EXPERIENCING A HISTORY OF THE WORLD
ENGLISH SEMINAR: THE LITERATURE OF PLACE
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH AND FRENCH
EXPERIENCING A HISTORY OF THE WORLD
65 class hours + weekend field trip
As no person is an island, no history course is independent of the many influences of other disciplines. World history will come alive when explored in an interdisciplinary, experiential medium where all aspects of social studies are explored in creative ways. By utilizing a thematic approach, focus will be placed upon teaching students different perspectives in the progress of humanity throughout time, making themes relevant to life today. This will enable students to build upon their own knowledge to create unique insights into the future and help them begin to see their potential as citizens in the world.
With a strong emphasis on social, economic, and political systems, the curriculum will cover from the Renaissance through the present. Throughout the semester, themes will touch upon many questions common to the inquisitive minds of teens. Decision-making activities will explore the ideas presented in our Constitution such as freedom and the social conscience. The benefits and consequences of exploration and imperialism will be examined. The connections between technology and history will be made with analysis of the impact of progress on society. A probing look at religion and its influences on social, economic, and political systems will be explored. Different government systems will be compared, contrasted and debated, with a focus on identifying positive leadership skills. We will scrutinize the historical efforts of diplomacy versus war and discuss possible solutions to current international disagreements. A central component of the class, regular class discussions will emphasize the relevance of current events as they relate to local, national and world history as well as the students’ own lives.
A detailed look at coastal Maine and other Maine waterways will be examined in conjunction with the many themes explored. The course, Experiencing a History of the World, will contribute to a student’s character development through focusing on stewardship, intellectual development, and a continual inquiry into the world around her.
ENGLISH SEMINAR: THE LITERATURE OF PLACE
65 class hours + weekend field trip
The Literature of Place is rich and timely. In this class students will study a body of work representative of nature writing at its best. We will consider works by contemporary writers as well as selected classics in which landscape is central to the meaning of the work. By considering different writers’ relationships with their environment and how they convey what is meaningful to them, we will explore our own sense of meaning associated with the places of our past, present, and future. Through selected readings and their own nurtured writing processes, students will learn to identify their personal relationship to the world around them, and discover new depths of appreciation for using the written language to discover and convey a sense of place.
Classes will alternately focus on student writings and discussions of literature. Readings for this course will be rigorous and numerous to illustrate the longstanding and steady importance of landscape in literature. Students will have the opportunity to consider and comment on how landscape is utilized in literature in relation to the human experience and how that changes over time. In addition to literary texts, we will study grammatical constructions and how to integrate them effectively into the writing process. The development, expansion and usage of vocabulary will be incorporated into each reading and writing assignment to expand both critical and creative thinking skills. The class promises a rich introduction to an environmental literature experience.
MATHEMATICS
65 class hours
In school, work and life students will meet new challenges and will need to utilize and implement creative, flexible and adaptable mathematical skills. The objective of the math courses is to continue to develop upon the math skills of each student in order to create a problem-solving disposition that includes confidence, willingness and the ability to engage in the communication process. Scientists use mathematics as a language to communicate how different systems work. Students will have opportunities in the Coastal Marine Ecosystems course to demonstrate understanding of and apply mathematics concepts through data collection, manipulation and analysis.
Students will select a math course, Algebra II, Geometry or Pre-Calculus, depending on their individual needs and the requirements of their sending school.
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH AND FRENCH
65 class hours + weekend field trip
In our emerging global society the importance of learning a world language is increasingly evident. It is the goal of the World Language curriculum to prepare students to live in this diverse society, armed with the asset of appreciating diverse cultures and conversing in a second language.
This intermediate course is designed to meet the needs of individual students while adhering to the guidelines of both the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the Maine State Learning Results. Students will engage in a variety of activities designed to develop and maintain proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, listening and cultural appreciation. Examination of cultural practices, involvement in multicultural communities, making connections to other disciplines and comparisons to native language, will all serve as tools for enhancing proficiency.
COASTAL MARINE ECOSYSTEMS
136 class hours + weekend research and field trips
Coastal Marine Ecosystems will introduce the principles of chemical and physical marine science, marine biology (vertebrate and invertebrate), estuarine ecology, and marine resource issues. As the students explore these complex concepts, they will gain an understanding of the importance of ecology in all aspects of marine science. The relevance of estuaries and marine resource issues to a coastal marine ecosystem will help to underscore how humans fit into the ecological web and bring about the concepts of personal and community responsibility. Humans live on the boundary between land and sea, and the students will learn how challenging it is to keep that delicate balance.
The course will begin with discussions of how science works – how we as students of science use scientific reasoning and systematic methods to ask questions, review information, address problems, collect data, and report our findings to our peers. The focus will be on how to apply this basic understanding to the particular areas of study/research in a marine coastal ecosystem. An ongoing topic of exploration will be chemical composition of the marine environment and how tightly it is interconnected with biological, climactic and human influences. With a basic understanding of chemistry, we then move on to the organism level and look at marine coastal life and the ecology of estuaries. The knowledge of the chemical health of the ocean, its life and its boundaries will inform discussions of our own role as humans in this ecological web.
A central component of the class is the research project. Under the guidance of a Research Advisor, students will work in teams to conduct an original research project on an important locally relevant marine issue. Students will gain in-depth experience with various field and laboratory research methods, GIS and marine monitoring technology, and scientific analysis and presentation of results. At the end of the semester, students will present their research findings in an Exhibition of Learning—a symposium held for a significant audience of peers, faculty, parents and community members.
LEADERSHIP ADVENTURE
91 class hours + weekend field trips
Through various outdoor pursuits and experiential learning activities, young women are presented with the opportunity to explore, cultivate and reflect upon the habits of effective leadership as well as contemplate their own contributions to the group. Time spent ocean kayaking along the coast of Maine, camping, a high ropes course, snow cave building, team challenges, rock climbing and more await every participant in Coastal Studies for Girls.
In this experiential education class, students will explore the question, “What are the traits of an effective leader?” and engage in activities that allow them to learn more about themselves and to cultivate the natural leadership qualities that they already possess. Through these activities there exist boundless opportunities for hands-on authentic learning that can be effectively transferred to other academic classes as well as every life experience.
Outdoor pursuits, individual challenges and group initiatives provide students with the opportunity to hone communication skills, improve critical thinking, and explore self-directed learning to establish habits of confidence, integrity, and lifelong curiosity. Participation in such endeavors also naturally lends itself to cultivating awareness of our environment and the natural world around us, thus enhancing the understanding of our role as stewards of the earth.
* this course is the equivalent of a half-credit in Physical Education.
P.O. Box 266 308 Wolfe’s Neck Road, Freeport, Maine 04032 207.865.9700
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