GFS January Term 2015 Course Catalog by Germantown Friends School

2015

J an u ary T erm C o urs e C ata l og

Germantown Friends School

January Term C o u r s e C ata l o g 2015

ta b l e o f c o n t e n t s s t at e m e n t o f p h i l o s o p h y

schedule and sign-up

a block courses

b block courses

c block courses

d block courses

e block courses

f block courses

g block courses

h block courses

i block courses

j block courses

s t at e m e n t o f p h i l o s o p h y January Ter m enables our community to live the mission and values of our school and to explore new passions, interests, and interdisciplinary ways of lear ning about the world and ourselves. The January Ter m provides teachers and students a space for experimentation, investigation, and reflection. At Ger mantown Friends School, we ground our educational practices in the Quaker notions of continuing revelation1 and that there is that of God in everyone. In order to better live these ideals, the Upper School has modified its schedule to make room for teacher and student exploration. January Ter m enables both teachers and students to share and find their passions outside of our regularly-of fered curriculum. Our yearlong classes will run from September through December and then from February through June. In January, students will sign up to take 5-6 elective courses.

1 Ultimately, continuing r evelation acknowledges that our understanding is always incomplete and this calls us to a life of ongoing discovery and discer nment and the courage to be changed and act on our evolving understanding of ourselves and the world ar ound us. http://www.abingtonfriends.net/Media_Library/cont_r ev.pdf

schedule and sign-up monday

tuesday

wednesday

thursday

8:10-8:20

Homeroom

8:20-9:25 (Period 1)

9:30-10:30 (Period 2)

Assembly

MFW

10:35-11:30 (Period 3)

Lunch

11:35-1:05 (Period 4)

1:10-2:40 (Period 5)

2:45-3:20 (Period 6)

X Block

Lunch D F

X Block

Lunch C E

Lunch I

X Block

D F

friday

Trips and Activities

X Block

Students will be given the option to sign up for 5 or 6 courses. All students will be required to indicate their course preferences on a sign-up sheet and will be asked to obtain the signature of their grade or college advisor. Students who choose to take 5 courses will be able to add 2 or 3 Independent Lear ning Sessions after receiving their schedules. Students who choose to take 6 courses will have no room in their schedules for Independent Lear ning Sessions. Independent Lear ning Sessions will run during every block for 1 or 1.5 hours. If you are not scheduled in a class during a specific block, you must elect to do self-regulated independent work u n d e r t h e g u i d a n c e o f a t e a c h e r. Yo u c a n c h o o s e d i f f e r e n t I L s each week. Here is a sample of some of the ILs that will be offered throughout the month: • Independent reading • B e g i n n i n g S p a n i s h & F r e n c h • M u s i c a l i n s t r u m e n t p r a c t i c e • Classics library • O p e n a r t s t u d i o X Block is reserved for clubs and activities, as well as other January Ter m work to be deter mined by students and teachers. 3

a block courses 1 Hour, Meets 3 times per Week 1. Aesthetics: The Philosophy of the Arts Jim Barron This course will focus on the social fact of art and the changing r elationship between the aesthetic and communicative functions in the aesthetic artifacts of literatur e, music, the visual arts, ar chitectur e, and drama. The course will end with a brief but concentrated look at the two principal historical aesthetic philosophies of Aristotle and Kant, but it will be based upon the theories of the Prague Structuralists. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 0

2. Charles Darwin: A Life in Science John Ceccatti We will r ead and discuss Darwin’s major works: The Voyage of the Beagle, The Origin of Species, and The Descent of Man. In addition, we will consider the impact of Darwin’s ideas on society in his time and in ours. We will also take a trip to the Academy of Natural Sciences to view fossils and explor e curr ent r esear ch on evolution. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 1

3. The Last Bastion of Truth, The Comedic Stage: The Basics of Stand-Up Comedy Byron Davis This course is designed to intr oduce students to comedic writing and per for mance. Students will be r equir ed to write sets, per for m sets in class, and do impr ov. The course is r ecommended for students inter ested in comedy and public speaking. A willingness to laugh and possibly be laughed at is r equir ed. Open to 12th grade students only Block A Nights of Homework: 1

4. Once Upon a Time Signature: Fairy Tales, Myths and Folklore in Classical Music Mario Flores This music appr eciation course will examine fairy tales

and folk stories in their original for m as well as in cultural variations of these tales. Students will listen to, analyze and for mulate personal r esponses to musical interpr etations of these stories told thr ough the perspective of some of the gr eatest composers. An understanding of musical eras and genr es will be developed with a focus on how these factors af fect the musical choices of composers. Major works studied will include: Ravel, “Mother Goose” Suite Gluck, “Orpheus and Eurydice” Grieg, “Peer Gynt” Sondheim, “Into the Woods” He Zhanhao and Chen Gang, “Butter fly Lovers” Violin Concerto Mozart, “The Magic Flute” Tchaikovsky, “Swan Lake” Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 0

5. Brazilian Music Stephen Holt Come lear n about the Portuguese language and Brazilian cultur e thr ough the lens of some of the best and most diverse music in the world. We will listen to a variety of music, memorize and translate the lyrics which we will per for m or film, or just do Karaoke style. Come pr epar ed to move—I plan to show you the basics of Capoeira and Samba as well. Take this course if you ar e inter ested in seeing how Portuguese r elates to other Romance languages—you’ll be surprised by how well you can get by just using cognates! Vem gente! Vamos apr oveitar! Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 1

6. The Artful Mind Adam Hotek In this course we will explor e the avant-gar de thr ough film, paintings and literatur e. These works push the boundaries of status quo and r epr esent the logic (or illogic) of particular aspects of human consciousness. We will examine texts that employ unique and distinctive artistic techniques to r epr esent the experience of love, anxiety, terr or, time, memory, desir e, dr eaming, gender and race. The class will view Charlie Kaufman films (Being John Malkovich, Eter nal Sunshine of the Spot-

less Mind, Synecdoche New York); r ead excerpts fr om the writings of William Faulkner, Ralph Ellison, Vir ginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, Jean Toomer and Mar cel Pr oust; and survey Impr essionist, Expr essionist, Surr ealist and Dada paintings. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 1

7. Chinese Festivals and Holidays: Introducing Chinese New Year Xinyu Jiang This course will introduce Chinese festivals and holidays, and focus on the biggest celebration of the year: Chinese New Year: The Spring Festival. Students will lear n how to make traditional Chinese food, write Chinese calligraphy and draw Chinese paintings, embracing the languages and the culture with various activities. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 1

8. Spain Before and After the Dictatorship of Franco Rosario Manion Spain before and after Franco is a history course that focuses on politics and Spain’s Civil War from 1936 to 1939. The Democrats lost the war and Spain had a fascist gover nment for 38 years. After Franco died, Spain was able to have a very peaceful transition from fascism to democracy. I will show films, read articles and talk about my family and my own experiences. I was bor n in 1956 and was 19 years old when Franco died. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 1

9. Bob Dylan’s Chronicles Joe McGeary This class will view Bob Dylan’s music and the cultur e of Gr eenwich Village in the 1960s thr ough the lens of his memoir, Chr onicles. Additional materials will include the films Don’t Look Back by D.A. Pennebaker and No Dir ection Home by Martin Scorsese, as well as music by Woody Guthrie and Dylan’s contemporaries, such as Joan Baez, Richar d Farina, and others. We will also r ead excerpts fr om Gr eil Mar cus’s book, The Old, Weir d America, The World Of Bob Dylan’s Basement Tapes, and Mike Mar qusee’s Wicked Messenger: Bob Dylan and The 1960s. A field trip to the Woody Guthrie ar chives and to Gr eenwich Village may be planned. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 2+

10. The Mystical World of James Bond Malik Mubashshir Author Ian Fleming, cr eator of the famous secr et agent, enjoyed a mor e than casual connection with the world of the occult. He was closely associated with the notorious English occultist Aleister Cr owley and psychiatrist and moder n Gnostic C. G. Jung, among others. Viewed thr ough a certain lens, the novels and short stories ar e rich with coded contents of alchemical transfor mation, gnostic illumination and African Vodoun, as well as Christian r eligious symbolism. We will study two or thr ee novels and perhaps two of the films. We will also examine the fascinating life of Ian Fleming. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 2+

11. Math and Art Devra Ramsey Ther e is math behind the murals of Philadelphia, beautiful fractal images, perspective drawing, and 3D printing. In addition to studying the connections between these and other ar eas of art and mathematics, students will cr eate their own math-r elated works of art. People of any math ability and any artistic ability ar e welcome. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 0

12. Introduction to Organic Chemistry Brian Riggs The course will begin by examining the impact that the invention of landmark or ganic chemicals, such as penicillin, nylon and pr ogestin, have had on society. With that context to frame the study of the subject, we will begin with Or ganic nomenclatur e and functional gr oups, study isomerism, including optical isomers, and then move on to a study of Or ganic r eactions, including kinetics and mechanism of r eaction. Lab activities will include the synthesis and analysis of aspirin, the synthesis of various for ms of nylon, and various esterification synthesis r eactions (making oil of winter gr een, and scents of pear, apple, grape, orange, pineapple, strawberry and banana). Specific fields within the discipline, including petr oleum chemistry, a survey of polymer chemistry and the phar maceutical industry, will be examined. Open to 10th and 12th grade students Block A Nights of Homework: 1

13. Astronomy Tracey Spinka Intr oduction to Astr onomy will use images and data

a block courses fr om curr ent and past space missions as well as terr estrial observations to explor e scientists’ curr ent understanding of our observable universe. Moder n astr onomy demonstrates the scientific pr ocess at work, wher e new observations ar e shaping the theories of tomorr ow. This course will take a fascinating tour of celestial objects whose scale, speed, ener gy and age ar e har d to compr ehend, yet ar e gover ned by the same physical concepts that apply her e on earth. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 2+

14. Baseball in American Society Carl Tannenbaum This course will pr ovide an overview of the r ole baseball has played in American society—and how it has r eflected and influenced br oader society. We will use Ken Bur ns’ documentary Nine Innings as a starting point. Fiction and nonfiction will be r ead; outside speakers may be br ought in. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 2

15. Two American Poets: Robert Frost and Mary Oliver Connie Thompson The work and pleasur e of this course will be to immerse ourselves in the poems of two outstanding, Pulitzer Prize-winning poets, one who wr ote in traditional for ms, the other in fr ee verse. Both poets dr ew their inspiration and cr eativity fr om natur e and set most of their poems in New England. We will r ead, r er ead, interpr et, analyze, imitate, memorize, teach and evaluate their poems in a collaborative, workshop setting. Our goal: to come to an in-depth appr eciation and understanding of both their wisdom and art.

1 Hour, Meets 3 times per Week

to what the futur e of Cuba will be. Special attention will be given to experiential lear ning of Cuban rhythms and music. This is truly the best way to lear n about a country: by understanding and lear ning the cultur e. Students will leave this course with a new understanding of the world ar ound them and a gr eater appr eciation for the wealth of cultur e and history that exists 90 miles south of the United States. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 1

17. Topics in Neurobiology Dana Weeks This study of neur obiology will intr oduce you to the anatomy, chemistry, development and physiology of the nervous system and neur ons. In addition to these foundational principles, we will begin developing an understanding of the molecular and cellular concepts associated with neur obiology, such as synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity. Topics for discussion will include lear ning, memory and neur ological diseases. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 1

18. Advanced Physical Education Shawn Werdt

Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 1

Advanced Physical Education is designed for students inter ested in achieving their highest level of health-r elated fitness. Class activities will emphasize impr oving fitness thr ough weight training, plyometric exer cises and cr oss-fit training. The focus of the class is to addr ess the five components of fitness: car dio r espiratory endurance, muscular str ength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition. Students will participate in a wide range of rigor ous gr oup and individual fitness r outines/activities, as well as have the opportunity to develop a personal fitness plan. If you thrive on intensity in your workouts and want to move to the next level, this class is for you.

16. Cuba Jeff Torchon

Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 0

This course will explor e the history, politics, cultur e and music of Cuba. Students will gain a holistic understanding of Cuba’s past and pr esent and its deep and complex r elationship with the United States. We will use videos, pictur es, instruments, r ecor dings and r eadings to explor e this topic, as well as curr ent events as they r elate to Cuba. In addition, students will speculate as

b block courses 1 Hour, Meets 3 times per Week 19. The Medieval English Chronicle Jim Barron The Nor man Invasion of England (1066) was the cause of much r eflection and conster nation. Contemporary historians wer e quite divided with r espect to its meaning and how they should narrate it. This Latin course will of fer students the opportunity to translate one of those conflicted r esponses to the Nor man Conquest: Eadmer’s “Historia Novorum in Anglia.” As students r ead this Latin chr onicle, they will also r ead English translations of two other accounts of the invasion: William of Malmesbury’s “Gesta Regum Anglorum,” and William of Poitiers’ “Gesta Guillelmi.” Thus this course will also delve into comparative historical analysis. Open to all students Block B Nights of Homework: 2+

20. The Last Bastion of Truth, The Comedic Stage: The Basics of Stand-Up Comedy Byron Davis This course is designed to intr oduce students to comedic writing and per for mance. Students will be r equir ed to write sets, per for m sets in class and do impr ov. The course is r ecommended for students inter ested in comedy and public speaking. A willingness to laugh and possibly be laughed at is r equir ed. Open to 12th grade students only Block B Nights of Homework: 1

21. Orchestration in Practice Mario Flores Or chestration: The study or practice of writing music for an or chestra (or, mor e loosely, for any musical ensemble) or of adapting, for an or chestra, music composed for another medium. Or chestration skills ar e an incr easingly hot commodity. Placement on television, in video games and animation, and other moder n r evenue outlets r equir e a detailed understanding of or chestral writing and pr oduction techniques. Students will lear n traditional or chestration techniques as well as examine emer ging issues specific to today’s technology. Students will also lear n the characteristics and idiomatic writing techniques for each or chestral instrument family: strings, brass, woodwinds and per cussion, as

well as appr oaches for writing for full or chestra. Practice in the art of or chestration will include the r ewriting of works fr om one medium to another (ex. fr om piano to full or chestra, or string quartet to wind ensemble). The course will also examine works by composers consider ed to be “gr eat or chestrators,” such as Rimsky-Korsakov, Mahler, Copland and film composers. Open to all students with the ability to r ead music Block B Nights of Homework: 1

22. Adventure Ed, Leadership and How to Play Games Taia Harlos This course will allow students to participate in gr oup initiatives (start a fir e in winter; Sea of Lava) and games (Mine Field, Hog Call), and teach them how to lead gr oup activities. We will discuss dif fer ent models of leadership, including a study of the Native American Medicine Wheel. This is an active, hands-on course with opportunities for cr eative partnership and open dialogue about str engths and weaknesses. Open to all students Block B Nights of Homework: 0

23. Lebanon: A Crossroad Between East and West Fadia Issa In this course, we will shed some light on the Middle East in general by focusing on one country: Lebanon. We will look at its history, geography, language, r eligions, cultur e and cuisine. We will also tackle some of the issues facing the Middle East today by r eading local newspapers, articles and essays. Students will be r equir ed to r ead, r esear ch and discuss topics of inter est. We will also lear n to cook typical r egional and Lebanese food like hummus, tabbouli and kibbe. At the end of the course, the students will have a better understanding of the r egion, its complexity, diversity, and r elevance to curr ent events. Open to all Block B Nights of Homework: 1

b block courses 24. Complete Latin Lucy Bell W. Jarka-Sellers

1 Hour, Meets 3 times per Week

In this class we will r ead, write, speak and think in Latin in a r elaxed and festive atmospher e. We will use very short selections fr om dif fer ent Latin authors as a starting point for immersing ourselves in the language. Both English and Latin will be spoken in class. We will make connections with other r eaders, writers and speakers of Latin ar ound the world via Skype.

enjoyed a mor e than casual connection with the world of the occult. He was closely associated with the notorious English occultist Aleister Cr owley and psychiatrist and moder n Gnostic C. G. Jung, among others. Viewed thr ough a certain lens, the novels and short stories ar e rich with coded contents of alchemical transfor mation, gnostic illumination and African Vodoun, as well as Christian r eligious symbolism. We will study two or thr ee novels and perhaps two of the films. We will also examine the fascinating life of Ian Fleming.

Students must have completed Latin 1 and Latin 2 Block B Nights of Homework: 1

Open to all students Block B Nights of Homework: 2+

25. Spain Before and After the Dictatorship of Franco Rosario Manion

28. Knitting Workshop Gen Nelson

Spain befor e and after Franco is a history course that focus on politics and Spain’s Civil War fr om 1936 to 1939. The Democrats lost the war and Spain had a fascist gover nment for 38 years. After Franco died, Spain was able to have a very peaceful transition fr om fascism to democracy. I will show films, r ead articles and talk about my family and my own experiences. I was bor n in 1956 and was 19 years old when Franco died. Open to all students Block B Nights of Homework: 1

26. Bob Dylan’s Chronicles Joe McGeary This class will view Bob Dylan’s music and the cultur e of Gr eenwich Village in the 1960s thr ough the lens of his memoir, Chr onicles. Additional materials will include the films Don’t Look Back by D.A. Pennebaker and No Dir ection Home by Martin Scorsese, as well as music by Woody Guthrie and Dylan’s contemporaries, such as Joan Baez, Richar d Farina, and others. We will also r ead excerpts fr om Gr eil Mar cus’s book, The Old, Weir d America, The World Of Bob Dylan’s Basement Tapes, and Mike Mar qusee’s Wicked Messenger: Bob Dylan and The 1960s. A field trip to the Woody Guthrie ar chives and to Gr eenwich Village may be planned. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 2+

27. The Mystical World of James Bond Malik Mubashshir Author Ian Fleming, cr eator of the famous secr et agent,

This workshop will intr oduce students to the basic skills of knitting, including casting on, binding of f, knit and purl stitches. We will explor e lace knitting and possibly sock knitting. All levels of knitters, fr om beginner to expert, ar e welcome! Open to all students Block B Nights of Homework: 0

29. Poetry as Courage, Poetry as Service Sara Primo This will be a poetry-writing class unlike any you have taken befor e! What makes this dif fer ent is that you will not only be working on your own poetry thr ough pr ompts and editing sessions—you will also lear n ways to support bur geoning poets. After working with the poetry pr ompts all month and lear ning to design pr ompts for yourself, you will cr eate your own poetry activity. We will go on one epic, of f-campus trip towar d the end of January during which you will help spr ead the power of cr eative writing by leading a small gr oup (of strangers!) in a writing activity. Open to all students Block B Nights of Homework: 1

30. Zentangle Devra Ramsey Zentangle is an artfor m based ar ound structur ed patter ns and is accessible to anyone, no matter their artistic talent. The art of Zentangle encourages mindfulness. In this course, we will lear n a variety of tangles and investigate this way of working mindfulness into our otherwise busy lives. Along the way, each person will cr eate their own works of Zentangle art to tr easur e.

Open to all students Block B Nights of Homework: 0

31. Introduction to Organic Chemistry Brian Riggs This course will begin by examining the impact that the invention of landmark or ganic chemicals, such as penicillin, nylon and pr ogestin, have had on society. With that context to frame the study of the subject, we will begin with Or ganic nomenclatur e and functional gr oups, study isomerism, including optical isomers, and then move on to a study of Or ganic r eactions, including kinetics and mechanism of r eaction. Lab activities will include the synthesis and analysis of aspirin, the synthesis of various for ms of nylon, and various esterification synthesis r eactions (making oil of winter gr een, and scents of pear, apple, grape, orange, pineapple, strawberry and banana). Specific fields within the discipline, including petr oleum chemistry, a survey of polymer chemistry and the phar maceutical industry, will be examined. Open to 10th and 12th grade students Block B Nights of Homework: 1

32. Spanish for Fun and Travel Marjorie Spaeth In this course, students will practice and impr ove their Spanish-speaking abilities in a fun atmospher e with a special focus on language commonly used during travel. We will work on travel, r estaurant and “dif ficult situation” language-building with oral, written and listening activities. Students will also do oral pr esentations using the tar get vocabulary and grammar. This course is open to all levels of Spanish students. Advanced-level students who take it will be given additional challenges as well as mentoring opportunities with less-experienced speakers or beginners. Open to all students Block B Nights of Homework: 2

33. Astronomy Tracey Spinka Intr oduction to Astr onomy will use images and data fr om curr ent and past space missions as well as terr estrial observations to explor e scientists’ curr ent understanding of our observable universe. Moder n astr onomy demonstrates the scientific pr ocess at work, wher e new observations ar e shaping the theories of tomorr ow. This course will take a fascinating tour of celestial objects whose scale, speed, ener gy and age ar e har d to compr ehend, yet ar e gover ned by the same physical concepts that apply her e on earth.

Block B Nights of Homework: 2+

34. Baseball in American Society Carl Tannenbaum This course will pr ovide an overview of the r ole baseball has played in American society—and how it has r eflected and influenced br oader society. We will use Ken Bur ns’ documentary Nine Innings as a starting point. Fiction and nonfiction will be r ead; outside speakers may be br ought in. Open to all students Block A Nights of Homework: 2

35. An Introduction to Number Theory George Watson The main goal of number theory is to discover inter esting and unexpected r elationships within and between dif fer ent types of numbers and to pr ove that these r elationships ar e true. Number theory focuses primarily on the Natural Numbers and subsets within them, including per fect squar es and cubes, primes and subsets defined by modular arithmetic. We will explor e some familiar pr oblems with new tools, and intr oduce some of the basic structur es of abstract algebra using very familiar examples. 10th and 12th grade students only Block B Nights of Homework: 2+

36. Topics in Neurobiology Dana Weeks This study of neur obiology will intr oduce you to the anatomy, chemistry, development and physiology of the nervous system and neur ons. In addition to these foundational principles, we will begin developing an understanding of the molecular and cellular concepts associated with neur obiology, such as synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity. Topics for discussion will include lear ning, memory and neur ological diseases. Open to all students Block B Nights of Homework: 1

Open to all students

c block courses 1.5 Hours, Meets 2 times per Week 37. Playwriting 101 Anne Gerbner We’ll stir up new play ideas with a variety of writing and acting exer cises and then experiment with dialogue, monologue, character development and scene action. Students will draft a number of short scenes and complete a short play. We’ll take a field trip to the Wilma Theatr e for a playwriting workshop and perfor mance. Some one-act plays may be assigned for homework, but most of your time will be spent writing, per for ming and r evising your plays. Open to all students Block C Nights of Homework: 2

38. Programmed Natasha Labbe In this course, students will lear n about the r ole advertising plays in for ming their identities. We will cover the history of advertising, how it continues to impact both our society and our intersecting identities, r eflect on what r ole we play as consumers, and discuss ways in which we can ef fect change. Open to all students Block C Nights of Homework: 1

39. Developing Growth Mindset and Leadership Through Team Sports Sam McIlvain Using various ball-r elated games, with r estrictions imposed to place specific demands on the players, the athletes will encounter challenges and then discover and discuss possible solutions for dif fer ent or mor e successful outcomes. Each class will focus on one key concept or attribute (e.g. communication, adaptability, persistence, confidence, courage, goal-setting) and will follow a whole-part-whole methodology (r estricted game to start with minimal instruction, jour nal writing/discussion about what they experienced; r etur n to r estricted game(s); pr ogr ess to fr ee play). Open to 9th and 10th grade students Section C Nights of Homework: 0

40. Knit & Sit: An Exploration of Mindfulness, Yarn and Thread. Mirangela Buggs & Meg Goldner Rabinowitz In this course, students will study and practice mindfulness meditation and mindful knitting, cr ochet and needlepoint pr ojects. Beginner and experienced knitters, cr ochet artists and needlepointers ar e welcome. The course is an intr oduction to contemporary inter faith mindfulness practices and their connection to Wester n and Easter n Buddhism. Students will r ead books on mindfulness author ed by world-r enowned teachers and practice meditation together. Alongside our explorations of mindfulness, students will engage in the calming cr eative arts of knitting and needlepoint in silence and/or while listening to dhar ma talks. Overlaps between mindfulness and Friends faith and practice will be explor ed, along with the intersections of mindfulness with the students’ own faith traditions. Open to all students Block C Nights of Homework: 1

41. Math Tutoring at a Public Elementary School David Mraz We will travel to a local public elementary school to pr ovide math instruction to individual students or small gr oups of students. In our two weekly sessions comprised of one and a half hours each, we will work with a classr oom teacher to pr ovide students with mor e individualized help with math skills and concepts. Participants will r eceive guidance with the math ideas and working with childr en. Ther e is no experience necessary; any level of math expertise is most welcome. Open to all students Block C Nights of Homework: 0

42. Biotechnology Techniques Gen Nelson This course will pr ovide students with hands-on experience in a variety of molecular biology techniques, including DNA extraction, agar ose gel electr ophor esis, bacterial transfor mation and column chr omatography. Open to all students Block C Nights of Homework: 0

43. Social Psychology Craig Stevens & Page Fahrig-Pendse “When you take the fr ee will out of education, that tur ns it into schooling.” -John Taylor Gatto Humans ar e social beings. Fr om the time we ar e bor n, we gr ow and develop thr ough interactions with other gr oups of humans. One early and key ar ena for this type of social lear ning is at school. In this course, we will focus on the ways in which theories about how humans lear n in social gr oups have shaped American education. We will talk about how American education has evolved, how it addr esses (or does not addr ess) childr en’s moral development, and the r ole of online lear ning. Open to all students Block C Nights of Homework: 1

44. Watercolor Painting Elissa Sunshine Explor e the materials and techniques of using watercolor in expr essive ways. Using both transpar ent and opaque painting methods, we’ll work fr om observation and imagination. A field trip to the Reading Ter minal Market just might find us painting food as well as enjoying how it tastes. Open to 10th and 12th grade students Block C Nights of Homework: 0

46. Introduction To Microcontrollers Using Arduino David Williamson This is a hands-on course wher e students will build a variety of small pr ojects using sensors, actuators and an Ar duino micr ocontr oller boar d. Sensors take in infor mation fr om the world (buttons, heat sensor, light sensor) and actuators per for m actions (light up, buzz, spin). The micr ocontr oller uses a student-written pr ogram to listen to the sensors and talk to the actuators. We will write pr ograms using the C pr ogramming language but no pr ogramming experience is needed. Open to all students Block C Nights of Homework: 0

47. Exploring 3-D Printing Matt Zipin This class will focus on the design and printing of 3-D elements and artwork. We will take time to lear n the 3-D softwar e and design tools and then see our cr eations come to life when we print them on our new 3-D printer. This is brand-new technology at GFS and we will be the first gr oup to explor e the possibilities and r efine our understanding and use of this printer. It will be exciting and fun! In addition, we will try to schedule some field trips to local colleges. Open to all students. Block C Nights of Homework: 0

45. Games in Culture Andrew Westerhaus In the wor ds of Johan Huizinga, “It is thr ough playing that society expr esses its interpr etation of life and the world” (Homo Ludens, 46). This course will explor e the multitude of ways in which games ar e played in our cultur e. Students will play and critically evaluate several games, both traditional (like Chess and Scrabble) and digital (like Passage). To infor m our class discussions, we will draw upon texts by such authors as Huizinga, Roger Caillois, James Carse, Brian Sutton-Smith, Lewis Hyde and Jane McGonigal. Students will write brief weekly assignments that engage with the lectur es and r eadings, making analytical comparisons with games that they play or have played. One homework pr oject will involve the students developing a rule set and game of their own. The purpose of this course will be to bring together thoughtful scholarship with handson r evelry to explor e the playful aspects of cultur e. No special backgr ound is r equir ed for this course. Open to all students Block C Nights of Homework: 2+

d block courses 1.5 Hours, Meets 2 times per Week 48. Golden Age of the American Musical Lisa Burns

hip-hop art pr ocess the shifting and multiple values of race, class and gender? How has hip hop changed over the decades? And how is hip hop connected to social change?

Larry Ottman, Gen Nelson, Geor ge Watson and Lisa Bur ns will band together to collectively pr esent six of our favorite musicals fr om 1947-1959. The first class will focus on the Gershwins and the origins of the American Musical style and structur e. We will explor e, r ead, play and sing along with the students, our musical choices covering two each week. In each class we will explor e a libr etto/storyline and characters, focus on the lyrics as they materialize out of conflicts in a scene, and integrate an awar eness of the spectacular musical scor es involved in each show.

Open to all students Block D Nights of Homework: 1

49. Contemporary Art and Appropriation Megan Culp This course will combine the study of contemporary art practices and art making to examine the use of appr opriation, borr owing fr om others to make your own, as a tool of cultural conversation. We will investigate contemporary art thr ough r eading, viewing and the making of a visual art piece utilizing appr opriation (possibilities include collage, sculptur e, digital art, video). A visit to a local contemporary artist’s studio will add to our investigation. Open to all students Block D Nights of Homework: 1

50. I Know You Got Soul: Hip Hop and the Politics of Activism and Identity Robin Friedman & Adam Hotek Hip hop did not start as a political movement. Ther e was no manifesto. The kids who started it wer e simply trying to find ways to pass the time, they wer e trying to have fun. But they gr ew up under the politics of abandonment and because of this, their pastimes contained the seeds for a kind of mass cultural r enewal. Thr ough r eadings, films, poetry and, of course, music, we will explor e how hip-hop might pr ovide a means for r evolutionary personal expr ession. Together we will explor e pr ovocative questions such as: What happens to an art for m when it becomes “main str eam”? How does

51. SING, SING!! Madrigals of the Renaissance and Vivaldi’s “Gloria”! Teri Gemberling-Johnson Calling all SOPRANOS, ALTOS, TENORS and BASSES! Students will lear n by r ehearsing, and ultimately per for ming, choral pieces fr om the Renaissance and Bar oque periods. They will study the composers’ lives and the historical context that inspir ed these compositions. A Master Class will be given by “teaching singers” fr om The Philadelphia Singers, a local pr ofessional chorus, who will pr ovide vocal coaching for GFS’s singers. The students may also attend a choral r ehearsal and/or a concert in Philadelphia as a part of this course. The choral works lear ned during January Ter m will be perfor med at GFS during the second semester. Open to all students Block D Nights of Homework: 1

52. Playwriting 101 Anne Gerbner We’ll stir up new play ideas with a variety of writing and acting exer cises and then experiment with dialogue, monologue, character development and scene action. Students will draft a number of short scenes and complete a short play. We’ll take a field trip to the Wilma Theatr e for a playwriting workshop and perfor mance. Some one-act plays may be assigned for homework, but most of your time will be spent writing, per for ming and r evising your plays. Open to all students Block D Nights of Homework: 2

53. Constructing Geometric Models David Mraz We will construct various geometric models, such as a geodesic dome, the platonic solids, cr oss-section figur es,

Sierpinski’s pyramid, or a parabolic r eflector, which can be used as a solar collector. Participants should plan to work in small gr oups to complete the pr ojects, as they may r equir e multiple pairs of hands to assemble. The pr ojects will depend on the inter est and the level of expertise of the participants. We will utilize common materials to fabricate the pr ojects. Open to all students Block D Nights of Homework: 0

54. Movement Anatomy: An Introduction to Muscles, Bones and Joints Maryanne Rawlings What is going on under neath our skin that allows us to walk upright, run, jump, squat, lunge and dance? In this course you will be intr oduced to the anatomy of the muscular and skeletal systems and see how they function together to pr oduce movement. It is a gr eat course for any student inter ested in gaining a foundation for futur e studies r elated to anatomy and physiology. Open to all students. Block D Nights of Homework: 2+

55. Watercolor Painting Elissa Sunshine Explor e the materials and techniques of using watercolor in expr essive ways. Using both transpar ent and opaque painting methods, we’ll work fr om observation and imagination. A field trip to the Reading Ter minal Market just might find us painting food as well as enjoying how it tastes.

Open to 10th and 12th grade students Block D Nights of Homework: 0

56. Introduction To Microcontrollers Using Arduino David Williamson This is a hands-on course wher e students will build a variety of small pr ojects using sensors, actuators and an Ar duino micr ocontr oller boar d. Sensors take in infor mation fr om the world (buttons, heat sensor, light sensor) and actuators per for m actions (light up, buzz, spin). The micr ocontr oller uses a student-written pr ogram to listen to the sensors and talk to the actuators. We will write pr ograms using the C pr ogramming language but no pr ogramming experience is needed. Open to all students Block D Nights of Homework: 0

57. Exploring 3-D Printing Matt Zipin This class will focus on the design and printing of 3-D elements and artwork. We will take time to lear n the 3-D softwar e and design tools and then see our cr eations come to life when we print them on our new 3-D printer. This is brand-new technology at GFS and we will be the first gr oup to explor e the possibilities and r efine our understanding and use of this printer. It will be exciting and fun! In addition, we will try to schedule some field trips to local colleges. Open to all students. Block D Nights of Homework: 0

e block courses 1.5 Hours, Meets 2 times per Week 58. Documentary Film History and Production Sarah Detwiler & Kackie St. Clair This course will focus on the making of short documentary films and a r eview of the history of the for mat. Students will view example documentaries in or der to understand the genr e, how it has changed and how to best use this style to describe and r eveal a subject. Students will participate in the planning, filming and editing of a 3-5 minute film. Topics will be local to Germantown: possibly a radio station, a r estaurant, an art gallery or a local her o. Students will serve in a variety

of r oles in this collaborative pr ocess: as camera operators, dir ectors, writers, sound/light specialists and editors. Note: Students will be expected to spend 2 independent lear ning blocks per week viewing films and working on their pr ojects. A field trip day will be used for filming and pr oduction. Open to all students Block E Nights of Homework: 2+

e block courses

1.5 Hours, Meets 2 times per Week

59. Pattern & Decoration Painting Maddy Gold

62. Programmed Natasha Labbe

Students will do two pr ojects in this class: one based on mathematical/geometric patter ns (Fibonacci sequence, Golden Mean, Baravelle spirals, etc.) and the other based on designs in natur e—naturally occurring patter ns in biomorphic structur es (cellular, coral, shells, etc.). Students will lear n how to use a ruling pen & how to cr eate patter n sequences in painting. (Overview lectur e on the Patter n & Decoration Painting Movement as well.)

In this course, students will lear n about the r ole advertising plays in for ming their identities. We will cover the history of advertising, how it continues to impact both our society and our intersecting identities, r eflect on what r ole we play as consumers, and discuss ways in which we can ef fect change.

Open to all students Block E Nights of Homework: 0

60. Reframing the “Developing World:” Hands-on Approaches to Grassroots Problem-Solving Kate Hanssen & Ian Van Wert While fat (developed) societies have sometimes seen it as their moral r esponsibility to “help,” “feed, or “save” lean (developing) societies, they have often pr oved inef fective at cr eating positive change. This course will consider the power dynamic inher ent in categorizing the world as “developing” and “developed” and will examine evidence that lean societies ar e hotbeds of cr eativity and inventions that vastly impr ove the daily lives of people who employ them. The “water bottle skylight” (http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23536914) epitomizes lean innovation. In this course you will split your time between discussion, r ecr eating clever grassr oots inventions, and building your own designs. Note: Students will be expected to spend 1-2 independent lear ning blocks per week working on their projects. Open to all students Block E Nights of Homework: 1

61. Set Design for Beginners Michael Kerns Of fering students an in-depth look at how a designer appr oaches a script, an overview of the physical constraints of working in a theater, the various methods of pr oblem-solving thr ough design and a brief intr oduction into the world of Computer Assisted Drawing (CAD). The class will involve r eading, discussions, sketching, computer work and a possible field trip to a local theater. Open to all students Block E Nights of Homework: 2+

Open to all students Block E Nights of Homework: 1

63. Trig Star Competition Larry Ottman The National Society of Pr ofessional Surveyors sponsors a high school trigonometry competition every year. This course will r eview the basics of trigonometric ratios and pr ocedur es needed to participate in the contest and then focus on practicing for, and ultimately participating in the competition at the end of the course. Ther e is an opportunity for state and national level r ecognition for participants. Any student who has completed Geometry and is inter ested in pr oblem solving would be eligible to participate. Who will be the GFS Trig Star? Open to students who have completed geometry Block E Nights of Homework: 1

64. Philadelphia Architectural History Elena Quant We live in a city that has an extr emely rich history but what do we know about the buildings ar ound us and who built them? In this course, we will explor e historical ar chitectur e right her e in our backyar d! Very little of this class will be in a classr oom as we will be exploring the city by foot, lear ning about ar chitectural time periods and styles. By the end of the course you should be able to r ecognize works by a few of our city’s most pr ominent ar chitects. We also will have a chance to work with ar chitectural pr eservationists on a Friday service trip. Open to all students Block E Nights of Homework: 0

65. Mass Incarceration Bob Rhoades This course, on the crisis of mass incar ceration in America, will begin with a look at the origins of the American prison model. With a trip to Easter n State Penitentiary

we will examine the popular notion that Quakers wer e r esponsible for the philosophy and design of the prison. We will then study the moder n rise of mass incar ceration trigger ed by the war on drugs in the early 1980s. We will r ead Michelle Alexander’s book, The New Jim Cr ow: Mass Incar ceration in America, and we may have a visit fr om State Secr etary of Corr ections John Wetzel and the Dir ector of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, Ann Schwartzman. If possible, the class will visit the old and soon-to-be-r eplaced Grater for d Prison. Open to all students Block E Nights of Homework: 2+

66. Inside/Outside: The Pen & The Camera Chris Singler & Michael Koehler By r etracing the paths and spaces of how Philadelphia and you came to be, this course will use photography and jour naling to raise awar eness about the inter connections of history, space and the natural and human r ealities of today. By using the lens to look closely at the human impact in the natural world ar ound us, students can expect to further their visual literacy and to cr eate a closer r elationship with their everyday surr oundings. With the addition of jour naling, students will use the wor d to explor e their interior landscape and to further

parse and articulate the r elationships they see. Our tools for discovery will be trips to local natural and historical spaces, Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience, by Yi-Fu T uan, supplemental r eadings, a jour nal, and a camera. Open to all students Block E Nights of Homework: 2+

67. Animating Places Sarah Zwerling

The students will use digital animation and editing techniques, photographs and possibly constructed sets to bring to life a scene and tell a story about the social and natural history of a place. The subject of the animated works and locations will be discussed at the beginning of the session. It is possible that we would take short walks to collect photographic r efer ence material for the animations depending on the topics decided upon by the class. The individual clips of animation will be assembled together as scenes to tell a lar ger story. 10th and 12th Grade Students Only Block E Nights of Homework: 1

f block courses 1.5 Hours, Meets 2 times per Week 68. Magazine Journalism Meg Cohen Ragas

69. Introduction to Public Speaking Rita Goldman

This course will examine the ins and outs of magazine jour nalism, including in-depth r eporting and purposeful storytelling. Students will lear n about magazine-style featur e writing and how to think clearly, or ganize their thoughts—and develop their own voice. Each week will focus on a dif fer ent aspect of writing, including pr ofiles, pitch letters, featur es and r eviews. Students will have the opportunity to write articles that may appear on the GFS website or in the alumni Bulletin magazine. Requir ed r eading will include magazine articles and possibly a magazine writing textbook, as well as the Associated Pr ess Stylebook. One or two guest speakers will discuss r eal-life experiences as magazine jour nalists; one field trip is anticipated.

Butter flies in your stomach when called upon to speak? Debates and pr esentations make you cringe? Communicating well and speaking with poise is a valuable asset. Gain confidence and impr ove your skills in writing and or ganizing ef fective pr esentations. You will work in pairs, gr oups and alone to practice various delivery formats and how to use language ef fectively. Over come your fears and become a better orator.

Open to all students Block F Nights of Homework: 2

Open to all students Block F Nights of Homework: 1

70. Art Without Invitation Sara Gordon In this course we’ll design and implement an installation(s) or cr eate a happening(s) on campus

f block courses with the intent of pr oviding an experience of surprise, thought, and perhaps joy for viewers/participants. Banksy tur ned portable toilets into a mock Stonehenge; Mark Jenkins pr opped huge toast slices in sewer grates; Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped Berlin’s parliament in fabric. The possibilities ar e limited only by our imaginations (and budget). We’ll r esear ch str eet artists and r ead a few r elevant articles. The bulk of our time will be spent on cr eation and installation, perhaps at night or on a weekend to ensur e the element of surprise. Open to all students Block F Nights of Homework: 1

71. Reframing the “Developing World:” Hands-on Approaches to Grassroots Problem-Solving Kate Hanssen & Ian Van Wert While fat (developed) societies have sometimes seen it as their moral r esponsibility to “help,” “feed, or “save” lean (developing) societies, they have often pr oved inef fective at cr eating positive change. This course will consider the power dynamic inher ent in categorizing the world as “developing” and “developed” and will examine evidence that lean societies ar e hotbeds of cr eativity and inventions that vastly impr ove the daily lives of people who employ them. The “water bottle skylight” (http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23536914) epitomizes lean innovation. In this course you will split your time between discussion, r ecr eating clever grassr oots inventions, and building your own designs. Note: Students will be expected to spend 1-2 independent lear ning blocks per week working on their pr ojects. Open to all students Block F Nights of Homework: 1

72. Socrates and Plato Lucy Bell Jarka-Sellers Students will r ead selections fr om Plato’s dialogues and short excerpts fr om later thinkers. Students will first explor e the model Socrates pr ovides for communal intellectual inquiry and then the pr oposal Plato makes about the natur e of r eality. They will r ead exciting and master ful pr ose, lear n to construct a philosophical ar gument, and come away with power ful conceptual tools for understanding and assessing their intellectual history. Readings will be short and dense. Writing will be short and infor mal. Ther e will be one evening symposium of f-campus. Open to 10th and 12th grades

1.5 Hours, Meets 2 times per Week

Block F Nights of Homework: 2+

73. Set Design for Beginners Michael Kerns Of fering students an in-depth look at how a designer appr oaches a script, an overview of the physical constraints of working in a theater, the various methods of pr oblem-solving thr ough design and a brief intr oduction into the world of Computer Assisted Drawing (CAD). The class will involve r eading, discussions, sketching, computer work and a possible field trip to a local theater. Open to all students Block F Nights of Homework: 2+

74. Unit Origami Larry Ottman Unit, or “modular,” origami is a particular branch of origami in which you r epeatedly fold a basic shape, or “unit,” and then assemble those units into lar ger, incr easingly complex and inter esting 2 and 3 dimensional geometric models. Students will lear n several basic unit folds and then have some flexibility to explor e those that inter est them to cr eate the mor e complicated and aesthetically inter esting models. Students do not need any expertise or backgr ound in origami to be successful in the course. (Note: NO cute animals will be folded in the taking of this course). Open to all students Block F Nights of Homework: 0

75. Mindfulness Matters: Yoga & Meditation Sara Primo Students of all levels ar e invited to participate in a yoga class that combines vinyasa yoga (flow style), yin yoga (longer holds) and meditation. This course will of fer students a way to clear their heads and connect with their bodies. They will identify weekly intentions and lear n r elaxation tools they can then carry with them for the r est of the year. Each week will have a dif fer ent theme ar ound topics that I’ve identified as particularly r elevant to our student body. Students will have light homework: brief r eadings about the practice of yoga and home practice r ecommendations. Open to all students Block F Nights of Homework: 1

76. Philadelphia Architectural History Elena Quant We live in a city that has an extr emely rich history but what do we know about the buildings ar ound us and who built them? In this course, we will be exploring historical ar chitectur e right her e in our backyar d! Very little of this class will be in a classr oom as we will be exploring the city by foot, lear ning about ar chitectural time periods and styles. By the end of the course you should be able to r ecognize works by a few of our city’s most pr ominent ar chitects. We also will have a chance to work with ar chitectural pr eservationists on a Friday service trip. Open to all students Block F Nights of Homework: 0

77. An Introduction to Complex Numbers and Functions George Watson Students ar e generally intr oduced to complex numbers in Algebra 2 when studying the solutions of quadratic equations. This course will begin fr om that knowledge and examine both the complex number system and functions of complex numbers. We will look at the historical “fight” within the mathematical community to accept that complex numbers actually exist and Gauss’s lifelong campaign to call them “complex” numbers instead of “imaginary” numbers. We will examine complex solutions to equations with both r eal and complex coef ficients, and elementary functions of complex numbers, including mappings of the complex plane. Open to 12th grade students Block F Nights of Homework: 2+

g block courses 3 Hours, Meets 1 time per Week 78. Social Justice Journalism Robin Friedman & Stephen Holt In t h i s cl as s , s tu dent s will g et out in to the c ity and l e a r n f i rs th and f r om or ga nizers an d ac tivists w or ki ng o n t h r e e di f f e r e nt s o cia l-justic e c ha llen ges: Wo r ker ’ s R i g h t s , Edu cati on Justic e a nd Immigration Refor m . S t u d y i n g and meeti n g with gr oups like the Phi l adel p h i a S t u dent Uni on, 32BJ ( a la bor un ion ) , The Ph i l ad e lp h i a Mu ral A rts Pr ojec t an d POWE R, stud en ts w i l l l e a r n n o t onl y abo u t the history a nd p olitic al d y nam ic s o f a parti cu l ar cause, but the ways ind ivid u al s a n d g r ou ps ar e workin g to make la stin g c ha ng e. S tu d e n t s wi l l each wri t e a piec e of jour n alism ab ou t an is s u e , a pe rs on, o r a c amp aig n we study d uring th i s c o u rs e . We wi l l m eet with soc ial justic e or g an i z ati ons a n d o r gani z e rs i n P hilad elphia.

dents will have opportunity to experience a range of dry and wet media. Open to 10th and 12th grade students Block G Nights of Homework: 0

80. Embracing the City Through Fitness Tom Myran Students will participate in various fitness experiences that the City of Philadelphia has to of fer. In this of fcampus course, we will travel to local fitness clubs and participate in some or all of the following activities: yoga, swimming, spinning and self-defense. One day will also be spent hiking and exploring the trails of the Wissahickon.

Open to all students Block G Nights of Homework: 1

Open to all students Block G Nights of Homework: 0

79. Life Drawing Susan Lowry

81. The Portrait of the Student/School Relationship in French Film Robin Nourie

Students will lear n the fundamentals of figur e drawing thr ough working with a nude model. Issues of for m, structur e, volume, movement, composition, pr oportion and expr ession will be investigated thr ough work on short poses and continuing into extended poses. Stu-

There are a number of wonder ful French films that portray the life of a student in the French classr oom over the last 50 years. Some of these portraits ar e idealized, while others are honest and gritty. We will view at least

g block courses

3 Hour, Meets 1 time per Week

4 films that of fer contrasting perspectives and will compar e and contrast the dif ferent films with each other, as well as with our own experience of school and the teacher/student relationship. No experience with French is necessary, as all films will have English subtitles.

ent medical case will be pr esented. Thr oughout the period, you will be given clues, and you will work with your classmates to figur e out the most likely diagnosis. For example, pr etend you ar e doctor on call when a 54-year-old man with high cholester ol is br ought by ambulance to the emer gency r oom. The man is complaining of sever e chest pain, sweating and nausea. You will lear n what questions to ask him, what exam to per for m, and what clinical tests to or der. Also, you will lear n how to synthesize all of this infor mation to make a diagnosis—in this instance, heart attack, or, as doctors say, myocar dial infar ction.

Open to all students Block G Nights of Homework: 0

82. An Introduction to Medicine Alyson Solomon In this class, you will lear n how doctors use infor mation fr om patient history, physical exam and medical tests to make a diagnosis. Each class period, a dif fer-

Open to all students Block G Nights of Homework: 0

h block courses 3 Hours, Meets 1 time per Week 83. A Look at the History of Basketball through an African American Lens Mark Anderson In this course we will examine the history of the game of basketball fr om the African American perspective. We will watch documentaries and r ead short articles r elated to conditions, tr eatment, and innovations of and by African Americans. Students will be expected to complete a set of questions r elated to each film or r eading. Students will also be expected to participate in discussions center ed ar ound each film or r eading. The goal of this course is to give students an appr eciation for the pioneers of what is now one of the world’s most popular sports. Open to all students Block H Nights of Homework: 0

84. Reading Tutoring at John B Kelly Elementary School Abby Brown & Kathy Paulmier The John B. Kelly Elementary School is a public school in Ger mantown serving children from kindergarten through

fifth grade. The school has received some media attention due to the community supported Kelly Gr een Pr oject (http://kellygreenproject.com/), an initiative which has already led to the creation of a student vegetable garden on school grounds and includes plans to build a new green play space and recreation area at the school. The Kelly School also needs support inside the classrooms. The principal is particularly focused on developing programs and support to increase kids’ r eading skills. In this class, students will volunteer in a classr oom to help engage the children in activities such as phonics games, lear ning and practicing sight wor ds, and working one-on-one with reading buddies. Open to all students Block H Nights of Homework: 0

85. Le Québec Amy Celentano Discover our North American francophone neighbors! This course will intr oduce the history and cultur e of Fr ench speaking Canada and their unique position in North America as non-English speakers. We will watch and discuss aspects of their history and cultur e

as r eflected in moder n film: “Mon oncle Antoine,” “The Rocket,” “C.R.A.Z.Y.,” “Jésus de Montréal,” “Bon Cop, Bad Cop” and “La grande séduction.” Students will be pr ovided with basic film vocabulary; discussions will be thematically based. Some personal r esear ch will be r equir ed. Films ar e in Fr ench with English sub-titles (some material has matur e themes and content). Open to 10th and 12th grade students Block H Nights of Homework: 1

86. Cyborgs, Megacorporations and the Dystopian Future: Cyberpunk Fiction and Movies Chris Singler “Cyber” evokes the technological futur e wher e machines and humans join, often thr ough brain and body enhancements. “Punk” delineates the under gr ound and outsider r esistance to the mega corporations and oppr essive gover nments owning all places private and public. Students in this course will r ead some of the central manifestos, criticism and fiction r elated to this ’80s and ’90s aesthetic stance. Movies will include Blade Runner, The Matrix and Robocop. Open to 12th grade students (due to R rated r eading and viewing material). Block H Nights of Homework: 2+

87. An Introduction to Medicine Alyson Solomon In this class, you will lear n how doctors use infor mation fr om patient history, physical exam and medical tests to make a diagnosis. Each class period, a dif ferent medical case will be pr esented. Thr oughout the period, you will be given clues, and you will work with your classmates to figur e out the most likely diagnosis. For example, pr etend you ar e doctor on call when a 54-year-old man with high cholester ol is br ought by ambulance to the emer gency r oom. The man is complaining of sever e chest pain, sweating and nausea. You will lear n what questions to ask him, what exam to per for m, and what clinical tests to or der. Also, you will lear n how to synthesize all of this infor mation to make a diagnosis—in this instance, heart attack, or, as doctors say, myocar dial infar ction. Open to all students Block H Nights of Homework: 0

88. Spanish Immersion Through Film Marjorie Spaeth We will use the 3 hour period to introduce, watch and discuss one film per week that will be shown in Spanish. Open to all students Block H Nights of Homework: 0

i block courses 3 Hours, Meets 1 time per Week 89. A Look at the History of Basketball through an African American Lens Mark Anderson In this course we will examine the history of the game of basketball fr om the African American perspective. We will watch documentaries and r ead short articles r elated to conditions, tr eatment, and innovations of and by African Americans. Students will be expected to complete a set of questions r elated to each film or r eading. Students will also be expected to participate in discussions center ed ar ound each film or r eading. The goal of this course is to give students an appr eciation for the pioneers of what is now one of the world’s most popular sports. Open to all students Block I

Nights of Homework: 0

90. Stage to Screen Lisa Burns We will explor e four master ful plays by r eading the original scripts, watching film adaptations of these works and discussing both ventur es. Week Week Week Week

1: 2: 3: 4:

David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple Musical - The Sound Of Music & West Side Story Peter Shaf fer’s Equus & Amadeus

Open to 10th and 12th grade students Block I Nights of Homework: 1

i block courses 91. Pro-Tools and Ableton Live: Digital Recording Basics Shawn Hennessy This class will cover the basics of digital r ecor ding and editing of live instruments on Pr o-Tools Expr ess. Limited to 6 students (we will use the computers in the digital music lab). We will also work with Ableton Live, lear ning how to cr eate beats, use softwar e instrument, experiment with plug-ins and edit arrangements. (Students must have a copy of Ableton Live on their personal computer and bring it to each class.) Open to all students Block I Nights of Homework: 1

3 Hours, Meets 1 time per Week

93. Relief and Intaglio Printmaking Michael Williamson We will explor e basic techniques in r elief and intaglio printmaking in color and in black and white. Beginning with mono prints, we will lear n how to apply ink, print and r ework images. We will do line etching on plexiglass plates and use collagraph (car dboar d plates) to cr eate both r epr esentational and non-objective images. Open to all students Block I Nights of Homework: 0

94. Tokyo in Film Chihiro Williams

Students will lear n about urban life in 21st century Japan thr ough four films and short pr eparatory r eadings each week. After viewing each film in class, we will discuss r elated urban issues in Tokyo: Hikikomori, the homeless, the life of day labor ers, pr oblems in parenting and the cutting edge train system. Films to be viewed: “Interior Design” and “Shake Tokyo” in Tokyo!, Train Man, Tokyo Godfathers and Like Father, Like Son. Films will have subtitles and discussion will be in English.

Open to 10th and 12th grade students Block I Nights of Homework: 0

Open to all students Block I Nights of Homework: 2+

92. Life Drawing Susan Lowry

j block courses 3 Hours, Meets 1 time per Week 95. Reading Tutoring at John B Kelly Elementary School Abby Brown & Kathy Paulmier The John B. Kelly Elementary School is a public school in Ger mantown serving childr en fr om kinder garten thr ough fifth grade. The school has r eceived some media attention due to the community supported Kelly Gr een Pr oject (http://kellygr eenpr oject.com/), an initiative which has alr eady led to the cr eation of a student vegetable gar den on school gr ounds and includes

plans to build a new gr een play space and r ecr eation ar ea at the school. The Kelly School also needs support inside the classr ooms. The principal is particularly focused on developing pr ograms and support to incr ease kids’ r eading skills. In this class, students will volunteer in a classr oom to help engage the childr en in activities such as phonics games, lear ning and practicing sight wor ds, and working one-on-one with r eading buddies. Open to all students Block J Nights of Homework: 0

96. Le Québec Amy Celentano Discover our North American francophone neighbors! This course will intr oduce the history and cultur e of Fr ench speaking Canada and their unique position in North America as non-English speakers. We will watch and discuss aspects of their history and cultur e as r eflected in moder n film: “Mon oncle Antoine,” “The Rocket,” “C.R.A.Z.Y.,” “Jésus de Montréal,” “Bon Cop, Bad Cop” and “La grande séduction.” Students will be pr ovided with basic film vocabulary; discussions will be thematically based. Some personal r esear ch will be r equir ed. Films ar e in Fr ench with English sub-titles (some material has matur e themes and content). Open to 10th and 12th grade students Block J Nights of Homework: 1

97. Exploring the Mural Capital of the World Meg Goldner Rabinowitz In this class, we will explor e the backgr ound of 4 dif ferent murals in the city, visit the murals, meet the artists behind the murals, and come to understand them as a cultural and artistic for ce in the city. We will also take a train ride and a tr olley ride to see a br oader swatch of murals. Open to all students Block J Nights of Homework: 1

98. The Science of Running Rob Hewitt & Bob Lynam This course will look at the scientific side of running. We will study the anatomy and physiology of muscle

action and development, the car diovascular function, and the chemical underpinnings of the metabolism that supports running and other for ms of exer cise. Theories ar ound evolutionary origins of running in humans will be discussed, along with what anatomical and physiological featur es pr omote gr eater speed and endurance. A goal of the course is to use hands-on lab activities to pr ovide participants with a physiological pr ofile that will enable them to train mor e ef ficiently and ef fectively whether their sport is running, or their running is in support of other sports, or whether they just want to understand how to use running as part of a healthy lifestyle. Open to all students Block J Nights of Homework: 0

99. Making Meaning of Monsters Antoinette Peters Fr om a popular cultur e standpoint, today’s society has a fascination with monsters. They per meate many of our curr ent books, movies, and television shows. In some media, monsters, such as wer ewolves and vampir es, live side by side with humans. In other media, monsters, such as zombies, have taken over the world and humans ar e for ced to fight for their survival. Why ar e we simultaneously drawn and r epulsed by these cr eatur es? In this course, we will examine why monsters play such a lar ge r ole in the pr esent cultur e and society. Beginning with backgr ound infor mation about the origins of monsters, we will analyze how monsters ar e constructed and what they r epr esent. We will also consider how monsters embody our societal fears and desir es. Open to all students Block J Nights of Homework: 2+

GFS GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL

GFS January Term 2015 Course Catalog

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