Buckingham Browne & Nichols

2012-2013

GRADE 9 AT A GLANCE
ART

Required : Students must take one semester of visual and one

semester of performing arts in the 9th grade.

ENGLISH

Required: The department places students in gender-balanced

classes that reflect a cross-section of verbal abilities and interests.

HISTORY

Required: Global History I: Early World Civilizations.

MATHEMATICS Based on the results of placement tests administered in April or May,

performance in a Grade 8 math course, teacher recommendations, and
SSAT/ERB scores, most students are placed in Advanced Algebra 1 or
Algebra 2 (regular or honors). Students rising from BB&N Middle
School are placed by the Middle School Math Department, and students
new to BB&N are placed by the Upper School Math Department Chair.
After Grade 9 students would continue in the math sequence:
(Advanced Algebra 1) -Algebra 2-Geometry-Precalculus
If a student is well advanced in mathematics and has completed a full
Algebra 2 curriculum in Grade 8, he/she may opt to take our Algebra 2
final exam in coordination with the department chair. Success on this
exam would allow the student to bypass Algebra 2 and be placed in
Honors Geometry in Grade 9.

SCIENCE

WORLD
LANGUAGES

Required: The options at this level are Biology and Honors

Biology. Students from BB&N's Middle School are placed using
recommendations from their 8th grade science teachers, while
students new to BB&N are placed by the Upper School Science
Department Head.

Required: Students continue in sequence. Successful completion of

three full consecutive years of a language is required for
graduation.

3/12

Buckingham Browne & Nichols

2012-2013

GRADE 10 AT A GLANCE
ART

About 60% of the 10th Grade students choose to meet their Art
requirement this year. This is recommended for those with art
interest /aptitude and for those who would benefit from a subject
with less outside homework. Choices are: Chamber Music,
Photography, Drama, Film & Video, Drawing & Painting, Jazz,
Woodworking, Design and Architecture, Multimedia 3D, More Art
Across Boundaries, and Ceramics. Chorale and Orchestra should be
scheduled as sixth subjects only. Afternoon Printmaking is
available as an after school option two afternoons during sports
seasons.

ENGLISH

Required: The department places students in gender-balanced

classes that reflect a cross-section of verbal abilities and interests.

HISTORY

Choices are: Global History II, or United States in the Modern

World I (part one of a two year course).

MATHEMATICS Students continue in sequence: Advanced Algebra 1 - Algebra 2 Geometry - Precalculus. Thus students completing 9th grade
Algebra 1 will take Algebra 2, while those completing 9th grade
Algebra 2 will take Geometry.
Non-Electives:
Honors Algebra 2 is recommended only for the very strongest
Algebra 1 students.
Geometry Honors is recommended for students successful in
Honors Algebra 2, and the strongest students from (non-honors)
Algebra 2.
10th Grade students taking Precalculus or beyond should consult
their teacher for the appropriate course.
Permission of the department is required for the honors/AP level
courses. The Department Head needs to sign the course selection
form for these courses only if the honors/AP level course was not
recommended by the current math teacher.
Electives: AP Computer Science* or AP Statistics* may be taken in
addition to a required, sequential math course.

3/12

Buckingham Browne & Nichols

2012-2013

Students taking AP Statistics should have a high level of interest

and a strong independent work ethic. Completion of Algebra 2 is a
prerequisite for AP Statistics.
For students interested in AP Computer Science, while no
programming experience is necessary, good problem solving skills
and a strong work ethic are important for success.
Permission of the department is required for all AP electives.
Summer Work for Advancement: Note to Algebra 1 students
enrolling in Algebra 2. If there is sufficient interest, BB&N offers a
summer program in Geometry after Grade 10. This option allows the
strongest 9th grade Algebra 1 students to be in position to take
Precalculus in their junior year. A student should speak with their
current math teacher if interested.
Expected Summer Work: Students who finish the year with a grade
of D+ or below are expected to do summer work in preparation for
the next course in the required math sequence.
*Enrollment in AP Statistics and AP Computer Science is limited.
All students who wish to sign up for either course must provide
an alternate choice (in or out of the math department) on their
official course request form.
SCIENCE

WORLD
LANGUAGES

Biology is required in Grade 10 if it has not been passed before.

Honors Physics or Physics are options during the 10th grade year.
Stronger math students enroll in Honors Physics as Algebra II is a
recommended prerequisite. Physics covers some of the same topics
as Honors Physics without the same depth of mathematics.

Required: Students continue in sequence. Successful completion of

three full consecutive years of a language is required for
graduation.
Elective: Students can enroll in the Double Language Program.

3/12

Buckingham Browne & Nichols

2012-2013

GRADE 11 AT A GLANCE
ART

All of our Art electives are available. Choices are: Chamber Music,
Photography, Advanced Photography, Drawing & Painting,
Woodworking, Drama, Advanced Drawing & Painting, Film and
Video, Connections, Mixed Media 3D, More Art Across
Boundaries, Wood Sculpture & Design, Design and Architecture,
Ceramics, Advanced Ceramics, and Advanced Drama. Chorale and
Orchestra should be scheduled as sixth subjects only. Afternoon
Printmaking is available as an after school option two afternoons
during sports seasons.

ENGLISH

Required: After considering the course descriptions, students list

their top four choices on the course selection sheet.

HISTORY

United States History or United States in the Modern World II (part

two of a two year sequence). With departmental permission,
juniors may sign up for selected History Electives.

MATHEMATICS Students continue in sequence: Advanced Algebra 1 - Algebra 2 Geometry - Precalculus.

Non-Electives:
Precalculus is offered at both a regular and at two Honors levels (AB
and BC). Department approval is required for Honors. Success in
regular Precalculus prepares a student for regular or the AB level of AP
Calculus. Precalculus is generally recommended for students who
earned a B or higher in Algebra 2 and Geometry.
Principles of Precalculus is a less rigorous level of precalculus, and is
appropriate for students who earned a C+ or B- in Algebra 2. Students
who opt for this in Grade 11 will only be prepared to take Statistics in
Grade 12.
Precalculus Honors BC is recommended for the stronger students in
Honors Geometry while Precalculus AB is recommended for Honors
Geometry students who have done good work in Honors Geometry and
Algebra 2. Students who have not had success in an honors math course
are almost always better served by taking regular Precalculus, which
prepares students well for AP Calculus AB.
Precalculus Honors BC is required for the BC level of AP Calculus (see
3/12

Buckingham Browne & Nichols

2012-2013

Grade 12 At-a-Glance). Note: the AB level of AP Calculus is open to

students from both Precalculus Honors AB and from regular
Precalculus. Students electing an honors level of Precalculus are
expected to enter the course with a strong foundation in algebra.
Honors Geometry is recommended for the very strongest students from
10th grade Algebra 2.
Students taking Calculus in the 11th Grade should consult their teacher
for placement.
Permission of the department is required for honors/AP level courses.
The Department Head needs to sign the course selection form for these
courses only if the honors level course was not recommended by the
current math teacher.
Electives: AP Computer Science* or AP Statistics* may be taken in
addition to a required, sequential math course.
Students taking AP Statistics should have a high level of interest and a
strong independent work ethic. Completion of Algebra 2 is a
prerequisite for AP Statistics.
For students interested in AP Computer Science, while no
programming experience is necessary, good problem solving skills
and a strong work ethic are important for success.
Permission of the department is required for all AP electives.
Summer Work for Advancement: Note to students who are completing
Algebra 2 in Grade 10: if there is sufficient interest, BB&N offers a summer
program in Geometry after Grade 10. This option allows the stronger 10th
grade Algebra 2 students (earning a B or better) to be in position to take
Precalculus in their junior year. This is a demanding, intense course
requiring a high level of motivation.
Expected Summer Work: Students who finish the year with a grade of D+
or below are expected to do summer work in preparation for the next
course in the required math sequence
*Enrollment in AP Statistics and AP Computer Science is limited.
All students who wish to sign up for either course must provide
an alternate choice (in or out of the math department) on their
official course request form.
SCIENCE

Students should consider meeting their physical science

requirement by enrolling in either Physics or Chemistry if they
have not already done so. Top science students take Honors
3/12

Buckingham Browne & Nichols

2012-2013

Chemistry. Regular Chemistry is taken by most. Some students

enroll in Principles of Chemistry (which covers many of the same
topics as Chemistry without the same depth of mathematics) or
postpone Chemistry until their Senior year. A full year of
Chemistry is a pre-requisite for Advanced Biology or Experimental
Biology in Grade 12. Additional elective options include Forensics,
Physiology and Environmental Science (all with priority given to
students in Grade 12), Physics and Honors Physics.

WORLD
LANGUAGES

Required: Students continue in sequence. Successful completion of

three full consecutive years of a language is required for
graduation.
New students entering grade 11 must study a world language in
eleventh grade and complete at least the third year of that language
at BB&N. Students entering in grade 11 who have not previously
studied a language offered at BB&N need complete only two full
years of the same language.
Elective: Students enrolled in the Double Language Program must
complete their first language to the highest level possible, their
second language to Level 3 or above, and receive grades of B or
above every year to be eligible for the Language Scholar
recognition.

3/12

Buckingham Browne & Nichols

2012-2013

GRADE 12 AT A GLANCE
Requirements: Obviously, this is the year to assure that all graduation requirements are
met. Students need to pass four years of English, three years of mathematics at least
through Algebra 2, three high school years of the same language, Biology and a physical
science (Physics, Honors Physics, Advanced Physics, Chemistry, or Honors Chemistry),
two years of history including U.S. History, and a year of art in grades 10-12.

ART

All of our Art electives are available. Choices are: Chamber Music,
Photography, Drawing & Painting, Woodworking, Drama,
Advanced Drawing & Painting, Advanced Photography, Film and
Video, Connections, Mixed Media 3D, More Art Across
Boundaries, Wood Sculpture & Design, Design and Architecture,
Ceramics, and Advanced Drama. Chorale and Orchestra should be
scheduled as sixth subjects only. Afternoon Printmaking is
available as an after school option two afternoons during sports
seasons.

ENGLISH

Required: After considering the course descriptions, students list

their top four choices on the course selection sheet. They sign up
now for both their fall and winter trimester courses.

HISTORY

There are eight history/social science options: AP European

History, AP Macroeconomics, AP United States Government &
Politics, Global Economics, Modern China, Twentieth Century U.S.
Culture and Society, World History Since 1945, and World
Religions.

MATHEMATICS If a student has completed a course of study through Geometry*,

the following are the 12th grade options: Precalculus, Principles of
Precalculus, Calculus (regular, AB or BC), Honors Multivariable
Calculus and Linear Algebra, Statistics (regular or AP), AP
Computer Science AB.
Precalculus is generally recommended for students who earned a B or
better in Algebra 2 and Geometry and who have strong conceptual and
algebraic skills.
Principles of Precalculus is a less rigorous level of precalculus, and is
appropriate for students who earned a C+ or B- in Algebra 2. Students

3/12

Buckingham Browne & Nichols

2012-2013

who opt for this in grade 12 will be prepared to take a high level
Precalculus course or a lower level Calculus course in college.
Calculus: Two Advanced Placement levels of Calculus are offered: BC
(covering two semesters of college level calculus) and AB (covering one
semester of college level calculus). Juniors from Honors Precalculus BC
are expected to take BC Calculus. AB Calculus is generally
recommended for Juniors from Honors Precalculus AB along with the
strongest students from (non-honors) Precalculus. Regular Calculus is
recommended for students successful in Precalculus (generally B- or
better).
Honors Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra: Recommended for
students successful in AP Calculus BC. BC Calculus is a prerequisite for
this course.
Statistics: The statistics courses are lab-based and do not depend on any
previous mathematical skills. Both Statistics and AP Statistics** are good
alternatives to Calculus for students who prefer a more student-centered
course with emphasis on real world applications. Either statistics course
may be taken instead of, or in addition to, another math course, though
we do recommend Precalculus be taken by students who were
successful (B or better) in Algebra 2. Completion of Algebra 2 is a
prerequisite for both statistics courses. More able math students, or
students with a strong interest and a strong independent work ethic,
should consider AP Statistics.
Computer Science: AP Computer Science** is generally taken in addition
to another math course (Precalculus, Calculus, or a statistics course),
rather than in place of one. While no programming experience is
necessary, good problem solving skills and a strong work ethic are
important for success.
Permission of the department is required for all AP level courses. The
Department Head needs to sign the course selection form for these
courses only if the current math teacher did not recommend the course.

*If a senior is enrolled in Geometry, he/she is required to

complete the year through senior project.
**Enrollment in AP Statistics and AP Computer Science is
limited. All students who wish to sign up for either course must
provide an alternate choice (in or out of the math department) on
their official course request form.

3/12

Buckingham Browne & Nichols

SCIENCE

2012-2013

Students must take a full year of physical science (extending

through their Senior Project) if they have not already done so to
fulfill their physical science requirement.
Science options are: Advanced Biology or Experimental Biology (a
full year of Chemistry is a prerequisite for either course), Advanced
Physics (Regular or Honors Physics is a prerequisite plus strong
mathematics record), Principles of Chemistry, Chemistry, Honors
Chemistry, Physics, Honors Physics, Forensics, Physiology,
Environmental Science or Current Topics and Research
(prerequisites include 3 years of science completed plus concurrent
enrollment in a science elective). To prepare for the A.P. Biology
exam, one must take both the Advanced and Experimental Biology
courses. A.P. Physics requires concurrent enrollment in Calculus.
Students enrolled in either A.P. course are expected to remain
enrolled in the course for the full academic year to complete the
A.P. curriculum and are encouraged to take the A.P. exam.

WORLD
LANGUAGES

Students (must) continue their language sequence if they need to

fulfill the three-year sequential requirement. Seniors in level 2 and
3 classes must complete their class through June of their senior
year. Other students are encouraged to continue their foreign
language to the highest possible level.
Elective: Students enrolled in the Double Language Program must
complete their first language to the highest level possible, their
second language to Level 3 or above, and receive grades of B or
above every year to be eligible for the Language Scholar
recognition.

3/12