JANUARY 5–9, 2015
MPA MIDDLE SCHOOL i-TERM Week of January 5–9, 2015 PURPOSE AND OVERVIEW: Mounds Park Academy’s i-Term provides students in grades 5–8 with a unique opportunity to embody MPA’s mission of thinking independently and learning joyfully by participating in a one-week enrichment experience. I-Term courses are designed to provide inquiry-based, experiential learning beyond the classroom. The project-based, focused nature of i-Term offerings enables students to learn new skills, do things that are not possible within a normal school setting, and be exposed to things they would not be otherwise. Students will venture into the community, work with experts in a particular field, and create new friendships along the way during this signature experience. STUDENT OWNERSHIP: While students are required to participate in i-Term, they are empowered to select a course that will either deepen their current understanding of a topic or introduce them to a new area of interest. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES: Students will be asked to select three courses for i-Term. While course sizes are limited and older students will be given priority, every effort will be made to match students with their first choice. Course preferences are due in the MS Office by April 30, 2014. Once a student is registered and confirmed in a course, no changes will be made.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS: Several i-Term classes are covered by tuition; however, some courses require additional fees to help offset travel expenses. Families are required to pay these fees by the dates indicated on the registration forms. There are some partial needbased scholarships available for the international trips. USING THIS DOCUMENT i-Term courses are divided into four categories —STEM, Global Leadership, Fine Arts and Social Studies Courses. They are color coded as indicated below. Use this document to review course content and select your ideal i-Term course.
STEM COURSES
GLOBAL LEADERSHIP COURSES
FINE ARTS COURSES
SOCIAL STUDIES COURSES
ITERM ONLINE:
moundsparkacademy.org/iterm
AERODYNAMICS COST: $25.00
If you are interested in how things fly, this is the course for you! In this class we will be learning about and building several different types of flying machines. We will use everything from paper to balsa to plastic and rubber to build aircraft. In the midst of this activity we will take a field trip to the Commemorative Air Force Hanger and get a chance to see and tour four aircraft from WWII. Whatever you build you get to keep!
STEM COURSES
ANIMAL SCIENCE COST: $25.00
Partnering with the Minnesota Zoo and Como Zoo, students will learn the ins-andouts of a day in the life of a zoo. The first day at the Minnesota Zoo will focus on the care and training of animals. Day two will focus on exhibit design. What exactly goes into making the homes for these animals? Students will work with designers from the zoo and see how ideas become reality. On day 3, we will work with Como Zoo and look at how the zoo has transformed from “visitor centered exhibits“ with the animals front and center to “animal centered exhibits” where the needs of the animals come first. Finally, students will synthesize their learning and return to school to create the MPA zoo.
STEM COURSES
ENGINEERING 101 COST: $25.00
Do you like robots and building things? Ever wonder how products are designed and fabricated? This course will take students on a tour of Parker Hannifin Corporation, where they will see Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, and Industrial Engineering at work. Participants will then return to campus to work with engineering mentors as they collaboratively brainstorm solutions to engineering problems and develop products. Finally, student teams will present their solutions, including the engineering principals used, and print a 3D model from CAD.
STEM COURSES
ARCTIC ADVENTURES COST: $250.00
This course invites students to embrace winter with outdoor activities and learning about the Inuit culture. Participants will travel to Ely to go dogsledding and learn about wildlife and tracking. They will also work with a naturalist as they snowshoe at Fort Snelling State Park, use GPS devices for geo-caching, and learn winter survival skills. Students will also create Inuit art with clay and printmaking, and learn more about the culture through food, music, and the Qulliq.
STEM COURSES
PHONE AND TABLET APP DEVELOPMENT COST: NONE
Students will learn to create and program phone and tablet applications. They will use Javascript and Titanium SDK to create apps that can run on Android and iOS devices. The main focus of the class will be on the iPhone and iPad. Along with learning to create native user interfaces, students will learn to include drawing and painting capabilities. Finally, participants will play with Box2D, a 2D physics engine used in many games.
STEM COURSES
FRENCH IMMERSION TRIP TO QUEBEC COST: $2,200.00 (price dependent on # of travelers)
This five day excursion to Quebec City includes a variety of museum visits, a guided tour of the National Assembly, and a cable car ride to the top of Montmorency Falls. Students will participate in interactive games to experience the legends at HuronWendat Village, see an historic re-creation of the battle of the Plains of Abraham, and visit the famous pilgrimage site of Cathedrale Ste Anne de Beaupre. Students will also toboggan through the city and visit the famous Ice Hotel. This course is open to all students; parents are invited to travel as well.
GLOBAL LEADERSHIP COURSES
JAPANESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE COST: NONE
This introductory Japanese language and culture class will give students a deep dive into all things Japanese. Participants will make sushi rolls, don kimonos and participate in an authentic tea ceremony, and learn traditional Japanese songs and dance. They will learn about Japanese history and geography, write Haiku poems, and try their hand at calligraphy. Students will also create origami, learn about the Japanese abacus, and watch the famous Totoro animation. Finally, students will learn some basic Japanese language, including greetings, numbers, colors, body parts, characters, and more.
GLOBAL LEADERSHIP COURSES
LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE LEARNING COST: NONE
Do you want to be a better leader? Are you interested in making Mounds Park Academy a better place? How about doing both at the same time? In the mornings, students will meet with John Sandahl, a facilitator from Youth Frontiers and a professional trainer, coach, and educator, to grow their leadership skills while learning how to build a great team that works together to improve our community. In the afternoons, students will put their leadership skills to work as a service learning strategic planning committee to collaboratively research, design, and implement a proposal for an on-site on-going middle school service learning project at MPA. At the end of the week, students will present their proposal to Head of School Dr. Bill Hudson and Middle School Director Ms. Erica Brewinski.
GLOBAL LEADERSHIP COURSES
MAYAN TRAIL TRIP COST: $2,987 (if registered by 5/30/14)
Students will embark on a seven day excursion to the Yucatan peninsula that includes visits to a sacred Mayan sinkhole and several indigenous Mayan towns, Temples, and archaeological sites. Participants will also meet local families and students, explore Celestun National Park, and enjoy the natural aquarium at Xel-ha. *Note: Students must be in Spanish to enroll in this course; parents are invited to travel as well.
GLOBAL LEADERSHIP COURSES
THE POLITICS OF GLOBALIZATION COST: $25.00
Should Minneapolis and St. Paul be considered global cities? How do international politics play a role in our own lives? This course will explore politics through the lens of international relations. Students will work with a university professor, talk to local politicians/policy-makers, and get an inside look at life at the state capital. They will work in teams to identify a global issue, generate solutions, and present their ideas at the end of the week. Finally, students will consider ways to strengthen MPA’s global environment.
GLOBAL LEADERSHIP COURSES
CAREERS IN THE FINE ARTS: PERFORMING AND BEYOND COST: $25.00
Are you someone that enjoys Fine Arts but doesn’t know how you will use them after you graduate from MPA? This is the course for you. You will have the opportunity to meet several different professionals with careers in the Fine Arts, including musicians, singers, actors, and visual artists that have been able to turn their love for Fine Arts into their career. They will share their story with you, and you will have the chance to interview them. We will also go behind-the-scenes at the Minnesota Opera, Minnesota Public Radio, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, a local recording studio, and other locations. This class will give you a chance to explore and learn more about about the many options you have to continue your journey as an Artist.
FINE ARTS COURSES
COLLAGE AS ILLUSTRATION COST: $36.00 (TO PURCHASE BOOK)
Students will be working through the design process to illustrate a book together. They will study Henri Matisse’s cut paper compositions as well as the work and process of collage illustrators Eric Carle, Lois Ehlert, Steve Jenkins, Ed Young, and Debra Frasier. Students will learn from local artists and publishers, brainstorm possibilities, sketch ideas, create individual pages, and ultimately contribute pages to a collaborative book. Collage techniques will be taught and composition will be emphasized. The resulting book will be published through Cornerstone Stories.
FINE ARTS COURSES
MEDIA STUDIES COST: $25.00
Students will have the opportunity to explore the world of film production and investigate the power of the media through journalism. In addition, they will study different areas of filmmaking including PSA’s (Public Service Announcements), commercials, and special interest stories, as they visit local media outlets and go “behind the scenes.” There will be adventures in video production including scripting, shot set up, interview techniques, lighting, sound, and editing. Students will also understand and apply fundamental skills in safely operating a flipcam, tripod, computers, and/or iPads. The course will culminate in an exhibition of original student video projects.
FINE ARTS COURSES
SHAKESPEAREAN DEATH SCENES COST: NONE
Nobody does pain and death quite like the Bard. Through the exploration of the tragic downfalls of Shakespeare’s greatest heroes to the comical falls of his blundering fools, this experience is designed to guide young actors through the world and works of Shakespeare while exploring the whole span of comic violence to dramatic death. Under the direction of the Children’s Theatre Company, join us as we explore the verbal and physical heightened moments of the Bard.
FINE ARTS COURSES
ENTREPRENEURSHIP COST: $25.00
Ever wonder what it takes to start your own business? This course will expose students to all aspects of business development, including identifying a product or service, analyzing government regulations, creating a budget, securing start-up funding, and designing a marketing strategy. Students will talk to entrepreneurs in a variety of fields to learn about the risks and rewards associated with entrepreneurship, and will collaboratively develop and present their own preliminary business plan.
SOCIAL STUDIES COURSES
EXPLORING MINNESOTA HISTORY COST: $250.00
The Minnesota History course will introduce students to some of the key issues and developments in Minnesota history using the resources and sites available in our community. Students will examine a range of topics, including Westward Expansion and the Native Americans, logging, iron ore mining, the Industrial Revolution on the frontier, and farming on the prairies. Students will do this through traditional means, such as an examination of primary sources and debates, as well as a number of “hands-on experiences,� including lessons at the Minnesota History Center and the Mill City Museum. Finally, students will embark on an overnight trip that will include visits to the Soudan Iron Ore Mine in Ely and the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth.
SOCIAL STUDIES COURSES
2051 Larpenteur Avenue East Maplewood, MN 55109 651-777-2555 moundsparkacademy.org