Data Analysis and Coding Lab

Did you know that the average person generates 1.7 megabytes of information or that it would take 181 million years to download all the data from the internet? Data drives our world but most of us don’t understand what it means, why we need it, and how it works. In this self-paced course, you will complete a variety of interest-based projects that deepen your understanding of coding and data analysis. Through examining real-world case studies from healthcare to social media and from education to culture, you will explore different types of data, identify biases, and apply your data literacy and coding skills to communicate and deconstruct underlying messages. You will be better equipped to be critical consumers of information, read your “data world,” and make informed decisions about your personal life. This course is open to all students, no prior coding knowledge required.

Philosophy: The Meaning of Life through Moral Dilemmas (BVR-X)

Have you ever wondered what the meaning of life is or if a decision you made was the right one? Have you ever played the game, “Would you rather…?” Then you have done philosophy! Philosophy equips us with critical thinking and logic to navigate the world around us. Every day, we are faced with taking a stand on difficult moral questions and accept judgment on how we should lead our lives. You want to learn why people think, debate, love, hate, have emotions, and make (sometimes bizarre) decisions; or why people follow religions, search for truth, vote conservative or liberal; or you just want to learn how to make difficult decisions and how we should live our lives. Then this is your class. Be prepared to tackle challenging, real-life situations, consider alternative perspectives, understand how our brain makes decisions, and rethink your notion of morality, right and wrong, and what we ought to do to find the meaning of life. Take a class and discover not just what is, but also what could be! This class counts for English credits. Students can opt to take this class at the Honors level.  Open to Grade Levels: 11, 12

Human Communication

This course will explore the ways that humans communicate, and the ways that this communication affects society. Students will explore a variety of language systems including Sign Language and Braille. The class will discuss historical and current issues of communication such as colonial legacies, the influence of technology, and cultural differences. Students will be asked to think deeply about what it means to communicate, why it’s necessary, and how we do it effectively. Open to Grade Levels: 10, 11, 12

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

Social Psychology: To be is to be perceived!

How is our behavior influenced by our social environment? How does our perception of others affect what we do and our sense of identity? Whether we want it or not, people (others) influence how we act or behave (how we dress, what we say or don’t say, what we feel). In this social psychology course, we will aim to get a deep understanding of human behavior, especially interpersonal relationships. We will look at theories and findings in psychology and social psychology, will learn about key ideas, and explore some recent research and unanswered questions. This course will be driven by student interests, and will also include topics such as biases, attitudes, obedience, mental health, social identity, and prejudice, among others. We will try to understand how others affect who we are and how we behave, and if indeed “hell is other people.”  Students can opt to take this class at the Honors level.  Open to Grade Levels: 10,11, 12

Advanced History: Theories of Punishment (Honors)

What aspects of culture and politics promote criminal justice reform? How can the United States achieve an effective justice system that protects public safety while also confronting issues related to restoration for those impacted by crime, both the victim and the accused? Is the prison industrial complex used by the government and industry to address social, political and economic challenges? In this course, students are introduced to criminology and penology.  Students will examine historical trends, current programs related to reform, and examine the psychological impact and role that poverty, lack of mental health services, addiction, trauma, and education has had on the lives of incarcerated people. They will participate in forums led by people whose work or volunteerism is connected to addressing existing issues within the system and engage in field-based experiences. Students will explore topics of choice and design viable solutions. Open to 12th graders only.

Biology Applications – Neuroscience

The most basic function of the brain is to keep you alive. Your 100 billion neurons regulate breathing, heart rate, hunger and sleep cycle. But perhaps what fascinates us the most about the human brain is how it goes beyond these basic functions and generates emotions, perceptions, and thoughts that guide behavior. In this course, we will take a deep dive into brain science, exploring everything from the biochemistry of a neuron, to the latest research on psychological disorders such as depression and addiction. Topics in this course include neural anatomy and physiology, synaptic transmission and action potential, neurochemistry, and the impact of substances on the brain. Students have the opportunity to attend the Harvard MEDscience program to participate in the Nervous System patient simulation as part of this course. Prerequisites: Chemistry Foundations and Biology Foundations.

Money, Money, Money (BVR-X)

What is money’s place in society? What is the correlation between money and power? What do money and power reveal about inequity in society? Everything from politics to education to professional sports to technology to the economy to media sends, reinforces, and challenges messages about money and power, and in this class students will examine these intersections and consider their own roles in the systems around them. Students will read fiction and non-fiction, write, watch, and listen; and question, research, collaborate, and present.

Intro to Investing

Should you invest in the common stock of Apple Inc. or Exxon Mobil? How do you decide whether to get a car loan or a lease? How do you determine how much a small business is worth? In this course, we will learn about (a) the fundamentals of the stock market, investment vehicles, and basic principles of investing, (b) key aspects of personal finance, including budgeting, credit cards, and investing for retirement, and (c) the time value of money and risk as it applies to analyzing these personal finance questions. Students will learn to create and maintain a diversified portfolio through a virtual stock exchange, and there will be opportunities for research and other projects based on student interest. Open to Grade Levels: 11, 12 

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.

Statistics/Data Science (BVR-X)

This course includes the gathering of data and a variety of sampling techniques, hypothesis testing, frequency distribution, normal distribution, correlation, linear regression, theoretical distributions, and inferential statistics. This course asks students to consider questions such as these: How is data summarized so that it is intelligible? How should statistical data be interpreted? How can we measure the inherent uncertainty built into statistical data? Students will be asked to collect, analyze and interpret real data to answer real questions in their areas of interest.  Students can opt to take this class at the Honors level.  Prerequisites: Integrated Math 3 or Algebra 2 and Geometry

Forensic Science – CSI BVR (BVR-X)

Forensics is the application of science to solve crimes using evidence that will be admissible in a court of law. A multidisciplinary approach that encourages analytical thinking and problem solving in biology, chemistry, and physics will be used. Students may cover the following topics: deductive reasoning, fingerprinting, qualitative analysis of substances such as fingerprints, blood, DNA, document analysis, and ballistics. Along with lab work, students may do research projects, look at the legal aspects of forensic science, take field trips, and solve mock crimes. Open to 11th and 12th graders Prerequisites: Biology Foundations