“Relational yet rigorous classroom learning complemented by dynamic extracurricular offerings, all within a high challenge and high support community, characterize Browning’s Upper School. Boys graduate fully prepared for college work, and our deeply committed faculty also help them develop their other talents and full selves as they prepare for lives beyond the Red Doors.”
Explore some of the standout features of our Upper School experience.
Students are offered the opportunity to undertake a self-directed independent study project that spans over two or more school years. They work with Browning faculty mentors as well as experts in the field of study to create a comprehensive project in one of the following disciplines: data science, engineering, fine arts, or humanities.
The Robotics Team offers students the opportunity to collaborate across divisions to research the latest designs in robot creation and compete against other schools locally and nationally.
After an extensive interview process, a selection of Grade 12 students become peer leaders for the Grade 9 students. The seniors meet regularly with the Peer Leadership team to learn strategies for effective leadership, to reflect on the needs of the Grade 9 students, and to create lessons that center check-ins, active listening, and trusting relationships. The senior Peer Leaders are empathetic and respectful facilitators who seek to foster emotional growth in themselves and others and to create a welcoming environment where younger students can express themselves fully and feel at home at Browning.
The Island School trip welcomes Grade 9 students to participate in a hands-on experience in scientific research and to engage in meaningful activities that help them develop teamwork and community building skills that benefit the community (near and far). The week-long trip on the Island School’s campus in Eleuthera, Bahamas, teaches students about the process of inquiry, sustainable living, and seeks to develop students’ global perspectives.
A beloved annual tradition, the Frost Valley Trip invites students from the six single-sex schools in New York City’s Interschool to experience a “larger campus” and spend time with classmates at peer schools in a coeducational setting at the YMCA camp in the Catskills. The two-day trip features structured and supervised team building activities, outdoor fun, and bonding events, and centers opportunities for community joy.
Each fall, Grade 11 and 12 students visit a variety of regional colleges and universities for three days to help them explore diverse options and discuss potential fits, ensuring they see over a dozen schools before applying.
Upper School Advisory meets regularly to provide students with both faculty mentoring and peer support through all four years. Activities include topics of interest and importance to young people today, as well as opportunities for team-building and relationships across class years.
The Rocketry Team has soared to great heights in the short time it has existed as an extracurricular activity. Students take responsibility for learning about and using design thinking to develop rocket prototypes and eventually launch them at sites around the country.
The Student Council, elected democratically from the student body of the Upper School, serves to further the interests of the school as advocates to forward Browning’s mission and efforts to sustain a connected community. Members of the Student Council receive training to serve on the school’s Discipline Committee, plan social events and activities, seek feedback from their peers, and lead Assembly, among other responsibilities. The Student Council is led by Co-Presidents, who set meeting agendas and speak at all-school events.
Our boys are both academically challenged and emotionally nurtured to become their best selves by living our Browning values of curiosity, honesty, dignity, and purpose daily.
The English program has three core principles: that reading and writing are sources of wisdom and delight; that the individual can better understand his own story by seeking out the stories of others; that a boy must be able to express himself clearly and listen deeply.
This course explores questions about construction of the self through the study of literary works in which characters and their authors grapple with gender, sexuality, race, religion, class, and identity in the context of a particular place and time. Particular attention is paid to the way different components of identity intersect and overlap and how books act as windows and mirrors allowing us to see others and ourselves. Students read writers who reveal their motivations for writing and through critical reading and expository writing, unlock how people from different groups come to experience the world and find their selves. Students will complete the course by creating a portfolio of their writing and reflection.
Grade 10 English students explore haunted homes and outsiders in literature. From gothic classics to Shakespeare to contemporary novels in translation, each of our texts examine the anxiety and terror of confronting the world and existing as individuals. Students also read weekly selections that may include poetry, short fiction, and critical essays. Each writing assignment requires original thought; students will write essays and creative pieces of various lengths, from on-demand exercises to longer, take-home efforts that require processes of conferencing and editing. Texts may include The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, The Tempest by William Shakesepare, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe, Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin, The Twilight Zone by Nona Fernández, A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, The Stranger by Albert Camus, and Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
Our course will immerse us in diverse literary and artistic voices that continuously shape our American identity and experiences. Our readings will underscore those intimate connections between the history of reading and writing and American democracy, revealing that the study of American literature, to paraphrase historian Jill Lepore, is inherently intertwined with the study of American history. Guided by this insight, our focus will center on the imaginative expressions and shared stories of communities situated both at the center and periphery of their respective American moment.
Summer reading includes selections from Christopher Columbus, The Four Voyages; Herman Melville’s Billy Budd and Benito Cereno; D. H. Lawrence’s “Spirit of Place” from Studies in Classical American Literature; Jay Parini’s “The American Mythos.”
Other texts will include Kasia Boddy’s New Penguin Book of American Short Stories; Kate Chopin’s The Awakening; Frederick Douglass’s The Narrative of Life of Frederick Douglass; Sinclair Lewis’s It Can’t Happen Here; Susan Lori-Parks’s Father Comes Home From the Wars; F. Scott Fitzergald’s The Great Gatsby; James Weldon Johnson’s The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man; Charles Yu’s Interior Chinatown; Walt Whitman’s Memoranda During the War; short works by James Baldwin, William Faulkner, Robert Penn Warren, Mark Twain, and others.
Arab American Literature
This course explores exciting works by contemporary Arab American writers across many cultures and borders who invite us to think critically about identity and citizenship. How do Arab American writers remain critical of the East without succumbing to the Orientalist or assimilist mindset of the West? How do their stories ask us to question the historical underpinnings of modern America? We will read to gain a more nuanced understanding of and a deeper appreciation for the complexity of Arab American ways of seeing and being, highlighting issues of gender, sexuality, race, religion, immigration, surveillance, and pop culture. We will think about the movement of Arab and Arab American peoples, who immigrated to the United States in primarily three waves (late 1800s-1920s mostly Christian; late 1940s-early 1960s more educated, elite, and Muslim; late 1960s-2003 mostly Muslim) as a way to contextualize the stories we read.
Language, Rhyme, and Rhetoric: Exploring the Origins and Impact of Hip-Hop in American Music, Art, and Culture
Over 50 years beyond the birth of hip-hop, this course examines the music, culture, and artistry that captured, crossed over and sustained the attention of the U.S. and the world ever since. To contemplate the genre’s origins, students will revisit the Harlem Renaissance, Caribbean dub music, funk, and the advent of hip-hop in the Bronx in the 1970s up through the 2010s through the five elements: emceeing, deejaying, breakin’, graffiti, and beatboxing. Class discussions will discuss and debate the use of explicit language, positive and negative themes in the music and art, and the political discourse surrounding its influence on young audiences. Students will learn to write about music; they will analyze and compare songs and lyrics, and each student will write a 16-bar rhyming verse (or create music in the style of a beat). They will also write a persuasive essay reflecting on the class’s essential questions.
Legibility, Literature, and Power
This multimedia course delves into the theory and practice of philosophical hermeneutics, examining how interpretation influences our perception of reality and shapes personal beliefs and public policies. With help from one of our core texts, James C. Scott’s Seeing Like a State (1998), we discuss the possibilities or limitations of speaking a truth (about ourselves and our world, or speaking truth to power) amid governing bodies/institutions seeking to impose a high degree of “legibility” on the citizenry and cities they govern—an attempt at making their subjects and environments more easily visible, understandable, and controllable. Thus, examining the influence of state power on our journey toward self-authentication helps us understand and resist its susceptibility to agendas from those in positions of authority. All of which begs the question: Could the journey towards a more honest and liberated self, as Foucault suggests, involve embracing uncertainty about our identities and challenging/reinterpreting the knowledge passed down to us? Should our main interest in life solely focus on the “work…to become someone else that [we] were not in the beginning”? Our Foucault readings will offer a critical perspective on the nature of the self and how it is constructed through power relations.
Central to our course theme is the nature of understanding, language, and interpretation. Thus, we consider literature's role in shaping human identity while examining how cultural production may reinforce or challenge dominant narratives, including state-sanctioned memories that “overwrite” local/native voices and peoples.
“Eating is a small, good thing in a time like this”: Exploring Food in Literature, Fine Art, and Film
This course will explore the power and meaning of food and how it is contextualized within the broader aspects of culture and the human experience as revealed and expressed in literature, fine art, and film. Through interpreting fiction, poems, essays, fine art, and select films, students will contemplate: the cultural and social significance of food in a range of world cultures; the role of food as a literary or cinematic device; and the metaphoric quality of food as it expresses human desire and behavior. In addition, students will study how the African diaspora and the Great Migration changed the way Americans eat and connect.
The American Short Story In this course, students will explore a rich selection of short stories by renowned authors such as Alice Walker, Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, and Shirley Jackson. Through these diverse narratives, students will delve into themes of identity, societal norms, morality, and the human condition. Throughout the semester, students will analyze the stylistic techniques employed by these masterful writers, examining how they craft their narratives to evoke emotion, provoke thought, and challenge perceptions. Close reading and literary analysis will sharpen their critical thinking skills and deepen their appreciation for the artistry of the short story form. In addition to studying existing works, students will have the opportunity to produce their own short stories, putting into practice the techniques and insights gained from their exploration of the genre. Through workshops and peer feedback sessions, they will refine their storytelling abilities and develop their unique voices as writers. By the end of the course, students will emerge with a comprehensive understanding of the American short story genre, as well as the skills and confidence to create their own compelling narratives.
Poets and Pigrims: The Literature of Exodus and Exile
In this course, students delve into themes of banishment, displacement, and alienation through a diverse selection of literary works. They will contemplate the repercussions of losing one's homeland and how this event impacts one's understanding of time and memory. Additionally, they will explore the intricacies of psychological disorders that render certain individuals more susceptible to "exile" or "banishment" from what society deems "normal" or "acceptable" behavior, thereby challenging prevailing ideas of "sanity" within a particular historical context. The course begins with selections from Genesis and Exodus, Vergil’s Aeneid and proceed with full readings of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, Dante's Inferno, Percival Everett’s James, David Markson’s Wittgenstein’s Mistress, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet, texts that scrutinize how uprooting affects both public identity and personal psychology.
The history program is designed to provide students with the skills needed to meet the challenges of the most rigorous college education. Emphasis is placed on the development of comprehension and communication skills and facility with handling primary and secondary source evidence. Students master the craft of essay writing. Research techniques are stressed, in particular library skills and the judicious and careful use of the Internet as well as the use of proper bibliographic citations.
This course begins a two-year sequence where students are exposed to World History from its origins to the present. The course explores major themes in human history that familiarizes students with both the broad patterns and rich diversity that define human civilizations. Themes studied include: world religions, government and empire, global connections, and challenging the status quo. While the content covered is essential, the development of skills is stressed. Students learn key reading and study habits, develop as writers and researchers and presenters, and take the steps to becoming increasingly independent learners. Finally, students interact with a variety of primary and secondary sources as they refine their ability to understand the point of view and perspective of key texts.
This course will examine the political, economic, social, and cultural history of the modern world from the mid-eighteenth century through the beginning of the twenty-first century. Throughout the course, students will investigate the major historical themes, trends, and events that shaped Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The students will take on the role of historians as they critically read and analyze historical documents in order to come up with their own interpretations of historical events. The course also places a great deal of emphasis on the writing process, including crafting thesis statements, developing arguments, conducting research, integrating and analyzing evidence, as well as editing and revising. Major topics will include: Atlantic Revolutions; the Industrial Revolution; the “-isms” of the nineteenth century; New Imperialism; World War I, the Interwar Period, and World War II; decolonization; the Cold War; and the emergence of a global economy.
This course will cover American history from European colonization to the Global War on Terrorism. Throughout the course, students will consider the roles that politics, economics, culture, and identity have played in the history of the United States. They will utilize primary and secondary sources to investigate key issues and themes, such as cultural exchange, servitude and slavery, race and ethnicity, partisan politics, the role of government, rights and liberties, women and gender, and economic inequality. Students will continue to hone their writing skills by completing argumentative and research papers. Major topics will include: English colonization; the Transatlantic slave trade; the American Revolution; the U.S. Constitution; the first party system; the Market Revolution; Jacksonian Democracy; moral reform movements; the Civil War and Reconstruction; the Gilded Age and Progressive Era; World War I; the Roaring 20s; the Great Depression; World War II; the Cold War; the Post-War Era; and contemporary politics.
The Advanced section of this course surveys the major political, economic, social and cultural developments in American history from the mid 18th century to the present. The course is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the challenges of United States history. Students learn to assess primary sources – their relevance to a given interpretive problem, their reliability and their importance – and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. Nightly writing emphasizes framing a response to a prompt, synthesizing information from the textbook and primary sources, and comparing devlopments across time periods. Students also practice the multiple-choice, short answer and document-based questions featured on the Advanced Placement examination. The survey begins with the review of a major monograph on African-American history, and closes with team projects and presentations.
Advanced European History covers major political, economic, social, and intellectual developments in European history from roughly 1450 to the present. This course helps students enhance critical analysis skills and is the formal preparation for the Advanced Placement exam. The breadth of content necessitates considerable reading beyond the classroom and this course places a heavy emphasis on essay writing under time constraints. A significant interest in history itself is a prerequisite for success.
What factors allowed New York City to emerge as the United States’ premier city? And what was life like for earlier New Yorkers? To answer these questions, we explore the city’s many faces: frontier outpost; colonial port; industrial center; immigrant destination; and progressive think tank. As we head into the 20th century, we explore New York’s emergence as a sprawling world capital: the parks, bridges, highways, and housing towers that modernized the city; the new divisions of race and class that grew alongside the city’s infrastructure; and the new artistic impulses of the modern metropolis, from jazz to hip-hop to the visual arts. We conclude with a look at Gotham’s 21st century challenges: security, income inequality, segregated schools, gentrification, and climate change.
The mathematics program is rooted in real-world problem solving, critical thinking, explorations of why theorems hold true in a given system, and the appreciation of mathematics as a language. Inquiry-based approaches to learning mathematical concepts are emphasized throughout each course leading to a deep understanding of the material.
Geometry
This is a standard course in Euclidean geometry covering the following topics: parallelism and perpendicularity, triangle properties and congruence, quadrilaterals, similarity, right triangles (including right-triangle trigonometry), circles, as well as areas and volumes. Proofs of different types are introduced and used extensively. Coordinate geometry is integrated into all concepts. Text: Martin-Gay, Geometry
Geometry with Extended Explorations
This course covers the same topics as the standard one but delves more deeply into the concepts, allowing for more challenging problem sets. Text: Martin-Gay, Geometry, and a sourcebook with supplemental problems
Algebra II
Linear, quadratic (with complex numbers), radical, polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions are explored in great detail. Systems (both linear and nonlinear) and matrices are also analyzed. Real-world applications receive considerable attention within each topic. Graphing calculators (TI-84 Plus) are required for this course. Text: Rockswold, Algebra and Trigonometry 6th edition
Accelerated Algebra II
Linear, quadratic (with complex numbers), radical, polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions are explored in great detail. Systems (both linear and nonlinear), matrices, and an introduction to trigonometry (unit circle and triangle-based representations) are also among topics studied. Real-world applications receive considerable attention within each topic. Graphing calculators (TI-84 Plus) are required for this course. Text: Rockswold, Algebra and Trigonometry 6th edition
Precalculus
Part of this course offers in-depth analyses of quadratic, polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions. A significant portion of the academic year then explores trigonometric functions, including graphical, analytical, and triangle-based representations. Sequences, series, combinatorial mathematics, and probability are among additional concepts studied. Extensive applications to real-world phenomena are covered within each topic of study. Graphing calculators (TI-84 Plus) are required for this course. Text: Sullivan, Precalculus: Enhanced with Graphing Utilities, 8th Edition
Accelerated Precalculus
This course involves a rigorous study of trigonometric functions (both graphical and analytical), polar and parametrically-defined functions, vectors, conic sections, exponential and logarithmic functions, sequences, series, limits (including the limit definition of the derivative), combinatorial mathematics, and probability. Extensive applications to real-world phenomena are covered within each topic of study. Graphing calculators (TI-84 Plus) are required for this course. Text: Sullivan, Precalculus: Enhanced with Graphing Utilities, 8th Edition
Finite Mathematics (Grade 11 or 12)
Applying the mathematics from Algebra I and Algebra II, Finite Mathematics explores problem solving using numerical, symbolic (algebraic), and graphical approaches. Current domestic and world issues provide relevant context for analysis and discussion. Group work and participation is heavily emphasized. Text: TBD
Statistics (Grade 11 or 12)
Topics in this course include collecting data, constructing and interpreting graphical displays, counting techniques, probability, the normal distribution, confidence intervals, measures of spread, correlation and regression, and the mathematics of voting. Text: TBD
Calculus
After a very brief review of some of the main ideas and function concepts studied in Algebra II and Precalculus, the course delves into a detailed investigation of limits (including the limit definition of the derivative), rules for finding derivatives, and then applications of differentiation to curve sketching, optimization, and related rates. The latter part of the course explores the meaning of integration, some techniques for evaluating integrals, and then applications of integrals to phenomena including rectilinear motion. Real-world applications of differentiation and integration, such as those from business and various sciences, are emphasized throughout the course. Graphing calculators (TI-84 Plus) are required for all students.
Text: Lial, Calculus with Applications, 12th Edition
Advanced Calculus / AB AP Level
This is a first-year college-level course in differential and integral calculus that covers all of the Advanced Placement AB level curriculum, as well as some Calculus topics not part of AB. Limits are investigated, leading to a study of differentiation and integration. Application problems from physics, engineering, business and economics are essential parts of the course. This course requires a graphing calculators (TI-84 Plus). In addition to having the option of taking the AB exam, students enrolled in this course may choose to complete a seminar meeting twice per week exploring those concepts unique to the BC curriculum. See the course description below for further details.
Texts: Calculus: Graphical, Numerical, Algebraic, AP Edition, 6e by Demana, Waits, et al and Barron’s AP Calculus 2024 Premium edition
**Calculus BC Seminar **
This is a full-year elective course conducted as a seminar meeting twice per week for those Advanced Calculus students who plan to take the Advanced Placement Calculus BC exam. The course follows topics unique to the Advanced Placement BC level curriculum and requires rigorous independent study outside of class meetings. This course is pass/fail.
Texts: Brief Calculus Extended by Garry L.Taylor & J Michael Shaw - Taylor Math Consulting and Barron’s AP Calculus 2024 Premium edition
Data Science
This is an introductory college-level course where students will learn to understand, ask questions of, and represent data through project-based units. The units will give students opportunities to explore data through active engagement, developing their understanding of data analysis, sampling, correlation/causation, bias and uncertainty, modeling with data, and making and evaluating data-based arguments, and the importance of data in society. At the end of the course, students will have a portfolio of their data science work to showcase their newly developed knowledge and understanding. The course will provide students with opportunities to understand the data science process asking questions, gathering and organizing data, modeling, analyzing and synthesizing, and communicating. Students will work through this process in a variety of contexts. Students learn through making sense of complex problems, then through an iterative process of formulation and reformulation coming to a reasoned argument for the choices they will make.
A minimum of three years of science are required in Upper School, and the science department encourages all students to take at least one biology, chemistry, and physics course. Laboratory and field-based investigations continue to be at the core of the learning experience. Data analysis skills are expanded from the use of descriptive or inferential statistics. Practical applications of science, such as environmental sustainability, bioethics, engineering projects are explored in every course.
This required course explores molecular biology, cell biology, , biochemistry, ecosystem interactions and biodiversity. Laboratory and field-based investigations are used as critical learning tools. The field work component of this class consists of a trip to the Island School in the Bahamas where students will employ field investigative tools to study marine tropical ecology and sustainability. They will produce a report and a presentation on their findings to share at the STEAM Expo and with Grade 8 in preparation for their trip the next year.
This required science course provides a robust foundation for the subsequent Advanced Chemistry course. It covers atomic structure and bonding, properties of matter, stoichiometry, solutions and solubility, thermodynamics, and acids and bases. Algebraic problem-solving skills are integrated throughout the course, particularly in the second semester. The laboratory portion of this course is focused on the hands-on application of the topics covered in class. Students will produce several full-length laboratory reports throughout the year requiring independent research and critical thinking.
Advanced Biology (Grade 10, 11, or 12)
This science elective course is offered to students in Grades 10, 11 and 12. The goal of this course is for students to investigate topics in biology at a collegiate level. Advanced biology presents more sophisticated analytical laboratory methods as well as delves more deeply into biochemistry, cell biology, energetics, molecular biology, heredity, evolution and ecology. Case studies will be used to learn about cancer biology, stem cell research, pharmacobiology, and ecological field study. At the end of this course students are prepared to take the AP biology exam. Students interested in taking the class will be expected to have maintained an A- average in 9th Grade Biology.
This required science course is taken as the third laboratory science course. This is a conceptual physics course covering mechanics, Newton’s laws, momentum and energy, impulse and inertia; using algebra and trigonometry on a regular basis. A strong experimental component weaves through the entire course.
Advanced Biology (Grade 10, 11, or 12)
This science elective course is offered to students in Grades 10, 11 and 12. The goal of this course is for students to investigate topics in biology at a collegiate level. Advanced biology presents more sophisticated analytical laboratory methods as well as delves more deeply into biochemistry, cell biology, energetics, molecular biology, heredity, evolution and ecology. Case studies will be used to learn about cancer biology, stem cell research, pharmacobiology, and ecological field study. At the end of this course students are prepared to take the AP biology exam. Students interested in taking the class will be expected to have maintained an A- average in 9th Grade Biology.
Advanced Chemistry (Grade 11 or 12)
The pace and content level is comparable to college-level General Chemistry 1 and 2, thus the course extends the conceptual foundation provided in the 10th grade Chemistry course. Advanced chemistry presents more sophisticated analytical laboratory methods as well as delves more deeply into atomic theory, chemical and molecular bonding, chemical reactions, thermodynamics, and acids and bases. At the end of this course, students are prepared to take the AP Chemistry exam. Students interested in taking the class will be expected to have maintained an A- average in Math and at least an A- in 10th Grade Chemistry.
This Grade 12 course is equivalent to the first semester of an introductory college-level course on algebra-based physics, covering the topics of Newtonian mechanics; work, energy, and power; momentum and impulse; and rotational motion. At the end of this course, students are prepared to take the AP Physics 1 exam. Students interested in taking the class will be expected to have maintained an A- average in Math and at least an A- in 11th Grade Classical Physics.
Advanced Biology (Grade 10, 11, or 12)
This science elective course is offered to students in Grades 10, 11 and 12. The goal of this course is for students to investigate topics in biology at a collegiate level. Advanced biology presents more sophisticated analytical laboratory methods as well as delves more deeply into biochemistry, cell biology, energetics, molecular biology, heredity, evolution and ecology. Case studies will be used to learn about cancer biology, stem cell research, pharmacobiology, and ecological field study. At the end of this course students are prepared to take the AP biology exam. Students interested in taking the class will be expected to have maintained an A- average in 9th Grade Biology.
Advanced Chemistry (Grade 11 or 12)
The pace and content level is comparable to college-level General Chemistry 1 and 2, thus the course extends the conceptual foundation provided in the 10th grade Chemistry course. Advanced chemistry presents more sophisticated analytical laboratory methods as well as delves more deeply into atomic theory, chemical and molecular bonding, chemical reactions, thermodynamics, and acids and bases. At the end of this course, students are prepared to take the AP Chemistry exam. Students interested in taking the class will be expected to have maintained an A- average in Math and at least an A- in 10th Grade Chemistry.
Independent Study in Science
Working with an internal or external mentor a student may select an area of science specialization (such as engineering or biomedical research), explore it in depth and conduct independent research. This course often entails independent completion of online courses offered by colleges such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or Stanford University. Approval for an independent study is contingent on student course load, availability of mentors, and demonstrated strength and interest in science.
Upper School students are required to study at least one foreign language through Level III, a requirement usually met by the completion of the Grade 10. Students may start Latin or Mandarin (starting as an offering in the 2024-2025 school year) in Grade 9, or continue in French or Spanish with the appropriate prerequisite work. The study of two (sometimes three) languages is encouraged and common among the students. French, Spanish, and Latin courses are available through the Advanced Placement level and the 12th grade. Qualified students have the opportunity to pursue languages even further via an independent study. Upperclassmen have the option of taking an introductory course in Ancient Greek. Upper School classes in French, Mandarin, and Spanish employ comprehensible immersion methods, while Latin relies more, but not entirely, on English for classroom instruction.
The goal of the program is to assist each student in recognizing and eventually capitalizing on the many options available to him and to empower him in the college admissions process. Boys learn how to evaluate accurately their own achievements and aspirations; how to prepare for standardized testing; how to gather specific information about a variety of colleges and universities; how to organize the paperwork associated with college applications; and, most importantly, how to make informed and rational choices about their futures.
Latin I
Upper School students new to Latin dive into the language in a comprehensible immersion classroom, which develops all four language arts (listening, reading, speaking, writing). An understanding of ancient Roman culture and how it has shaped modern life is gained alongside proficiency in language arts. Texts include Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata: Familia Romana.
Latin II
Students in Latin II continue to acquire vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. We repeatedly practice verb tenses and noun cases, as well as elements of advanced grammar as they occur in our reading. Texts include Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata: Familia Romana and Wheelock’s Latin. Emphasis is placed on developing reading skills. We also survey the basics of Ancient Greco-Roman mythology.
French II
This course builds on previous work in French and continues to emphasize the oral tradition as well as the acquisition of vocabulary, expressions and the fundamental principles of grammar. Vocabulary is drawn from a variety of sources, including short stories, songs and texts related to culture and history. The major verb tenses/moods are covered with particular emphasis on the forms and uses of the imparfait and the passé composé. Students also learn how to build more complex sentences through the study of object and relative pronouns. Students will go beyond the classroom to explore the city to further their study and research on various cultures of the French-speaking world and explore the target language for personal enjoyment and career possibilities. Each semester, a major project connects literature, history, and cinema to promote cultural awareness and diversity. Textbook: D’accord II + Supersite
Mandarin
Mandarin I is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in one of the world's most widely spoken languages. Throughout the course, students will learn essential Mandarin Chinese vocabulary, grammar structures, and pronunciation techniques. Emphasis will be placed on developing the four key language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Cultural components will be integrated into the curriculum, allowing students to explore various aspects of Chinese culture, including traditions, customs, holidays, and daily life. By understanding the cultural context in which the language is used, students will deepen their appreciation and understanding of Mandarin Chinese. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the fundamental language skills necessary to engage in basic conversations, comprehend simple texts, and write basic sentences in Mandarin Chinese.
Spanish II
This course builds on previous work in Spanish and continues to emphasize the oral tradition as well as the acquisition of vocabulary, expressions and the fundamental principles of grammar. Vocabulary is drawn from a variety of sources, including short stories, songs and texts related to culture and history. The major verb tenses/moods are covered with particular emphasis on the forms and uses of the imperfect and the preterite tense. Students also learn how to build more complex sentences through the study of object and relative pronouns. Additionally, students will go beyond the classroom to explore the target language for personal enjoyment and career possibilities. Students will visit the Museum of Natural History to further their study and research on indigenous cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Each semester, a major project connects literature, history, and cinema to promote cultural awareness and diversity. Textbook: Descubre Ib + Supersite
Latin III
Students in Latin III make the transition to the reading of unadapted Latin texts with vocabulary, annotated commentary, or other forms of scaffolding. The goal of the first semester is to ensure that the students have as much reading practice as their growing skills will allow: they read from and comment on stories that steadily meet their growing understanding of the language by challenging them in terms of complexity of the language. The reading is supplemented by the study of grammar and the underlying patterns that help to enable critical knowledge of texts and the ideas contained therein. In the second semester, students begin to read adapted ancient texts to make the transition to ancient literature as successful as possible. Texts include Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata: Familia Romana and Roma Aeterna.
French III
French III students are expected to gain an understanding of intermediate French grammar and verb tense structures. Emphasis is also placed on vocabulary enrichment and increased cultural awareness. Students are asked to write frequently in French, and once in English in a two- to three-page report on French history. Students are expected to master basic written French. Information on the various cultures of the French-speaking world, famous people of French descent and relevant movies are interwoven throughout the course. Textbook: D’accord III + Supersite
Spanish III
This course is designed to introduce intermediate-level students to the rich and exciting literature of the Hispanic world. This course aims to instill in students a love of modern Hispanic literature while aiding them in their desire for self-expression by learning grammar in context through reading short stories, poems, and plays. They are expected at this level to have the necessary skills that allow them to contribute with some degree of fluency to class discussions on a variety of topics. A range of well-known authors is selected for this course to enrich students’ knowledge of the great literature and renowned Hispanic literary figures such as Sandra Cisneros, Julia Alvarez, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Ricardo Palma, Federico García Lorca, Octavio Paz, and Laura Esquivel. Textbook: Descubre III + Supersite
Latin IV
Students in Latin IV immerse themselves in both ancient and more recent authentic Latin texts, which include selections from Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata: Roma Aeterna, Aesop’s fables, and Fabulae Syrae, among others. The genres and notable authors of antiquity are more generally explored. Facility with poetic meters and scansion is developed. Latin is often the language used in classroom discussions and instructions. Emphasis is placed on comprehending the texts, listening and writing in Latin, and developing interpretive skills.
French IV
This course continues to focus on the four components of language: reading, writing, speaking and listening. A wide variety of cultural and geographical information pertaining to the various peoples and places of the French-speaking world, as well as vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, are presented. The goal of the course is a detailed review of grammatical structure; though discussions of complex grammatical information are sometimes conducted in English, students are otherwise expected to express themselves, both orally and in writing, exclusively in French. Activities and assessments incorporate authentic sources and are set in theme-related, real-cultural contexts. Students will visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art to further their study and research on modernist artists of the French-speaking world. Each semester, a major project connects literature, history, and cinema to promote cultural awareness and diversity. Textbook: D’accord III + Supersite; Face à Face
Reading Greek
The aim of this course is to introduce students to ancient texts in the original Greek in which they were written. Using a reading approach, students will combine language study with literary analysis as they encounter works from Homer, Plato, Herodotus, Euripides, Marcus Aurelius, Julian, Josephus, and others, covering core vocabulary, forms, and other language features along the way. (Open to juniors and seniors; because the literature we read will vary from year to year, a student may enroll in this class more than once. No prerequisites required, but a conversation with the instructor is recommended prior to enrollment.)
Spanish IV
Spanish IV aims to prepare students to communicate, explore and connect across cultures to foster attitudes of mutual understanding and respect. Vocabulary is presented visually and in context, and with Spanish synonyms and definitions at level 4. Activities and assessments incorporate authentic sources and are set in theme-related, real-life contexts. Additionally, students will go beyond the classroom to explore the target language for personal enjoyment and career possibilities. Students will visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art to further their study and research on modernist artists of the Spanish-speaking world. Each semester, a major project connects literature, history, and cinema to promote cultural awareness and diversity. Textbook: Descubre III + Supersite
Latin V
Students in Latin V explore the themes of imperialism and colonization in both the ancient and modern worlds. Texts include Francis Glass’ A Life of George Washington, Vergil’s Aeneid, and Caesar’s De Bello Gallico. Additionally, we attend to the voices and representations of women in Latin literature through a variety of authors, including Ovid, Catullus, and Vergil. Emphasis is placed on reading comprehension and literal translation. A secondary focus consists of examining the writers’ styles and use of literary devices. Students write short text-based essays analyzing important themes of a text and learn to back up their assertions by accurately citing the Latin. The social and cultural context of the literature is discussed on an ongoing basis.
Advanced French
The course focuses on preparing students for college courses in French. This course is designed to review the history of France from ancient Gaul to the present day. As each period unfolds, students examine landmark historical events and famous people, as well as achievements in literature, arts, science and history. Students continue to work on language skills through reading and study of magazines and newspapers, as well as through seminar discussions, oral reports and recordings. Extensive training in the organization and writing of compositions is an integral part of this language course. Students enrolled in this course traditionally sit for the Advanced Placement exam. Mastering French Vocabulary; Selections from novels; Thèmes; AP French Manuals.
Reading Greek
The aim of this course is to introduce students to ancient texts in the original Greek in which they were written. Using a reading approach, students will combine language study with literary analysis as they encounter works from Homer, Plato, Herodotus, Euripides, Marcus Aurelius, Julian, Josephus, and others, covering core vocabulary, forms, and other language features along the way. (Open to juniors and seniors; because the literature we read will vary from year to year, a student may enroll in this class more than once. No prerequisites required, but a conversation with the instructor is recommended prior to enrollment.)
Spanish V
This course covers the equivalent of an advanced college course in writing and conversation. It encompasses reading/listening comprehension and written and oral presentations. Such a course emphasizes the use of Spanish for active communication. The student will be able to comprehend formal and informal spoken Spanish, acquire vocabulary and have a grasp of structure to allow accurate reading of newspapers, magazine articles, and other modern literature texts. Also, the student will be able to compose expository passages and to express ideas orally with accuracy and fluency. Extensive training in the organization and writing of compositions is an integral part of this language course. Texts include “Preparing for the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam” and “Temas”, as well as selected literature and articles from Spanish language press and news.
Spanish Independent Study
This course is offered to boys who have completed Advanced Spanish and desire additional study in advanced literary and cultural topics. The course is conducted entirely in Spanish and meets once or twice a week. In rare instances a student may be allowed to take an independent study concurrently with Advanced Spanish.
Students practice drawing, painting, sculpture, and related media, and they display their works in school exhibits and publications.
Grade 9 Studio Art: Art History Re-Imagined
Throughout this course, students will learn about various artists and movements throughout art history through creating a work of art inspired by each area of study. For each project, students will be tasked with analyzing the artists' motivations, historical context and point of view and create a re-imagined artwork that is authentic to their interests, experience and unique point of view that they want to express as artists. The work for this course is solely visual arts projects and class participation and discussions.
Grade 10 Studio Art - Survey
This semester-long course is a 10th grade elective. The goal is to expand students’ artistic abilities by having them explore a variety of techniques, with emphasis on drawing and sculpture. Students learn two-point perspective making drawings of imaginary cities using pencil and ink applied with technical pens and brushes. For the second half of the semester they will create a coil pot from clay. They will focus on vessels from cultures all over the world, sketch, and plan the size and shape of their coil pot before construction. These will be finished with a variety of decorative techniques before being fired in the kiln.
Grades 11 and 12 Studio Art: Drawing
In this elective, students investigate different drawing materials and techniques, including graphite, charcoal, pen and ink. Emphasis is placed on control and intentionality of mark making along with accurate observation. Drawing projects include still-life, grayscales, a self-portrait, an illustration of a scene from their own lives, printmaking, and if time allows drawing in Central Park. A traditional approach to these subjects is introduced and students are encouraged to express themselves in a way that reflects their thinking.
Grades 11 and 12 Studio Art: Painting
This elective is offered to students who wish to explore the skills and techniques involved in acrylic, watercolor and oil painting. The types of painting studied include landscape, still life, abstract painting, color theory and portraiture. The class works from life as well as photographic resources.
Studio Art: Ceramics I and II
This course gives the students the opportunity to learn and explore the skills involved in working on the pottery wheel, as well as different hand-building techniques. Different forms are explored including abstract and figurative forms. Students are encouraged to add a creative interpretation to traditional shapes. All works are created in either stoneware or porcelain clay. Students have access to a wide range of low fire and high fire glazes.
Grade 10 American Popular Music (Elective)
American Popular Music is a semester-long course in which students define and trace the musical traditions that have shaped modern American popular music. Through discussions and listening activities, students study aspects of musical form, compositional technique, and cultural influence within American genres, tugging at the musical threads that connect early spirituals to the blues, folk music, jazz, rock & roll, and the birth of hip hop. Together, we will ask questions such as, how does musical expression function for and within distinct communities and how do the identities of both musicians and listeners impact the way music is composed and heard, as we appreciate the composers and styles that make American music so distinctive and influential.
**Upper School Chorus **
The Browning Upper School Chorus is a yearlong half-credit performance elective open to all boys in the Upper School. Fundamental singing technique is emphasized through the study of music ranging from popular to classical. Two- and three-part arrangements for men’s voices are the standard, but mixed-choral arrangements are prepared for performances with Interschool groups and international choirs held during the academic year. The chorus also performs for a number of school functions including the Holiday Program, Interschool Choral Festival, and Graduation. Rehearsals focus on increasing musicianship, refining communication and emotional expression, and building ensemble skills.
**Ovation Orchestra **
The Browning Ovation Orchestra is a yearlong non-credited ensemble open to all boys studying a musical instrument, with permission of the director. Boys study technique and work together to create a balanced ensemble sound. The repertoire ranges from classical to contemporary music, and is rehearsed to performance level.
**A Cappella ensemble - “A CaPanthers” **
This is a yearlong, non-credited ensemble for boys, by invitation from the choral director or audition. Boys meet once a week with the director to rehearse the complex musical material - which requires superior musicianship and vocal ability - as well as performance choreography.
This semester-long required course is designed to help students develop excellent oral communication skills and to teach them to express themselves in a clear and articulate manner in all circumstances, including classroom discussion, debates, interviews, persuasive oratory, and other public speaking occasions. Students are encouraged to develop confidence and poise when they present themselves in their public and personal lives. Emphasis is placed on content as well as nonverbal communication and the incorporation of technology in presentation.
Grade 10 Drama
This semester-long elective introduces students to foundational acting techniques, with particular focus given to the pedagogy of Sanford Meisner. When some fluency with Meisner's exercises has been achieved, students will apply their learning to improvisation technique, neutral scenes, and some of the classic acting exercises developed by Uta Hagen. The course culminates with two major performance presentations: a monologue and a scene, both selected from the works of major playwrights.
The Advisory system connects each student to a faculty member who leads a group of eight to nine students as their advocate and adult resource during their Upper School years. From Homeroom to a dedicated period for Advisory, these groups gather to build community and reflect on growth over time. Grade 9 and Grade 10 students will be in advisory groups with grade-level peers, while Grade 11-12 students meet in mixed groups.
Boys learn to develop their information literacy and research skills, comfortably navigate the library’s resources, and appreciate diverse stories and genres from a multitude of perspectives.
The Independent Research Courses offer students a unique opportunity to explore their interests and cultivate their research and critical thinking abilities. Students actively engage in projects that align with their passions and develop essential academic and research writing skills. Through independent study, students will have the chance to enhance their information literacy skills.
While the library will serve as a central meeting point for these courses, a significant portion of the lessons will also be available online. This blended approach provides students with the flexibility to work at their own pace and take full advantage of the resources available to them. It ensures that students can pursue their research endeavors in a manner that suits their preferences and schedules.
Students explore computational thinking, problem solving, robotics, and their basic understanding of programming, engineering, and design skills, building a basic understanding of technological concepts and operations, including the handling and appropriate use of devices, and digital safety and literacy.
In Grade 9, students continue to learn the basics of text-based coding with Python using CodeHS, an online learning platform. Concepts covered include declaring variables and functions, control statements, iteration, conditional statements, and decomposition. Each student uses the basic skills they learn in the classroom to build a trivia game or choose-your-own-adventure game to create their final projects.
In Grade 10, introduction to robotics engineering is designed to give students a basic understanding of the engineering-design process. Specifically, students study robotics to ultimately design a robot to compete in the First Tech Challenge; an international robotics competition. Each student learns the rules of the competition in order to research the problem, to design and sketch ideas, to build a robot, and to test and evaluate the performance of the robot.
For Grade 11 and 12, this is an introductory college-level computing course that introduces students to the breadth of the field of computer science. Students learn to design and evaluate solutions and to apply computer science to solve problems through the development of algorithms and programs. They incorporate abstraction into programs and use data to discover new knowledge. Students also explain how computing innovations and computing systems—including the internet—work, explore their potential impacts, and contribute to a computing culture that is collaborative and ethical.
For Grade 11 and 12, this is an introductory college-level computer science course. Students cultivate their understanding of coding through analyzing, writing, and testing code as they explore concepts like modularity, variables, and control structures. This course focuses on big ideas that encompass core principles, theories, and processes of computer science. Students learn to code in Java, and explore its integration into a wide array of STEM-related fields.
In Grade 12, this is an introductory college-level course where students learn to understand, ask questions of, and represent data through project-based units. The units will give students opportunities to explore data through active engagement, developing their understanding of data analysis, sampling, correlation/causation, bias and uncertainty, modeling with data, and making and evaluating data-based arguments, and the importance of data in society. At the end of the course, students will have a portfolio of data science work. The course will provide students with opportunities to understand the data science process asking questions, gathering and organizing data, modeling, analyzing and synthesizing, and communicating. Students will work through this process in a variety of contexts. Students learn through making sense of complex problems, then through an iterative process of formulation and reformulation coming to a reasoned argument for the choices they will make. Advanced Computer Science Principles or Advanced Computer Science A is a prerequisite for this course.
Our Peer Leadership group is a team of Grade 12 students who meet weekly with Grade 9 students to discuss and advise them about the academic and social challenges and joys ahead of them. Peer Leaders are selected through a rigorous application process and are trained before student orientation in the fall. The Peer Leaders also meet regularly to discuss and learn about effective leadership, as well as to plan lessons for and reflect on their meetings with Grade 9 students.
The Health and Wellness team consisting of two counselors, a health teacher, and a consulting psychologist provides faculty with strategies, book recommendations, and curricula to help students develop social and emotional skills. Lower School students participate in weekly health lessons for one semester of each year. In grades 1-3, the Health and Wellness program covers a variety of topics, including friendship, empathy, conflict resolution, mental wellbeing, hygiene, safety, decision making, body systems and nutrition. In grade 4, students also explore the physical, emotional, and social changes that happen during puberty.
A year-long course that meets one to two times per week and primarily utilizes a discussion-based format, Health & Wellness 9 introduces students to topics that expands their understanding of themselves, others, and the world around them through the 10 dimensions of wellness. Students cultivate skills to advocate, make informed health enhancing decisions, communicate with others effectively and access valid information related to health and wellness.
In this year-long course, boys will be asked to consider how masculinity is understood and performed as well as where those understandings come from and are lived. Through examining a variety of media and artifacts, students will critically examine the role culture plays in the lived experience of the various masculinities they encounter. They will enter into conversation with each other, ultimately developing their own understanding of what makes up healthy masculinity in the 21st century.
In this semester course, boys will be asked to read and reflect on friendship and connection, as we see the growing trend of loneliness in men and boys in society. Through examining a variety of texts and media that reveal attitudes and messages they are exposed to relating to masculinity and friendship, students will explore their own experiences, attitudes, and aspirations towards adulthood as it relates to gender, friendship, and connection.
A semester long class that meets weekly with the seniors to cover many aspects of Wellness as they prepare for college. The overall goal of this course is to help prepare seniors for the transition from high school to college and life on campus. Topics include separation from family, home, friends and high school; STIs; contraception; sexual assault; consent; drugs and alcohol; mental and physical health. Class consists of presentations and discussions given by the students to a panel of staff from Browning.
Keeping in mind the values of curiosity, dignity, and purpose, Browning students are encouraged to seek and participate in opportunities for social impact. The school maintains relationships with various community-based organizations and offers regular volunteering events. The Green Team, in partnership with members of the Science faculty, leads a number of environmental and sustainability-related service projects as well as our annual celebration of Biodiversity Day. Additionally, boys lead fundraisers, food, clothing, and toy drives throughout the year, along with public awareness campaigns for important social issues. Much of this work is initiated by student councils, but any individual may bring an idea to the office of Social Impact. We are very proud that the service performed by the boys is entirely voluntary. Browning maintains a culture of giving in which boys understand their responsibilities to the communities that nurture them.
Senior Projects, our spring program for Grade 12 boys, requires a substantial volunteer for boys, which begins with the conclusion of academic classes for seniors in late May. Symbolically capping a Browning boy’s career, seniors volunteer with nonprofit organizations across the city including Make-A-Wish Foundation, Brooklyn Book Bodega, Grassroots Grocery. Students translate learned skills into real-world impact, reflecting their development in research, hands-on learning, planning, teamwork, and presentation.
The Physical Education staff promotes fitness and conditioning, stress-release activities, the advancement of teamwork and strategy, the relation of mind/body concepts, the importance of lifetime sports and fitness, and an awareness of outside professional sports and activities. Boys can participate in interscholastic sports or physical education classes in the Upper School
Boys have the option to participate on an interscholastic team or participate in physical education (PE) classes in school to fulfill the PE requirement. Those who take classes in school may participate in the following activities and sports: basketball, volleyball, floor hockey, touch football, indoor soccer, badminton, wiffle ball, cardiovascular training, weight training, circuit training, pickleball, team handball, and table tennis.
Browning recognizes the importance of athletics and athletic competition in the lives of boys and provides a number of team options each season. Dedicated to the moral and character development of their players, coaches strive to instill in each boy an abiding commitment to good sportsmanship coupled with a sense of responsibility both to himself and the team. Interscholastic team sports are open to students in Grades 7 through 12 in good academic standing.
The athletic department makes use of facilities both at school and within New York City. The soccer and baseball teams practice and play games at fields on Randall’s Island. The track team makes use of Van Cortland Park, Astoria Park and Central Park. In addition to the Upper and Lower gyms at school, the basketball teams take advantage of the gymnasium facilities at Club Equinox for practices and games. The tennis team plays a number of its matches at the National Tennis Center, in Flushing, Queens, and practices there as well.. Golf team practices are held at a virtual simulator close to the school and; matches are held at Mosholu Golf Course.
The Browning School competes inter-scholastically in the following sports:
Soccer: Varsity and Junior Varsity
Cross Country: Varsity
Basketball: Varsity and Junior Varsity
Squash: Varsity
Indoor Track: Varsity
Table Tennis: Varsity
Baseball: Varsity
Tennis: Varsity
Track: Varsity
Golf: Varsity
Student Assessment
Upper School students receive four academic reports each year with letter grades that indicate the student's performance against learning targets. Mid-semester reports teacher comments that are typically the focus of meetings with boys, families and teachers and/or advisors in the late fall and early spring. Students also have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement tests in several subjects, if they have demonstrated commitment and content mastery in our advanced courses.
Student Support
The Student Support Team (SST) is a collaborative group of educators who meet weekly in each division to plan for and facilitate the support and resources each student needs to thrive. The SST includes division heads, deans, counselors, our nurse, academic learning specialists, and the Chief of Equitable Practices. This team works closely with teachers, families, and students to ensure the success of every Browning student. Each division has a dedicated learning support specialist who offers targeted inventions for students. Upper School students' mental health and wellness counseling needs are met by an Upper School counselor.
