Immersion Week 2016
Program
of Studies version 1
1. Exploring Baseball Through Film, Reading, and
Games
Student
leaders: Zach Charles and Jack Sheehy
Faculty
sponsor: TBA
In
this activity we will examine baseball, beyond just the game itself, through
film and writing. We will primarily watch movies about baseball, such as Field
of Dreams, The Sandlot, and Bull Durham. Additionally, we will read articles
and short stories that relate to the films (excerpts from W.P. Kinsella’s
Shoeless Joe; recent newspaper articles on youth baseball participation; poems
about baseball). In our discussions we will aim to not only analyze the movies
and readings, but also to examine baseball’s place in American culture. For a
change of pace, we will explore other interpretations of baseball beyond
writing and film, namely wiffle ball and kickball.
2. Video Gamers United
Student And Faculty Leaders:
Ethan Forrer, Christopher Noakes, D’Andre Winder
Video Gamers United is a week where we introduce a somewhat wide
spectrum of more modern video games in our current consumer market to whoever
shows up. During this week we plan to look at specifically the now very popular
with a very prominent e-sports scene, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena games, in
this case League of Legends. We will also look at other types of games such as,
fighting games, rhythm games, and participants’ favorite games. In this project
we will be learning strategies and the history behind some of our popular
games.
3. A Bite of the East
Student and faculty leaders: Yifei He, Frank Su, Xiaomu Hu
Please note that this course requires your stomach but
nothing else. So, have you ever wondered
how those delicious Asian foods are made, and do they REALLY exist in their
original countries?!?! To find the answer, we will take you there (not really)
for four days!! You can spend your Immersion Week with your friends to
experience a different culture and do an interesting project about the kind of
food that you have never tried before. We will also go to the Chinese Market
close by, and spend a whole day in DC’s Chinatown!!!
4. Reading Sophocles in Pajamas
Student
and faculty leaders: Max Wiggins, Rebecca Margolis, Mollie Eisner
We
will be reading Antigone, a Greek tragedy by Sophocles, and discussing it
through the lens of philosophy. We will read, discuss, bake during breaks, and
repeat. Wearing pajamas is encouraged.
5. Basketball and strength training
Student
and faculty leaders: Ansel Montgomery,
Michael Price, Carla Guarraia
This
course is for player of any level looking to improve their individual and team
basketball skill. We will focus on weight training in the morning to supplement
our basketball strength. We will also discuss nutrition for basketball and
health. Our primary focus will be to have fun learning about the game.
6. Photographic
Extravaganza
Student
leader: Max Lipitz
Faculty
sponsor: TBA
In
this activity, we will share tips and tricks about photography with you. It is for those who carry a camera around
with them constantly (cell phones included) or those who never even picked up
camera – we hope that you will learn something. And what will you learn? We’ll
start you out with some basic knowledge of Photography. From there, into the curious and strange world
that is digital photography. After this,
we will look at aspects of photography using telescopes, light painting, and
Photoshop. You’ll even throw GoPros off of roofs. By the end, you’ll know how to fly a camera
on the wings of jet engine while diving into a barrel of shrubs.
7. Dungeons & Dragons
Student
leader: Duncan Lowther
Faculty
sponsor: TBA
Dungeons
& Dragons is often considered the quintessential roleplaying game. In this
activity, we will play through a few classic, highly acclaimed D&D adventures,
many originally penned by founder Gary Gygax’s own hand, learn about the
history of the game, and additionally, if desired, create our own module(s)
which may, at the author’s option, be ran later and/or posted on my website. Depending on the desire of the players, I can
run the adventures in either the classic Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
(AD&D) system, using the Second Edition rules, or in the more recent
Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5 system, depending upon the desire of the group.
8. Backpacking the
Dolly Sods, WV
Faculty
leader: Jeff Jennings, Naadia Owens
Jeff Jennings would
like to take a group of students backpacking to the Dolly Sods in WV.
Transportation and cost will be the two challenges. Dolly Sods are 4.5 hours
away.
9. Solvitur Ambulando
Faculty
leader: Greg Brandt
Greg
Brandt would like to spend four days hiking on the Appalachian Trail in
southern Pennsylvania. We’ll cover 10-18
miles per day, staying at shelters along the AT. If we get a really good night, we’ll sleep
out under the stars.
10. Culture of Sports 2
Student
and faculty leaders: Jacob Hulit & Kitt Murphy, Dia Clark
In
this activity we will understand how sports bring communities together,
discussing articles and movies. We will look into successes and failures
of sports teams and what their impact is on their respective communities. In addition, each day we will have our
own sports competitions.
11. Bridge
Student and faculty leaders: Spencer Levitt and Tina Forbush
For the second consecutive year, the
card game Bridge is open to all students for Immersion week. No playing
experience is needed for this exciting, fun, and strategic card game. The
number of players has declined since its peak in the 1940s; however today the
game is very popular amongst retirees. There will be a competition at the end
of the week, and top players will receive a Bridge trophy, along with bragging
rights. If you want to be a part of this four person card game, or you would
like to be like famous Bridge players Warren Buffett, James Bond, or Bill
Gates, or you would like a trophy, sign up for Bridge!
12. History of American Cartoons
Student
and faculty leaders: Josie Renkwitz,
Tony Asdourian, Adele Dinerstein
Animated
cartoons have entertained American audiences for over 80 years. In this class
we will study the origins of modern animation and how it has evolved over
time. We will learn what effect cartoons
had on society and culture, focusing mainly on theatrical shorts and into
television shows.
13. Inspiration to Writing
Student
and faculty leaders: Dakotah Jennifer,
Lydia Eastman, Angela Balcita
Writing
isn’t boring unless you make it. In this activity we will be traveling to
Baltimore and walking around campus to find inspiration for writing or just a
cool place to write. Then we’ll use a movie or book to create a story using
someone else's characters and share our work together. Last we’ll workshop and edit to perfection
and create our own magazine or booklet to share. A 4-day literary masterpiece
of sorts.
14. Social Service in Baltimore
Student and faculty leaders: Lisa Eshleman, Catherine Robbins, Isaac
Lichtenstein, Rommel Loria
This immersion week activity will
make a lasting impact on communities in Baltimore and at Park School. Before
immersion week, the group will meet to determine and organize where we will be
going during the week, and what we will be doing. Activities could be anything
from working in a soup kitchen, to assisting in the construction of a home,
with suggestions and guidance from Rommel. It is up to the students to decide
where they will make the biggest impact. The group will aim to work with a
single group for the entire week, but scheduling and availability may cause
that to change. Primary Goals: to lower the barrier between Park
and Baltimore by involving students in communities they might otherwise have
ignored; and to broaden the worldview of students through community building
and action.
15. Game Design
Faculty leader: Eric Gilson
Do you have an idea for a game that
you want to make a reality? The goal in this immersion activity is to have a
game ready for beta testing by the end of the four days. We will look at design
theory and set milestones to help your game become a reality. The focus of this
immersion is tabletop games, not video games; though tabletop games are a great
way to prototype video games. Come ready to have fun and work hard to make your
vision a reality. Motto: “Fail Faster”
16. Pac to Pop:
Hip-Hop History
Faculty leader: Elliott Huntsman
A 4-day excursion through the
history of hip-hop, from the 1970s to present.
17. 24-Hour Theatre
Student
and faculty leaders: Luke Pound, Peter
King and/or Bob Campuzano
Throughout
the week, we will be writing, rehearsing, and producing a play. A popular
activity in college, 24-hour theatre is when a group of actors create a play
from scratch and perform it in 24 consecutive hours. We also plan to have an overnight session on
campus. Everyone will be involved in
brainstorming ideas, but participants will need to be either writers, actors or
tech crew. All levels of experience welcome.
18. Why School?
Faculty leader: Patti Porcarelli
What is the purpose
of a contemporary education? Why do we still have public and private schools?
Where does Park fit in the landscape of Baltimore schools? We will spend
Immersion Week listening to podcasts, watching TED Talks, reading articles, and
going to visit local schools as we consider the how and why of education in
Baltimore and across the country. If so much depends on one’s zip code,
how do students access the best educational opportunities possible?
Student and faculty leaders: Jayme Brodie, Christine Tillman & Susan Asdourian
Drawing a live model is one of the most exciting and compelling things an artist can do, which is why figure drawing has been an essential part of an artist’s training for many centuries. In this week we’ll focus on drawing the human body and face, and will work both from live, nude models in the studio, as well as going on short field trips around the campus to draw people in the midst of their daily activities. We’ll use a variety of drawing and painting media, including pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, pastel, watercolor and acrylic and/or oil. Most of our work will be observational, but there will be opportunities for expressive interpretation of the figure too. This course is open to students of all experience levels.
20.
Latino Immersion
Student
and faculty leaders: Steven Villacorta
and Antonia Piedrahita, Ileana I and/or Paul V
This activity will explore the
Latino culture through different aspects such as cuisines, music, games, cinema
and dancing. The goal of this activity is to encourage students to become
familiar and comfortable with the Latino culture, all while having fun! It will
include brief cultural lessons by guest speakers from different countries that
will provide basic background information on the countries. Guest speakers will
also share about their lives in their country regarding social life, education,
religion, cultural aspects, and some will share about their experience
migrating to the United States and how the two cultures differ. At
the end of the week, we will visit a Latino neighborhood, markets, and
restaurants so the students can immerse themselves in the culture and hopefully
use the Spanish vocabulary they have learned. Join us to learn about a culture you’re not
exposed to in your everyday life through great food, films, music, dance and
discussions! YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW SPANISH IN ORDER TO DO THIS
ACTIVITY. We plan to have speakers from the
Park School community.
21. Dance
Student and faculty leaders: Eliana Sakin and Liz Hirsch
Did you take the dance course during
last year’s Immersion Week and long for more? Or did you see the performance in
assembly and wish you were up on stage too? Well here’s your chance to take a
crack at it! We will be watching, learning about, and breaking down the steps
to different dance styles from breakin’ to ballet. We will be ending the week
by mixing the styles together and creating a collaborative piece using what
we’ve learned. Absolutely no experience is necessary! But for the people that
already took this last year, we will be doing different things from last time,
so you won’t be bored.
22. Mathematical
Fiber Arts
Faculty leader: Katherine Socha
In June 1997, a mathematician named
Daina Taimina was frustrated by trying to use messy, fragile, paper-and-tape
models to understand a mathematical idea called a hyperbolic surface (think of
a ruffle-y piece of curly kale leaf).
After a lot of exploration, she invented a way to use the traditional
yarn craft called crochet to create models of the hyperbolic plane. This small example led to an entirely new
field of mathematical art (or artistic mathematics), called Mathematical Fiber
Arts.
In this four-day workshop,
participants will learn how to crochet (if they don’t already know how) and
will create a hyperbolic surface of their own.
Depending on participant interest, we will explore the Crochet Coral
Reef project. We will also learn how to
create bead crochet (typically used to make bracelets and very closely linked
to African jewelry patterns) and learn how it is connected to many fields of
mathematics, such as geometry, abstract algebra, and topology. There is a possibility that we could invite Dr.
Susan Goldstine of St Mary’s College of Maryland to give a guest lecture and
workshop, once dates are finalized.
23. War Games
Student and faculty leaders:
John
Kessenger, Bill Tabrisky, Sam Tabrisky
This activity
intends to provide participants with a logistical and historical perspective on
war. Using board war games, participants will enact battles from a position of
command. This will allow students to have a hands-on educational experience in
which they will learn and execute strategies and tactics. These games require
the ability to remain focused for long periods of time. The games entail a
major time commitment due to the complexity of the rules. Some time will
be given to learning about war gaming in the military sector and about the specific
battles covered by the games. We recommend this activity to students
interested in both the historical and strategic aspects of the Napoleonic Wars,
American Civil War, WWI, WWII, or the Cold War. Note: games like Risk and
Stratego will not be played during this week since these games do not have an
historical component to them.
Faculty sponsor: Bob Carter
In this activity, students will learn beginning steps in a variety of ballroom dances. Those could include waltz, fox trot, cha-cha, rhumba, mambo, samba, merengue, polka, swing, west coast swing, night club, hustle.
25. A Journey Through Film
Student and faculty leaders: Peter Warren, Eli Asdourian, Harry Levine
Spanning
seven decades, we’re going to watch six films from three different countries.
By watching a wide array of films, we’re going to see that even though film has
changed dramatically over time, fantastic movies have been around since movies
themselves. We’ve chosen very different films, (even a documentary,) in hopes
of spurring interesting and new discussions each day. We welcome anyone who’s
interested in talking about movies on our “Journey Through Film,” but more
importantly, we want to sit back and watch the best of the best from the last
seventy years at the cinema.
26. Hidden Baltimore and DC
Faculty leader: Sean Lally
Baltimore
and DC are home to world-class museums and parks, as well as an enormous number
of hidden gems. Each day, we will hit
often-overlooked areas or museums in the Baltimore-Washington area, to be
decided by the participants. There are many such places, but a short list
of some target destinations includes:
National Arboretum, National Portrait Gallery, Roosevelt Island,
Lexington Market, Fort McHenry, Baltimore or DC Trolley museums, College Park
Aviation museum, Spy Museum, Cryptography museum, US Postal museum, the
Walters, the AVAM, the Museum of Industry, Harley-Davison factory, and so
forth.
27. How Star Wars Conquered the Universe
Student and faculty leaders: Kendall Laughton, Arnaldo Cohen, Susan
Weintraub
In
1973, a young filmmaker named George Lucas scribbled some notes for a
far-fetched space-fantasy epic. Some forty years and $37 billion later, Star
Wars–related products outnumber human beings, a growing stormtrooper army spans
the globe, and “Jediism” has become a religion in its own right. Lucas’s
creation has grown into far more than a cinematic classic; it is, quite simply,
one of the most lucrative, influential, and interactive franchises of all time.
After watching the three original Star Wars films, we will discuss this, the
franchise’s impact on cinema and popular culture, its lasting mythos, the
music, the fans, the merchandise, and everything else that took place a long
time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.
28. Wheel-throwing Ceramics
Student and faculty leaders: Wen Pickering (Park parent), Jeff Metzel,
Jon Acheson, Rhys Joseph
Wen Pickering would like to offer a
wheel-throwing course that would teach students the basics of centering, throwing,
shaping, and trimming pots on the wheel. There would be a sketching component
and a small amount of easy research on-line and through books. Although the
wheel is merely one tool of the craft, it is fascinating and a lot of fun to
experience.
Student leader: Charlotte Baird
Faculty
sponsor: TBA
The
purpose of this activity is to show anyone that they can make a difference in
the lives of animals, even without owning a pet. Students in this course will
learn what animal activism as well as information about different animal
activists and organizations. We will study vegetarianism (and why Meatless
Mondays are so important), and make and eat vegetarian foods. Also, students
will get the chance to discuss current animal rights conflicts, watch a few
films and get some real-world experience volunteering at an animal shelter for
one day!
Student leaders: Max Shockett and Ryan Gilbert
Faculty
sponsor: TBA
31. Persian Immersion
Student and faculty leaders: Iman Sheybani, Christian Lillie
This activity will
offer an analysis of modern Iranian culture and history, specifically its
relationship with the west and why the country is at such odds with the
United States currently. Some areas we may focus on are the Iranian nuclear
deal, the Iranian revolution, Iran's presence on the global scale in the 20th
century, and so forth. We will read and analyze many first hand accounts
and primary sources from excerpts in letters, speeches, novels and historical
textbooks, and the Quran. We will also try to understand Shiite
stances on beliefs, morals, ethics and religious law, and will look at Iran's
implementation of this on the government scale. We will also look at the
United States' perspective on the country, its culture, government, and
people-and how this view has changed in our society and in our government in
the past century. We will also look at the double-standards between
our treatment towards the Iranian government and towards Saudi government
in terms of democratic policies and treatment of their civilians. We also
plan to watch several video clips, including documentaries, and Iranian film to
include some elements of cultural immersion. This can be considered
a modern Iranian history crash course along with some elements of "Persian immersion."
32. The Seamsters’ Union or “Sewing with Nancy”
Student and Faculty Leaders: Nancy Fink, Nancy
Dickson, Meg Piper
This will be a sewing workshop – there are a
number of directions that this project can take depending on our students’
interests. This would be open to anyone who is interested in learning to sew or
to advance his/her/their skills. We will start with simple projects such as a
bag and/or pillow. There will be a trip to a fabric store to buy materials for
each student's individual project (this could be an article of clothing, a more
complicated bag, etc.)
