May Term 2023 Catalog

The series of books by C. S. Lewis has fascinated readers of all ages for several decades. The seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia series will provide much room for class discussion and outside research. The three major motion pictures related to the series will also give opportunities to explore the themes and storylines of the books. Additionally, this course will delve beyond the stories to discuss the story behind the stories and the man behind the stories.

By participating in this course, students will become familiar with C. S. Lewis, a prominent 20th century novelist, academic, and philosopher. Students will analyze important themes represented in the literature of Lewis. Course work will include discussions of each book in the series, student presentations, and viewing of the movies from the series. Outside work will include reading, researching relevant topics, preparing in-class presentations, and writing short papers.

Do you want to learn how to play tennis? The goal of this class is designed for students with no previous tennis experience. Students will learn how to play tennis, basic tennis strokes, information on the history of tennis and famous tennis players. Participants will need to bring a tennis racquet and two NEW cans of tennis balls. (Students with tennis experience do not need to apply).

Muay Thai is the cultural martial art of Thailand. It dates back several hundred years and was developed as a form of close combat that used the entire body as a weapon. Since this is an introduction course, participants will not strike or be struck by anyone using force. We will mostly practice the techniques in a shadow-boxing style. Participants should provide a pair of athletic shorts, sneakers, clean socks & t-shirt which will be used during the hands-on, instructional portion of the class. The classroom instruction will just be normal clothes. If you also have a simple jump rope, this would also be beneficial. If you do not have a jump rope, another exercise option will be available.

This course is meant to introduce the participant to self-defense techniques as practiced in Muay Thai that can be used in and out of organized competitions. It is also meant to provide the participant with a physical exercise class as well as a historical perspective of the art of Muay Thai as well as other similar arts.

Please see the Indiana Academy website for the requirements and application for a May Term Internship. Follow the directions and remember you still need to submit your Course Request Form along with the May Term Internship application materials. Please direct any questions about May Term Internships to Dr. Joel Olufowote in WA 172 and the completed application forms need to be submitted to Ms. Candace Manship in WA 170.

This course is an introduction to French cinema. We will watch films representing a variety of time-periods, subjects, and genres. Directors may include Cocteau, Godard, Truffaut, Marker, Malle, Palcy, Denis, Berri, Jeunet, Boon, and others. I anticipate that we will watch about 10 films and discuss them. This is a discussion-based class. The students will analyze and compare French films, learn about French culture, present information and arguments, write response papers, and participate in discussions. No previous experience in French is required for the class.

Note: This course will require parental permission from every enrolled student. Films/books/and classroom discussion may contain adult content in some form, whether it be violence, sex, drugs, language, or all the above. Even if the student is 17 or 18, parental permission will be required. Students will receive permission forms soon after enrollment is approved.

A basic understanding of electronics is essential in today’s world considering the impact of electronics. This course will look at the basics of digital technology and how the electronic technology has shifted from analog systems to digital systems. Although much of the current technology is based on digital electronics, analog electronics have some advantages over analog technologies. The course explores the transformation from analog to digital systems with a focus on the applications of Logic Gates. Students will have an opportunity to connect basic electronic circuits and gain an understanding of the theory behind digital electronics. This will give the students an understanding of how technology has evolved from analog to digital and provide the opportunity to relate digital electronics to real-life experiences.

Do you like playing Clue™? Do you enjoy reading mystery novels? Do you like story-telling or acting? Have you ever wanted to be part of a murder-mystery party? Here’s your chance! You and your classmates will each read a murder-mystery novel and discuss what aspects of the various novels you would want to include in the mystery that YOU create! You will write scripts, create props and set-pieces, and rehearse before opening your murder-mystery party to the Academy community! This class will have minimal outside work – just the first day’s reading assignment. The rest of the coursework will be done during class hours.

This course introduces students to several iconic American horror films from the 1970s and 1980s. Directors like Tobe Hooper, Joe Dante, Stanley Kubrick, and John Carpenter (among many others) made horror films in the 1970s and 1980s that quoted liberally from the horror of the 1950s and 1960s and yet established their own uniqueness and power that continue to inform the language of today’s horror films. Students will watch 4-5 horror films from the seventies and 4-5 from the eighties. Through discussion, research, and informal writing, we will dissect the horror on display in these films, see how they hold up and how their visual grammars work, and consider where the form is today.

Note: This course will require parental permission from every enrolled student. Every film shown contains adult content in some form, whether it be violence, sex, drugs, language, or all the above. Even if the student is 17 or 18, parental permission will be required. Students will receive permission forms soon after enrollment is approved.

This course is a survey of the solar system and the geological evidence obtained by various current and past missions to other worlds. Students are introduced to the basic concepts of planetary science, including an introductory conceptual framework of geology. The planets, their satellites, and dwarf planets of our solar system as well as data obtained about nearby exoplanets will be examined in detail from a planetary geology point of view.

This course will consist of a study of narrative-centered games, ranging from text-based narrative to environmental storytelling, from archival/database reconstruction narratives to narrative-driven management simulations. Combining both in-class and out-of-class engagement with a variety of narrative games, the first half of the course will be dedicated to exploring a range of objects, seeing the adaptation and evolution of this branch of gaming. The second half will be devoted to design, wherein students, either individually or in development teams, create their own narrative-centered games.

Immerse yourself in a hands-on, creative experience as you and your fellow students research, trace, embroider, paint and assemble a full-size replica of a portion of the famous “Bayeux Tapestry.” No artistic skills or knowledge of Embroidery are required—just enthusiasm, a desire to learn, and an interest in being a part of creating something unique.

Learn how to embroider using popular stitches, as well as the distinctive “Bayeux Stitch” employed by artists 1,000 years ago on this world-renowned work of art. Discover the fascinating cultural and linguistic impact on the Norman Conquest of England, told by the tapestry. Creating engaging, museum quality interpretive signs for the exhibit’s viewers. Show off your work and your knowledge in the last couple days as you and your classmates provide narration and explanation for visitors to the exhibit.

Half of the days will be 3 hours of project work in class with 3 hours of work on your own. The other half will have no homework, as all 6 hours of project work will be done in class, or you will be giving interpretive tours of the one-of-a-kind, competed project. To our knowledge, no secondary school has attempted to take on this type of a recreation of the Bayeux Tapestry.

This course is designed to introduce students to the literary genre of mathematical fiction. Through reading and discussion of classic and modern works of mathematical fiction, students will identify common themes and explore the meaning of the genre. The course will progress to a discussion of the ways in which these works reflect issues of the times and pose solutions for the future.

In addition to the literature, students will explore and solve mathematical problems related to the readings. They will also explore the role such mathematic plays in the readings and the broader cultural and societal representation of mathematics and mathematicians.

It will be expected of the students throughout the course to participate in class discussions, analyze the readings, solve basic mathematical problems related to the readings, and complete a final creative project. By the end of this course, students will gain a deeper appreciation of mathematics, literature, and the role of interdisciplinary studies.

Drawing upon concepts from rhetorical and discourse analysis as well as from cultural studies (primarily New Historicism), students will analyze multiple cultural artifacts, including advertisements, song lyrics and music videos, popular novels (including, but not limited to, Harry Potter and Twilight), comics and graphic novels, television show episodes, and movies. Learning objectives will include demonstrating awareness of and ability to identify the symbolism of imagery and recognizing how themes are represented across mediums, as well of as to consider how cultural values converge and conflict in texts. This course will culminate in a final project in which students apply their comprehension of rhetorical analysis, discourse analysis, and cultural studies tools to a text or texts of their choice.

“There is only one kind of men who have never been on strike in human history. Every other kind and class have stopped, when they so wished, and have presented payment, but have never walked out on the human race. Well, their turn has come. Let the world discover who they are, what they do and what happens when they refuse to function. This is the strike of the men of the mind.” This quote from Ayn Rand’s seminal work, Atlas Shrugged, encapsulates the story and theme of that novel. Over the course of the two weeks, we will read, analyze, and discuss this work of fiction that sometimes reads like it was ripped from today’s headlines. Come, embark on the challenge of reading one of the most influential books written in the 20th century (1957).

Note: This course will require parental permission from every enrolled student. Films/books/and classroom discussion may contain adult content in some form, whether it be violence, sex, drugs, language, or all the above. Even if the student is 17 or 18, parental permission will be required. Students will receive permission forms soon after enrollment is approved.

When was the last time you watched a film or show that featured two named, female characters having a direct conversation about literally anything aside from a man? The more you think about it, the more shocked you may be to discover just how many of your favorite films and shows fail the Bechdel Test! And, there are the other stereotypical female representations in media like the Smurfette principle, where we see one main female character surrounded by men (think: Jess in New Girl, Eleven in Stranger Things, and even Black Widow in The Avengers). Let’s explore how writers adjust to address these disparities in later seasons and sequels, what happens when the genders are reversed, and how non-binary representation in media will likely create new versions of these stereotypes in the future.

Note: This course will require parental permission from every enrolled student. Films/books/and classroom discussion may contain adult content in some form, whether it be violence, sex, drugs, language, or all the above. Even if the student is 17 or 18, parental permission will be required. Students will receive permission forms soon after enrollment is approved.

This course will survey Western classical music from the Middle Ages to the present. Topics will include the lives of composers, musical styles, and historical background of musical eras. Students will listen to lots of music (!) and possibly surprise themselves by developing new musical tastes and interests.

Students will learn about the systematics, morphology, physiology, behavior, and ecology of birds. Classes include lectures, lab exercises, and field trips. In lab, we will examine bird specimens. On field trips, we will learn to identify local bird species by sight and sound, and we observe their behavior in the wild. Several fieldtrips will involve the systematic collection of data to answer questions of interest concerning the behavior and ecology of wild birds. Three-hour sessions each morning, with two four-hour sessions for field excursions.