In Grade 11, students study the climax of the modern era during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the mode of consciousness that began its development in the Renaissance.

“This is probably the best integrated unit we have for the year because the concepts are so interdisciplinary. You had this interweaving of new ideas and new thoughts, new inventions. So, there was this linkage between the ideas of the period and the way that people lived.”

-Carrie Clark

Dean of Cultural History, Grade 11 Team Leader

In science, students grapple with the questioning of classical physics and the emergence of quantum mechanics. The influence of scientific developments on art is highlighted, focusing on modern artists like Cezanne and Picasso, who reimagined traditional modes of representation. The study of Cubism is explored, showcasing its connection to math and the abstraction of forms in both art and mathematics.

The English component introduces students to new literary genres that defied conventions, featuring authors like Kafka, Hemingway, Stein, and Fitzgerald. The additive style, influenced by Cubism, is discussed, emphasizing the reader's role in defining boundaries between subjects and backgrounds. The unit concludes with the study of World War I and the transformation of warfare into a mechanized event, leading to the birth of modern warfare.

The unit culminates with the Modernity Project, which asks students to showcase their understanding of the climax of the modern mentality through a medium of their choice. These projects require intense research and a presentation that explains the creation's connection to unit’s broader themes.