(Go to List of Past J-Term Courses)
One of the most exciting opportunities offered by University High School is the January Term. With two semesters of 18 weeks each, University High School has something most other high schools do not -- January Term. For three weeks in January, between first and second semester, students can immerse themselves in a single subject. This allows students to focus in detail on a subject of their interest. The January Term class counts as a single semester class.
The offerings change every year and reflect both student interest and faculty expertise. There are courses each year that offer travel opportunities. Every four years, the students have the opportunity to participate in the presidential inauguration. During January Term, students in oceanic studies learned how to scuba dive in preparation for their visit to the Florida Keys to explore an active coral reef. Students studying culinary arts visited local restaurants and kitchens as they learned about cuisines from around the world. Acting students attended a number of productions locally and in Chicago. Other students got a jump on a future career by interning at hospitals, law firms, schools and even a recording studio.
One January Term was especially significant for my daughter. She was able to establish an internship with Dr. Campbell, an OB-GYN at St. Vincent Hospital. She experienced situations to which only medical students would normally have exposure, and this piqued her interest in medicine. I believe it was instrumental in solidifying her desire to become a doctor.
Charles Phillips
This is an introductory performance course that provides an overview of the actor's creative process. Basic acting techniques are presented in conjunction with exercises designed to enhance concentration, imagination, commitment, sense of ensemble, and self-confidence. The class will also introduce the student to acting terminology, open forum discussion, and the fundamental rehearsal process. Financial requirements include that the student will attend 2 theatrical performances with the class as field trips. Past year's costs were around $50.00. Additionally students must see 2 local shows outside of class time; these range in cost from $10.00 on up to $50.00 or more, depending on the location. Actors must be prepared to challenge themselves despite the risks, stretch the comfort zone, and expose one's inner self.The grading process is based on participation in class, commitment to the process, and respect for peers and for the craft.
back to topThis class will study architecture by examining its history and appreciation. We will learn about modern and pre-modern architects; the focus will stem from student interest. The class will provide students with an introduction to architectural history, a means of approaching architecture classes from a more informed place, and/or a supplement to the AP Art History syllabus. We will discuss movements like Bauhaus, International Modernism, Post-Modernism, Art Deco, and Arts & Crafts, among others; what terms like pre-fab, gingerbread, and prairie house mean; and how to understand architecture critically from a variety of perspectives. Artists we will study are Wright, Michelangelo, Louis Kahn, Brunelleschi, Gaudi, et al.
The class will also consist of a design component, in which students will learn the fundamentals of architectural drafting: elevations, cross sections, floor plans, single- and two-point perspective, etc. We will not use computer-aided design (CAD); instead, we will work in pencil on vellum.
Homework will be drafting projects, readings on and by architects, and the writing of blog entries. There will be a field trip or two within Indianapolis to major architectural hot spots and a trip to Chicago (a one-day or two-day trip) to view a few major works by architects like Frank Lloyd Wright. Our trips will provide the students with a familiarity with architecture as an appreciatory art form. The three-week term will culminate with each student giving a presentation on a final design project or an architect's work.
This course will have two field trips within Indianapolis, one trip to Chicago. No prior knowledge of architecture or drafting is necessary.
Who are the Cajuns? What is Zydeco music? Is there a difference between Cajun and Creole? In this course, we will answer these and other questions by exploring the history of the Cajun people of Louisiana and the evolution of their culture since their arrival in this country over 250 years ago. You will learn about how the Cajuns came to settle in Louisiana, the difficulties they have faced throughout their history, and the many factors that make their culture unique. Through this course, you will gain a deeper understanding of the contributions of Cajun culture to the diversity of America, learn about the dedication needed to persevere and maintain their language and traditions, and develop a sense of respect and appreciation for this unique American subculture.
Some of the topics we will cover during the class include:
Class activities will include informational and literary readings, discussion, videos, music, and an exploration of Cajun cuisine. During the course, students will have daily reading assignments and written work reflecting on what they have learned in class each day. In addition, each student will choose a topic of interest (a famous person, a festival or holiday, an historical event, etc.) to research and present to the class. We will also learn some Cajun French expressions and find out about how Cajun French differs from the French we have learned in class.
During the last week of the course, we will visit Louisiana, including New Orleans, the bayous, and the area known as "Acadiana". We will see firsthand the places we have learned about in our class, hear authentic Cajun French, sample Cajun food, and tap our toes to traditional Cajun music! Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Who is the Long-legged Scissor-man? Do you remember the Hungry Caterpillar? Do you know how many days are in April because of a nursery rhyme? Why is Tom Sawyer a children's book but Huckleberry Finn isn't? Why should two of you who are in the spring musical, Cinderella, sign a medical release? Why are some of the most popular children's stories no longer published?
This class will answer these and many other questions while students develop a basic understanding of the purposes and themes of literature for younger readers. The class will focus first on the history of literature for children, including the history of illustration, and how the attitude toward childhood and education developed over time. The class will also consider issues of censorship and examine the criteria and limitations of major book awards.
The class will consist of reading, sharing ideas, examining film versions of classic stories, and research. Daily discussion will be enhanced by guest speakers and some field trips to local exhibits and bookstores.
Two written projects, which will be shared with the class. One will be an analysis and review of a series. The assumption is that the series will be for younger readers so the amount of reading is reasonable. The other will be a comparison of three or four versions of the same story, usually a picture book of a fairy tale.
Designing iPhone/iPad/IPod Touch Apps
This class will study the development of an application-driven operating system. Both Apple and Google powered devices are based on an OS where developers can easily write small programs to accomplish tasks. While many Apps in the Apple App store are written in Objective-C, it is possible to write simple apps in HTML, CSS and JavaScript. The class assumes that the student will have a working knowledge of web-based coding.
The class will consist of class discussions, programming exercises, and field trips to local universities to learn about computer science majors and vocations. There may also be an element of graphic design. In addition we'll have open discussions / debates about the topics being covered. The class will use a book, a computer with a text editor installed, and it will be helpful to have a device to use for testing. This device could be an iPhone, an iPad, or an iPod Touch. Students will be assessed on the planning of the app, the design and execution and the marketability of the program.
Never played the drums? In three weeks you'll be a drummer. Already pretty good? In three weeks you'll be better, stronger, and faster.
The work: we'll study the history of the drum, different genres and styles, how to read drum scores (it's weird and cool; no clefs!), syncopation, time keeping, coordination, and technique.
The fun: all of the above, and we'll watch video clinics by great drummers, increase speed, learn all kinds of rock and jazz rhythms, and (if there's one in town) see a performance that features drumming. We'll do stuff with different kinds of drums, including electronic drumming (and a little Rock Band!). You'll also learn to play a drum solo.
You'll get individual and group drum lessons and learn a ton of stuff about how drumming works. We won't concentrate on orchestral percussion (tympani, vibe/marimba) but more on rock, jazz, world music, and blues.
For the symposium, we'll do an ensemble concert, including at least one original composition by our class. Drumming needs girl power! The drums aren't a "guy thing." They're a great thing.
During the first two weeks of class, students will learn about the ecosystems, biodiversity, and environmental issues that Mexico faces today. Topics will include the classification, characteristics of various turtle species, the ocean environment in which they live, the interactions that turtles have with other organisms, including humans, and sea turtle conservation efforts. The science component will also focus on the surrounding biomes found in regions of Mexico and the biodiversity that is found in each. This class will provide an opportunity for students to learn about the indigenous people of central Mexico, exploring their artistic and social traditions as well as their architectural developments. We will discuss contemporary Mexican artists specifically from central Mexico and their impact on the art world. Students will explore traditional styles of artwork as well, experimenting with weavings, beadwork, and other mediums.
Additionally, the class will work on further developing their skills in digital photography, focusing specifically on landscapes, biodiversity, and human subjects. Basic compositional discussions as well as technical aspects of digital cameras will be covered.
There will be a wide range of artistic abilities in terms of the art and photography, therefore, students with little to no experience in these areas should not worry.
In the final week, the class will travel to Mexico and stay just outside of Puerto Vallarta at the Mayto sea turtle camp. Here students will work with the local biologist and conduct nightly beach patrols in search of nesting sea turtles and hatchlings. During the trip students may also be involved in population studies, tagging turtles, transplanting turtles to protected areas, or even helping to release hatchlings into the oceans. After working at the sea turtle camp, the group will depart and spend a three nights in a small coastal town called San Pancho. Students will learn about the culture, community, and participate in a service project before returning to Indiana. As a culmination to the course, students will set up an online portfolio/website of their photographs and experiences on the trip.
Mind-reading, contacting the dead, UFOs and alien abductions, ghost spotting, and predicting the future via tarot cards, horoscopes, or palm reading are all examples of paranormal activity, things that seem to lie beyond ‘normal science.' A common characteristic for these phenomena is that they are not well supported by scientific evidence, but are believed by a substantial number of people. Is science missing something? Or are there fundamental lessons about how people decide what is true?
This course will study these phenomena and look at methodologies for obtaining knowledge (paranormal or otherwise). What is evidence? How much evidence do you need? Does the quality and quantity of evidence vary, depending on the claim being tested?
We will review some statistics and scientific methodology, as well as review some psychology and physiology of human perception and how the brain works. We'll also watch video of famous incidents and visit a local tarot reading house to get our fortunes read. We may visit Hannah House, an Indy ‘real haunted house.' Finally, we'll perform experiments at school to examine some paranormal claims.
How do you solve a crime? This class will provide students with an introduction to the field of forensic science. We will start with the basic knowledge necessary to begin a real crime scene investigation (blood types, bone structures, DNA, etc...) and proceed to more advanced concepts (blood splatter patterns, wound patterns, psychological profiles,
interview procedures and analysis, crime scene evidence collection, etc...). Forensics involves many areas of science including biology, chemistry, anatomy, physics, and earth science. Students will incorporate the use of technology, communication skills, language arts, and mathematics during the term. There will be a major emphasis on complex reasoning and critical thinking as students work individually and within teams to solve crimes.
Possible guest speakers include forensics professors from IUPUI, Indiana State Police crime scene investigators, Indianapolis FBI branch agents, a professor of entomology, the Marion County Prosecutor, and the Marion County Coroner. Possible field trips include Strand Laboratories, Marion County Crime Lab, and Butler University. Major evaluations in the class will be homework questions, lab reports, and a project presentation.
This class will offer students the opportunity to explore their family history. We will look at several sources of doing so, including DNA swabbing, record research, and family knowledge. The DNA swabbing will consist of students sending off cheek samples to a lab. The results will enable students to get percentages of the make up of their ethnic background. Records to be examined include, but are not limited to, census records, war rolls, death certificates, wedding certificates, social security indexes, etc. After learning a little about the ethnic background, students will give presentations on the people(s) of their origin. They will also create a family tree and maybe connect with distant relatives via various genealogy forums. There will be a possible trip to a genealogy center in close proximity to Indianapolis. This is a high intensive research class.
In order for the students to be active participants in this class, early commitment is needed. Students will need to complete the swab tests several months prior to January to have the results in time for January Term. The expenses for the class include the DNA testing kit as well as a membership to ancestry.com.
National Parks: Beauty, History and Contemporary Issues
This class will explore a variety of topics that surround what many feel is the greatest gift Americans have ever given themselves - our National Parks. This class will focus on the history of the parks and contemporary issues that deal with them. Among the issues we will examine are the use of the land in the parks, the literature and photography of the parks, the social and economic effects on the people who live near the parks, ecology and wildlife, and the effect of tourism on the parks.
We will gather our knowledge from many sources, including books, films, lectures, discussions, internet sources, and guest speakers. Additionally, we will have several outdoor activities that will put us in the mindset to consider some of the issues raised. The biggest of these activities is a six or seven-day trip to Yosemite National Park in California where we will snowshoe, cross-country ski, and hike in the Sierra Nevada Mountains! Winter in Yosemite National Park is one of the most beautiful and best times to explore this iconic wilderness. The course will include a good deal of writing through short response exercises and one longer paper, as well as photography, poetry and videography.
Note: we will spend significant time outdoors in this class - in January! We'll be hiking and perhaps camping in Indiana, and we will be snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and hiking in The Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Don't sign up for this class if you don't want to be active. Additionally, you need to have appropriate clothing for winter wear. The clothing should be synthetic material - no cotton! If you do any regular outdoor activity during winter (like skiing), you should already have this gear. If you don't have it, then you need to acquire it by January (birthday / Christmas present request?).
The general purpose of this English elective is to examine The New Yorker Magazine as a text that shapes, informs and mirrors our country. Specific goals are:
A majority of class work at University will focus on the content and writing styles present in the magazine, but students will also develop their own writing skills through the creation of a New Yorker-style magazine that reflects their own interests and worlds. Guest teachers on the pressures of periodical publications and importance of The New Yorker Magazine to American culture, and a trip to New York City to explore the nexus of the magazine will round out the course.
Small writing assignments are designed to culminate in the creation of a New Yorker- style magazine by each student. This large project will be due on the last day of class and will be comprised of the different New Yorker elements we discussed in class. While there are minimum requirements for the magazine, students will be allowed to choose approximately one-third of the material they present in order to focus on the writing styles they enjoy the most. Students will divide into small groups to present their
magazines and a summary of the class at the symposium.
Students will learn about Roman Art and Architecture. They will study Roman architecture including: basilicas, homes/courtyards, catacombs, fountains/baths, arches, columns (Doric, Ionic, Corithnian), aqueducts, and ampitheaters. They will also study Roman art including: statues and busts (Roman vs. Greek styles) and paintings. They will research and present work by Roman artists including: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, Donatello, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Giotto di Bondone, etc. At the end of class each day, they will be given a history of Rome lesson.
Students will discover the ingenuity of the Roman Empire with their roads, aqueducts, post offices, mile markers, and chariots. They will study many famous Greek and Roman buildings such as the Coliseum, Pantheon, Parthenon, St. Peter's Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel. They will learn about Roman funeral customs, such as placing coins on a dead person's eyes and tongue to pay the ferryman Charon to take the person to the land of the dead. They will learn about the significance of catacombs to Christians and the symbols found in the narrow passages. They will also learn about the Roman social life and customs. They will answer many questions such as, "Why are there large baths in Rome? Why are the churches so large? Why are some of the statues of people so ugly? Why do aqueducts exist? How did they paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? What did Roman's do for entertainment?"
During the first two weeks of January Term, students will be quizzed on art and architecture. They will need to know the year each piece was completed, the artist/architect, and facts about each piece (for example, the Pantheon was built as a temple for all of the gods, it has a curved floor with drainage system, the occulus provides the only light, etc). Each student will present on a particular piece of architecture or a certain artist.
During the last week of January Term, students will travel to Rome and Florence with EF Educational Tours.
United Nations and Peace Studies
Of all 20th century creations, perhaps none was more important to the entire world than the United Nations. After two world wars ravaged the planet during the first half of the 20th century, the world was in desperate need to an international organization that would bring countries together to promote peace in a cooperative way. During the last 60-plus years, the United Nations has attempted to do just that in various conflicts around the world and with varying degrees of success.
Students in this class will study the history of the United Nations as an international organization and its role in promoting dialogue among all countries. They will analyze some of the major conflicts around the globe in recent history and the impact that the UN has had in facilitating cooperation, defending human rights, and achieving world peace. Additionally, students will study the main organs of this organization, including the General Assembly, Security Council, and International Court of Justice. They will contribute to their understanding through books, articles, film, lectures, online resources, and guest speakers, if possible. This class will include a short trip to New York during the third week to visit the UN headquarters.
The class assignments will include writing through journals and papers as well as a variety of projects and classroom presentations.
What Moves Us: Discovering dance from past to present
Why do we dance? Why can our bodies express what our words may not? In what ways does dance reflect our collective history? These are some of the questions we will attempt to answer in our exploration of the origin of dance and its socio-historical significance. We will learn about a variety of dances as well as learn some of the dances themselves. The activities and assignments will include (but are not limited to): short readings, group discussion, individual and group research/ presentations and, of course, dance performance. Come join us and make the body and mind connection!
This class will be divided into two portions that will complement each other and equally enhance your learning and understanding of dance. The origin and global history of dance will be presented in a variety of learning contexts and via the use of various media.
Power point presentations, videos, movie clips, short readings and subsequent discussions will be at the crux of each lesson. Discussion and presentation of dance styles and genres will include, but will not be limited to the following: early tribal dance, early Greek/Roman dance, pre-ballet courtly dance, middle-eastern dance, classical ballet, jazz, modern, tap, flamenco, capoeira, salsa/merengue, tango, street dancing, hip-hop and reggaeton.
History-based assignments will include written and oral response to readings and discussions, tests/quizzes over history and various genres of dance and one written/oral presentation. Dance-based assignments will be periodic evaluation of understanding and performance of dance techniques, guided (original) choreography and subsequent performance.
Dance class will be taught several times throughout each week off-campus at a professional dance studio. The classes will be Luigi style jazz technique and tap based on the Al Gilbert method. Basic ballet will also be introduced. Basic fundamentals, terminology, coordination, placement, musicality, technique, discipline and poise will be developed during the course. Choreography will also be included.
We will explore other forms of dance with other styles of choreography such as Fosse, hip-hop, Broadway and musical theatre. Guest instructors will be a part of this course and will introduce and teach several genres not specifically taught in the daily dance portion of this course that may include hip-hop, salsa, reggaeton, and belly-dancing.
This offering is available to a junior or senior student who has completed an application to the program that has been accepted by the Academic Affairs Committee and the director of internships. Students should have a passion or interest in learning more about a particular career, business, or organization. Students spend each day of January Term off-campus working with an individual or an organization.
Students are responsible for making their own arrangements, but will receive the guidance and support of the director. Students submit a daily electronic journal entry at the end of each day. In addition, each student will articulate his or her personal experience and evaluate his or her work during the internship through a longer written piece and an oral presentation to the school.
