2024 END TERM OFFERINGS
A Time to Explore
Hear from students about how Endterm expands the horizons of what they are interested in and passionate about. Endterm is a time to explore new disciplines, get outside, do hands-on work, and mix with different ages to explore an interdisciplinary subject or project.
Read below to learn about some of the topics have been over the years.
Experimental Worlds
Come try new ways of making art in words and pictures, paint and prose. We will spend our mornings reading short stories and poetry which employ experimental techniques or radical world-building, then create our own weird worlds in words. In the afternoon, we’ll explore experimental art processes. These will include printing with food, drawing with two hands, transforming broken plates into landscapes, using paper as paint, making iron metal cast drawings, and creating lithographic prints using aluminum foil and soda. Field Trips for inspiration and delight may include odd museums, eccentric libraries, and maybe even the beach. You will leave your time in Experimental Worlds with a universe of related writing and art. This is an end term that asks you to dream, craft, and sink deep into creative practice. If you long for uninterrupted hours to do just that, this is for you!
Optics + Photography
In this Endterm students will build their understanding of the black and white photography process through the following series of hands-on projects: Rayograms, camera obscura, handmade pin-hole cameras, handmade lens cameras, 35mm film cameras. As the students work through these projects we will study the underlying physics of light propagation, including reflection and refraction using ideas such as real and virtual images. We will take advantage of Waring’s excellent dark room and physics equipment. We also plan to meet with photographers, and to visit galleries, museums and studios. Students will be asked to do homework in the form of small research projects, sketches, and taking photographs. We are excited to dive into studying this beautiful and instructive area.
The World Cup
Why was the World Cup created and who created it? We will delve into the game of soccer and try to understand how Mesoamerican cultural beginnings around a ball may have actually influenced what we enjoy watching every four years. Who is FIFA? How does a country or countries become the host of the world’s most prestigious tournament? How do players around the world become elite enough to represent their countries? Where does the passion that fans have for their teams come from? How does signed World Cup memorabilia create excitement towards players, tournaments and the sport’s past? We will research through documentaries, articles, book passages, the reading of National Best Seller- How Soccer Explains The World, and interviews with a former US National Team 2006 World Cup player and members of the 2026 World Cup Committee. We will invite other Endterms into our own state of the art tournament to compete. And of course, we will find time each day to play the most popular sport in the world. We will walk away with a better understanding of what it is we are watching on our TVs and in the stadiums every four years when we watch the month-long WORLD CUP.
“We Should All Be Feminists!”
If you believe that all human beings should be happy, equal, and free, you are a feminist! In this Endterm, we will take a deep dive into the history and philosophy of feminism, from its earliest roots across many differing cultures through to what it looks like today across the world. How has the fight for women’s rights changed the lives of all humans for the better? How has it informed and been shaped by other movements? Why was and is feminism still sometimes considered a dirty word? Who are the great feminists who happen to be men? What is intersectional feminism and why is it important? What are some of the most pressing feminist issues today? How do we put feminist theory and ideas into practice in tangible ways in our lives right now?
There are as many different kinds of feminists as there are humans; our Endterm welcomes all genders, ages and starting points. We will spend time reading, researching, discussing and reflecting on topics derived from the interests of the group. We will take field trips, watch films and talks, listen to music, move, make art and co-create our time together. Each day will involve some study, discussion, movement, activities and practices. You will come away from this Endterm with a clearer understanding of why “we should all be feminists,” how the patriarchal system we have inherited has shaped the society we live in, and some tools and practices to heal, be a better friend, partner, and community member.
Chess
Are you a chess grandmaster? Would you like to be? Whether you’re a seasoned pro or totally new to chess, you will acquire a greater understanding of and appreciation for this beautiful game. Build your own chess set, learn about the chess manufacturing process, study chess in literature and politics, build a mini chess library on campus, challenge other Endterms to a human-sized chess game on the quad, learn about famous players in history, and equip yourself with dazzling new gambits. Bobby Fischer says: “Tactics flow from a superior position”… What is a tactic, you may say? Let’s analyze your games and find out. Each week we will face off against another school in an online tournament and review gameplay to improve our strategic understanding. Warning: your chess.com rating may soar.
Videography
In the Videography end-term, we’ll research the techniques of shooting and editing video. The end-term will be content-driven and you’ll be on both sides of the camera throughout the experience. Video art, pseudo-documentaries, reportage, music videos, silent films, and so forth will be the order of the day. Examples of our work will be screened on a TBD basis. You do not need experience, but a camera of some sort will be a necessity.
Gardening
Let’s get our hands dirty and play in the Garden! Our Endterm will learn together about all things plants, food, flowers, dirt, sun, rain, pollinators, and more. We will spend time in our own Waring garden, designing, planting and caring for the space, and do some exploring of other gardens in the area, like Long Hill, the Stevens-Coolidge Estate, the Arnold Arboretum, and others. Through books, documentaries, and independent research we will learn about growing our own food, living close to the land, and sustainable growing practices. We hope to partner with farms in the area to learn from them while also helping them in the care of their own grounds. The plants in our classrooms and around campus will also benefit from our care. Bring your work clothes and smiles and we’ll bring the seeds and trowels! Let’s get planting!
Space
How do we visualize space? Make use of space? Wrap our heads around space? Optimize space? Navigate space? The word “SPACE” has a multitude of different meanings and uses in our society, from thinking about the universe and the stars, to discussing the spaces we live in. This Endterm will explore a handful of the interpretations of the word SPACE and our understanding of our relationships to it. Topics will overlap with fields such as architecture, astronomy, atomic physics, organization, technology, mindfulness, environmentalism, accessibility, the art of movement, map making, and more! Activities may take us on map making journeys through cities and trails, drawing blueprints of a dream home layout, exploring our bodies movements through space, visiting the local dump to consider how humans use the space we’re given on Earth, or taking on campus beautification projects. Although we may touch on “outer space”, this is by no means an astronomy Endterm; we may focus more on human scale spaces and the interests of the students will drive some of our work. Clear some headspace for reflection with us and we’ll make some space for you!
Made by Hand
During this endterm we will explore the world of craft by creating instead of buying. We will try a wide variety of activities and students will learn basic skills in bookbinding, knitting, sewing, jewelry making, baking and more. Throughout our crafting, we’ll focus on sustainability, thinking about how slowing down and crafting by hand can counteract our urge for instant gratification and fast fashion. We’ll also reflect on how crafting can enhance our self-reliance and appreciation for the things we use or wear daily. We will spend a lot of time in the studio, but we will also take field trips to visit workshops of local artists and learn from those who make things by hand as their life’s work. In the final week, students will research, plan, and complete an independent craft project.
The Bicycle
Prepare your mind for three weeks exploring the bicycle, arguably the pinnacle of human achievement. While on campus we will learn to disassemble, repair, and rebuild a variety of bikes, and we will create a fleet of ready steeds. We’ll pedal off campus and learn to navigate roads safely and smartly, and we plan to adventure wherever our legs can carry us. You’ll learn the bike handling skills needed for trails, streets, curbs, and bigger obstacles. Can you fix a flat? A busted chain? Can you ride no hands? While playing guitar? We’ll practice it (sans guitar) and learn the physics involved. Can you get groceries by bike? We’ll learn about commuting, touring and traveling, and various bike subcultures. On our adventures, we’ll read, write, enjoy picnics en route, and fall in love with the bicycle all over again.
