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 X (Twitter). See below for week two highlights from some of the courses our students are participating in during May Term, and be sure to check out our week two photo highlights!
Missed week one highlights? View course updates and photos from the first five days of adventures!
Senegal
The students on the Senegal trip had quite the trip! After a quick stop in Lisbon, where they treated to great sightseeing and history lessons, the group journeyed on their final leg. Upon arrival in Senegal, Upper Schoolers had incredible adventures in Mind, Body, and Spirit, including a tour of the salt dunes near Lac Rose, playing with talibé children in Saint-Louis, a bird sanctuary visit, boating and mangrove planting in the Senegal River, and a safari day! They spent their final days in Dakar, where they met friends from the Eden Academy in Dakar at the African Renaissance Monument, visited a mosque and a beach, learned sand painting, and had dinner by the shore.
Capture Your Memories: Scrapbooking
In this digital age, students in Capture Your Memories: Scrapbooking spent two weeks appreciating the beauty that a physical book of memories can provide. Over the course of May Term, students designed, clipped, and made collages for the final pages of their scrapbooks. Some of the books capture students' favorite moments at EA, family trips, and significant life milestones that will be treasured in the years ahead. The class displayed their creative works in the Coote Honor Hall to finish out what was a successful two weeks of scrapbooking.
Earthworks
Students in Earthworks immersed themselves in the endless creative possibilities and exploration of clay during their two weeks of May Term! Using both traditional and contemporary techniques, students got their hands dirty working nearly nonstop creating six pottery vessels before firing them in the kiln. A highlight of the course was having the opportunity to glaze and fire their ceramic pieces a second time in artist Brett Thomas’s mobile Raku studio, a ceramic studio on wheels.
Hollywood and History
Lights, camera, action! In Hollywood and History, students examined, critiqued, and learned from eight major motion pictures from both the lens of the public and a historian. Were they historically accurate, or did the filmmakers take liberties? In addition to the film watching, teams earned "money" through various assignments to start up their own production studios. While “The Pharaoh of Rome” team earned today’s best film trailer prize, “The Rise of the Han” team won the overall competition. Their reward? Getting to choose the final flick to enjoy as a class!
Seriously, Dough!
"This was a lot of work," proclaimed one student as she and her classmates distributed 1,000 cupcakes across campus. After three trips to the market, including two to Costso, this class of 13 students tackled ten different recipes during their May Term. They used 15 dozen eggs, 20 pounds of butter, 10 pounds of sugar, and 100 pounds of flour! The most unusual ingredient students used was rutabaga for a British favorite, Cornish pasty. On the final day, students had the Great EA Bake-Off where they baked anything they wanted to try out. And then like any serious baker, they meticulously cleaned up their kitchen space.
Spain
What didn't the students on the Spain trip do? The group arrived in La Herradura and hit the ground running by visiting a castle, kayaking to a cave, spending time on the beach, watching a guitar maker, and playing soccer with locals. After that, the group traveled to Guadix, where they learned about the region's culture by making bread and pottery before heading to a "glamping" location where they swam in hot springs, learned about the nearby environment on a beautiful hike, and came together in a special moment to plant a ginkgo biloba tree. They also had the chance to visit the Alhambra and a paleontology exhibit in Granada, take a flamenco dancing class, and hike at Caminito del Rey.
Defining Independence
What does it mean to be free? The Defining Independence May Term was full of fields trips, adventures, and learning about our early nation! After visiting numerous historical sites around the Philadelphia area, including Independence Hall, Fort Mifflin, Museum of the American Revolution, Valley Forge National Park, Paoli Battlefield, and the Constitution Center, the Defining Independence group ended May Term by producing documentaries about some notable people from this important era in our history.
A League of Our Own
In A League of Our Own, students took a look at American history, cities/urban planning, and economics through the lens of major and minor league baseball. After seven days of research, interviews, and field trips to minor and major league ballparks like FirstEnergy and Yankee Stadium, the students worked in groups to make "pitches" to a team of judges to start a new MLB expansion team—complete with operating budget and plans for location, branding, sponsorships, promotions, concessions, merchandise, and more. We can’t wait to cheer for the San Juan Sharks (winner!), Utah Swarm, Omaha ’Nados, and Providence Islanders one day!
Stickers, Toys, and Games
Students started their May Term with learning how to use different software tools to create 2D and 3D objects. With their new skills, students printed cookie cutters, dice, yo-yos, spinning tops, puzzle cubes with a box to fit them in, stickers, birthday cards, keychains, stamps, and bookmarks. Then the brainstorming got underway as students contemplated design ideas for a game. "Some of the games students are making are original, but others are recreations of familiar games like Scrabble," explained Upper School May Term Teacher Shannon Crowley. Students stopped by the Seriously, Dough class to make cookies with their homemade cookie cutters. On the final day, the class finished up printing the last of the game pieces and playing the games.