Ninth Grade


Welcome to the Increasingly Sophisticated Upper-Level Courses! 

New students often join the boys’ and girls’ community of learners in the ninth grade, in time to jump into the two-hour Humane Letters seminars and the upper-level science and math curriculum. Some highlights of this year will be dissecting small sharks in biology, separating out into separate doctrine classes to learn more about their own Christian traditions, and singing with the tenth-graders in their first curricular choir.

Curricular Overview

Geometry (1 Semester)
Students study the geometry of objects, including lines, triangles and circles. They are taught to extract mathematical information from visual images of geometrical objects, to understand the mathematical relationships between geometrical objects, and the structure and role of proofs in geometry. Horizontal enrichment is available for advanced students.

Precalculus A (1 Semester)
Students review their studies of Algebra and learn about polynomial and rational functions. Functions are represented graphically, symbolically and numerically. Horizontal enrichment is available for advanced students.

Biology (2 Semesters)
Students review the scientific method and are introduced to the unique character of biological science.  From there, students study elementary physical building blocks of matter, the molecules of life, basic cell structure, respiration and photosynthesis, DNA, Mendelian genetics, evolution, ecology, and animal morphology.  The second semester includes dissections from the earthworm to the fetal pig.

Doctrine (Family Choice) (1 Semester)
As a follow up to their reading of the Old and New Testaments, students continue their study of God’s work in the world by examining the history, traditions, and beliefs of their own denominations or traditions. Families choose between Roman Catholic and Protestant Doctrine.

  • Roman Catholic Doctrine: Students learn the beliefs, practices and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church as expressed in the Nicene Creed, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the sacraments.
  • Protestant Doctrine: Students focus on reading and examining primary texts as they work sequentially through church history. After a study of the early church, they examine the Christological and Trinitarian controversies that led to the development of the creeds, key developments in the Middle Ages, the work of the Reformers in the 16th century, and the early development of the church in America. Each student then participates in an independent study of the foundations, doctrines, and practices of their own denomination or tradition.
Humane Letters Seminar (2 Semesters)

Students study American history and letters from colonial times to the mid-20th century, reading original texts, with special attention given to the foundational texts of American democracy. Students begin to develop the fundamental skills necessary to participate effectively in the seminar and to write a five-paragraph essay. See our reading list for the literature of the course.

Latin III (2 Semesters)
Students continue to use the Familia Romana textbook in order to improve their ability to read Latin and deepen their understanding of its grammar and structure. They master enough material in the first semester to prepare them to read original Latin texts in the second.

Transfer Latin (2 Semesters)
(For new 9th grade students without previous Latin study) Students read through Familia Romana at an accelerated pace, as they prepare to assimilate with their classmates in Latin III. They learn a range of vocabulary and common grammatical constructions that aid them in reading Latin with understanding. In this small class, instruction is tailored individually to the student’s needs.

Music III (1 Semester)
Students study the theory of four-part harmony and learn to compose pieces of this kind. They also sing as part of the curricular choir, in which they practice healthy vocal technique, learn how to read a choral score, and perform in an ensemble. The semester culminates with each of the students composing a four-part vocal piece as their final project and performing in a choir at Fine Arts Night.