Sports Literature

How can sports’ narratives illuminate human experiences? How have sports been used to establish and connect with shared and individual identity? And how can examining the role of sports-in both fiction and real life-give us greater insight into our society? These are just some of the questions we'll address through themes of triumph, determination, teamwork, pursuit of perfection, sacrifice, defeat, and identity. Digging into works that focus on various team and individual sports-from basketball to figure skating, swimming to soccer, baseball to rugby--we'll examine the words of athletes, coaches, and fans to explore sports as allegory, how sports history has shaped our contemporary understanding of place and self, and how storytelling in sports contributes to national mythology. From the allegory of the game to the ethical questions raised in our society, this course invites students to critically engage with the myriad ways sports’ narratives illuminate the human experience. This class will have a particular focus on the skills of reading and creative writing.

Crime Literature

Starting with the birth of detective fiction, one of the most popular literary genres, and moving to creative nonfiction, we will consider the appeal of stories about grisly murders and trace an arc from a more comfortable belief in the nature of justice to suspicion about police powers. Coinciding with this increased suspicion is a movement away from white detectives and white victims, to crimes targeting people of color, who were legally barred from giving testimony (and thus seeking legal redress) for much of the country’s history. Do stories give us cathartic release when a bad guy is punished? Is there some sort of poetic justice in exposing the inequities of the past even if the murderers have gone free? And what does crime fiction’s popularity suggest about our relationship to our criminal justice system, about our perception of its workings, and about the larger American tenet of equality before the law?

This class will have a particular focus on the skills of reading and creative writing.

Student Directed Project – SDP

A Student-Directed Project empowers students to do an in-depth exploration of a topic of interest throughout the term.

The student designs, plans, and leads their research project in collaboration and with the guidance and support of a coach (faculty advisor). It allows students to delve deeper into their passion and to be the designer of their own learning. There is a wide range of Student-Directed Projects; they are multi-disciplinary, non-linear, and most importantly, student-created and led.

That’s what makes them so interesting.

Here are some examples of past projects:

• Creating an architectural model using 3D architectural software
• Through their eyes: Photo and interview series of veterans
• Robosub electromagnetic linear accelerator
• Acoustic pinger for Robosub
• Virtual Reality game for visually-impaired persons
• Creating a concept album
• Dispute: Landlord-tenant board game
• Multimedia journalism: Producing a podcast series
• Perplex: English and Theater Study
• Sensors and fiber optics: Building a fiber optic dress
• Haptic technologies: Force-Feedback Virtual Reality
• Applications of integrals to analytical continuation of functions

Arabic Introduction to Conversation and Storytelling

In Intro to Arabic, students learn the alphabet as well as the following vocabulary: family, school, furniture, numbers, adjectives, prepositions, country and city vocab and colors. Students meet twice a week to learn how to speak and write Arabic. They work on collaborative projects which include videos, songs and skits. By the end of the year, students can describe themselves, their families, friends and home using written and spoken Arabic. Unlike our other languages, we do not have a full 3-year program in Arabic. This means that Intro to Arabic is open to any student, but only students who have fulfilled their language requirement may take Arabic as their only language class.

Drama Workshop

This one-term spring workshop is designed for the actor developing his/her craft. This course is for students who wish to explore theater for the first time and the dedicated drama student. It will focus on exploring each student’s areas of interest and curiosity. Projects may include scene study with an emphasis on improvisation, contemporary theater, monologue preparation, musical theater scenes, stand-up comedy, devised work, directing and other forms of performance art. Past classes have included trips to see professional improv shows in and around Boston and we hope to do this again. One Term Course: Spring Term No Prerequisite Required.

Spanish Advanced

Prerequisites: Demonstration of mastery of Intermediate Spanish skills and Departmental Recommendation Required.

Course topics are briefly outlined below.

Current Events: This course aims at improving your knowledge and understanding of Latin American cultures. The goal is to enhance your awareness and understanding of the cultural diversity of the Spanish-speaking world. The course is organized by themes based on contemporary social, political and cultural issues of Spanish-speaking societies. Class activities will consist of discussions, oral and written reports, and debates, emphasizing problem-solving and respect for the opinions of others. This course uses a large selection of materials. We will use movies, the Internet, newspapers, readings, and radio programs that will be discussed during the semester and upon which class activities are based. 

Film and Representation: In this course, students will explore major themes in Latin American in Spanish history via the analysis of award-winning Spanish language films. Students will investigate the history and current trends influenced by the historical events presented in the films via the use of news articles, documentaries, and tv clips. Class activities will consist of discussions, oral and written responses, debates, and creative writing.

Intercultural Dynamics: In this course, students will investigate the products of intercultural exchanges that have occurred throughout different periods in history and in different locations throughout the Spanish-speaking world. We will examine the interactions between different groups, cultural and intellectual contributions, and societal structures and/or inequities that lead to conflict. In addition, students will make comparisons to current events in other parts of the world. This class will use a variety of sources, including images, news and opinion pieces (clips and articles), fiction, and poetry. Class activities will consist of discussions, oral and written responses, debates, and creative writing. 

Research Seminar (H): This course will offer students the opportunity to explore a topic of their choosing related to their Spanish studies. This course will represent an automatic Honors credit and a culmination of students’ language studies at Beaver. Students will work with the teacher in the class environment to craft a final research project on their topic, while sharing their discoveries with other students in the classroom setting.

Chinese Introduction to Conversation and Storytelling

These introductory courses for Mandarin Chinese are designed for students who have no previous exposure to the language. It stresses the building blocks of spoken and written communication- pronunciation, tones, stroke order and radical recognition. Students will be able to engage in basic daily interactions in Chinese using speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Grammar is introduced incrementally through storytelling as functional chunks for meaningful communication. Vocabulary is practiced in a thematic and communicative way, and the topics that are discussed include: introductory greetings, family, dates and time, hobbies, visiting friends, making plans, studying Chinese and school life. Students will also study cultural and historic elements of the Chinese-speaking world. Audio and video materials, computer software, games, projects, and presentations foster student interaction and participation. By the end of the first year, students should know approximately 300 words.

Storytelling Workshop

In this course, students will expand their creative capacity and explore their voice through learning elements of writing craft and engaging in a workshop community. Students will identify what elements of storytelling matter most to them and will produce fiction, poetry, memoir, or oral stories. They’ll learn workshop protocols and engage in revision processes to refine their work. We will read writing about writing and mentor texts to inspire and inform our writing. Students will end the term with a social action project, using storytelling to create cultural change within their communities. Learn to own your voice, recognize its power, and use it for impact in your community. This class will have a particular focus on the skill of creative writing.

Great Books

When was the last time you were responsible for picking your reading for a course? At the beginning of this class, you will generate a list of books you want to read, and then you will campaign for your favorite; after the campaign season ends, you’ll vote, and several books will win. We’ll spend the term reading them, examining them for character, theme, structure, style, and message. How does choosing the text intersect with investment in the reading? Is the text a great book? Ultimately, you decide whether the books deserve spots on the shelf and how you go about choosing your next read. You will respond to the reading in various forms of writing, class discussions, projects, and presentations. Previous winners: 1984, Room, Lolita, Brave New World, Catch-22, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Lord of the Flies, The Scarlet Letter, Little Women, On the Road, The Kite Runner, Gone Girl, Fight Club. This class will have a particular focus on the skills of reading and analytical writing.

Literature and Film

Did you like the movie or the book better? Is this a sensible question, or are we being asked to compare unlike genres? In this course we will investigate these two art forms, comparing the narrative possibilities — and limitations — of each. How do these modes of storytelling differ in terms of their effects? What can film achieve that a novel or play cannot, and vice versa? What is lost in the translation of literature into film, and what makes a “good” adaptation? We will read novels and plays, and we will study a film based on each. You will think and write critically about how these stories are told on the printed page and on the screen, analyzing the cultural impact of each medium. This class will have a particular focus on the skills of reading and analytical writing.

English 10: American Literature

What does it mean to be American? From the perspectives of indigenous people to the revolution that defined our independence to slavery and its legacy to the very cases contended today in the Supreme Court, we address the range of Americanism, the beautiful and the sordid. Students write, read, debate, create, reflect, act, film, craft, and present as ways of asking big questions, answering the questions with specific evidence, and acknowledging the complexities of those answers. Readings include fiction, non-fiction, memoir, poetry, and drama, and writings ask students to question the literature, its language and its purpose. Students hone their thesis development skills, practice finding and incorporating meaningful, interesting evidence, and build their analytical reasoning, and they bring these skills to all of their work.  Myth and Meaning in American Literature  In this course, we turn to great American writers whose work articulates contemporary America, and we use these writings to ask the questions: What does it really mean to be American? What are the myths about America and how do they show up in literature? How do those myths shape our understanding of characters and their actions? How do these myths evolve? How are they being disrupted? How do authors create characters and narratives who wrestle with America’s past? How do these characters and narratives help us face their futures? Identity in American Literature How does love show up in the world? How do self-love and friendship and romantic love and love of place show up in our world and in literature? What happens when love isn’t there? How does love help us understand ourselves better? There are myriad tangible and intangible ways that love helps us define ourselves and our world -- from large scale identifiers like nation and religion, to the little things, like choosing what shoes to wear in the morning. In this term, we look at America through a range of lenses, and all of these lenses ultimately help inform our own perspectives of who we are and why we believe the things we do.

English 9: Power and Perspectives

Throughout both the Power and Perspectives trimesters, students read, write, act, create, listen, watch, wonder, debate, and present; they work independently and collaboratively, use their questions as starting points for their work, and employ technology to deepen their learning. Ultimately, they find ways to connect the characters and themes to their own lived experiences and to the world today. Readings can include fiction, non-fiction, memoir, poetry, and drama, and we read some as a full class and others in small groups; students reflect on and question the texts in a range of writing assignments, anything from scripts for podcasts to analysis of themes to creation of a missing chapter or a PSA. The work stretches their imagination as well as their analytical skills, writing styles, and ability to craft meaningful products.  Power In this trimester course, we question the nature of power and reflect on the ways we ourselves use our power and respond to power. In our readings, we look at the intersection of power and our characters’ gender, age, race, political beliefs, socio-economic reality, or experience; we wonder about the relationship between power and fate; and we ask why some characters let power compromise their beliefs while others use their power for good. Perspectives This course is designed to introduce students to the complex nature of perspective and bearing witness in literature. Through the examination of various texts, students will engage in close reading and critical analysis. They will explore the ways in which different characters and narrators shape the story and influence reader engagement. Students will also learn to examine the relationship between form and content, exploring how different writing techniques can influence our understanding of characters and events. In addition to close analysis of texts, students will also engage in discussions, writing assignments, and projects that encourage them to reflect on their own perspectives and experiences. Through these activities, students will explore how perspective is shaped by cultural, historical, and personal factors and understand the importance of witnessing and engaging with these perspectives as they understand their world. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of the role of perspective in shaping meaning in literature, and will be equipped with the skills necessary to analyze and engage with texts in a critical and thoughtful manner.