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Rosalind Franklin is prominent in virtually every telling of DNA history, but she is painted differently in various accounts. Watson and Crick made one of the most important and impressive scientific discoveries of the 20th century, but their golden helix is tarnished by the way they have treated Franklin and Wilkins. A meaningful gesture, given that it was Franklin's data that Watson and Crick most directly used, would be for scientists to refer to the "Watson, Crick, and Franklin structure for DNA."
Electives
Fall 2011 Electives for 8th - 10th Grades
1. Moot Court - Prof. Meinschein - Moot Court is a high school credit earning course (meets 4 days per/week) where you will learn about the court system of the United States and the highest court of the land (the Supreme Court of the United States). You will learn about issues of US Constitutional law through analyzing Supreme Court landmark cases and apply the findings of those cases to different situations. This will be accomplished through each of you individually taking on the role of an attorney and arguing for your side of the case in front of judges (sometimes drawn from our class or guest judges). Issues such as freedom of speech, search and seizure, privacy rights, and the right to bear arms will be addressed through arguing different cases that have been brought before the highest court of the land. So get your legal thinking caps on and get ready to prove your case to the judges!
2. Environmental Science - Prof. Feraco - Survey of fundamental concepts of environmental science focusing on the environment and aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Topics include the biological and chemical principles that relate to current environmental issues, conservation of plants and animals, energy flow as well as nutrient cycling, basic ecological and technological concerns and advances, and scientific analysis and solutions to environmental problems.
High School students will receive a science credit for this elective.
3. Latin I - Prof. Smith - This is the first year of a four-year program in the Cambridge Latin Course that emphasizes the development of reading skills while learning about Roman culture. Students will read Latin from the very first—learning about the Romans in general, particularly the daily life of a family in Pompeii. Throughout the year, students will build their skills in essential vocabulary and grammar in Latin and English while studying the entertainment, education, politics, and religion of the people in Italy in the first century C.E.
The Roman civilization is the basis of all western civilization; the study of the Latin language is an invaluable key to understanding and using English well and provides a foundation for the study of modern languages.
High School students will receive one foreign languace credit for this course.
4. Pre-Calculus - Prof. Watnick - By Invitation only.
High School students will receive one math credit for this course.
5. WAR - Prof. Hubbard - Is the outcome of a war determined on the battlefield?
About ten percent of those in military service during a war actually see combat. And, for those ten percent who do, less than five percent of their time is actually engaged in some form of combat experience.
What do the nonengaged ninety percent do with all of their time and what do the engaged ten percent do with ninety-five percent of their time?
We will be using the Second World War as a vehicle for the exploration of these questions.
After a brief history of the causes of the war, and an overview of the various theaters of operations (i.e. Europe, North Africa and the Pacific) we will look into what a war is really about.
What are belief systems that cn compel humans to risk life and limb? What are different leadership styles and how do they shape events? How do massive armies move men and materials, sometimes over vast distances (logistics)? How do the earth's various climate and topographical features influence the actual battle field experiences of those engaged in combat? How did the weather influence a particular battle on a particular day? Would a change in the weather affect the outcome of that day's engagement? And, what about the role of industry and technology. And, possibly best of all, what chance or random event may have turned the tide of battle one way or the other?
All students will research how these and other factors influenced major battles of WWII. In addition to active class discussions, each student will be assigned a particular battle and will be required to make a presentation of that battle to the class.
High School students will receive one social studies credit for this course.
6. Neuro-science - Prof. Terranova - There is a formal handout related to this course. Focuses on micro and macro structures of the brain, what thoughts are, how they created, how knowledge is created and stored, how the brain changes over time, plasticity, what is intelligence, why do we dream? Does reality actually exist or is it a mental construction?
High School students will be granted one social studies credit for this course.
7. Intel Science - Prof. Finney - Students will work with CSS faculty to determine a research question in a technical discipline of their choice, and create a detailed research plan to submit for various Science Fairs and Science Bowls around NYC. Students admitted into the New York City Science and Engineering Fair will compete with the top science students in the city. If they do well at that fair they will move on to compete in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair with the top science and engineering students on planet Earth. This course will strengthen key scientific reasoning skills, and will create opportunities for CSS students to distinguish themselves in their college applications. Professor Finney will be available to support physical science research and computational/analytical components to research, and Professor Novak will be available to support life science research and research methods.
8. AP Spanish Literature - Prof. Weiner - By Invitation Only
High School students will receive one foreign languace credit for this course.
9. Council for Unity - Prof. Ray - Organization that is focused on unifying the diversity that makes up CSS. The student lead organization is centered around raising awareness of the various cultures, holidays, ethnicities, and languages that make up the CSS community. They will engage in organizing and facilitating "Multi-cultural" Fasion Shows, Pot-luck dinners and/or carnivals.
Please note, the Council for Unity only meets Thursday and Friday.
