Lower House Course Catalog for 9th and 10th Graders
The Power of Stories: Truth, Lies, and Fiction
Kiran Chaudhuri
What kind of person do you want to become?
What kind of person do you wish you were?
What do you want to be known for?
This course is about the stories we’re told and the stories we tell ourselves – and about the power of
stories to shape who we are. It’s about the stories we choose to believe about ourselves. You will read
literature that offers profound insight into the human condition and serves as a model for your own
thinking and writing: William Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl, as
well as excerpts from James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces, Binjamin Wilkomirski’s Fragments, David
Sedaris’ Me Talk Pretty One Day. In addition, you will read literary essays about each of these texts.
You will write your own literary essays and memoirs. In the process, you will discover that writers
craft words: that literature is constructed, and that you can acquire the academic language with which
to describe it.
Utopia/Dystopia: Creating a More Perfect World
Gina Moss
What would a perfect world look like? How would people need to behave? What kind of government
would be needed to make things run smoothly? Could one person’s paradise be another person’s hell?
In this course, we will design plans for our own visions of Utopia and trouble-shoot them for possible
weakness. We will study both functional and dysfunctional utopian experiments from fiction, history,
and extant in the world today. We will examine people’s motivations for joining a utopian community
and the challenges they encountered there, and use that information to refine our own Utopias. Texts
will include documents from the founding of the United States, Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, 1984 by
George Orwell, and Ji-Li Jiang’s memoir of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Red Scarf Girl. Students
will also explore the quest for happiness within their own independent reading books.
Decisions, Decisions: Ethics in Literature and Everyday Life
Zoe Roben & Frankee
Grove
Imagine you are watching a train running at full speed that is about to hit five people crossing the
track ahead. You see a second track that only has one person crossing it and notice the switch that
would redirect the train onto that second track. Should you do nothing? Should you flip the switch?
What’s the right thing to do? In this course, we will explore this and other difficult scenarios and
read, write, and argue our way towards ethical answers. We will ask questions such as: Under what
circumstances is it justifiable to sacrifice one for the good of all? How much should we trust
authority figures versus follow our own thinking? Is it ever right to do something wrong? When and
how should we stand up to injustice, or not? You will read two science fiction novels – Kindred by
Octavia Butler and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card – and discuss short stories, current events,
films, and philosophy. By the end of the semester, you will use the principles from these texts and
your own original thinking in a project connecting ethics to a current, real-world issue and leave with
a better understanding of your own sense of what’s wrong and what’s right.
Psych Lit: When You Are Strange
Sheila Kosoff & Jessica
Jean-Marie
Does society have a right to expect certain behaviors from individuals? What makes a character
strange? Who defines normal behavior? Who determines the appropriateness of emotions and
reactions? In literature, sometimes we meet characters who give the reader pause. Additionally, those
characters don't behave or act in a "normal" way. How does literature explore these ideas? In this
course we will read short fiction that reveal "abnormal" personalities. We will read Albert Camus’ The
Stranger and Toni Morrison’s Sula where we will focus on the development of these "weird"
personalities. You will also have the opportunity to create a your own story about a "weird" character.
Monsters!
Beth Krone
Monsters inexplicably capture our gaze. Whether we are watching the Joker murder innocent humans
in Batman or waiting to see whether a vampire will suck his girlfriend’s blood in Twilight, we are
transfixed by characters who push the limits of human(e) reality. This class will trace this obsession
through canonical texts such as the epic poem, Beowulf and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, in addition
to the young adult novel about a monstrous mother, Rules of Survival. In our reading, we will
deconstruct the dichotomy between men and monsters, and analyze what these monsters tell us about
our societies and ourselves. Students should be prepared to read 30 pages of difficult text daily, write
literary analyses, and stage events that expose and combat the “Othering” that occurs right here at
Harvest.
Identity Quest
Scott Storm, Beth Krone &
Liana Donahue
In this course, we will embark on a quest to explore our own identities and the identities of others.
We will do difficult and deep thinking, reading, and writing about who we are and what our place in
the world should be. Just as we are on a journey, we will read narratives of people on journeys and
how their quests helped them define themselves. First, we will dive into a fantasy world of elves and
dragons by reading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Then we will read academic articles that explore
identity and critical theory including the works of Audre Lorde, Gloria Anzaldua, bell hooks, and
others. Later in the semester, we will read one of the most famous stories ever written—Homer’s The
Odyssey. Throughout the course, students will complete a series of connected challenging projects
including literary analyses, interview studies, essays, short stories, poetry, and multi-modal
representations of the self. This work will culminate in students publically presenting their work and
reflecting on our identity quests.
Learn French!
Gina Moss
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in another country and mingle with local people
in their own language? What is it like to be from, say, France, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Switzerland,
Haiti or Canada? This beginning French course is designed to teach you the vocabulary and language
skills that will help you get around in a francophone country. You will develop your French vocabulary
through cultural studies of the French-speaking world, including music, comics, film, art, and cuisine.
Through the study of a new language, you will also gain a deeper understanding of the building blocks
of language itself. Allons-y!
Algebra 1A: Making Sense of Numbers — Harvest Math Foundations
Laura Mourino
How will we approach the study of mathematics for four years at Harvest and beyond? What does
it mean to validate a mathematical response? How do we communicate our mathematical thinking
effectively so it makes sense to others? What different strategies are available to solve a problem?
This course is designed to assist in answering these questions and many more while remediating
middle school math skills and developing and strengthening more advanced Algebraic skills.
Students will constantly be challenged in their problem solving approaches to think outside the box
and appreciate that not every mathematical problem has an answer, while instilling the school's
norms and expectations within the math classroom. The final project for this class will be an oral,
visual and written presentation on an assigned topic that incorporates at least 60% of all the concepts
thought throughout the semester. The final project will be assigned very early in the semester with
various outputs required every 3 weeks or so. Students are expected to constantly edit and add to this
project until it’s final due date in late December/early January.
** Required class for all Freshmen, unless you have passed the Algebra Regents with 75+ or take an
optional placement test the afternoon of orientation.
Algebra 1B: Looking at the 2020 Olympics
Monifa Kelsey & Katia
Genes
New high school scholars often ask why do we take Math and when will we ever use it? This course is
designed to take a practical approach to Algebra and connect to everyday life. Algebra is simply the
study of numbers and patterns. We will develop and apply problem solving, reasoning and proof, and
communication skills.
Over the course of a semester we will explore the journey of a talented young track athlete who aspires
to become a decathlete and participate in the 2020 Olympics. T& F will apply an algebraic lens to our
athlete’s training, competing and financing. We will study in depth with precision functions, data
analysis, and systems of equations and inequalities. Smaller projects, activities, performance tasks
and assessments will grow into a culminating written assignment where students discuss track and
field events and financing for our Olympic hopefuls.
MathTube
Laura Mourino
MathTube brings the 21st century into the math classroom by taking advantage of your savvy digital
skills to explore Measurement and Construction, various Geometric relationships, Transformational
Geometry and the world of locus. This course forces you to constantly ask yourself: In what
interesting and exciting ways can I share my knowledge with my peers so that they know what I
know?
You will be expected to teach the instructor (and your peers) how to to re-teach these concepts within
a digital society by taking advantage of various multi-media outlets including YouTube, Teacher Tube,
Ted Talks, Khan Academy and GeoSketchpad. The final project for this class will be a MathTube
video ala Youtube that meets a minimum 3 minute video requirement on a particular topic where you
can either adopt a lecture style approach, create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) style video, or
be original and create your own musical video with an original song.
** Pre-requisite: 1 Year of Algebra or 1 passing semester of #Math. Counts as Geometry Credit.
Prove You’re Ready
John McCrann & Katia
Genes
Mathematical proof is a process which people have been developing for a long time, one that requires
a rigorous commitment to evidence and logic. To develop this knowledge, students need to explore
how mathematicians argue and experience the kinds of things mathematicians argue about. To move
to Upper House Mathematics all students must show that they have developed a rigorous and
tenacious Habit of Evidence - that they validate every claim they make and require others to do the
same. Are you ready to do this? Prove it.
STEM Foundations (Required in Freshman year)
Paul-Michael Huseman & Julissa Llosa
Science is the systematic pursuit of knowledge, engineering is the application of knowledge to solve
real-world problems. Scientists perform carefully designed experiments to test their questions,
engineers build prototypes to test their solutions. In this course, you will play the role of both the
scientist and the engineer. As a scientist, you will pose questions and design experiments to
understand physical systems, from cars on ramps to parachutes, and you will carefully analyze your
data to find patterns and discuss the significance of your results. As an engineer, you will use the
engineering design process to study real-world problems, develop solutions, and demonstrate your
understandings using physical models, virtual models, and presentations. This design process will be
used to construct earthquake-proof towers and develop solutions for sustainable energy. Throughout
the course, your work will be documented through lab reports, presentations, and research papers.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math — STEM — will give you the tools to tackle all further
science inquiries.
Behavioral Ecology
Pamela Hallsson & Julissa
Llosa
In this class you will think like a behavioral ecologists who looks at the responses of animals to their
environment from an evolutionary perspective: they ask the questions “how did this behavior evolve?”
and “how does this behavior contribute to survival and reproduction?”. In this course we will consider
a wide variety of behaviors (group formation & social behavior, predator-prey interactions, foraging
decisions, mate choice, parental care, life history strategies, territoriality, altruism) as the product of
evolution. After becoming familiar with the methods and techniques of behavioral ecology, students
will complete their own scientific and creative inquiry into animal behavior. This class is aimed at
highly-motivated students with a keen interest in explaining animal behavior. We will not only be
surveying the mechanisms responsible for a great variety of behaviors, but we will also spend the
semester building up an experimentally-based research project (Gateway). Because this research
project is the major component of the grade in the course, in order to be successful you must have the
ability to work independently. The research project will also require a large investment of time in and
out of the classroom. If you are looking for an in-depth course that gives you the chance to do real
research into animal behavior, you will be rewarded for your effort in Behavioral Ecology.
Chemistry
Ashraya Gupta
Chemistry is the science of matter and its reactions. Explosions, cooking, hormones, and medicine all
arise from chemical processes. In this course you will learn how atoms and molecules make up the
world. Come explore!
BioCases: Atoms to Humans
Angelo Garcia
This introductory Biology class will focus on the investigation and resolution of several BioCases.
BioCases are Myth Busters, Crime Lab, like problems with a biological focus that might be enough to
prepare you for saving the world from the Zombie Apocalypse. Through BioCases we will explore the
underlying molecular mysteries that build up to create life and in the process attempt to answer,
“what is life and how can we know?” Put on your lab coat, roll up your sleeves, you will be getting
your hands “dirty” doing experiments, debating conclusions, and researching sources for answers.
Looking for an Argument
Andy del Calvo & Myles Brawer
Should parents ban their kids from Facebook? Does buying luxury good make us happy? Should
teenagers vote? Should the U.S. open its borders? We’ll be looking for an argument about these
controversial questions and many more In this class, you’ll watch two teachers argue, and then join in
yourself. You will analyze the thought-provoking topics from different points of view, taking whatever
side of the argument you find most convincing. You will also be encouraged to propose debate topics.
This is a required core class for developing the Habits of Mind of a Harvest Collegiate student and for
cultivating the thinking and debate skills to become an active and informed citizen in our society.
You will take notes during every debate and do in-class reading and highlighting of articles that relate
to the topics being debated. Every week you will also plan and write an in-class essay that connects or
refers to the issues the teachers have debated. The in-class essays are aimed at giving you the kind of
time-limited, pressured writing experiences you can expect to encounter in high school and college.
Art and the Human Condition
Andy del Calvo
Do you like looking at or making art? Do you like the idea of visiting museums? Or don’t understand
what all the hype is about, and want to know more? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions,
then this is the class for you. Using New York City’s incredible museums and galleries as extensions of
our classroom we will explore history through the visual arts, including painting, sculpture,
photography and film. We will look at why societies produce art; what that art can tell us about that
society’s power structures, belief system and citizens; and how art can help us reflect upon our own
identities, values and experiences. We will take an art historian’s approach, using visual analysis,
historical research, and art theory, to create our own understandings of history and artists. Beginning
with the work of living artists, the course will then move back in time and explore historical periods
through the context of art, looking at how art both reflects and influences societies of the past. We will
conclude by returning to the present, examining how the past continues to inform contemporary art.
Foreign Affairs: History of Love, Betrayal, and Power
David Sherrin
History is more than just the story of political decisions. It is a conversation about the past that also
includes issues of love, conflict, betrayal, hatred, and jealousy. Many times, these powerful emotions
have reflected or influenced important historical transformations in places like Rome, Alexandria,
Paris, and Moscow. This class will use the relationships of Cleopatra and Caesar, Napoleon and
Josephine, and Catherine the Great and Potemkin as lenses to dig deeply into the intrigues and
strategies of some of the greatest rulers of the most magnificent empires in history. As we tread their
paths, we will ask many questions, including: What is love? Can love and politics exist together? Were
love and marriage different in the past than they are today? Is it more important to be a great figure
or a great partner?
Heroes and Villains:
Transformations and the Making of the Modern World
David Sherrin & Myles Brawer
Heroes and Villains reminds us that fascinating people in the past made important choices which
determined the course of our history and the state of our world today. Through role-playing, mock
trials, the use of primary sources, and the insights gained from key biographies, we will explore the
lives of crucial 16th-18th century individuals such as Hernán Cortés, Galileo Galilei, Martin Luther, and
Catherine the Great in order to understand the way they loved, fought, failed, struggled, and
conquered in order to shape our modern world. In tackling themes of power, identity, revolution,
rebellion, conflict, and transformation, we will ask: What makes someone a hero or a villain? Were
people in the past essentially similar or different to us? Do individuals influence the world or does the
world influence individuals? What tools did these “Heroes and Villains” use to shape their societies
and to what extent were they successful?
Revolution and Rebellion in the Caribbean
Faye Colón
This course will investigate different forms of resistance, specifically in the Caribbean islands of Haiti
and Cuba, against world superpowers like France and the United States. Through the use of primary
and secondary sources, and in-class debates we will explore slavery, colonialism, the Cold War,
imperialism, and communism in order to understand how individuals like Toussaint Louveture, José
Martí, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara helped shape the history of Latin America, the Caribbean and
the world. Students will also have an opportunity to explore a topic in Latin American and Caribbean
history of their choosing.
Dance as Fitness
Shirlene Blake
This course will engage students in the fundamentals of dance and an appreciation of dance as a
physical activity, art form, and lifetime activity. Students will participate in a daily dance warm-up
and utilize a combination of movements that will build cardiovascular and muscle endurance, muscle
strength and overall flexibility. We will explore a range of dance styles from Line Dances, Swing, HipHop, and Social Dances. Students will also have the opportunity to express themselves through selfchoreographed assignments.
Time to get FITT!
Robert Fernandez
The FITT formula was developed to help students determine how often, how hard, how long, and
what kinds of activities they should perform to build health and fitness. FITT is an acronym:
Frequency: How many times per week; Intensity: How hard you exercise (heart rate max); Time: How
long you perform the activity; Type: What kind of activity is performed. By means of exercise packets,
group work, and fitness challenges, students will learn the steps of FITT and use it to combat today’s
media, which emphasizes the need for outward appearance over health and wellness.
Piano
Amy Yamashiro
In this class, each student will learn to play a wide range of popular music from the last century on the
keyboard. Through this repertoire, students will learn about building and playing major and minor
chords and widely-used chord progressions and gain an introduction to reading notes on the musical
staff. Student musicians will also research the songs they are playing and the composers and
performers who made them popular.
Intermediate Piano
Amy Yamashiro
Pianists with previous experience will learn to read and perform music from Beethoven to Alicia Keys
as soloists and as a group. The selection of repertoire will be based on prior musical experiences and
motivation to rehearse familiar and unfamiliar songs. Musicians will learn to read notes on the
musical staff as well as chord symbols, and to analyze a song’s form.
All pianists will be invited and encouraged to perform on several occasions throughout the semester
as they rehearse and in performances at the conclusion of the semester.
Guitar
Colin McGrath
Members of this class will learn the basics of guitar playing - strumming, picking, and reading tabs -
to play a wide range of popular music, from classic rock to video game music. Students will use their
basic musical knowledge to create a song of their very own, to be performed and recorded in class at
the end of the semester.
Intermediate Guitar
Guitarists with previous experience will learn to read classical musical notation, as well as more
complicated tabs, to perform as soloists and small ensembles. The repertoire will be chosen based on
individual musical ability. All students will be invited to perform in a concert at the end of the
semester, and will be encouraged to take part in the 2015 NYSSMA festival.
Choir
Colin McGrath
All members of this class will form a choir that collaborates as an ensemble to produce a beautiful,
healthy sound while singing a range of vocal texts – including folk, classical and pop repertoire. Choir
members will learn to interpret Western musical notation to sing familiar and unfamiliar melodies
and harmonies, and to analyze a song’s message and form.
The choir and its individual members will be invited and encouraged to perform on several occasions
throughout the semester during our rehearsal process and in concert at the conclusion of the
semester.
Band
Amy Yamashiro
All members of this class will work together to create an ensemble that will produce a cohesive,
healthy sound—from flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, or trombone—while performing musical
works from a variety of genres. Band members are expected to learn to interpret Western musical
notation on their individual instruments and will use their individual musical voices to contribute to
the community's (ensemble) sound. The Concert Band will be invited to perform a concert at the end
of the semester.
Urban Ecology
Where do we live and how does it shape us? This course for all 9th grade students at Harvest provides
an opportunity to experience New York as the miraculous place over 8 million people call home. This
includes learning to navigate the city more independently and visiting new neighborhoods. We will
learn how city life sustains itself by following the food system from farm to market to table.
Community Service
Shirlene Blake
All Harvest 10th graders work with our Community Service Coordinator Shirlene Blake to select a site
around the city--on issues of food scarcity, justice, parks, gardens and the environment, helping
young children, the elderly or animals--where they can make a meaningful difference. The
requirement includes 54 hours of service along with evaluation from your site advisor, research into
the root cause of the issue and a reflection.
Collegiate Futures
Susan Avery, Faye Colon, Betsy Nordlander
All Harvest 11th graders design their future be visiting colleges, learning about the college landscape
and taking an in-house SAT prep course. They will emerge from Collegiate Futures with their
personally researched college lists ready to apply.
Advisory
Most Harvest Faculty
Advisory is the “heart” as well as the “liver” of Harvest where students come together in diverse
groups of about 16 students to support each other in progress towards their goals. This takes the form
of at least monthly parent contact, study skills and student-led discussions about relevant issues from
teen concerns to world events.
Upper House Course Catalog for 11th and (future) 12th Graders
Spanish: ¡Telenovelas!
Scott Storm
This course is an inquiry into Spanish language, literary analysis, and culture. We will work tirelessly
to build our Spanish skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. We will use literary and
linguistic techniques to analyze Spanish language stories, songs, poems, films, and telenovelas—a
genre of television melodrama like soap operas. We will read scholarly articles that explore the
construct of “culture” in order to examine the role of “culture” in our lives and in our interactions with
others. Finally, we will tie all this work together by writing and producing our own telenovelas in
Spanish. The course will be rigorous and require nightly homework, but it will be rewarding.
This course is open to all learners. Students with no prior Spanish experience should be prepared to
study nightly to tackle the daunting task of learning new language skills. Students who are already
fluent in Spanish will be expected to complete a rigorous set of advanced language assignments
including writing essays in Spanish, reading Spanish language literature, leading whole-class
seminars in Spanish, and planning/delivering lessons on Spanish vocabulary/grammar for the rest of
the class. ¡Bienvenidos!
Learn French!
Gina Moss
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in another country and mingle with local people
in their own language? What is it like to be from, say, France, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Switzerland,
Haiti or Canada? This beginning French course is designed to teach you the vocabulary and language
skills that will help you get around in a francophone country. You will develop your French vocabulary
through cultural studies of the French-speaking world, including music, comics, film, art, and cuisine.
Through the study of a new language, you will also gain a deeper understanding of the building blocks
of language itself. Allons-y!
Algebra II: Society and the Environment
Grant Chen
How many people can the Earth support? What human population size is sustainable? In this course,
students will mathematically model human demographics and the environment. Students will utilize
various functions to interpret and attempt to predict societal and environmental trends. The course
aims to apply algebraic tools to answer questions, to which there are no definitive answers.
AP Statistics
Grant Chen
Use M&Ms to test goodness of fit with a Chi Square analysis . . . Design surveys and experiments,
gather and analyze data numerically and graphically, and apply inferential statistics to draw
conclusions for a population . . .The purpose of the AP course in statistics is to introduce students to
the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing and drawing conclusions from data.
Students are exposed to four broad conceptual themes:
1 . Exploring Data: Describing patterns and departures from patterns
2 . Sampling and Experimentation: Planning and conducting a study
3 . Anticipating Patterns: Exploring random phenomena using probability
and simulation
4 . Statistical Inference: Estimating population parameters and testing hypotheses
Students who successfully complete the course and exam may receive credit,
advanced placement or both for a one-semester introductory college statistics course.
** Pre-requisite: Successful completion of Algebra II/Trigonometry.
Socioscientific Thinking: Human Impact
Pamela Hallsson
Walking through New York City you may not feel connected to nature but with close inspection you
can see how everything you do from brushing your teeth to purchasing a pair of shoe has an impact on
the Earth. We will examine how we live, exchange old habits for more environmentally-friendly ones,
and hopefully discover in the process that such changes actually make you happier and healthier. This
class will incorporate research that builds on themes that emerge from your family’s experiences and
current controversial issues in science. We will examine our consumption habits and consider
strategies for acquiring necessities in ways that do less harm to the environment. We will combine the
use of controversial socially-relevant real world issues with course content to deepen our
understanding on our impact on the planet. This class will focus on problem-solving real-life issues or
topics that are at the heart of our lives. The issues does not have closed boundaries that lead to a
specific answer, but will led to open exploration, inquiry, and integration of multiple disciplines. For
the culuminating project you will investigate an issue of your choosing and research the ramifications
of it in science, society, politics, economics and your everyday life. Topics may include but are not
limited to: deforestation, Climate Change, Urban Heat Islands, Nuclear Power, Genetically Modified
Organisms, Agricultural Practices, Factory Farming, Water Wars, Pollution, Extinction,
Pharmacogenetics, Immunizations, and more.
Advanced Physics
Paul-Michael Huseman
Physics is the study of forces and motion. In this course we will use equations to describe the motion
of objects, from the launch of a rocket to the sudden stop of an express A-train. We will begin by
describing (mathematically and graphically) the motion of objects moving in only one dimension to
discuss the fundamental concepts of force, momentum, and energy. As we study various physical
systems in class, you will work to apply your knowledge to the outside world by describing the physics
behind everyday phenomena. We will design and build mechanical model cars and then use iPads to
make precise measurements of speed and position, allowing us to carefully determine the work done
by the force of friction. This course will culminate in a Science Capstone in which you design a car to
maximize mechanical efficiency and minimize the force of impact.
Advanced Chemistry
Ashraya Gupta
Juniors will explore the building blocks of all matter in this inquiry-based Chemistry course covering
the foundations of medicine, communication, engineering, cooking, and other exciting reactions.
American Stories: History and Literature of America
Steve Lazar, Andy Snyder &
Sally Abdelghafar
“Something’s happening here. What it is ain’t exactly clear... Stop, children, what’s that sound?
Everybody look what’s going down.” - Buffalo Springfield, 1967
Do the beautiful words of freedom and justice in government proclamations ring true throughout the
history of the U.S.? Why did people in the United States usually cooperate with slavery? Have
immigrants to the United States usually found what they sought? How did the United States become
the most powerful nation in the history of the world? These and related questions will serve as the
chapters of our semester long investigation of four core stories of the U.S. experience - slavery,
immigration, law, and power. Together we will learn and question the stories that have been handed
down as our history, explore a rainbow of sources and develop the skills to both assess and make
sense of them, and publicly communicate our conclusions and take informed action around these
topics.
For those who choose, this course will be “Advanced Placement” with a possibility of earning college
credit. “American Stories” will count for both Social Studies and English credit and will involve extra
time each day and immense chances to develop yourself as an intellectual and as a contributing
member of your community.
Dance as Fitness
Shirlene Blake
This course will engage students in the fundamentals of dance and an appreciation of dance as a
physical activity, art form, and lifetime activity. Students will participate in a daily dance warm-up
and utilize a combination of movements that will build cardiovascular and muscle endurance, muscle
strength and overall flexibility. We will explore a range of dance styles from Line Dances, Swing, HipHop, and Social Dances. Students will also have the opportunity to express themselves through selfchoreographed assignments.
Time to get FITT!
Robert Fernandez
The FITT formula was developed to help students determine how often, how hard, how long, and
what kinds of activities they should perform to build health and fitness. FITT is an acronym:
Frequency: How many times per week; Intensity: How hard you exercise (heart rate max); Time: How
long you perform the activity; Type: What kind of activity is performed. By means of exercise packets,
group work, and fitness challenges, students will learn the steps of FITT and use it to combat today’s
media, which emphasizes the need for outward appearance over health and wellness.
Hunter College College Now Program
Harvest students have the special opportunity to take actual college courses at the Hunter College
campus on 68th St and Lexington.
College Now offers rising HS juniors and seniors (going into 11th or 12th grade in Fall 2014) the
opportunity to take credit courses at Hunter College for FREE! You will get a Hunter ID and have
access to all the great facilities that Hunter has to offer. These days a college class costs around
$1,000, and guess what? We're paying that for you to be able to earn some college credits before you
graduate high school!!!
Depending on availability and application status, the following courses are being offered:
♦ AFPRL 182: Culture and Ethnic Identity (3 credits)
Description: Social structure and world view as aspects of culture.
♦ Anthropology 101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3 credits)
Description: Comparative and historical examination of the human condition through a focus on diverse responses to universal problems, such as
making a living, resolving conflict, organizing family/kin relations, and finding meaning in the world.
♦ Classics 110: Greek and Latin Roots of English (3 credits)
Description: Elements of language structure; how languages work; elements of Latin and Greek in English vocabulary.
♦ Community Health 330: Principles of Epidemiology (3 credits)
Description: Methods of study of disease; risk factors; distribution, causes, prevention, and control of selected diseases.
♦ Computer Science 127: Introduction to Computer Science (3 credits)
Description: A technical introduction to computer science. Organization of hardware and software information. - A brief introduction to programming.
♦ English 120: Expository Writing (3 credits)
Description: Introduction to documented research. Trains students to analyze, develop, and evaluate ideas, and to express themselves clearly and
effectively.
♦ Media 180: Introduction to Media Studies (3 credits)
Description: Social, political, and economic factors that determine and shape products of media organizations. How media affects society.
♦ Music Theory 101: Basic Musicianship (3 credits)
Description: A traditional course in the rudiments of music, designed for students with little or no prior training in music theory. The fundamentals of
music and music notation are covered, including pitches, rhythms, meters, scales, key signatures, intervals, and basic chords. Students develop fluency
through written assignments and practical application.
♦ Philosophy 104: Introduction to Ethic (3 credits)
Description: Examination of standards of right conduct and the good life through study of selected philosophical classics.
♦ Psychology 100: Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
Description: An introduction to the problems, methods and concepts of psychology, covering a range of topics which characterize the discipline,
including history, methodology and professional ethics, biological foundations, perception, motivation and emotion, learning, memory and thinking,
individual differences, intelligence, personality, behavior disorders and their treatment, and group processes.
♦ Sociology 101: Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)
Description: Development of sociological imagination through introduction and application of basic concepts incorporating global and comparative
perspectives.
♦ Statistics 113: Elementary Probability and Statistics (3 credits)
Harvest applicants to Hunter College Now must be in strong academic standing and come close to
meeting Hunter's requirements; you must see your Advisor for a paper application and also get your
guardian's signature. You should apply ASAP; the absolute deadline to apply is July 3rd.