Here at The Independent School, we provide an exceptional college preparatory curriculum featuring Honors and Advanced Placement courses along with a variety of unique electives that highlight the individual and collective strengths of our outstanding faculty.
Humanities — Language: Art History. Music History. World religions. The Independent School biography. Japanese culture. MLA research. Public speaking. Vocabulary. Grammar studies. Writing: creative, compare/contrast, journals, romantic, narrative, dialogue, persuasive, screenplay, song writing, poetry.
Humanities — Literature: Bless Me, Ultima, Flatland, The Lives of a Cell, Silent Spring, Siddhartha, Night, The Lilies of the Field, The Inferno, The Merchant of Venice, The Lord of the Flies, Hiroshima, 1984, The War of the Worlds, other selected works. Writing: journals, reading logs, parody, and literary analysis. Language development, literary terms.
Algebra I. Geometry or Honors Geometry. Algebra II or Honors Algebra II.
Biology or Honors Biology. Chemistry. Astronomy. 9th grade students typically take Biology or Honors Biology.
World Geography. Fundamentals of geography. Cultural and human systems, environment and society. Physical systems. Analytical writing and research. Map analysis. Intro to Psychology.
Spanish I. Spanish II. Honors Spanish II.
Latin I. Latin II.
Intro to Physical Education: Skills testing. Flag football. Soccer. Basketball. Baseball. Ultimate frisbee. Floor hockey. Racket sports. Tri-ball. Team handball.
Strength & Conditioning: Total body strength. Safety techniques. Nutrition. Program design. Athletic attribute training. Flexibility, agility, cardio, speed training.
Health & Wellness: Mental and social health. Nutrition. Substance abuse. Communicable and emergent diseases. Critical issues. Safety and first aid.
Introduction to Engineering Design (IED): Design process, research and analysis, teamwork, communication methods, global and human impacts, engineering standards, and technical documentation.
Principles of Engineering (POE): Mechanisms, the strength of materials and structures, automation, and kinematics.
Computer Applications: Photo editing, audio editing, 3D design and printing, app building, web page design.
Computer Science Principles: Develop programming expertise and explore the workings of the Internet.
Broadcast Journalism: Produce live online broadcasts of school events. Plan, film, and edit various video projects.
Chamber Choir. Music Theory.
Pep band and Level 3-5 band literature. March and sonata form. Chord analysis and intonation. US athletic performances. Central Plains League Music Festival: Solo, ensemble, large group, KSHSAA Regional: Solo, Ensemble, Large Group. KSHSAA State: Solo, ensemble. Concerts.
Intro to Visual Arts. Pottery & Sculpture. Mixed Media. Drawing & Painting.
Acting: Stage directions; Major Acting Techniques; Beats and Tactics; Theatre Terms
Stagecraft: Roles of Theatre Departments; Tool Safety; Basic Set Building Techniques; Basic Lighting Concepts
American Literature: The Crucible, The Scarlet Letter, Old Man and the Sea, The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, Billy Budd, A Separate Peace, Our Town, The Glass Menagerie, Daisy Miller, Julius Caesar, Slaughterhouse Five, A Raisin in the Sun, Units on Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson, Unit on Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, contemporary poetry, short stories, various essays.
Writing: narration, description, compare/contrast, argument, cause-effect. Language development and vocabulary. Honors American Literature adds vocabulary, literature, compositions for a Pre-AP track.
Elective: Journaling with Digital Photography
Geometry or Honors Geometry. Algebra II or Honors Algebra II. Pre-Calculus or Honors Pre-Calculus.
Biology or Honors Biology, Chemistry or Honors Chemistry, Physics, or AP Physics 1, Astronomy, Anatomy & Physiology, Zoo Science. 10th grade students typically take Chemistry or Honors Chemistry.
World History or Honors World History. Business & Personal Law. Intro to Psychology. AP Human Geography.
Spanish I. Spanish II. Honors Spanish II. Spanish III, Honors Spanish III.
Latin I, Latin II, Latin III.
Intro to Physical Education: Skills testing. Flag football. Soccer. Basketball. Baseball. Ultimate frisbee. Floor hockey. Racket sports. Tri-ball. Team handball.
Strength & Conditioning: Total body strength. Safety techniques. Nutrition. Program design. Athletic attribute training. Flexibility, agility, cardio, speed training. Advanced
Physical Education: Advanced sports skills and strategies. Fitness concepts and conditioning techniques. Team and leisure time activities.
Introduction to Engineering Design (IED): Design process, research and analysis, teamwork, communication methods, global and human impacts, engineering standards, and technical documentation.
Principles of Engineering (POE): Mechanisms, the strength of materials and structures, automation, and kinematics.
Computer Applications: Photo editing, audio editing, 3D design and printing, app building, web page design.
Computer Science Principles:
Develop programming expertise and explore the workings of the Internet.
Broadcast Journalism: Produce live online broadcasts of school events. Plan, film, and edit various video projects.
Chamber Choir. Music Theory.
Pep band and Level 3-5 band literature. March and sonata form. Chord analysis and intonation. US athletic performances. Central Plains League Music Festival: Solo, ensemble, large group. KSHSAA Regional: Solo, ensemble, large group. KSHSAA State: Solo, ensemble. Concerts.
Intro to Visual Arts. Pottery & Sculpture. Mixed Media. Drawing & Painting. Glass Art. AP Art History
Theatre History: Basic styles and time periods in theatre evolution; Key plays and playwrights of each period
Theatre Design: In depth study of chosen field; production timeline; hands on design element
Advanced Acting: In depth look at major acting techniques; Building a character; motivation
British Literature: Oryx and Crake, classic novel of choice, Beowulf, Chaucer, Macbeth, Milton, Pepys, Swift, Pope, Frankenstein, Pride & Prejudice, The Importance of Being Earnest, Heart of Darkness, Brave New World, A Clockwork Orange, The Mousetrap, Things Fall Apart, other selected works.
Writing: poetry, narrative essays, journals, creative scripts, literary analysis, argument, reflections, and MLA research paper. Vocabulary and spelling mastery. Literary terms. Poetry recitation and class presentations. AP English Language adds selected essays from AP Reader, Waiting for Godot, Wordmasters contest, AP practice tests, rhetorical strategies.
Algebra II. Intro to College Algebra. Pre-Calculus or Honors Pre-Calculus. Calculus. AP Calculus AB. AP Calculus BC. AP Statistics.
Biology or Honors Biology, Chemistry or Honors Chemistry, AP Chemistry, Physics, or AP Physics1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C (mechanics, electricity & magnetism) Astronomy & Physiology, Zoo Science.
U.S. History: Reconstruction to the Present. AP U.S. History: Colonization to Modern Era. Economics. Business & Personal Law. Intro to Psychology. AP Psychology. AP Human Geography. Histories of the Possible: Studies in What Might Have Been.
Spanish I. Spanish II. Honors Spanish II. Spanish III. Honors Spanish III. Spanish Conversation.
Latin I. Latin II. Latin III. Latin IV.
Intro to Physical Education: Skills testing. Flag football. Soccer. Basketball. Baseball. Ultimate frisbee. Floor hockey. Racket sports. Tri-ball. Team handball.
Strength & Conditioning: Total body strength. Safety techniques. Nutrition. Program design. Athletic attribute training. Flexibility, agility, cardio, speed training. Advanced
Physical Education: Advanced sports skills and strategies. Fitness concepts and conditioning techniques. Team and leisure time activities.
Introduction to Engineering Design (IED): Design process, research and analysis, teamwork, communication methods, global and human impacts, engineering standards, and technical documentation.
Principles of Engineering (POE): Mechanisms, the strength of materials and structures, automation, and kinematics.
Computer Applicatons: Photo editing, audio editing, 3D design and printing, app building, web page design.
Computer Science Principles: Develop programming expertise and explore the workings of the Internet.
Broadcast Journalism: Produce live online broadcasts of school events. Plan, film, and edit various video projects.
Chamber Choir. Musical Theory. AP Music Theory.
Pep band and Level 3-5 band literature. March and sonata form. Chord analysis and intonation. US athletic performances. Central Plains League Music Festival: Solo, ensemble, large group. KSHSAA Regional: Solo, ensemble, large group. KSHSAA State: Solo, ensemble. Concepts.
Intro to Visual Arts. Pottery & Sculpture. Mixed Media. Drawing & Painting. Glass Art. AP Art History.
Styles of Acting: Techniques to employ for each historical time period; improv; terms; major actors in each style
Design Independent Study: Create a theatrical design start to finish; Create an analysis of script used for project
Auditions Class: Terms used in the audition process; Types of auditions; Prepare monologues for auditions
World Literature: Invisible Man, The Metamorphosis, Oedipus Rex, Antigone, Medea, A Doll’s House, The Visit, Hamlet, The Sorrows of Young Werther, The Stranger, Death of a Salesman, Ethan Frome, A Lesson Before Dying, Sula, Catcher in the Rye, Life of Pi, The Kiterunner, Endgame, selected poems and short stories. Writing: timed writings, literature response journals, college application essay, research paper, style analysis essays, poetry analysis, autobiography, creative presentation script. Vocabulary.
AP World Literature adds How to Read Literature Like a Professor and Long Form analysis.
Intro to College Algebra. Pre-Calculus or Honors Pre-Calculus. Calculus AP. Calculus AB. AP Calculus BC. AP Statistics.
Students may choose from the following courses: AP Biology. Chemistry or Honors Chemistry. AP Chemistry. Physics or Honors Physics. AP Physics C (mechanics, electricity, and magnetism) Astronomy. Health in Science. Anatomy and Physiology.
U.S. History: Reconstruction to the Present. AP U.S. History: Colonization to Modern Era. Economics. Business & Personal Law. Intro to Psychology. AP Psychology. AP Human Geography. Histories of the Possible: Studies in What Might Have Been.
Spanish I. Spanish II. Honors Spanish II. Spanish III. Honors Spanish III. Spanish Conversation. College Spanish.
Latin I. Latin II. Latin III. Latin IV.
Intro to Physical Education: Skills testing. Flag football. Soccer. Basketball. Baseball. Ultimate frisbee. Floor hockey. Racket sports. Tri-ball. Team handball.
Strength & Conditioning: Total body strength. Safety techniques. Nutrition. Program design. Athletic attribute training. Flexibility, agility, cardio, speed training. Advanced
Physical Education: Advanced sports skills and strategies. Fitness concepts and conditioning techniques. Team and leisure time activities.
Introduction to Engineering Design (IED): Design process, research and analysis, teamwork, communication methods, global and human impacts, engineering standards, and technical documentation.
Principles of Engineering (POE): Mechanisms, the strength of materials and structures, automation, and kinematics.
Computer Applications: Photo editing, audio editing, 3D design and printing, app building, web page design.
Computer Science Principles: Develop programming expertise and explore the workings of the Internet.
Broadcast Journalism: Produce live online broadcasts of school events. Plan, film, and edit various video projects.
Chamber Choir. Musical Theory. AP Music Theory.
Pep band and Level 3-5 band literature. March and sonata form. Chord analysis and intonation. US athletic performances. Central Plains League Music Festival: Solo, ensemble, large group. KSHSAA Regional: Solo, ensemble, large group. KSHSAA State: Solo, ensemble. Concepts.
Intro to Visual Arts. Pottery & Sculpture. Mixed Media. Drawing & Painting. Glass Art. AP Art History.
Directing: Work with acting class to direct short scenes; create directing notebook for scene; directing duties; directing terms
Capstone Design: Mentor underclassmen in field to create a full mainstage design; portfolio terms and needs.
If you have any questions or concerns about our Upper School curriculum, feel free to contact us for more information.
