SZKOŁA POLSKA W WASZYNGTONIE

HIGH SCHOOL

Course descriptions

POLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE IN GRADES 10 THROUCH 12

This course teaches students about main Polish and world literary works characteristic to each particular literary period – from antiquity to modern times. It exposes students to selected literary works in connection with human life, history and culture of the Polish nation, as well as the tradition of Polish national and popular culture and selected issues related to the structure, history and culture of the Polish language. In additions, skills are developed for written and oral communication, study of literary works (including theater and arts) and poetry. Oral presentations, discussions, essays, short narratives and interviews are an integral part of this course. This course also teaches students to approach writing in a creative and unambiguous manner, according to various purposes and audiences. Students are told to write numerous forms including narratives, descriptions, and essays.
The required reading list includes:
 10th grade:
William Shakespeare, Macbeth
Zofia Nałkowska, Granica
Stefan Żeromski, Ludzie bezdomni
Albert Camus, The Plague
Sławomir Mrożek, Tango
 11th grade:
Zygmunt Krasiński, Nie-Boska komedia
Adam Mickiewicz, Dziady, cz. III
Stanisław Wyspiański, Wesele
Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita
Gustaw Herling-Grudziński, Inny świat
 12th grade:
Adam Mickiewicz, Pan Tadeusz
Bolesław Prus, Lalka
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
Władysław Stanisław Reymont, Chłopi
Franz Kafka, Trial

HISTORY IN GRADES 10 THROUGH 12

This course covers history of the world and Poland from the ancient times to the present day. Within a historical framework the course utilizes a thematic approach, which includes a study of the forms of governments of Poland and other countries, political events, wars, treaties, social and economic transformations, development of art, literature and science. Although the stress is on history of Poland, students become familiar with a wide background of all historical events of the world, including the French Revolution, the origin of the Unites States of America and other world significant historic events.
The Twentieth century events, including World Wars I and II, re-gaining of the independence by Poland in 1918, Nazi’s and Soviet occupation of Poland, the Cold War, the Solidarity movement, the creation of a fully democratic government and market economy after the general elections in 1989 are the main educational subjects in 12th grade. Skills taught in this course include document analysis, historical essay writing, and basic historiography.

LIVING IN THE SOCIETY IN 10TH GRADE

This course covers social and government issues. It deals with comparative politics, which helps familiarize students with the historical, political, economic, geographical, and moral aspects of democracy. Fundamental concepts and vocabulary are included in the study of each nation’s political institutions, and political history, with a revision of the various solutions proposed for political problems. The study of international organizations such as the UN and/or the EU is also included. Social studies include studying the record of human behavior with regard to how people have attempted to solve difficulties in their daily life.

GEOGRAPHY IN 11TH GRADE

The course includes topics on world physical, economic and population geography with several detailed examples from Poland. Students are learning about relations between environmental elements and the features and diversity of world’s and Polish landscapes. This part of the geography course includes several topics related to landscape ecology.
Next, students learn about the current state of three main sectors of world economy: agriculture, industry, and services. The diversity and current state of development of these sectors around the world with examples from Poland are discussed. Through the homework assignment students prepare information about the economic situation in selected countries in the form of essays, spatial data analysis and proper cartographic presentations.
Last topic includes environmental protection and state and efficiency of current legislation in the world and Poland.

MATHEMATICS IN GRADES 10 THROUGH 12

This course starts with advanced algebra and geometry in 10th grade and progressively includes trigonometry, real and complex numbers, polynomials, radicals, and exponents. Matrices are presented and used for solving systems of equations in two or three variables.
Other topics include also different types of functions, transformation, analytical geometry, exponential equations, logarithms, and probability.
The course in 12th grade includes circular functions, vector geometry, elements of statistics and calculus (like derivatives and differential equations).