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.

Advanced Studio Practice

For Seniors who have built their skills and developed personal concepts for their artwork. How will you continue to build your creative voice after graduation? Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist when we grow up.” This course will explore creative strategies to keep art in your life after high school, including workshopping, refining your interests, and learning to seek out and enjoy seeing art in the world.  Open to 12th graders who have taken at least one level 2 class and with permission from the Department Head. 

Advanced Biology – Molecular Research Techniques (Honors)

This course will provide students an opportunity to learn advanced techniques in molecular biology and their applications in biotechnology. Students will delve deeply into advanced topics such as genetic engineering and synthetic biology and the ways in which they can be used to solve real-world problems in medicine, agriculture, and more. Students will travel to the BioBuilder learning lab at Ginkgo Bioworks for an immersive experience in which students learn the skills and tools of molecular research through an ongoing research project.  Prerequisites: any Chemistry or Biology Applications course at the Honors level and with departmental permission. Offered at the Honors level only.

Foundations of Costume & Fashion Design

Open to first and second year designers, this studio course will initiate and develop their understanding of the principles of costume design, fashion design, and the construction skills needed to create clothing. Drawing from many disciplines and utilizing a variety of skills and technology, students will learn to research and visually communicate their ideas through a series of projects. Students will explore the visual communication, history, and impact of clothing both on the stage and in everyday life in addition to gaining the skills and techniques needed to create their own clothing. Skills involved in this course include research, collage, sketching, digital sketching,  figure drawing, pattern reading, sewing (machine and hand), painting, and craft.  Students interested in taking more than one art class should reach out to the registrar or the Head of Performing Arts to discuss possible options. Two Term Course No Prerequisite Required. 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

Advanced Costume Design and Construction (Honors) (BVR-X)

Advanced Costume is a one-term, process-to-production course designed to prepare students for 2 public performances at Beaver. The course begins by focusing on script analysis and design, and then students work as costume technicians and designers to bring the play to fruition with the Advanced Theater Acting and Advanced Tech Theater and Design classes. Costume roles can include design, draping, construction, craft, and wardrobe. Students entering this class should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment. Recent productions include She Kills Monsters and Humpty Dumpty. One Term Course: Winter Term  Prerequisites: Costume and fashion Design Studio and permission of the instructor. Open to Grade Levels: 11, 12

Studio Practice

This class creates the community, structure, and space for the most serious artists to pursue their work. Students taking this class have shown to be independent, dedicated artists prepared to bring their interests to the class. Group critiques, research in contemporary art, readings, and documentation of the creative process will be major elements of the course. Open to 11th graders who have taken at least one level 2 course with the recommendation from the Visual Art Department Head.

Costume & Fashion Design Studio (BVR-X)

Drawing from many disciplines and utilizing a variety of skills and technology, students will learn to research and communicate their ideas through a series of student-driven individual projects and mainstage shows. Students will explore the visual communication, history, and impact of clothing both on the stage and in everyday life, and they will deepen their understanding of the principles of costume and fashion design. Students will also learn the skills and techniques needed to then create their own designs. These techniques may include research, collage, sketching, digital sketching, figure drawing, sewing, draping, pattern making, tailoring, dyeing, distressing, painting, and craft. Students entering this class should be highly motivated and work well independently. This course can be taken more than once and at the Honors level with permission from the instructor. Students interested in taking more than one art class should reach out to the registrar or the Head of Performing Arts to discuss possible options. Three Term Course Prerequisite: Foundations of Costume and Fashion Design or permission from instructor.  Open to grade levels 10,11, 12

The 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. Open to Grade Levels: 11, 12

Chemistry Applications – Quantitative Analysis

In Quantitative Analysis, students build on the basic chemical concepts and skills learned in the foundations course. The concept of a mole is explored and students learn to predict the products of chemical reactions. In this lab-based course, students will conduct a variety of experiments and use stoichiometry to quantitatively analyze their findings and the efficiency of their experimentation. Finally, students explore solution chemistry, including acids and bases, through both conceptual and quantitative lenses. Prerequisites: Chemistry Foundations and Biology Foundations.

Advanced Engineering Design – Project Studio (Honors)

This course is intended to give students a more challenging and demanding environment to apply the skills they learned in either Engineering Applications: Robotics (formerly Engineering Design Foundations) or at NuVu and allow them to continue to wrestle and build on solutions to real problems. This course is largely project-based, and students will be expected to use the time to research and design solutions to engineering design challenges. All projects will be teacher guided but studentled with the goal of learning and using the tools and approaches of the engineering mindset. Open to 11th and 12th graders. Prerequisites: Engineering Design Foundations: Tools and Process or NuVu. Departmental permission required. Offered at the Honors level only.

Advanced History: Independent Research (Honors)

An intensive, inquiry-based course that will require students to pursue an advanced independent course of research on a topic of their choice. Students in this small section will be expected to work through a number of multi-step research assignments that will include producing research based papers, research based presentations, and participate in a number of research challenges and research projects.  This course is designed to hone the research skills of critical thinking, problem-solving, analysis, and dissemination and is designed for the student who is interested in possibly pursuing advanced humanities research in college. Limit per class: 14 students.