May Term is back! During this two-week academic program, Upper School students and teachers are exploring a diversity of innovative topics in great depth. Daily updates of their exciting journeys near and far can be seen via our Instagram stories and on the May Term Twitter. See below for week one highlights from some of the courses our students are participating in during May Term, and be sure to check out our week one photo highlights!
 

Art rEvolution

Students quickly immersed themselves in this fun May Term course. They spent the first day making creative sketchbooks to record their research and reflections throughout the two weeks. During a trip to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, students toured the "Rising Sun" exhibit, which highlighted works by 11 professional artists that illustrates their interpretation of "democracy now." Teachers David Sigel, Hon. and Hilary Hutchison, Hon. were especially excited when the group was offered a private tour of the PAFA student exhibit. On Thursday, Art rEvolution spent the day at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. Students wrapped up week one with a trip to the Barnes Foundation. 
 

Northern Italy

The Northern Italy May Term group has been exploring the cuisine and culture of Italy! The group saw Lake Como; visited a dairy and rice farm outside of Milan where everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch of cheese and risotto; toured Duomo (the third largest Catholic Church in the world) and Galleria Vittiorio Emanuele II (Italy's oldest active shopping gallery); took a food and history tour of Turin; explored the beautiful Cinque Terre and enjoyed pesto focaccia bread (a regional specialty!); learned how Parmesan cheese is produced in Parma and how balsamic vinegar is created in Modna; and delighted in the food of Bologna.

Escape EA: Escape Room and Design Challenge

Students spent their first week visiting (and escaping!) two escape rooms in the area. At Houdini's Challenge, students learned about the intricacies and strategy of designing the space with the owners. Divided into teams of three, the class then got to work designing and planning their own rooms. The themes are titled Casino, Fix the Plane (find the joystick to start the plane), and a Birthday Party Gone Wrong as a clown swipes a gift. The teams will try to escape each room before other May Term classes are invited to test them out on Thursday, June 1.
 

Financial Literacy

The 33 students in the Financial Literacy class started off the week planning a trip for a family of five to Disney. They quickly discovered the challenges of making a budget and that vacations can be expensive! Each student was also allotted a pretend $10,000 to invest in the "stock market" as they learn about trading and strategy. "Trading" has quickly become a class favorite. On Thursday, May 25, the group traveled to New York City to check out Wall Street and visit the New York Stock Exchange. Students played a trading game where they learned how to make quick trades in five minutes. They also saw the Fearless Girl bronze statue that sits across the street from the Stock Exchange, and learned about the country's first Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton.

Leave Early and Be Active, Back Late

The Leave Early and Be Active, Back Late group has been busy immersing themselves in physical challenges throughout the Delaware Valley. During the first week of May Term, the group enjoyed the sunshine during a five-mile bike ride at Ridley Creek, took rock climbing lessons at the Gravity Vault in Radnor, hiked on the Appalachian Trail, biked at Washington Crossing, ziplined and climbed on the Go Apes Ropes Course, and took a surf lesson at the shore!
 

What’s for Dinner?

Is organic better than non-organic? Which grocery store has the best deals? What ingredients are really in popular snack foods? The students in What's for Dinner course have been actively searching for the answers to these questions as they explore the ingredients, prices, and tastes of various products. Highlights of their first week included shopping at various grocery stores, taking the Herr's Snack Factory tour, and doing a blind taste test of organic vs. non-organic foods before comparing their ingredients and costs. After continuing to investigate how food is produced, the students will present their findings to Lower Schoolers to help them make better, well-informed food choices.

"Takin' it to the Streets" Goes to Nashville 

The talented student-musicians in the Takin' it to the Streets course started off day one singing and rehearsing on campus before heading to Nashville, Tennessee. Upon arrival at the airport, the group wasted no time serenading travelers in the bustling concourse. The first official stop of the trip was the Listening Cafe where students ate lunch and "listened." Then, it was off to the Country Music Hall of Fame. On Thursday, the group started the day with breakfast and a "parking lot" performance at the Loveless Cafe. In the evening, they went to the Wildhorse Saloon for line-dancing and some good-ole country cooking.
 

Cuciniamo E Mangiamo 

In Cuciniamo E Mangiamo, students are taking their Italian cooking skills up a notch. Using Head of School T.J. Locke's kitchen, the students in this course have been learning about some of the foods that play a central role in the lives of native Italians and those with Italian roots. In addition to learning the basics of making homemade pizza, bread, pasta, gravy (or is it sauce?), they also had the opportunity to visit the Italian Market and feast on ricotta, pastries, sausage, bread, and more. Deliziosa!
 

Iceland Adventure

The beauty of Iceland is becoming ever apparent to the students on the Iceland Adventure May Term trip. In their first few days in the land of fire and ice, they have seen the amazing Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui Waterfalls, took a Solheimajokull Glacier hike, watched the Lava Show (the only live lava show in the world!) and learned about the use of geothermal energy in Iceland, explored the Perlan Museum and Viking World Museum, and visited the Gunnuhver Geothermal Area and the Kerið Crater, a volcanic crater lake.
 

Life's a Beach - Using an Interdisciplinary Lens for the World

The Life's a Beach - Using an Interdisciplinary Lens for the World May Term course has been using a multifaceted approach to explore the many beaches of New Jersey. In the first week, the group explored the disciplines of literature and music at Asbury Park Beach, home of the famous Stone Pony Music Club (famous for launching both Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi); were naturalists and scientists at Island Beach State Park, the largest reserve of an undeveloped barrier island in NJ while exploring hiking trails to tidal pools and bird watching; explored the art and architecture of historic Cape May; and saw military history firsthand at the historic Sandy Hook Lighthouse.

Mysterious Morocco: History, Literature, and the Arts

From the waterfalls of Talassemtane National Park to the stunning blue Medina of Chefchaouen, Morocco's many wonders have inspired our student tour group this week. By meeting locals, staying in traditional riads (family-owned hotels), bartering for goods in the marketplace, crafting textiles, making bread, and so much more, students got a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse of Moroccan history and culture. The group started its tour by exploring the scenic Casablanca and wrapped up the week in the oldest Medina, Fez, where they will visit the oldest university in the world. Next week, they will learn about Berber tribes, the French protectorate, and women's role in Moroccan society as they explore Marrakech and beyond.

Digital Design

This week, our budding designers harnessed cutting-edge technology, professional-grade software, and their mastery of design principles to create original work. In the mornings, students designed and 3D-printed pieces such as spinning tops, puzzles, and boxes using the state-of-the-art Prusa printer. Focus shifted to 2D design in the afternoons, when students were tasked with designing logos and creating vector graphics in Adobe Illustrator. The class wrapped up the week by learning about the principles of flag design and creating their own city, state, and school flags.

CSI: Episcopal Academy

There's a murderer on the loose, but our expert forensic scientists are on the case! This week in CSI: Episcopal Academy, students gathered and processed evidence from a mock crime scene, learned about blood type/spatter analysis, and conducted a virtual autopsy using the new Anatomage Table. They discovered more about forensic science and criminal history through trips to the Mütter Museum and Eastern State Penitentiary. By the end of the week, they are closer to discovering which suspect—Mr. Memmo, Mrs. Edwards, or Mrs. Jones— killed Dr. Colyer (who also happens to co-teach the course).