Courses

How is a nation argued into being?

A Nation’s Argument integrates historical revolution and nation-forming with the language and logic skills needed to develop and sustain an argument. By focusing on the birth of the United States, and learning the structure and language of argument, students explore the life of the nation as a powerful idea–one which was carefully and logically crafted, yet continues to be challenged and transformed. In doing so, students also deepen their understanding of themselves as citizens as they evaluate the arguments that shape our still evolving national identity.

This course begins with an introduction to the structure of argument and the two main types of logic: induction and deduction. Each Unit will hinge upon close-reading primary sources, Kindred, by Octavia Butler, and supplemental texts from the founding of the nation through the present moment. As we read, write, and think critically about argument and nationhood, we will pursue these Unit Guiding Questions:

• How is a nation crafted as an argument?
• What causes a nation to contradict itself?
• Why does a nation enact change?

It can be even more challenging to settle arguments or solve problems collaboratively when passionate, opposing viewpoints do not see eye to eye on an issue. In this project, you will review the concept of contradiction and define synthesis, explore this dialectic by studying the historical context of the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964, and generate your own synthesis by engaging with an opposing perspective about the issue that matters to you. Learn how arguments might be resolved by synthesizing different points of view by investigating Argument Synthesis.

What would nature do?

“Biomimicry” is a relatively new word that encompasses a new field of design and innovation that draws inspiration from the natural world.

The purpose of the Biomimicry 101 course is to introduce to the concept of biomimicry through Art & Science. We will investigate diverse case studies of biomimicry that rethink art, technology, and society from the perspective of nature. After investigating, you will take action by rethinking and re-designing things on your own.

At the end of this course, students will have:

• studied the concept of biomimicry;
• investigated examples of solutions inspired by nature;
• redesigned objects and re-imagined social structures by applying the concept of biomimicry.

Knowledge of human anatomy is key to understanding how disease affects the body. In this project, you will examine the impact of disease through a case study on cancer, interview an individual who has been affected by disease, and create a life-sized map of the effects of disease on the body. Learn about the relationship between body systems and disease by investigating Body Mapping.

Beloved by readers across space and time, the “great books,” or literary classics, continue to be used in schools and by individuals as master texts for teaching and learning. In this project, you will explore different perspectives on reading, past and present, and learn about the literary canon, conduct interviews with individuals about their own experiences reading the classics, and argue for a text you’ve selected to be included in the canon and used as a teaching tool. Learn more about your relationship to reading and how books become classics by investigating Canon Defense.

Even as writers collectively represent diversity in their work, they have sometimes found their books challenged, censored, or banned by those who find the content unacceptable. In this project, you will re-define diversity and identify examples in literary texts, conduct an interview on the censorship debate, research the censorship history of a single novel, and compose a well-supported essay demonstrating the book’s promotion of diversity. Learn about why certain books have been censored for promoting diversity by investigating Censorship Presentation.

The purpose of this investigation is to explore water’s different states and how they influence climate. You will learn about the difference between weather and climate, and how irregular weather offers clues about what to expect in the future. You will learn to explain the greenhouse effect, convert between different temperature scales, research safe CO2 levels in the atmosphere, and examine the visual images and global impact of receding glaciers. You will go outside to observe and classify different cloud formations and use your observations to predict upcoming weather. You will close your Mastery Project by creating a weather forecast for a chosen city or region around the world 50 years from today, and presented your findings in a video.

The purpose of this Mastery Project is to understand and manifest the fundamentals of urban planning by improving a physical community space. Before localizing your investigation, you will begin by pursuing big picture questions, such as: Around which principles do cities form and change? What are the essential elements of a city, and why are many deemed “good” or “bad?” In Community Block, you will be introduced to cities from around the world, each which represents a unique case study in the history and future of urban planning. Your goal is to select a community space that needs help, identify the symptoms and causes of the problems, and design a solution. You will be asked to prepare an analysis of the current conditions, a sketch with blueprint or 3-D model of your redesigned area, and to support your design with an explanation of your creative process.

From empty abandoned plots to parking lots, community gardens are popping up everywhere. In this project, you’ll explore how to plan and plant a successful garden by learning about healthy ecosystems, conducting a soil fertility test, and designing a garden that will feed both your stomach and your community. Investigate the challenges and rewards of growing your own food through Community Garden.

As we go about the day, the Supreme Court and its work may seem distant or invisible; nonetheless, its judicial rulings regulate some of our most basic decisions and provide standards for future actions. In this project, you will review the structure of the judicial branch of the U.S. government through key vocabulary and cases, research a Supreme Court decision that interests you, and uncover its impact, and present and explain your own ruling on an historic case. Learn about the purpose and function of the judicial branch by investigating Court Ruling.

How do you heal? In the Cure course, you will study revolutions in the history of Western medicine through three units of study: emergency, treatment, and prevention. While each unit focuses on an advancement in Western medicine, the External Investigations provide opportunities to explore case studies of people who have been cured through a variety of methods, including practices such as acupuncture and yoga. As a parallel to bringing a body into balance, you will work to bring linear and quadratic equations into balance, as well as applying your knowledge of functions to nutrition and health.

Nations, like arguments, are founded upon a set of basic principles or claims; they are the assertion of sovereignty made by a collective. In this project, you will outline the structure of arguments, analyze key elements of a nation’s founding document (U.S. Declaration of Independence), test the premises of a nation’s argument through an interview and reflection, and craft your own argument for “independence”. Learn about the anatomy of argument and the claims of nationhood by investigating Declaration of Independent Study.

Solving everyday problems in innovative ways is a fundamental part of life – but what makes good design, and what are the required steps before building can even begin? Design & Engineering is a STEAM course that focuses on building things well; i.e. structurally sound, efficient, user-friendly and sustainable. You will study designs from history that changed our perception so much that our experience of the world shifted infinitely. You will see where things came from and project where they are going. You will learn to harness empathy to do things better, and not settle for what’s already been done.

Design the Model is an opportunity to review and practice the principles that frame Global Learning Models’ curriculum. This course guides educators to thoughtfully create inquiry and project-based curriculum. This intensive workshop requires in-person facilitation and runs for three to five days depending on the number of educators participating and the range of courses being created.

3-5 days    in person

How have diseases changed your view of life and death? In this course, you will explore diseases of the body, mind and society. Through the study of anatomy, neuroscience and epidemiology, you will learn how our bodies react to trauma and outside influence. Among several math concepts, you will explore a critically important number, R-naught, and how it can be used to predict epidemics. Disease is an intensely reflective, personal, and foundational course for professions in the healing arts.

From ancient times, theater has provided an opportunity for communities to stage their challenges and rehearse ways of facing them. The Drama course provides an opportunity to study the history of theater through the lens of gender equality and how social roles have evolved across time and space. In 3 units, each analyzing a different play, students will be challenged to write a monologue, dialogue, and a traditional chorus that explores gender relations and students’ own roles in society.

For thousands of years, drama has been used to communicate the comedy and tragedy of life, often making astute observations about society and contemporary issues. In this project, you will draw from the example of Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, to consider the modern role of women, facilitate a conversation about societal roles and values in your own community, and write a script featuring a dramatic chorus remarking on a current issue of your choice. Learn about how drama can be used for staging social commentary in Dramatic Chorus.

From ancient times, theater has provided an opportunity for communities to stage their challenges and rehearse ways of dealing with them. Drawing from the example of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, this project will guide you in an exploration of how social roles have evolved over time and space, allow you to identify women from history who have challenged female stereotypes, and write a script for an imagined dialogue about how society has shaped our concept of gender. Travel back in history and use your imagination to stage a vibrant dinner conversation in Dramatic Dialogue.

Incomplete, fantastical, or frightening as they may seem, your dreams may tell you much about yourself, if you have the tools to interpret the symbols and metaphors they present. In this project, you will explore the meanings of dreams through the fields of art and psychology, engage in your own dream analysis by sharing with a trusted listener, and design a dream catcher to identify and better understand your hopes and fears for the future. Learn how to strengthen your analytical skills as you unpack metaphors and symbolism by investigating Dream Catcher.

We live in a world of limited resources, but our wants and needs are unlimited. Amid scarcity, choices are made. In this course, you will explore the value of a college education and plan your financial future using principles of economics and personal finance, statistics, and probability. You will read case studies and visit financial institutions to learn how economists apply models to solve real-world problems from the financial crisis to poverty reduction.

How much are you willing to endure to change the world? This course will ask you to face your challenges, and learn endurance through endurance. The content of this course will be felt: you will endure the course not because it is boring, but because it poses real-life challenges. The ultimate resource for this course lies in your own 5 senses; they will all be challenged through Sense Solos, which will help you dive deeper into who you are and how much you are willing to endure to change the world.

If you aspire to achieve your dreams and goals, life is sure to be filled with twists and turns that test your mental and physical endurance. In this project, you will learn from others who have overcome obstacles to achieve a life mission; gathered words of wisdom from your trusted advisors; and articulated your life plan through a survival manual that includes a timeline, inspirational quotes, and strategies for prevailing over any roadblocks you meet along the way. Create your life’s action plan in Survival Manual.

Do you have the skills necessary to achieve your goals? In this project, you will learn the techniques and methods developed by ambitious individuals who have achieved the impossible, identified a key skill you need to practice to execute a specific goal, and documented yourself developing that skill through a video diary. Challenge yourself, endure, and take the first step in achieving a personal dream by creating your own Endurance Video.

Prerequisite understanding of economics and systems thinking serves as the foundation to envision and plan a business venture which you may passionately and realistically pursue. Fueling your inspiration are weekly workshops with successful entrepreneurs. The course guides you through core concepts of entrepreneurship, and then demands that you write and pitch your own business plan.

The discovery of a cure depends upon understanding the disease, its context, and its lifespan, both within the body of the affected patient and across communities and time. In this project, you will study data, probability, as well as quadratic and exponential functions to model the life-cycle of epidemics. You will conduct an interview with someone who has had experience with an epidemic, and you will chart the path of an epidemic using statistics and graphing. Learn about the spread and evolution of disease and how this information helps in the development of cures by investigating Epidemic Map.

“All men are born equal”. But, what about women? And, even if we are born equal, do we live in equality? How do wealth and resources fit in? In this course, you will explore inequalities that exist based upon gender, race, and socioeconomic class differences. You will become familiar with the theories that strive to explain why these inequalities exist, whom they oppress and benefit, what actions have been taken in the past, and what can be done now to dismantle the systems and institutions that perpetuate them. You will gain the knowledge necessary to engage in these debates, develop skills to facilitate meaningful dialogues, and access the tools necessary to mediate disputes and impact change.

Although the president may embody the authority of the United States, the government was founded upon a system of checks and balances that limit the power of any one branch. In this project, you will review the powers bestowed on the executive branch and study examples of how and when those powers have been tested; conduct a popular opinion poll; and determined when and how an executive order is produced by the president. Learn about the purpose and function of the executive branch and exercise your own leadership by investigating Executive Order.

Spread and adapted around the world, fables are stories with a very specific purpose — they are intended to teach lessons about human nature and strengthen morals. In this project, you will read and compare fables from ancient Greece and India, discover the significance of character and symbolism in these narratives, and craft an original, illustrated fable teaching others the values that form your own life code. Learn about how stories have been used since ancient times to teach life lessons and develop personal character by investigating Fable.

In the Food course, you will be guided through three different parts of the food cycle as access points to different sciences: Ecology, Chemistry and Genetics. Through hands-on experiences in planning a garden, cooking a meal, and engaging in the debate on Genetically-Modified Organisms, you will explore the current joys and challenges of feeding our world. You will also use Mathematics to determine growth plans, crop yield, and our ability to feed our rapidly growing population.

Early farmers sowed the seeds of the future, but the crops they planted had little resemblance to the foods we eat today. In this project, you will learn where and when common foods originated, uncover your family’s culinary roots, and trace the history of your favorite ingredient across time and space. Discover the origins of our modern diet by investigating Food Autobiography.

Going to the grocery store can be an overwhelming experience today, filled with dozens of options for each product and coded food labels that take an expert eye to decipher. In this project, you will learn about our modern food system and how it evolved, identify and interpret different food certifications, and spend some time in the kitchen preparing and comparing your favorite dish. Develop your palate and indulge in unusual taste tests by investigating Food Critique.

How are food systems shaped, and how do they shape the world? In this course, you will be guided through the cycle of life as a metaphor for the trajectory of our global food system. Using food production as a lens, you will study the history of human societies, starting with our transition from hunter-gatherer societies and ending with our current globalized food system.

Why have books been forbidden throughout history? In this course, you will explore why certain books and ideas have been considered dangerous or threatening throughout history, focusing on 3 themes: politics, dogma, and diversity. In each unit, you will read original texts to understand, through the study of each text’s historical context, why its central themes were considered dangerous at the time of writing—and beyond.

Famous for leading the nonviolent independence movement against the British in India, Mahatma Gandhi’s methods have been studied by civil rights activists for decades. In this project, you will learn the philosophy behind Gandhi’s strategy, speak with someone who has endured or witnessed segregation, and draw inspiration from your role models to write your own song for freedom. Learn about nonviolent campaigns and how to organize your own movement by investigating Freedom Song.

How does energy fuel society? To pursue this question, you will use Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics to learn how our society uses fuel, and to predict the future of energy. Looking at both renewable and nonrenewable resources, you will learn about the pros and cons of societies based on different energy sources, and explore possibilities for alternatives.

Autobiographies transport us into someone else’s world and allow us to experience life from another perspective. In this project, you will tell your own story by crafting your life mission and vision, identifying the strengths and weaknesses that will help and hinder the completion of your mission, and writing Chapter 1 of your own autobiography, from the perspective of your well-accomplished future self. Investigate your life purpose and design your path to achievement in Future Autobiography.

Analyzing the current state of race, gender, and class relations is crucial in the ongoing fight against inequality, and useful for measuring social progress. In this project, you will explore the status of equality in the U.S. today and the example of affirmative action in addressing racial discrimination, conduct an interview that teaches you about another country’s efforts to promote equality, and produce a time capsule from the future with specific documentary evidence of progress toward achieving equal rights and justice for all. Learn how assessing different forms of discrimination within a society can lead to a compelling vision for eradicating inequality by investigating Future Time Capsule.

How can you harness the power of play?

The experience of playing games is universal across ages, spaces, and time. Games can consist of complicated pieces, books, and tables or could be as simple as using your own hands to do the playing. The advancement of technology has allowed video games to come into play in the past 50 years, as well.

In this course, you are invited to a behind-the-scenes look at tabletop games. How do you play and how do you play your best? After a closer look at the playing process, you will try your hand at game design with the ultimate goal of creating your own game from scratch.

Despite global movements for gender equality, there is no country on Earth that pays women the same as men. In this project, you’ll learn about the gender pay gap and other statistics, explore what gender inequality looks like in your community, and prepare a global comparison that identifies countries making the greatest strides towards gender equality. Consider how to make the world more equitable by investigating Gender Equality Comparison.

As our world becomes more connected through trade and technology, responsible global citizenship and awareness are increasingly essential. In this project, you will define and examine examples of global citizens, identify and research an international issue important to you, and create an infographic that raises awareness and inspires others to take action. Embrace your responsibility as a citizen of the world in Global Awareness Infographic.

How can Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence guide you to take action locally?

What is peace? What is violence? What does peace look like in my community? How does peace generate peace around the world? Why are there so many stories of nonviolent peace movements?

These are some of the questions you will pursue in the Global Peace course. While the Internet has served as a catalyst for revolutions around the world, it may have also fueled a global disconnect that has caused us to ignore the strength, resiliency and importance of our local communities.

Inspired by Gandhi’s 4 principles of nonviolence, you will learn about how communities are resisting oppression around the world, and investigate specific case studies as models for making change on your own block.

Some of the specific skills you will learn include: conflict mapping, historical analysis, critiquing films, evaluating and applying nonviolent techniques.

The Global Peace investigation will pursue the following questions:

• What is the philosophy of nonviolence?
• What is the economy of nonviolence?
• What are the politics of nonviolence?
• What is the weapon of nonviolence?

Genetically modified organisms continue to be a topic of intense public debate, extending beyond laboratories and into the public sphere. In this project, you will examine the science of genetics and genetic modification, conduct an original survey of the pros and cons of GMOs, and present an evidence-based argument supporting one side of the debate. Learn about the science of GMOs and the ongoing controversy surrounding them by investigating GMO Debate.

Crafting the right questions catalyzes a process of meaningful self-discovery. In this project, you will define key concepts for inquiring into the nature of doubt and Cartesian philosophy, practice formulating strong guiding questions in order to conduct an interview with an expert on doubt, and present your own philosophical journey based on a guiding question you formulate. Learn more about how forming and pursuing questions can help forge and challenge your identity by investigating Guiding Question.

Scholars have identified remarkable and shared patterns in the plot structures of heroic tales across time and place. In this project, you will study the concepts of the monomyth and hero’s journey in literature, conduct interviews with personal heroes and uncover their journeys, and produce a comparative analysis of heroes’ journeys to inspire yourself and others. Learn about literary archetypes and the path you share with other heroes, real and imagined, by investigating Hero’s Journey.

You may have heard that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but what about history? Your interpretation of history depends on who the storyteller is and what point of view they are trying to preserve. In this project, you will take on the challenging role of a historian by studying seminal works on race, gender, and class, gathering the perspective of an individual who witnessed or participated an historical event and using all your discoveries to write an accurate historical account of a specific time in history. Use research and personal stories to retell history by investigation History Book Revision.

(formerly “Learn the Model”)

Educators participate in an introductory course to ensure shared language and understanding of core concepts: inquiry and project-based learning, integrated curriculum, courses as investigations, and evaluation (grading vs. feedback). This digital course may be completed independently in approximately 2–3 hours. Facilitated, collaborative discussions are typically

2-3 hours    in person & online

How do you know about the world? In this course, you will learn how to observe, analyze and report on current events through different media—Image, Sound and Text. In each of these three units, you will be challenged to conduct an exploration into a realm of journalism; you will follow a full cycle of investigation; meet with specialists in the area; and conclude each investigation with an Action Project that reports the news in a multimedia format.

How do you sense the world? In Light, Sound, & Time, you will dive deep into your surroundings and how you perceive the world. You will focus on how humans experience light, sound and time. Then, you consider the bigger picture: how do these concepts function regardless of human interaction? You will build a camera, musical instrument, and time-telling device, and explain their functionality through the languages of math and science.

In this Mastery Project your challenge is as real as it gets: your life. The purpose of M.A.G.I.C. Plan (Mentoring Achievement of Goals and Inspiring Champions) is for you to identify a guiding light, and to learn from his or her example to create the life of which you dream. Your research and investigation will inspire you and help you clarify your goals, make a plan, and put it into motion. Highlighted throughout your M.A.G.I.C. journey are real people who demonstrate leadership, collaboration (teamwork), strategy, and endurance. You will use their lives — including their very public and scrutinized successes and failures — to reflect on your own challenges and successes, and to determine the pathways to your ideal future. You will discover to what extent you admire and learn from the experiences, failures, and wisdom of others. This will not be easy. No one can do the work for you. But this Mastery Project is all about you. The case studies are merely a starting point.

Educators are guided through the Mastery Project in their dual role as both students and educators. In this way, they appreciate both the learning pathway that their students will travel and they are able to determine which resources best supplement existing course content and assessments. Master the Project invites educators to create examples of excellence with their own work, supporting their preparation and earning credibility in the eyes of their students. Facilitated discussions draw out the learning process, support customization of content, and increase educator capacity to deliver enhanced instructional strategies. Facilitated, collaborative discussions are typically scheduled online.

varies    online

What are the biggest challenges facing humanity, and what is your role in addressing them?

In this course, you will explore the context and history of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Then, working with individuals and organizations engaged in solving these challenges, you will use your knowledge to contribute to solutions locally and globally to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In March 2012, the world population topped 7 billion people. While this population continues to grow exponentially, natural resources dwindle due to human consumption with remaining resources unequally distributed. More than ever, our world needs thoughtful, engaged, global citizens to address the world’s growing crises.

Photographic images are used by journalists to illustrate real-life stories of the here and now and can affect a reader’s understanding and interest in the news. In this project, you will learn skills and concepts that guide the work of photojournalists, interview and photograph an individual you believe has an interesting perspective on the meaning of life, and produce a finished piece of photojournalism based on your philosophical discussion. Learn essential skills of photography and the critical thinking behind the composition of images that daily shape the way we see the world by investigating Meaning of Life.

Mining your unique consciousness and exploring memories are ways to help tell the story of who you are. In this project, you will reflect upon your past and present, conduct an interview about a shared experience, and write a short story based on one of your memories. Learn more about your identity and how personal history can be analyzed and shared by investigating Memory Short Story.

In this Mastery Project you will be introduced to the anatomy and purpose of the brain. You will research a disorder that affects the brain’s ability to thrive. You will learn about the nervous system and both sides of the brain; watch and listen to stories of people who have autism; classify different mental disorders; and investigate the criteria to diagnose mental disorders. Most importantly, you will be asked to see the world through someone else’s eyes. You will map the impacts of a disorder you select in order to create a sensory lesson that exposes someone else to the experience of living in the world with a specific mental disorder.

Educators are expected to model the curriculum they will be teaching by demonstrating mastery of the fundamental concepts introduced in the Internal Investigations, exploring professional connections in the External Investigations, and completing examples of excellence for the Action Projects. An important part of Modeling the Learning is localizing it. Educators may elect to customize the curriculum with selected readings, videos, and activities. They also select and plan City2Classroom™ Field Experiences (on and off campus) using local corporate, nonprofit, and individual experts. Pre-work for this digital course may be completed independently. Facilitated discussions may be scheduled in person or online.

varies    in person & online

Some of the earliest messages from our ancestors have been communicated visually, in the form of murals and paintings. In this project, you will examine the messages and materials of the earliest artists across the globe, document and analyze the role of murals in your own community, and design a mural that tells the story of your time and place. Explore humanity’s visual history by investigating Mural Design.

What makes a movie a movie? How is storytelling through film different from storytelling through literature? Which films deserve a “thumbs-up” and which deserve a “thumbs-down” – and why? These are just some of the questions you will pursue in the Ollywood course.

In this course, you will take on the role of a film critic and learn to evaluate films based on 3 stages of production. Starting with Pre-Production, you will learn about what happens before the camera starts rolling, and all the work involved with envisioning and staging a film. Next, during Production, you will learn to see through a director’s lens, scrutinizing details such as lighting, framing, and camera angles. Finally, during Post-Production, you will learn about the art of editing and sound effects, which help to create the mood and suspense in films.

Questions about the origins of the universe and our place here have always been on the minds of human beings, and, across time and place, we have developed stories to help explain these phenomena. In this project, you will read and compare creation myths from different cultures around the world, discover the significance of setting, descriptive and figurative language in these narratives, and craft your own original, illustrated creation story about an element within your environment. Learn about how and why peoples around the globe have used mythological stories to make sense of the world by investigating Creation Story.

Biomimicry, whose name captures its purpose, is a way of thinking about human design with tools inspired by nature. In this project, you will explore environment-based, sustainable approaches to innovation, observe and analyze plants in your surroundings, and apply your knowledge to solve a problem through biomimetic design. Learn about biomimicry and plant biology by investigating Plant Mimicry.

Poetry has a reputation for being mysterious, difficult, and even uninviting, which may cause you to resist engaging with the literary genre. In this project, you will uncover the ancient origins of the poetic tradition as you and explore different forms. You will, find inspiration to craft and perform your own original poem, and produce a recording of your poetry reading framed by a reflection on your work. Learn about poetry by investigating Poetry Reading.

Policy informs students how to use both Rhetoric and Argument to agree on a common good, so that living together is sustainable and nurturing. In this course, you will study the decades-long civil rights movement in the U.S. and international social justice struggles, examining the process and different roles by which policies – for better or worse – come into being as you pursue the question: What does it take to make policy (for the common) good?

Although you may be removed from the halls of legislative assemblies, the impact of government policy can be felt in numerous ways as you go about your daily life. In this project, you will review key events, documents, and methodologies of the legislative branch of the United States government, identify a policy that matters to you and the legislators who work on this issue, and engage in the civic process by writing a letter to your local representative. Learn about the purpose and function of the legislative branch and activate your role in the civic process by investigating Policy Letter.

Language can bring unity or division in our personal and public lives, but there are tools to help us better understand why certain speech works or fails. In this project, you will examine rhetoric through historical and contemporary examples, analyze the rhetorical appeals and devices utilized by a speech-maker within your own community, and apply these techniques by composing a persuasive speech about a major political issue today. Learn about how language has been and can be used to communicate effectively and persuade an audience by investigating Political Speech.

What underlies the diversity of life, where our ancestors come from and how we became the human beings we are now? How can we quantify and measure change? With the tools of logic, statistics, and exponential growth, you will study diverse populations and represent them as a unit. Throughout this course, you will discover how people connect with local and global populations; explore how and why populations have changed throughout history; and forecast what this means for our future.

Like expert advertisers, segments the ruling classes of society have used strategic methods for promoting their beliefs, including deliberately spreading misleading or biased information. In this project, you will define “propaganda” by studying historical and contemporary examples, identifying and analyzing different forms of propaganda in your own environment, and designing an artistic response – a remix – to a specific example of propaganda targeted at you. Learn about how information is manipulated to control public opinion and discover a creative strategy for confronting propaganda by investigating Propaganda Remix.

Why do certain speeches “work” and so many others do not? Rhetoric supposes that we use language to persuade, challenge and unite, in all aspects of our lives. To awaken to this reality, you will explore how language has been, and might be used to help us powerfully and clearly articulate our viewpoints. As you study how the earliest Americans manipulated language as conquerors, colonists, and revolutionaries, you will become skilled in analyzing and manipulating language in order to articulate and achieve your own aims. These domestic examples will be juxtaposed with international case studies to strengthen your sense of global awareness, identity, and possibility.

It is the science of life, and as such, biology is one of the most important, innovative, and exciting fields of study. In this project, you will define key concepts of scientific inquiry and study the language of biologists, conduct a scientific experiment on a select population, and present the data you collected as you reflect upon your work. Learn about biology by investigating Scientific Method.

The purpose of Scoring With the Major Leagues is to discover the heart & soul of a game, to identify the teamwork and rivalries that drive the pursuit of greatness, and the rare & blessed process of becoming a dynasty. Scoring with the Major Leagues uses popular games such as basketball, baseball, football and soccer to investigate and evaluate cultural origins & shifts, individual & collective performance, subjective & objective value, and competitive strategy.

This propject introduces the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to students by exercising fundamentals of geography and social studies.

In March 2012, the world population topped seven billion people. As our population continues to grow, natural resources are dwindling due to human consumption, and the resources that remain are unequally distributed. More than ever, our world needs thoughtful, engaged, global citizens to address the world’s growing crises.

The UN SDG Map project will ground you with fundamental reading, research, and writing skills necessary to enter into the global conversation. Through project-based inquiry, you will study the greatest challenges facing our planet, practice the principles needed to achieve the SDG targets, and create a map that communicates your discoveries and encourages viewers to question their assumptions about the world.

Access This Project

In Self-portrait, you will examine a range of self-assessments and use them to better understand yourself and your lifelong journey of change — personal, academic, and professional. You will learn to consider each assessment’s psychological verifiability. You will critique these assessments, identifying benefits and limitations, so you may better understand both their power to assist human interaction and their potential to create barriers. You will channel your self-discovery into the creation of a self-portrait, which is explained through an artist’s statement.

What if you never have to apply for a job?

The purpose of this course is to exercise the passion, business acumen, personal fortitude, and interpersonal collaboration skills required to bring into existence a social impact venture. In this course, you will learn the essential elements of an entrepreneurial venture; more importantly, you will begin to apply them. You move through “Social Entrepreneurship” both individually and collaboratively.

The following content will guide you through a project in three stages:

• Internal Investigation: You will learn the key vocabulary and concepts necessary to understand the nature of social entrepreneurship.
• External Investigation: You will experience how these concepts work in the real world. Interactive exercises are woven throughout the course, so be prepared to feel the subject matter in personal and “real” ways on a daily basis.
• Action Project: You will apply everything you learn through the creation of an Action Project. During this stage, you will formulate and pitch your social impact venture.

Preview of the course:

• “To thine own self be true.” (Shakespeare. Hamlet. Act 1. Scene 2). Who are you? What do you care most deeply about? What do you want to be great at doing? Who is your family and your community? What impact do you want to have on the world?
• Who are entrepreneurs? Why is social entrepreneurship different from all other businesses? What must you know in order to build a business? To what extent is experience a necessity?
• What are the key elements of your social impact venture?
• How will you become a social entrepreneur?
• Pitch: How effectively can you communicate your vision, enroll people in your journey, and empower others to contribute to the movement?
  Challenge: For the inspired and motivated social entrepreneur: if you really want this course to seed your future, go beyond the Pitch, and prepare a business plan.

Suggested readings, videos, and resources:

• Dreams for Kids, Changing the World…One Person at a Time; by Tom Tuohy  – available in any format.
• The Four Agreements, A Guide to Personal Freedom; by Don Miquel Ruiz
• Man’s Search for Meaning; by Victor Frankel
• E-myth; by Michael E. Gerber (prerequisite)
• Good to Great; by Jim Collins (excerpts)
• The Tipping Point; by Malcolm Gladwell (excerpts)
• The Brand Gap; by Marty Neumeier (excerpts)
• Up the Organization; by Robert Townsend (excerpts)
• Ten9Eight: Shoot for the Moon^ (watch)
• See the Enterprise Pinterest board for many more
• The End of Fundraising: Raise More Money by Selling Your Impact

You are a social entrepreneur seeking to positively impact the world. You are pitching your business to an audience with the potential to dramatically influence your ability to bring your product/service to market and build a sustainable organization. Your goal is to produce a video pitch because your audience is global. To prepare for your pitch, you will dive into the concepts of mission and vision, discover your “hedgehog concept”, create budget projections, and craft a marketing and sales plan that can be executed through your proposed organizational structure. But in the end, social entrepreneurship hinges on YOU; will you be able to convince investors to support you and consumers to buy your product?

Throughout history, people and ideas have been banned for being perceived as threatening or dangerous. In this project, you’ll learn to ask effective and thought-provoking questions that challenge the status quo, pursue the true meaning of a common concept or idea and use the Socratic method to examine the world around you. Learn about the history of dangerous ideas in Socratic Dialogue.

How does learning the production process of theater change your perception and experience of the world? How does the narrative power of story come to life in theater? How can you replicate a multi-million dollar theater in your backyard, school, or anywhere else that you choose?

Your journey begins behind the stage, learning about scale, proportions, and models through light, sound, and space. Then you descend below the stage, only to soar above, interacting with pulleys, flys, traps, and turntables. You’ll learn about safety, balance, and movement. Course closure is achieved on stage by bringing to life theatrical form and function, concepts and designs. Mastery is demonstrated through understanding, adaptation, and transformation.

How are journeys shared? Stories have traveled through time, oral tradition, books, and art. The stories that reach us create a relationship with our ancestors, to civilizations that are long gone, and to heroes that still inspire us today. These stories contain lessons, offering new perspectives and wisdom. By reading, listening, and watching, you will gain insights into the world—past and present, conscious and unconscious.

The purpose of this Mastery Project is to explore the relationship between matter in its different forms and the energy that can be produced by converting matter into fuel. You will review various types of matter, revisit kinetic and potential energy, follow the path from energy source to fuel in your home/business, practice reading energy bills from local utility companies, and interview a representative from a utility company serving your community. You goal is synthesize what you learn and to present your case for investing in a specific renewable energy source to more than 20,000 attendees at a global energy conference. You will research the cost of implementing a renewable energy source in your home, calculate the cost savings over time, determine the break-even point for your investment, and produce a video that summarizes your findings.

The purpose of this Mastery Project is to behave as an organizational consultant by performing a SWOT Analysis. Your goal is to improve your school’s ability to bring out the best in each individual to fulfill its mission.

To what extent are you unique as an individual, and how do you function within the larger framework of an organization such as your school, place of worship, or job? In Systems and Models, you will explore breakthroughs in psychology; you will use the scientific method to design and carry out your own experiment; and ideally, you will conclude the course knowing how to be of greater value to yourself and others.

Faith, tradition, and reason often serve a lessons are often sources of beliefs, and provide a lens through which one views the world. In this project, you will inquire into the nature of truth and reality. You will, and reflect upon Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and, conduct an interview testing key concepts with someone who holds an opposing viewpoint. You will use these experiences to , and produce a podcast sharing your beliefs and how they have developed. Learn about how exploring your truths can lead to a deeper understanding of who you are by investigating This I Believe Podcast.

This Mastery Project requires big picture exposure to the field of I-O Psychology — its history, fundamental psychological relevance, and systems dynamics (an organization’s ability to attract and serve its employees symbiotically). Upon completion of the Mastery Project, you will be of greater value to every community in which you meaningfully engage, and you will experience a shift in your relationships with yourself, others, and the world.

Year-round access to fresh vegetables and tropical fruits is evidence of a global food system that has taken centuries to develop. In this project, you will explore the human and environmental costs of our modern food system, observe local plant life, and examine the threats to our current way of eating. Grapple with how to feed the world nutritiously and sustainably in United Nations Speech.

Political speeches can be used to inspire and mobilize individuals, and provide valuable lessons in effective rhetoric. In this project, you will identify elements of rhetoric that promote unity and analyze these at work in a historical example, study the unifying force of political art in your community, and create your own rhetorical piece to inspire unity around a cause you deem important. Learn about how to unite an audience using effective rhetorical techniques in Unity Poster.

How do you design a shared space to minimize the use of resources and maximize the quality of life? In Urban Planning, you will explore 3 systems that intertwine to create the ecosystem of a city: load, power and flow. These topics will allow you to investigate any city’s major structures; how the city is powered; and how its systems work together to create – or prevent – flow.

In addition to television and print, journalism is also produced and shared in purely audio form through radio broadcasts and digital podcasts. In this project, you will learn skills and concepts that guide the work of radio-journalists, interview an individual about the most influential voice of their time, and produce a podcast that presents the story of that voice by creatively integrating different interview and sound elements. Learn about the role of a radio-journalist and produce your own podcast using the essential skills of interviewing, script-writing, and sound-editing by investigating Voice of a Generation Podcast.

Are you thirsty? Are you clean? Have you nourished your plants today? In this course, you will explore the resource that’s essential for all life: water. In this course, you will interact with numbers in a new way with the introduction of logarithms, applications of scientific notation, and exploration of measuring systems used throughout the world. The course relies on research, gathered from sources and created by you, in order to better understand how water usage and access compares around the world and you will learn how this resource is at the same time abundant and scarce.

Water Why do some people in the world have access to clean water and not others? How can mathematics help you understand global water resources, and how can this understanding empower you to take action and persuade others to create a more equitable and sustainable world?

In this project, you will review basic Algebraic concepts contextualized by a resource essential to all life on Earth: water. After learning basic skills, statistics and concepts, you will create an awareness campaign that informs people about global water usage and access to this fundamental resource.

Access This Project

Placing an emphasis on wellness and prevention is a critical way of thinking about disease and developing cures. In this project, you will study the history of vaccination and developments in nutrition science, conduct an interview with relatives to better understand medical history, and produce your own well-researched prevention health and wellness plan. Learn about nutrition and the role it plays in maintaining a balanced body by investigating Wellness Plan.

How will I investigate my Self to know who I am? The Who Am I? course is a journey into your Self, your beliefs, origins, fears, and hopes—pursued through philosophical discussions, self-reflections, historical investigations, and diverse field experiences. Specifically, the course challenges your perceptions of Truth, Memory, Doubt, and Belief.

Why is it important for art to be accessible? How does public art spark human interaction? How does art go viral? Students will examine the history of public art and its ability to transform spaces and connect people on a worldwide scale in the You Are Beautiful course. Inspired by case studies of successful public art movements, students will master skills to conceptualize, produce and install their original art pieces in public spaces with the goal of engaging people in conversations.