Academic Fair. The students have grown significantly this semester. I was proud to have them perform for you at this public event. Physical Education with Paige Passavant This short module allowed the students to continue with our Target Games unit. After we concluded our Frisbee Golf Tournament we designed a new course. We also worked on real golf skills, such as putting and chipping. Guidance Update from Thelma Glynn Module 4 was a busy one in the guidance office. The first college application was submitted - by hand - when a group of students and I visited High Point University. We also stopped in Winston Salem to take a tour of the North Carolina School of the Arts. Our trip was very successful in that every student had a strong interest in at least one of the two schools and we all were impressed with the great and diverse options offered just an hour and a half away from home. The seniors are in the final stages of completing their applications and with the new year we will turn our attention to the Class of 09!