Held from 10-12 every day, Parkmont’s Main Lessons combine traditional academic disciplines with student interests and are the foundation of our schedule. Check out some of the options from Sessions 2 and 3.
Middle School
Crime Lab. Become a super science sleuth while performing crime-solving, case-breaking, and crook-catching activities. From dusting for fingerprints to analyzing handwriting and identifying ink found on a ransom note, this course is designed to give you a first-hand look at how detectives and forensic scientists use science to solve real-life crimes. Make a plaster cast of a shoe, identity lip prints left on a glass. Examine hair and clothing fibers. Practice chemistry to identify mystery substances. You will learn even more of the techniques practiced by professional crime detectors. In addition to having many opportunities to experiment with forensic science techniques, you’ll also learn about some famous crimes and how they were or weren’t solved. More importantly, by using your crime-detecting skills, you’ll learn how to think more clearly and effectively
Geography. Students will study the interconnectedness of cultures, environments, and regions worldwide. Through map skills, cultural exploration, and environmental inquiry, students will gain a foundational understanding of geographic concepts, from physical features to human activities and global issues
Robotics. This class will start by reviewing the history of robotics and AI. We will discuss where the word robot comes from, what robots do, and their importance in our every day lives. We will also learn what goes into building a robot and programming it. We will assemble closed circuits using batteries, resistors, switches, and LEDS and learn how to draw circuit diagrams. We will also learn how to use block-based coding with Micro:bits and in Scratch. Using the building and programming skills learned throughout the session, we will finish the class by building our very own robots using the Lego Robot Inventor Kit. Students will be graded on their homework assignments, tests/quizzes, classwork, and projects/labs.
Upper School
Comparative Government. Students will learn about traditional and modern approaches to comparing governments. Using what they’ve learned, they will analyze various historical events and how those events are presented in history texts, literature, and other media. We will progress to analyzing current events and practice discussing them. The class will culminate in a final project comparing an institution in the United States to its equivalent abroad in order to make a systematic recommendation for how to improve the institution.
Journalism and Media Studies. This class has two main objectives. One: for you to become more media literate, meaning able to identify and interpret news, its accuracy, and its message. Two: to improve your writing and reading skills by reading news, summarizing articles. and writing your own stories. In order to achieve these goals, we will analyze current events and write our own articles. We will watch the news, read the paper, listen to podcasts, practice journalistic writing, watch films, and engage in discussions that enhance our understanding of journalism and current events.
Spanish 2b. By the end of this session, you will be able to speak comfortably about past and present events. You will also be able to tell others what to do and use object pronouns. You will have developed a full vocabulary that allows you to discuss your daily routines, childhood events, vacations, shopping, and much more. You will be able to read and analyze Spanish texts to decipher meaning and understand the basic conservation of native Spanish speakers. You will be able to intelligently discuss various geographical, cultural, and historical aspects of Spain and the influences of Latin American culture in America.
Research Writing. This course will introduce students to the fundamental elements of the college research paper. Through intensive research in the library and individual analysis in the classroom, students will acquire skills in topic selection, researching and note-taking, the development of an efficient outline and thesis statement, and in accurate documentation through in-text citations and a Works Cited list. Although this course is demanding, it is a necessity for the college-bound student who wants to be prepared.
Anatomy and Physiology. In this section of Biology, the goal will be to enable students to identify and understand key structures, organs, systems, and spatial relationships in living systems. We will start with the anatomy of the human body. We will then compare the different physiologies of the 5 kingdoms to see the unique strategies each has evolved to succeed in their environments. Upon completion of the course, students should broadly understand the roles of the different organ systems in their body and the mechanisms by which those systems act — at both the macroscopic and a microscopic levels — with the goal that they will have gained a greater appreciation and understanding of their own bodies.
Computer Science. We will start with a high level overview of the world of computing, including the origin of computers, the infrastructure that makes technology work, and how people learn about computers. Next we will explore what computer science is and the different topics it includes. We will also learn about the history of computer science, the internet, and programming. All parts of the course will be contextualized with how technology is used today and how it affects us; and we will also be making guesses about where it’s all headed. We will dive into writing some code and programs using Javascript, HTML, and CSS, and we will finish the session by making a webpage.