Minimester 2010
Dear Families,
Minimester, a three-day mini-course, is an interdisciplinary immersion experience focusing on one topic. Members of the faculty have developed these courses around their own passions and experiences in areas that may or not be part of the regular curriculum. Twelfth Grade students, in consultation with the Assistant Principal may lead a Minimester. This year, Minimester is next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. This year’s offerings include:
Surviving the Techpocalypse
If the Internet went down–not just for an hour or so, but for good? –could you survive? It wouldn’t just be your computers and cell phones that would stop working: NY uses fully automated subways, from the driver to the signals, on some lines. The basic stuff of our life is often manufactured– and most manufacturing is digitized. Our money is usually in the form of plastic connected to a computerized infrastructure–and when we do get cash, it’s from a computer. We can’t give you the skills for everything, but in this minimester, we’ll explore the old-fashioned, human-generated techniques for making some basics that might keep society ticking along: paper, candles, soap, and spoons. We’ll also explore what it means to live in a world where we’ve cut people out of the equation when it come to the creation and manufacture of all the things people need to live in this world.
Time Travel
Since H.G. Wells’ “The Time Machine,” the concept of time travel has fascinated minds. In this minimester we will explore some of the philosophical, logical and scientific concepts related to this interesting, yet enigmatic, topic. We will look at the “The Grandfather Paradox,” “Causal Loops” “General Relativity” “Parallel Universes” and other important ideas central to time travel. Also, with a concept so driven and shaped by popular appeal, we will watch examples of time travel in movies and TV shows, and then discuss how these representations conform to the logical and scientific laws that limit the possibilities of time travel.
The Amazing Journey
What does a Korean fish store manager, two street vendors from Ecuador, and a gay Pakistani salesman have in common? In this minimester you’ll find the answer to the question above, and you’ll take train journey. You’ll visit the most diverse neighborhoods in the US and you’ll experience a wide range of cultures, and peoples’ traditions, faiths, history and food. Requirements: an open mind, a desire to meet new people, and a willingness to embrace foreign (to you) cultures.
Musical Stringamester
We’ll learn the basics of the string family, teach each other simple tunes, then we will play string riffs from Coldplay, to Lady Gaga, Mozart to Metallica, and James Brown to Dr. Dre. This will be a “megamester of Strings” and includes a little red bonus: glorious musical trips outdoors to Lincoln Center and Apollo Theater and we will have a guest String player visit our group. You can pick up Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, (or double on classical Guitar). We will form an ensemble of strings. A musical background or some basic music experience is helpful and necessary. This will be the start of something stringful, a string salmagundi. Feel free to bring your string instrument or we can provide an instrument upon request.
New York’s Hidden Gems
Undiscovered gems. Parks and green places in New York you’ve never been to. On the first day, we’ll go to Upper Manhattan and find a lighthouse many of you only know from a children’s book, look at a Medieval monastery built on cliffs overlooking the Hudson, see one of the earliest suspension bridges set among the trails of Highbridge Park, and finally look at a newly restored oasis on the tip of the island. On day two, we’re going to the Snug Harbor Cultural Center on Staten Island, a former retirement center for sailors, where we’ll explore some of New York’s earliest historical buildings and beautifully restored gardens and walk the creepy path where deceased sailors were carried to their graves. On the final day, we’ll see a side of Central Park that most New Yorkers don’t even know exist. Along the way, we’ll be capturing our discoveries on camera and we’ll share a slideshow on the last day. All students will need a digital camera. (If you don’t have one, we might be able to arrange for you to get one.) We will be out all day so everyone must bring lunch. And, finally, you must bring comfortable shoes, an open mind, and your curiosity about the hidden treasures of your city.
Non-Fiction Film
In light of several “questionable” films in the past few months the documentary film genre has had an upheaval of sorts (I’m Not There, Exit thought the Gift Shop, and Catfish). The age old discussion of artiface v. authencity has resurfaced. In this course we will trace the history of the documentary genre and revisit the discussion. The course will be interspersed with screenings of seminal films as well as a visit from LREI alumni filmmaker Lynn True and the screening of her film Summer Pastures that was recently picked up by IFC.
Public Service Announcements
Make a public service announcement about any cause that you want. Could be showing people something as simple as the benefits of smiling more or to educate them on the consequences of online bullying. We would look at PSA’s to break down how they work then write and produce our own 30-second pieces.
Please take a look at all of the offerings here. Thanks to the faculty and members of the senior class for these amazing offerings and to Micah for compiling the list!
Also, next week is Ally Week. In light of recent tragedies, the loss of so many young people around the country taking their own lives as a result of bullying in schools, it is critical to display our support of the young people who may or may not be out in our schools. During Ally Week, students can wear a sticker that says, “Be an Ally. Be the Change.” It is that simple. Students can also post a purple pledge, found on our “What’s on your mind” bulletin board. These are visible signs of support to those may not be so visible. Please see this letter from Chap, LREI’s Director of Diversity and Community that addresses LREI’s commitment to being an ally.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Ruth
Updates and Announcements:
Trimester I interims will be available on Podium beginning next Friday, October 22. Interims are given for all 9th graders, all new students, any students of concern and students who are earning below B-. If you have any problems logging in, please send an email to help@lrei.org. A reminder and more details will be in next week’s blog.
Reminder: The 10th grade potluck is on October 19, 6:30 PM, Charlton Street Cafeteria.
1. From the Sports Committee: Come out to a Home Game and show your support for our LREI Knights Volleyball teams! Both the Middle School Co-ed team and the Varsity Girls are having a great season so far and its always fun to have some fans in the bleachers cheering on our student athletes. Wear your team colors and join us!
Upcoming games:
TODAY! Thursday 14th October 4pm Varsity Girls vs BWL
Monday 18th October 4pm Varsity Girls vs Garden
All home games are played in the Thompson Street Athletic Center (145 Thompson, just below Houston)
All game schedules and news can be found at www.lrei.org/athletics
2. There is still time to sign up for the first term of Adult r(ED), LREI’s adult education courses. See last week’s blog for the offerings. Classes begin next week. Contact Rowena Penaranda Askins to enroll, rpenaranda@lrei.org.
3. Did you know that approximately 500 to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide? Did you also know that plastic bags are not biodegradable and take from 500 to 1000 years to decompose? It would help the environment if we all used less plastic bags. But, it is sometimes unavoidable so let’s recycle the bags we have. Red is Green is kicking off its 2010-’11 school year recycling drive with plastic bags. We will collect clean plastic bags in the entryway of the lower school throughout October. After that, you can bring your bags to most chain stores for collection.