Pro Vita Winter Session 2016 Course Catalog

Pro Vita Winter Session 2016 Course Catalog

Pro Vita: ​Learning—not just for school but for life.

Take a break from your rigorous schedule but s5ll keep learning! Pro Vita is the opportunity for you to go beyond our excep5onal school curriculum to explore the larger world around you. With more than 80 courses to choose from, we hope you will find a course that uncovers talents you never knew you had or ignites your passion for something you will pursue for years to come.

Art/Design A PERIOD PRETTY AS A PICTURE *MAGGIE MEINERS ‘90 and CENCY MIDDLETON Think Norman Rockwell meets ​Modern Family​. Award-winning photographer and Berkshire graduate Maggie Meiners shares her strategies on how to develop stories through photography. This class will help you understand more about our perspec5ves as people and as ar5sts, and how our own tale fits into the greater world of storytelling, personal narra5ve, photography and art. *Maggie Meiners is a photographer whose images have been exhibited at the Illinois InsAtute of Art, Wheaton College, and other private collecAons. ​She was the winner of the Illinois InsAtute of Art, Chicago, the 2009 Ragdale Prize and was part of the Official SelecAon 2011 PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris.

BE YOUR OWN MARVEL: COMICS CREATION *JAVIER CRUZ WINNIK ‘96 and AMY SHEN New York-based illustrator and Berkshire graduate Javier Cruz Winnik shares his experience with and passion for comics, including how today’s alterna5ve comics, from ​Life is Hell​ to ​Maakies​ to ​Underworld​, express uniquely personal and edgy humor. Learn to tell your story through visual and sequen5al art, create characters and se`ngs, develop narra5on and a complete story in one of the

following forms: graphic novel, comic book or a children’s story. No drawing experience needed! *AUer studying for a degree in Studio Art, Cruz Winnik found his passion for graphic design. He recently released a children’s book called “A Reason to Smile”​ and lives in New York City.

PUT ON YOUR DANCING SHOES CHRISTOPHER ALLEN Ballroom dancing is enjoying a revival; this is your opportunity to get in on the ac5on! Learn to waltz, foxtrot, and tango. You will master the basic steps of several of the most popular ballroom dances while exploring how dance reflects the culture, history and society of the 5mes.

BERKSHIRE’S KING OF COMEDY DAVE OLSON So you think you’re funny? Prove it over Pro Vita week in this course that will explore the art of stand-up comedy. You will be introduced to many of the great comedians of the past century, study the techniques they use, and develop your own stand-up acts. Foster your public speaking skills and exercise your crea5vity in the process. The best acts may be shared with the School on Saturday morning. No mager what, this class is sure to leave you rolling in the aisle.

MTV: BERKSHIRE STYLE ANDREA DUNCHUS Video killed the radio star…​ First, there was MTV music video, and now, DVR and YouTube have turned MTV and VH1 into dinosaurs. In this class, you will analyze music videos from the 1960s through the decades to today’s focus on Hot 100 music. Students will study ar5sts like The Beatles, Prince, Michael Jackson, Muse, Lady Gaga, Foo Fighters, Des5ny’s Child and the phenomenon that was (is) the “Trapped in the Music Closet” series. By the end of the week, you will collaborate on a 30-second video through the explora5on of how to capture the art of storytelling in music video.

BERKSHIRE’S PITCH PERFECT JEAN MAHER and PIETER MULDER The hit movie ​Pitch Perfect​ con5nues to grow its audience with each new film, as the Barden Bellas and Treble Makers ride the crest of fame. Come ride that same wave with Mrs. Maher and Mr. Mulder and have a blast doing it! No prior singing experience is required or assumed. Instead, sign up if you’ve always dreamed of singing with a group and performing live in front of your friends. John Smith (Mr. Mulder in a tux) and Gail Abernathy-McKadden (Mrs. Maher in an up-do) are coun5ng on you!

PICASSO HAD TO START SOMEWHERE: GRADUATE FROM FINGER-PAINTING BRANDI DAHARI Learn how to access your inner thoughts, feelings and intui5on to create exci5ng, dynamic and surprising pain5ngs. We will use some relaxa5on techniques to warm up; we will learn how to use brushes and acrylic paint to build layers of visual interest; and we will work together to draw our feelings!

WHEN WORDS FAIL, MUSIC SPEAKS *SELINA SUN ‘10 and CLIVE DAVIS Music is a universal language and anyone can create music. In this class, you will find your inner diva. You will write songs, perform and share your music with others. You do not need to know how to play an instrument or be a singer; we will work closely to improve any musical skill you chose. You just need enthusiasm!

*Selina Sun ‘10 is from San Francisco, CA. She recently graduated from University of California at Santa Cruz where she received two degrees in music with an emphasis in Voice and Legal Studies.

EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED LAUREN RIVA and JASPER TURNER Ben Franklin, Thomas Edison and Margaret Knight were all innovator-pioneers whose desire to 5nker catalyzed human progress. Steve Jobs is the modern version. Ever wonder what goes on behind the screen of his famous inven5on, your smartphone? In this class, we’ll explore computers, engineering and innova5on through the lens of the open-source Arduino programmable circuit boards. Aner learning to solder, students will construct a rechargeable solar-powered flashlight out of an old Altoids container. Let’s embrace what it means to be a 21st century innovator!

B PERIOD THE SHEFFIELD SHARK TANK *JIM REED P’19 and DAVID MCCAULEY Toy designer and distributor Jim Reed explores what it takes to develop an idea or concept and bring it to market. You will design a product and understand the challenges of market research, product development, global sourcing and current trends in sales and marke5ng. Move over Hoverboard! *Jim Reed, President and Owner of Rich Frog Industries, is a designer and distributor of unique toys and giUs for children and pets based in Winooski, Vermont.​ T​ oday Rich Frog has approximately 300 products and distributes in 12 different countries.

BE NO WRI WEE: Berkshire Novella WriHng Week *BILL BEITLER P’17 and BERNIE RHIE Do you secretly want to write a novel? Love to write but are in5midated by the idea of 15,000+ words? Can’t squeeze wri5ng your version of ​Harry Pober and the Sorcerer’s Stone​ into a busy Berkshire schedule? If you answered yes to any or all, BeNoWriWee is just for you! As a group, we will explore long-form fic5on wri5ng, discuss the crea5ve process, and then brainstorm a story to turn into a co-wrigen novella in just one week. Each student will commit to wri5ng between 1,500-3,000 words of the finished product and will be part of the ‘by-line’ of this unique story.

*Bill Beitler currently serves as Chief OperaAng Officer for Sharon Credit Union in Sharon, MA. In recent years, he has published nearly 100 ficAon and non-ficAon pieces as a freelance writer through Textbroker.com and currently headlines the “SCÜP” blog for Sharon Credit Union.

SOME LIKE IT HOT​: GLASS FUSION 101 KRAIG RICHARD P’17 and BRANDI DAHARI Glass maker Kraig Richard has mastered the art of manipula5ng glass. Learn to work with molten glass and turn it into a shape. Using various media such as plaster, Play-doh, Silly Pugy, clay and ice you will explore the molding process before actually commissioning a work to be cast in glass. Watching skilled ar5sts ready the bubble and blow into the three-piece molds we’ll make in class is guaranteed to be pregy cool... or pregy hot!

A MATHEMATICAL EXPLORATION OF MUSIC AND SOUND LAUREN AND BEN RIVA The author ​Guy de Maupassant once wrote, “Music, this complex and mysterious act, precise as algebra and vague as a dream; (is) made out of mathema5cs and air.”​ At its core, music is a pagern, structure and rela5onship that can be understood mathema5cally. This online course (yes, you can stay in your pajamas) explores the fundamental connec5ons between the two and gives you the opportunity to learn about acous5cs and music theory through a mathema5cal lens, exploring scales, the Fourier series, beats, rhythm and harmonics. As a final project, you will build a musical instrument that is (rela5vely) in tune and can play a short but recognizable tune or scale.

TIP TAP TOES JUAN CEDENO ‘17 and AMY KEEFER Did you know that tap dancing originated with African dancers in early America?

Did you know that tap and Irish step dancing have common roots? English sailors onen tapped out their du5es with their toes while onboard ships. Make stomps, slides and syncopa5on with your feet while you explore the many different sounds and movements of tap. At the end, we will perform a cool, ligle tap performance. Aner this class, you’ll be hoofing and shuffling all the way to the Dance Hall!

DUNDER MIFFLIN: THE PAPER PEOPLE JASPER TURNER and DAVID HAMILTON Before you, on a large table, is a single, blank, white, leger-sized sheet of paper.

You assume it is forgogen — len over from when someone has5ly refilled an empty printer tray. When this course is over, you will never look at that sheet of paper the same way. You will have bent it. Ribbed it. Crumpled, broken, stretched and skewed it. You might have rolled it into a bridge for bricks or wrapped it around an LED for a bedside nightlight. You may have sculpted an icosahedron or laser cut a kayak for a salamander. In collabora5on with “Explo,” an interna5onal leader in crea5ve enrichment programs, you will learn a variety of structural engineering techniques that turn sheet to form. We will test your design-thinking and your maker megle with cri5cal thinking challenges and then cut you loose to create… “Hold on. Is this engineering, science, or art?” Yes. “What exactly will I make?” Yes. Exactly.

BEATLES TRIBUTE BAND JESSE HOWARD The Beatles are one of the most beloved bands of all 5me. Join an ensemble of musicians whose goal is to learn songs from the iconic group. Do you sing (even a ligle?)? Do you play guitar? Bass? Percussion? Piano? Violin? Flute? Recorder?

I want you to be in my Beatles tribute band! We will dive into learning (mostly by ear) songs from the Beatles songbook and work up our own arrangements. The class will culminate in the performance of a song or medley at the closing assembly. This class is about learning something about music, being in a band, and apprecia5ng the genius of one of the greatest bands of all 5me.

ANDROID APP ATELIER LERHONDA GREATS Hello Purr? Magic 8 Ball? Whack-A-Mole? These are all apps made for obsession.

Programming is fun and developing apps is even beger. Not only for fun and games, apps are now used in educa5on, medicine and even public safety. This is a great introduc5on to design-thinking: using crea5vity tools such as SCAMPER,

we will build games, empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test and repeat. Be careful, your app may go viral!

MAKING, BRANDING, AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND MINERAL COSMETICS APRIL BURCH Organic, gluten-free, low-calorie, all natural. ​We spend so much 5me contempla5ng what we put ​in ​our bodies yet, most of us, spend very ligle 5me what we put ​on ​our skin, the largest organ of the human body. Educa5ng yourself about the purpose and composi5on of products applied to the skin can help you preserve your natural beauty, avoid acne or allergic reac5ons, and save money. All-natural mineral cosme5cs have exploded into popular culture and are used by millions of people world-wide. What are they all about? By the end of this class, you will know all about mineral cosme5cs, mineral make-up composi5on and the basics of formula5ng your own custom mineral cosme5cs.

Sense of Place A PERIOD

HISTORY DETECTIVES: BERKSHIRE SCHOOL EPISODE NANCY FLORIO and PETER KINNE Ever wonder what it takes to research and put together Throwback Thursday?

Have you ever wanted to get the key to the secret room that holds all of Mr. Buck’s legers, old photographs of the school, every yearbook and every ​Green and Gray​ issue ever printed? Have you wondered about the old cabins on the Mountain? What it was like to be in the first class of girls? Was Spurr always a dorm? Who were the Spurrs, anyway? In this class, we will answer many of those ques5ons as you will work in teams to explore Berkshire’s archives, chose a person or space, and create an exhibit for Geier Library’s Throwback Thursday display.

NO SATURDAY CLASSES? HEIDI WOODWORTH and JULES OBERG ‘17 It is the age-old boarding school ques5on: to have Saturday classes or to ditch Saturday classes? In this class, students will use design-thinking to create an academic schedule that best fits the needs and priori5es of both the school and the student. We will ask ourselves, “What is important to our school community? Do we value the advisor system? Community dinner? The AP curriculum?” We will research peer schools and how they have crea5vely addressed these priori5es and then bring the informa5on back to design a schedule that reflects Berkshire’s mission. For School. For Life. For Schedule.

B PERIOD ON ASSIGNMENT: PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE WILD *TOMMY SCHULTZ and ROB LLOYD Professional photographer Tommy Schultz, whose credits include ​NaAonal Geographic, Patagonia and North Face​, will lead you on an explora5on of adventure photography, using Berkshire as a backdrop. No previous photography experience needed. Cameras provided. *At the end of a Peace Corps assignment in 2006, Tommy Schultz used his love of photography to launch himself as a full-Ame photographer and writer, which led to a NaAonal Geographic-sponsored project in Bali in 2007.

BERKSHIRE ADRIFT: OUR MOUNTAIN PETER QUILTY While the land masses of the world appear to be stable, they are in mo5on and produce the landforms that we walk on and hike everywhere on the planet.

Examine the processes associated with these mo5ons and the products of this dynamic system. We will visit rock outcrops on campus and in the local area, examining how the rocks (in par5cular, the schist of Mount Evereg and Black Rock and the limestone and marble of the lower campus) were formed and the role that plate tectonics and other geologic remnants played in these massive

events. Garner a deeper apprecia5on for the power of nature, especially our own Mountain towering behind Berkshire Hall!

STORYCORPS: THE BERKSHIRE WAY ELAINE TOLVO Have you always loved listening to people’s stories? Thought that somebody ought to be recording them? In this class, you’ll get some background in storytelling and in how to listen well; we’ll add some 5ps on interviewing and making a subject comfortable, and then you’ll go out to Berkshire alums, interviewing our fellow Bears about their lives. In teams of two, you will conduct an interview while a partner films it, crea5ng a permanent record of each person’s story. At the end, students will edit the footage into a montage to show to the Berkshire community at large.

Sustainability A PERIOD

SAVING THE SEASON: THE HISTORY AND CHEMISTRY OF FOOD PRESERVATION STEPHANIE TURNER and KRISTINA SPLAWN Since 12,000 B.C., humans have been preserving food. Civiliza5on depended on this ancient prac5ce as society needed to harness the abundance of food during the growing season to weather shortages during colder months. Napoleon Bonaparte called for a new method of food preserva5on to supply his army and canning was invented. No mager where or how it occurred, the goal of food preserva5on has always been to eliminate or slow the micro-organisms that cause food to spoil. We will learn about a mul5tude of ways to achieve this (some ancient and others very modern) and the science behind each, and try our hand at preserving several types of food. We will also visit a local farm that grows crops to use for their own vegetable fermenta5on!

B PERIOD

THE LADDER OF ESCALATION: AMERICA’S ENTRY INTO NINE WARS *DON KEELAN GP’17 and ANDREW D’AMBROSIO Marine and author Don Keelan will join you to discuss ​the ten rungs of the “Ladder of Escala5on” and the historical issues that were in place that led the U.S. to its entry into the War with England in 1775 up to the Vietnam War in 1963. Analyzing the common threads among the various wars that the U.S. has been engaged in, you will form teams of the “Department of Defense” and the “State Department” to advise the “President” on whether to engage or not engage in current global conflicts. The big ques5on ever looms: can we climb back down the “Ladder of Escala5on?” *From 1957 to 1960, Don Keelan served on the United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Team and the Marine security detail for President Eisenhower at the Newport, R.I. Summer White House and PresidenAal Retreat, Camp David. AUer a career as a CPA, Keelan published two historical ficAon novels, ​The Secret of Camp David​ (1994) and ​Conspiracy on the Hudson (2014) and in 2002, ​Robert Todd Lincoln’s Hildene, and How It Was Saved​.

RISK MANAGEMENT AND TOXICOLOGY​ (HOW DOES THIS HAZMAT SUIT LOOK ON ME?) TRAVIS KLINE ‘87 and JEREMY SMITH Chernobyl, Buge (Montana), Fukushima, Japan… What do these places all have in common? They are Superfund sites, with known risk of toxins in the air, water and soil. We will discuss the dangers of environmental hazards: for instance, how long could you be in a Uranium Enrichment Room? How do we evaluate the risks for residents, workers, and recrea5onalists in one of these impacted sites?

We will build their own site model and select chemicals, popula5ons at risk, and degree of exposure to determine what is allowable exposure for the public. If you are thinking of pursuing a career in environmental work, this is a must… or maybe you just want to try on a HAZMAT suit.

WHO AM I? JASON GAPPA Do you know that you are the sum of all your ancestors? Your grandmother’s choices, your great-grandfather’s risks, and your great-great-grandmother’s adventures are your founda5on. Find out why you live where you live; discover where your name comes from; delve into the history of your past. Perhaps you will discover that your ancestors emigrated from Russia via Canada, that your great-aunt was the first woman to run a bank, and your grandmother was part of planning the Columbian Exhibi5on of 1893. Using online and local resources, we will discover ancestors’ occupa5ons, household status, property ownership, na5ve language and country of origin. Discover the parts of your history to make them a part of your present.

Diversity/Global Studies

A & C Period BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT TESS HUTCHINSON If someone asked you to recall every detail of what you did aner school one day this past January, could you? That is the ques5on Adnan Syed was asked and could not remember. One day in 1999, Hae Min Lee, a popular high school senior in Bal5more, disappeared. Detec5ves arrested her boyfriend Adnan Syed, who said he was innocent but could not remember exactly what he was doing that January anernoon. Part murder mystery game, part ploy to make teenagers love Public Radio, part look at the jus5ce system in the United States, this class will focus on the podcast ​Serial​ in our search of the truth in the case of Adnan Syed.

We will explore the many ques5ons that arise within the case: Was race or a religion a factor in Adnan’s presumed guilt? What is reasonable doubt? What clues were overlooked? You get to be judge and jury.

A PERIOD THE UNITED STATES: GOLIATH OR GOOD NEIGHBOR? R.G. MEADE With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States became the world’s sole superpower. This course will examine and assess the current involvement of the U.S. in La5n America, Europe, the Middle East and East Asia. The focus in class discussions will be on the role of the U.S. in the economic, poli5cal and cultural development of a global society in the 21​st​ century. The goal of the course is for you to increase your awareness of the issues confron5ng the interna5onal community, to become beger informed about U.S. involvement in these issues, and to enhance your knowledge of world geography.

FROM THE CLOSET TO THE SCREEN—BIG & SMALL MADDIE HUNSICKER ‘10 and A.J. KOHLHEPP Given the prominent role that issues of sexuality iden5ty and sexual preference occupy in society – same-sex marriage statutes have been debated in mul5ple states, ​Modern Family ​won the most recent Emmy for best comedy, and Macklemore had a hit with ​Same Love​– you might think that Americans have always been open about these topics. Think again. Even Hollywood, which tends to be on the forefront of progressive causes, has had a complicated history in its representa5on of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered characters over the past century. Working from the groundbreaking study The Celluloid Closet, this class will inves5gate the various ways in which sexual minori5es have been portrayed in film and consider the ways in which contemporary media portray sexual minori5es today.

A CULTURE OF BEAUTY: HAIR SCIENCE, HISTORY, AND CULTURE SYDNEY SATCHELL Do you have “good” or “bad” hair? What are the beauty myths throughout history about our locks and do they have scien5fic proof? In this class, you will look at current beauty culture as a means of exploring the cultural and anthropological origins of hairstyles and hair science (the chemistry and biology

of different hair types). Discuss the cultural origins of “good” and “bad” hair and connect it to the larger issues such as classism, racism, and gender roles.

BUDDHIST MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS BERNIE RHIE Did you know our own Dr. Rhie, at age 18, lived and trained for three years at a Zen Buddhist temple? Dr. Rhie would like to pass onto you some of what he learned there. We will learn some of the fundamental techniques of Buddhist medita5on while being introduced to some of the philosophical ideas of human psychology that inform some of these ancient techniques. We will study methods like breath coun5ng, mindfulness and body scanning. If s5lling your mind and exploring its depths excites you, this could be a life-changing experience.

DYNAMICS OF POWER: THE PUSH AND PULL OF CULTURE ANDREW D’AMBROSIO Why do we work Monday through Friday? Why do Americans take less vaca5on than anyone else in the world? Does society form culture or does culture form society? Cultural studies inves5gate how culture influences individual and group experiences like everyday life, social rela5ons, governments and power. In this class, you will look at how cultural prac5ces shape various social phenomena such as race, gender, class, sexual orienta5on and ideology. We will work in groups to discover cultural examples found in every campus, every town and every city.

B PERIOD MASCULINITY AND THE MODERN MAN MORGAN BURNS So many of our caring, sensi5ve and strong men find themselves lost in an ocean of ​Old Spice​ where their most valuable quali5es are underappreciated and rejected. Can men be nurturing and masculine at the same 5me? Is being sensi5ve and caring masculine? Where do boys learn how to be a man? How

does society influence and shape boys and men in our culture? We will explore the cultural boxes that we some5mes find ourselves in, how we got there, and how we can get out, dissec5ng who the “Modern Man” is and discovering what he is capable of.

PHOTOGRAPHS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD BILL BULLOCK Determining which photographs changed the world has been open to debate since the first Daguerreotype was released in 1839. Our class will provide a historical perspec5ve of photography from the 19​th​ to the 21​st​ century and supply you with an informed view on the no5on of truth and reality in photography. We will also discuss the historical and social implica5ons of this art form, and determine the top ten photos of your life5me. In addi5on, you will shoot and select the most iconic and representa5ve photo of Berkshire School to be presented during Saturday morning’s assembly.

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: AN EXPLORATION OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE SYLVIA GAPPA and MARTINA MOODEY Berkshire’s campus is home to a vast and ever-expanding number of children.

Some of them already speak more than one language. In this class, you will learn about child development, with a focus on child interac5on through play, and language acquisi5on. You will learn about developmental milestones in the areas of speech and language, fine and gross motor skills, socializa5on and play. Aner observing children at Undermountain Child Care, we will create developmentally appropriate ac5vi5es for infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children.

MODEL UN: MAKING CHANGE IN THE WORLD IVEY MUELLER ‘16 and LISSA MCGOVERN Would you like to learn to debate? Prac5ce public speaking? Engage in global poli5cs? The United Na5ons was formed in response to a recognized need for effec5ve interna5onal coopera5on and discourse. Join this class to learn about the techniques used in Model UN commigee work including debate and

parliamentary procedure, crea5ng alliances and wri5ng effec5ve resolu5ons, all while gaining a global perspec5ve. Looking at poli5cs through the lens of the United Na5ons gives us a view of a world broader than our own.

Philanthropy

​A PERIOD

RIPPLE EFFECT, RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS LISSA MCGOVERN Pay it forward; one good deed deserves another; a small act of kindness, even a smile, can change someone’s day. This class will inves5gate why some philanthropic organiza5ons are more successful than others and look closely at the latest trends in non-profits. You will study an organiza5on of your choice to learn about its roots, organiza5onal structure and philanthropic model. In both individual as well as on a group scale, you will create, plan and execute acts of kindness and community spirit. What will the class do this year to say, “Thanks,” “Have a great day,” and “We care?”

For Life

A and B PERIOD

LET ME IN, LET ME OUT JULIA COHAN and DEMPSEY QUINN Are criminals truly psycho5c, or are they vic5ms of poor choices that will forever change their lives? What mo5vates an individual to commit a violent crime? Is there hope for non-violent criminals to one day return to their families and live “normal lives?” In an agempt to answer these ques5ons, we will explore the topics of psychopathy and criminal jus5ce through a variety of sources, including face-to-face interviews with incarcerated men and women. We will consider

models for lowering recidivism and discuss what can be done to aid in criminals’ return to society. ​Student enrollment limited to sixth formers.

A PERIOD DELIVERY! EXTRAS! DEANO and ANITA LOOSE-BROWN With the help of the legendary Deano himself, students will travel to Deano’s Pizza in Lakeville to learn to make dough, garlic knots, stromboli and pizza. To document the flipping, folding and stretching, you will film your culinary efforts to use in a presenta5on at the final Pro Vita assembly. You will “knead” these newly acquired skills for the rest of your life.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN COACH? JASON AND SYLVIA GAPPA How do coaches create a team dynamic? In this course, you will look at different coaching philosophies and develop your own. By looking back on the coaches who have inspired you, as well as those who have not, you will piece together the quali5es that define a great coach. Then, using what you discover, you’ll tackle some of the tough decisions coaches make on a daily basis. By the end of the week, you’ll even create your own pep talk and solve conundrums coaches have faced for decades: Who to play and who gets doused with Gatorade?

CONSPIRACY THEORIES: THE MOON LANDING, JFK’S MURDER, AREA 51, THE ILLUMINATI, AND NSA JASON KEEFER Was a shot really fired from the grassy knoll? Aner exploring several contemporary conspiracy theories, some s5ll relevant to our na5onal culture aner more than 50 years, you will present collabora5vely-researched arguments to support and rebut each theory. In addi5on to analysis, you will research the psychology behind conspiracy theories, seek to understand a conspiracy’s life cycle, and begin to examine more contemporary issues such as Snowden and the NSA. Shhh... what do you believe?

FASHION 411 ERICA COHN If you are born to shop or fascinated by the runway, come explore the history of fashion. From inspira5on to design, learn how and where wholesalers source their products, the long 5melines designers must adhere to, the buying process and how retail is changing and evolving as the online retailers bagle it out with the local shops and large department stores. We will discuss how fashion trickles down from the runway during Fashion Week to knock-offs at the chain store level. Plus, we’ll also explore the media’s coverage of red carpet events. This is retail therapy in the classroom!

NATURE VS. NURTURE: ANIMAL BEHAVIOR JESÚS IBÁÑEZ Ample research has shown that animals are ra5onal beings and that they also share with us many other traits that were once thought to be uniquely human, including manufacturing and using tools, having culture, having a sense of self, using complex systems of communica5on, producing art and having rich and deep emo5onal lives. This course will study the interes5ng behavior of some species of animals, and whether these behaviors are learned or innate. We will learn about music apprecia5on in animals, complex hun5ng techniques in chimpanzees, prac5cal sheep behavior, the “emo5onal” lives of cows, and other intriguing aspects of animal behavior.

PROBABILITY AND THE PACK: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FRIENDLY GAME OF BRIDGE KELLEY BOGARDUS and MICHAEL BJURLIN Did you know bridge is one of two ‘mind games’ recognized by the Olympic Commigee? Did you know that bridge was once outlawed by Mr. Buck here at Berkshire School because of its obsessive and addic5ve nature? It is es5mated that 25 million people play the game weekly in the US. In this class, you will be introduced to the history of the game, study the math and probability behind the cards, and learn the complex strategy of one of the most beloved card games in the world.

CSI: BERKSHIRE MANDY MORGAN and JEREMY SMITH Do you think there is such a thing as the perfect crime? At every crime scene, there is evidence len from both the vic5m and the criminal. In this course, we will look at some of the types of evidence that can be found at a crime scene: blood, hair, fibers, glass, dirt, footprints, fingerprints and others. At the end of the course, you will be asked to solve a “crime” using the skills gleaned over the course of the week. Magnifying glass not included!

B PERIOD

CAST IRON CHEF *JIM WILSON P’17 and AMY SHEN Learn essen5al cooking techniques—knife skills, grilling, roas5ng, baking, crea5ng vinaigreges, sauces and desserts—using a cast iron pan whenever possible. You will be inspired to cook for yourself and others for the rest of your life. Be inspired by classic “foodie” films: ​Tampopo, Babebe’s Feast, Sideways and ​For Water Like Chocolate​. And here’s the best part: cook and then enjoy the fruits of your labor! *Jim Wilson is an accomplished chef who spent over ten years working with Alice Waters at the renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. Wilson received his formal training at l’Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris. He established Jim Wilson Cooking in Summit, New Jersey where he offered “Simply to Go.”

SPORTS IN SOCIETY SYDNEY SATCHELL Do you dream about a career in sports? Want to understand the history of the sports and how it has evolved? This course will use case studies, videos and short readings to allow students to analyze and think cri5cally about the sports industry in the 21​st​ century. By comparing and contras5ng the NFL, NHL, NBA and WNBA’s financial statements and contracts with the top media outlets, the class

will inves5gate real situa5ons to understand and foster awareness of the importance and relevance of this overly saturated industry.

PRO READ-A! HEIDI WOODWORTH and MICHAEL MCCABE Sta5s5cs show that the landscape of reading has changed radically in the 21​st century. Many argue that the wonder of reading for pleasure has been lost by the Millennial genera5on. What are companies like Amazon doing to reclaim the agen5on of readers around the country and the world? In Pro Read-A, students will seek to reclaim the lost art of reading for pleasure. Not only will students explore what the reading landscape looks like now in hopes of understanding where it is going, they will also take the opportunity to drop everything and read. As a culmina5ng project, the group will propose a list of books for Berkshire’s summer reading list.

LOCKE ON GOVERNMENT CLAY SPLAWN John Locke’s​ Second TreaAse on Government​ provided the philosophical founda5on for American democracy. Born out of the horror of the English Civil War and published just aner the Glorious Revolu5on of 1688, Locke argues that rebellion against a tyrannical government is permiged and that governments have certain du5es to perform on behalf of its ci5zens. But under what condi5ons is rebellion jus5fied? What is the proper scope of government? In what ways is a government obligated to provide for its ci5zens? The course will tackle these and related ques5ons, applicable to all, by exploring themes in Locke’s important book.

THE STAR WARS LEGACY KEVAN BOWLER and STUART MILLER ‘97 The ​Star Wars ​saga is the third highest grossing film series ever. What began in 1977 as a simple tale of good versus evil eventually became a world-wide phenomenon. George Lucas conceived the idea for these movies in the 1970s, a 5me of poli5cal upheaval and social unrest related to high oil prices, the Vietnam

War, drug use and Nixon’s resigna5on. In this class, we will study ​Star Wars: Episodes IV, V, ​and ​VI ​and compare the movies to themes found in literature, mythology, religion, poli5cs and history.

BEYOND TAPE AND ICE TAYLOR KRAVITZ and MARC WYSOCKI This course will give students a beger apprecia5on of how athle5c trainers diagnose injuries, establish rehabilita5on programs and handle emergency situa5ons on the playing fields. Get to know the educa5onal background and courses required of athle5c trainers while ge`ng hands-on experience with all the modali5es (whirlpools and electric s5mula5on units), as well as emergency and rehabilita5on equipment.

MATH IN THE MOVIES KURT SCHLEUNES In ​Good Will HunAng​, Mag Damon, in his role as a janitor at MIT, solves a complicated linear algebra problem len on the chalkboard; you can too, with some guidance. Students will watch clips from ​Good Will HunAng​, ​A BeauAful Mind​, ​Twenty-One​, ​The Matrix​ and ​The Bank​ and study the mathema5cs involved in these classic “math movies.” Topics covered will include probability, graph theory, the Zeta func5on, the Riemann Hypothesis and matrices.

WORD WARS LINDA BELLIZZI Michael Cresta, a carpenter who lives in Massachusegs, earned 365 points in one turn for playing the word “quixotry” in an official Scrabble tournament. If you find this fact intensely impressive, then this course is for you. Scrabble, the popular crossword board game, is both fun and challenging. In this course, you will learn the rules of the game and some 5ps on simple strategy, all while preparing to play in the inaugural Berkshire School Scrabble Tournament. In addi5on, we will watch Word Wars, a documentary that explores the obsessive world of compe55ve Scrabble. Do you have what it takes to be the Berkshire Scrabble Champion? Take this course to find out!

C PERIOD SURVIVING THE CLAW: A SNAPSHOT INTO THE TRAINING OF U.S. SPECIAL FORCES DEREK COYNE and CHRIS PERKINS Do you have what it takes to be in the U.S. Special Forces? In this class, we will try some of the challenges recruits face on their way to joining this elite group within the U.S. military. Through learning about the history of the Special Forces and hearing the firsthand experience of a former instructor for the U.S. Special Forces Combat Dive School, students will learn about the importance of teamwork and the value of persis5ng in one’s goals. Your mission, if you choose to accept it!

SWING KIDS CHRISTOPHER ALLEN AND ELAINE TOLVO East Coast versus West Coast? Jive versus Lindy? Swing and Salsa to be specific.

In Swing dancing, a dance partner onen lins, spins and flips his or her partner.

Give your dance steps some style and integrate The Pretzel, The Barrel Roll and Bugerfly into your moves. Be hip; be cool; you too can learn these fun, upbeat dances.

KNITTING FOR EVERYONE ANITA LOOSE-BROWN Have you ever had the urge to learn how to make your own warm and woolly accessories or longed to give a lovely hand-made gin to someone dear to you?

Are you already a kniger yearning for some dedicated 5me to devote to this wonderful ac5vity? Well, no mager which camp you fall into, join us and get a chance to fulfill those dreams! Beginners will learn how to cast on and will knit a hat (or 2 or 3) using only the knit s5tch. Experienced knigers can work on hats or bring in their own project for kni`ng 5me and advice. Hats will be donated to Warm Woolies, an organiza5on that supplies orphans with warm clothes.

HOW TO FOOL FISH WITH FEATHERS: FLY TYING, CASTING AND TROUT FISHING STRATEGY ROB LLOYD Have you ever wanted to 5e your own fishing flies? How about learn to cast or perfect your double-haul? Maybe you are just curious about what fly-fishing is all about. This class is geared for all levels, from absolute beginners to those who want to 5e their first “muddler minnow.” In addi5on, we will discuss trout habitat and current conserva5on efforts that are underway. If you are curious about fishing for trout, learn how to fool fish with feathers.

IT TAKES TWO: DOUBLES PING PONG ERICA COHN and ANDREW BOGARDUS Playing doubles is twice the fun and excitement because it takes two to alternate shots and put the ball where your opponent cannot reach it. Learn the rules, tac5cs and strategies of doubles Ping Pong to make you a force to be reckoned with at Shawn’s Place.

A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY PETER KINNE The sweat lodge ceremony is an adapta5on of the sweat bath common to cultures around the world. The sweat lodge is a place of spiritual refuge and mental and physical healing, a place to get answers and guidance by asking spiritual en55es, totem helpers, the Creator and Mother Earth for needed wisdom and power. Spend the week learning about the various types of lodges and the rituals involved. The week will culminate with an actual sweat. Come delve into the spirit world!

TRI 4 LIFE A.J. KOHLHEPP Triathlon, a mul5-discipline sport requiring unparalleled athle5c versa5lity and commitment to training, has been growing in popularity, with nearly two million par5cipants in 2011. Youth triathlon has also been taking off in recent years, fueled by increasing media coverage of this demanding and exci5ng sport. You

may be wondering whether it would be possible to plan, train for and par5cipate in a complete triathlon in less than a week. Not to worry: Coaches Kohlhepp, an enthusias5c triathlete in his own right, will welcome you into the world of triathlon training and coach you all the way to the finish line.

NOTE: While you don’t have to be a compeAAve swimmer to parAcipate, you will need to pass a basic swim test in order to complete the training sessions and undertake the race… We will keep distances for the training sessions and the race itself modest​.

THE MIGHTY, TINY UKULELE WORKSHOP APRIL BURCH, DAVID OLSON and LIAM BULLOCK ‘17 Constantly misspelled but intensely beloved, the mighty, 5ny ukulele is a versa5le and 5meless instrument that is rela5vely easy to learn. In this class, you learn how to play it! We will also travel to the Magic Flute in Sheffield, a local ukulele ar5san shop. We will play our ukes in simple arrangements and will be well on our way to self-made stardom at the Saturday morning performance! No ukuleles or knowledge needed!

HERE AND NOW DANA ANSELMI and BECKY ZAVISZA​ ‘05 Are you overwhelmed by the pace of everyday life at Berkshire? Wouldn’t you like to find ways to balance stress? Many people know that medita5on and yoga are common resources to help maintain daily balance, but there are alterna5ve outlets that have proven to relax the mind, body and soul. Learn about the importance of mindfulness and presence in the moment. Connect with your inner spirit through arts and crans, baking, medita5on and physical exercise.

Expect interac5ve guest speakers along with hands-on ac5vi5es that will equip you with the simple tools to manage stress and become more self-aware.

JOGA BONITO JON MOODEY and JJ JEMISON Why has soccer, a simple game of modest origins, become such a dominant and influen5al force around the globe? By viewing segments of a six-part

documentary series called ​History of Soccer: The BeauAful Game ​and reading por5ons of Franklin Foer’s ​How Soccer Explains the World​, explore the history, evolu5on, and impact of the game of soccer around the globe. You will have an opportunity each day to play futsal, a version of soccer in which crea5vity, improvisa5on and technique are emphasized. Made popular on the streets of Brazil, futsal gave birth to a new and beau5ful style of play, one which Pelé would later coin ​joga bonito​.

GET ON THE BALL, AND GET TO THE POINT! CLAIRE NAYLOR-POLLART Relieve stress, unwind knots and loosen 5ght muscles with this self-massage trigger point program. You will learn how to take care of your own aches and pains while improving strength and flexibility and enhancing performance in sports. The goal for this class is to teach you how to efficiently target your painful and 5ght spots and effec5vely eliminate them with success! Basic human muscle anatomy will be taught so par5cipants can beger understand how to map out pain pagerns. Pre-exercise warm-ups and post-exercise stretching will also be taught for re-educa5on and posi5ve muscle memory. By the comple5on of this course, you will understand the missing tool in their workouts, a must for any serious athlete!

THE CULTURE OF TEA CHENG-CHIA WU and CLIVE DAVIS This course examines the importance of tea in Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai and English culture. We will focus on one culture per day, discussing tea selec5on, brewing, aroma and tas5ng of tea. We will supplement the lecture and demonstra5ons with readings, videos and other materials. Tea will be made each day and a trip to Harney & Sons Tea Company in Millerton, New York, will cap off the week.

DISCOVERING THE MOUNTAIN KEVAN BOWLER and EVAN NIELSEN Designed for outdoor novices and experts, this course revives Berkshire’s Mountain Passport Program. Originally created by the Rig Kellogg Mountain Program as a guide to aid students in exploring the mountain, the passport will lead us to South Pinnacle, Black Rock, the Appalachian Trail, the Telephone Trail and the Reservoir, all in an effort to visit as many different and perhaps undiscovered sites on the mountain as possible.

NOTE: Sturdy hiking boots are required for this course.

CHESS OPENINGS AND END GAMES KURT SCHLEUNES This course is open to students who are already familiar with the basic moves in chess. We will study famous sequences of opening moves such as the Ruy Lopez and the Sicilian. We will also work on end games—the final moves of a game that occur when one player has an advantage. Boards and pieces will be provided. In addi5on, 5me will be alloged for you to play games with one another for speed and to determine Berkshire’s Grandmaster.

LEARN TO BOWL LINDA BELLIZZI What do West Point, Florida State and Texas A&M have in common? All have compe55ve bowling teams for men and women. We can’t guarantee that you will be a college-level bowler aner a week at the Great Barrington lanes, but we do expect that you will pick up some good pointers and improve your bowling score. You might even win the first Pro Vita Bowling Championship Cup! EVERY DAY IS GAME DAY PATRICK DONOVAN Learn about​ the latest research on nutri5on, sleep, breathing, injury reduc5on strategies and fitness? In this course, you will work in the classroom, gym and kitchen to greater understand the basics of health and exercise. Discover

answers to age-old ques5ons: What are good sleep pagerns? What are good exercise prac5ces? What should I eat to be strong?

BLADES OF GLORY DAN DRISCOLL and KELLEY BOGARDUS Learn the basics of ice-ska5ng from two hockey-coaching pros. Designed for students with no prior ska5ng experience, you will learn how to start, stop, turn, and most importantly, have fun on the ice. Come learn how to navigate your way around the rink in the Jack!

THE ART OF THE DEAL R.G. MEADE and DARY DUNHAM Did you know that President Clinton loves Oh, Hell, and Harry Truman loved Poker? In this class, you’ll Learn the rules and grasp the nuances of five popular card games, including the intricacies of Texas Hold ’Em, Omaha, Cribbage, Hearts and Oh, Hell. These card games help you learn lifelong skills sure to serve you well if ever stranded in a snowy cabin in the mountains. You will walk away with an apprecia5on of the amazing range of what a deck of cards can do for entertainment and social gatherings.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GAMES CENCY MIDDLETON and STUART MILLER ‘97 Let us take you back to the days before Facebook and video chat when the highlight of the day was the recess game of SPUD or freeze tag. You’re never too old for a game of Four Square or Dodgeball. Mastering these skills is not only necessary for success on the playground, it will also serve you well in life.

PADDLE TENNIS ELIZABETH PERKINS and ANDREA DUNCHUS Played for over a century, paddle tennis is adapted from classic tennis though it features a different ball, hard racquets, a smaller court and a lower net. All of these factors combine to create a fast and reac5on-based game. Join us as we travel to surrounding schools to play for an hour each anernoon.

MAGIC: THE GATHERING JESSE HOWARD Magic ​is a collec5ble card game created by Seagle mathema5cs professor Richard Garfield in 1993. With approximately six million players worldwide in over 70 countries, ​Magic ​has become the world’s most played trading card game. The premise of the game is straigh•orward: play cards that represent spells, tricks, creatures and ar5facts to get your opponent’s life total down to zero before ge`ng killed yourself. The catch? Each player designs his or her own deck from the thousands of cards that have been printed through the years. The course will cover the basics of this complex and mul5-layered game and culminate in a tournament.

PRO VITA, NO REALLY! DORY DRISCOLL and SKIP BOWMAN A classroom educa5on will carry a person far in life, but what happens when classroom skills and life skills don’t overlap? This course aims to close that gap by examining the everyday skills involved in the art of life. What happens when you get a flat 5re in the middle of nowhere? The power is out and you’re wondering how to use that majes5c looking fireplace for the first 5me? Ever find your white athle5c shorts have turned pink aner you did a load of laundry? This course will give you the hands on experience to help you solve these important everyday ques5ons.

YOGA: FROM WARRIOR ONE TO DOWNWARD DOG STEPHANIE TURNER Led by a Kripalu-cer5fied local yoga teacher, this course will serve as an introduc5on to the prac5ce of yoga. Each day will focus on a different part of the body or yogic philosophy including breath, gaze, mindfulness, and medita5on.

The classes will be physically challenging but appropriate for beginners and experienced yogis alike. Omm!

FÚTBOL Y TAPAS JESÚS IBÁÑEZ Fútbol and tapas are two of the most ingrained Spanish tradi5ons and though Americans aren’t always aware, the two go hand-in-hand in Spain. Students will take a look at the lively atmosphere surrounding soccer matches by recrea5ng the experience at Berkshire. Before viewing some of the best European matches in recent memory, we will prepare a typical tapas recipe to be consumed during the game. Come ready to cook, eat and cheer!

RAW CLARITY MARTINA MOODEY In this course we will examine the health benefits of keeping a raw food-based diet. Perhaps it can help us look at life with a clearer perspec5ve, and guide us to maintain a healthy body from the inside out. We will supplement the lecture with readings, a viewing of the documentary ​Food Mabers​, and by preparing delicious and nutri5ous raw food and treats. We will cap off the week with a visit to the Riverbend Café in Great Barrington for a tonic juice.

RUGBY: A GAME FOR RUFFIANS, PLAYED BY SCHOLARS LEWIS GRASSIE ‘16 and BILL BULLOCK Devote your anernoon to the great game of rugby, whose history dates back to 1823. The class will not only study the history, trace the popularity and learn the rules of this great game, but will also take to the pitch to prac5ce the key elements of the game from ​the ruck, the maul​ and ​scrum​ to the finer points of kicking, passing and forma5ons. We will even prac5ce and perform tradi5onal rugby songs. Rugby's popularity con5nues to grow across the globe, especially on college campuses where women and men play intercollegiate matches. Come join the Rugger Revolu5on!

GODFATHER GOURMET LUCIA MULDER “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.” Never before has an Italian pastry become so famous in film. This classic line from the movie ​The Godfather​ illustrates in a

single sentence the importance of food to Italian culture. In this class, we’ll use the Best Picture Oscar-winner as culinary inspira5on. We will screen scenes from the movie and discuss its portrayal of one culture’s immigrant experience in the U.S. Then we’ll head to the kitchen to create some signature dishes from the film. We will make our own pasta, taste-test olive oils off campus, and learn an old Sicilian family secret for an out-of-this world tomato sauce. It’s going to be an offer you can’t refuse!

CELEBRATE THE MOUNTAIN: BERKSHIRE TIBETAN PRAYER FLAGS MARTHA WILLIAMSON and SUE DEMOLINO IVES A prayer flag is a colorful banner, onen found strung along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas. Himalayans believe that when the wind blows the flags, it spreads blessings, good will and compassion, embodied in the images and wri5ngs on each flag, across the land. In this class, we will make flags that celebrate Berkshire and the Mountain under which we live. We will then place our flags for all to see on a special place on the Mountain. Each cloth bun5ng will be as unique as the individual who created it.