BPS High School Course Catalog 24-25 - Flipbook - Page 80
221120 Modern Philosophy - Honors (Groves)
The final 9 weeks of this class will continue to analyze Western philosophy through Kant, Hegel,
Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche as well as the Naturalists (Marx, Darwin, Freud). There will be an in-depth
look at utilitarianism (the greatest good for the greatest number), as well as existentialism and
philosophy’s response to the horrors of the 20th Century. The big topics that we will tackle will include a
further exploration of ethics with Kant and Michael Sandel, the Trolley Problem, the problems with
language, and modern takes on utilitarianism as exemplified by the philosophy of Peter Singer.
Prerequisites: None
Grades Taught: 10, 11, 12
Credit: .25
210830 AP African American Studies (pending board approval)
AP African American Studies is a year-long interdisciplinary course that examines the diversity of
African American experiences through direct encounters with authentic and varied sources. Students
explore key topics that extend from early African kingdoms to the ongoing challenges and
achievements of the contemporary moment. Given the interdisciplinary character of African American
studies, students in the course will develop skills across multiple fields, with an emphasis on developing
historical, literary, visual, and data analysis skills. This course foregrounds a study of the diversity of Black
communities in the United States within the broader context of Africa and the African diaspora. At the
end of the class, students will be able to:
•
Use a variety of lenses to evaluate historical developments and processes that
have shaped Black experiences and debates;
•
Compare and analyze a range of perspectives about the freedom movements,
approaches, organizations, and key figures involved in these movements;
•
Identify major themes that inform literary and artistic traditions of the African diaspora;
•
Demonstrate understanding of the diversity and complexity of African societies and
their global connections before the emergence of transatlantic slavery;
•
Identify connections between Black communities in the United States and the broader
African diaspora in the past and present;
•
Evaluate the political, historical, aesthetic, and transnational contexts of major
social movements;
•
Develop a broad understanding of the many strategies African American communities
have employed to represent themselves authentically, promote advancement, and
combat the effects of inequality.
Prerequisites: None
Grades Taught: 12
Credit: 1
Interdisciplinary Studies- EXCEL- Groves
Excel 9: Humanities (Groves)
Honors Excel 9: Humanities (Groves)
This Excel ninth grade course encompasses the study of the social, political, economic, and religious
elements of world history, as well as the arts and literature of the era. By using a thematic focus
appropriate for the transitional year to high school that integrates social studies and English, Excel
fosters creativity, adaptability, critical reasoning, and collaboration. The interdisciplinary approach will
allow students to develop a greater perspective of the interconnected nature of our world.
To meet 9th grade English standards, Excel 9 provides students with the opportunities for study of
literary forms, development of a reading habit, and improvement of language and composition skills in
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