ACADEMIC PHILOSPHY AND REQUIREMENTS

The Groton curriculum is designed to prepare students for “the active work of life” by encouraging breadth of intellectual exposure and depth of study. Beginning in the II and III Forms, with programs of study prescribed and continuing on through the IV, V, and VI, the curriculum as a whole introduces students to a wide variety of courses in the belief that this broad exposure will challenge and engage interests and capabilities that might otherwise lie dormant. The curriculum also fosters the development of critical and disciplined thinking, precise communication and scientific analysis, creative problem-solving, careful and logical thinking, and empathetic understanding of the social, scientific, and political background of Western and non-Western civilization. This curriculum plan has been and continues to be in a constant state of review and evolution. We feel it will enable our students to address the challenges of the twenty-first century with confidence, compassion and sound judgment.

 2nd and 3rd FORMS (grades eight and nine):

The curriculum in the 2nd and 3rd Forms challenges students across the intellectual spectrum and encourages students to immerse themselves in the basic disciplines. The definition of “basic disciplines” includes at least two years’ study of a classical language, Latin or Greek, in the belief that this exposure will provide an ability to analyze carefully and to synthesize various expressions of thought.

4th, 5th and 6th FORMS (grades ten, eleven, and twelve):

Building on the basic disciplines, the curriculum for 4th, 5th, and 6th Formers offers students the opportunity to study subjects in depth while affording a variety of elective courses to supplement or enhance their courses of study.  Students in the 4th,5th and 6th Forms must take at least five full-credit courses per term and earn a minimum of forty-five credits for graduation. Most courses offered are year-long courses that earn three credits; term courses earn one credit. Although students have a wide range of choices in determining individual courses of study, all students must study English through the 5th Form with one term of Expository Writing in the 6thForm; mathematics through the 5th Form or through trigonometry, whichever comes later; a classical or modern language through the 5th Form or through a level of proficiency prescribed by the department, whichever comes later; one year of laboratory science; world history (World and the West) and American History; three credits of arts; and one term of ethics. Students who enter the school in the 4th Form must also take two terms of Sacred Studies in the Upper School.

In addition to these courses, students choose from a broad spectrum of elective courses in all disciplines to explore in depth areas of interest. Most students take six courses; the minimum number of courses required in any term is five. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are available in several departments; in others courses are taught at a level that prepares students for the Advanced Placement examination, such as American History, 5th Form English, Calculus. A number of options exist for independent study in the 6th Form.

Complete 2010-2911 Course Catalog

LOWER SCHOOL ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

2nd Formers take the following courses:

English; math; French, Spanish, or Chinese; Latin; science; and arts


3rd Formers take the following courses:

English; math; French, Spanish, or Chinese;
Cellular/Organismic Biology or AP Environmental Science;
Latin or students may petition the Classics Department if they would like to take Greek instead of Latin;
Sacred Texts and Ancient Peoples;
Arts - a one-half credit course in shop, music, or studio art; students who enter in 3rd Form are required to take Visual Studies, either as the year-long half-credit 3rd Form studio art option or as a one-term full-credit Upper School course.
Students who begin a classical and a modern language in 2nd or 3rd Form must complete a minimum of two years in each.

 

UPPER SCHOOL ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

Upper School students must take and pass a minimum of five one-credit courses per term, fifteen credits per year, and must earn forty-five credits in Forms 4, 5 and 6 to graduate. If a student fails a course, that course credit must be made up. In such a case the student must seek the advice of the Academic Dean.

 4th Formers take a minimum of five full credits; many take five and a half or six:

English, math, foreign language (classical or modern);
Choices to fill out the five or six credits include World and the West (either 4th or 5th Form), a lab science, Sacred Studies (for new 4th Formers), an art course, a second language.

(All music courses are half-credit and may be taken on top of five or six full credits, but two together may not replace a full-credit course.)

 5th Formers take a minimum of five full credits; many take five and a half or six:

English, math, foreign language (classical or modern);
Choices to fill out the five or six credits include American History or World and the West for those who have not yet taken it, a science, Sacred Studies (for new 5th Formers or those new as 4th Formers who did not take it), a second language, art, history or English electives.

(All music courses are half-credit and may be taken on top of five or six full credits, but two together may not replace a full-credit course.)

6th Formers take a minimum of five full credits; many will take five
and a half or six.

All VI Formers take Expository Writing in the fall and are encouraged to take English electives in the other terms. They are also urged to continue with their foreign language and mathematics. All will take a one-term Ethics course, unless they did so in the spring of their 5th Form year. Whether they will have any other required courses depends upon the extent to which they have completed their diploma requirements. Many electives may be taken on a term-by-term basis.

(All music courses are half-credit and may be taken on top of five or six full credits, but two together may not replace a full-credit course.)

DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS

In order to be eligible for the Groton School diploma, a student must have completed the following in addition to the form requirements already cited:

English, through the 5th Form, plus a term of 6th Form Expository Writing;
Mathematics, through trigonometry (the first term of precalculus)
or through the 5th Form year, whichever comes later;

Foreign language, classical or modern, through level 3 (including successful completion of the barrier examination) or 5th Form, whichever comes later (anyone taking a second language must complete at least two years of that language);
World and the West and American History;
A full year of lab science in the Upper School;
A two-term course in Sacred Studies (for students who arrive in 4th or 5th Form) and an Ethics course (in either 5th Form spring, with departmental permission, or 6th Form);
Three credits of arts in the 4th, 5th, or 6th Form years; the Visual Studies course is required for students who enter in 3rd Form and do not take Visual Studies that year.