GFA May Term Course Catalog

May Term Monday, May 20th – Wednesday, May 29th

May Term

· is required · will have no homework · will be Pass/Fail · will be on the transcript and will be for credit

MISSION STATEMENT GFA engages students as partners in an innovative, inclusive, and globally minded community to prepare them for a life of purpose.

Philosophy Partners

Our students collaborate with teachers to develop their voices to effect change, to become lifelong learners who take ownership of their educations, and to have an instinct for self-reflection that builds character and drives improvement.

Innovative

Building on a demanding curriculum, our faculty seeks innovative and effective methods to help students cultivate the skills and habits of mind necessary to excel.

Inclusive

GFA strives to create a diverse community that values the identities, perspectives, and experiences of all its members.

Globally Minded

We empower our students to discover their place in the world and help them to become globally competent citizens engaged in building a sustainable future.

Core Values Passion • Integrity • Empathy • Curiosity • Excellence

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May Term Course Catalog

Adulting 101

Becoming an Entrepreneur

Ms. Hynes & Mr. John Open to grades 11 & 12 Sorry kids, but adulting is coming your way quickly! We are here to help. This course will dive into real world skills preparing you for college and beyond. We will cover many aspects of personal finances, from buying and leasing a car, to renting and purchasing an apartment or house, credit cards, college loans, and taxes. You will learn about budgets, health, safety, auto care, travel, jobs, internships and much more. We plan to connect you to resources and experts in our community!

Ms. Fellows & Dr. Heenehan How do you launch your business idea, start up your nonprofit, or bring a great idea to the market? Too many young adults think it isn’t possible to start a business or move forward with a new innovation. This course will teach you how to create a business plan, work out a budget, make connections, research, and move forward with your idea.

Students will be encouraged to grapple with all aspects of entrepreneurship — to understand the importance of failure — and to move forward, present, and launch their business.

Conspiracy Theory 101

Alternative Histories Through Simulation Gaming

Dr. Freeman & Mr. Robinson Open to grades 11 & 12 In this course we will take a brief look at the fundamentals of what needs to occur for a conspiracy theory to be alive and well. We will apply these concepts to a few well-known theories. Students will then get to delve into their own theory and present to the class by the end of the course. This course requires a level of maturing sufficient to handle sensitive material and topics.

Mr. Campbell & Ms. Teyan This course will allow us to explore the role of causation, contingency, and accident in history through the use of computer or board game-based historical simulations. Subject matter and topic will be developed with input from students, with some examples being a game set in the Middle Ages or the Ancient World that sees students guide their country through the challenges of the era; a power struggle in England known as the War of the Roses; a diplomacy simulation set in Renaissance Italy. Supplemental readings and documentaries will enhance our understanding of the topic and allow us to learn from our alternative, counterfactual history.

Creativity Unplugged Ms. Greiner & Ms. Waldstein Tune into your muse and connect to your artist within. How? First by disconnecting from your phone, and then by doing a ton of fun creative exercises that will involve everything from keeping a journal of dreams, musings, stories, poetry, doodles, and drawings, to taking artist’s walks, playing with art materials, listening to music, and just being. The end result will be a tangible expression of your explorations. This could be any combination of art and writing, from a hand-made book, to a photo documentary, to a ’zine, to a Joseph Cornellstyle shadow box — or, as far as your newly freed imagination can fly! Whatever form this takes, this process will give you tools to tap into your inner creativity, a skill that will remain with you for a lifetime.

Anime: A Window Into Japanese Society Mr. Guffin & Mr. Kwark Anime is an animated medium that many members of Japanese society, and now increasingly more members of the international community, enjoy. This course will explore the historical background of anime and manga, its popularization and impact on modern culture, and how it reflects Japanese society in many ways that may seem foreign to the western perspective. This will involve film screenings, readings, discussion, and writing.

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May Term Course Catalog

Decoding Cancer

Fashion Design

Dr. Sjolund & Ms. Stein-Obreros

Ms. Al-Sawaf & Dr. Dhawan This class will provide you with a brief survey of the History of Fashion and includes a trip to NYC to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art to view the annual Costume Institute Exhibition. You will learn basic techniques of design, sketching, dying, printing, draping, and sewing to explore your creativity and personal style. Students will spend time researching designs and make a mood board from the images they collect. Then they will be constructing wearable art and designs out of fabric and recycled materials. The class will culminate in a fashion show presentation, where students will be showcasing their finished pieces. And we will definitely watch an episode of Project Runway!

Students will apply their knowledge about cellular structure, function and cell growth to increase their understanding of cancer development. Students will explore the various diagnostic tools used for detecting breast cancer and study genetics to understand the causes of cancer. They will then learn how to read pathology reports, how to sequence DNA to detect breast cancer markers and investigate treatment options. We will conduct an experiment to determine if patients are carriers of a BRCA1 mutation that predisposes them to breast, ovarian and other cancers. We may also visit a lab or treatment center to learn more about the current research and treatment options and/or invite a speaker to talk more about how cancer impacts the lives of the person and family members dealing with the disease.

Hamilton in Context Ms. Ibarcena & Ms. Lambert “I may not live to see our glory, but I will gladly join the fight. And when our children tell our story, they’ll tell the story of tonight.” — Hamilton. How do our experiences and identities influence the way that we tell, write, and re-write stories? Lin-Manuel Miranda is now the “child” telling the story of tonight, and Hamilton has redefined the way we write and engage in conversations about history. This course will explore the impact that Hamilton has had on the way we learn, narrate, and consume history. Some of the questions we will explore: Who has access to Broadway today? Is Hamilton a true representation of hip-hop culture? Whose voice is the musical representing? No prior knowledge or viewing of Hamilton is required.

Dragons in the Wild Dr. Jump & Ms. Lawler This will be an experiential learning course in being in the outdoors. As we explore the wild places around GFA, we will learn through doing; skills we will practice may include hiking, identifying plants and animals, map reading and orienteering, trail clearing and maintenance, and outdoor cooking. As we interact with and learn how to make our way in the natural world, we will ask ourselves: what does it mean to live competently and responsibly outside of the urban environments to which we are accustomed? What can the outdoors offer us? What are our responsibilities to the outdoors? And how can we live well as a collective, share the responsibilities of leadership, and learn to function as a team?

This course will culminate in an overnight camping trip at one of Connecticut’s beautiful state parks.

Exploring Mathematics Through Magic Ms. Hunt & Mr. Matte This course is designed to introduce students to mathematical concepts through the use of magic. Topics come from the realms of number theory, combinatorics, probability, algebra, and topology (among others). No advanced level of mathematics is required.

Requires completion of Algebra 2/2H

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May Term Course Catalog

Introduction to Screenwriting

LGBTQI - Our Fight for Equality in the United States and the World

Mr. Schatz & Mr. Zarco

Ms. Bergeron Want to be a part of history? This course will examine, through various sources including film, music, and outside speakers, the rising of the various gay rights movements throughout the short (relatively speaking) history of the United States. Discussions about the movements and where to go from here will culminate in a possible course of action and a field trip to NYC and the Stonewall Inn. June of 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.

In this course, students will learn all the basic elements of a screenplay: character, plot, theme, dialogue, and format.

The class will read screenplays and watch movie clips to understand how a screenwriter’s words become a blueprint for a film. Through open discussions and writing exercises, students will learn about writing unique characters, exciting plots, crisp dialogue, and intense conflict from favorite movies and learn to apply those traits to their own scripts. While students are encouraged to come to class with an idea for a script, it is certainly not required to enjoy this course.

Making Waves: The Feminist Movement from 1848 to Now

Investing 101 Dr. Llanque, Ms. Liu, & Mr. Martocchio In this course, students simulate the work of investors by applying the tools, theories, and decision-making practices that define smart investing. Students will have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field who have experience in identifying value and managing risk in the financial markets. We will explore concepts relating to asset valuation, portfolio allocation, and risk assessment. Students will work together to explore models for valuing stocks and recommend or reject them for investment. They will also learn how to create a portfolio of diversified investments in order to maximize return while managing risk. Students will leave the course with a deeper understanding of what goes into financial decisions, which they can apply to their own lives in the future.

Ms. Haas, Ms. O’Grady, & Ms. Yuen This class focuses on the three waves of feminism with an emphasis on what it has meant to be a feminist over the course of time (especially in the United States) and what it means to be an intersectional feminist in 2019. In order to do so, we will discuss and clarify terms such as gender, sex, and sexuality; interrogate how identities intersect in order to define us; and explore the different ways in which people can live feminist lives today. We will examine short stories, essays, theory, media analysis, and film. The course will culminate in an opportunity for students to share their own stories and to craft proposals for making GFA a more intersectional feminist community.

Kitchen Chemistry

Mock Trial

Dr. Gawlik In this course, we will explore science at work in the kitchen.

Students will engage with the scientific method while making cookies and bread and cooking meat, learning the role of the individual ingredients and how they react to produce what we eat. Taste testing will be mandatory!

Ms. Fratto & Mr. Pina This course will walk students through preparation for a mock trial, looking generally at civil or criminal procedure, preparing short briefs, and doing oral arguments. Our work to understand the court system could include a visit to a local court during session, as well as meetings with currently practicing professionals.

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May Term Course Catalog

Nature Writing & Images

To the Breaking Point

Mr. Baykal-Rollins & Mr. Coll

Dr. Mederer & Ms. Smith Given limited resources, students will solve different construction challenges, such as building a tower or a bridge.

They will get acquainted with the engineering design process: planning, prototyping, testing, and iterating. Be ready to learn from failure, pick up the pieces and fail better next time! Students will discuss advantages and disadvantages of different geometric designs, learn the forces acting on structures, and explore our local community to see real-life examples.

This course is for anyone who loves nature, regardless of experience with creative writing, drawing, or photography.

Students will be introduced to a variety of ways to observe and reflect upon nature, both visually and in writing, and will then have the opportunity to choose which approach or combination of approaches they want to explore more fully for a culminating project. Through a selection of readings, slide presentations, and daily field trips, students will work individually and in collaboration, exploring a range of forms for describing and depicting the natural world — from word pictures to Japanese ink painting, from botanical studies to haiku, and from contemporary landscape photography to hybrids of poetry and prose.

Viewing Black Panther: The Import and Importance of a Pop-Culture Phenomenon

Nazi Propaganda

Mr. Abel & Dr. Clemens This course will explore, through a variety of lenses and contexts, the significance and impact of Black Panther, a 2018 superhero film based on the Marvel comic strip character of the same name. We will watch and discuss the film to experience, respond to, and analyze the ways the film conveys its ideas, emotions, and purposes with regard to the following: individual and cultural identity; race and racism; and gender, colonialism, and heroism. We will also examine the film in relation to its comic book version, the comic superhero tradition generally, the portrayal of African-American characters and history in other films, the ever-changing historical backdrop, and the popular and critical responses to the film.

Mr. Morrison Opens to grades 10, 11, & 12 This course will explore the many propaganda tools utilized by the Nazis to seduce the German population. The course will conclude with an in-depth examination of the efforts employed to resist the sway of such powerful propaganda.

This course requires a level of maturing sufficient to handle sensitive material and topics.

Song Writing and Recording Dr. Cadwallader & Mr. Meatto Open to grades 10, 11, & 12 This course will be a participatory seminar in songwriting, with emphasis on the forms and styles of songwriting from 1900–present: simple 12-bar blues, songs with verses and refrains, AABA form, and freeform songs. The course will begin with a brief survey of European art songs of the 19th century, but the primary emphasis will be on Broadway and movie songs, folksong writers of the mid-20th century and beyond: Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and many others. The goal of the course is to produce recordings of student-written songs utilizing our recording studio. Ideally, the songwriters will be able to accompany themselves on guitar or piano, and may also enlist other student musicians on drums, bass, and other instruments as desired.

When You Wish Upon A Star‌ Ms. Henry & Ms. Pembroke This course will focus on the analysis of selected Disney animated films with the intention of deconstructing the implicit messages and themes running throughout these texts.

Students will need an open mind, an enthusiasm for catchy musical numbers and an ability to detach from any nostalgia that inhibits analysis.

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May Term Course Catalog

Zoo Crew

5X5 – 25-Hour Play

Dr. Karolinski, Dr. Kuhn, & Mr. Serach You’ve been to the zoo, but do you know how zoos really work? It’s a cool job, but what does a zookeeper really do?

Do you know the role of zoos in preserving and maintaining biodiversity? Find out the answer to these questions and more in a deep dive into a behind-and-within-the-scenes exploration of Bridgeport’s Beardsley Zoo. In this mini-term, we will explore how animals are kept healthy, how species are saved from extinction, and learn about zoo-related careers.

Each day, we will work with the Education Department, curators, and volunteers to learn what it takes to run a zoo and we will do our part with on-site service projects.

Mr. Stout This is an opportunity to engage in a complete creative endeavor as a group, using leadership skills, creative risktaking, and deep engagement with each other. Based on a prompt, students will plan, write, direct, design, rehearse, and perform a short play. This will be a major collaboration and team experience for all. We will use the Scene Shop, Costume Shop, Theatre, and Black Box in to make a play and present it.

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