JANUARY TERM Course Catalog
2020
STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY
January Term enables our community to live the mission and core values of our school and explore new passions, interests, and interdisciplinary ways of learning about the world and ourselves. Through a modified schedule and course offerings outside of the regular curriculum, January Term provides teachers and students a space for experimentation, investigation, and reflection.
January Term is supported by a dedicated committee of Upper School teachers and administrators. In alignment with the program philosophy, it is an entirely elective program in which all courses are evaluated on a credit/no credit basis. Students submit preferences following the publication of the course catalog, and enrollment is facilitated by members of the committee. Successful completion of three January Term sessions is a graduation requirement.
January Term C O U R S E C ATA L O G
2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS INDEX OF COURSES
1
9-DAY COURSES QUARTER-DAY CLASSES (1.5 HOURS) HALF-DAY CLASSES (3 HOURS) FULL-DAY CLASSES (6 HOURS)
4 18 22
18-DAY COURSES QUARTER-DAY CLASSES (1.5 HOURS) HALF-DAY CLASSES (3 HOURS) FULL-DAY CLASS (6 HOURS)
23 25 26
JTERM 2020 INDEX OF COURSES COURSE LENGTH
# OF DAYS
PAGE
ABCs in Japanese
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
4
The Abelard Lab
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
4
Abnormal Psychology
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
4
A Crash Course in Ancient Greek
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
4
African Drumming & Dancing
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
5
American Presidency: Past, Present, and Future
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
5
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
18
Anno
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
5
The Anthropocene and Mass Extinction
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
5
The Art and Politics of Hair
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
5
Art and Social Change
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
5
Art of the Environment
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
5
Asian American Racial Identity
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
6
A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again: Essays by DFW
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
6
Becoming a Supple Leopard
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
6
Biology of the Senses
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
6
Board Game Theory
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
7
Changing Lives One Song at a Time
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
7
Chernobyl
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
7
Classical Guide for Modern Rants
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
7
Cryptography
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
7
The Current Supreme Court Term
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
18 days
23
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
18
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
8
1/2 day (3 hours)
18 days
25
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
8
Embracing the City Through Fitness
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
18
The Energy We Use: Personal to Global
1/2 day (3 hours)
18 days
25
Engineering Design
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
18
Entrepreneur the City
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
18
Entrepreneurial Leadership
full day (6 hours)
18 days
26
Epistolary Communication
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
8
Erase Your Social... Or Nah
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
8
Exploring Self Identity Through Art
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
8
Express Yourself: Student Coordinated Writing Workshop
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
9
COURSE NAME
WWW.GERMA NTOWNFRI ENDS.ORG /JTE RM
Animation Domination
1
Design, Modeling, and Construction with 3D Printers The Devanagari Alphabet Documentary Film History and Production Drawing and Writing
# OF DAYS
PAGE
Festivals of the World
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
9
Film Festival Workshop
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
9
Film Scoring with GarageBand
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
9
Finding Cleo: A First Nation’s Tragedy
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
9
Food, Glorious Food
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
10
Games and Magic
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
18 days
23
Geopolitics
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
10
GFS Fine Crafters Association
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
10
GFS Gospel Choir
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
10
Graphics Programming using Processing
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
18 days
23
Hamilton: Biography and Broadway
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
10
(This Class is) The Icing on the Cake
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
10
Improv to Script
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
11
Introduction to Meteorology
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
11
The Kids are Alright: Child Development and Parenting Today
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
18 days
23
Knitting for All
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
11
Knotwork and Braiding
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
11
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
18
Life Drawing
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
11
Lift: Music and Motivation in the Weight Room
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
11
The Long Poem
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
12
Lunch for the Hungry
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
12
Math Tutoring in a Local Public Elementary School
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
12
Media and Persuasion: The Power of Influence
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
12
#MeToo, Masculinity, and the Media
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
18 days
24
Mock Trial
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
12
Multilingualism in Latin America
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
13
Orbital Mechanics
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
13
Philadelphia Banquet
full day (6 hours)
9 days
22
Pictures, Words, and Authors...Oh My!
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
19
Pictures, Words, and Themes...Oh My!
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
19
Playing with Math
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
13
Polyphony
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
13
The Portrait and the Self
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
18 days
24
Preserved
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
13
Principles of Human Disease
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
13
The Probability of Game Shows, Board Games, and Life
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
14
The Life and Works of Spike Lee
WWW.G E RMA N TOWNF RIENDS.ORG/JTERM
COURSE LENGTH
COURSE NAME
2
COURSE LENGTH
# OF DAYS
PAGE
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
19
Queer History: A Primer
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
14
Reading Buddies at John B. Kelly Elementary School
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
14
The Real Russia
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
14
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
19
Say Cheese!
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
15
Science Games for Science Geeks
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
18 days
24
Seriously Chill Yoga: Soothe Your Nerves and Rewire Your Brain
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
15
Slow Down, Dig In, and Get Your Focus On
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
15
Social Justice on Stage and Screen
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
15
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
20
Spanish Conversation
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
15
Spoons, Bowls & Soups
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
20
Stand-up Comedy for Beginners
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
15
Stories from The New Yorker
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
16
Surveying and Documenting Waterways from GFS to the Atlantic
full day (6 hours)
9 days
22
Teens and Tweens
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
16
Theatre and Musical Theatre: Games and Performance
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
16
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
20
True Crime: Podcasts Noir
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
16
United Nations/Model UN
1/4 day (1.5 hours)
9 days
17
1/2 day (3 hours)
9 days
20
COURSE NAME Protecting Human Rights in Armed Conflicts
Remembrance: A Study of the Holocaust
WWW.GERMA NTOWNFRI ENDS.ORG /JTE RM
Sound Machine: Experimental Construction
3
Theatre Lab: Aural Collages/Surrealist Plays
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9-DAY COURSES QUARTER-DAY CLASSES 1.5 HOURS • ABCS IN JAPANESE Nobuko Komura
• THE ABELARD LAB Jim Barron
Students enrolled in this course will delve into the 12th century world of Medieval Europe with Abelard (1079-1142) as their focus and guide. This master philosopher and logician had a brilliant and controversial life (his love affair with the famous Heloise, for starters). Students will be able to select their own area of interest and follow whatever trajectory their research takes them: philosophy and logic; gender relations (medieval romance); Medieval theology; Abelard’s disagreements and battles with Bernard of Clairvaux; the establishment and spread of the Cistercian Order; the 2nd and
• ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY Rachel Burnett ’20, Susan Robinson & Alyson Solomon
One-in-four Americans each year are diagnosed with a mental health disorder. It’s about time we paid more attention. In this class, we will look at common psychological disorders and analyze how abnormal psychology has played a role in our culture and society. Homework will include supplementary readings and videos. This course will be conducted as an opendiscussion forum, where we can all come to a better sense of understanding about mental health issues. It will cover some sensitive material.
• A CRASH COURSE IN ANCIENT GREEK Kasey Henderson
Have you always wanted to read Ancient Greek? In this class, you will learn the alphabet, how to read simple stories, and how to write basic sentences—all in nine days! The focus of this course will be on navigating texts: you will learn about the grammatical system and you will be introduced to universally available reference tools that you can use after the class is over to continue your Ancient Greek investigations. We will explore sentences or short selections from famous Ancients, including Plato and Homer.
GFS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 9 -DAY COU RSES : 1. 5 H OURS
This course is introductory language learning in written and spoken Japanese with cultural and sub-cultural experiences. You will learn how to write your name, words, and phrases in three Japanese writing systems (Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji). Spoken language will include self introduction, greetings, counting, weather, tongue twisters, and expressions in the classroom. You will also enjoy a variety of experiences: Japanese and world history of Buddhism and meditation, concept, and practice; singing Japanese songs; Japanese literature, such as Haruki Murakami and Shusaku Endo; food, such as Takikomi-Gohan (cooked rice and vegetables with soy sauce); calligraphy; Manga; animation and other films; and Origami. Additional topics may include historic and current architecture, Ikebana (flower arrangement), Ayatori (a string game), Karuta (a Japanese traditional card game, such as Hyakunin Isshu—a hundred Japanese Tanka-Poems card game), and learning the train system in Tokyo. Students who have taken this course before may sign up again.
3rd crusades; the founding of the Knights Templar; 12th century Normandy, France, and Norman England; the French monarchy; Gothic architecture; and much more. All research will be conducted during class time and under the guidance of the instructor. The final days of the course will be set aside for students to present their research to one another.
4
• AFRICAN DANCE & DRUMMING Sean Hennessy, Jake Miller & Saleana Pettiway
Umfundalai is a contemporary African dance technique that comprises its movement vocabulary from dance traditions throughout the Diaspora. The literal word, Umfundalai, means “essential” in Kiswahili. Come have fun, dance, and drum with dance educator Saleana Pettiway, World Percussionist Shawn Hennessey, and Theatre Department Head Jake Miller. No experience required.
• AMERICAN PRESIDENCY: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
G FS J -T ER M 20 20 | 9-DAY COU RSES : 1.5 HOU RS
Adam Hotek & Andrew Lee
5
What would George Washington be like on a blind date? Which president was most likely gay? How was James Madison like Barack Obama? These are some of the questions we’ll address in this whirlwind exploration of the history of the American presidency through podcasts, articles, videos, and discussions. We will also explore Donald Trump in the presidential context and hold a mock debate where we assume the roles of the major 2020 US presidential candidates.
• ANNO
Michael Koehler This class will focus on creating layouts to meet Anno production deadlines. It is designed for Anno staff, but open to all students interested in getting involved in yearbook. It is also an opportunity for editors to support seniors with their page design, including taking photographs, brainstorming layouts, and selecting fonts.
• THE ANTHROPOCENE AND MASS EXTINCTION Geo Decas O’Donnell
In a safe and supportive setting, we will come together to explore an alarming subject: What is the Anthropocene and how does it threaten biodiversity? Together we’ll learn about the different mass extinctions that have occurred on this planet as we read Elizabeth Kolbert’s The Sixth Extinction. We’ll then
explore ways people are fighting to prevent it and how we can join the cause. What can be done? How can we shift focus from the massive, monolithic problem to smaller, more tackle-able ones? We’ll also dig into how we can live a more intentional life with less. What are zero-waste movements? Is that even truly possible? Let’s examine our lives and begin grappling with how to live with what we need—and leave less of a mess in our wake.
• THE ART AND POLITICS OF HAIR
Jackie Dawson & Michelle Palmer This course will focus on the politics of hair, particularly as it relates to the historical and socio-cultural implications of multicultural hair textures and design. Through relevant literature, contemporary media, and onsite visits to local salons, students will have the opportunity to engage with rich stories behind hair, as well as learn healthy hair-care practices and styling techniques for a variety of textures. We will visit a salon to practice techniques taught by a versatile professional stylist. At the end of the course, students will present on a topic of interest and construct a multi-modal reflection of their experiences.
• ART AND SOCIAL CHANGE Megan Culp & Robin Friedman
Through reading, discussion, guest lectures, and art making, this course will explore the questions: How does art/culture set the stage for social change? How can we conceive of the artist’s role in social change movements in a more expansive way? What is the role of the imagination in these movements? Students will study the work of artists who have been involved in social change movements and hear from artists and organizers working in Philadelphia who use art to promote social change in our city. The course will culminate with the production of a work of art.
• ART OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Sara Charme-Zane & Caroline Santa In this class, we will explore the environment as both the topic and material(s) for our work. We will look at artists such as Andy
Goldsworthy, Agnes Denes, Richard Long, and the Red Earth Environmental Arts Group. Through making and looking at art, we will question how humans engage with the environment around them, and how we can create art to address issues of stewarding the land and its inhabitants. Projects may include, but are not limited to, fiber arts with yarn made of plastic bags; visiting the Wissahickon and creating site-specific natural pieces; making a public art piece on campus using natural resources; building a fire and creating charcoal to work with; researching an environmental issue and painting a mural, designing a propaganda poster, carving a print, or making a book.
and compassionate figures in American letters. Our focus will be Wallace’s incredibly innovative, witty, and observant non-fiction essays. We will read the collection, A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, exploring Wallace’s musings on a wide range of cultural topics: tennis, luxury cruises, the films of David Lynch, a visit to the Illinois State Fair, and other phenomena of American culture and society. As part of our work in this class, students will engage in their own experiments in literary journalism and cultural commentary. This is a great course for students who want to hone their skills as reporters and writers of creative nonfiction, satire, and humor.
• ASIAN AMERICAN RACIAL IDENTITY
• BECOMING A SUPPLE LEOPARD
Being asked, “Where are you from?” Being expected by society to excel academically and have parents who pile significant stress on you. These are some of the experiences and stereotypes that are shared by those who are perceived to be of East Asian, South Asian, or Southeast Asian descent. And yet, being part of the Asian American community is a hugely complex and evolving reality. Asia is comprised of 4 billion people and has the greatest degree of cultural and linguistic diversity on earth. Therefore, Asian Americans should not be pigeonholed as a “model minority” or “yellow peril.” In this course, which is open to all, we will examine research, read articles, watch videos, and engage in intergroup dialogue to peel back the layers of such questions as, “What does it mean to be Asian American?” and “What does it mean to be Asian living in America?”
• A SUPPOSEDLY FUN THING I’LL NEVER DO AGAIN: ESSAYS BY DFW Joe McGeary
This class offers an introduction to the work of David Foster Wallace, whose novel Infinite Jest, published in 1996, established him as one of the most innovative, hilarious,
In this course, students will learn methods, based on the text by Kelly Starrett, to better take care of their bodies, with a focus on flexibility, mobility, and stability. Through PowerPoint presentations, video lectures from the author, and practical experience, they will learn the importance of and reasoning behind becoming supple. Each class, students will be taught a new series of mobility stretches and improve their suppleness in hopes of decreasing their chances of injury. As the class comes to an end, each student will assess their own weaknesses and develop a prescription of exercises and stretches that will help them in the future.
• BIOLOGY OF THE SENSES Bob Lynam
This course will investigate how sensory input is received from the environment and how this information is processed and organized by the brain, and will involve both classroom lectures and lab activities in support of these concepts. Videos related to class discussions will also be assigned. There will be one out-of-class assignment.
GFS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 9 -DAY COU RSES : 1. 5 H OURS
Andrew Lee
Eric Aurelien, Matt Sheehan & Morgan Wambold
6
• BOARD GAME THEORY
Nick Cebula ’20, Tommy Victor ’20 & John Ceccatti In this course, we will examine modern board games and explore game theory as well as the emergent strategies. We will begin with wellknown games, such as Catan and Dominion, and will move on to more complex games according to the class’s interests. Students will be expected to play with integrity and thoughtfulness and engage in discussions about their game experiences. We will debrief after each game, and students may vote on the “fun” quotient of the game as well as comment on effective strategy.
• CHANGING LIVES ONE SONG AT A TIME G FS J -T ER M 20 20 | 9-DAY COU RSES : 1.5 HOU RS
Steve Fisher & Frank Van Atta
7
This is the philosophy behind the innovative, award-winning outreach program that brings music to underserved schools in Philadelphia. The program, Find Your Instrument!, aims to end “artless-ness” in Philadelphia public schools by bringing music where no music programs exist. In this course, GFS students will partner with Find Your Instrument! to teach music in four local Germantown elementary schools. Time will be spent in the classroom, exploring topics such as music educational theory and music as an agent of social change, and making lesson plans. We will also discuss how to build inclusive, meaningful, collaborative partnerships in our community. The majority of the course will take place in the elementary schools, rooted in real experiential learning. Students who complete this class will have the chance to continue musical tutoring throughout the rest of their time at GFS. While it is beneficial for students to have some experience with music and singing, formal musical training is not required.
• CHERNOBYL
Gen Nelson & Tracey Spinka In this course, we will explore some of the scientific aspects of the Chernobyl disaster, including learning about nuclear chemistry and the physics of nuclear fission, the
biological effects of radiation exposure, how radiation exposure is measured, and a bit about the design and function of nuclear power plants. As a class we will watch the HBO miniseries, pausing to delve into these topics as they emerge. We will also examine the current state of the nuclear power industry around the world and grapple with the pros and cons. Students will choose related topics of interest to investigate and share with the class.
• CLASSICAL GUIDE FOR MODERN RANTS Jim Barron
Students will study Aristotle’s Rhetoric, as well as explore Classical rhetorical modes and practices, along with the various devices used in the construction of orations (speeches). They will find and read through various examples of Classical rhetoric in the works of Thucydides, Cicero, and Plutarch. The aim of all of this work will be for students to pick a topic/concern that they may have about our present times and to write a speech, based on this exposure to Classical rhetoric, to address an imaginary group of people representing the target audience for that topic/concern. Choosing the target group will be done at the start of the course. All the research and writing will be done during class time, and the last several classes will be devoted to hearing one another’s orations.
• CRYPTOGRAPHY
Amy Fligor & Elena Quant Ru blf xzm wvxlwv gsrh nvhhztv, gsrh xlfihv ru uli blf! In this course, we will explore some basic forms of cryptography. We’ll start with simple ciphers and decoders. We’ll post secret messages to each other in public that only we can understand. The second half will be dedicated to a short introduction to number theory and digging into RSA encryption. (That’s the encryption your computer uses.) Eventually, we’ll be able to send more complicated messages that are close to impossible to break. Throughout the course, we’ll uncover clues to a master puzzle that hopefully we’ll be able to solve by the end of
the nine days! Note: Students who have taken this course before may not take it again.
• THE DEVANAGARI ALPHABET Kasey Henderson
• DRAWING AND WRITING Ana Branas ’20 & Anne Gerbner
In this hands-on workshop that combines visual arts and literature, students will have a chance to investigate both writers and artists. Classes will be filled with writing prompts and art projects, including a sketchbook for each student to fill with words and images. We will illuminate poetry, create pop-up art and cut-outs, illustrate letters, write vividly about color, and experiment with minimalism and line art. Our art/writing projects will be inspired by Edward Hopper, Kara Walker, Victor Hugo, Gertrude Stein, Henri Matisse, A.S. Byatt, Titus Kaphar, William Blake, Patti Smith, and Raymond Carver.
• EPISTOLARY COMMUNICATION Alex Guevarez & Sam Sullivan
At a time when we are in constant (if surfacelevel) communication, the physical letter has perhaps acquired leverage as a way of gaining the attention of another person. It may even be that writing a letter, which is itself a kind of affidavit testifying to a reflective or romantic or impish state of mind, is a political act. To write a letter is to wrest
• ERASE YOUR SOCIAL... OR NAH Vanessa Mirage ’20, Lola Osborne ’20 & Meg Cohen Ragas
This course will focus on different aspects of social media, both positive and negative. We will examine various popular apps and consider how they impact our relationships, self-esteem, and purchasing habits through subtle marketing techniques. Through projects and discussions, such as watching movie clips, examining the algorithms used by influencers to keep us engaged and addicted, creating our own social media pages, and going out into the surrounding community to take photos, we will explore etiquette and ethics, and how to strike the right balance in our posts and accounts. Course topics will be shaped by the interests of the students, and we will highlight a different app, concept, or theme each class.
• EXPLORING SELF-IDENTITY THROUGH ART Flora Kerner ’20, Gabby Schwartz ’20 & Megan Culp
We live in a time when identity can be easily manipulated due to the overexposure of outside influence. This course will provide an opportunity for students to find their own voices as artists. We will create different projects in each class, introducing various art forms, such as painting, drawing, collage, photography, and more. Our hope is that by the end of the course, students will have a better idea of who they are artistically and how to present themselves uniquely.
GFS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 9 -DAY COU RSES : 1. 5 H OURS
For linguists, artists, and lovers of sounds! The Devanagari alphabet has 33 consonant sounds, 14 vowels, and characters that morph when combined. It is the script for Hindi, spoken as a first language by more than 320 million people, and the classical language Sanskrit. In this course, we will use Sanskrit as our language of learning. Sanskrit is one of the oldest Indo-European languages, going back 3,500 years; it was the lingua franca of medieval India, and it is still the primary language of Indian religious and philosophical texts. You will get an introduction to the alphabet, writing system, and pronunciation. You will read simple sentences and create a personal illuminated manuscript with what you have learned.
back the power of our ideas, desires, and gratitudes from the corporate forces that have assumed the responsibility of transmitting them. By putting them back in their original envelopes, we allow our communications access to the kinds of expression that cannot flow from principles of profit, efficiency, or correctness. Our class will examine several famous correspondences—artists, political thinkers, etc., and we will use what we learn to craft daily correspondences of our own. Do you need a love letter that will deliver results? Join us.
8
• EXPRESS YOURSELF: STUDENT-COORDINATED WRITING WORKSHOP
• FILM SCORING WITH GARAGEBAND
In this collaborative class, students will work together to assess and produce creative writing. Under the guidance of the instructors, they will determine what kind of writing workshops they will utilize in this context, and will cycle through various styles of writing, such as rhyming poetry, unrhymed poetry, and short stories. The class will be sponsored by Polyphony, and participants will be encouraged to submit some of the work produced to the literary magazine. Students will work to foster an inclusive, creative, and fun atmosphere as we read and write.
This course will focus on how music uniquely contributes meaning to audiovisual media, and students will learn how to create their own soundtracks to convey a particular emotion. We will watch several short scenes from films in each class, many of which will be gathered from student suggestions, and the class will discuss the emotional effect that the music soundtrack adds by identifying specific musical features that support the scene. Students will learn about the process of professional film scoring, and everyone will complete a few brief soundtrack projects of their own during the month, using the music software GarageBand to accompany selected visual scenes available under the Creative Commons license. No experience is necessary; students will gain confidence working with GarageBand. More experienced students may use other music software if they choose (such as Sibelius, Logic, Ableton, FL Studio, Studio One, Hook Pad, Digital Performer, etc.). Class activities will include audiovisual analysis, close listening, group discussion, music creation, and sharing student work.
Alex Guevarez & Adam Hotek
G FS J -T ER M 20 20 | 9-DAY COU RSES : 1.5 HOU RS
• FESTIVALS OF THE WORLD
9
Yi Li & Penka Slavova
In this course, students will explore why and how people celebrate festivals around the world, and how people keep cultures alive through festivals. Students will have the opportunity to present to the class those festivals that are important to them or interest them the most through decorative crafts, songs, dances, foods, etc.
• FILM FESTIVAL WORKSHOP
Kate Garrity, Sarah Kappel & JT Waldman The third annual student-run Philadelphia Youth Film Festival (PHYFF) will be hosted at GFS on Feb. 22, 2020. The festival is organized by current seniors, Steven Pu and Tommy Victor, as well as a dedicated team of student Film Festival Club leaders; this course will serve as a hands-on, collaborative workshop in which students, staff, and faculty advisors can work together to plan and execute the tasks needed to make PHYFF a success. Major activities will include promotion/publicity of the event; event coordination for February; and film awards and official selections (verifying submissions that have been selected by professional judges and preparing them for the festival). Existing members of the Film Festival Club are encouraged to enroll in this workshop; other students may also sign up.
Chris Coyle, Shawn Hennessey & Andrew Westerhaus
• FINDING CLEO: A FIRST NATION’S TRAGEDY Isabel Mehta ’20 & Lisa Burns
Fifty-year-old documents uncovered by the CBC podcast Finding Cleo detail a tense struggle between the bureaucrats behind a Saskatchewan adoption program and Indigenous groups that called it an act of “cultural genocide.” Cleo was taken by child welfare workers in the 1970s and adopted in the U.S. The young Cree girl’s family believes she was murdered while hitchhiking back home to Saskatchewan. This class will listen to, write about, and discuss nine podcast episodes on the search to find out what really happened to Cleo.
• FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD Dana Weeks
Make the kitchen your personal laboratory in this nine-day chemistry of cooking class. We will explore the scientific concepts underlying the transformation of major macromolecules (fats, carbohydrates, and proteins) into foods that you know and love. Mayonnaise, mousse, and mashed potatoes; pickles, pie, and ceviche—an odd menu sampling, you may think, but all that you will need to perform the culminating technical and signature challenges (à la Great British Baking Show). All equipment and materials will be provided; food projects subject to change. A love of food is required.
• GEOPOLITICS John Ceccatti
• GFS FINE CRAFTERS ASSOCIATION Amy Fligor
Join the GFS Fine Crafters Association to learn new and intricate crafting skills! We will start by making detailed, beaded jewelry. Students will learn the brick and peyote stitches and then design and create their own bracelet or earrings. Next, we will delve into cross-stitch, learning the basic stitch, and then create our own patterns before stitching colorful wall art. If time allows, we will finish
• GFS GOSPEL CHOIR Frank Van Atta
Students, faculty, and staff are invited to participate in the community-wide GFS Gospel Choir. This course will include an exploration of the history of the genre and its social impact. Students will learn and perform gospel music in an authentic style, and we will partner with community conductors and ensembles to understand the impact of Gospel music in our community. No prior singing experience is necessary and all are invited to participate.
• HAMILTON: BIOGRAPHY AND BROADWAY Lisa Burns
Students in this class will spend exciting hours reading, watching videos, and learning about our Founding Fathers as we focus on Ron Chernow’s biography, Alexander Hamilton, along with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s brilliant score, lyrics, and libretto for the Broadway musical Hamilton. Our study will include his fascinating footnotes as well as referenced passages from the primary source, Chernow’s book. One Saturday, the class will have the opportunity to meet up at the special “Hamilton” exhibit at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.
• (THIS CLASS IS) THE ICING ON THE CAKE Neeta McCulloch
In this hands-on course, students will learn piping techniques to use on cakes and cupcakes. We’ll start with beginning skills, such as dots, lines, swoops, rosettes, and ruffles, then move on to more advanced techniques like flowers and succulents. Depending on interest and progress, we might even tackle spatula painting and embroidery! Each class will begin with a short instructional video before we pick up
GFS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 9 -DAY COU RSES : 1. 5 H OURS
Geography can sometimes be destiny in the realm of international relations. Mountains, deserts, rivers, and oceans will often determine how countries interact with each other in both positive and negative ways. Other factors, such as natural resources, can also have a decisive influence on the outcome of wars and the making of peace. In this course, we will explore international relations in several areas of the globe, focusing on the period from World War II through the present. We will read and discuss portions of Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World by Tim Marshall. Students will conduct research about a specific topic and present their findings to the class.
the course by making crocheted stuffed animals. No previous experience required, just a love of crafting and a creative spirit. Come learn some new skills!
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our piping bags and try out what we’ve seen. We’ll spend most of our time practicing on parchment paper, bowls, and cupcakes, but the class will culminate with students learning to fill and frost a six-inch cake and using their new piping skills to decorate it.
• IMPROV TO SCRIPT
G FS J -T ER M 20 20 | 9-DAY COU RSES : 1.5 HOU RS
Brenden Dahl ’20 & Theatre Faculty
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Have you ever wondered how Saturday Night Live writers get their ideas? Has anyone ever laughed at/with you? Are you interested in theatre, but hate memorizing lines? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, this may be the class for you. During the first half of the course, students will work on building their improvisational skills. During the second half, they will synthesize their favorite improvisational content into several sketches or short plays, written as a group or in teams. The class will culminate with a staged reading of our favorite scenes.
• INTRODUCTION TO METEOROLOGY Mark Croxford
Do you find yourself giddy when a tropical storm first gets named or when the Weather Channel sends forecasters to Philadelphia to do live feeds from our city streets? If so, sign up for this class! Equipped with a few basic principles of the atmosphere, you will be surprised how quickly you’ll understand how to read the clouds and weather maps and appreciate the relevance of wind direction, all while being able to tell the difference between a tornado and a hurricane. Our class will also utilize the vast array of online data and forecasting to gain an understanding of our daily weather. You will even learn how to make a basic forecast. If we’re lucky, we may get to livecast a developing storm during the nine days that this class is offered!
• KNITTING FOR ALL Gen Nelson
Participants in this course will learn a variety of knitting skills, depending on their level of previous knitting experience. If you’ve
never knitted before, you will learn essential skills, including casting on, binding off, knit and purl stitches. If you are a novice or experienced knitter, challenge yourself to take your skills to the next level by learning how to increase and decrease stitches, cable stitch, and/or work in the round.
• KNOTWORK AND BRAIDING Stephen Holt
In this course, we will focus on decorative sailor knots—woven spheres and endless braids referencing the Ashley Book of Knots. We will also explore other knotting techniques, such as macramé, and students are welcome to bring in patterns and develop their own projects.
• LIFE DRAWING
Sara Charme-Zane & Caroline Santa “The nude does not simply represent the body, but relates it, by analogy, to all structures that have become part of our imaginative experience.” –Sir Kenneth Clark Students will learn the fundamentals of figure drawing through intensive work with the clothed and nude model. Analysis of form, structure, movement, proportion, composition, and expression will be pursued through varied approaches and strategies. Students will experience and experiment with a range of media, techniques, and practices. We will also learn about and discuss the complexity (and controversy!) of using a human model, and how the model has been used throughout history to inform our own work. No prior experience necessary.
• LIFT: MUSIC AND MOTIVATION IN THE WEIGHT ROOM Sam McIlvain & April Tvarok
Are you a music lover? Do you enjoy working out? Have you ever thought about how music affects your workout and why? Join us in the weight room to learn about different styles and genres of music and how your body reacts to the music during a workout. We will do circuit training and weight lifting, as
well as some yoga and stretching. Share your workout playlist and find the ultimate and most effective music for your workout!
• MATH TUTORING IN A LOCAL PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• THE LONG POEM
We will travel to a local public elementary school to provide math instruction to individual students or small groups of students. We will work with a classroom teacher to provide students with more individualized help with math skills and concepts. Participants will receive guidance with math techniques and working with children. There is no experience necessary; any level of math expertise is most welcome.
Alex Guevarez & Sam Sullivan
• MEDIA AND PERSUASION: THE POWER OF INFLUENCE Julia Katowitz ’20 & Alex Levin
Have you ever wondered how people get so many Instagram followers? Or how you bought three bags of groceries, when you only wanted a carton of milk? This course will delve into the control of social cues through our interactions. We will focus on how we are affected by subtle societal triggers that force us to act in certain ways. We will analyze advertisements and look at ethics in social experiments—and conduct our own with tactics we have learned. Students should expect active lessons, group activities, and social experiments around campus.
• LUNCH FOR THE HUNGRY
• MOCK TRIAL
This course focuses on food (as nourishment for the mind, body, and soul), food insecurity around Philadelphia, and solutions instituted nationwide to address the food insecurity crisis. We will focus on the creation of food— food presented with dignity—to address the needs of those struggling with food insecurity in and around Germantown. During class, students will take part in making, or putting together, food in the cafeteria, which they will then deliver to different local institutions that have food pantries and offer lunch. These places will include St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Holsey Temple C.M.E. Church, and Face-to-Face.
This course is designed to introduce students to the use of legal reasoning and argument in the context of trial advocacy. It will focus on basic legal concepts and effective litigation techniques, including persuasive oral presentation, playing the role of attorney and witness, thinking on your feet, legal analysis and strategy, and public speaking. Students will write and deliver direct and cross-examinations, opening statements, and closing arguments. They will practice appropriate courtroom demeanor and the introduction of exhibits. The course will involve considerable small group and team work relating to the applicable law and the specific facts of a case created by the PA Bar
John Anagbo & Kathy Paulmier
Rhonda Levy
GFS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 9 -DAY COU RSES : 1. 5 H OURS
In an era of Snapchat, Sweetgreen, and bite-sized snippets, it is taken for granted that poetry is—or should be—short. But this collective attitude ignores, among other things, the poetic heritage of the 20th century that resisted a culture of formal collapse, fragmentation, or anatomization of the self, and the advent of pure commodification. It sought to explore the possibility of an allencompassing, “long” aesthetic that combines the urgency of literary appeal with sustained attention to poems ranging from the epyllion to the verse monologue. In this course, we will closely examine the work of various poems and periods in this form, then ask ourselves a series of questions: How do long poems come together—and hold together? Can long poems maintain a lyric intensity, or do they inevitably give way to looser energies of narrative or extended meditation? To what extent is writing a long poem a political or polemical act? A solipsistic one? Is long poetry even possible today? Be ready to read difficult poets such as Pope, Spenser, and Ashbery.
Lisa Burns, David Mraz & Elena Quant
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Association. Students will determine their strategy and perform all aspects of their case from both the prosecutorial and defense standpoints. They will also design their own mini-lessons and provide feedback to one another. You do not have to be a member of Mock Trial to take this course.
• MULTILINGUALISM IN LATIN AMERICA
G FS J -T ER M 20 20 | 9-DAY COU RSES : 1.5 HOU RS
Stephen Holt
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Many people around the world live in multilingual societies. The dynamics between the languages that are spoken in a community are an essential and vibrant part of that community. In this course, we will break down the flat image of Latin America as a “Spanish-speaking” region to explore the roles other languages play. We will learn about endangered and thriving indigenous languages and take a close look at Paraguay— reading texts and watching movies that switch seamlessly between Spanish and Guaraní. We will learn how languages come together to form creoles, and we will explore identities of the border region between the US and Mexico, where Spanish and English interact in unique ways. If you don’t currently take or know Spanish, please speak with the instructor prior to signing up.
• ORBITAL MECHANICS
Leo Kastenberg ’20 & John Henderson It’s rocket science. In this course, we will learn how rockets get from point A to point B. Using the game Kerbel Space Program (KSP), we will look at some of the physics of orbits and the design of rockets. We also plan to study IRL examples of rockets.
• PLAYING WITH MATH
Kayla Ashcroft & Heather Lisle Mathematics, at its core, is an art that is meant to be played with—in the form of games, puzzles, patterns, shapes, numbers, structures, rules, and ideas. It is through this playfulness and exploration that we can experience doing math as thrilling, elegant, and, at times, mind-blowing. We
don’t often get to truly play with math in school. In this course, we will engage with many different types of math activities, rich, open-ended tasks that everyone can try. Many will involve hands-on and visual activities. Sources of inspiration include Stanford’s youcubed, Making Math Visible, and Inside Mathematics’ Problems-of-the-Month. No prior experience required. Mathematicians of all levels are encouraged to join this course. All that is needed is a curious and open mind.
• POLYPHONY Adam Hotek
Students in this course will review submissions to Polyphony, the GFS literary arts magazine, including prose, poetry, and visual art. They can also use this time to create new pieces for the publication. Students do not need to be official members of Polyphony to take this class. Polyphony members are encouraged to sign up.
• PRESERVED
Sara Charme-Zane & Caroline Santa Ever eaten a pickle or cream cheese and lox on a bagel? How about miso soup or kombucha? Maybe your favorite family recipe is homemade jam or dilly beans! In this course, we will explore different cultural and family traditions through looking at foods, specifically preserved foods. In addition to making and eating different recipes (and going on a field trip or two to get some grub around the city), we will use different art mediums to investigate these foods and the stories and heritages connected to them. Whether you are interested in making an illustrated cookbook, designing a food mural, or carving food prints to start a wordless graphic novel with recipes, there will be endless and delicious possibilities for artmaking in this class!
• PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN DISEASE Alyson Solomon
A disease is a condition that impairs the normal structure and function of the body.
Medical professionals are trained to identify and treat disease. In this class, students will focus on three broad classes of disease: infectious, genetic, and neoplastic. They will learn what causes these diseases, how to recognize the clinical signs and symptoms of these diseases, and the basics of treating them. Students will complete three projects: a trifold pamphlet about infectious disease, a slide presentation about neoplastic disease, and an infographic about genetic disease.
• THE PROBABILITY OF GAME SHOWS, BOARD GAMES, AND LIFE Dan DiPasquale
• QUEER HISTORY: A PRIMER
• READING BUDDIES AT JOHN B. KELLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Page Fahrig-Pense & Kathy Paulmier
Literacy is the #1 priority for the John B. Kelly Elementary School in Germantown. In this course, GFS students will participate in a “reading buddies” program with first and second graders. They will learn about the reading process as well as techniques for teaching reading and supporting their buddies. Reading out loud to students, listening to them read, and teaching basic decoding skills will be the main activities of this class. GFS students will also experience some of the difficulties facing Philadelphia public schools today, and will witness the creative work being done by teachers and students within this context. A few short readings and videos on tutoring and the School District of Philadelphia will be assigned. Students may be asked to keep brief notes on how their buddies are doing to pass on to the Kelly teachers at the end of the program. This class is part of an ongoing partnership between GFS and Kelly.
• THE REAL RUSSIA
Geo Decas O’Donnell
Charlotte Perine ’20, Lucas Schlesinger ’20 & Andrew Westerhaus
In this survey of queer figures in history from ancient times to present day, we will learn about notables who we now believe were somewhere on the LGBTQIA spectrum, as well as those who lived openly. We’ll also explore how historians have attempted to erase these identities. We will investigate how different cultures have viewed LGBTQIA people throughout history and the evolution to our current LGBTQIA world and terminology. Our primary text will be A Queer History of the United States. Students
Do you wish you knew more about Russia’s government than what its president looks like shirtless? Do you want to learn epic Russian songs like “Oh, Frost, Frost”? Taught by two Russian language experts-in-training, one of whom has lived there and can give you exclusive inside information (yes, they have good memes!), this course will give you a window into Russian politics, education, traditions, pop culture, and so much more, all through the lens of language. The final project will be a presentation.
GFS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 9 -DAY COU RSES : 1. 5 H OURS
Have you ever wondered when a player should quit when watching Deal or No Deal? Why is a full house better than a flush? Do some winners seem way luckier than others? How do we know when a game is unfair, and what does it even mean to say that? These are just a few of the questions we hope to answer in this mathematics course. After a three-day immersion in the mechanics of probability and advanced counting methods, we will consider the probability of board games and game shows including Deal or No Deal, The Price is Right, Let’s Make a Deal, poker, Yahtzee, and more. Student work will culminate in an in-depth analysis of a game of their choice, or a more nuanced aspect of one of the games we considered as a class. Students should be prepared to discuss these games in mathematical ways with a love of play, winning, and fun.
can expect this class to function like an exploratory workshop, with their teacher as a fellow explorer. After reading, watching documentaries, and conducting research, each member of this collaborative cohort will choose a figure from history to more deeply research, then present their findings during a final class sharing.
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• SAY CHEESE!
Bob Lynam & Gen Nelson This course will involve hands-on experience in fresh cheese-making and discussions about the microbiology of its production and regional differences between cheeses. Students will work in small groups to prepare short presentations about particular countries (or geographic regions) and the characteristic cheeses they produce. Cheese tastings will be involved, and possibly a field trip to a cheesemaking plant.
• SERIOUSLY CHILL YOGA: SOOTHE YOUR NERVES AND REWIRE YOUR BRAIN
G FS J -T ER M 20 20 | 9-DAY COU RSES : 1.5 HOU RS
Sara Primo
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What if you could spend an hour so deep in meditation that when you left you felt like you’d slept for an extra nine hours? In this yoga course, we will be practicing Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra. Yin Yoga involves holding poses for long stretches, with transitions that almost feel like they’re happening in slow-motion; it works on fascia and connective tissue more than muscles themselves. It is meditative and, for some, much more challenging than flow yoga. Yoga Nidra, commonly called “the yoga of sleep,” is a form of restorative yoga in which practitioners lie in Shavasana (a.k.a. “Corpse Pose”) and are guided through various layers of consciousness. Through practice and readings, we will acquire tools for shedding self-doubt and anxiety.
• SLOW DOWN, DIG IN, AND GET YOUR FOCUS ON Faculty & Staff
Looking for some extra time to crack that new book, work on a budding novella, or advance that long-term passion project? This course will provide the space to do all that and more. Students should bring the materials they need to delve into their work, and will receive encouragement, feedback, and an ever-open ear from faculty and staff supervisors. Those who require a specific location for their project (e.g. a music room
or art studio) should indicate this upon enrollment. Students will be responsible for communicating their goals, evaluating their progress, and assessing their results at the conclusion of the course.
• SOCIAL JUSTICE ON STAGE AND SCREEN André Lee, Alex Levin & Jake Miller
What are the tools deployed by playwrights, actors, screenwriters, and directors in the pursuit of equity and social justice? This course will look at recent theatrical and cinematic productions that place social justice at the center. We will delve into works currently being produced by artists (both national and local) who are engaging topics like race, gender, class, sexuality, and immigration. Students will reflect on the various methods of the artists they encounter and the ways cinematic and theatrical storytelling are used as tools for social change. Our study will culminate as students develop their own work: a short piece of dramatic or theatrical writing that addresses issues of social justice and equity.
• SPANISH CONVERSATION Caroline Brock, Jenna Elsworth & Amparo Stetina
Students of all levels will practice vocabulary in the context of real-life conversations. Topics will include current events and cultural issues in contemporary Latin America, as well as lexical and phonetic variations. We will explore life in secondary schools in Latin America, with the potential to practice speaking with teenage students in different countries. Discussion will be partially student-led, and additional topics will emerge organically from students’ individual interests.
• STAND-UP COMEDY FOR BEGINNERS Alex Levin, Carol Rawlings Miller & Hayley Varhol
What makes a stand-up comic funny? How do you begin to write a routine? Can anybody
• STORIES FROM THE NEW YORKER Joe McGeary
Students will read selected short stories from The New Yorker from the 1930s to the present, with an eye to the way these stories reflect cultural changes in the US and innovations in the short story. They will do various creative writing exercises with the goal of producing a completed short story. Included will be such authors as John Cheever, Ann Beattie, Zadie Smith, J.D. Salinger, Yi Yin Li, David Foster Wallace, and many more voices from both the past and present. We will read Wonderful Town: New York Stories from The New Yorker, edited by David Remnick. This is a great course for folks who love creative writing and love to read stories, especially stories about the city.
• TEENS AND TWEENS Kayla Ashcroft
Students in this class will take a close look at one of the most confusing, exciting, and critical phases of development: the preteen and teenage years. They will explore teendom from the inception of the word up to present day through articles, television, film, social
media, and advertisements, and will reflect and engage in discussion around this stage of life and its many ups and downs. The class will emphasize details of the teenage brain, portrayal of teens in fictional TV and other media sources, teenage stress, peer pressure and risk-taking behaviors, demands of family and relationships, and how teens navigate all of this to mature into productive adults.
• THEATRE AND MUSICAL THEATRE: GAMES AND PERFORMANCE
Sophie Borgenicht ’20, Ava Lazin ’20 & April Tvarok Have you ever been in, seen, or even just heard of a musical or play? Well, then, this course is perfect for you! We will highlight how much fun theatre can be for everyone through a mix of cool games (improv, movement) and a series of performances (scenes from plays, monologues, songs from musicals). Students will have the chance to critique theatre, watch theatre, play games about theatre, and perform theatre in this extremely interactive course. Sign up for a fun and theatrical time!
• TRUE CRIME: PODCASTS NOIR Anne Gerbner & Meg Cohen Ragas
Since the debut of the podcast Serial in 2014, which examined the 1999 murder of a high school girl in Baltimore (and spurred the reopening of the investigation), the true crime podcast genre has exploded. Formats range from narrating specific cases to solving cold cases to how to plan the perfect murder. In this course, we will listen to an episode of a different podcast during each class, followed by a group discussion touching on various themes, including storytelling techniques, reliable narrators, and broadcast vs. print advantages and limitations. In addition to Serial, podcasts may include S-Town, Dirty John, My Favorite Murder, Bear Brook, Crimetown, and Hollywood & Crime. Students may also have the opportunity to “take over” a class or two and present their own true-crime favorites.
GFS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 9 -DAY COU RSES : 1. 5 H OURS
be a stand-up comedian, or do you need to know a secret handshake? Does ketchup really count as a serving of vegetables? Why is every course in this catalog described in question form? WAITER, WHAT IS THIS FLY DOING IN MY SOUP? In this course, students will work on developing short comedy routines, at least five-minutes long (called a “tight five”), that incorporate some of the principles of comedy. Resources will include excerpts from Steve Martin’s “Masterclass” on stand-up comedy, vintage opening monologues from Saturday Night Live, Martin’s autobiography Born Standing Up, and Tina Fey’s Bossy Pants, as well as articles on joke-writing. No experience necessary—this is an opportunity for any student to experiment with their comedic voice, workshop some jokes, and develop a seamless set with help from their peers. Come laugh as we hone our craft together!
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• UNITED NATIONS/MODEL UN
G FS J -T ER M 20 20 | 9-DAY COU RSES : 1.5 HOU RS
Nick Cebula ’20, Lex Meisel ’20, John Ceccatti & Kate Hanssen
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Are you interested in learning more about the United Nations? Have you ever wondered what Model UN is and how it works? In this course, we will learn about all things UN and Model UN: the history of the United Nations and its activities, how to research and write a Model UN position paper, the proper procedures for debates, how to work collaboratively to prepare a resolution, how to dress for success, and how to win the coveted “Best Delegate” award. The course will culminate with a mini-MUN conference, for which students will select topics and prepare background guides. Model UN students who are attending ILMUNC, the UPenn Model UN conference, will also work on their position papers for that conference. Non-Model UN members may also take this course.
9-DAY COURSES HALF-DAY CLASSES 3 HOURS • ANIMATION DOMINATION
• ENGINEERING DESIGN
This is a crash course in everything animation. You will learn traditional techniques, such as hand-drawn, claymation, paper puppets, and stop-motion, as well as experimental methods, and use industry quality software and equipment to create a series of short films individually or in groups. Students will also learn the basics of video editing and Foley sound design, as well as how to submit films to international festivals. Join us!
In this class, students will learn by doing. They will be presented with various design challenges, and for each challenge, they will be given some background for context as well as parameters, including design specs (maximum or minimum dimensions, weight restrictions, etc.), what materials are permitted, and how the product of their challenge will be tested and evaluated. Students will work in small groups to design and build their projects. We will gather as a class to test each project while indulging in some spirited but good-natured competition. We will also do a “post mortem” on the projects to see what lessons we can learn about the strengths and weaknesses of the various designs. Each student will produce a portfolio that presents each of the projects they build during the course.
Klementina Budnik
Sophie Hicks ’22, John Henderson & Sarah Zwerling
Calling all artists, inventors, experimental architects, and makerspace enthusiasts! In this course, we will delve into 3D modeling and printing. Beginning with a basic idea, students will follow the design and engineering process for a three-dimensional representation of an object. We will introduce a theme biological in nature, such as disease structures, for the class to model and fabricate. Students will have access to different media with which to create their models and final products, including paper, clay, wood, metal, and 3D-printed plastics.
• EMBRACING THE CITY THROUGH FITNESS
Joe McGeary, Randy Mower, Tom Myran & Ted Oxholm Students will participate in various fitness experiences that the City of Philadelphia has to offer. Off-campus trips may include ice skating, rock climbing, bowling, skiing, hiking through the Wissahickon, yoga, a spinning class, and a self-defense class. This is a physically challenging course.
• ENTREPRENEUR THE CITY Frank Van Atta
In this course, students will explore local start-ups, businesses, and organizations, particularly those that are owned by or serve people of color, the LGBTQIA community, or other underrepresented groups. Students will study how a business runs, as well as how business owners balance the need for fiscal responsibility with a mission of social justice. The culminating project will be for students to create a business plan for an organization or a start-up of their own, including a budget.
• THE LIFE AND WORKS OF SPIKE LEE Jackie Dawson & Aaron Preetam
This course will focus on the film repertoire of the famous director, Spike Lee, whose iconic movies have inspired critical conversations about race, gender, and class in American
GFS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 9-DAY COURS ES : 3 HO URS
• DESIGN, MODELING, AND CONSTRUCTION WITH 3D PRINTERS
Bob Lynam & Tracey Spinka
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society. By learning about Lee’s rise to success, as well as viewing a number of his most popular films, students will develop an understanding of and appreciation for Lee’s work thematically, socioculturally, historically, and cinematically. Students should expect to watch and discuss films thoughtfully in class, noting both the structure of the film as well as the key issues each piece explores. Students will conclude the course by producing a creative, multimodal reflection of their favorite Spike Lee Joint that more deeply explores a critical social issue within American society.
Bill O’Neill
This course is an exploration of young children’s literature (picture books) through various authors. Students will reacquaint themselves with beloved picture books and children’s authors from their childhood as well as explore titles/authors that are new to them. Authors and illustrators have their own styles, content, and messages. Exploring artists’ works allows us to notice the growth and development of their voices over time. There will be a variety of ways for students to participate fully. The goal is to develop a greater appreciation and love for the genre with individual authors in mind. A piece of this course will involve visiting Lower School classrooms and reading with our younger community members.
• PICTURES AND WORDS AND THEMES … OH MY!
• REMEMBRANCE: A STUDY OF THE HOLOCAUST
This course is an exploration of young children’s literature (picture books) through themes. Students will reacquaint themselves with beloved picture books from their childhood as well as explore titles that are new to them. Picture books are full of lessons to be learned, both blatant and nuanced; this is the focus of our exploration. There will be a variety of ways for students to participate fully. The goal is to develop a greater appreciation and love for the genre
The Holocaust was the systematic persecution and murder of six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime and its collaborators during World War II. The term “genocide” was introduced into international law after the Nuremberg Trials (1945-46) exposed these war crimes. In this class, students will explore the history of Nazi-occupied Europe between 1933-45. Through readings and discussions, they will learn about Nazi racial ideology and
Devra Ramsey & Behnaz Varamini
G FS J -T E R M 2 020 | 9 -DAY COU RSES : 3 HOU RS
• PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMED CONFLICTS When the Berlin Wall fell 30 years ago, a new era of peace and international cooperation was supposed to begin. Yet, the scale and scope of conflicts continue today with huge flows of refugees and systematic violations of human rights. This class will analyze how armed conflicts affect human rights. We will review international treaties on human rights, refugees, and armed conflict and then assess the United Nations’ performance in upholding these laws with a focus on UN peacekeeping operations. Participants will be “put in the shoes” of UN international human rights monitors and, using scenarios based on real-life examples, apply what they have learned about the relevant international treaties and UN peace operations. These scenarios may include: how to interview a victim of a human rights violation, visit a prison, write a human rights report, conduct a meeting with a hostile government official, and design a human rights-based development project. Participants, working in small groups, will also research and prepare brief oral presentations analyzing the human rights issues in a current armed conflict (e.g. Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Myanmar).
• PICTURES AND WORDS AND AUTHORS … OH MY!
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with themes in mind. A piece of this course will involve visiting Lower School classrooms and reading with our younger community members.
Devra Ramsey & Behnaz Varamini
Aaron Preetam & Alyson Solomon
antisemitism, the Nuremberg Laws, ghettos and deportation, resistance movements, concentration camps and death camps, the Wannsee Conference, the Nuremberg Trials, and Holocaust memorials. Students will have class time to read Elie Wiesel’s Night, and will watch the following films: Triumph of the Will, Night and Fog, Escape from Sobibor, and The Pianist. In addition, they will have an opportunity to meet and interview local Holocaust survivors. Students enrolled in this class will be expected to participate in class activities, complete assigned readings, journal, and make presentations.
• SOUND MACHINE: EXPERIMENTAL CONSTRUCTION Matt Shapiro, Andrew Westerhaus & Sarah Zwerling
John Ceccatti, Eli Scearce & Sarah Zwerling
Working with wood to carve spoons and turn bowls is a rewarding personal endeavor. Using these spoons and bowls to eat a meal prepared with others can enrich these activities in deep and meaningful ways. In this hands-on course, students will learn how to carve spoons and other utensils by hand and turn bowls on a lathe. They will also learn about food insecurity in Germantown and the nation through readings, discussions, field trips, and volunteer service at local food pantries and soup kitchens.
• THEATRE LAB: AURAL COLLAGES/SURREALIST PLAYS Geo Decas O’Donnell
Writers, musicians, sound designers, tech-theatre enthusiasts, and performers will gather to make a surrealist piece of performance art. First, we’ll explore the art of collage—varying materials and images, the tension of disparate elements sandwiched next to each other—creating a story in their juxtaposition. Focus will then shift to playwrights/makers whose work is lyrical and poetic (including Sarah Kane, Richard Foreman, Ntozake Shange, and Samuel Beckett). Through devising exercises and writing prompts, students will begin to generate material inspired by artists we’ve studied and from the world around. Then, as an ensemble, we will collage the work together, layering and splicing text using microphones, looping pedals, and the sound design computer program, QLab. We’ll also devise how to perform the piece, creating the necessary movement and music. The class will culminate in a work-in-progress showing. All this course requires is an open mind and heart; no prior theatrical/writing experience necessary.
• WATCH THIS STORY
Adam Hotek & Elias Bartholomew What is the connection between style and telling a story in film? In this course, we will examine this question from a variety of
GFS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 9-DAY COURS ES : 3 HO URS
Picture this: a student-built, interactive, massive Rube Goldberg Sound Machine occupying the large space of the art loft in M-316, somewhere on the spectrum from a water glass xylophone to Kagel’s Zwei-Mann-Orchester. Students in this class will invent individual kinetic gadgets that produce sounds and musical moments. Our collaborative design and construction of a Sound Machine will develop from simple to complex, small to large scale, and will involve both individual and group efforts. Sounds from our apparatus will range from atmospheric noise to actual musical tones. The machine’s movement will rely on natural elements, such as gravity, wind, human involvement, liquid, and air. Construction will utilize found materials, including broken instruments, scrap metal, wood, wire, string, hardware, tape, pipes, elastic, bamboo, hobby motors, and magnets. We encourage students to bring a sense of curiosity, creativity, and humor to their work. In our search for harmony among structures, shapes, and noises, our class will explore what sound is and how music and art are related. No studio experience is necessary, but some research and design development outside the studio is required.
• SPOONS, BOWLS AND SOUP
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G FS J -T E R M 2 020  |   9 -DAY COU RSES : 3 HOU RS
angles. Students will explore how films deploy music, sound, dialogue, and a wide range of visual cues to create unique atmospheres and distinct aesthetic profiles. We will primarily focus on the work of Wes Anderson, Terrence Malick, and Jordan Peele, but we will look at clips from other filmmakers as well (Charlie Chaplin, Spike Lee, Miranda July, Julie Dash, Akira Kurosawa, and Alfred Hitchcock, among others). In addition to watching and discussing films, students will create blueprints and mini-screenplays for their own films. In this endeavor, they will explore how to combine stylistic innovation and storytelling in provocative ways.
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9-DAY COURSES FULL-DAY CLASSES 6 HOURS • PHILADELPHIA BANQUET Robin Friedman & Sam Sullivan
• SURVEYING AND DOCUMENTING WATERWAYS FROM GFS TO THE ATLANTIC Mark Croxford & Michael Koehler
There is such an amazing array of aquatic ecosystems within a short drive of GFS. In fact, sometimes we are only a half-mile away from a tantalizing view and a species we’ve never seen just because we’ve been stuck driving on the main road. In this class, you will have the opportunity to wander, explore, sit, watch, and then document. We will visit several aquatic ecosystems, including many of the following: the Wissahickon Creek; the Delaware River beyond Philadelphia; tidal marshes in Gloucester County, NJ; the lakes and rivers of the Pine Barrens; Absecon Bay, NJ; Corson Sound near Strathmere, NJ; and
G FS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 9- DAY COU RS ES : FUL L DAY (6 HOU RS)
In this daylong, nine-day exploration, we will venture out into the City of Philadelphia and explore its hidden corners, nooks, and crannies. We will meet with activists, politicians, musicians, theatre-artists, changemakers, refugees and immigrants, scientists and professors, public workers, and chefs to try to more fully understand this place we call home, what makes it tick, its contradictions as well as its majesty. You might find yourself in a salsa class at Taller Puertorriqueño or exploring the Philadelphia Water Department; perhaps we will take a winter hike through Bartram’s Garden and meet with South East Asian immigrant textile workers. We will travel by bus, train, foot, bicycle, and perhaps horse. We will see art, make art, and eat delicious food along the way. Come join us! The class will culminate with a publication or website so we can publicly share what we do, where we go, and what we learn!
the intertidal zone of the Atlantic Ocean. The class will emphasize classification of flora and fauna in each location and attempt to identify overlapping species along with those that distinguish one ecosystem from another. A particular emphasis of the course will be the creative and effective documentation of each species with photography, drawing, and maybe even other media. Students will complete the class by creating guide materials for each aquatic ecosystem we visit. The form these materials take will be limited by what we find and what we imagine. This course includes several overnight stays.
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18-DAY COURSES QUARTER-DAY CLASSES 1.5 HOURS • THE CURRENT SUPREME COURT
G FS J -T ER M 20 20 | 1 8-DAY COU RSES : 1.5 HOU RS
Ted Oxholm & Conrad Haber
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This challenging course will examine cases pending before the U.S. Supreme Court in the current 2019-20 term. We will begin with a look at the Court’s jurisdiction and organization, then students will select four of the cases on the Court’s docket for an in-depth examination. This will involve reading the legal briefs of the parties, the transcripts of oral arguments, and the critical precedential cases. Students will be expected to master the complex law involved in their case largely through their own investigation; the law will not be taught to them. This can be accomplished entirely during the class periods if students use their time efficiently. The culmination will be four mock Supreme Court arguments in which all students will serve both as counsel (in their own case) and justices (in the other cases), who will decide each case and must justify their opinions. All who are prepared to read complex and lengthy texts, enjoy precise logical thinking, and are academic self-starters, are welcome.
• GAMES AND MAGIC
Dan DiPasquale & Matt Zipin This course will introduce students to principles of strategy and chance in games and magic performance. We will learn games—mostly games you have not seen before, such as Nim or Jotto—then break up into teams to play. We will also learn principles of magic, such as misdirection and sleight of hand, and will practice these enough to astonish our friends and family. The course will culminate with teams of students performing a trick or two for Lower Schoolers. Occasional guest speakers will enlighten and amaze.
• GRAPHICS PROGRAMMING USING PROCESSING Nolan Grady ’20, Laura Jamieson & Matt Zipin
Have you heard of Processing, the graphicsoriented programming language? Maybe not, but you can do amazing things with it. And it’s not hard to get started (although to become an expert will take some time, for sure). Students in this class will learn Processing to create some impressive and fun graphics projects. There are dozens of examples you can use, either as the basis of your own project or just to learn about the program. Most students will work in pairs, but this will not be a requirement. No previous programming experience required, although any prior knowledge will be a plus. Come prepared to see—and create—spectacular graphics projects!
• THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND PARENTING TODAY Kate Hanssen & Maryanne Rawlings
Being a parent or childcare provider comes with a seemingly never-ending number of questions on a range of topics. What can we learn from the fascinating process of human growth and development? Using the community and campus as one of our tools, students will explore the philosophies and research surrounding human development from birth through adolescence. We will spend time with infants and their parents, in Early Childhood and Lower School classrooms, and visit local spaces designed for children. Research topics may include brain development, sleep, movement, nutrition, preventive medicine, language development, fostering independence, discipline, musical and artistic development, empathy building, and identity development.
• #METOO, MASCULINITY, AND THE MEDIA Sara Primo
• THE PORTRAIT AND THE SELF Anne Gerbner & JT Waldman
How would you portray yourself? Is your self-portrait a painting of your face in acrylic, your own written memoir, or a trail of your data across the Internet? This course will explore the multifaceted ways that humans understand and communicate the idea of the self. We’ll look at literature, film, the Web, and other media to chart how people recognize themselves and create their self-images. In this interdisciplinary workshop, we will wrestle with the ways we depict ourselves and how others see us. We will write, draw, make stuff—and talk about it.
Matt Shapiro, Alyson Solomon & Tracey Spinka Have you ever wanted to create your own game? Better yet, have you ever wanted to create a board game that could educate the next generation of enthusiastic young scientists? In this course, you can realize both dreams at the same time, as students will investigate a science topic of their choice and develop a game which will teach that topic in an engaging and fun fashion. Students will begin the course by playing and analyzing a variety of games currently on the market. Then they will research a topic of their choice and incorporate this topic into a game of their own design. Finally, students will play each others’ games so they can gain critical feedback in order to make their games as enjoyable and educational as possible.
GFS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 18-DAY COU RSES : 1. 5 H OURS
What is it like to come-of-age in this era of #MeToo, campus rape trials, careers that are ruined by sexual allegations, and careers that aren’t? This course will give you the tools to answer these questions for yourself. With readings such as Know My Name by Chanel Miller, She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story that Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow, For the Love of Men: A New Vision for Mindful Masculinity by Liz Plank, and up-tothe-minute articles and tweets, students will consider journalism and memoir as tools that make meaning and take a stand. Students will define which issues they feel a responsibility to be both informed about and able to discuss as they enter adulthood. The first phase of this course will be research, writing prompts, and discussion; the second phase will consist of a journalism project and the design and implementation of a workshop for students in a younger grade. The content of this course demands maturity; students should be aware that sexual assault will be addressed directly. All genders are encouraged to enroll.
• SCIENCE GAMES FOR SCIENCE GEEKS
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18-DAY COURSES HALF-DAY CLASSES 3 HOURS • DOCUMENTARY FILM HISTORY AND PRODUCTION
G FS J -T ER M 20 20 | 1 8-DAY COU RSES : 3 HOU RS
Sarah Kappel
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Are you passionate about the medium of film? Documentaries have become increasingly popular as a way to tell stories and effect social change. In this class, we will explore the documentary format by reviewing a variety of films from different eras, and we will make our own short films on topics of local interest chosen by students. We will review the history of documentary, how it has changed, and how best to use this medium to describe and reveal a subject. Students participate in the planning, filming, and editing of a 5-to-7-minute film. Topics will be local to Germantown: possibly a business or restaurant, a local hero, an historical event, or an issue of community concern. Students serve as camera operators, directors, writers, sound/light specialists, and editors in this collaborative process.
• THE ENERGY WE USE: PERSONAL TO GLOBAL Heather Lisle & Bob Wein
In this course, students will explore how they, their school, and their community use energy. Each participant will compare their own carbon footprint to the US and global percapita usage utilizing government resources (e.g. cia.gov and eia.gov). We will also look at GFS’ energy use and perform an energy audit. There are two planned field trips to help students learn more about where our energy comes from: one to an exploded refinery, and the other to South Philly to explore the infrastructure around the tank yard and power plants—in order to determine the electrified rail system’s impact in comparison to cars and bike lanes. Each student will complete the class by focusing on a future topic in energy (eg. large-term batteries, wind farms,
solar roofs, regenerative breaking, etc.) and creating a proposal for Philadelphia.
18-DAY COURSE FULL-DAY CLASS 6 HOURS • ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP
Matthew Young with Won Sun Mbengeni & Segun Olagunju
G FS J-TERM 2 0 2 0 | 18- DAY COURS E : FUL L DAY (6 HOU RS )
Working with educators from African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa, this course is designed to immerse young leaders in design-thinking, leadership training, service-learning, and community engagement. The program will be based in ALA’s acclaimed leadership development model, challenging participants to practice entrepreneurship by working with local innovators and community leaders. Students will develop skills through teambased challenges within the Germantown community and beyond, resulting in measurable social impact. Participants will develop their capacity to lead the change they want to see in the world.
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GFS GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL 215.951.2300 | 31 West Coulter Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144
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