Class Descriptions
45 minute classes – Session A
The Camino de Santiago: Where the yellow arrows lead and the
languages you speak to get there Adam Bailey, Modern and Classical Languages Department Head
The pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela, in northwestern Spain, has been traveled for centuries by people from all walks of life, for all sorts of reasons, speaking many different languages. This class will look at one pilgrim’s tale and the lessons learned from walking the Way of St. James. The lessons are a mix of history, culture, linguistics, and a little bit of mysticism thrown in for good measure. No knowledge of foreign languages is needed upon entering, but you may have some new phrases in your bag when you leave.
Whose Woods These Are: A Closer Encounter with ‘Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening’ Parkman Howe, English Faculty
Frost’s celebrated “perfect” poem holds a number of surprises, from the season when it was composed to the hidden agenda of its imagery and the controversies around punctuation it has sparked. The illustrated lecture presents the sources of the poem, both literary and those personal to Frost, as well as the landscape and architecture of its composition.
Northern Ireland: Images of Conflict and Peace
Sarah Yeh, History Faculty
We will examine the roots of conflict in Northern Ireland and explore the region’s enduring challenges as well as its citizens’ efforts to model pathways to peace. Using images from the 17 to the 21 centuries, we’ll consider the role history, memory and art have played in both perpetuating and healing division. We will also look at research projects on Northern Ireland th
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undertaken by CA students. Questions to Ask a Work of Art
Ben Stumpf, Visual Arts Faculty, Computer Studies Department Head
In this class, we will explore how to look at a piece of art whatever the genre -­‐-­‐ drawing, painting, photography, ceramics, architecture, printmaking, fibers, film and more. As a first step to better understanding, we’ll talk about questions one might ask about a work of art: who created it, under what context, for what reason, with what techniques, and so on. Henry David Thoreau and His Walden Pond Experiment
Sandy Stott, English Department Head
Why did Henry Thoreau move out of town and where did he go? Join us for a consideration of Thoreau’s two-­‐year sojourn at Walden Pond, the experiment that grew into his signal book, Walden. Discover why Thoreau’s call to self-­‐discovery is timeless. Texts will include excerpts from Walden and Civil Disobedience.
Movement, Music and Collaborative Creativity Richard Colton, Performing Arts and Dance Faculty, Dance Company Director
Jared Green ’88, Associate Professor of English, Stonehill College & CA House Parent
In this class, we will explore the creative process at the intersection of dance and literature. What happens when the CA Dance Company brings to stirring theatrical life the Adolfo Bioy Casares’ novella The Invention of Morel, with its currents of thought on the erosion of the real in contemporary life? Joining Richard and Jared will be members of the CA Dance Company and CA music soloists, to demonstrate the movement and musical ideas that are emerging from their explorations of the novel’s themes.
45 minute classes – Session B
Science as Storytelling: Using Narrative to Understand the World Around Us
Andres Yañes-­‐Taylor, Science Department Head
We will examine the evolution of science education at CA and explore the role of narrative in teaching and learning science. We will share how we help CA students understand, appreciate, and master the core values of science using examples from the classroom. Dash of Dickinson Nick Hiebert, English Faculty
Emily Dickinson's beautiful and dense poems have led one critic to declare that they do not merely describe the universe -­‐-­‐ they allow for it. Yet perhaps even greater numbers have written them off as difficult. Through a series of short reading and writing exercises, we'll examine the way Dickinson stacks, packs, and refracts meaning in a pair of her poems. Come ready to be amazed.
Chinese Poetry: Sound, Language and Translation Wenjun Kuai, Mandarin and Classical Languages Faculty
Abby Laber, English Faculty
This class invites you to explore the beauty of Chinese poetry. We will first read and chant one of the most well-­‐known Tang poems in Chinese, and explore the images of its social and natural milieu. Then we will find out how creative and innovative we can be in building our own English translation of this poem. We will end by comparing our translations to the work of some famous American translators. No knowledge of Chinese language required!
Broadway’s DNA: Dissecting the Successful Song Michael Bennett, Performing Arts Faculty
A uniquely American art form in style, spirit and format, the Broadway musical thrives today with big-­‐budget productions and revivals of classics. For most of us, the language of Broadway is accepted as part of our standard musical vocabulary. But while we don't generally put a great deal of thought into what makes the tunes of the White Way truly "Great," there's quite a lot that goes into making a Broadway hit. We’ll take a look under the hood at the essential elements that make up a Broadway song, using an assortment of analytical methods to unlock the keys to a brilliantly prepared, well-­‐crafted performance. No musical ability or previous experience required!
The Paris Wife: Hemingway through Hadley’s Eyes Lucille Stott, English Faculty
The runaway success of Paula McLain’s historical fiction, The Paris Wife (2011), demonstrated the enduring appeal of Ernest Hemingway’s now legendary early years in Paris with his first wife, Hadley Richardson. In this class, we will first view images of Hemingway, Hadley, and the famous American ex-­‐pats who shared the City of Light with them in the 1920s. We will then explore Hadley's influence on Hemingway's early career and her lasting impact on the literary genius who, in his famous memoir A Moveable Feast, expressed profound regret at ever having left this "Paris wife" for a succession of other women. You do not need to read the novel before the class, but if you do, your reflections on it will be most welcome.
90 minute classes – Session C
Examining How We See Our World John Pickle, Science Faculty
We often take for granted how much our eyes tell us about our surroundings. But how much more can we see when we consider the electromagnetic spectrum? In this class, we will explore the basics of how the electromagnetic spectrum was formed and travels throughout our world. Working with digital cameras and computers, we will measure and display the intensity of light coming from, or passing through, objects. These techniques give us a way to measure environmental health, from the state of a backyard garden to the state of the world, to see what our eyes alone might not see.
The Legacy of Nelson Mandela
Sally Zimmerli, History Faculty
Nelson Mandela has a cherished place in history for his remarkable accomplishments, despite the brutal oppression he faced in his native South Africa. He dedicated his life to the creation of a non-­‐
racial South Africa where the voices of all could be heard. Following his release from prison at the age of 72, Mandela led South Africans to forgive and move forward. Many ask, how could a man oppressed and imprisoned by his own government then turn around and make peace? How did he forgive, and help others do the same? We will examine Mandela’s legacy as well as his remarkable path to truth and forgiveness.
How Google Revolutionized ‘Search’ Mark Engerman, Mathematics Faculty
In this class, even somewhat rusty mathematicians will get a glimpse of the enormous power behind Google’s ‘search’ function. By mapping connections between web pages, Google was able to make a great leap forward in Internet searching. Despite only using basic math – addition and multiplication – the Markov Chain matrix technique provides the power to model networks, games and populations among other things. Class participants will learn some basics of matrix algebra and will use graphing calculators to model different phenomena. No prior experience with matrices or calculators required!
Try Your Hand at the Potter’s Wheel Ben Eberle ’99, Visual Arts Faculty Ever wanted to try your hand at making functional pottery on the wheel? Don't have a studio near you? Never had enough time? Come to the CA ceramics studio and learn the basics with Ben Eberle in an active class, where you will learn basic techniques and then explore how to use them yourself. While, you won't get to take anything home, you will have the experience forever.
Paddle the Rivers of Concord John Drew, Academic Dean and Science Faculty
Gretchen Roorbach, Science Faculty
Join science department members Gretchen Roorbach and John Drew for a paddle on the Sudbury and Assabet Rivers. Gretchen will focus on issues facing local, national, and international water resources; John will discuss water resources as defining a sense of place and how these themes are central to current environmental education. The Minutemen and Their World Stephanie Manzella, History Faculty This class will offer a window into some of the ways the history department takes advantage of CA's unique setting in the historic town of Concord. Barring severe weather, we will walk to one of Concord's local cemeteries to consider what gravestones reveal about Concord's early social history. After returning to the classroom, we will examine 17th century documents from the Concord Public Library's archives where we will consider what social, economic, and political concerns Concordians discussed at their town meetings, and how local issues affected their response to British rule.