The Spring Unit
A special feature of Gill St. Bernard’s curriculum is the Spring Unit. A Spring Unit course is taken by all Upper School students each year. The class meets as a group for two weeks, intensively studying a topic and learning cooperatively.
Students create projects, make presentations, travel and work with other students in groups in all Spring Unit courses. Spring Unit experiences complement the regular year’s course of study by extending knowledge or by providing opportunities to apply learning in a practical way. Most importantly, though, the Spring Unit experience literally opens our classrooms to the world as frequent field trips and field studies, often outside the U.S. are integral to the Spring Unit curriculum.
Download 2009 Booklet
The Unit 2008
Upper School students have signed up for seventeen different units this spring:
Research at the Center for Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and Environment – A select group of students will work with electrical engineering professor and director of Princeton University’s MIRTHE center. They will study the mid-infrared range of the optical spectrum and its applications to health, homeland security, and the environment.
The History of Gill St. Bernard’s School –This group of students will produce a DVD video documentary that will help preserve the history of GSB in moving images and memories including the oral history of veteran teachers, staff, alumni, administrators, and others who can provide insight into the past.
Animal Behavior –Students in this course will explore animal self-concept, communication, and social interaction. Field trips to the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, The Seeing Eye Center, and Rutgers University’s Department of Animal Science, along with guest speakers, will provide incomparable opportunities to learn about animal behavior.
Arts and Artisans –This group will work with professional artisans in the region to learn several crafts. They will concentrate on pottery making and jewelry making. Daily professional instruction will enable the students to produce a body of work for exhibition at the close of the Spring Unit.
Filming Stories: the Intersection of Literature and Entertainment –Students in this course will explore the connection between fine literature and superior film making. They will dissect the components of each, reflect on similarities and differences, and discuss the pressure on filmmakers, from economic to creative, to craft one fine art form from another. Books and films include Fahrenheit 451, House of Sand and Fog, Time Machine, The Godfather, And Then There Were None, A Christmas Carol, Minority Report and many others.
The Receiving in the Giving – Community Service –Students learn to conceive and implement successful community service projects through understanding the unmet needs of communities of people. They will work with the visually impaired, the elderly, hospitalized children, and animals. Interpersonal skills and service to community are stressed.
Puzzlemania! –Students will learn about the history of puzzles, the art of two-dimensional and three-dimensional puzzle making by individual craftspeople and on factory assembly lines, and the psychology of and strategies for a multitude of puzzles. They will visit MGC Puzzles in Connecticut. Of course they will test their creativity and skills on ancient and modern puzzles.
The Life of Pie – A “Suite” of Alternatives –In this course students learn to bake pies and follow the ingredients back to their sources. They visit organic farmers and learn about the Slow Food Movement. The politics, economics, and ecology of agricultural alternatives are explored by the students through numerous field trips and other experiences.
On Design and Devilish Detail –Students in this course explore the creative process – from architecture to fashion, from product design to advertising campaigns. They will gain insight into how to make ideas visual and practical. Field trips to New York designers and architects are among the opportunities for students to learn about the field of design.
Broadway Bound –Students study the Broadway musical, its origins and evolution. They see numerous productions including Avenue Q, Wicked, Hairspray, Spring Awakening, The Heights, The Color Purple, and Rent. Many of these productions include workshops for the students following the show.
Appalachia Service Project –Students travel to Appalachia to help build homes and provide other services to meet the survival needs of underprivileged rural communities. They will not only gain rewards from volunteering but students will also gain insight into the circumstances that plague the region including economic exploitation, environmental degradation, and governmental neglect.
New Hampshire and the Natural Environment –In cooperation with Kimball Union Academy’s and Dartmouth College’s environmental programs, students will build a foundation for life-long interest in environmental stewardship. They will hike and bike in the White Mountains, canoe the Connecticut River, and explore landmarks of the Granite State. The program emphasizes environmental leadership through outdoor experience.
“Living on the Water” –On Maryland’s Eastern Shore, out of Chestertown, students will spend a week exploring the Upper Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries by sea-kayak and historic live-aboard vessels. They will also venture out by ferry to some of the Chesapeake’s remote island communities. Appreciation of the ecological and cultural treasures of the Chesapeake is emphasized in this course.
!Viva Espana! Spanish Exchange Program –Students will travel to Spain on this home-stay program. Intercultural understanding, individual responsibility, and of course the Spanish language and culture are important dimensions of this experience. The exchange program is with Juan de Lanuza School in the beautiful and historic city of Zaragoza, Spain.
Peace-Making: Study and Travel in Israel –Students will travel of Israel where they will meet with individuals and groups working for a peaceful resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. They will meet with Israeli and Palestinians, Jews and Muslims and experience first-hand the contested holy city of Jerusalem. Experienced and expert guides will lead the group on this incredible sojourn in the Holy Land.
Kingdoms, Castles and Classics – England, Scotland and Wales –This travel and study program will introduce students to some of the most compelling natural settings, museums, and historic sites of Great Britain. Emphasis on the connections among history, geography and literature will be stressed. Chaucer, Spenser, Tennyson, Browning, Dickens and Hardy are the principal authors. Students will visit Roman ruins in Bath, the Border Country of Scotland, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the Globe Theatre, Stonehenge, and much more.
Independent Study –Students will study individually and in groups of 2-4 people projects involving unique educational/experiential opportunities. This year’s applications include the study of architecture in Germany and Spain, a local photographic project, cultural study in Prague, professional internships, and many more.
