Elaine Loft, Staff Writer
This fall, two new Advanced Topic (AT) courses, Anatomy and Physiology and Studio Art, were added to the Upper School curriculum. Both courses are full-year in length, and are distinguished by their rigor, breadth, and depth.
Anatomy and Physiology is open to juniors and seniors who have taken biology and chemistry. The aim of this course is to provide an in-depth study of the human body’s structure and function. The curriculum mimics introductory college-level pre-med courses, with an emphasis on critical thinking, laboratory investigations, and applied knowledge. Students will explore the body’s systems, pathophysiology, and medical applications. This advanced course covers an extensive range of body systems, each of which is examined in detail to understand its components, interactions, and role in maintaining homeostasis. The course also provides an in-depth study of cell structure, function, and disease mechanisms. Topics such as medical terminology and pathology will equip students with a foundation for future studies in medicine or related fields. The culmination of the course is a capstone project, requiring students to integrate knowledge of multiple systems and apply their understanding to real-world medical scenarios. Through this comprehensive project, students will refine their research and analytical skills while demonstrating mastery of the course material.
Sarah Capps, course instructor, explained the impetus for the class:
“The Science Department faculty heard feedback that many of our accelerated students were seeking a higher level of vigor, especially those who are considering a future career in health sciences. I worked to develop a course that mimics the teaching style of an undergraduate anatomy class–including lectures that require extensive note-taking, as well as rote memorization. I aspire to give my Derryfield students the skills they will need in order to be successful in this kind of class in college.”
Studio Art is open to students in Grade 12, with a prerequisite of two trimesters of any visual arts course, or with permission of the department chair. A capstone course for the visual art curriculum at Derryfield, this advanced course provides robust, integrative support for the evolution of students’ creative practices, while offering numerous opportunities to establish impactful connections with audiences. This course is for the student who is interested in organizing exhibitions, refining their established portfolio, and developing their own independent projects.
Joe Acone, chair of the Arts & Design Department, explained:
“AT Studio Art furthers the work that students commence in their junior year in the Studio Arts Honors class, in which students experience the life cycle of creating art at a rigorous level. This new course will give students the opportunity to dig in deeper, and to provide a structure for them to develop a distinguished voice.”
The Derryfield Advanced Topics Program represents the pinnacle of skill development in each of our core academic disciplines. Teachers in the AT program don’t teach to a test, but to real-world outcomes. Designed around college-level work, and the mastery of key skills and concepts unique to each discipline, all AT courses include a “Gold Standard Project”–which involves an authentic question, deep research, and a real, public product–along with the most rigorous academic experiences offered at Derryfield.
