Beaver students traveled all over Boston–and the country–this month to dive deeper into their learning, hear from incredible speakers, and connect with their classmates. Check out some of the highlights below!
INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART
Senior Studio went to the Institute of Contemporary Art to see the Foster Prize Show, featuring works by artist Cicely Carew. Following this visit, Carew visited students at Beaver to discuss her career and artistry. Carew touched on her transition from daily studio work to imagining a large-scale exhibition, which mirrors that of what seniors will do for their gallery show later this term. The class also had the opportunity to show Carew around their workspaces and ask for feedback on their own creations.
NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM
Students in Marine Ecology took a trip to the New England Aquarium to research conservation efforts surrounding coral reefs, great white sharks, and the endangered North Atlantic right whales. The visit not only contextualized topics from the class, it also served as a springboard into a research project students will work on for the next three weeks. After choosing a research topic regarding ocean conservation, students will use data analysis, research into peer-reviewed literature, and collaboration with classmates to finish the project and develop a much greater understanding of the role humans play in various ecosystems.
LARZ ANDERSON PARK
With commencement on the horizon and college deadlines popping up every week, January can be a hectic month for seniors. To remedy this, class advisors planned a trip for the Class of 2024 to get off campus and spend time together. The visit to Larz Anderson Park served as the perfect moment for seniors to reset and refocus (while also having some fun).
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
The Urbanism + Built Environment class traveled to Savannah, GA for a week-long immersive experience exploring the urban environment of Savannah, touring Sapelo Island, and participating in workshops. Each day in Georgia had a packed itinerary that allowed students to better understand the historical and economic factors impacting the lives of those in the area.
The main premise of this experience was to inspire us and to learn different about urban issues and how to solve them. Had we not gone, it would be a lot harder to understand how to identify those problems.
-Finn Ruddy ’24
Students will select a local urban issue and corresponding sustainable development goal to research and address for their final projects.
HARVARD MEDSCIENCE
Neuroscience students visited the Harvard MEDscience program as part of their current unit learning about substance use and abuse. The class participated in an emergency medical simulation to diagnose and treat a patient who–as the team learned through their patient care and diagnostic skills–was suffering from a drug overdose. MEDscience instructors guided students through the patient care process, collecting vitals, ordering tests, and comforting the patient as needed. During the post-patient debrief, students discussed the neurochemical impact of the drug in the brain and made recommendations for ongoing patient care.
MUESUM OF FINE ARTS
Why are specific pieces of art selected for museums? How does it get there? These are the questions that students in French: Art and Society pondered as they toured the Museum of Fine Arts. By interrogating how art is selected and displayed in the museum, the class developed a deeper understanding of how museum curation works. Later this term, students will use what they’ve learned to design their own virtual museum exhibits for the class’ final project.
