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Courses

The Discussion Seminar

Instruction at the OHS is structured around the live discussion seminar. Students meet with the instructor in the online classroom in real-time, typically twice weekly on a college-style schedule. Many courses also have an asynchronous lecture component. Post AP-level courses and Critical Reading and Argumentation have only discussion seminars, and university-level Physics courses are conducted as directed studies. To learn more about how classes are conducted, please click here.

All courses are year-long unless otherwise indicated.

Course Descriptions

Please select a discipline to view descriptions of OHS courses and their pre-requisites.

Core

OMSB9 - Methodology of Science: Biology

This year-long course introduces students to the methods and reasoning used throughout science. Using biological examples, students learn how evidence can be obtained for scientific claims from raw data based on statistical methods. Students are exposed to various statistical concepts and techniques to interpret data and make inferences from the interpretations. These techniques are be applied to the study of life, as students explore how organisms interact with each other and their environment, and the properties and processes of cells and molecules. Syllabus

OHSC0 - History of Science: Great Ideas, Observations, and Experiments

This two-semester course sequence examines the great ideas and great observations and experiments that have shaped the development of science. Using a case study method, students examine the interplay between observations of the physical world, attempts to explain those observations, and the methods used to test the resulting explanations. As part of the methodology of the inquiry, students learn and practice the skills of philosophical analysis, logical argument, and criticism. Topics include Aristotle’s physics, psychology, biology, Ancient astronomies in Babylonian, Greek, Chinese, and Islamic cultures, ancient medical study, modern astronomy and physics, development of atomism, electro-magnetism, evolutionary theory, relativity theory, modern psychology and congnitive science, social sciences, etc. Syllabus

ODFRL - Democracy, Freedom, and the Rule of Law

This year-long course examines the foundations of civil society. Drawing on both historical and theoretical materials, the students study changing conceptions of how a state is and should be organized. In particular, we focus on different treatments of the interwoven concepts of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. As part of their study, students practice the methodological tools of analysis relevant to philosophy and political theory, learn to formulate and evaluate hypotheses about the content of critical concepts, and develop a thorough knowledge of their political traditions and principles. These lessons contribute to the broader aim of the course, which is to prepare students for citizenship in their community by refining their ability to participate constructively in the discourse that draws on these conceptions of the state. While the course is organized around principles of American government, the readings are germane to democratic society generally. Readings include Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu, Madison, Jefferson, American founding texts, Lincoln, Addams, King, Burke, Tocqueville, Smith, Dewey, Mill, Berlin, Rawls, Nozick, Sandel, Sen, McMillan, Marx, Dicey, and Hayek. Syllabus

OCRA1 - Critical Reading and Argumentation

In addition to the unique problems and questions that constitute its subject matter, philosophy makes notable use of a variety of intellectual tools and argumentative strategies that are widely applicable to both academic and informal inquiry. This course helps students develop these resources through a careful analysis of exemplary pieces of philosophical argument. To this end, we draw on philosophical thinking about scientific and religious concepts and modes of reasoning as well as Core philosophical discussions of the nature and limits of knowledge, the nature and content of ethics, and the mind’s relation to the world. While the course emphasizes the cultivation of the tools and strategies of reading and argument, the materials encourage reflection on some of the more abstract characteristics and assumptions of arguments in the disciplines of science, religion, and philosophy itself. Readings include Sandel, Gould, Wright, Hume, Goodman, Carnap, Hempel, Popper, Kuhn, Descartes, Searle, Nagel, Jackson, Anselm, Aquinas, James, Kierkegaard, Plato, Frege, Russell, Aristotle, Kant, Mackie, and Nietzsche. Syllabus

English

Middle School

JE001 – Fundamentals of Expository Writing

Fundamentals of Expository Writing introduces students to the nuts and bolts of critical writing and reading. Through comprehensive grammar instruction, students build a shared vocabulary to understand and describe language. They apply their grammatical knowledge to decode complex works of literature, and build on their understanding of the mechanics of the sentence to consider more abstract topics such as audience expectation and authorial persona. They also master the basic essay form. Prerequisite: Placement  Syllabus

JE002 – History & Literature: Gilgamesh to Shakespeare

History and Literature: Gilgamesh to Shakespeare turns from a focus on the micro-level—the grammar of the sentence—to the macro-level. Students trace themes such as the relationship between humans and the divine, the concept of justice, and attitudes toward violence through works spanning the entire globe across four millennia. They read works against one another with attention to differences in cultural and historical contexts as well as attention to genre (including lyric poetry, epic, and drama), and articulate meaningful variation in a single theme across several works. They move beyond the basic essay format to create arguments that build from paragraph to paragraph, and craft thesis statements that address the question “so what?” Prerequisite:  Fundamentals of Expository Writing (JE001) or placement. Syllabus

High School

OE010 - Textual Analysis and Argumentation

Textual Analysis and Argumentation (TAA) provides students an American literature survey in a global context that complements and expands the temporal reach of the world literature survey. Students master close reading for form in thematically related clusters of texts (such as the captivity narrative) and learn to create precise thesis statements based on these readings. Throughout, students pay close attention to how writing constructs authorial identity, and to self- presentation—their own and those of the authors they read—through language both written and spoken. They learn to structure their essays with increasing sophistication and are introduced to, and become competent in, MLA style. Prerequisite: History and Literature:  Gilgamesh to Shakespeare (JE008) or placement   Syllabus

OE011 - Modes of Writing and Argumentation

Modes of Writing and Argumentation (MWA) builds upon the argumentative structures and generic terminology covered in TAA to introduce students to literary terms and more formalized theoretical approaches to literature, including narrative, genre, intertextuality, and metaphor. Students continue the work of reading texts in conversation and competition with their predecessors and, in longer essays that require more sophisticated argumentative structures to support complex claims, they begin to articulate their own theory of intertextuality in action. Students solidify their mastery of MLA style, and continue to develop oral presentation skills to complement their skill in writing. Prerequisite: Textual Analysis and Argumentation (OE010) or placement  Syllabus

OE020 - AP English Language and Composition

AP English Language and Composition introduces students to rhetorical terms and structures as a means of analyzing authorial intentions and effects. Building upon readings in TAA and MWA (such as captivity narratives and political speeches), AP ELC provides students with an intensive study of genres of nonfiction, including creative nonfiction and visual rhetoric. Students write many genres of essays and present formal oral arguments, allowing them to experiment with varied authorial personas and to master multiple argumentative structures. By the end of the course, students routinely formulate compelling, unexpected theses, and their essays are executed at the college level. Prerequisite: Modes of Writing and Argumentation (OE011) or placement  Syllabus

OE021 - AP English Literature and Composition

AP English Literature and Composition introduces students to advanced theoretical approaches that build upon the foundations in literary and rhetorical analyses provided by MWA and AP ELC. By the end of the course, students will have put together their own approach to literary history, becoming creators as well as consumers of advanced literary theory. Prerequisite: AP English Language and Composition (OE020) or placement  Syllabus

Special Topics in Literature (Meets once a week)

Special Topics in Literature is a sequence of two semester- long seminar courses that explore a specific author, genre, critical method, literary movement, or time period in depth through discussion of primary texts and significant engagement with scholarly criticism. Topics are chosen from the breadth of the discipline and build on the unique expertise of the English Division staff. Students gain exposure to texts and critical methodologies rarely taught at the pre-college level, and learn valuable skills in conducting scholarly research. Prerequisite: successful completion of, or concurrent enrollment in AP English (OE020 or OE021) or consent of instructor  

OE025 - Special Topics in Literature I (Fall only)

Fall 2012 Topic: Imagining Nations, Medieval and Modern (Dr. Lamont). This class will examine how ideas about nations and national identities have shaped and continue to shape the political and cultural makeup of the world. At the same time, it will interrogate the claims of competing theories of national identity and nationalism. Following the work of Benedict Anderson, most theories of national identity argue that nations are a specifically modern Western European phenomenon, arising together with the Industrial Revolution. At the same time, scholars of other periods (Renaissance, Medieval, Classical) and other places (China, India, Japan, the Americas) are eager to challenge this restrictive definition. This class will seek to address some of the following questions: What is at stake in the definition of nations? Why is national identity so effective in mobilizing large groups of people? How does national identity stack up against other, competing (or coordinate) modes of identity, such as those based on religion, ethnicity, legal systems, and language? Why is there such competition to control the definitions of key terms in nationalist discourses? Why has the nation- state become a paradigm? What other paradigms are possible, and what are their benefits and drawbacks? Primary source readings will be from the medieval period, supplemented by modern scholarly theories of national identity. The last two weeks of the course will turn to students’ presentations on nationalist literature of their own choosing, from past or present.

OE026 - Special Topics in Literature II (Spring only)

Spring 2013: In development.

University Level

UE030 – Making Moby-Dick

What is Moby-Dick; Or, The Whale?  Is it an adventure story, a revenge story against a monster whale?  Is it a novel investigating American identity in race and in national promise and revolution?  And what about the tragedy of this tale?  Only one whaleman lives.  Does Melville write a tragedy in the vein of Shakespeare?  How does this book matter?  ‘Making Moby-Dick’ takes on a series of critical questions in four crucial settings. The first setting is the New England contexts of American literature in the 1840s—seen in the writings of Emerson, Hawthorne, and Melville—while the second setting turns to Edgar Allan Poe’s and Mary Shelley’s model adventure tales, of the sea and of the ‘monster.’  Our third setting is the Moby-Dick itself and our extended reading of the tale.  The fourth and final setting lays out the argument that there are actually ‘two Moby-Dicks’ and that Melville’s reading of Shakespeare’s tragedies plays an essential role to deciphering the novel’s composition.  Students gain the critical skills needed to interpret, and to answer, what the novel Moby-Dick is, or does. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor   Syllabus

UE031 – 20th Century Genre Theory and Practice: Modernist Literary Genres and Photography (Spring only)

This course uses photography and detective fiction to explore how traditional assumptions of genre were challenged and re-written in modernist works.  Why did modernists and modernism seek to re-work the cultural idea of genre?  How does open genre or cross-genre or anti-genre work seek to demonstrate language and literature in the 20th century?  How does such literature look?  And what does it do?  How does it portray modernity?  Interactions and parallels between photography and literature are studied through a survey of the origin of detective fiction, the rise of poetry of the modern city, and the further development of detection and memory in modernist novels.  The course introduces a basic history and discourse of photography, which began around the time the first “detective fiction” was invented by Edgar Allan Poe, and explores how photography, a visual genre, was a key prompt for the advent of modernist literary genres.  Through an investigation of these, students discover the many ways in which photography and detective literature are linked to the social, historical, and intellectual movements of modernism.  To survey modernist literary genre and how literature becomes “photographic” is to enter into the wide range of visual media and literature we see at the end of the 20th and at the start of our 21st century. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor  Syllabus

Humanities

High School

JCA10/OCA10 - The Hero and His Opponents in the Classical World

This course is an interdisciplinary introduction to classical civilization and culture. Students will become familiar with the art, literature, language, and ideas of ancient Greece and Rome by examining the heroes of ancient myth and history, and the forces they struggled to oppose. Students will investigate and clarify classical concepts associated with heroism, especially leadership, courage, justice, and wisdom. Readings will be drawn from many of the major texts of this period and assignments will emphasize careful observation and analysis, and the development of oral and written communication skills. All readings will be in English; no previous knowledge of Latin or Greek is required. High school credit carries additional expectations. Prerequisite: Successful completion of, or concurrent enrollment in, History & Literature: Gilgamesh to Shakespeare (JE002), or consent of the instructor

OMT01 - AP Music Theory

AP Music Theory offers advanced music students as well as students with limited musical knowledge a way to further develop their abilities and strengthen their skills in various musical domains. The course covers topics ranging from the basics of notation and the elements of music through melodic structures, harmony—both functional and theoretical—and musical form. The majority of the course is computer graded so students can move at their individual paces and focus on concepts where their current knowledge needs further strengthening. Class colloquiums are given weekly. Through musical listening in these sessions, the students collaboratively develop a way to discuss the technical and the social aspects of musical works. Prerequisite: The course requires no previous musical knowledge

OMT02 - Sound and Composition

This class explores the role of sound in musical composition through analysis, experimentation, and composition of sound-focused music. The class will primarily focus on experimental and conceptual music. The students will be expected to read and summarize both historical and scientific articles on sound, composition, and time based media. Class projects will include papers and creative projects aimed at exploring sounds, the relationships between them, our relationship to them, and their role in our environment. Students should be comfortable with computer based media and be willing to acquire basic coding skills (sound design, composition, music analysis). Prerequisite: consent of instructor

OF010 - Film Art (Spring only)

This course will introduce students to formal, historical, and cultural issues involved in the study of film. Students will learn the basic concepts and terminology of film analysis, and apply them in the examination and discussion of exemplary films. The course will focus on comparing narrative films from various cultures in a variety of genre (Westerns, musicals, horror, etc.) with alternative film styles, including documentary and experimental films. Students will develop analytic reading and writing skills with regard to visual culture. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Modes of Writing and Argumentation (OE011) or consent of instructor

History

Middle School

JH001 - Introduction to US History and Geography

This course prepares students for further work in the social sciences through the study of major themes in United States history and through the acquisition of geography skills. The history component focuses on teaching students how to think historically and how to read primary sources (e.g., letters, speeches, images, and artifacts). The course incorporates physical and human geography, placing special emphasis on the analysis of different types of maps. The geography component builds on the history content; all map exercises relate directly to historical events under study. Assignments draw on a high-school level U.S. history textbook, selected primary sources, a variety of maps, and internet resources. Prerequisite: Enrollment in Fundamentals of Expository Writing (JE001), or placement exam

JH002 - History & Literature: World Civilizations to 1600

This course introduces students to the study of world civilizations from prehistory to the early modern period (c.1600). The course focuses on a particular set of themes: social and economic systems, government and politics, religious and philosophical beliefs, human interaction and the environment, and science and technology. Students learn how to analyze these themes as they compare the development of diverse civilizations. The course emphasizes the analysis of primary sources, with a special focus on literary texts. Through engagement with this diverse material, students will develop a better understanding of world history and literature and the world in which they live today. Prerequisite: Enrollment in History & Literature: Gilgamesh to Shakespeare (JE002), or placement exam .  

High School

OH005 - The Age of Revolutions, 1765-1804

This course examines a series of interconnected revolutions that transformed the eighteenth-century Atlantic world. Building on skills acquired in earlier history and English courses, students will study the origins and key events of the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Haitian Revolution. The course will focus on how different social groups experienced and influenced political and economic upheavals. Students will examine a wide range of texts and sources, including artwork, literature, diaries, political pamphlets, and philosophical writings. This course will serve as preparation for advanced work in history. Prerequisite: Enrollment in Textual Analysis and Argumentation (OE010), or placement exam

OH010 - AP World History

The AP World History course introduces students to human history covering the periods from prehistory to the present. The course follows a chronological and geographical order, exploring economic, social, and political themes as well as religious and philosophical beliefs, human interaction and the environment, and science and technology. The course analyzes these themes, comparing and contrasting them with different peoples, cultures, and civilizations, and considers how they changed or continued over time and space. Students will deepen their knowledge of world history, develop their skills in analyzing sources and historical accounts, and answer historical questions. They also will achieve a better understanding of world history and the world in which they live today. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Textual Analysis and Argumentation (OE010), or placement exam; Recommended: The Age of Revolutions, 1765-1804 (OH005) 

OH011 - AP United States History

The AP US History course introduces students to American history, covering the period from the seventeenth century to the present. The course focuses on political life in America with an emphasis on three main influences on its development: the structure of society, ideas of freedom, and external relations. The course highlights the specificity of the American experience by situating national developments in a global context. Students broaden and deepen their knowledge of United States history, analyze primary sources and historical accounts, and create their own interpretations. Course materials include a textbook, interpretative essays, and primary sources (documents, images, sound recordings, and film). Prerequisite: Enrollment in Modes of Writing and Argumentation (OE011), or placement exam; Recommended: The Age of Revolutions, 1765-1804 (OH005)  Syllabus

University Level

UH040 - The Two World Wars (Fall only)

The Two World Wars begins by exploring what was arguably the seminal event of the twentieth century - the First World War. The course combines military, political, social and cultural approaches to analyzing the nature and dynamics of total war. Questions to be explored include: How modern was this mechanized, total war? Did the trench warfare and targeting of civilians through economic blockade, unrestricted submarine warfare, the perpetration of atrocities, occupation policy, and the Armenian genocide represent a brutalization of warfare? How did mobilization of entire populations for war affect women and children? How did people mourn and commemorate the victims of this mass death? The outcomes of the First World War are then analyzed with an eye towards understanding how this “war to end all wars” could result in the outbreak of an even more devastating and consuming conflict a mere twenty years later. In examining the interwar period and the Second World War, the course considers the role of ideology in warfare (particularly Fascism and Communism), the causes and dynamics of genocide, the emergence of a world economy, and the implications for the international system of the end of European primacy. The course concludes with a consideration of how central the outcomes of this thirty-year long conflict were in shaping the twentieth century. Course assignments include the critical analysis of primary sources, literature, scholarly texts, and films and the writing of several short essays utilizing this source material. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor; not offered in 2012-13

UH041 - The Twentieth Century World (Spring only)

The Twentieth Century World follows The Two World Wars (UH040) both chronologically and thematically, examining how the developments of the beginning of the century came to fruition in the course of the twentieth century. The course examines the world that emerged in the aftermath of the Second World War, examining significant political, economic, social and cultural trends. It begins by considering the challenges of postwar reconstruction and the emergence and evolution of the Cold War, and then moves into an analysis of the limits of the nation-state system and of the emergence of a globalized political and economic international system, examining shifts in global power. The only major assignment, which builds on the skills developed in UH040, is to write a long research essay on a topic of the student's choosing related to the topics covered in the Twentieth Century World course or in The Two World Wars course. Prerequisite: The Two World Wars (UH040) or consent of instructor; not offered in 2012-13

Foreign Language

High School

CHINESE

OCH11 - Chinese 1

First-year Mandarin Chinese is designed for students who have no previous experience with the Chinese language and emphasizes practical speaking and listening skills. Students also learn several hundred basic characters, and to read and write sentences, dialogues, and short paragraphs. Aspects of Chinese culture and history are introduced. Prerequisite: Middle school students should seek consent of instructor Syllabus

OCH12 - Chinese 2

Second-year Mandarin Chinese introduces a greater variety of vocabulary and more complex sentence structures while continuing to apply these across the basic four skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Practical, everyday situations are emphasized, while reading and culture studies are expanded to include traditional Chinese legends and fables. 800-1000 characters will have been introduced by the end of the second year.  Prerequisite: Chinese 1 (OCH11) or equivalent as determined by placement exam  Syllabus

OCH13 - Chinese 3

Third-year Mandarin Chinese continues to introduce vocabulary and characters, and adds advanced phrases and sentence structures. Students are exposed to an increasing variety of authentic material in addition to the textbooks.  Readings, discussions, compositions and reports are based on issues encountered in present-day Chinese society and in student and teenage life. 1200-1400 characters will have been introduced by the end of the third year. Prerequisite: Chinese 2 (OCH12) or equivalent as determined by placement exam  Syllabus

OCH03 - AP Chinese

Fourth-year (AP) Mandarin Chinese sharpens the listening, speaking, and composition skills that students need to succeed on the AP Chinese Language and Culture exam.  Students use a wide variety of audio and print material, and examine many aspects of both traditional and modern culture.  1600-1800 characters will have been introduced by the end of the fourth year. Prerequisite: Chinese 3 (OCH13) or equivalent as determined by placement exam

LATIN

OLA11 - Latin 1

In this accelerated introductory course, students will master the basics of Latin grammar and vocabulary and begin reading short Latin texts of increasing complexity. Students also study Roman history, mythology, culture, an daily life through lectures and supplemental readings. Understood goals: Mastery of key grammar and syntax together with vocabulary; understanding of key components of Roman history and culture. Prerequisite: Middle school students should seek consent of instructor  Syllabus

OLA12 - Latin 2

In this Intermediate Latin course, students complete their introduction to grammar and vocabulary in the fall semester and begin to focus on the translation of longer sections of Latin prose in the spring, through readings from Fabulae Romanae, and culminating with selections from Cicero. Students continue to study Roman history and culture with a particular emphasis on Latin literature. Understood goals: Translation of original Latin and mastery of more complex grammar and syntax; deeper understanding of Roman history, particularly of the Monarchy and Republic. Prerequisite: Latin 1 (OLA11) or equivalent as determined by placement exam

OLA13 - Latin 3

In this advanced Latin course, students concentrate on refining their reading skills and tackling longer passages of prose and poetry with attention to accurate translation and in-depth literary analysis.  Readings will be drawn from works by authors such as Cicero, Caesar, Catullus, Ovid, Horace, Plautus, Pliny, and Seneca. Understood goals: Translation of larger passages of original Latin, including poetry; refinement of skills in literary analysis and essay writing; deeper understanding of Roman literary history. Prerequisite: Latin 2 (OLA12) or equivalent as determined by placement exam

OLA03 - AP Latin

In this course, students prepare for the Latin AP exam on Vergil’s Aeneid. The course includes large amounts of translation as well as close readings of the text, its themes and historical contexts. Students refine their mastery of Latin grammar as well as their critical thinking skills and essay writing. Students who take this course are well prepared for the Latin AP exam. Understood goals: ability to translate with accuracy and speed; ability to analyze Latin texts in coherent and persuasive essays; deeper understanding of both Augustan history and Augustan literature. Prerequisite: Latin 3 (OLA13) or equivalent as determined by placement exam

SPANISH

OSP11 - Spanish 1

First-year Spanish is designed for students who have no previous experience with the Spanish language and emphasizes practical speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Students will learn to read and write sentences, dialogues, and short paragraphs. Prerequisite: Middle school students should seek consent of instructor

OSP12 - Spanish 2

Second-year Spanish introduces a greater variety of vocabulary and more complex sentence structures while continuing to apply these across the basic four skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will continue to develop linguistic skill and cultural knowledge, bridging from first-year linguistic and cultural content. Prerequisites: Completion of Spanish 1 at an accredited school

OSP13 - Spanish 3

Third-year Spanish continues to introduce vocabulary, and adds advanced phrases and sentence structures. Students are exposed to an increasing variety of authentic material in addition to the textbook, and develop more sophisticated skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Prerequisite: Completion of Spanish 2 at an accredited school

OSP03 - AP Spanish

Fourth-year Spanish sharpens the listening, speaking, reading, and composition skills that students need to succeed on the AP Spanish Language exam. The course emphasizes the use of Spanish for active communication, and it encompasses aural/oral skills, reading comprehension, grammar, and composition. Readings will include newspaper and magazine articles, contemporary literature, and non-technical writings (websites, letters, advertisements, etc.). Prerequisite: Completion of Spanish 3 at an accredited school

Mathematics

Secondary Level

OM011 - Honors Beginning Algebra

For students who previously have had little or no formal exposure to algebra. Primary topics include: the elementary structure and language of real numbers, understanding and manipulating algebraic expressions including polynomials and rational expressions, solving linear and second-degree equations, understanding inequalities and systems of equations. Emphasis is placed on word problems and graphing. Prerequisite: Pre-Algebra; Recommended: a rigorous foundation in elementary mathematics, including arithmetic, fractions, geometry, and measurement

OM012 - Honors Intermediate Algebra

For students with previous exposure to algebra but not sufficient mastery for OM013 Precalculus with Trigonometry. This course reviews and extends the topics of beginning algebra: linear equations and inequalities, absolute value, quadratic inequalities, roots and exponents, and systems of equations. Prerequisite: Honors Beginning Algebra (OM011)

OM013- Honors Precalculus with Trigonometry

For students who have had substantial previous exposure to algebra. The course builds on and deepens all the topics from OM011 Beginning Algebra and OM012 Intermediate Algebra. Functions are studied, in particular, their composition and inverses. Other topics include: the algebra of exponential and logarithmic functions, techniques of graphing and matrices, mathematical induction, sequences and series, and analytic geometry. Approximately one third of the course focuses on trigonometry and its applications. Prerequisite: - Honors Intermediate Algebra (OM012); Recommended: Honors Geometry (OM015)

OM015 - Honors Geometry

This course combines the traditional deductive approach to geometry in the tradition of Euclid with the contemporary computational and discovery approaches. Primary topics include: logic, congruence of polygons, inequalities, similarity, properties of circles, area of plane figures, surface area and volume of solids, basic trigonometry, coordinate geometry, and transformational geometry. Prerequisites: Honors Beginning Algebra (OM011); Strongly recommended: Honors Intermediate Algebra (OM012)

OM4AB - AP Calculus AB

OM4BC - AP Calculus BC

An advanced placement course in differential and integral calculus.  Topics:  functions and graphs, a rigorous development limits, continuity, derivatives and differentiability, applications of the derivative, curve sketching, related rates, implicit differentiation, parametric equations, polar functions, vector functions, l'Hospital's rule, Riemann sums, indefinite and definite integrals, techniques of integration, applications of integration, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, numerical approximations to definite integrals, improper integrals, differential equations, polynomial approximations, Taylor series, and convergence and divergence of infinite sequences and series.  This course prepares students for the AP Calculus BC exam.   Prerequisite: Honors Precalculus with Trigonometry (OM013)  Syllabus

OM42C - AP Calculus C (Fall only)

Further study of differential and integral calculus. Topics: a more rigorous development of limits and derivatives, advanced techniques and applications of integration, power series, calculus for parametric equations and polar coordinates, simple differential equations. Together with AP Calculus AB (OM4AB), this course prepares students for the AP Calculus BC exam. This course is for students who have completed the AP Calculus AB curriculum. Prerequisite: AP Calculus AB (OM4AB) 

OM060 – AP Statistics

Statistics is now an essential part of many disciplines in science and humanities.  This year-long course investigates basic methods and concepts in statistics, covering the following broad themes: exploring data, sampling and experimentation, anticipating patterns, statistical inference. Students from a wide variety of backgrounds are encouraged to take the course. Also students who have taken OMSB9, Methodology of Science - Biology, may consider the course as a continuation of the elementary statistics studied in the course. Students who successfully complete the course will be well prepared for the AP Statistics exam.  For students who have had substantial previous exposure to algebra and some background in elementary statistics. Prerequisite: Honors Intermediate Algebra (OM012); Recommended: Methodology of Science: Biology (OMSB9), previous exposure to techniques of elementary statistics recommended Syllabus

University Level

UM51A - Linear Algebra

An introductory course in linear algebra.Topics: linear spaces, transformations, matrices, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and linear operators. Prerequisite: Successful completion of AP Calculus BC (OM4BC) or equivalent coursework, or Multivariable Differential Calculus (UM52A) and consent of instructor; Recommended: prior university-level course in mathematics, prior experience reading and writing mathematical proofs is required. If the student has not taken Multivariable Differential Calculus (UM52A), an interview with the instructor will be required. Completion of an exam demonstrating proficiency reading and writing proofs may also be required.  
Syllabus

UM52A - Multivariable Differential Calculus

Differential calculus for functions of two or more variables. Topics: vectors and vector-valued functions in 2-space and 3-space, tangent and normal vectors, curvature, functions of two or more variables, partial derivatives and differentiability, directional derivatives and gradients, maxima and minima, optimization using Lagrange multipliers. Prerequisite: Successful completion of AP Calculus BC (OM4BC) or equivalent coursework, and consent of instructor, or Calculus C (OM42C) with a grade of A- or better and consent of instructor  Syllabus

UM52B - Multivariable Integral Calculus

Integral calculus for functions of two or more variables. Topics: double and triple integrals, change of variables and the Jacobian, vector fields, line integrals, independence of path and the fundamental theorem of line integrals, Green's theorem, divergence theorem, and Stokes' theorem. Prerequisite: Multivariable Differential Calculus (UM52A) and consent of instructor  Syllabus

UM53A - Differential Equations

Basic techniques and methods for solving ordinary differential equations. Topics: linear, separable, and exact equations, existence and uniqueness theorems, difference equations, basic theory of higher order equations, variation of parameters, undetermined coefficients, series solutions, Laplace transform, systems of equations. Prerequisites: Linear Algebra (UM51A) and consent of instructor. Proficiency with partial derivatives is required. Prior experience reading and writing mathematical proofs is required.  Syllabus

UM106 - Complex Analysis

Theory of differentiation and integration of complex functions. Topics: algebra of complex numbers, complex functions, multi-valued functions, exponentials, logarithms, analyticity, integrals, power series, Laurent series, residues, isolated singularities, poles and zeros. Prerequisite: Real Analysis (UM115) and consent of instructor. Advanced experience reading and writing mathematical proofs is required.

UM109 - Modern Algebra

Theory of abstract algebra, with particular emphasis on applications involving symmetry. Topics: groups, rings, fields, matrix and crystallographic groups, and constructibility. Prerequisite: Linear Algebra (UM51A) and consent of instructor; Recommended: Multivariable Integral Calculus (UM52B)

UM115 - Real Analysis

Theory of functions of a real variable. Topics: sequences, series, limits, continuity, differentiation, integration, and basic point-set topology. Prerequisite: Multivariable Integral Calculus (UM52B) and Linear Algebra (UM51A) and consent of instructor; Recommended: Differential Equations (UM53A). Advanced experience reading and writing mathematical proofs is required.

UM131 - Partial Differential Equations

Theory of differential equations involving functions of more than one variable. Topics: first order equations, classification of second order equations, initial-boundary value problems for heat equation, wave and related equations, separation of variables, eigenvalue problems, Fourier series, existence and uniqueness questions. Prerequisite: Multivariable Integral Calculus (UM52B), Differential Equations (UM53A), Complex Analysis (UM106) and consent of instructor

UM152 - Number Theory

Introduction to number theory and its applications. Topics: Euclid's algorithm, divisibility, prime numbers, congruence of numbers, theorems of Fermat, Euler, Wilson, Lagrange; residues of power, quadratic residues, introduction to binary quadratic forms. Prerequisite: Honors Precalculus with Trigonometry (OM013) and consent of instructor; Recommended: prior experience reading and writing mathematical proofs  Syllabus

UM157 - Logic in Action: A New Introduction to Logic

Logic provides an essential methodological framework of reasoning connecting a wide variety of disciplines in the humanities and sciences, including philosophy, mathematics, computer science, linguistics, cognitive science, and economics. This course will introduce students to logic and its applications higlighted by recent developments in these fields. We will use the open source logic course “Logic in Action” (http://www.logicinaction.org/), which has been developed by the international team of Prof. Johan van Benthem at Amsterdam, and taught in many plaUMces, including Stanford, Amsterdam, Beijing, Seville, etc. Prerequisite: Honors Precalculus with Trigonometry (OM013) and consent of instructor; Recommended: prior experience reading and writing mathematical proofs Syllabus

Computer Science

High School

OC11A - Introduction to C Programming (Fall only)

The first course in this series introduces the fundamentals of C Programming including basic syntax, data types, expressions, control statements, and interaction between the compiler and the hardware. The programming exercises are oriented towards learning how to construct an efficient algorithm to solve a problem and include computing the solutions of quadratic equations, finding prime or perfect numbers in a given range, and processing words in a passage of text. The basics of understanding and writing functions are studied. Prerequisite:  Honors Intermediate Algebra (OM012)

OC11B - Programming in C: Algorithms and Techniques (Spring only)

The second course in the C Programming series introduces more advanced topics including arrays, passing arrays to functions, sorting algorithms, user-defined types, and recursion. The programming exercises are oriented towards learning top-down design and structured programming. The concepts of a variable’s value and a pointer to a variable are introduced. Prerequisite: Introduction to C Programming (OC11A)

OCS01 - AP Computer Science

This course introduces students to the concept of object oriented programming. The basic and some advanced features of Java are studied including designing and building applications such as web applets. Core topics in the context of the Java programming language: fundamental data structures such as arrays and algorithms (especially those for sorting and searching) and the relationship between computer hardware and a compiled program. Much of the course is project-based, with assignments stressing the design of classes and algorithms appropriate to a problem. This course prepares students to take the A level AP Computer Science Exam. Recommended: concurrent (or previous) enrollment in Honors Precalculus with Trigonometry (OM013). A placement exam will be required for students that have not previously taken OHS computer science courses.

Economics

University Level

UEC20 - Economics

This university-level Economics course focuses on fundamental microeconomics concepts at an early undergraduate level. The course is divided into three sections. Section one focuses on the consumer theory by first introducing the concepts of utility functions, indifference curves, the individual’s constrained optimization of utility. The study of market equilibrium and price determination is investigated. Standardissuessuchastaxation,consumerand producer surplus, and Slutsky and Hicksian decompositions are covered. The second section focuses on the producer, introducing the concepts of production function, profit maximization, and the dual problem of cost minimization, factor demand functions, cost curves, competitive market price setting, and monopolistic markets. The third section focuses on the following advanced microeconomic topics: net present value; basic game theory and the prisoner’s dilemma; elements of general equilibrium theory, including the Edgeworth box, Pareto efficiency, and elements of welfare theory; market failures, including externalities and public goods. Prerequisite: AP Calculus AB (OM4AB) or concurrent enrollment in AP Calculus BC (OM4BC) and consent of the instructor

Science

Middle School

JP001 - Inquiry-based Physics

JS002 - Foundations in Science: Energy and Matter

This year-long seminar-style course introduces students to the concepts that provide the foundation for physics, chemistry, and biology. Students will explore the ideas that unify the sciences, such as energy and matter, and examine these core ideas from the perspective of each discipline.  Students will use an inquiry-based approach with an emphasis on acquiring the background knowledge and perspective to develop research problems.  Through exploration of the central themes of the course, students will additionally become familiar with the basic principles of scientific reasoning.  The primary goal of the course is to provide students with a well-informed introduction to science that prevents common misconceptions and that prepares students for high-school and AP-level laboratory sciences. Prerequisite:  Inquiry-based Physics (JP001) or placement

High School

OC005 - Honors Chemistry

Honors Chemistry is a year-long seminar-style course that introduces the fundamental language, ideas and tools used in the study of chemistry.  This advanced introductory high school chemistry course covers key topics such as chemical nomenclature, stoichiometry, the periodic table, chemical bonding, equilibrium, kinetics, thermodynamics, nuclear chemistry, and common laboratory practices.  Emphasis is placed on the use of chemistry in the natural world, the physical world and our daily lives.  The course fosters skills necessary to describe chemical processes and behaviors and to solve numerical and verbal problems in chemistry.  Upon completion, students will have a solid foundation in chemistry and will be prepared for AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and college-level chemistry courses.  Prerequisite: Middle-school or high-school science course; Corequisite: Intermediate Algebra (OM012)  Syllabus

Related course: Students also have the option of doing additional laboratory work during the OHS residential summer program at Stanford University (see OCL05 – Honors Chemistry Lab).

OCL05 - Honors Chemistry Lab (OHS Residential Summer Program at Stanford)

Honors Chemistry Lab is an OHS summer course held on the Stanford campus that allows students to explore college-level introductory chemistry topics through hands- on experimentation. Experiments correspond with topics covered in Honors Chemistry (OC005). Students gain a variety of skills needed in a cutting-edge research lab, including experience with modern tools and techniques and effective communication of results. Examples of experiments that may be performed include metal-ligand titration, calorimetry, nanoparticle synthesis and characterization, micro- and thin layer chromatography, and extraction and purification of chlorophyll and carotene from plants. Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry (OC005)

OC010 - AP Chemistry

AP Chemistry is a year-long seminar-style course that teaches students the fundamental ideas and tools of modern chemistry and covers college-level introductory chemistry topics. Students become fluent in the language, symbols, laboratory skills, and concepts of chemistry. They learn to describe chemical names, the periodic table, types of reactions, chemical reactivity, structure, bonding, thermodynamics, kinetics, electrochemistry and nuclear chemistry. Throughout the course they are exposed to applications of chemistry in organic chemistry, materials science, environmental chemistry and biochemistry.  This course stresses problem solving in chemistry using verbal descriptions and mathematical relationships to describe chemical ideas and processes.  AP Chemistry gives students hands-on laboratory experience by requiring students to perform experiments at home using lab equipment and reagents purchased from a chemical supplier or household chemicals.  This course prepares students for the AP Chemistry exam. Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry (OC005) or passing score on AP Chemistry placement exam  Syllabus

Related course: Students also have the option of doing additional laboratory work during the OHS residential summer program at Stanford University (see OCL10 – AP Chemistry Lab).

OCL10 - AP Chemistry Lab (OHS Residential Summer Program at Stanford)

AP Chemistry Lab is an OHS summer course held on the Stanford campus that allows students to explore college-level introductory chemistry topics through hands-on experimentation. Experiments correspond with topics covered in AP Chemistry (OC010). Students will gain a variety of skills needed in a cutting-edge research lab including experience with modern tools and techniques and effective communication of results. Examples of experiments that may be performed include chelation titration, calorimetry, nanoparticle synthesis and characterization, silver plating, synthesis/purification of aspirin, micro- and thin layer chromatography, extraction/ purification of chlorophyll and carotene from plants, and UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Prerequisite: AP Chemistry (OC010) or equivalent

OB010 - AP Biology

AP Biology is a year-long seminar course that covers college-level introductory biology topics in molecular and cellular biology (including anatomy, physiology, and diversity of plants, animals, and microbes) and ecology and evolution. Emphasis is placed on the themes that unify biology, including regulation of biological processes, energy transfer, continuity and change, evolution, the relationship between structure and function, emergent properties, interdependence in nature, the scientific process, and the relevance of biology in our everyday lives. Through at-home and virtual lab work, students learn useful biological techniques, gain the ability to design scientific experiments, effectively communicate results, and strengthen their knowledge of material presented in lecture.  This course prepares students for the AP Biology exam. Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry (OC005), AP Chemistry (OC010), or consent of instructor  Syllabus

Related course: Students also have the option of doing additional laboratory work during the OHS residential summer program at Stanford University (see OBL10 – AP Biology Lab).

OBL10 - AP Biology Lab (OHS Residential Summer Program at Stanford)

AP Biology Lab is an OHS summer course held on the Stanford campus that allows students to explore college-level introductory biology topics through hands- on experimentation. Experiments correspond with topics covered in AP Biology (OB010). Techniques utilized to explore these topics may include polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis of nucleotides or proteins, ELISA, and microscopy. Emphasis is placed on understanding the process of science, experimental design and interpretation, and the relevance of biology to our everyday lives. Students gain experience with modern biological techniques currently used in molecular biology and medical diagnostic labs, as well as learning to effectively record and communicate results. Prerequisite: AP Biology (OB010) or equivalent

OB011 – Research Topics in Biology

Research Topics in Biology is a year-long seminar course that explores a variety of biological concepts in depth through discussion of scientific research. Topics are chosen from the breadth of the discipline and build on the foundation of knowledge acquired in AP Biology (OB010). Students study molecular and cell biology, genetics, plant biology, medicine, evolution and ecology by reading both current and seminal research publications and discussing these works as a group. Not only do students gain an appreciation of relevant research topics in modern biology, but they also learn about valuable research tools and the skills necessary to understand the frontiers of the science. Prerequisite: AP Biology (OB010) or consent of instructor  Syllabus

OP005 - Honors Physics

Honors Physics is a year-long seminar-style course that introduces the fundamental language, ideas and tools used in the study of physics. This advanced introductory high school physics course covers key topics such as kinematics (displacement, velocity, acceleration, vectors), dynamics (inertia, momentum, force, Newton’s laws, kinetic and potential energy), wave phenomena, electric fields and forces, magnetism, and optics. Emphasis will be on introducing and developing those concepts, skills, and methods necessary to excel in physics, thus providing the foundation for more advanced study of physics. Through both at-home and virtual lab work, students learn useful experimental techniques, gain the ability to formulate experimental questions, design scientific experiments, effectively articulate scientific findings, and strengthen understanding of course material. Upon completion, students will have a solid foundation in physics and will be prepared for AP Physics B or C (depending on mathematics background). Corequisite: Honors Beginning Algebra (OM011) or equivalent

OP010 - AP Physics B

AP Physics B is a year-long non-calculus-based physics course that covers a broad range of introductory physics topics. The first semester covers mechanics, including study of kinematics, force, circular motion, momentum, energy, rotation, gravitation, and simple harmonic oscillation. During the second semester, the main focus is on electricity and magnetism, including exploration of electrostatic force, electric fields, electric potential, simple circuits, magnetism, and EM Waves. The second semester also covers basic thermodynamics, optics, and nuclear physics. By completing lab work (a combination of at-home labs and virtual labs), students reinforce their understanding of concepts, gain hands-on experimentation experience, and develop their written communication skills. A strong background in algebra is required, and some knowledge of trigonometry is recommended. This course prepares students for the AP Physics B exam. Prerequisite: Honors Physics (OP005) or equivalent or passing score on AP Physics placement exam; Corequisite: Honors Intermediate Algebra (OM012) or equivalent

Related course: Students also have the option of doing additional laboratory work during the OHS residential summer program at Stanford University (see OPL10 – AP Physics B Lab).

OPL10 - AP Physics B Lab (OHS Residential Summer Program at Stanford)

AP Physics B Lab is an OHS summer course held on the Stanford campus that allows students to explore college-level introductory physics topics through hands-on experimentation. Experiments correspond with topics covered in AP Physics B (OP010), and this course is designed to be taken after completion of the year-long course. Students gain a variety of skills needed in a cutting-edge research lab including experience with modern tools and techniques and effective communication of results. Prerequisite: AP Physics B (OP010) or equivalent

OP051 - AP Physics C: Mechanics

AP Physics C: Mechanics is a semester-long calculus-based physics course designed to be equivalent to an introductory university-level physics course when taken in conjunction with AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. In this course, students explore mechanics, including study of kinematics, force, circular motion, momentum, energy, rotation, gravitation, and simple harmonic oscillation. By completing lab work (a mixture of at-home labs, on-site labs as part of the OHS residential summer program, and virtual labs), students reinforce their understanding of concepts, gain hands-on experimentation experience, and develop their written communication skills. This course prepares students for the AP Physics C Mechanics exam, though the scope of the course is not limited exclusively to the AP curriculum. Prior completion of AP Physics B and/or AP Calculus BC is advantageous but not required.Prerequisite: Honors Physics (OP005) or equivalent or passing score on AP Physics placement exam; Corequisite: Calculus B (OM41B) or equivalent

Related course: Students also have the option of doing additional laboratory work during the OHS residential summer program at Stanford University (see OPL50 – AP Physics C Lab).

OP053 - AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism

AP Physics C: Mechanics is a semester-long calculus-based physics course designed to be equivalent to an introductory university-level physics course when taken in conjunction with AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. In this course, the main focus is on electricity and magnetism, including exploration of electrostatic force, electric fields, electric potential, simple circuits, magnetic fields, induction, and EM Waves. By completing lab work (a mixture of at-home labs, on-site labs as part of the OHS residential summer program, and virtual labs), students reinforce their understanding of concepts, gain hands-on experimentation experience, and develop their written communication skills. This course prepares students for the AP Physics C Mechanics exam, though the scope of the course is not limited exclusively to the AP curriculum. Prior completion of AP Physics B and/or AP Calculus BC is advantageous but not required. Prerequisite: Honors Physics (OP005) or equivalent or passing score on AP Physics placement exam; Corequisite: Calculus C (OM42C) or equivalent

Related course: Students also have the option of doing additional laboratory work during the OHS residential summer program at Stanford University (see OPL50 – AP Physics C Lab).

OPL50 - AP Physics C Lab (OHS Residential Summer Program at Stanford)

AP Physics C Lab is an OHS summer course held on the Stanford campus that allows students to explore college-level introductory physics topics through hands-on experimentation. Experiments correspond with topics covered in AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, and the course designed to be taken after completion of the OP051 and OP053. Students gain a variety of skills needed in a cutting-edge research lab including experience with modern tools and techniques and effective communication of results. Prerequisite: AP Physics C: Mechanics (OP051) and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism (OP053) or equivalent

OB001 - Health

The OHS Health and Wellness course is a self-paced course for students without a previous health class or AP Biology at OHS. In this course, students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain a long and healthy life by identifying and avoiding dangerous environments and risky behavior and by preventing common communicable and chronic diseases. Students also gain an appreciation for how the body and mind work and learn about the changes to be expected in the future. Finally, students learn about the role individuals play in public health and maintaining the health of a community. Using the course workbook as a guide, the course can be completed in less than a semester.

University Level

UP055 - Light and Heat

Light and Heat is a directed study course that the student completes at his or her own pace, but is designed to be completed within one semester. The course is an introduction to university-level optics and thermodynamics. Topics include temperature, properties of matter, introduction to the kinetic theory of matter, light and electromagnetic waves, reflection and refraction of light, lens systems, interference, and diffraction. Prerequisite: AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism (OP053) and consent of the instructor

UP070 - Modern Physics

Modern Physics is a directed study course that the student completes at his or her own pace, but is designed to be completed within one semester. The course is an introduction to the ideas of modern physics. Topics include key concepts in special and general relativity, quantum mechanics, nuclear physics, high-energy particle physics, and cosmology. Prerequisite: Light and Heat (UP055) and consent of instructor

UP110, UP111 - Intermediate Mechanics I & II

Intermediate Mechanics I & II are two directed study courses taken in sequence that the student completes at his or her own pace, but is designed to be completed within one semester each. Together, the courses provide a thorough exploration of the mechanics of systems of particles and rigid bodies. Topics include coordinate transformation and vectors, Newtonian mechanics, linear and nonlinear oscillations, Hamilton’s principle, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics, non-inertial reference systems, rigid-body dynamics, coupled oscillations, and introductory fluid mechanics. Prerequisite: Modern Physics (UP070) and Differential Equations (UM53A) or equivalent and consent of instructor