Upper School Curriculum Printable

This course builds on the foundational concepts introduced in Data Science through explorations of data that extend beyond traditionally linear models, including logarithmic, exponential, and quadratic relationships. The program also supports students in pursuing independent research projects in the field of data science. Students may elect to participate in an opt-in Honors component, which emphasizes deeper analytical work, increased independence, and more advanced or extended research applications. Prerequisites: Data Science or Pre-Calculus

Semester-Long Elective

Advanced Engineering is the second course in a two-part Engineering sequence designed to explore the various fields of engineering through project-based inquiry activities. Students are exposed to multiple areas of engineering and design. They will investigate, through the design process, structural, mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering fields. This course is a thorough introduction to the principles of engineering and applied science, specifically physics. Students will explore concepts through individual projects, team projects, and through technical writing. The curriculum of this course is centered on five units: materials science, fluid and thermodynamics, circuitry and programing, design, and grant proposal writing. Each unit will culminate with a cumulative hands-on, inquiry-based project, ensuring integration of advanced problem solving, 3D modeling and design, communication, and engineering team collaboration. Students will demonstrate mastery of content and process by completion and presentation of the assigned long-term projects. Students will apply themselves the iterative design process and are expected to share project results both electronically and during public presentations with peers, teachers, and community professionals. Students will finish the course with a renewed focus on the process of learning in preparation for future scientific and/or engineering careers. Prerequisites: Algebra 2 (Required) and Introductory Engineering (Recommended) Co-requisites: Physics (Recommended)

This honors-level yearlong elective allows students to extend independent humanities research projects by exploring connections between their studies and community organizations. By connecting to local, national, and/or international organizations, students will broaden the scope of their research and deepen their leadership skills. As they examine the relevance of the humanities to the current conditions of civic and cultural life, students will begin to understand this work in the context of Public Humanities programs. HRP 3 projects could involve working directly with community members on public-facing projects, including community art projects, public art installations, public theater, podcasts, short documentaries, Op-Eds, and Public Comments during City Council meetings. The course will begin by visiting UCSB’s Interdisciplinary Humanities Center to learn about UCSB’s Public Humanities Program and will be followed by student-organized site visits to nonprofits or other organizations of interest. Students will design all stages of their projects in consultation with Laguna faculty and community advisors. 

Please note: HRP students interested in extending their HRP 2 capstone academic research project will have the opportunity to connect to a mentor in their field of interest, deepening their research process. 

Semester-Long Elective

This course allows for an advanced artist to work independently and develop an original portfolio that encompasses a body of work. Prerequisite is a recommendation from the Visual Arts Department Chair.

Semester Long Course

This course provides the opportunity for seniors to continue the research they began as part of the Science Research Program. Students should already have a long term project and mentor in place. Prerequisite: Science Research Program 1 & 2 and Instructor Approval

Not offered 2026-27

In the Advanced Seminar in Comparative Religion, students will have the opportunity to do a deep dive into two or more religious traditions of their choosing. In particular, students will explore non-western and non-mainstream traditions, both globally and in the United States. This seminar will entail reading both secondary and primary source material from the traditions that are studied, with each student being responsible for presenting those traditions to the rest of the class. Just like in the standard/introductory version of the seminar, in-class activities will be a combination of guided lectures (with notes), seminar-style discussions (with mind-mapping and note-taking), and group exercises.

Semester-Long Elective

Advanced Vocal Ensemble will continue with the learning and skill development of Vocal Ensemble. Prerequisite is the completion of Vocal Ensemble or comparable ensemble experience and an audition with the instructor. Students will continue to develop excellent singing technique, practice sight-singing, learn SATB harmonies, and explore a diverse range of choral and solo repertoire.

This course is designed to be the second half of a two year Algebra 1 course. The first part of this course is dedicated to reviewing topics covered in Algebra 1A including but not limited to solving linear equations, graphing lines, linear systems, and simplifying exponents and radical expressions. The course will also go into more depth and be more rigorous on each topic covered in Algebra 1A including using real world applications and word problems. The second half of the class is dedicated to quadratic equations. They start with simplifying polynomial expressions by multiplying and adding. Students will then learn how to solve quadratic equations using factoring, completing the square, and the quadratic formula. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra 1A or Instructor Recommendation

Algebra 2 students should have mastery of Algebra 1 material and a thorough familiarity with coordinate geometry. Topics include solving and graphing linear, quadratic, polynomial, rational,, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric equations, functions, relations, and inequalities. Students also learn complex numbers, matrices and determinants, conic sections, sequences and series, and combinatorics and probability. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra 1 and Geometry

Algebra 2 Honors students should have mastery of Algebra 1 material and a thorough familiarity with coordinate geometry. Students will begin the course with an examination of real-world scenarios that highlight the key features associated with linear and exponential functions and will use these foundations in order to transform their graphs and equations. Additionally, in the Honors course, students will complete a brief introduction to limits in relation to the graphs of piecewise functions. Throughout the course, students will also be strengthening their understanding of factoring, simplifying radicals, and solving linear equations, which will allow them to find the real and imaginary solutions of both quadratic and polynomial functions as well as be able to perform operations with complex numbers. Later in the course, students will be introduced to logarithms and rational functions and will perform operations with and solve equations in each type. The course concludes with an investigation of trigonometry and will tie in students’ prior knowledge of basic trigonometric rules as well as transforming functions and factoring quadratics from earlier in the course. Students will be expected to graph and transform sine and cosine functions and will be able to solve equations including tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant equations that require factoring and/or the quadratic formula. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra 1 and Geometry and Instructor Recommendation

Semester-Long Elective

Human Anatomy and Physiology provides an introduction to the study of the structures of the human body and its basic functions and mechanisms. In this course students learn various anatomical structures, the functional relationship of these structures within each organ system, and their integration with one another. This course will also investigate individual body systems, such as the nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, and lymphatic system, and how these systems work to perform tasks such as regulating pain, maintaining your metabolism, mobilizing your energy as you exercise, and defending your body against viruses.

AP Biology provides students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the rapidly-changing science of biology. The textbook, range and depth of topics, laboratories, as well as time and effort required, are similar to those of a college-level class. Topics to be covered include biological chemistry, cells, energy, molecular genetics, heredity, evolution, and ecology. There is also a very strong laboratory component of the course exploring many of these topics in greater detail. The College Board has rewritten the conceptual framework for this course which emphasizes a depth of understanding, inquiry labs, analytical modeling, and data analysis. Enrolled students are required to take the AP Biology exam in May. Prerequisites: Chemistry, and departmental recommendation

AP Business with Personal Finance is a yearlong high school course that aligns closely with a college-level introduction to business class. Students explore the business disciplines of entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, accounting, and management through real-world business applications, case studies, and project based learning. The course framework includes two essential components (business skills and professional and leadership skills) that are critical to the deep understanding and application of business and personal finance content. 

Calculus AB provides students with an examination of differential and integral calculus at a level deemed equivalent with a one-semester undergraduate calculus-level course. In the course, students will be asked to refine their mathematical proficiency and explore abstract concepts like: infinity, limits, derivatives, and integrals. Students will likewise be engaged in utilizing these newly discovered mathematical concepts to determine real world applications in subjects like physics and economics. Content from this course will be drawn largely for the College Board’s approved AP Calculus syllabus and will require a firm foundation of mathematical concepts from all maths learned from Algebra, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus. Students are expected to sit for the AP Calculus exam in May. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Pre-Calculus with an A or higher or Pre-Calculus Honors with a B+ or higher

AP Calculus BC is a college-level course equivalent to a full year of calculus at most universities. The course is based on the College Board’s Advanced Placement Calculus BC curriculum, whose purpose is “developing an understanding of the concepts of calculus and providing experience with its methods and applications.” The course will emphasize that most calculus concepts and problems can be viewed or represented in several ways: graphically, numerically, algebraically and verbally. Graphing calculators are tools for moving between these representations, so we will use them regularly. One purpose of this course is to prepare students for the AP Exam, as well as future college math and science courses where the students will be required to use advanced calculus methods and concepts to solve complex STEM-related problems. Students are expected to perform college-level work. Prerequisite: Successful completion of
Pre-Calculus Honors or AP Calculus AB and departmental recommendation

This course is a one-year, college-level chemistry course. Material introduced in the sophomore year chemistry course will serve as the foundation for this in-depth analysis. The syllabus will follow that of the AP Chemistry curriculum, and the students will be prepared for the examination at year’s end. Formal laboratory assignments will accompany each unit, and complex mathematical analysis of each unit will challenge the students’ understanding of concepts. Topics include matter and its properties, stoichiometry, gases, atomic theory, reaction kinematics, equilibrium, thermodynamics, oxidation-reduction, acids & bases, and organic chemistry. Enrolled students are required to take the AP Chemistry exam in May. Prerequisites/co-requisite: Chemistry, departmental recommendation, Pre-Calculus

This class introduces students to fundamental concepts used by political scientists to study the processes and outcomes of politics in a variety of country settings. The course aims to illustrate the rich diversity of political life, to show available institutional alternatives, to explain differences in processes and policy outcomes, and to communicate to students the importance of global political and economic changes. Comparison assists both in identifying problems and in analyzing policymaking. For example, we only know that a country has a high population growth rate or serious corruption when we compare it to other countries. Careful comparison of political systems produces useful knowledge about the policies countries have effectively initiated to address problems, or what they have done to make things worse. We can compare the effectiveness of policy approaches to poverty or overpopulation by examining how different countries solve similar problems. Furthermore, by comparing the political institutions and practices of wealthy and poor countries, we can begin to understand the political consequences of economic well-being. Finally, comparison assists explanation. Why are some countries stable democracies and not others? Why do many democracies have prime ministers instead of presidents? In addition to covering the major concepts that are used to organize and interpret what we know about political phenomena and relationships, the course should cover specific countries and their governments. Six countries form the core of the AP Comparative Government and Politics course. China, Great Britain, Mexico, Nigeria, and Russia, each of which are covered in college-level introductory comparative politics courses. The inclusion of Iran adds a political system from a very important region of the world and one that is subject to distinctive political and cultural dynamics. By using these six core countries, the course can move the discussion of concepts from abstract definition to concrete example, noting that not all concepts will be equally useful in all country settings.

Not offered 2026-27

This is an introductory college-level computer science course. Students cultivate their understanding of coding through analyzing, writing, and testing code as they explore concepts like modularity, variables, and control structures. This course will alternate years with AP Computer Science Principles: Cybersecurity. Prerequisite: Algebra 2 and approval from either your current math or science instructor.

AP Cybersecurity is a yearlong high school course that offers a broad introduction to the field and aligns closely with a college-level, introductory cybersecurity course. Students learn about common threats and vulnerabilities and how they combine to create risk. Students study how individuals and organizations manage risk and how risk can be mitigated through a defense-in-depth strategy. Students explore specific vulnerabilities, attacks, mitigations, and detection measures across a variety of domains including physical spaces, computer networks, devices, and data and applications. Throughout the course, students consider the impact of cybersecurity on individuals, organizations, societies, and governments. Content and skills taught in the course align with the professional skills outlined in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Workforce Framework.

This course prepares students for both the AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics exams in May. After a brief introduction to basic economic concepts of supply and demand, scarcity, comparative advantage and specialization, economic systems, and marginal analysis, the course blends quantitative reasoning/mathematical models with social science in the study of individual choice and markets (microeconomics) and inflation, unemployment, business cycles, international trade and currencies, and national economic growth (macroeconomics). Micro topics include: the nature and function of product markets, factor markets, market failures, and the role of government at the individual and firm levels. Macro topics include: national measurements of economic performance, aggregate supply and demand models, money and banking, the role of banks and the Federal Reserve Bank in money creation and economic growth, the role of fiscal and monetary policy on unemployment and inflation, and foreign exchange markets and international trade. Prerequisite: Pre-Calculus or instructor approval.

This course will introduce students to the basic life-support systems of the Earth and study how humans affect them. Topics to be explored are biomes, impacts of population growth, global climate change, air, water and soil pollution, loss of biodiversity, energy and  raw material consumptions, and how global systems are monitored and studied. Enrolled students are required to take the AP Environmental Science exam in May. Prerequisite: Departmental recommendation

Mediated exclusively through authentic resources destined for native French speakers, this course equates to a third-year college course in Advanced French. Organized around six major themes of contemporary society, including Global Challenges, Art and Aesthetics, and Family & Community, the course emphasizes the use of French for active communication by synthesizing authentic sources of different media. In so doing, students refine their comprehension when listening and reading, and practice writing and speaking in both formal and informal modes. Throughout the year, students are trained to engage in complex expression using a range of vocabulary, sophisticated language structures and multiple time references—both concrete and hypothetical—and ultimately appreciate the nuances of French expression. Upon completion of this course, students are able to comprehend formal and informal spoken French, read French newspapers, magazines, and modern literature with ease, compose coherently and accurately on a wide range of factual and imaginative topics and clearly and fluidly express themselves. Students enrolled in this course are expected to participate entirely in French and are required to take the AP exam. Prerequisite: French 4 Honors and
Recommendation of Department (Not offered in 2024/25.)

This course will cover a challenging curriculum based on the practices of rhetorical analysis, argument, and exposition. The main textbook is The Language of Composition 3rd Edition, supplemented by collections of essays found in Quarterly Course Readers as well as some fictional and nonfictional choices for the year. The class will read, analyze, and describe essays, articles, journal entries, declarations, decisions and speeches and discover in them, and through students’ own work and process, the principles of the craft of composition. Students will learn and have their performance assessed in a wide variety of genres ranging from relatively casual narratives based on feelings and personal experience to formal research reports. Through arguments adhering to rigorous standards of proof, students will deliberate on matters of public policy and aspects of popular culture. Instruction and assignments will act as a coordinated sequence throughout the year to provide students with appropriate levels of feedback, assessment, and challenge in order to develop their skills fully in time for the AP exam. Each extended literacy task required will involve the student in a structured process of revision with several stages, peer and teacher feedback, and explicit standards and expectations oriented towards measurable outcomes. Prerequisite: Formal Assessment for placement

In AP Latin, students will translate and analyze the writings of two literary giants—Caesar (Commentaries on the Gallic
Wars) and Vergil (the Aeneid). Students will gain competence in reading and discussing the Latin language in terms of syntax and literary style. They will also use their study of the language to learn about the history and culture of the ancient
Romans. Students will connect Caesar’s work to Vergil’s by discussing themes such as war and empire, leadership, human beings and their relationship to the gods, and good old-fashioned Roman values. Although most of the time will be spent translating the passages on the AP syllabus, students will also write essays in English on short Latin passages. Once students have taken the AP exam in May, the class will center on more experiential projects such as practicing oral Latin, composing songs in Latin, or writing children’s books in Latin. Prerequisite: Latin 3H/4H with departmental recommendation

Advanced Placement Literature is a challenging, nutritious college-level course for hungry high school students—not only a test prep course. Critical thinking, rigorous writing, and joyful engagement with literature are our main goals. However, this one-year course will also prepare you for the AP English Literature and Composition exam through the intensive study of works of acknowledged literary merit in several genres—novels, plays, poems, and short stories from the sixteenth century to the present. Works that have earned a distinction of literary merit possess rich language, distinctive voice and style, and layered complexity and ambiguity. Works of literary merit deal with universal truths, raise social concerns, move from the particular to the universal, and invite multiple interpretations. The authors studied include novelists, playwrights, and poets, such as Cathy Park Hong, Claudia Rankine, Sophocles, Shakespeare, Albert Camus, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Oscar Wilde, William Faulkner, Langston Hughes, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Tennessee Williams, Sylvia Plath, Kate Chopin, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and others. Their literature invites and rewards re-reading and does not, like ephemeral works in such popular genres as detective or romance fiction, yield all their pleasure of thought and feeling the first time through. Through the close reading of selected texts, you will deepen your understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. Both in-class and out-of- class essays, including a formal research paper, are assigned regularly. Prerequisite: Formal Assessment for placement

AP Physics C Mechanics provides instruction in each of the following areas: kinematics; Newton’s laws of motion; work, energy, and power; systems of particles and linear momentum; circular motion and rotations; and oscillations and gravitation. Guided inquiry and hands-on learning will foster the development of critical thinking skills and will use introductory differential and integral calculus throughout the course. Enrolled students are required to take the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam in May. Co-requisites: Calculus AB or BC, and departmental recommendation

The AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavioral and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the history of psychology, research methods, biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, state of consciousness, theories of learning and cognition, motivation and emotion, developmental psychology, theories of personality, abnormal psychology along with various methods of treatment, and social psychology. Enrolled students are required to take the AP Psychology exam in May. Prerequisite: Departmental recommendation

This intensive course is available to students who have completed three years of Spanish and who have demonstrated strong skills at learning the language and assimilating the culture. The AP Spanish Language Course is designed to allow students to study the language at the college level and prepares them for the College Board’s AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. Students practice and are tested regularly on their ability to comprehend, speak, read, and write using advanced structures and idiomatic vocabulary. The three modes of communication (Interpersonal, Interpretive and Presentational) defined in the Standards for Foreign Language acquisition in the 21st Century and are foundation to the AP® Spanish Language and Culture course. When communicating, students demonstrate an understanding of the culture(s), incorporate interdisciplinary topics (connections), make linguistic and cultural comparisons, and use the target language in real life setting communities. Prerequisite: Departmental recommendation

Not offered 2026-27

AP Spanish Literature is equivalent to a college level introductory survey course of literature written in Spanish. Students continue to develop their interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational skills in Spanish language as well as critical reading and analytical writing as they explore short stories, novels, plays, essays, and poetry from Spain, Latin America, and U.S. Hispanic authors along with other non-required texts. Prerequisite: Departmental recommendation

AP Statistics 1 has four main components: describing and analyzing one and two-variable sets of data, planning studies, anticipating patterns, and developing and confirming statistical models. Students design surveys and explore bias, correlation, sampling error, randomization, control groups, and generalization of results. Statistical models are produced using probability, simulation, and statistical inference. Students explore confidence intervals and tests of significance. AP Statistics focuses on word problems using real world data. Mastery of data analysis is a key component of the course. Enrolled students are required to take the AP Statistics exam in May. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Pre-Calculus or Algebra 2 and departmental recommendation

AP U.S. Government and Politics is a yearlong course that provides a college-level, nonpartisan introduction to key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States. Students will study U.S. foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions, and other texts and visuals to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions, processes, and behaviors. Underpinning the required content of the course are several big ideas that allow students to create meaningful connections among concepts throughout the course.

In AP U.S. History, students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in nine historical
periods from approximately 1491 to the present. Students develop the same skills and methods historians employ: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical connections; and utilizing reasoning about comparison, causation, continuity, and change. The course also provides eight themes that students explore throughout the course to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: American and national identity; work, exchange, and technology; geography and the environment; migration and settlement; politics and power; America in the world; American and regional culture; and social structures. College Course Equivalent AP U.S. History is equivalent to a two-semester introductory college course in U.S. history. There are no prerequisites for AP U.S. History. Students should be able to read a college-level textbook and write grammatically correct and in complete sentences.

Semester-Long Elective

Whether practicing principles of design or discussing elaborate art heists, students of Art History engage with the concept of “art” and its role in society. By considering art from different cultures and time periods—from Egyptian pyramids and Gothic cathedrals to French Impressionism and Street Art—students craft their own definition of art and consider its social context and legacy. Alongside hands-on experiences, guest speakers, and field trips, we also consider the ethics and politics of conservation, collection, exhibition, and repatriation. Key questions of the course include: Is this art? What makes it so?  Who decides that it’s art? Should this artwork be repaired? Why should that one be worth hundreds of millions of dollars? Should museums return objects taken in the past? Is graffiti art? By the end of the course, students will be able to identify different “signatures” in art and architecture, and ultimately better enjoy their visits to museums around the globe! This is a semester long, opt-in honors course.

Biology introduces students to the fundamental concepts needed to build an understanding of living systems and how biology relates to the natural world. The course is organized around unifying themes that form a logical sequence, allowing students to connect and make sense of the complexities of biological interactions. Core themes include unicellular and multicellular organization, evolution, energy transformations, and interactions between organisms and their environment. Students also explore current discoveries in biology and biotechnology. The laboratory component emphasizes inquiry-based learning, providing students with opportunities to design and conduct their own investigations. Through hands-on experimentation, students develop skills in critical thinking, data analysis, and scientific reasoning while learning how evidence supports biological explanations. 

Students may elect to participate in opt-in honors designed to provide greater depth, rigor, and independence. The honors component expands upon core course content through advanced readings, enhanced laboratory investigations and open-ended research projects. Students engage in more complex data analysis, apply biological concepts to real-world and emerging scientific issues, and communicate their findings through formal scientific writing and presentations. Additionally, class and lab assessments will reflect the added rigor of the opt-in honors component. This option is well suited for students who demonstrate a strong interest in biology, curiosity about scientific research, and readiness for a more challenging academic experience.

Honors Calculus serves to provide students with a strong foundation in calculus concepts. The course begins with an extension of students’ Pre-Calculus analysis of end behavior, as students explore limits and continuity. The topic of limits will then be extended into conceptualizing the derivative, and rules of differentiation. Applications of derivatives will include relating first and second derivatives to the original function, as well as an examination of related rates, especially those involving real-world scenarios and optimization. After a thorough study of topics involving derivatives, students will be introduced to the inverse operation of integration. Students will study rules of integration, as well as applications including calculating the area between two curves as well as the volume of revolutions of curves. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Pre-Calculus

Not offered in 2026-27

This course is based on the “History and American Democracy” curriculum of Harvard Business School’s Case Method Institute for Education and Democracy. It is a case-study-based deep dive into the history of American democracy, from the formative times of our constitutional republic to the present day. Cases cover a broad range of historical themes and topics, including: American political theory and constitutional crises; national debt; native peoples’ rights; suffrage movements; slavery; reconstruction; public education; labor movements and unions; mass communication; financial regulation; Civil Rights Movement; gerrymandering; Political Action Committees; corporate speech; and more!

Semester-Long Elective

Students use hands-on manipulation of clay to produce three-dimensional forms through a variety of techniques. Assignments include slab building, pinch pots, coil pots, sculpted forms, and wheel thrown pottery. Emphasis is on creativity, proportion, artistic interaction, imagination, and form. Students learn a variety of decorating techniques including sgraffito, imprinting, underglazing, and glazing.

This course surveys the principles of inorganic chemistry, including an introduction to the structure of matter, the characteristics and behavior of elements and compounds, and the principles governing the reactions which they can undergo. Students will discover how macroscopic phenomena seen in the laboratory are due to changes at the molecular level and learn how we represent these changes in chemical formulas and equations. The course also covers an introduction to thermodynamics, allowing students to begin to understand how energy plays a role in the outcomes of chemical reactions. Laboratory sessions include standard exercises, which elucidate the underlying principles of chemistry, as well as techniques and procedures currently in use in
commercial, industrial, and research laboratories.

The basic principles explored in the Chemistry 10 Honors course will be covered in greater depth and at an accelerated rate. This allows students to cover additional topics within each of the units. Chemistry 10 Honors is taught assuming that students have a mastery of algebraic manipulation. Writing in the scientific style will also be emphasized, so students should have grade-level mastery of English composition. Prerequisite/co-requisite: Algebra 2 and departmental recommendation

Semester-Long Elective

The Chicana/o Studies course will examine the political, social, and economic conditions that have impacted Chicana/o identity and the historical events that have shaped Chicana/o communities locally, in California, and the United States. Moreover, this course provides the opportunity to explore topics including but not limited to culture, race, gender, social class, language, immigration, historical developments, social justice, and artistic/literary expression. Students will analyze the long-term impact of historical events related to the Chicana/o in society.

Semester-Long Elective

This course will start with the basics of Python 3 programming via the Raspberry Pi hardware and the Thonny IDE. During this quarter, the student will develop games leading to programming by intention. Students will use the skills acquired to continue Python programming via hardware projects in the second quarter. These projects build on the Raspberry Pi hardware and engage students to use logic, math, and creativity to solve various hardware/software problems. The students will fabricate a series of projects to practice breaking more significant issues down into smaller tasks as it is an essential skill in the CS world. This course assumes no prior knowledge of computers. As mentioned, the course will start with an introduction to Python and then continue using Python to control simple circuits to gain a firmer foundation with variables, operations, style, abstraction, functions, loops, and conditionals. By using the Raspberry Pi general-purpose IO pins and the available Python Libraries, students will transition to designing and testing more complex circuits, allowing them to be involved in algorithms, information processing, data types, control structures, modules, arrays, strings, packages, classes, objects, and graphics. Students will have many opportunities to be involved in collaborative assignments in addition to many opportunities to work individually. This is the same course as Coding for Makers offered in the MS.

Offered Spring of 2027 (Semester 2)

The feeling of isolation or alienation from society is a basic condition of humanity, and especially of modernity. Accordingly, modern literature is filled with characters who don’t fit in, either because they are defiantly iconoclastic or because society has deemed them an outcast of one kind or another and relegated them to the social margins. This junior/senior comparative literature elective proposes a semester-long exploration of the theme of social alienation. The texts for the course are mostly novels with a sprinkling of short stories, poetry, narrative non-fiction, and films. They address realms such as the relationships between the individual and the state; race, class, gender and sexuality; wilderness and society; and the social pressure to conform to dominant attitudes and values. The course is both a comparative literature and creative writing intensive. As students read about outcasts, iconoclasts, and pariahs, they will write and workshop original poetry and fiction about the same theme.

Not offered 2026-27

This seminar introduces students to the academic study of religion through in-depth study and analysis of various global religious traditions and the common themes, concerns, and social/cultural dimensions that they share. We explore a broad spectrum of material, including primary and secondary sources, as well as documentary films. The students’ interests form and guide their final projects, which are personalized demonstrations of the knowledge and skills they gained in the course, and involve both creative and academic presentation with the intention of translating scholarly work
and insight for a general audience.

Semester-Long Elective

This creative writing course centers joy and self-awareness in the reading and writing process. Creative writing from a critical identity lens requires that we move beyond the writing maxim, “Show, don’t tell” and shift into a space where students consider the ways in which writing is political. This course will challenge students to consider how their positionality impacts how they read and write. Designed for students who wish to become better readers and creative writers, this course will expose students to a variety of writing styles and genres. Students will practice reading and writing in various genres, including narrative, verse, and creative nonfiction, using materials drawn from their own work and selected texts from established and peer writers.

Semester-Long Elective

This course explores not only what is currently happening in the world, but the context and history of which those events are happening. With this comprehensive study, students will gain an understanding of current events and global issues more fully. Major issues addressing the world such as terrorism, global warming, race, and AI will be discussed, just to name a few.

In this course, students will learn to understand, ask questions of, and represent data through project-based units. The units will give students opportunities to be data explorers through active engagement, developing their understanding of data analysis, sampling, correlation/causation, bias and uncertainty, modeling with data, making and evaluating data-based arguments, and the importance of data in society. At the end of the course, students will have a portfolio of their data science work to showcase their newly developed knowledge and understanding.
     This course is dependent upon the use and application of a variety of technologies. The appropriate and strategic use of these tools will be demonstrated and required throughout the course. The tools required will include CODAP for analyzing and visualizing data, Google Sheets for analyzing and visualizing large amounts of data (on the order of hundreds of data points), the Google Data Commons API (a website wherein students will gather, sort, visualize, and export country data that is freely available to the public), Tableau for analyzing data and creating visuals, and Python through Google Colaboratory, as students learn to use coding with larger data sets. Each tool required is widely accessible and web-based; downloading apps and software is not necessary for the use of this course. Prerequisites:
Algebra 2/Trigonometry

Semester-Long Elective

This course focuses on the fundamentals of composition. Elements of the curriculum include: lectures, examining works of historical and contemporary photographers, class critiques, creating dynamic photographic compositions, and manipulating images using computer imaging software such as Photoshop. Students compile both black & white and color photographs in an individual portfolio. Thematic units focus on technique, composition, photomontage, editing, nature, portraits, abstraction, and the various elements and principles of design. Learning to see and explore personal artistic expression is fundamental to the course. Students will have opportunities to create images on off-campus excursions during block period field trips.

Semester-Long Elective

Students will be introduced to and explore digital video cameras, the nonlinear editing program Adobe Premiere Pro CC, and learn how to interface with a computer. The main objective of this course is to impart to the students the various facets of visual storytelling. Discussions include the fundamentals of cinematography, the importance of content, previsualization and storyboarding with the goal of developing technical skill and self-expression through digital media. Viewing films and seeing how others have chosen to “tell” their stories highlight the course.

Semester-Long Elective

The nature of this course is to establish a solid foundation of understanding design, drawing, and painting skills by focusing on the disciplines of observation, research, and kinetic exercises. This class will primarily be concerned with the development of each student’s artistic perception and creative expression by exploring the techniques of drawing shapes, textures, line quality, shading, single and two-point perspective, and colors of animate and inanimate objects. They will look at objective and non-objective artists and their works for inspiration in their unique expressions. The focus will shift to watercolor and acrylic painting techniques fusing both drawing and painting together. The subject matter will vary according to the community or world events as well as seasonal themes through constant connection and application of the given art form. The final project is a series of images related to a single theme or concept in mediums of their choice.

Semester-Long Elective

In this course, students explore various areas of engineering and design, including mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering, using microprocessors and sensors, through project-based inquiry projects. The course aims to thoroughly introduce engineering principles and applied science via electronics, a branch of physics focused on the theory and use of devices typically connected via microprocessors. Prerequisite: Algebra 2 (Required) and Introductory Engineering (Recommended). Corequisite: Physics (Recommended)

English 10 emphasizes reading, understanding, and writing about literature using principles of logic. Students read historical and contemporary non‐fiction, poetic, dramatic, and prose selections from around the world. Readings include works by William Golding, Erich Maria Remarque, Mary Shelley, Yaa Gyasi, Khaled Hosseini, Jean Rhys, Thi Bui and others. This course builds on the fundamental reading, writing, and critical thinking skills that were taught in English 9, and deepens the formal, in‐depth study of literary analysis. Students’ appreciation of the broader social, cultural, and historical context is particularly encouraged. Ultimately, this course enables students to value literary art and to understand the complexities of human experience. An emphasis will be placed on critical analysis of fiction and nonfiction reading, advanced grammar and convention work, vocabulary acquisition, research, poetic expression and analysis. Students will write literary analysis, creative nonfiction, research papers, original poetry, OpEds, persuasive essays and a variety of creative writing forms.

The Honors English 10 course is designed for those students who have succeeded in their freshman year of study and want to continue with a rigorous program of English instruction. Grammar, vocabulary, usage and composition are taught assuming that students in this course already possess a working knowledge of the language. Literature study includes a variety of literary texts as well as nonfiction essays, speeches, and visual texts. An introduction to rhetorical terms and a high focus on vocabulary acquisition through context will be an integral part of the curriculum. Students will develop and apply discrete skills identified within the learning objectives of the class through questioning and exploring a variety of texts through the rhetorical lens, understanding and analyzing text, evaluating multiple perspectives and synthesizing ideas in writing. Students who successfully complete this course will most likely opt for assessment into Advanced Placement Language and Composition in their junior year although other acceptable options are available at grade level.

English 9 offers a process-oriented approach to developing the fundamental reading, writing, and critical thinking skills that are essential for success in high school, college, and beyond. A variety of American literary texts by twentieth century writers – from W.E.B. Du Bois to Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Steinbeck, Langston Hughes, Lorraine Hansberry, Flannery O’Connor, and James Baldwin – are read in the context of the critical moments in history that produced them, such as the Harlem Renaissance, American modernism, and the Civil Rights Movement. The Ninth Grade Fall Trip to Monterey and summer reading of John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, as well as Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, offer jumping off points to consider essential questions for the year: What ecosystems are you a part of? Who are you, and what is your place in a larger community? And how do class, race, and gender shape identities, perspectives, and experiences of vulnerability?

Emphasizing sentence structure through the study of grammar, style, and vocabulary in context, students are asked to pay attention to craft—their own and others’— and to develop an awareness of their own voice. In the fall, students write and revise thesis-driven literary analysis essays based on close reading and annotation. Students grow to understand the value of an argumentative thesis while immersing themselves in the process of crafting unified, coherent and well-developed paragraphs and essays.

Critical to English 9 is our Urban Studies unit, which allows students to draw on the paradigms of “close reading” and passage analysis to “read” the city of downtown Santa Barbara on a Farmers Market Tuesday. Students prepare for our interdisciplinary, collaborative ethnography walk from Alameda Park to the Funk Zone by studying complex issues related to gentrification, homelessness, class divides, the pandemic, and public health.

Not Offered 2026-27

This class is designed to push and stretch every student. It will stretch their mind, their sense of others, and their understanding of themselves as they develop creative problem-solving skills, and then put them to work in a real-world situation. Students will be pushed to look at the world differently and to regularly step out of their comfort zone. They will learn to communicate in a professional manner and work on a team with local entrepreneurs solving real problems being faced today in the business and nonprofit world. After three rounds of working with local entrepreneurs, students will develop their own product and ultimately pitch this product to a group of venture capitalists. Entrepreneurship and Innovation is not designed to mimic the real world - it is a true taste of the real world.

Semester-Long Elective

What is identity and how do we study it? How have ideas about race, gender, and sexuality been created, sustained, and changed over time? Who benefits from these ideas? How have we been socialized to perpetuate stereotypes and biases toward groups of people? How do gender and identity intersect with race and class? How do power, socialization, the media, and stereotypes affect our private and public lives? Students will examine the work of important thinkers on race, class consciousness, and identity and engage in authentic and personal discussions in order to connect their experiences to the larger world.

Students are introduced to the fundamentals of French and of language study with an emphasis on developing essential vocabulary, on understanding how grammatical structures work (and help!), and on learning principles of French pronunciation that support “un bon accent”. Core linguistic notions of gender, conjugation, and agreement are introduced and reinforced by actively speaking and writing about one’s life. Students will be able to communicate about oneself, one’s family and community, daily life, diet, clothing, sports, and hobbies. They will be able to effectively pose and respond to questions, tell time, talk about the weather, and simulate daily activities such as dining out or completing a purchase. Students compare cultures by learning about French family life, the interests of French teens, and the variety of Francophone regions, from Paris and the French provinces to regions such as Canada, North Africa, and French Polynesia. Excerpts from music, cinema, and contemporary news provide further opportunities for cultural exploration.

Students in this course are challenged to move beyond the basics of the language and realize their potential for expanded expression. Their written and oral skills are significantly boosted this year. After thorough review of basic language tools, including narration in the present and core principles of French pronunciation, students learn to narrate in the past by using the imperfect and passé composé, and to reduce repetition by incorporating—and distinguishing among—object pronouns. Emphasis is placed on mnemonic devices and on creative solutions when confronted with the unknown. Authentic cultural texts (readings, music, film) and project-based assessments complement the curriculum. Prerequisite:
French 1 or approval of Department

In this course, students continue to improve their oral and written skills and to deepen their knowledge of the French and francophone cultures. Students learn to significantly expand their expressive repertoire, particularly in the areas of past, future, and hypothetical narration. The class focuses on developing sustained, extemporaneous communication, including circumlocution and the art of storytelling through juxtaposition of tenses. Students also strengthen their ability to speak without redundancy by distinguishing among different pronouns in French. Authentic cultural texts (readings, music, film) and project-based assessments complement the curriculum. Prerequisite: French 2 or recommendation of Department

Students deepen their linguistic competence by speaking and writing in multiple tenses and moods while exploring the diversity of the French-speaking world. In addition to further expanding their vocabulary and facility with complex grammatical structures, student work to hone their intonation, phrasing and diction. Students continue to improve their understanding of authentic contemporary texts and spoken language drawn from a variety of authentic sources, such as magazines, newspapers, film shorts, and novels. Students are evaluated on their ability to synthesize their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Prerequisite: French 3 or recommendation of Department

This one-year seminar course will explore notions of French and Francophone identity as mediated through culinary traditions and contemporary film, supplemented by hands-on exploration and cooking. Interpersonal discussions, formal presentations, and project-based investigations will explore the products, practices, and perspectives of the culinary arts in French-speaking regions around the world. Authentic resources drawn from Francophone regions around the globe will be interpreted with an interdisciplinary, comparative perspective that will contextualize notions of French identity in the early 21st century. The course is conducted in French.

Geometry introduces high school students to concepts of formal logic. Students study the material of Euclidean plane geometry, in particular, the properties of geometric figures, including triangles, polygons, and circles. Congruence and similarity of figures is covered as well as the calculation of area and volume of two and three‐dimensional figures–both known and novel. Students perform straightedge and compass constructions and use those techniques of construction to create art and other renderings to be used in larger design projects. The Pythagorean Theorem and right‐triangle trigonometry are key concepts of the course. In the end, the course finishes with an introduction to applications of linear functions used to model “real world” phenomenon that enables discussions of domains, ranges, extrapolation, and interpolation. Algebra skills are incorporated throughout the course to maintain readiness for Algebra II. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra 1

Offered Spring of 2027 (Semester 2)

This seminar will consider the Grotesque as an aesthetic category through which authors have commented on The Other, epidemics, the divine, liminal states of being, marginalized bodies, dystopian visions of the future, and all things unorthodox. Students will have the chance to read literary theories that attempt to define the Grotesque, apply those theories to the works they read, and finally to come up with their own theory of the Grotesque. The course will also explore the related genres of horror, the Sublime, the Uncanny, and Surrealism. Examples of texts we will read include Han Kang’s The Vegetarian, Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” and Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica. Texts will be supplemented by extensive analysis of visual and performance art.

Semester-Long Elective

Students enrolled in this course will be involved in mounting the school’s January Drama Production. Students will engage in a semester-long rehearsal process of a full-length play, culminating in a series of performances on Laguna Blanca’s Spaulding stage. There are a limited number of roles available and casting is audition based (please note that being enrolled in the course does not guarantee a role). Crew positions open to enrolling include those interested in Stage Management and Assistant Directing. Students interested in participating in the scenic, lighting, sound, and costume elements of the show do not need to register for this class (those interested in crew, sign up directly with Laguna’s  Theater Instructor and meet outside of school). Attendance at after-school rehearsals and all performances are a requirement of this course. Those students interested in Play Production must seek the instructor’s approval and previous experience is a determining factor.

This cutting-edge upper school program is a two-year odyssey in humanities education that blends a broad curriculum of texts with field trips, abundant guest lectures, and a mandate for multimedia literacy, all of which are fine-tuned to prepare students for the rigors of 21st century higher education.

During sophomore year, connect with scholars, artists, and professionals who act as guides through coursework devoted to the study of human imagination. As a junior, participate in the Humanities Capstone year, which features a focused field of study that allows full immersion into global culture through the lens of history, literature, and art. This program provides a unique opportunity to interview some of the finest minds in contemporary culture—and then share those perspectives via video and podcast platforms.

More than a class, the Humanities Research Program will help prepare students for the rewarding challenges and delights that await after high school and in the world beyond.

Semester-Long Elective

This course introduces students to the engineering design process, problem solving, and the ideation process. Students delve into design thinking associated with creating various hand-made solutions to given scenarios and “problems”. This course serves as an introduction to the tools and techniques used in a modern maker space and will integrate arts, engineering, and physical movement. Students will explore the world of engineering and its connected career fields and disciplines in this course by:

• The introduction to the concepts of 3d design, modeling, and fabrication.
• Focusing on the design process and its application. Through hands-on projects, students will apply general engineering standards during the modeling process. 
• Learning the basics of using hand tools, hand-held power tools, and shop-mounted power tools. 
• Emphasizing that the engineer is a team worker who needs strong skills in problem-solving and communication.

Introducing students to the basics of project management and collaboration, many aspects of the design process will be group-based with rubrics that will reflect their respective efforts and willingness to collaborate. This course counts towards either STEM or Visual Arts requirements and may be taken again as an Advanced option.

Semester-Long Elective

Students use hands-on manipulation of clay to produce three-dimensional forms through a variety of techniques. Assignments include slab building, pinch pots, coil pots, sculpted forms, and wheel-thrown pottery. Emphasis is on creativity, proportion, artistic interaction, imagination, and form. Students learn a variety of decorating techniques including sgraffito, imprinting, underglazing, and glazing. Intermediate Ceramics students must have completed one semester of high school Ceramics prior to enrollment.  Advanced Ceramics is a UC Honors course, thus it requires a written paper or a personal exhibition in the community. Students must complete two prior semesters of Ceramics before enrolling in the Honors course. Teacher recommendation is required.

Semester-Long Elective

The course will build upon the beginning foundation where students will write up a contract; after discussion with the instructor, to focus on a more individualized and proactive course of exploration in a single medium or multiple mediums dealing with a particular topic or genre of art. An emphasis will be on a series with a directed thematic connection that could be included in a portfolio of work to use for college submission purposes or if developed enough an exhibition proposal. This will include at least some of the following starting points: personal identity, global/cultural viewpoints, historical impacts on current viewpoints, gender issues, science and technology facets in the arts, the performing arts influence as a modern voice, sculptural work, etc. This aspect is fairly open to interpretation between the student and instructor. The student will also be tasked with assisting the instructor in peer class critiques and input on student work in progress. They are expected to design and create at least four pieces in addition to preliminary discussions with the instructor and pre-production work that will entail any conceptual, material, design, and medium aspects. during the semester. Documentation and reflection of and upon their research and process are part of their journey. Career opportunities and local working artists and studio visits will be presented for the benefit of those seeking a more professional investigation. Students must have taken one to two semesters previously or by the approval of the instructor.

Semester-Long Elective

The Introduction to Artificial Intelligence course teaches students important programming concepts that enable the use of Artificial Intelligence in computer science and society at large. Students will learn how to incorporate basic Artificial Intelligence algorithms in their own work, and consider the social and ethical implications of how Artificial Intelligence is used, and how it plans to be used. Students will develop a series of projects that illustrate the variety of ways Artificial Intelligence can be used to optimize and predict information and processes.

Semester-Long Elective

Engineering is a branch of knowledge that involves the application of scientific and mathematical principles to practical ends such as the design, manufacture, and operation of efficient and economical structures, machines, processes, and systems. This course introduces students to the profession, including the disciplines of civil, computer, electrical, environmental, and mechanical engineering. It will focus on the design process and its application. Through hands-on projects, students will apply general engineering standards during the modeling process. Students will learn the basics of design presentation and the use of 3D modeling. They will also document their work using an engineer’s notebook and communicate solutions to peers and professionals. This course will prepare students for success through the integration of the following important skills: technical problem solving and engineering design, ethical decision-making, teamwork, and communicating to diverse audiences.

Semester-Long Elective

Forensic Science applies the tools of multiple scientific disciplines such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Psychology, as well as the process of scientific inquiry to the goal of investigating crime scene evidence in the eye of the law. This course introduces students to the key topics in forensic science, including the application of the scientific process to forensic analysis, procedures and principles of crime scene investigation, physical and trace evidence such as hair, fiber, fingerprints, DNA, and blood. Students will actively participate in labs and activities relating to the investigation of hypothetical crime scenes and the analysis of evidence. Lastly, we will explore various career options available in the field of forensic science.

Semester-Long Elective

This seminar will explore Philosophy – literally, ‘Love of Wisdom!’ The course will focus on the four main branches of philosophy: Metaphysics: the study of the physical Universe, and the Nature of Reality. Question: “What is real?” Epistemology: The study of the origin of Truth and Knowledge. Question: “How do we know what we know.” Axiology: The study of the nature of ethics and aesthetics. Question: “Why do we act the way we do”? Logic: The study of the Nature of Reason.” Question: “How can we think rationally”? The course will examine the important historical contributions of Western and Eastern Philosophy, from Ancient (Socrates and Plato) to Modern (Kant, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, MillMill, Marx, and Nagel), to Buddha!

Semester-Long Elective

Songwriting is a creative class for students who are interested in writing their own songs and performing them for their peers. Students will explore how songs are built by learning about lyrics, melody, rhythm, and song structure. Through fun writing prompts and clear guidelines, students will create original songs in different styles. They will also have opportunities to practice performing their work in a supportive classroom environment, helping build confidence, creativity, and collaboration.

Journalism & Advanced Journalism are year-long electives that count as Visual Arts courses and are open to students in Grades 9-12. In Journalism, students develop their skills in writing, interviewing, fact-gathering, communication, graphic design, and web design while working collaboratively using InDesign and Photoshop to produce The Fourth Estate magazine and its website. Student journalists seek out real stories that affect their readership. Once students master the basics in Journalism, they can apply for a position as an editor in Advanced Journalism, an honors-level course, where they will focus on leadership and the aspect of Journalism class they most enjoy, whether it’s writing, photography, art, graphic design, social media, business, or managing the website. Students enter their work in contests and travel to national conventions.

Latin 1 is an accelerated introductory course that seeks to enrich understanding of the Latin language through practicing more complex grammatical constructions, reading, and interpreting Latin. This course is designed for Middle School students who have previously taken Latin 7 and Upper School students who have no prior experience with the Latin language. Along with an accelerated introduction to the language, students take a deeper dive into the historical context, exploring in detail what life was like in the Ancient Roman Empire in the 1st Century CE. Latin is certainly not a dead language in this course! You'll also learn to converse and interact using basic conversational Latin. 

Students in Latin 2 further expand their knowledge of the language and culture of the Romans. They gain a more nuanced understanding of Latin grammar, and begin to read excerpts from authentic Latin texts by the end of the year. Students continue their study of Roman history, culture, and mythology with projects that center on heroes and monsters, Julius Caesar, and the Roman emperors.

In this intermediate language course students will transition from learning complex grammar to reading actual Latin authors. The fall semester will consist of a review of the grammar and vocabulary which have been learned in the lower level courses and will finish with the acquisition of some rather challenging syntax. For practice, students will translate the myth of Hercules and will explore other hero sagas using Joseph Campbell’s Journey of a Hero. In the spring semester, students will translate The First Catilinarian by Cicero in un-adapted Latin. They will also take a thorough look at the violent political atmosphere in the late Republican period of Roman history.

In this intermediate/advanced Latin course, students will further develop proficiency in their Latin language skills by reading selections from the love poetry of Catullus, The Metamorphoses of Ovid, and Livy’s Ab Urbe Condita. This course has a literature based approach that teaches students to analyze scansion, tone, diction, and themes. The readings will also provide ample opportunities to discuss ancient Roman culture, mythology, and history. In addition, students will deepen their knowledge of grammar and syntax by practicing Latin prose composition. Prerequisite: Latin 3H/ Latin 4H/AP Latin Language

Offered Fall of 2026 (Semester 1)

Why are books banned? Why are writers imprisoned or forced into exile? What do they represent that so threatens the powers that be? This course probes such issues by examining narratives of resistance to totalitarian regimes. Despite circumstances that systematically dehumanize individuals, where basic rights to freedom and dignity are denied, protest squelched, and the odds stacked so heavily against human existence, people still strive for self-expression. In such oppressive conditions, writing often emerges as a political act and a book as an impassioned manifesto. The written word becomes a validation of voice, a vindication of views held steadfastly despite vicious opposition. The firsthand accounts of survival we will focus on will compel us to consider the strategic significance of speech and silence in restrictive environments. Specific case studies will highlight the different and resourceful ways in which people choose to convey dissent. We will also explore the enduring effects of state repression and violence, the psychological imprisonment that persists long after release or escape. The course will culminate in an independent or partnered research project focusing on a text from a period and region based on student choice.

Offered Fall of 2026 (Semester 1)

This course explores the voices, landscapes, and myths that have shaped the American West. Using novels, short stories, poetry, memoir, and film, students will examine how writers portray frontier identity, rugged individualism, environmental conflict, migration, Indigenous experience, economic struggle, and the evolving idea of the “West.” Students will engage in close reading, analytical writing, and seminar-style discussion to examine how Western literature constructs and challenges the myth of the frontier, analyze the relationship between people and landscape while also exploring issues of displacement, identity, race, and economic survival. Students will analyze works by authors such as Willa Cather, John Steinbeck, Leslie Marmon Silko, Cormac McCarthy, and Sandra Cisneros, considering how geography, history, and culture shape narrative voice and theme. Texts may include selections from My Ántonia, The Grapes of Wrath, Ceremony, and All the Pretty Horses.

Offered Fall of 2026 (Semester 1)

Stories transform when they move from page to screen. In this course, students will read literary works — novels, short stories, and plays — and contrast them with their cinematic counterparts. Students will analyze how filmmakers adapt literature to film, focusing on how narrative voice, structure, imagery, and writing style translate to the big screen. Beginning with Michael Cunningham’s The Hours, which interweaves three timelines connected to the work of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, students will explore how film can visualize internal thought and complex narrative structures. Other literary texts and film adaptations we may consider include Tennessee Williams’ Streetcar Named Desire and William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning,” which inspired Huraki Murakami’s story of the same title, and recently Lee Chang-dong’s film Burning. Through discussion, analytical essays, and creative projects, students will investigate how adaptation reshapes stories for the screen while raising a key question: what is gained—and what is lost—when literature becomes film? 

Semester-Long Elective

In this elective course, students will explore many different aspects of both our local and global marine environments. They will survey a range of topics to help them understand the physical marine environment such as tides, waves, currents, coastal winds, and surf conditions. Students can then begin to appreciate how the physical environment influences organisms living in the ocean. Organisms from the intertidal zone (sea hares, anemones, sand crabs, mussels) to the pelagic zone (whales, fish, sharks, pinnipeds) to the deep ocean provide a fun and exciting opportunity to understand these connections. Students will also explore how all life is connected in the sea through a series of complex ecosystems, and how these ecosystems are essential to all life on our planet. This will be a hands on, project-based class with field trips to our local beaches where students can explore topics in oceanography and marine biology that pique their interest, as well as gain an appreciation and understanding of the local marine environment that is also their home.

Multivariable Calculus is a college-level course that follows Advanced Placement Calculus BC. The course emphasizes a thorough study of vectors, surfaces in space, vector-valued functions, functions of several variables, multiple integrations, and vector analysis. Students will become proficient at vector operations including the dot product and cross product and their applications, rectangular coordinates, cylindrical coordinates, and spherical coordinates. Students will learn operations and applications of vector-valued functions including differentiation, integration, velocity, acceleration, tangent vectors, and normal vectors. Realizing that many real-life quantities are functions of two more variables, students will understand the following implementations of functions of several variables: limits, continuity, derivatives, and integration. The goal is to learn, understand, and be able to work with the main ideas of multivariable calculus. Students should not only be able to work through problems similar to the ones seen in the homework, but should also have the ability to go beyond, presenting their knowledge in a clear and coherent manner in problem sets related to each section. A graphing calculator is required for this course. Students will receive AP weight added to their GPA. Prerequisite: AP Calculus BC

Semester-Long Elective

Music Fundamentals is a course that equips students with essential skills and techniques through instrumental study. Subjects covered include: Ensemble play, Music Appreciation, Beginning Theory, and Intro to Production/Recording. This course is developed for those who may have limited to no experience as well as those looking to hone their skills

Semester-Long Elective

Personal Development is an interactive class that focuses on vital topics, such as personal identity, decision-making, mental health, communication skills, management of conflict and stress, drug education, sexuality, and responsible behavioral choices. The class material is designed to stimulate reflection and analysis about oneself, to help establish goals and examine values, and to help make healthy choices at this important time in life. Students have the opportunity to participate in activities and exercises that give them a chance to practice the reflective and critical thinking skills that will help them address life’s challenges.

Semester-Long Elective

Whether you fancy yourself as the next legend of Wall Street or you simply want to learn how to more responsibly manage your finances, this course will teach you essential real-world skills that will help you minimize the risk of the big financial decisions you are on the verge of having to make. You will begin by learning some effective budgeting techniques to get your personal finances in order before advancing to using hands-on simulations of real-world situations to experience the various aspects of investment, loans, and insurance markets. By placing yourself in the roles of various financial market participants, from an undergraduate taking on student loans to a portfolio manager investing millions in our stock market game, you will experience how these interconnected markets work and how you can use them to your advantage. It’s a (financial) jungle out there, but this course will help you navigate it like a professional and leave you fully equipped to make the financial markets work for you.

Semester-Long Elective

This course continues the exploration of Philosophy while moving beyond introduction and into deeper, more complex philosophical problems. Students will engage with major debates about reality, morality, and the questions that matter most to them personally. Specifically, the course is organized around three major units. Unit 1, Metaphysics: The Problem of Free Will and Determinism, has students engaging with the question, "Are our actions truly our own?" and grappling with the implications of these ideas in relation to moral responsibility and personal identity. Unit 2, Metaethics: The Foundations of Morality, will have the students investigate the status of moral truth itself, examining moral realism, anti-realism, and nihilism. Unit 3 will be a student-driven exploration of philosophical questions of personal interest. Students will finish the semester by selecting a topic, thinker, or tradition to study in depth and take on the role of both learner and teacher. Pre-requisite: Introduction to Philosophy

The goal of the physics course is to foster an appreciation for the world of natural phenomena and for the physics that explains it. Students learn to analyze real world phenomena through laboratory modeling with sophisticated equipment and computer-interfaced hardware. The course provides both an explanation of the concepts involved and advanced algebraic solutions to complex problems. Students first explore mechanics, then examine units in waves, optics, electricity and magnetism, and thermodynamics. They finish with the modern physics seminar, encountering relativity and quantum mechanics. Prerequisite/co-requisite: Algebra 2

The Physics Honors course covers the same material as the standard course but with greater emphasis on understanding and mathematics, and with greater expectations for individual learning. The course provides a more complete explanation of the concepts involved and requires advanced mathematical solutions to extremely challenging problems. Lab activities require more complete mathematical treatment, and lab reports are expected to reveal greater understanding. Students first explore mechanics, then examine units in waves, optics, electricity and magnetism, and thermodynamics. They finish with the modern physics seminar, encountering relativity and quantum mechanics. Prerequisite/co-requisite: Pre-Calculus and departmental recommendation

Semester-Long Elective

Pop and Rock Ensemble is a performance-based class that gives students the opportunity to play and sing the music they love in a collaborative band setting. Students will learn how to rehearse, listen, and perform as part of a group while developing musicianship and confidence. Experienced musicians will learn how to blend their individual skills with other performers, while beginners will build fundamental performance skills such as keeping time, following cues, and working as a team. Instrumentalists and singers are all encouraged to join, and all types of instruments are welcome. This class focuses on group rehearsal and live performance rather than private instruction, making it a fun and supportive environment for learning music together. Students may elect to participate in opt-in Honors by taking on additional musical responsibilities, such as advanced repertoire, leadership within the ensemble, and reflective performance work, to deepen their musicianship and independence.

Pre-Calculus students expand their graphing techniques and algebra skills in preparation for calculus. Students begin coursework with a review of quadratic functions and tackle questions involving practical applications, including projectile motion. After mastering algebraic techniques including completing the square and factoring completely, students expand on this by studying the algebraic and graphic characteristics of polynomial and rational functions. In this course, students also have the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of exponential and logarithmic relationships by studying real-world scenarios involving compound interest and radioactive decay. Much of the second semester of this course focuses on expanding students’ knowledge of trigonometry, as students study the uses of trigonometric functions through both the right triangle and unit circle approach. Studies in trigonometry include advanced algebraic concepts (including solving trigonometric equations involving the substitution of identities) and graphic analysis (including graphing equations of trigonometric functions with different amplitudes and frequencies). Thorough knowledge of the material in this course is essential for success in calculus. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Algebra 2/Trigonometry and Geometry

Pre-Calculus-Honors is a rigorous course structured to prepare students for the challenges of AP Calculus. The course provides an advanced treatment of polynomial and rational functions, exponents and logarithms, and topics in trigonometry, studied through both algebraic and graphic means. In an effort to work with more advanced equations, and to introduce relations that students will be faced with in their future calculus studies, students will study conic sections; this will also aid in their understanding and ability to solve systems of nonlinear equations, through both algebraic and graphic means. Additionally, students are challenged to analyze and solve problems involving advanced practical applications of trigonometric, geometric, and algebraic topics. The pace of the honors level pre-calculus course is sufficiently more rapid than the standard course; this allows time for the in-depth study of introductory topics in calculus, including limits and derivatives. Successful completion of this course qualifies students to enroll in AP Calculus AB.

Semester-Long Elective

This survey course explores the world of printmaking and includes hands-on projects, audio/visual media, related texts, lectures, visiting artists, and critiques. It will focus on the source of ideas, concepts, and expression in conjunction with developing craftsmanship and proficiency in technique while developing a personal style. We will work with cyanotypes, relief prints, silkscreen, intaglio, monoprints, bookmaking, and other traditional and contemporary methods.

Semester-Long Elective

This course introduces students in Grades 10–12 to the theory and practice of public speaking as a critical academic and civic skill. Students develop competence in speech preparation, organization, audience analysis, and oral delivery, with focused instruction on overcoming communication apprehension and using precise, effective language. Students prepare, revise, and deliver structured presentations, including informative, impromptu, and persuasive speeches. The curriculum emphasizes communication theories relevant to public speaking, including the communication model, nonverbal communication, critical and active listening, persuasion theory, and debate. Instruction builds analytical and organizational skills through thesis development, outlining, and the use of evidence to support claims. Students participate in peer critique, structured discussions, and debates to develop evaluative listening and effective feedback skills. The course also introduces the purposeful use of visual and multimedia aids to enhance clarity and audience engagement. Through sustained practice, reflection, and assessment, students develop confidence and academic readiness for future communication tasks.

The Science Research Program is a two-year course of study for tenth graders with an optional third-year extension. SRP is an invigorating and deeply edifying odyssey into the weeds of scientific inquiry. Studies begin with a select first-year class where focus is sharpened with a generous application of speakers, directed reading, and pointed class discussions. Here, students are asked to channel their enthusiasm in a broad survey of the scientific method and individual research.

In the second year, each eleventh grade student is paired with a local mentor and embarks on a thorough examination of one specific area of study, fashioning that inquiry into a comprehensive report. Projects cover fields such as theoretical physics, engineering, psychology, and artificial intelligence. The program culminates with a night of presentations that is both a celebration and an homage to the defense of master’s thesis. 

Offered Spring of 2027 (Semester 2)

Drawing on Henry David Thoreau’s essay “On Civil Disobedience” (1849) and Herman Melville’s Bartleby the Scrivener (1853) – and with special attention to Thoreau’s famous line “Let your life be the counterfriction to stop the machine” — this course asks students to examine central questions such as: What causes human beings to conform, how do acts of nonconformity affect the individuals who do not conform, and what is the impact of nonconformity on an individual’s communities? Touchstone texts may include pairings of canonical plays with re-imagined or otherwise related dramatic works, such as Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor Is the Villain; Sophocles’s Antigone and the Theater of War’s production, Antigone in Ferguson, a dramatic work responding to the death of Michael Brown; and Susan Glaspell’s Trifles and Octavia Butler’s Kindred. In addition to formal essays, students will propose creative writing projects, such as “I Prefer Not To” Resistance Manifestos or Mock Trials Against Nonconformity. 

This course is designed to immediately engage students in the sights and sounds of the Spanish language and culture. Students are engaged in reading, writing, listening to and speaking Spanish daily in class and at home through structured exposure to basic grammar and vocabulary using authentic digital and print media and meaningful opportunities to use the language in the context of their own lives and interests.

This course allows students to further enhance the language skills acquired in Spanish 1. It focuses on expanding grammatical knowledge, particularly in the present tense, reflexive verbs, and past tense. Students will continue to develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities, with a strong emphasis on vocabulary enrichment and cultural competence. The course content is contextualized through themes such as vacations, shopping, daily routines, and the cuisine of Hispanic countries.

This course builds on the skills and content mastered in Spanish 2 through increased exposure to authentic digital and print media including film, newspaper articles, and short stories by contemporary writers. While students continue to master grammatical concepts and build vocabulary, they are exposed to increasingly complex language and encouraged to use the language in and outside of the classroom in meaningful ways in the context of their lives. The concept of Project Based Learning is incorporated throughout the year with interactive activities shared with the community such as role playing, drama, music and dancing, and field trips. Prerequisite: Spanish 2 or Departmental recommendation

Spanish 3 Honors is a rigorous course geared towards students who intend to continue their studies in Spanish in order to take the AP Spanish and Culture exam. While students master vocabulary and grammatical structures in the context of the classroom through exposure to authentic digital and print media including film, newspaper articles, and short stories by contemporary writers, they are encouraged to further develop their communicative skills by engaging in the Spanish language and culture at every opportunity. This honors course continues to emphasize vocabulary building, grammatical accuracy, communicative fluency and developing cultural competence. In addition, students are guided in writing and speaking with increasingly complex structures and appropriate vocabulary. Students enrolled in the honors course must demonstrate a strong grammatical and vocabulary foundation, independence, and strong motivation to learn about the Spanish language and culture (as well as a desire to take the AP exam). The concept of Project Based Learning is incorporated throughout the year with interactive activities shared with the community such as role playing, music and dancing, and field trips. Students have the opportunity to film and produce their own comedic play. Prerequisite: Spanish 2H or Departmental recommendation

The primary focus of the class is to apply the skills students have acquired in previous courses. The goal is to reach a level of proficiency that will permit them to comprehend and speak Spanish efficiently in everyday situations. They will have the opportunity to develop strong conversational skills while discussing topics of current public and personal interests. Students will continue to build an extensive vocabulary and acquire an ample repertoire of idiomatic expressions. In addition, students will explore some of the different genres in Hispanic literature such as poetry, novels, and short stories. Prerequisite: Spanish 3 or Departmental recommendation

The primary focus of the class is to apply the skills students have acquired in previous courses. The goal is to reach a level of proficiency that will permit them to comprehend and speak Spanish efficiently in everyday situations. They will have the opportunity to develop strong conversational skills while discussing topics of current public and personal interests. Students will continue to build an extensive vocabulary and acquire an ample repertoire of idiomatic expressions. In addition, students will explore some of the different genres in Hispanic literature such as poetry, novels, and short stories. Prerequisite: Spanish 3 or Departmental recommendation

This course offers students a fresh approach to the advanced Spanish language. Its dynamic structure makes it suitable for a variety of class discussions in film, literature, and writing. This course is fundamentally a literary reader, but uniquely rich with additional content in film, offering an unusual integration of literature, culture and film while also focusing students on critical thinking, interpretation, speaking, and writing skills. Each theme-based lesson features a full-length film or an episode from a feature film and three to four reading passages, all chosen for their notable importance and relevance in the field. Prerequisite: Departmental recommendation

Semester-Long Elective

The teams, media outlets, and businesses tied to the world of sports rely on expertise to strengthen and grow customer bases. Teams want to enlarge their fan base, attract new sponsors to their sport, build strong programs with existing sponsors, and run their fan conventions and other events. In addition, a wide range of companies recognize the value sports relationships have in positioning and building their brands. A plethora of sports media outlets clamor to produce unique content that gets clicks, listeners, and viewers for the sponsors that keep them operating. On an individual level, athletes themselves—even now at the college level—build their brands for exposure and financial gain. This course seeks to provide insight into this world through case studies, relevant guest speakers, and in-depth research from students. As a side project, the class will work to market Owls athletics as a sort of Public Relations firm for the Athletic Department. There will be work outside of class and an expectation of professionalism in the classroom. Written work will be significant. This is a semester-long elective.

Semester-Long Elective

This semester-long elective is offered both semesters and designed to enhance athletic performance and reduce the likelihood of injury through safe training practices, while also striving to instill motivation for lifelong physical wellness. Wellness guidelines such as the importance of proper nutrition, rest, and hydration will be integrated on a daily basis. Students will also understand and apply key principles of an athletic lifestyle. Develop intrinsic motivation to pursue personal goals centered on physical fitness and sports performance. Understand common injuries associated with various sports and how to prevent them with proper training. Design a specific training program for a chosen sport. This course satisfies the elective and also athletic requirement.

Honors Stage Band is an advanced ensemble course for students who want to deepen their instrumental performance skills and broaden their understanding of music. This class challenges students to refine their technique, musicianship, and ensemble skills while exploring a wide range of musical styles and genres. Through frequent rehearsals and performances, students will develop a high level of musical independence, collaboration, and professionalism. Members of Stage Band are expected to serve as dedicated musical leaders both on and off campus, representing the program through regular performances within the LBS community and at outside events, as well as by supporting and mentoring younger ensembles.

Semester-Long Elective

Students will, under the direction of the instructor and elected Student Body President and Vice President, be responsible for enhancing the Laguna Blanca experience for all Upper School students through the planning and execution of events, management of social media accounts, and overseeing of the Student Council budget. The course will promote innovation in marketing, graphic design, and sales while also fostering leadership and public speaking skills. Students will plan engaging weekly assemblies, approve advisory agendas, and promote school spirit through the decoration of campus for specific times of the year and creating new ways to celebrate and highlight student and teacher appreciations. The class will also solicit feedback from the student body regularly to adapt and create new programming. This class will require significant time outside of classroom hours to set up, work, and take down events while also working regular shifts at the Student Store. These hours, along with quality and quantity of output in class, will determine grading. There will be an opt-in Honors curriculum available based on a previous elective offered at the school titled Case Studies in Leadership. This will require presentations on historical examples of strong and weak leaders, as well as assessments designed to show knowledge of various leadership styles and theories.

Study Hall provides a quiet, structured classroom space where students have dedicated time to work independently on academic tasks. A faculty member oversees Study Hall and offers guidance and support as needed. All Grade 9 students are required to enroll in a Study Hall each semester to help establish strong organizational habits, effective study skills, and consistent academic routines.

Semester-Long Elective

This fall elective provides students with the opportunity to develop organizational leadership skills and strategies while working in a collaborative teamwork environment. Students will be tasked with all aspects of developing, designing, marketing, financing, filming, uploading, and programming for our first annual TEDxLagunaBlancaSchool in February 2018. Students will select the theme, recruit and choose speakers who appropriately represent Laguna Blanca and the TED community, design the stage, market the event, work with local technology/media experts on production and filming, collaborate with our development office and potential sponsors for fundraising and financing, and coordinate all activities on the day of the event. This experience will provide real-world, project-oriented leadership for our students and will showcase our school to the greater community.

Not offered 2026-27

In this course, we examine a variety of world cultures from early civilizations to the 17th century. Students learn the basics of Humanities methodology, asking questions such as: What does it mean to be human? How have different societies defined what is (and what is not) human? How does the individual relate to society? How do societies interact with one another? How do societies interact with the natural environment? Full texts may include Parable of the Sower, Epic of Gilgamesh, Beowulf, Oedipus Rex and Antigone, The Tempest, and a choice of graphic novels, either Persepolis or Zahra’s Paradise. Students read excerpts from Sapiens, The Aeneid, primary sources from Ancient Greece and Rome,
religious texts such as the Torah and Talmud, Old and New Testaments, the Qur’an, Tamil poetry, and medieval poetry and literature (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Canterbury Tales, The Prince, and The Decameron).

Semester-Long Elective

Between its origin and our plate, food often undergoes some form of intentional modification, either to enhance flavor, increase shelf life, or improve its appearance. These processes can be as simple as roasting a carrot to enhance sweetness through the Maillard reaction or as convoluted as intentionally changing the protein structure of an egg through molecular gastronomy. They all have one important thing in common...they are deeply rooted in science. Through practical, hands-on experiments, we will discover how chefs and food manufacturers transform our food into the products we consume every day. Among other topics, we will investigate emulsifications, gluten development, food preservation, molecular gastronomy, and spice to understand how and why they are used...and we may just create some delicious delicacies along the way. They say “you are what you eat,” so bring an inquisitive mind and a healthy appetite and let’s find out what you’re made of.

Semester-Long Elective

US Theater Arts offers a comprehensive introduction to the world of theater and acting for the stage. Students will
participate in various dramatic exercises, play improvisational theatre games, engage in scene studies, deep dive into plays and performances, and devise original works of theater both independently and in collaborative group ensemble work. During class rehearsals, students will learn the foundations of vocal, movement, and acting technique, setting students up for success for the variety of performance opportunities at Laguna Blanca School. Additional units covered in this course include playwriting, theater history, and behind the scenes projects

This course covers the American experience from its roots in the European Age of Exploration to the present. It emphasizes the nation’s political, economic, social, diplomatic, and military development and is structured around key themes in United States history to help students trace patterns in the nation’s growth and change over time. Students may elect to participate in an opt-in Honors component, which places additional emphasis on analytical writing, independent thinking, and the use of outside readings to deepen historical understanding.

Semester-Long Elective

Vocal Ensemble is a course designed to give students an opportunity to explore singing while working on vocal technique, build strong harmonies, and learn about vocal blending. Students will explore many different genres of music, and experience performing both inside and outside the LBS community. This class will also help prepare students for the Spring Musical. No experience required. Everyone is welcome.

Not offered 2026-27

What makes one character do the right thing, while another character does not? How do characters living in the midst of social and political crises balance their individual right to freedom with larger moral needs and demands? What can we learn from these ethics-based discussions that will influence our own moral behavior? This course uses fiction to explore issues of voice, place, identity, and intercultural dialogue in our contemporary national and globalized world. Students will read a combination of local and international fiction and nonfiction including texts from the United States, Haiti, South America, India, Palestine and Israel, South Africa, Zimbabwe and others. Part of the discussion will be linking areas of injustice and struggle (particularly of the underrepresented and unheard) to modern and current struggles and connections within the United States.

This course focuses on the development of complex societies and cross-cultural interactions from the origins of humans to approximately 1500 C.E. It aims to trace particular historical processes and attempts to understand how human perspective shapes our subjective record of the past. We will look beyond the outdated and trivial study of history to draw meaningful personal connections to past events and people. Over the year, students will effectively analyze how technology, art, trade, religion, politics, and disease tethered diverging groups of people across vast distances and uncover how geography played a central role in historical patterns of continuity and change. In the end, students should come to develop their own unique and dynamic interpretation of world history.

This course is an overview of world history, beginning in the European Renaissance and continuing to the end of the Cold War. Although the course covers all major African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American civilizations, the emphasis is on the European component of Western civilization. For the Honors distinction, additional emphasis is placed upon analytical writing and the introduction of outside readings.

The yearbook staff sets a goal to make each year’s edition of La Honda the most accurate and inclusive the school has ever seen. While this goal seems lofty, the world of publishing requires a drive for continual improvement. The class provides training in Adobe Photoshop and InDesign as well as photojournalism, copywriting, and organizational skills. Staff members see the importance of the book in its role in documenting the school’s history, and treat their jobs accordingly.