Humanities & Social Sciences Courses
Batman and Applied Ethics
Instructors:
Nevin Gera
Section 1: Grade 5-8, Tues, Fri: 7PM-8PM EDT
Prerequisites: None
The characters and scenes of the Dark Knight can be viewed as solitary elements within a superhero trilogy. However, this course approaches them as embodiments of various philosophical disciplines. It then uses these disciplines to analyze real world problems within the realms of business, international affairs, and more. Throughout the course, students will expand their critical thinking and writing skills via group discussions, application of concepts, and individual writing.
Book Club
Instructors:
Nolan Bansal
Section 1: Grades 3-5, Tues, Fri: 5PM-5:30PM EDT
Section 2: Grades 3-5, Tues, Fri: 6PM-6:30PM EDT
Prerequisites: None
If you’re interested in getting out of the normal world for a bit and escaping into somewhere a little more interesting, join the YPP book club! Students will take a poll to decide which novel the group ends up reading, choosing from a pool that includes Artemis Fowl, Life of Pi, and Gone for middle schoolers and Hatchet, Matilda, and Charlotte's Web for elementary schoolers. This is, of course, not a final list and you are welcome to submit your own recommendations before the poll. Classes themselves will be mostly discussion-based, while the instructor (Nolan) will be present to guide the conversation, the majority of thoughts and opinions will ideally be from the students themselves. Nolan can talk for hours about every one of these but he wants to hear what you think.
Harry Potter Book Club
Instructors:
Amrutha Nandakumar
Section 1: Grades 4-7, Wed, Sun: 6:30-7:15PM EDT
Prerequisites: Having read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is highly recommended.
Escape the boring reality of everyday life with this course that takes a deep dive into the magical world of Harry Potter! Students in this course will get a chance to discuss the books and their underlying messages and themes, while learning new and interesting information about the story and its origin. The class will be largely student driven, giving them the opportunity to take a closer dive into what they find interesting, while also having a learning component where they will get to find out more about the series. The hope is that they will get a chance to discover just what makes the stories so magical, and leave with a love of the magical world of Harry Potter that will last a lifetime.
Creative Writing
Instructors:
Leya Ivanov,
Samuel Hurwitz
(FULL) Section 1: Grade 1-5, Mon, Tues: 4PM-4:40PM EDT
(FULL) Section 2: Grade 6-8, Thurs: 5PM-5:45PM EDT, Sun: 2PM-2:45PM EDT
Prerequisites: A non-school Gmail account to use Google Docs (for section 2 only)
Do you have a story that you’re dying to tell? Whether it be a simple poem or a wacky fantasy story, everything is possible through creative writing. Anything you can imagine can become a reality with a few words. The Creative Writing class will give you a space to explore this passion. Schools often have few spaces to let your stories shine, and here you can let your imagination flow. You’ll also receive instructor feedback, partake in fun writing exercises, solve figurative language mysteries, participate in group activities, and so much more.
Intermediate Creative Writing
Instructors:
Ella Ray
(FULL) Section 1: Grades 6-8, Fri, Sat: 6PM-6:45PM EDT
Prerequisites: None
Did you know writer’s block is considered to be completely normal? In this course, we’ll learn how to use these “blocks” to help “unlock” our creative potential. We will work together by completing fun warmups, working with figurative language, and participating in group activities that focus on storytelling with sensory details.
Geography Around the World
Instructors:
Vikram Rao,
Kishan Kalaria
(FULL) Section 1: Grade 3-6, Tues, Fri: 6PM-6:45PM EDT
(FULL) Section 2: Grade 4-6, Mon, Wed: 7:30PM-8:15PM EDT
Prerequisites: None
What's the capital of Indonesia? Where is Mt. Kilimanjaro? In this course, we will be exploring the people and the places that exist all around the globe from countries to cultures. You will be learning about every continent, its countries, and interesting facts about the place. We will accomplish all this through maps and games while having lots of fun. By the end, you will have an idea of what goes on in this very fascinating world we live in.
Philosophy
Instructors:
Aanya Schoetz
Section 1: Grades 5-8, Sat, Sun: 11:30AM-12:15PM EDT
Prerequisites: None
Fundamentals of Philosophy is an introductory course designed to get students to think critically about the world. Thinkers and ideas that forged history will be broken down and explained, starting with Ancient Greek fundamentals to the Era of Enlightenment and to contemporary, postmodern theories. We will host discussions, debates, and Socratic seminars, in addition to recommended readings and videos. The course is primarily interest-based and will offer students the opportunity to research and explore the world for themselves.
Introduction to Psychology
Instructors:
Anum Khan
Section 1: Grades 6-8, Mon, Wed: 7PM-7:45PM EDT
Prerequisites: None
This class is an introduction to psychology. We will explore the different schools of psychology—such as behaviorism, structuralism, and functionalism—as well as the applications of psychology in day to day life. Additionally, students will learn about different psychologists, their experiments, and be able to do fun experiments of their own. The skills you foster in psychology will help you to understand your peers' thoughts and actions, build better friendships and relationships, become better at decision making, and gain overall academic success.
Story Writing
Instructors:
Morgana McLeod
(FULL) Section 1: Grades 5-7, Tues, Fri: 4PM-4:45PM EDT
Prerequisites: None
An introductory story writing course meant for engaged young children. In this class, we will investigate the process of creating an artful story through plot, voice, and characters. We will dissect the process of writing through class discussion and individual attention.
