US Independent Studies

Learning Beyond the Classroom

PCDS US Independent Studies

From podcasting to neuroscience, digital art installations to archeoastronomy, students at PCDS are curious about a wide range of topics that are beyond the regular curriculum. Those students who want to explore an interest in a more structured and formal way may choose to design an Independent Study course. With the guidance of a faculty advisor, students submit a proposal that outlines the objectives of the study, questions that will be explored, and the skills or knowledge that will be acquired. Students define a general timeline for the work, identify the resources that will be used, and determine how the attainment of their goals will be demonstrated.

Students begin their study once their proposals are approved by the Dean of Academics and Head of US. Students have regular meetings with their study advisor and keep a work log that they share with their advisor and the Dean of Academics. At the end of the semester, students give a presentation that summarizes their study, including highlights, challenges, unexpected outcomes, and future work in the area.

Being Human In the Desert by Elliot Wessel ’22

I have lived in this valley my whole life—practically next to our campus. As I drew closer to leaving this School and this state, I realized that despite my 18 years spent in this desert, I knew practically nothing about it. This Independent Study, spanning two semesters, is an attempt to remedy that fact and repair my relationship with this land before I leave. Being Human in the Desert is a study on living (past, present, and future) in one of the most beautiful, harsh, unique, and precarious places on Earth. I am studying the anthropological history as well as the ecological history of the Sonoran Desert; to understand what it means to be human in the desert, one must first understand those non-human beings. In the first semester, I dove into entomology and the practice of pinning insects. I wrote a proposal to establish an entomology collection on campus, and I received a grant to acquire a cabinet and drawers with which to store the collection. I also started the Sonoran Desert Club in which I teach other students how to collect and pin insects in order to continue the work after I leave.

This spring semester, I am focusing on writing. I have been reading a few books which have been wildly influential to me (even outside of the context of this study): Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and The Mushroom at the End of the World by Ana Lowenhaupt Tsing have restructured the way in which I think about humans in nature. While neither of

Facing page: Elliot Wessel ’22

FALL 2021 INDEPENDENT STUDIES

Avantika Aggarwal ’22 with Dr. Caplan: Neuroscience and Technology Sabrina Bailey ’22 with Ms. Mehra: The Writing, Constructing and Publishing of Memoir Length Writing Devin Bansal ’22 with Dr. Reynolds: The History of Political Messaging in the U.S. Bianca Burke ’22 with Mr. Rodin: Fundamentals of Family Foundations Daniela Castro-Martinez ’22 with Mrs. Cherilla: Data Science and its Applications Sydney Cohen ’22 and Sedona Korzay ’22 with Mr. Brooks: Indigenous History Keara Dean ’22 with Ms. Anderson: Classical Studies: The Eclogues and the Georgics Hailey DeMark ’22 with Mx. Mixan: Graphic Design, Coding, and Web Development Erin Florance ’22 with Dr. Avery: Sustainability in Fashion: Ethics, Affordability, and Environmentalism Aidan Goetzinger ’22 with Mx. Mixan: Digital Art and Installations Justin Horlick ’22 with Mr. Rodin: NCAA Video Podcasting Henry Kaplan ’22 with Dr. Caplan: The Physics of Non-Spherical Lenses Elle Lazarski ’22 with Mrs. Cherilla: Berklee Online: Professional Certificate in Music Theory Abby Meng ’22 with Ms. O’Dea: Writing in the Mystery Genre: An Investigation into Form, Style, and Medical Accuracy Charlie Nassar ’22 with Mr. Tafur: Human Behavioral Biology Alexander Nistor ’22 with Dr. Vap: The Study of Archeoastronomy Lucas Oland ’22 with Mr. Tafur and Mx. Mixan: Computational Neuroscience Simon Ossias ’22 with Dr. Caplan: Quantum Programming Kirtana Roopan ’22 with Dr. Rath: Overcome Obesity: Wellness Program Cloe Short ’22 with Mr. Lewis: Portfolio Building Charlize Szeto ’22 with Ms. Mueller: Bio-Art Elliot Wessel ’22 with Dr. Vap: Being Human in the Desert Lauren Yeung ’22 with Dr. Binger: The Science and Development of Skincare Products

FALL 2021 ONLINE CLASSES

Emme Kate Hackett ’22: Criminology Jade Loelke ’22: American Sign Language Jasmyn Loelke ’22: American Sign Language

these books is about the Sonoran Desert, the natural philosophy which they put forth provides a framework for me to evaluate the status of our chosen path of living in the desert, what that path looked like in the past, and how we might better navigate in the future. Dr. Vap, as my Independent Study adviser, has given me so much inspiration and encouragement and deeply enjoyable conversation, and I cannot thank her enough.

Overcome Obesity: Wellness Program by Kirtana Roopan ’22

Over the course of the semester, I developed a wellness curriculum and taught the lessons in an after-school program at CASA Academy (a school for students from traditionally underserved communities). This is an extension of a project I started last year—a website that I created as a platform for me to learn and raise awareness about the obesity epidemic. Through this, I explored the obesity epidemic, issues related to it, and potential solutions. In learning so much about the role that holistic wellness plays in obesity prevention, the idea with this Independent Study was to create lesson plans on holistic wellness that are culturally relevant and easily applicable to students’ daily lives. Some of the questions I explored were: How can wellness realistically be applied to the lives of students from underserved communities? How can materials and activities best be presented to inspire meaningful change in students’ lifestyles and mindsets regarding wellness?

The challenge in this study was not only teaching young kids complex material but also being culturally responsive when presenting that same complex material to my students whose lives and experiences are not always centered in traditional health programs. I taught my lesson plans to a group of K-4th graders on a weekly basis, and I found myself tweaking my approach as I went along. The curriculum is made up of five units: Holistic Wellness, Movement, Sleep, Social and Emotional Wellness, and Nutrition. The major theme throughout my program was emphasizing the interconnectedness of all these aspects of health. This study really made me reflect not only on wellness on a societal level, but also on the parts of my life that I could adjust in order to make positive changes in my own wellbeing. n

“ The challenge in this study was not only teaching young kids complex material but also being culturally responsive when presenting that same complex material to my students whose lives and experiences are not always centered in traditional health programs.”

Kirtana Roopan ’22