(1/2 credit)

The Creative Writing course is designed to serve as a collaborative creative-writing workshop. Through daily reading and writing exercises, students model techniques in creating dialogue, description, and narrative. Students write several short stories throughout the semester, each developing particular aspects of prose fiction. All participants should expect to read and discuss contemporary short fiction, to write prose exercises and their own original short stories, and to learn about and actively participate in a writer’s workshop.
Open to students in grades 9-12.

(1/2 credit)

Beginning with the genre’s origins in the 19th century, we will study the works of writers from a range of time periods and regions. We will trace the common elements that link some of the most famous writers from Edgar Allan Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle to Henning Mankell. Our studies will provide the opportunity to consider the cultural and universal topics that occupy most detective fiction such as immigration, economics, greed and group and personal identity. We’ll explore what makes this genre so appealing to such a wide ranging audience. Materials for study will include short stories, novels, films and critical writings about mystery, detective, and crime fiction. Assessment activities will include creative and critical writing activities.
Open to students in grades 10-12.

(1/2 credit)

Shakespeare’s stories remain relevant as a detailed portrayal of the complexities of human relationships; this course provides an opportunity to get to know the Bard and his works beyond traditional literary analysis. The course requires students to examine Shakespearean plays at its core through a combination of methodologies from traditional class reading to acting out key scenes and interpreting film productions. The course serves as an enriching exploration through cross curricular opportunities with drama, music art and media publications. Students will examine how recent cinematic versions of Shakespeare’s plays add to our understanding of the original works he wrote for the Renaissance stage and the ways in which Shakespeare’s works remain relevant today.
Open to students in grades 10-12.

(1/2 credit)

The course is designed to develop the skills of thoughtful and able communication by training students in both the oral and written components of informative and persuasive speaking. The course emphasizes business and professional communication, presentational speaking, oral interpretation of literature, formal and informal speaking etiquette, the development and use of effective vocabulary, the importance of voice and diction, and professional speech writing. In addition to these practical applications, students receive classical grounding in Aristotle’s The Art of Rhetoric.
Open to students in grades 9-12.

(1 credit)

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester college introductory biology course taken by biology majors during their first year. The textbooks used for AP Biology are those used by college biology majors and the labs are equivalent to those done by college students. It aims to provide students with the conceptual framework, factual knowledge, and analytical skills necessary to deal critically with the rapidly changing science of biology. The two main goals of AP Biology are to help students develop a conceptual framework for modern biology and to help students gain an appreciation of science as a process. The ongoing information explosion in biology makes these goals even more challenging. Primary emphasis in this course is on developing an understanding of concepts; however, there is much detail to memorize. Essential to this conceptual understanding are the following: a grasp of science as a process rather than as an accumulation of facts; personal experience in scientific inquiry; recognition of unifying themes that integrate the major topics of biology; and application of biological knowledge and critical thinking to environmental and social concerns. All students are expected to take the AP Biology Examination offered by the College Board in May, for which they may receive credit or standing in college, depending on their scores and the policies of the colleges they attend.
Prerequisite: Biology Honors. Pre- or Co-requisite: Chemistry or Honors Chemistry. Departmental approval.

(1 credit)

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester college introductory chemistry course taken by chemistry majors during their first year. For some students, this course enables them to undertake, as college freshmen, second-year work in the chemistry sequence at their institution or to register for courses in other fields where general chemistry is a prerequisite. The course aims to provide students with a depth of understanding of fundamentals and a reasonable competence in dealing with chemical problems. The course contributes to the development of the students’ abilities to think clearly and to express their ideas, orally and in writing, with clarity and logic. The course differs qualitatively from Honors Chemistry with regard to the topics covered, the emphasis on chemical calculations and the mathematical formulation of principles, and the kind of laboratory work done by students. Quantitative differences appear in the number of topics treated, the time spent on the course by students, and the nature and the variety of experiments done in the laboratory. Students will participate in student-centered inquiry investigations to develop advanced inquiry and reasoning skills such as designing a plan for collecting data, analyzing data, applying mathematical routines, and connecting concepts.
Students are expected to sit the AP Exam.  Students who do not sit for the AP examination may receive a zero for the end-of-year exam in the AP course. 
Prerequisites: Physics Honors, Chemistry Honors, Pre-Calculus Honors. Departmental approval.

(1 credit)

AP Environmental Science is constructed to provide students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world. It is an interdisciplinary study of earth processes and their link to human habitation. The course begins by concentrating on ecological basics such as community interactions, biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles. The course then moves on to explore human interactions with the earth; primarily population growth and our effect on air/water resources. The students obtain a balanced, objective perspective on environmental science today. Through lectures, discussions, and labs, students learn to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and anthropogenic, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. Students apply their knowledge of biology, chemistry, physics, and in some cases history and English to decipher the wealth of information and even make their own decisions regarding our environmental future.
Students are expected to sit the AP Exam.  Students who do not sit for the AP examination may receive a zero for the end-of-year exam in the AP course. 
Prerequisite: Biology Honors or Biology. Pre- or Co-requisite: Chemistry or Honors Chemistry. Departmental approval.

(1 credit)

This course is an algebra-based course in which students will explore topics such as Newtonian mechanics, work, energy and power, mechanical waves and sound, and simple circuits. Students will develop a deep understanding of foundational principles in classic mechanics and modern physics by applying these principles to complex physical situations that combine multiple aspects of physics rather than present concepts in isolation. Students will design, implement, and analyze inquiry-based laboratory investigations.
Students are expected to sit the AP Exam.  Students who do not sit for the AP examination may receive a zero for the end-of-year exam in the AP course. 
Prerequisite: Honors Physics and Algebra II Honors; Pre- or Co-requisite: Pre- Calculus. Departmental approval.

(1 credit)

The course is designed to resemble the first part of the college sequence that serves as the foundation in physics for students majoring in the physical sciences or engineering. The sequence is preceded by mathematics courses that include Calculus. Methods of Calculus are used wherever appropriate in formulating physical principles and in applying them to physical problems. Strong emphasis is placed on solving a variety of challenging problems, requiring calculus. The subject matter of the course is Newtonian mechanics. Students are expected to sit the AP Exam.  Students who do not sit for the AP examination may receive a zero for the end-of-year exam in the AP course. 
Prerequisite: Physics Honors; Calculus Honors or AP Calculus.

(1 credit)

AP Psychology is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals.  Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology.  They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice. The aim of AP Psychology is to provide students with a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most college introductory psychology courses.
Students are expected to sit the AP Exam.  Students who do not sit for the AP examination may receive a zero for the end-of-year exam in the AP course.
Open to students in grades 10-12.  Departmental approval. 

(1/2 credit)

This course is designed to offer students a basic overview of the engineering fields, their principles, and their applications to everyday life. It prepares students to understand pre-engineering concepts that emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving. This course also develops design skills that can be applied practically, while using the design process to analyze problems, develop solutions, and test and evaluate those solutions. Topics covered include engineering careers, engineering design process, graphic and physical modeling, including computer-aided design (CAD) with industry-level software, computer programming, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, among others.
Pre- or Co-requisite: Physics.

(1/2 credit)

The Engineering: Design Applications course is designed to offer students a basic overview of the engineering fields, their principles, and their applications to everyday life. It prepares students to understand pre-engineering concepts that emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving. This course also develops design skills that can be applied practically, while using the design process to analyze problems, develop solutions, and test and evaluate those solutions. Topics covered include engineering design process, graphic and physical modeling, including computer-aided design (CAD) with industry-level software, materials, patents, among others.            
Pre or Corequisite: Physics 

(1/2 credit)

In this introductory course, students will learn and apply basic concepts of epidemiology to multiple domains of public health. We will illustrate and practice using epidemiology to better understand, characterize, and promote health at a population level. The class will engage the students in active and collaborative learning through team activities, case studies, group discussion, lab work and individual projects. Case studies may include enterovirus, Ebola, the Spanish flu, and COVID 19, including statistical analysis. The long term lab covers MRSA. Other labs may also include pandemic situations that identify patient zero. Vaccination science and disaster response are also discussed.

(1/2 credit)

This one-semester course introduces students to the fundamental principles of microeconomics that apply to the functions of individual decision making, by both consumer and producer, within the larger economic system. Macro-economic systems — including Keynesian, classical, monetarist, and supply-side — are also studied, with students examining the roles of government in a mixed economy. Students are introduced to a variety of theoretical tools used to analyze the performance of the US economy. Weekly Harkness discussions explore a variety of contemporary real-world issues, enabling students to improve and demonstrate understanding of the issues addressed in this course.

(1 credit)

AP Macroeconomics is a full-year course designed for students with a strong interest in economics and government. The course syllabus parallels that of PTS’s college Preparatory Economics course, providing a broad overview of the fundamental principles, models and indices employed by economists to analyze an economic system as a whole, but doing so in greater depth and detail. Specific units covered include the following: Measurement of economic Performance; National Income and Price Determination; Financial Sector; Inflation, Unemployment, and Stabilization Policies; Economic Growth and Productivity; and International Trade and Finance.
Students are expected to sit the AP Exam.  Students who do not sit for the AP examination may receive a zero for the end-of-year exam in the AP course. 
Corequisites: Algebra II and departmental approval.

(1/2 credit)

This course provides a close examination of America’s political theories, institutions and processes. After a review of the historical foundations of the United States, the course examines the fundamental principles contained in the United States Constitution: republicanism, federalism, separation of powers, and civil liberties. Application of these principles through case studies helps students understand how the governmental process works. Major emphasis is given to the institutions of the Congress at the national level. Links are made among these institutions and political parties, interest groups, the media, and public opinion in order to understand the forces and constraints on policy making at the federal level. Additionally, the course examines the electoral system, civil liberties and civil rights through judicial interpretations.

(1 credit)

This course includes the same objectives as the United States Government course but emphasizes mastery of the additional content and skills necessary for successful completion of the AP examination.
Students are expected to sit the AP Exam.  Students who do not sit for the AP examination may receive a zero for the end-of-year exam in the AP course. 
Prerequisites: Departmental approval.

(1 credit)

AP Human Geography introduces students to the systematic study of the intersection between society and nature over time, and the patterns and processes of spatial occupation and socioeconomic activities that have shaped the human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface, what geographers call cultural or humanized landscape. Students will employ spatial analysis to interpret cultural landscapes and to examine socioeconomic organizations and their environmental consequences. Learning to think geographically is learning to think spatially. Students will also learn the methods and tools that geographers use in their research, approaching relevant problems in the world using various scales of analysis: local, regional, and global. This ability will enhance their capacity to foster global citizenship and environmental stewardship. The course foresees two local geographic fieldwork trips in which students will apply the four levels of geographic analysis. By the end of this course, students should be more geoliterate, more engaged in contemporary global problems, and more multicultural in their viewpoints.
Students are expected to sit the AP Exam.  Students who do not sit for the AP examination may receive a zero for the end-of-year exam in the AP course. 
Prerequisites: World History Honors and departmental approval.

(1/2 credit)

This course will provide an introduction to the diverse lifeways practiced by people around the world, and to the means by which anthropologists investigate these phenomena. By studying cultural constructions of gender, subsistence, economics, kinship, politics, spirituality, and art as they are expressed within many different societies across the globe, students will gain an understanding of the observed range of human experience. In doing so, they will reflect upon how their own cultural influences have come to shape the way they see themselves and others.
Open to students in grades 10-12.

(1/2 credit)

Students will be introduced to the theories, values, and traditional practices underlying the US legal system. Students will explore how these factors shape the theoretical and practical administration of justice in criminal and civil trials. Students will familiarize themselves with the rights of defendants in criminal cases — procedural and substantive due process — as well as the prerogatives of plaintiffs in civil cases. Further, students will learn about the structure of the judicial system and the roles of various personnel within the system. Students will participate in mock trials on both sides, as members of prosecution and defense teams. Students may also have the opportunity to visit courts (the state, federal, and appeals courts as in the past) and/or participate in a Moot Court competition. By writing briefs and participating in moot court activities, students will practice learning to think critically about legal strategy and practice concise evidenced-based argumentation.
Open to students in grades 10-12.

(1/2 credit)

Students will study the history of the United States through the lens of African American leaders and movements. Although the course will (by necessity) touch on slavery, segregation, racism, imperialism and mass incarceration, emphasis will be placed on how African Americans have seized agency and developed movements to overcome these systems of oppression. The course will include leaders of cultural, political and social justice movements, and will consider how they operated (or operate) on local, national and global stages. The course will invite members of the PTS faculty who identify with the Black experience to share their insights with students. Students will also complete semester-long projects where they study and present on current day Black leaders and their contributions.
Open to students in grades 11-12.

(1/2 credit)

This course, open to all students in grades 10-12, will provide the theoretical framework to understand the historical roots of patriarchy and their mechanisms of oppression, as well as their concomitant expressions of sexism, discrimination, and violence against women. Using an intersectional approach and participatory pedagogy, students will study the social constructions of gender, the relationship between gender and power, and the different gender roles ascribed by societies. We will examine the diverse experiences that women face in developed and developing countries, and how they have been affected by cultural values and socioeconomic levels. Students will analyze how the interplay of factors such as access and retention to education, health services, employment, marriage and divorce, family planning and domestic violence influence women's development within a historical and spatial context. Under the framework of the Human Development Index students will be able to understand the situation of women in comparison to men in selected countries. We will read theoretical and empirical essays, watch films and documentaries, and invite speakers and activists to shed light on these issues. The course will conclude with a proposal to empower women either locally or abroad. Thus, we will bridge theory with praxis applying the content learned in this course with proper courses of action to empower women and achieve gender equality.  
Open to students in grades 10-12.

(1/2 credit)

Health Science will be offered as a follow up to Wellness, which is typically taken freshman year. This class will build upon topics and concepts covered in the first part of the course, such as nutrition and First Aid/CPR. It will also expose students to health issues such as genetic and chromosomal diseases, disability studies, autoimmune diseases and medical careers. Certifying the students in First Aid/CPR and bringing in various speakers from health/medical fields are the proposed activities.

(1/2 credit)

Physical Education uniform is required.
Open to students in grades 9-12.  

(1/2 credit)

The basketball course is designed to develop the student’s fundamental skills, court awareness, verbal skills, and overall understanding of the game through the introduction and active participation in group drills, individual drills, and classroom lectures. The student will begin to develop an understanding and desire to properly implement concepts and individual skills into game situations. Students will also learn how to manage stress, control distractions, and work with teammates. This course may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement in physical education. Physical Education uniform is required.
Open to students in grades 9-12.

(1/2 credit)

The purpose of this course is to provide fundamental learning experiences for high school students in the area of sports management. Students will learn the daily operation of sports organizations, rules, laws, and the role of an athletic director. The course will focus on the history, rules, safety, ethics and overall daily preparation to operate sports at the high school, college and professional level. Students may be expected to attend sporting events outside class time to fully achieve expected knowledge level. Not eligible to satisfy Physical Education graduation requirements.
Open to students in grades 9-12.

(1/2 credit)

The soccer course is designed to develop the student’s fundamental skills, spatial awareness, verbal skills, and overall understanding of the game through the introduction and active participation in group drills, individual drills, and classroom lectures. Students will begin to develop an understanding and desire to properly implement concepts and individual skills into game situations. Students will also learn how to manage stress, control distractions, and work with teammates. This course may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement in physical education. Physical Education uniform is required.
Open to students in grades 9-12.

(1/2 credit)

The course features a variety of components, including fitness, and various individual and team-sport activities. Students will have the opportunities to learn various games, the skills and rules of play to allow for cooperative game play while developing fitness components. Students may experience traditional games as well as non-traditional sport modules. Students’ health fitness components will be assessed by the PE Fitness Assessment, providing the student with clear results and understanding of their current health fitness status.This course may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement
Open to students in grades 9-12.

(1/2 credit)

The Volleyball Course offers the basic fundamentals that support the sport of volleyball. This course will help students develop individual skills, team complex skills and group cooperative attitudes that are conducive to learning. Physical conditioning allows students to work on perfecting their volleyball skills. New skills will be introduced to challenge and give students an opportunity to improve in all areas of the game. This course may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement in physical education. Physical Education uniform is required.
Open to students in grades 9-12.

(1/2 credit)

The importance of physical fitness has been established as a basic life skill. The students in this class will be introduced to the proper lifting skills and routines as a means of creating a healthy lifestyle. During this course, students will be introduced to the usage of equipment in the weight room. Students will be shown how to effectively stretch, and develop muscle strength. These basic skills of weight lifting and the fundamentals of proper lifting techniques are important for understanding exercise and how it affects an overall body-workout. We will, as a class, be using the Bigger, Faster, Stronger (BFS program). During the course of each day students run a short distance for a warm up. Students will have an opportunity to add to or change his/ her personal workout program in order to maximize their time in class. As the course continues each student will be required to follow the BFS workout program for the duration of the semester. Weight Training may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement in physical education. Physical Education uniform is required.
Open to students in grades 9-12.

(1/2 credit)

Students will learn the main yoga postures, the impact of yoga poses on the body, breathing techniques, and mindfulness and relaxation methods. Students will acquire an understanding of yoga etiquette and terminology. This course can benefit the students by teaching them stress reduction techniques, helping them create a positive body image and enhancing their health and wellbeing while participating in physical fitness. They will cultivate community and learn to be a part of a noncompetitive class environment by valuing differences and yoga fitness practice. They will obtain the skills, understanding, and tools to maintain a regular yoga and mindfulness practice. The yoga curriculum is designed to complement the Physical Education offerings. Yoga may be used to fulfill one semester of the Upper School graduation requirement in physical education.
Open to students in grades 9-12.

(1/2 credit)

Marketing is the mechanism that organizations, both profit and nonprofit, use to establish relationships with customers. Put differently, marketing is the convergence of the promises a company makes, the story it tells, and the authentic way it delivers on their promises. Students in this class will collaborate to create a marketing plan to raise capital for the production of a professionally prepared video that captures compelling stories from each student.
Open to grades 10-12.

(1/2 credit)

The objective of the Entrepreneurship course is to empower young social entrepreneurs with the necessary tools and experiences to successfully design, launch and run their own social change ventures. Students develop leadership capabilities, learn communication strategies, recognize the importance of systemic thinking, gain a sense of personal responsibility towards the community, and design their own social initiatives. Parallel to these experiences, students learn about financing their initiatives, fundraising ideas, budget management, and project sustainability. The course culminates when students present their initiatives to a panel of community leaders who have the potential to help fund their ideas and bring them to fruition.
Open to grades 10-12.

(1/2 credit)

Students will begin the course with an introduction to the International Baccalaureate’s Theory of Knowledge. We consider how we know what we claim to know and what factors influence our perception and understanding of the world around us. Using Palmer Trinity’s campus as a case study, students will apply these concepts of knowledge to the numerous intellectual questions inherent in the development of the land. Students take an active role in their campus through study and involvement in the politics, sociology, financial, and environmental aspects of the long-range plan. Students collaborate with teachers from various disciplines, local community leaders, developers, and bankers. The essential question that guides this course of study changes each semester in direct relation to the stages of the campus’ development.
Open to grades 9-12.

(1/2 credit)

This course dives into water — an essential component of life on our planet, environmentally, culturally, and historically. In societies across the globe, water serves as a source of peace and contemplation. Many faiths revere water as a sacred symbol. Authors and artists are inspired by the complex character of water. Water also plays a practical role in societies around the world. The availability of water affected settlement and migration patterns. Access to water and control of water resources have long been a central part of political and economic planning. Human creativity and resourcefulness provide new ways of protecting water resources and renewing for the natural environment.