The creation of Madison Country Day School’s Upper School (grades 9 through 12) brings the promise of an exciting educational opportunity to Dane County. The Upper School is a natural progression that builds on a successful foundation begun in 1997 when the school opened with five grades and twenty-two children. Today, with over two hundred seventy students, we stand strong with a continued commitment to provide a first class education—an education that is grounded in a stellar curriculum and the belief that young women and men have a boundless capacity to learn.

Recently accredited as an International Baccalaureate World School, MCDS is currently updating this portion of the website.  It will be completed in the summer of 2008.

Curriculum Overview

ENGLISH: These skills also equip students for the AP Literature Exam. Students continue to practice speech, including debate. Special emphasis is given to the study of literature. Texts include Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part I and II, and Henry V, Kafka’s The Trial and Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Students’ increased understanding of how a piece of literature works prepares them to appreciate increasingly profound works of literature. Students learn to organize their impressions and analysis into a formal essay.

MATHEMATICS:  Algebra, Coordinate Geometry, and Trigonometry
Numbers are extended to the reals, whose correspondence with the points of a line is emphasized, then to the complex numbers, enabling students to find all roots of any quadratic equation. We apply the remainder and factor theorems to higher degree polynomials. We define integral and rational exponents, practice the exponent rules, and simplify rational expressions involving polynomials. Students solve systems of linear equations, and systems of a linear and quadratic equation. We study polynomial, rational, and inverse functions. Coordinate geometry encompasses the straight line, the circle, distance, midpoint, parallel and perpendicular lines, intersection, and tangency of a circle and line. Trigonometry begins with trigonometric ratios, is generalized by the unit circle, and includes values of the functions at common angles, the law of sines, the law of cosines, the area of a triangle, and Heron’s formula. We stress the importance of definitions and statements of mathematical results and their proofs and converses. Students write direct and indirect proofs. We solve linear and quadratic inequalities. Combinatorics includes permutations, combinations, and Pascal’s triangle.

SCIENCE: Biology  
Following a natural progression from the study of chemistry, much of what is studied in biology classes can rightfully be called biochemistry. The cell is the fundamental unit of all organisms, and most cell functions involve chemical reactions. In this course, students study the makeup of living things, their interactions and their importance in the world. Topics include energy and the cell, cellular reproduction, chemistry of the gene, classification systems, animal and plant adaptations, microorganisms and fungi, vertebrates and invertebrates, plant structure and function and systems of the human body. Frequent biology labs reinforce the use of the scientific method.


HISTORY:  Students study European history from the Middle Ages to the collapse of the Soviet Empire. While studying the development of European powers, students cover the influence of religion and ideology in European history, including: the Reformation and Enlightenment periods; the impact of industrialization and European imperialism; and the effects of communism and fascism on Russia, Europe and the rest of the world. Course materials include traditional textbooks as well as broad readings such as A.J.P. Taylor’s The Course of German History, and David Remnick’s Lenin’s Tomb.

SPANISH: Taught entirely in Spanish, this course continues to build upon each student’s composition and conversation skills. Students have biweekly writing assignments and present a series of oral reports in Spanish. Grammatical accuracy and discussions of short literary works also form an important component of this course. Students read from a wide variety of genres and authors using Pasajes Literatura, Pasajes Lengua, Pasajes Cultura as a textbook. Authors studied may include Octavio Paz, Gustavo Perez-Firmat, Pablo Neruda and Carmen LaForet.

JAPANESE:  Taught mostly in Japanese, this course requires a level of knowledge and skill of the language. Students continue to practice speaking skills but add more writing tasks such as keeping a weekly journal. Students learn such grammatical topics as honorific verbs, extra-modest expressions and passive sentences. Students also read articles from Japanese newspapers and magazines and continue to explore new authors like Yoshimoto Banana. They will add thirty more Kanji. Students may host visitors from our Japanese sister school.

MUSIC:  Classes cover the development of the symphony, sonata and opera during the classical period. The class uses the ABRSM curriculum as the basis for theory instruction and for preparation for practical exams. The course integrates aural, sight-singing, written, composition and analytical skills in the development of the student’s approach. Building on this foundation, the course progresses to include the realization of a figured bass as well as traditional harmonic techniques.

ART: Studio Art II
Students receive studio experience in analytical and subjective drawing using a variety of subject matter: figure studies, nature studies and imaginative drawings. Students will also work at landscape painting on campus. The emphasis is on seeing what truly exists before the eye as well as developing a basic level of comfort and proficiency with standard painting tools and acrylic paints. In sculpting, traditional forms of modeling and casting will be studied through studio work and examples from slide lectures. Students will create representations of natural objects with sketches, clay, wood and foam. Students will produce at least one large-scale work.

TECHNOLOGY: Upper School students receive instruction in information technology and computer use. Technology retains its supplemental role during Upper School. Building on knowledge gained in Middle School (particularly in the fields of word processing, spreadsheet use and presentation software applications), students learn to use technology to present information. Finally, students develop the ability to collect information using academic databases. These skills enable them to confidently pursue independent academic projects.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION: The PE program is made up of specific units, many of which coincide with the sports seasons offered in our competitive sports program. The year begins with a water sports unit during which students enjoy the Yahara River by canoeing and kayaking. Other units throughout the year include fitness conditioning and assessment, soccer, flag football, volleyball, basketball, team handball, floor hockey, softball, archery, cross country and track and field. Events enjoyed on our state-of-the-art track and field facility include 50- and 100-meter dashes, mile runs, long and high jump, hurdles, relays, shot put, discus, and javelin.

Students develop the confidence and motivation to participate in organized and individual physical activities. Daily classes emphasize lifelong fitness, leadership, teamwork, sportsmanship and strategy in both team and individual sports.

Optional school-sponsored, after-school, competitive sports for Upper School students include boys and girls crew. Additional sports will be added in the coming years based on student interest.