The Ethel Walker School
Curriculum
This course is a survey of topics in Calculus from limits and continuity to basic differentiation and basic integration. It is an opportunity for students to integrate ideas from algebra and geometry, and to do analytical applications of trigonometry, rational functions, compositions, and logarithmic functions. It is a course geared toward deeper understanding of the material but without the focus on preparing for the standardized testing.
Prerequisite: Precalculus or Honors Precalculus
12th Grade Seminar: College Prep
Grade 12
Workshops, speakers, and panel discussions cover topics such as personal health and safety, decision making, developing and maintaining healthy relationships, and adjusting to newfound independence, as well as an understanding of the resources that are available to students at the college level. Students will reflect on how social media and mobile devices have changed since they began high school and explore ways that these technologies can impact their lives in college. This course is designed to prepare students for the transition from Walker’s into a college or university setting where much more independence is expected.
12th Grade Seminar: Senior Speech
Grade 12
Seniors have the privilege of addressing the entire school on a subject of their choice to exhibit their mastery of public speaking and reflect on their development and learning while at Walker’s. They will use Seminar time to draft, rewrite, and rehearse their Senior Speech, which will be offered at a Morning Meeting or assembly during the school year.
Learning a self-selected capability is the capstone experience of the Walker’s Capabilities Approach Program. This seminar highlights students’ ability to show how they have mastered their own learning by choosing something they want to learn, developing a learning plan, learning it, and then sharing it with our community. This experience will provide students with a clear understanding of both their newfound capability and the complex cognitive processes they engaged in to learn it, positioning them well to continue their lifelong quest for learning.
Senior-year college counseling is a continuation of the work begun in junior year. This seminar focuses on completing and submitting applications, organizing application deadlines and requirements, connecting with admissions representatives, reviewing types of financial aid, and managing post-application requirements. In addition to actively participating in class, students are evaluated based on completion of the following: creating a final list of colleges, filling out the common application suitable for submission, turning in the deadlines and application requirements worksheet, and meeting with college admissions counselors on Walker’s campus.
In the second semester, the College Counseling Seminar focuses on learning skills and producing materials relevant to the college search and application process. Students are introduced to SCOIR, our online college preparation tool, and learn how to explore their interests, majors, and colleges. Other topics include standardized testing, the college essay, interviewing, resumes, scholarship and financial aid, and college visits. All juniors attend a college fair in April as part of this course. Students exhibit mastery in the following areas: SCOIR worksheets, short presentations, questionnaires, a preliminary college search, a first draft of a college essay, an extracurricular activities resume, and securing teacher recommendations.
Historically, women have had less opportunity to manage money or invest. As students graduate from high school and move out into the world, it is imperative that they possess an understanding of personal finance in order to make informed decisions that will affect their financial futures. The seminar offers students an opportunity to be introduced to the concepts of managing personal finances including earning, spending, saving, investing and philanthropy. Students conduct hands-on activities including budget development and the creation of an investment portfolio. Students in the seminar will also take and pass the IRS certification to become a personal income tax preparer in the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program. Training for the VITA program is conducted as part of the coursework.
As a way of helping students become more knowledgeable and confident with finances, seniors learn about investment strategies, how the market works, political effects on the market, and the role of women investors. Thanks to a generous donor, each student actually invests $1,000 in the market and follows that investment, along with the aggregate investment of the class, for the course of the year, when the investments are sold and the profits are shared as a charitable contribution.
Women, Health, and Culture is taught by Walker’s Director of Health Services. Using a medical model, comprehensive analysis of issues related to the health status and health care of women is presented. Knowledge of health concerns of particular importance to women are shared to aid in maintaining wellness, as well as the identification and early treatment of common physical illnesses. All students will be instructed in American Red Cross Child and Adult CPR as well as the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED). [Note: A nominal fee will be charged to students’ accounts for these certifications.] Women, Health, and Culture is designed to aid students in becoming critical thinkers about health and wellness issues facing young people and it is expected that they will be knowledgeable about current events that affect young women.
This seminar shares the resources of positive psychology, academic support, and social and emotional intelligence to help students develop a strong sense of wellness. Activities are designed to strengthen self-awareness, emotional resilience, and self-esteem. Using tools such as the Johari Window, students learn relationship-building skills and develop social awareness. Other subjects explored include identifying signature strengths using UPenn’s Authentic Happiness Site, practicing mindful meditation, developing healthy sleep habits, stress management, and learning and memory.
This seminar provides students with direct engagement and negotiation with the natural world. Sustainability refers to the human relationship to the natural world and our stewardship, care, and nurture of the planet we call home. Sustenance refers to the ways in which we internalize these relationships through mindfulness, connections, and spirituality. Together, these capabilities allow students to engage both physically and spiritually with the world around them and develop skills that have been credited as defining the American experience.
In the Social Justice seminar, students explore their own identities and think about the ways identity impacts their perspective and interactions with others. Students examine social systems and concepts that provide advantages to some social identity groups and restrict access and opportunity to others. Specifically, students look at the ways that stereotypes, discrimination, prejudice, and socialization affect individuals in the pursuit of justice and communities of belonging. The term concludes with students addressing the ways that they can individually take action within their own spheres of influence to create positive social change.
9th Grade Seminar: Coding
Grade 9
In partnership with the Connecticut Science Center, Walker’s is providing students with a hands-on introduction to the world of computer science. Using project-based learning, students will focus on problem solving, collaboration, and basic coding proficiencies. Skill acquisition includes proficiencies in coding languages, artificial intelligence, digital ethics, and technology across a variety of platforms, culminating in a final project presentation and establishment of a digital portfolio.
In this seminar, students examine the ways that information and communication technologies impact their lives as learners, family members, friends, workers, and global citizens. The class will explore key pillars of digital citizenship, including digital literacy, digital communication, digital law, rights and responsibilities, citation, and digital health and wellness. Students examine a variety of social media platforms and apps, analyze the positive and negative effects of different online behaviors, and learn strategies for becoming more responsible, efficient, and effective users of the web and digital media. Students are expected to respect themselves, their peers, their teachers, and the learning environment, to engage actively in class discussions and activities, to drive their own learning, to strengthen their initiative and collaboration skills by working both independently and as a part of a team, and share what they have learned.
The 9th graders begin the year by learning to use our LMS — Canvas, understanding our academic policies and procedures, learning what academic resources are available for them, and practicing using some of our academic technology. Students also have their first chance to work without public speaking rubric and begin to build those skills that will be utilized throughout their time as a student at Walker’s.
Digital Arts 2.0
Open to Grades 9-12
Credits: 0.5
Prerequisite: Digital Art 1.0 or prior digital art training
This is a one-semester course designed to build on knowledge and experience gained in Digital Arts 1.0. Students will create a portfolio of digital art using their artistic/design software of choice. Students will concentrate in any illustration, image manipulation, or digital animation. This course will also investigate art material production by generative AI. Students will study the short history of generative AI, conduct software model comparisons, and “compete” with generative AI tools to create art. The course will culminate in an exhibition of student created digital art work presented against AI-created work.
Offered Spring 2026
In this course, students will combine sustainability and design to discover an environmentally conscious approach to fashion and accessories. Through hands-on projects, students will repurpose recycled and upcycled materials, such as fabric scraps, plastic, paper, and other non-traditional resources into wearable art and functional designs. The course emphasizes creativity, problem-solving, and the importance of reducing waste in the fashion industry.
Offered Fall 2025
Let’s build and tinker with electronic devices! In this highly hands-on, semester-long elective, we will use Arduino microcontrollers to create devices like dimmer switches, motorized robots, and musical keyboards. We will use the engineering design process to design, prototype, and test our devices, and we will use the C++ programming language to control them in the TinkerCad and Arduino IDE coding environments. Along the way, you will develop familiarity with a variety of sensors and actuators, including temperature sensors, light sensors, user-interactive buttons, and motors. If time allows, we can even learn how to solder our own microcontrollers! No previous coding experience is required, but students will be expected to take initiative in the process of researching and troubleshooting to accomplish their project goals. Enrollment in the first-semester course, Electricity Laboratory, will be useful but is not required for this second-semester course.
Offered Spring 2026
Electricity Laboratory
Open to grades 10-12
Credits: .5
Prerequisite: Completion of Physics and/or departmental approval.
Let’s play with electricity! In this highly hands-on, semester-long elective, we will learn about electrical concepts through labs and circuit-building. Our learning will come from a series of experiments with wires, batteries, light bulbs, and capacitors, and we will put it all together through class discussion, argumentation, and collaborative problem-solving in our classroom scientific community. We will start by using circuits to develop conceptual models of electric charge and the flow of charge through a closed loop, and we will build upon these experiments to discover electrical concepts such as resistance, voltage, power, electromagnetism, motors, and more! Along the way, you will build lots of circuits, play with computer simulations, and engage in electrical engineering projects.
Prerequisite: Completion of Physics and/or departmental approval.
Offered Fall 2025
This course will be run in partnership with the Small World Initiative (SWI) and the Tiny Earth Network (TEN), two innovative programs that encourage students to pursue careers in science while addressing a worldwide health threat – the diminishing supply of effective antibiotics. This course centers around an introductory biochemistry course in which students conduct original hands-on field and laboratory research in the hunt for new antibiotics. Through a series of student-driven experiments, students will collect soil samples, isolate diverse bacteria, test their bacteria against clinically-relevant microorganisms, and characterize those showing inhibitory activity. This is particularly relevant since over two thirds of antibiotics originate from soil bacteria or fungi. SWI and TEN’s approach provides a unique platform to crowdsource medical breakthroughs by tapping into the intellectual power of many people concurrently addressing a global challenge and advancing promising candidates into the drug development pipeline. Prerequisites: Completion of Chemistry and Biology and departmental approval. Possible concurrent enrollment with Honors or Advanced Biology.
In addition to learning data modeling and statistical inferences, students will learn to code in the software environment R to run the statistical tests and generate the graphics, which they will then interpret and contextualize. R is a statistical software platform that is commonly used in the social sciences and follows a similar programming language to Python. It gives the user the ability to craft the output that they want and manipulate it accordingly, making it a very helpful and commonly used tool in the sciences. Throughout the course, students will collect and organize data and then use R to create graphics, build models, and run statistical tests. Prerequisite: Algebra 2 and department approval.
In this course, students will hone their listening and speaking skills by engaging with the diverse cultures of the French-speaking world. Students will enrich their vocabulary and develop their ability to inform, explain, persuade, and narrate in French with greater accuracy, fluency, and complexity. Speaking practice will include class discussions, debates, and oral presentations. At the same time, students will learn about the richness and diversity of the French-speaking world through written texts (e.g., fiction, articles, poetry), oral texts (e.g., interviews, podcasts), radio and television segments, cinema, music, and art. The course will be conducted entirely in French. Prerequisite: Completion of French 4.
This course provides a thorough review of grammar and methodical practice in composition leading to command of practical idioms and vocabulary. Additionally, students in this course will develop an understanding and awareness of the Spanish-speaking world’s diverse cultures through the study of journalistic and literary works and other works of art created by authors and artists from Spain and Latin America. Students will continue the development of the four language skills: listening, writing, speaking, and reading. Authentic materials are often used to practice these skills in the classroom. Group discussions, songs, movies, magazines, newspapers, and the internet are all used to help students broaden their vocabulary, increase fluency and deepen their knowledge of Spanish grammar. Prerequisite: Completion of Spanish 4.
Special topics in Advanced Latin: How Republics Fall: Cicero and Caesar (and Catullus!). In this class we will follow the events leading up to the collapse of the Roman Republic from the perspective of two of the most important and influential figures of that period, Gaius Julius Caesar and Marcus Tullius Cicero. We will read, annotate, and discuss excerpts from Caesar’s Commentarii on the Gallic and Civil Wars, along with selections from the political orations and personal letters of Cicero. From time to time we will check in on the perspective of the “Man on the Street” in the person of Gaius Valerius Catullus, a private citizen, distinguished poet, and acquaintance of both Cicero and Caesar.
Course Length: 1 Year
Continuing from the 10th grade U.S. History class, this course will focus on the United States since World War Two, examining the ways in which both the United States and its role in the world changed. The once-isolationist United States had emerged from World War Two as a global superpower with a military and economic presence across the globe and a sense of responsibility for leading and assisting countries committed to democracy and capitalism. While taking on this global role, the United States experienced tremendous change and significant turmoil as citizens struggled to realize their competing visions of American society, politics, economy, and culture. Potential topics include the Cold War, civil rights movements, the Vietnam War, the Reagan Revolution, interventionist foreign policy, 9/11 and the War on Terror, the polarization of U.S. politics, society, and culture, and demographic shifts in American society. Through examining primary sources and secondary sources in various media, students will better understand the shifts that occurred during this tumultuous period in U.S. history and be better prepared to navigate the world in which they live.
Offered Spring 2026
This course is an advanced social studies course that focuses on the movement of people and broad geopolitical changes. This course will rely heavily on current events to help students understand modern day migration patterns, the reasons for movement, and the challenges that arise when people move from one place to another. Students will use case studies to investigate the ways in which migration has political, economic, and social effects on countries, and will learn both the positives and negatives associated with global migration.
Prerequisite: departmental approval
Offered Spring 2026
This Advanced Feminist and Women’s History course challenges students to delve deeply into the powerful and often overlooked stories of women in United States history. Through close examination of a wide variety of primary sources and intersectional social theory, students will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and successes of women’s rights and activism throughout the years. This course is designed to challenge and inspire students to think critically about traditional historical narratives and highlight the centrality of women in American history. In this advanced course, students are expected to engage extensively with challenging source material, including primary sources and academic articles. Students will develop in-depth analysis of complex topics. Students will also consistently demonstrate independence and preparedness with their work. Prerequisite: departmental approval.
Offered Fall 2025
This is an elective course that examines the rise and transformation of cities in the United States. This course explores how cities have served as centers of commerce, culture, and social change, while also facing challenges such as overcrowding, poverty, and political corruption. Students will investigate the forces that have driven urban growth, including immigration, industrialization, and technological innovation. They will also analyze how urban environments have shaped the American experience, influencing movements for labor rights, civil rights, and environmental justice. Students will analyze primary and secondary sources, engage in research projects, and explore case studies of major American cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and more.
Offered Spring 2026
This is an elective course that introduces students to the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. Students will explore topics such as personality, learning, memory, emotions, development, and psychological disorders. The course emphasizes critical thinking, research methods, and the application of psychological principles to everyday life. Throughout the course, students will examine key psychological theories, conduct hands-on experiments, and analyze case studies to gain insight into the complexities of human thought and behavior.
Offered Spring 2026
This history elective blends theoretical study with practical experience to provide an immersive introduction into the field of archaeology. Students explore the history, methods, and ethics of archaeological research and learn how archaeologists uncover and interpret material remains to understand human history. A significant component of the course involves hands-on experience through a supervised excavation, held on campus. Students practice excavation techniques, proper documentation methods, and artifact handling in a team setting. The class culminates in a project where students analyze artifacts uncovered during their dig and craft a research paper that utilizes one or more of the artifacts as a primary source. They will also work together to develop a museum-quality physical and digital exhibit to display their artifacts.
Offered Fall 2025
This is a course that explores the principles of economics that apply to an economic system as a whole. Students will examine key topics such as economic indicators, national income, price determination, economic growth, and international trade. The course emphasizes the analysis of fiscal and monetary policy, the role of government in the economy, and real-world applications of macroeconomic theories.Through data analysis, graphical models, and critical thinking exercises, students will develop a deeper understanding of how economies function and how policymakers address economic challenges.
Offered Spring 2026
In this course, students will explore the role of media in shaping contemporary society. Students will learn to evaluate the credibility of news content and consider how the media can counter or reinforce social biases and political actions. Students will investigate topics such as media theory, the ethics of journalism, and free speech in an age of disinformation. This course is designed for students to explore complex topics within the media landscape, and also for students to create their own media content.
Offered Fall 2025
This course will provide a multidisciplinary approach to the study of art and architectural history. In this class, students will view art through the lens of the historical events, literature, music, and social context of the time periods we study. We will tackle issues such as “Who decides what is art?” and the ethics around restoration versus preservation. We will begin this course by looking at the art and architecture of the medieval world, and work our way through post-impressionism and the modern world. By studying great works from within these artistic periods, students will gain a better understanding not simply of the visual art of each era, but of how it can help us to better understand the greater context of the time.
Offered Fall 2025
In this elective, students explore the history, impact, and role of the Supreme Court in shaping American law and society. Students will examine landmark cases, constitutional principles, and the evolution of judicial power in the United States. Through the study of major decisions, students will analyze how the Court has influenced civil rights, federalism, economic policy, and individual liberties. Students will engage in discussions, mock trials, and case study analyses to develop critical thinking and legal reasoning skills. This course provides a strong foundation for those interested in law, government, or history.
Offered Fall 2025
Advanced History Independent Research: Archival Studies
Open to grades 11-12, approval only
Credits: 0.5
This advanced history elective offers students the opportunity to engage in in-depth historical research through direct access to the School’s extensive archives. Students will gain a foundational understanding of archival research methodologies that will help them to navigate, analyze, and interpret primary source materials such as letters, diaries, photographs, and more. Throughout the course, students will refine critical research skills, including the ability to assess sources for bias, context, and relevance, while also honing their ability to construct compelling historical narratives based on evidence. They will explore ethical research practices and will hone their critical thinking skills. The course culminates in a substantial research project that reflects both original scholarship and a deep engagement with archival materials. Students will present their findings in a formal paper, accompanied by a public presentation of their work. In addition, their research becomes part of the archival collection. This is an intensive course designed for those students who are interested in continuing with humanities research in college.
Prerequisite: previous advanced level coursework in History and departmental approval.
Offered Spring 2026
This course will be a global case study of women who have led countries, governments, and movements fearlessly. We will focus on four women leaders of the past — Cleopatra Queen of Egypt; Queen Nandi of the Zulu Kingdom; Catherine the Great Empress of Russia; Elizabeth I, Queen of England and Mary Queen of Scots; and Catherine de Medici, Queen of France — using memoir, biography, graphic novels, cinema, and YA novels. We will also investigate Liliuokalani, the last Queen of Hawai’i; Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India; the former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto; Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of England; and Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand using books, websites, social media, documentaries, scholarly research, and articles to embark on an independent research project. Students will be able to dive more deeply into a women leader who they admire, and in so doing, identify what kind of leader they themselves are, and will be in the future.
Offered Spring 2026
This English elective explores the role of the trickster in global literature. These figures tend to deceive, outwit, subvert expectations, challenge societal norms, and play with the rules of convention. Often, they provide humor and deeper insights into the human experience. Students will read myths, folklore, and contemporary stories from a wide range of authors that explore themes of power, resistance, and transformation. They will evaluate the function of tricksters in these stories and will analyze the means by which tricksters shape narratives, provoke thought, reflect cultural values, and introduce the complexities of identity.
Offered Spring 2026
For a romance to be bad, does it have to end in tragedy? What is it that dooms a romance? Romance is one of the most popular genres of literature, and in this class, we will find out why. We will examine literary romance, from Shakespeare to James Baldwin to Mary Gaitskill. We will start with the original star-crossed lovers in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and we will work our way up to contemporary literary romance, learning about the genre and its tropes along the way. In addition to Romeo and Juliet, texts may include James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room, Mary Gaitskill’s Bad Behaviour, and Sally Rooney’s Conversations With Friends, among others.
Offered Spring 2026
Advanced English Seminar: Madwomen, Geniuses, and Dreamers: The Mind in Literature
Open to Grades 11-12
Credits: 0.5
Literature has long been a space where writers wrestle with the complexities of the mind, offering profound insight into psychological struggles, resilience, and the societal perceptions of mental fitness or illness. In this course, we will examine how literature portrays mental health, asking how writers capture the inner workings of the mind and what these portrayals reveal about cultural attitudes toward things like psychological disorders, creativity, normalcy, aging, and identity. Our readings will span genres, time periods, and perspectives, and through close reading, discussion, and creative and analytical writing, students will consider how literature can both reflect and shape the ways we talk about the mind today.
Offered Spring 2026
This advanced course explores the relationship between text, place, and identity and allows students to delve into the physical, psychic, and staged spaces that are represented in literature. Students will analyze various spaces, from the intimate confines of a room to expansive landscapes, and will consider how these spaces shape characters’ identities, emotions, and actions. Through a diverse range of texts, including Gaston Bachelard’s The Poetics of Space, students will investigate how different cultures and time periods portray space and will focus on themes like migration, displacement, and belonging. Shakespeare’s use of stage-space and Bachelard’s concepts of “topophilia” and “psychic spaces” will serve as a foundation for understanding the connection between environment and the human psyche. Creative writing and discussions will allow students to explore their own connections to space. By the end of the course, students will have gained a deeper understanding of how space — both physical and psychological — shapes narrative, identity, and experience.
Offered Spring 2026
This English elective explores the intersection of literature, astrology, and cosmology. Students will examine how celestial forces — such as the movements of the planets, stars, and other cosmic events — are woven into characters’ experiences and shape their lives, relationships, and decisions. The course will introduce students to works by a diversity of authors who delve into the cosmos and examine themes of space, time, and the universe’s impact on human perception. Students will explore how both ancient astrological beliefs and modern cosmological understandings have influenced storytelling.
Offered Spring 2026
In this course, we will explore together the relationship between literary works and their film adaptations. What is lost, gained, or transformed as the story’s voice changes its form? How do characters and images change when we encounter them on screen instead of on the page? As film continues to demonstrate new possibilities for narrative, how might we observe and articulate the different choices authors and directors make to engage us in their art? By studying the terms and techniques used in each medium, students will be able to analyze, appreciate, and imitate the techniques and talents of authors and directors alike.
Offered Spring 2026
This advanced English course will focus on literary works that question the boundaries of gender identity, expression, and societal expectations. Students will utilize gender theory to explore a wide range of texts and the ways in which authors represent and challenge societal notions of gender. Students will analyze characters who shape and reshape their identities, whether out of necessity, survival, or rebellion, and will study the ways in which gender itself becomes a fluid and strategic performance. Class texts will provide insight into the complex dynamics of gender and power and the characters who must carve space for themselves within rigid societal structures. The course will foster critical discussions around themes of fluidity, performativity, and self-determination, and will empower students to think beyond binary gender norms to reflect on the intersections of gender and identity in our world today.
Offered Spring 2026
From Shakespearean sonnets to modern slam poetry, the rhythm and form of verse have shaped the way we express ideas, emotions, and identity. This course explores the evolution of poetic form and rhythm, tracing the journey from iambic pentameter to free verse, spoken word, and beyond. Students will analyze the mechanics of meter, rhyme, and lineation while also experimenting with their own poetic voices. Through close readings, creative exercises, and performance-based activities, we’ll uncover how poets past and present use rhythm to captivate, challenge, and inspire.
Offered Spring 2026
Advanced English: “Something Wicked this Way Comes;” Literature and Morality
Open to Grades 11-12
Credits: 0.5
Students will explore the interplay between literature and ethical dilemmas, examining how writers have grappled with quandaries of good and evil, justice and corruption, free will and fate. Students will confront essential questions like, “Do ends justify means?” “Can evil ever be justified?” “Is morality absolute or subjective?” By examining texts through historical, philosophical, and literary lenses, students will gain a deeper understanding of how literature serves as both a mirror and a critique of human morality. Students will investigate how, by wrestling with moral ambiguity, ethical paradoxes, and the consequences of human choices, literature challenges, reflects, and even shapes our moral beliefs.
Offered Spring 2026
In this course, students will explore the rich and evolving genre of creative nonfiction, where storytelling meets truth. Through reading, analysis, and writing, students will engage with the fundamental questions of the genre: How do we shape personal experience into a compelling narrative? How does research inform storytelling? What is the balance between subjectivity and objectivity? How do writers craft truth while acknowledging perspective and bias? Students will read and analyze a diverse range of creative nonfiction, including memoir, personal essays, literary journalism, and hybrid forms, studying the techniques writers use to construct voice, develop narrative, and engage readers. They will also produce their own creative nonfiction, experimenting with form and style while incorporating research and reflection. Throughout the course, students will refine their ability to write with clarity, authenticity, and purpose.
Offered Fall 2025
In this course, students will explore the short story as a powerful and diverse literary form, analyzing how writers craft meaning within the constraints of brevity. We will examine the evolution of the short story, from its origins in oral storytelling to contemporary innovations, paying particular attention to how historically marginalized voices—including Black, Indigenous, queer, and immigrant writers—have shaped and expanded the genre. Students will engage in close reading, analytical writing, and creative projects. Texts may include works by Edgar Allan Poe, Anton Chekhov, James Baldwin, Alice Munro, Carmen Maria Machado, Ted Chiang, Lesley Nneka Arimah, and many others.
Literature and science may seem like separate worlds, but storytelling has always been central to how we understand discovery, innovation, and the limits of human knowledge. This course explores the intersections of scientific thought and literary expression, examining how writers use fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry to engage with scientific discovery, technological progress, and the ethical dilemmas they provoke. From the “uncanny valley” in robotics to the ethics of genetic engineering, from the sublime in nature writing to the anxieties of climate fiction, we will consider how literature both reflects and challenges scientific paradigms. How does narrative shape our understanding of scientific truth? What role does speculation play in both literature and science? How do writers use storytelling to explore the boundaries between the human and the nonhuman, the organic and the artificial? We will interrogate how literature helps us navigate a rapidly changing world where science and technology are inseparable from human identity and cultural meaning.
Offered Fall 2025
Advanced English Seminar: Octavia Butler and Her Long, Nourishing Shadow
Open to Grades 11-12
Credits: 0.5
Octavia Butler is a pioneer of modern science fiction. She was creating and making space for herself in the genre at a time when it was deeply unwelcoming to Black and female writers. Despite this, her works and ideas have exerted massive influence on a host of writers as well as social justice organizers—that is, on our ability to imagine alternative futures. In this class we’ll study her novels and short stories, we’ll engage with the literary and social organizing theories that her works have spawned, and we’ll check out a few writers and thinkers she has influenced. Texts by Butler may include Blood Child and Other Stories, Parable of the Sower, Wild Seed, and Kindred.
Offered Fall 2025
What does it mean to be a feminist writer? How have authors across time and cultures defined, challenged, and reshaped the idea of feminism? This advanced course explores the evolution of feminist thought through literature, examining competing and intersecting perspectives on gender, power, and identity. From thinkers like Mary Wollstonecraft to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, from Virginia Woolf to Gloria Anzaldúa, we will engage with poetry, fiction, essays, and theory that complicate and expand our understanding of feminism. Students will analyze how race, class, sexuality, and culture shape feminist discourse, interrogating the ways literature has both reinforced and resisted dominant narratives. Through close reading, discussion, and critical writing, we will consider how literature itself can be an act of resistance—and a tool for imagining new possibilities.
Offered Fall 2025
This English elective will allow students to explore global mythologies and the cultures from which they arise. Students will examine a diverse range of myths through a literary, anthropological, and philosophical lens and will consider how myths attempt to answer life’s Big Questions. Students will identify similarities and differences across myth traditions and will reflect on human experiences and values across cultures. They will identify tropes in myths as well as read scholarly work about myth, ritual, and symbol. They will also consider how ancient myths continue to influence modern literature. By the end of the course, students will have gained a deeper appreciation for the power of myths in answering life’s deepest, most urgent questions. Myths may include the Popol Vuh, the Kojiki, Anansi stories and modern retellings, the Mahabharata, the poetry of Enheduanna, and more.
Offered Fall 2025
Literature of Girlhood is a deep dive into what it means to grow up as a girl. How has that meaning changed across time and cultures? How do writers transform the experience of girlhood into art? Whether you’ve lived it, observed it, or challenged it, this course invites you to engage with literature that speaks to the power, pain, and poetry of growing up. We’ll explore girlhood as a shifting, complex experience, shaped by history, identity, and social expectations. Reading works of poetry, fiction, memoir, and cultural criticism by female-identified writers, we’ll confront the politics of girlhood, from beauty standards to rebellion, from empowerment to restriction. We’ll examine how literature captures both the quiet and explosive moments of coming of age—friendships, first loves, body image, family pressures, and self-discovery.
Offered Fall 2025
Food is never just food. It is history, culture, ritual, and resistance. It is tied to memory and migration, power and pleasure. In this course, we will examine how literature uses food as more than just a backdrop, but as a lens for exploring identity, community, and tradition across a wide range of cultures. Through fiction, poetry, and personal essays, we will consider how the act of eating—what, how, and with whom—reveals deeper truths about human relationships, belonging, and exclusion. How do stories about food negotiate cultural heritage and adaptation? What is the connection between taste and memory, or between scarcity and desire? How does food in literature reflect systems of power, from colonial histories to contemporary food justice movements? As we read, we will think critically about our own relationships with food and how writing about food shapes the ways we understand nourishment—both physical and emotional.
Offered Fall 2025
This is an introductory one-semester course devoted to the creation of visual art via digital media. It will include a brief history of the development of digital art via stand-alone and online programs and an introduction to multiple software platforms and device interfaces for the creation of digital art. Creative projects include digital painting and illustration projects, digital animation projects, and image manipulation projects.
Offered Fall 2025 and Spring 2026
The course will focus on streaming/live broadcasting and studio production. The course work is designed to create a live-streaming channel dedicated to live and recorded content centered on the Walker’s student experience. It includes aspects of studio work, live interviews, field recording, content production, show hosting, script writing and all in-front of camera and behind camera functions. The goal is to produce shows that air routinely in a published schedule that reflect the interests of the participating students and that mimic an in-house television station broadcast on a streaming platform.
Offered Spring 2026
Advanced Scientific Research in Molecular Genetics (Stan-X)
Grades 11-12
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Honors Biology and departmental approval
This course is based on the Stan-X experimental biology course developed by Professor Seung Kim of Stanford University. Students will be introduced to fundamental concepts in molecular and cellular biology and genetics, in addition to laboratory and husbandry techniques specific to the fruit fly. The course is focused on laboratory research where students will use transposon biology to create transgenic fruit flies. Favorable strains of flies made and characterized by students will be used by researchers in Dr. Kim’s lab and made available to all scientists working on fruit flies. Engagement with primary research literature, bioinformatics databases and independent laboratory work is expected. To allow for the completion of college-level laboratory experiments, the course meets for an additional 70-minute block each week. Additional laboratory work outside of class time will also be expected.
Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Honors Biology and departmental approval
Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Topics in Philosophy is an introduction to thinking clearly about universal questions that have been asked from the beginning of time. We will survey great thinkers from both Western and Eastern traditions and make philosophers of you by entering into the creative activity of thinking deeply. We will think about things which we believe to be of ultimate importance such as how we know what we know, what it means to be a self, what is real, and how we define truth, beauty, goodness, freedom, personhood, and God. Students will develop in-depth analysis of complex topics. Students will complete advanced level research and writing assessments. Students will also consistently demonstrate independence and preparedness with their work.
Prerequisite: Departmental approval
Offered Fall 2025
ECE Advanced Contemporary Issues in Sports
Open to Grades 11-12
Credits: 0.5
Prerequisite: Departmental approval
This course examines issues, challenges, opportunities and constraints within the domain of sport. The course will explore socio-cultural, economic, political and other related issues in sport. Students will locate sport as a social institution, and as such, examine the impact of sport in American culture and how American culture impacts sport. The course will cover sport at the youth, intercollegiate, professional and international level, considering how sport at these levels is differently experienced by individuals, communities, organizations, and broadly by society. Students will also engage in discussion of issues in sport relative to gender, race (ethnicity), differing physical and intellectual ability, sexual identity, and gender identity. Students will develop in-depth analysis of complex topics. Students will complete advanced level research and writing assessments. Students will also consistently demonstrate independence and preparedness with their work.
Prerequisite: Departmental approval
Offered Fall 2025
What does it mean to be a writer? How does an author find her style? The Visiting Writer Seminar is a semester-long course in which students have the special opportunity to immerse themselves in a study of one writer’s works. Throughout the semester, students read a critical mass of texts by that writer before the course culminates with the author’s visit to Walker’s. During this visit, the writer will teach master classes, conduct writing workshops, and participate in class discussion.
The Fall 2025 visiting writer will be announced soon!
Offered Fall 2025
Biology of Women
Open to Grades 11-12
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Biology
This course is an introduction to the biology of women and their specific health concerns. This class will also address social and economic factors that specifically affect women’s health and well-being. The first half of the course will be directed at learning about female anatomy and physiology, growth and development, and reproduction. This part of the course will focus on female ontogeny, puberty, pregnancy, abortion, and contraceptives. The latter part of the course will deal with disease and aging, and the cross-section of women’s health in history, society, economy, politics, and culture. Here we will focus on gender identity, reproductive rights, the Cliteracy Movement, representation, nutrition, and more. In both portions of the course, we will address ethical concerns for women that will range from the manipulation of embryos to healthcare access. Through labs and other major assignments, students will examine biological differences between men and women, develop an understanding of their own hormone cycle, and analyze societal expectations and pressures placed on women.
Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Biology
What is Ancient Rome, and why do we care? In this first-year course, students will learn about the ancient world through geography, mythology, history, archaeology, and, of course, language. Through short readings, plays, and cartoons, students will become comfortable interacting with Latin prose. Special attention will also be given to the context of the ancient world.
This is a one-semester course designed to cover all facets of movie production, including script writing, working with talent, camera work, sound, directing, locations, costume, props, and post production editing. Genres studied include shorts, feature films, documentaries, and music videos. The course will involve hands-on, small team experience developing production timelines and filming with DSLR cameras after review of best-practice examples of each motion-picture type. Instruction in post-production editing techniques will be taught to allow finished products to be shown to the local community and/or entered into film showcases and festivals.
Offered Fall 2025 and Spring 2026
Advanced Studio Art
Open to Grades 9-12
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: Studio Art or other relevant Visual Arts course and department approval
This is a one-year college-level course with heavy emphasis on portfolio production and review. Advanced Art students will produce a series of sequential visual forms while exploring in greater depth a particular visual concern or inquiry, through practice, experimentation and revision. Emphasis will be placed on the elements of art, the principles of design, materials, processes and ideas, and skill development. Students will study and discuss historical and contemporary artists to aid in their own creations and development. Students may choose to submit portfolios to the Advanced Placement program in the spring in Advanced Placement Drawing, Advanced Placement 2D Art and Design, or Advanced Placement 3D Art and Design. The course is taught in the same physical space and time block as the Studio Art course.
Prerequisite: Studio Art or other relevant Visual Arts course and department approval
This is a one-semester course for the higher-level ceramics student who has already completed Ceramics 1 and has mastered the basics of throwing pottery on the wheel. In this course, students will explore the act of combining hand-built elements with wheel-thrown pieces. Projects will include teapots, nesting bowls, water pitchers, vegetable steamers, ring holders, and citrus juicers. Students will also be tasked with using the principles of design to create an effective and attractive composition for an independently produced original piece of art, which may be either decorative or utilitarian.
Prerequisite: Ceramics 1
Offered Spring 2026
In order to be a culturally competent global citizen, one must understand the motivations, traditions, and cultural forces that influence the globe, including religion. Though the United States is an increasingly secular state, other parts of the world are strongly influenced by their religious traditions, informing international relations, social values, and the global marketplace. This class will address the religious practices of the major world religions and the vast spectrum of beliefs within each that makes it difficult to generalize about them. To honor the living traditions that we are studying, we will not only examine but will also find ways to experience the Hindu Traditions and various Yogas, Buddhism and Meditation (or the interpretation of a Koan), Taoism and Tai Chi, Islam and Prayer, Christianity and Worship, Judaism and the study of the Torah, and native Aboriginal and American relationships to the Earth. In the midst of this quest, we will consider the way astrology, cults, New Age practices, and mindfulness function as derivatives of religious intent.
Offered Fall 2025
In this course, students will expand their knowledge of literature and genre as they explore novels, plays, poetry, and creative nonfiction from literary traditions across the globe. They will build their lexicon of literary devices and terms as well as learn to analyze these both verbally and in writing. Students will continue to build on their foundation of writing skills as they practice analytical writing in academic essays as well as creative pieces demonstrating their understanding of each genre. By the end of the year students will be comfortable encountering and engaging with a wide range of literature as they work toward becoming independent learners, thinkers, and writers. Works may include Much Ado About Nothing, Antigone, A Raisin in the Sun, Parable of the Sower, Homegoing, When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities, and texts from our visiting writers.
Writing is fundamental to success in the upper school and this course lays a strong foundation for writing in the humanities as well as an introduction to studying literature at the high school level. Students will practice writing personal essays, research papers, rhetorical arguments, and literary analysis over the course of the year. Students will read reviews, watch Moth story performances, participate in research that reflects their own interests, and analyze poetry, fiction, and non-fiction writing. Students will also engage deeply with their own writing process, identifying strengths and learning to revise and edit areas that need improvement. To help bolster their writing toolkit, students will learn grammar, vocabulary, and MLA style and citation. Students will also work to build reading habits through book circles and common course texts which may include works from our visiting writers, Shakespeare, and a selection of short fiction, poetry, and essays chosen by the instructor.
This class moves at the pace of the Advanced Placement Music Theory course with the intent to prepare the student to participate in the Advanced Placement testing program. This course includes fundamentals of music theory and related aural skills, score analysis, sight-singing, and harmonic and melodic comprehension. Students’ eligibility will be determined by the instructor.
Prerequisite: Departmental approval
Visual Arts courses are offered at several different levels. Students with a passion for a particular field may register for the same course over multiple semesters.
This course is designed to accommodate students with a desire to learn about art or to continue evolving in their artistic pursuits. Students will work on a variety of media, tools, and techniques through open-ended assignments that challenge them and encourage creativity and originality. Through studio practice, application of the fundamentals of art, and informed decision-making, students will create a body of work that demonstrates a high level of quality and growth over time in content, technique, and process.
Offered Spring 2026
This course is designed to follow the prerequisite Photography 1 and includes elements of studio photography, fashion photography, staged photography, modern photography, street photography, drone photography, photojournalism, and the study of contemporary artists. DSLR cameras are supplied for the duration of the course. The course incorporates field trips for photography assignments. It will also include an emphasis on independent studies as students focus on their own interests, all while creating an online portfolio of their best work.
Prerequisite: Photography 1
Offered Fall 2025
This semester-long course is designed to cover a broad range of digital photography techniques, principles, equipment, and image subjects. A Nikon DSLR camera is supplied for the duration of the course. The course also covers areas of post-production and image manipulation. It includes principles of exposure, portrait photography, landscape photography, macro photography, sports photography, food photography, black and white photography, low light photography, light painting, wildlife photography, in-class challenges, and more than 20 other topics. Over the course of the semester, independent shooting, collaborative peer critiques, and historical research will contribute to each student’s final portfolio that exhibits her individual photographic style.
Offered Fall 2025 and Spring 2026
Students may take this course for either semester but are encouraged to stay in the course for the whole year to help bring the yearbook to publication.
This course allows students to develop the design, writing and photography skills needed to create a thorough, interesting, and dynamic documentation of the life of the School: the official school yearbook, the Pepperpot. This course includes elements of art, image manipulation, design, layout, article writing, research, editing, marketing, publishing, and sales. Students will have additional responsibilities and take greater leadership roles each time the course is taken.
Visual Arts courses are offered at several different levels. Students with a passion for a particular field may register for the same course over multiple semesters.
Drawing is the foundation from which we develop our visual vocabulary as we hone our observational skills. Drawing from observation or from life is a critical skill to develop for anyone wanting to quickly and visually express ideas, as it trains the eye, hand, and brain to translate the 3D form into a 2D illusion. In this multilevel class, whether taken for the first time or as continuation to further develop one’s visual skills, students will be exposed to a variety of “dry media” (graphite, oil and soft pastels, charcoal, etc.) and “wet media” (transparent and opaque painting, including watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and oil), learning the necessary technical skills to communicate their ideas, while continuing to strengthen their knowledge of the elements and principles of design. Students will also discover the expressiveness of color and media application techniques while learning color theory. They may take this class as a repeated course in order to prepare their art portfolios for college admission and to fully develop their visual and unique language. There will be opportunities for students to work on public art projects that enhance our School community.
Offered Fall 2025
Visual Arts courses are offered at several different levels. Students with a passion for a particular field may register for the same course over multiple semesters.
The Ceramics class will provide an opportunity for students to develop a body of work that is both conceptually valid and reflective of their artistic style. Sculpture techniques, the science of glazing, and wheel skills are taught to all levels of students, and they will be encouraged to experiment at all times. In addition to developing technique, students will design their own multi-part construction based on exploration of pottery around the world. Each student will be expected to produce work that portrays her creative powers and technical abilities.
Offered Fall 2025 and Spring 2026
African Drumming
Open to Grades 9-12
African Drumming is an essential part of Walker’s music program. The group utilizes a variety of drums, some of which were constructed from trees on the school property in Simsbury. Students study a wide array of styles and develop an appreciation for the intricate musical sounds, and variety of moods the different drumming disciplines convey and express. The tones of the instruments as well as the use of a particular rhythm open the mind to the rich world of music and enhance the capacity of each drummer. Students are encouraged to both read and hear patterns so that they engage the better part of themselves when they play together. The group often performs on campus and continues to create a moving presence at Walker’s.
Meets outside of a class block
Orchestra
Open to Grades 9-12
Orchestra is open to instrumentalists who are capable of individual preparation and working toward a standard of musical excellence in a group setting. This is a wonderful environment in which to develop technique and broaden the musical experience.
Meets outside of a class block
Harmonious Bells
Open to Grades 9-12
The Bell Choir performs for many events on campus and can be taken as a music discipline for Music Majors. This course teaches a basic understanding of rhythm and note reading and allows students of all levels to perform in an ensemble. All musicians are welcome.
Meets outside of a class block
Rock Band
Open to Grades 9-12
Each year, our campus rock band morphs and evolves as new students join the group. Students who sing and play drum set, keyboard, guitar, bass, percussion, and other instruments collaborate as an ensemble to play classic rock and more contemporary covers, learning how to exchange musical ideas and work together as a group towards a rock concert performance at the end of the school year.
Meets outside of a class block
This vocal ensemble is an a cappella singing group. Only members of the Choir may audition. This ensemble performs music from a wide range of genres. Auditions take place at the beginning of the school year and include a simple sight-singing exercise, presentation of a piece that best shows the singer’s voice, and a group piece that determines vocal blend and intonation.
By audition
Meets outside of a class block
The Chamber Ensembles afford the serious musician the opportunity to perform fine works. Students must be proficient on their instrument and enjoy working in a focused, musical environment. These ensembles are called upon to perform at many functions throughout the school year.
By audition
Meets outside of a class block
Credit is given to students who wish to take two private lessons a week or two music disciplines, not including Choir. A half credit is given along with grades and comments for each semester. Music majors are expected to perform during the school year.
A two-semester course that involves the study of the laws, forms, and language of music with a focus on assimilating these skills and demonstrating them in compositional forms. The course is taught at the level of the student and progresses according to her capacity. It presents the basics of music theory, dictation and notation, and ear training before composition is introduced. The advanced student may study composition and harmony and musical analysis.
A full Arts credit is given for this course. It fulfills the arts graduation requirement but is not figured into the GPA. Walker’s Choir performs regularly at many school functions and presents two major choral concerts. This ensemble enjoys meeting a varied repertoire and honing musical skills such as sight-reading and vocal production. Students interested in Grapes must be part of this ensemble.
Voce Felice
Open to Grades 6-12
This course provides students with an opportunity to learn and improve vocal technique and to experience a repertoire of various styles. Enrollment in Choir is not required. Voce Felice, a fine vocal ensemble, is formed from members of this class. Individual singers have the opportunity to perform as soloists at the end of the school year concert. All singers are welcome.
Meets outside of a class block
Gospel Choir
Open to Grades 7-12
The Gospel Choir is a lively vocal ensemble that incorporates musical styles from the spiritual, blues, and gospel genres. This ensemble demands a willingness to participate in the appropriate style that this music commands. All singers are welcome.
Meets outside of a class block
Private lessons are offered for many instruments. Numerous recitals and assemblies involve the music program, and public performance opportunities continue to expand the musical experience here on campus.
Financial Commitment: Private lessons are billed through the Business Office. The Music Instruction Agreement must be signed by a parent/guardian and returned before lessons can begin. Please contact the Business Office for additional details.
The goal of this course is to develop self-awareness, master acting guideposts, and build on previous knowledge of stage acting through the use of scenes, improvisation, and monologues. This one-semester class introduces students to basic acting techniques rooted in Stanislavski and Meisner, incorporating effective use of the voice, principles of stage movement, building a character, playwriting, story creation, and improvisation. The course is designed for students interested in exploring theater as a means of personal development and expression, as well as for those who wish to begin to study the craft of acting and/or playwriting. Students are expected to memorize lines, write journals, and be evaluated on their performances. This course may be taken more than once, so the course will be tailored to the students’ interests and needs.
Offered Fall 2025
This course is designed to give students an overview of dance technique, improvisation, composition, and history. We will focus on several techniques and history to build strength and knowledge in the art form. The study of dance composition through improvisation and design concepts will also be a focal point of the course. Recommended for students with little to no experience in dance.
Offered Fall 2025 and Spring 2026
This course focuses on the process of choreographing original dance pieces. Students will learn composition through experimenting with the elements of movement: time, space, weight, and flow. This course is recommended for students with some dance experience through the advanced level.
Offered Spring 2026
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Open to Grades 11-12
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Biology
The Human Anatomy and Physiology course is designed to give the student an overview of all of the systems of the human body. Students will study the structure, function, and numerous disorders of each body system as well as the interrelationships among the various systems. Students will be exposed to critical thinking and clinical application questions throughout the course as they delve into actual case studies and work through these cases to reach a diagnosis. In addition, students will experience hands-on learning and develop collaborative skills through various labs, activities, and projects throughout the year.
Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Biology
Physics 11-12 is designed for students who enter Walker’s after 9th grade and who have not yet taken Physics. This is a laboratory science course in which students develop skills in conducting experiments, working collaboratively, and solving problems that allow them to understand and describe the physical phenomena of the world around them. Through this course, students will explore the major themes of causes and effects of motion and the conservation laws of energy and momentum. Students will be introduced to physics concepts through the investigation of phenomena, hands-on activities, lectures, and interpretation of data. Through this course, an emphasis will be placed on students representing their understanding in multiple ways: verbally, diagrammatically, graphically, and mathematically.
Prerequisite: Algebra 2
Honors Scientific Research in Antibiotic Discovery (S-RAD)
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: Chemistry, Biology, and departmental approval
This course will be run in partnership with the Small World Initiative (SWI) and the Tiny Earth Network (TEN), two innovative programs that encourage students to pursue careers in science while addressing a worldwide health threat – the diminishing supply of effective antibiotics. This course centers around an introductory biochemistry course in which students conduct original hands-on field and laboratory research in the hunt for new antibiotics. Through a series of student-driven experiments, students will collect soil samples, isolate diverse bacteria, test their bacteria against clinically-relevant microorganisms, and characterize those showing inhibitory activity. This is particularly relevant since over two thirds of antibiotics originate from soil bacteria or fungi. SWI and TEN’s approach provides a unique platform to crowdsource medical breakthroughs by tapping into the intellectual power of many people concurrently addressing a global challenge and advancing promising candidates into the drug development pipeline.
Prerequisites: Completion of Chemistry and Biology and departmental approval. Possible concurrent enrollment with Honors or Advanced Biology.
Advanced Biology
Open to Grades 11-12
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry and departmental approval
The Advanced Biology course is our most challenging biology course and parallels a college-level introductory biology class. This course requires strong critical thinking skills and the ability to apply biological concepts to new situations and real-world problems. The class is designed to cover numerous biology topics in an in-depth and hands-on manner using many forms of instruction that include lecture, flipped classroom, problem-based learning, inquiry-based labs, case studies, and field work. This course is for highly motivated students who have a genuine interest in biology, are capable of self-directed and self-paced work, and possess the ability to collaborate with classmates on many different labs and projects. To allow for the completion of college-level laboratory experiments, the course meets for an additional 70-minute block each week. The Advanced Biology course will revolve around the four Big Ideas of evolution, energy, information, and interactions. Students may choose to take the Biology Advanced Placement Test in the spring.
Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry and departmental approval
Honors Biology
Open to Grades 11-12
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry and/or departmental approval
The Honors Biology course is designed to give students an overview of the biological sciences such as biochemistry, cellular biology, genetics, evolution, microbial biology, human anatomy and physiology, plants, animals, and ecology. The Honors Biology course proceeds at a faster pace than the Biology course and requires students to integrate multiple content areas at one time in their analysis of the material. Students will develop laboratory skills that include experimental design, data collection and analysis, proficiency with laboratory equipment, and error analysis through numerous inquiry-based labs throughout the year. Laboratory work in this course is more demanding and allows students to have more independence involving laboratory design.
Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry and/or departmental approval
The Biology course surveys the field of biology from biochemistry, cells, and genetics to evolution, microbiology, and ecology. Many of the most important topics in biology rely heavily on an understanding of the fundamental concepts from physics and chemistry, which is why this course is offered after the completion of these other disciplines. Generous amounts of laboratory work allow students to develop laboratory skills that include experimental design, data collection and analysis, and proficiency with laboratory equipment. Students will work collaboratively and independently as they learn to research numerous biological topics and engage in argument-driven inquiry. Through field work, students will become familiar with the woodlands and ponds that surround The Ethel Walker School and will come to appreciate the biodiversity of life that exists in our community.
Prerequisite: Chemistry
Advanced Chemistry
Open to Grades 11-12
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry and departmental approval
The Advanced Chemistry course is our most challenging chemistry course and parallels a college-level introductory chemistry class. Building on the foundation of Honors Chemistry, this course emphasizes the advanced topics of equilibrium, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Students must be prepared for a significant commitment in both time and the level of challenge. To allow for the completion of college-level laboratory experiments, the course meets for an additional 70-minute block each week. This course fully prepares interested students for the Chemistry Advanced Placement Test in the spring.
Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry and departmental approval
The Honors Chemistry course covers content similar to the Chemistry course with the addition of stoichiometry and acid-base chemistry. The course is fast paced and requires a sophisticated depth of analysis. As students progress through the year, their work increasingly focuses on the applications of basic concepts and involves complex, multi-step problem-solving. Laboratory work includes a focus on experimental design and requires more involved error analysis. This is a rigorous course with high expectations for student effort and commitment.
Prerequisite: Physics 9 and departmental approval
Recommended: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Honors Algebra 2
Chemistry is a laboratory-based course that allows students to discover basic chemical principles and understand how to use them to make sense of the world around them. The course covers the scientific method, measurement, atomic theory, nomenclature, chemical quantities, chemical reactions, aqueous chemistry, bonding, and gas laws. Students learn how to work both collaboratively and individually. Laboratory work emphasizes making careful observations, learning correct measuring and data collection techniques, analyzing data, and discussing errors. Projects each semester enable students to explore how chemistry is relevant to their daily lives.
Prerequisite: Algebra 1
Physics 9 is a laboratory science course in which students develop skills by conducting experiments, working collaboratively, and solving problems that allow them to understand and describe the physical phenomena of the world around them. Through this course, students will explore the major themes of motion, forces, and energy. Students will uncover each physics concept through a hands-on discovery process in which students investigate qualitative and quantitative scientific trends in the laboratory, discuss and argue experimental results to build a class consensus, and collaboratively develop and hone conceptual and algebraic models of the investigated phenomena. Throughout this course, an emphasis will be placed on representing our understanding in multiple ways: verbally, diagrammatically, graphically, and algebraically.
This is a one-year course that will introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students will explore univariable and bivariable data, research methods, sampling, probability and simulation, and statistical inference. This course emphasizes the use of technology, critical analysis, and scientific writing as students build statistical understanding.
Prerequisite: Algebra 2 and departmental approval
Advanced Topics in Calculus
Open to Grades 11-12
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: Advanced Calculus 1 and departmental approval
This course will build on the skills and topics introduced in Advanced Calculus 1 and introduce students to topics including but not limited to various techniques of integration, sequences and series, polar and parametric functions, and an introduction to college-level Calculus III. Students are expected to develop accurate recall of calculus topics previously covered and use multiple representations and mathematical connections in problem solving. Students will continue to learn new terminology and develop an understanding of new symbols in order to represent, solve, and justify the application of higher level mathematics. Students who take this course will have the option to take the Calculus BC Advanced Placement Test in the spring.
Prerequisite: Advanced Calculus 1 and departmental approval
Advanced Calculus 1
Credits: 1
Prerequisite: Precalculus or Honors Precalculus and departmental approval
The methods and techniques of differential and integral calculus are developed and applied to algebraic, trigonometric, logarithmic, and exponential functions. Students are required to use a graphing calculator. This course is for the young mathematician looking to be challenged. Students who take this course will have the option to take the Calculus AB Advanced Placement Test in the spring.
Prerequisite: Precalculus or Honors Precalculus and departmental approval
This course is for students who have a strong background in advanced algebraic topics. Students must make the challenging transition from a focus on algebraic skill building and processes to that of their application and conceptual analysis. In order to make connections and to contribute to class discussions and discoveries, students are expected to be quite proficient with a graphing calculator and to extract information from the textbook effectively. Topics reviewed and studied consist of various functions (including compositions, inverse, polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic) and trigonometry.
Prerequisite: Algebra 2 or FTM
This course is for students who have a strong background in advanced algebraic topics and have demonstrated a good aptitude for mathematical reasoning and intellectual curiosity. Students must make the challenging transition from a focus on algebraic skill building and processes to that of their application and conceptual analysis. Precise arithmetic and algebraic skills are essential to ensure accurate data for proper analysis, and to attain a strong level of command and understanding of the concepts studied. In order to make connections and to contribute to class discussions and discoveries, students are expected to be quite proficient with a graphing calculator and to extract information from the textbook effectively. Topics reviewed and studied consist of several types of functions (including compositions, inverse, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and circular) and an introduction to limits.
Prerequisite: Honors Algebra 2 and departmental approval
This course is for students who have a strong background in elementary algebra, including systems of equations, radicals, and quadratics. They must have demonstrated a good aptitude for mathematical reasoning. The course begins with an extension of Algebra 1 topics and continues with the study of complex numbers, quadratic functions, rational and polynomial functions, exponents, radicals, and logarithms.
Prerequisite: Honors Geometry and departmental approval
This course is for students who have completed a full year of elementary algebra and geometry. The year consists of a review and extension of Algebra 1 topics including inequalities, linear equations, operations with polynomials, and application of algebraic skills through verbal problems. Additional topics include functions, exponents, complex numbers, quadratic functions, and an introduction to statistics.
Prerequisite: Algebra 1 and Geometry
This course is for students who have a strong mathematical background, good insight, and solid problem-solving skills. Plane geometry relationships will be explored in depth with algebraic and numerical applications provided. Units on congruence, similarity, polygons, right triangles, trigonometry, circles, plane and solid figures, and coordinate geometry will be included.
Prerequisite: Algebra 1 and departmental approval
This course is for students who have completed a full year of elementary algebra. Plane geometry relationships are developed as part of a logical system, and the student learns to write short proofs based on these relations. Algebraic and numerical applications are provided, and units on right triangle trigonometry, three-dimensional figures, and coordinate geometry are included.
Prerequisite: Algebra 1
Students entering this class are expected to have studied positive and negative numbers, the basic properties of numbers, and simple equations. The course covers all topics of elementary algebra, including verbal problems, factoring, graphing of linear equations, radicals, solving linear and quadratic equations, and linear systems.
Prerequisite: Pre-Algebra or department placement
This course is a continuation of French 3. Learners will examine the history, contemporary life, art, and culture of the French-speaking world, while reinforcing and building upon the skills developed in Levels 1-3. This course uses authentic literature and film to expose learners to diverse Francophone perspectives. Learners are expected to make cultural comparisons, participate in individual and group analysis, and draw conclusions about historical and current events. By the end of the year, learners will be able to express themselves fully and spontaneously in paragraph-length language on a wide variety of everyday topics as well as topics of personal or general interest. Learners will be able to formulate and support hypotheses, make arguments, and sustain narration in multiple time frames. Students will be able to negotiate meaning in a wide range of unfamiliar contexts with confidence.
Prerequisite: French 3
This course is a continuation of French 2. Learners will build upon the structures they acquired in French 2 and engage in the target language with greater ease. By the end of the year, learners will be able to express themselves in increasingly complex sentences on a variety of everyday topics, topics of personal interest, and studied topics. Specific structures that learners will acquire include what they should/could/would have done, what they would/could/should do, as well as expressing counterfactuals, necessity, opinions, and feelings. Learners will be able to comfortably negotiate meaning in a range of unfamiliar contexts.
Prerequisite: French 2
This course is a continuation of French 1. Learners will build upon the structures they acquired in French 1 and engage in the target language with greater ease. By the end of the year, learners will be able to express themselves in complete sentences on a variety of familiar topics. Specific structures that learners will acquire include: what they were doing or used to do and what they will do.
Prerequisite: French 1
This course serves as an introduction to the French language through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. By the end of the year, learners will be able to talk about very familiar topics: themselves; the weather; their likes, dislikes, and preferences; their families and homes; their favorite pastimes and hobbies; what they did over the past weekend as well as what they are going to do over the next weekend; and what they want to do versus what they can or must do. Learners will develop the ability to negotiate meaning in unfamiliar contexts.
This course is a continuation of Spanish 3. Learners will examine the history, contemporary life, art, and culture of Spain and Latin America, while reinforcing and building upon the skills developed in Levels 1-3. This course uses authentic literature and film to expose students to Spanish and Latin American perspectives as well as the importance of Spanish in the United States. Learners are expected to make cultural comparisons, participate in individual and group analysis, and draw conclusions about historical and current events. By the end of the year, learners will be able to express themselves fully and spontaneously in paragraph-length language on a wide variety of everyday topics as well as topics of personal or general interest. Learners will be able to formulate and support hypotheses, make arguments, and sustain narration in multiple time frames. Students will be able to negotiate meaning in a wide range of unfamiliar contexts with confidence.
Prerequisite: Spanish 3
This course is a continuation of Spanish 2. Learners will build upon the structures they acquired in Spanish 2 and engage in the target language with greater ease. By the end of the year, learners will be able to express themselves in increasingly complex sentences on a variety of everyday topics, topics of personal interest, and studied topics. Specific structures that learners will acquire include what they should/could/would have done, what they would/could/should do, necessity, opinions, and feelings. Learners will be able to comfortably negotiate meaning in a wide range of unfamiliar contexts.
Prerequisite: Spanish 2
This course is a continuation of Spanish 1. Learners will build upon the structures they acquired in Spanish 1 and engage in the target language with greater ease. By the end of the year, learners will be able to express themselves in complete sentences on a variety of familiar topics. Specific structures that learners will acquire include what they were doing or used to do and what they will do. Learners will continue to develop the ability to negotiate meaning in unfamiliar contexts.
Prerequisite: Spanish 1
This course serves as an introduction to the Spanish language through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. By the end of the year, learners will be able to talk about very familiar topics: themselves; the weather; their likes, dislikes, and preferences; their families and homes; their favorite pastimes and hobbies; what they did over the past weekend as well as what they are going to do over the next weekend; what they want to do versus what they can or must do, as well as developing the ability to negotiate meaning in unfamiliar contexts.
This course is a continuation of Latin 2. Learners will build upon the structures they acquired in Latin 2 and engage in the target language with greater ease. By the end of the year, learners will be able to read and understand increasingly complex sentences and will be able to comfortably negotiate meaning in a wide range of unfamiliar contexts. Novellas will explore topics in mythology and Roman history.
Prerequisite: Latin 2
In Latin 2, students begin to go deeper with their Latin language skills, learning more challenging and sophisticated grammatical concepts. Learners will build upon the structures they acquired in Latin 1 and engage in the target language with greater ease. Students are assessed through reading novellas of increasing length and difficulty, and explore.
Prerequisite: Latin 1
Human society has always looked for answers to big questions: Why am I here? What is my place in society? How should I behave toward others? What is the nature of good and evil? This course introduces students to tracts of moral and political philosophy from Aristotle to Nussbaum. Ethical reasoning is applied to an examination of contemporary issues such as bioengineering, human rights, social justice, our relationship to the natural world, and the obligations of citizenship. Students will be encouraged to use what they are learning as a framework to develop and support their own opinions on these topics.
Offered Spring 2026
This course requires the ability to read a wide variety of texts closely, write incisively, and argue persuasively. Political and economic forces are viewed through the lens of social movements. Students explore extensive primary and secondary sources, consider the conflict and unity underlying these movements, and draw conclusions. Instead of interpreting issues and evaluating people solely through their 21st-century lens, students are encouraged to consider two questions: what did the people they are studying know and what could they have known? Assessments will largely center around document-based writing, and students will use scholarly sources to complete a final research paper.
Prerequisite: Departmental approval
This course takes a thematic approach to the study of the history of the United States from early European and Native American encounters to the start of the 20th century. Rich content and intentional skill instruction work simultaneously throughout the year, as students engage with a variety of written, visual, and primary and secondary sources, hone their historical thinking skills through developing evidence-based arguments, and communicate their ideas through clear and compelling speaking and writing.
This course is designed to challenge students to assess the modern globalized world through the study of systems and processes that have shaped the countries and cultures that exist within it. Students will learn to work collaboratively in researching topics such as exploration, colonization, revolution, industrialization, and globalization. Global History provides students with an intensive introduction to, and ongoing instruction in, the research and writing process. Students will also develop historical thinking skills such as evidence evaluation, corroboration, and interpretation, deploying these skills not only to study the past, but to grow as critical consumers of information in the digital world.