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Academic Curriculum
The Meadows School academic program offers a traditional college preparatory curriculum. While requirements may vary according to the level at which a student enters the curriculum, in general, students must pursue extensive instruction in English, history, science, mathematics, and foreign language. Exposure to music, drama, the fine arts, technology, and physical education is also included in the curriculum. The curriculuar offerings are both challenging and exciting, demanding hard work and dedication. The School believes that for young men and women to become productive adults, they must become accustom to working productively early in their lives. Furthermore, the School realizes how important it is for students to experience the feeling of accomplishment that comes with completing a difficult task. Students must always know that they may be capable of far more than they themselves expect. Classes at The Meadows are intentionally small to facilitate learning, encourage student participation, and maximize motivation. Please click on the following link to view a comprehensive list of the courses offered in the Upper School by department.
 US Basic Curriculum US Course Catalog
Computer Science
In today's Digital Age, the computer plays an instrumental role in the modern student's quest for knowledge. The goal of The Meadows computer science curriculum is to build confidence and proficiency in the students by using the computer as a tool to acquire knowledge and to problem solve. At a fundamental level, students are taught to understand the basic anatomy of the computer and are taught how to use various software packages to do research, word process, present multimedia projects, and analyze data effectively. At more advanced levels, students are taught how to program the computer to solve complex problems using current programming paradigms such as object-oriented programming. In general, the curriculum of each computer science course is student-focused and project-based. Students discover key computer science concepts and gain valuable computer usage proficiency by completing interesting and relevant projects.
Students are required to pass a computer proficiency examination upon matriculation. Other computer science course offerings include Computer Science A (AP) or Computer Science AB (AP).
English
Mark Twain once said, "A ‘classic' is a book that everybody talks about but which no one has read." At The Meadows School, students read the classics including the contemporary ones. Beyond the fundamentals of language usage and competence in composition, the curriculum offered by the Department of English uses the time machine of literature to enable students to explore different worlds and by so doing better understand their own.
At The Meadows four years of English courses are required. The required curriculum includes Introduction to Literature and Composition in the ninth grade, American Literature and Composition in the tenth grade, English Literature and Composition (AP) or English Literature and Composition (Honors) in the eleventh grade, and English Language and Composition (AP) or two semester-long seminar courses taken in a series focusing on either American, British, or World Literature in the twelfth grade. The English Department also offers elective courses in Journalism and Yearbook.
Fine Arts & Performing Arts
The goal of the fine and performing arts program is to create a love of learning that centers in the creative process, whether in the visual or creative arts, theatre, or music. The curriculum is designed to facilitate learning at all levels of experience and ability. Students are exposed to the basic elements and principals of art in entry-level courses in each discipline and continue on to more advanced-level courses in which they have the opportunity to grow and experiment on an individual level. Students learn how to solve problems creatively in an environment that encourages risk-taking. Students learn the value of "synthetic" thinking and working together as individuals in order to contribute to a larger whole. The School's philosophy is that students enhance their entire academic experience through participation in the arts. The School offers a diverse range of courses in the arts and is always examining the curriculum to ensure that it is up-to-date and inclusive of a wide range of opportunities for all students. The program offers a unique venue for the exhibition of students' work with performances in music and theatre and is designed with the college experience in mind.
Students are required to take one year of fine or performing arts electives which includes: forensics, photography, theatre (acting, dance, technical/production), visual arts (architecture, graphic arts, studio art), and vocals and band. Studio Art (AP) is offered.
Foreign Language
The goal of the foreign language department is to teach students to develop language skills that will allow them to communicate effectively in a second language. In each of the courses offered, cultural literacy is valued, and students are taught about the current-day culture and the history of each language. A safe environment where students are able to take risks is essential for students to learn a foreign language. As such, the School's faculty are very sensitive to the fact that not all students are comfortable learning and practicing a new language, and they do everything possible to make students feel at ease. One important goal of the foreign language department is to increase self-confidence in students and teach them to appreciate and have empathy for people of diverse backgrounds.
Three languages offered are French, Latin, and Spanish. Students are welcome to choose the language they wish to study. In modern languages, speaking is emphasized from the beginning as well as learning grammar and developing effective writing skills. Latin students study word roots and grammar, and in the later years they study authentic historical texts.
Upper School students are required to take three consecutive years of one foreign language but are strongly encouraged to take a foreign language all four years. Students who are interested in studying languages in college are encouraged to take more than one foreign language in Upper School. The placement of students who are new to the School will be based on teacher recommendations and a language placement exam.
Advanced Placement courses offered are: French (Language and Literature), Latin (Literature and Vergil), and Spanish (Language and Literature).
Forensics
Forensics offers several co-curricular courses for students with an interest in developing their skills in public speaking and argumentation, speech writing, and advanced research. Succesfully completing a one-year course in forensics satisfies the student's fine and performing arts requirement for graduation. The Introduction to Speech and Debate (Honors) course provides instruction in various forms of debate and public speaking activities, especially those that are offered in competitive forensics tournaments. These speaking forms include Policy and Lincoln-Douglas debate, Student Congress, extemporaneous speaking, expository speaking, oratory, and dramatic, humorous interpretive reading. The course will also cover the characteristics and roles of different types of reasoning that are utilized in oral argumentation, including deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, inference, and metaphor. Advanced Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, and individual events courses allow students to specialize in particular activities.
Course Objectives:
1. To train students in the organization of materials and the oral and physical aspects of delivery in various speaking situations. Intended to give the beginning student an understanding of and practice in the art of communicative speaking.
2. To learn and utilize techniques for effectively developing and delivering speeches appropriate for competition in area forensics tournaments. These public speaking styles will include extemporaneous speaking, expository speaking, oratory, and dramatic, humorous, and poetic interpretation.
3. To develop and utilize library and on-line research skills necessary to the preparation for in class and tournament debates and other public speaking activities. To develop an appreciation for issues related to "the ethics of advocacy" and "proper source material attribution," and to utilize proper research, advocacy, and attribution techniques in all in-class and tournament presentations.
The courses offered through the Forensics Department include Forensics I: Introduction to Speech and Debate (Honors), Forensics II-IV: Advanced Policy Debate (Honors), Forensics II-IV: Advanced Lincoln –Douglas Debate (Honors), Forensics II-IV: Advanced Individual Events (Honors), and Public Speaking I.
Go to TMS Forensics to find out more about the Forensics Program at The Meadows School.
History/Social Studies
Upper School students are required to take four years of history/social studies courses: World History (Honors) in the ninth grade, U.S. History (Honors) or U.S. History (AP) in the tenth grade, European History (Honors) or European History (AP) in the eleventh grade, and U.S. Government (Honors) or U.S Government (AP) in the twelfth grade.
The program is designed to cultivate the tools to enable students to gain an appreciation for the history and culture of Western and Non-Western societies and to develop critical thinking skills for mastering complex problems and issues. Students learn to read secondary as well as primary source materials, discuss individuals, movements, events, and cultural and religious developments. Students learn also to make judgments and express opinions in a seminar-style setting. The overall focus is on the diversity of the historical process coupled with the development of knowledge and skills that will foster students to become productive and informed citizens through a college preparatory environment.
Elective courses include African History (Honors), East Asian History (Honors), History of Art (AP), Human Geography (AP), International Relations and International Issues (Honors), Macroeconomics (AP), Microeconomics (AP), Psychology (AP), and Religion and Philosophy (Honors).
Mathematics
The math department strives to make mathematics exciting and interesting and to show students the relevance of mathematics in their lives. The faculty is committed to excellence in teaching and providing appropriate mathematical background to all TMS students. The math department seeks to foster quantitative literacy by focusing on the ability to think critically and solve problems through oral and written communications.
The world in which we currently live makes it necessary for students to achieve literacy and proficiency with mathematical concepts, applications, and problem-solving strategies. At The Meadows School, the goal is to inspire students to appreciate the beauty of mathematics from the most basic to complex principles to its applied form.
The math department works to develop logical and analytical skills in students as well as critical thinking skills. These skills are necessary for life, and can help students think clearly and reason in other disciplines as well. As students develop their abstract reasoning skills, the ability to solve more complex mathematical problems is emphasized.
At The Meadows School, students are required to take four years of mathematics. Students are encouraged to go through the math curriculum at their own pace and challenge themselves to accelerate through the program where appropriate. Those students who possess strong mathematical ability will take the honors sequence which culminates in Multivariable Calculus. There are also math courses available which are less theoretical and more focused on mathematical applications.
For new students, math placement will be based on teacher recommendations, standardized testing, and a math placement exam. For returning students, acceleration in the math program is based on teacher recommendation and approval from the Department Chair.
Students complete four years of required courses in mathematics. The choices are: Geometry, Geometry (Honors), Algebra II, Algebra II-Trigonometry (Honors), Trigonometry, Precalculus (Honors), Calculus AB (AP), Calculus BC (AP), Statistics (AP), Multivariable Calculus (Honors), Differential Equations (Honors), and Finite Mathematics.
Science
The philosophy of the science department is to teach the basic information and concepts of each course of study. Instructors cultivate the development of analytical and problem-solving skills in students. These skills include the ability to propose useful hypotheses, make accurate observations, interpret information and observations, make acceptable predictions, evaluate evidence, and evaluate experimental designs. All required and elective courses taught are laboratory courses complemented by lectures and homework. Each instructor utilizes the latest technology in his/her classroom to insure that each student learns the technological skills required to succeed at the university level. Three years of science instruction are required in Upper School.
An important objective of the science department is to help students develop an appreciation of the natural world. By taking a series of diverse science courses, students will gain insight into the world around them and in turn will be more productive members of society. The science faculty are versatile in the foundations of their discipline, but equally important, they are up-to-date in the most recent, cutting-edge research which they bring into the classroom.
All students begin their science course-work with the study of biology. This introduces students to the principles that govern living organisms and allows students to understand what makes human beings "tick." By studying the physical sciences (chemistry and physics) in the second and third years, students learn about the laws governing the inanimate world. This helps challenge students to think abstractly and analytically. These skills carry over to other disciplines and help prepare students for college and beyond.
The science department at The Meadows School offers an array of courses outside the traditional curriculum in order to prepare students who are interested in a career in the health sciences. Beyond lab sciences such as biology, chemistry, and physics; genetics, anatomy and physiology are offered as well as three levels of chemistry. Students are required to take three years of science; however, we strongly encourage students to study the sciences for all four of the years that they are at The Meadows School.
Students are required to take at minimum Biology I (Honors), Chemistry I (Honors), and Physics I (Honors) and may choose any of these electives: Biology II (AP), Chemistry II (AP), Physics B (AP), Physics C (AP), Advanced Chemistry Laboratory (Honors), Genetics (Honors), or Human Anatomy and Physiology (Honors).
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