Breck School - Mustang Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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Mr. Liam Taaffe (European History) Mr. Thomas Tierney Mr. Gerald Vollmer (U.S. History) (History 9, Economic ) (Dept Head) The History Department offers perhaps the most diverse group of courses of any department. 7th grade study under the direction of Mr. Vollmer is concerned with Ancient Civilizations while 8th graders with Mr. Taaffe study the history of the Middle Ages and early modern period. United States History, a graduation requirement, is taught by Department Head, Mr. Thomas Tierney, and covers politics social movements, and American national development over the course of the past few hundred years. Mr. Tierney is also coordinator for the new Junior Senior Philosophy-Psychology-Sociology course which spends one term on each of the three topics. Mr. Vollmer, the Department's newest member, is the instructor of History 9, a course in Non-Western history, particularly that of the Far East, and also Economics Political Science, which investigates the fundamental elements and applications of these two topics. Mr. Taaffe teaches the two courses in modern studies, European History and Twentieth Century Conflicts. The former concentrates on European History from the English Revolution to the present day while the latter, through a study of twentieth century political, social, and cultural history, attempts to define common characteristics throughout various nations and periods of our exciting century. 29

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MATH Mr. J jck Bldtherwick Mr. Richard Yonker (Advanced Math) (Calculu ) (Dept. Mead) Mr. John Stenglcin (Geometry) Mr. Jamet Rom (Algebra) Brock's Math Department is traditionally one of Brcck's strongest departments under the able leadership of Mr. Richard Yonker. The program is developed well at the 7th and 8th grade level, taught by all members of the Department, who prepare their students in the fundamentals needed for future study. Mr. Ross teaches most of the algebra classes at the ninth and tenth grade level, while most of the geometry classes are taught by Mr. Stenglein. The Advanced Math and Pre-Calculus classes are taught by Mr. Blatherwick. Mr. Yonker teaches the Advanced Math Q and Calculus I and II courses, preparing students for Advanced Placement in college study. Breck's program is a three-track system, including a Q-track for students in the top level of their class. These students receive two years of Calculus and many take the Advanced Placement test in May of each year. Many of these students receive advanced placement in college math. 28

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Mr. WUlUm Lund (Phytic ) Mr. Robert Dcdolph (Biology) (Dept Head) Mr. Douglj»Benit (ChemiMry) The Science Department provides opportunities for the non-science-directed student as well as the science-directed student, utilizing excellent facilities and the best current curriculum material available. The 7th through 9th grade program is based on the ISC'S (Intermediate Science Curriculum Study) sequence of scientific investigation, taught by all members of the Science Department. 7th graders pursue study in the first unit of the program, and 8th and 9th graders work on unit two. Students in the course learn as scientist do, by independent investigation, observation, and conclusion. This three-year program is designed to give students a background for biology, chemistry, and physics. Five lab courses at the 10th-12lh grade level are offered this year. Mr. Dedolph directs the Biology II and III courses, Mr. Benit, the Chemistry I and II, and Mr. Lund, Physics. Biology II and Chemistry II offer the student more detailed and advanced study than first-level courses, and more sophisticated experimentation and concepts are involved. Biology III is virtually on an independent basis, where the student sets out to achieve special goals on sophisticated projects. Chemistry I, under the ChemStudy Program, deals with the structure of both living and non-living materials and their reactions. The PSSC Physics course uses modern math concepts to explain scientific precepts and uses the latest approaches to the study of energy. 30