Winterim

EXTREME SCIENCE of Food and Cooking

Have you ever wondered what Molecular Gastronomy is?  What is artificial caviar? How do you flame a dessert? How can you make culinary foams and gels?  If you are curious about any of these things, if you like to work with your hands, and you like to read and talk about science, this course is for you! Each night you will be assigned a different reading to prepare you for cooking lab the next day.  We will discuss what dishes/recipes we will be making, why they are a good choice for our concept, make them at my house, and then eat and discuss how they taste and how that is related to their structure and properties. Prerequisites: must be able to do arithmetic, to clean up behind yourself, and to be willing to actually read and to learn cooking terms in French, Italian, or other culinary languages.

Along Local Backroads: Exploring Relationships Between Geology and Human History

Students will explore local and regional sites in Tennessee and northern Alabama. A particular focus will be placed on the relationship between the underlying geology of the region and human history. Students will develop a basic understanding of local geology as well as an understanding of how the underlying geology either controlled or impacted events in human history. Trips include investigating the known and lesser known springs of Sewanee; Russell Cave National Monument in northern Alabama; Old Stone Fort in Manchester; Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro; Falls Mill in Belvidere; and the Lone Rock Coke Ovens in Grundy County, TN. 

Marine Biology

This course introduces students to the study of the physical and biological components of the world’s oceans. Students will explore the diversity of marine organisms with an emphasis on their behavior and interactions with the environment. The course will also consider human impact on ocean ecosystems, including climate change. In addition to laboratory investigations, video, and discussion, students will learn more current marine research through Skype calls with Ecology Project International teams in Baja, Mexico where they are studying marine invertebrates and Pacuare Reserve, Costa Rica where they are studying sea turtles. The course will culminate with a visit to the Chattanooga Aquarium for an Ocean Journey tour and Great Barrier Reef IMAX movie (or similar marine movie).

Ethics: How, Then, Shall We Live? 

In Ethics, we will analyze a variety of timely and timeless moral dilemmas. With prompts from texts and videos, we first will grapple with theories and arguments from the field of ethics. Next, we will consider problems of right and wrong, good and evil, and virtue and vice from everyday life, politics, and public policy. Finally, we will seek to answer the essential question, "How, then, shall we live?"

Creating with Clay

Whether you are a beginner or have taken a clay class, you can participate in this clay Winterim course.  In this workshop, students will design and create unique ceramic pieces. Beginning students will learn how to construct vessels using slabs of clay.  Students who have already taken at least one semester of throwing at SAS may choose to spend the week throwing or handbuilding their wares. After a fun week of making pottery during Winterim, once the pots are fired, students will return to the studio to glaze their pieces during a work period.  After the pots are glazed-fired, students may take home their pottery. 

Watercolor Studio

We will study basic watercolor painting principles and focus on line and color as they relate to the particular challenges of working with watercolor paint. After daily instructional demonstrations, students will work on independent projects, incorporating new techniques learned. For the experienced watercolorist, time will be allotted for development of portfolio pieces. Painting will take place both in the classroom and outside as weather permits.

Art and Tech of Adventure Gaming

Art Winterim focuses on creating models and maps for role play adventures. Daily sessions will use various online software packages to imagine, produce, and paint figurines using 3D printing methods and to develop, print, and enhance maps for new adventures.  Video documentaries and tutorials will help guide students through the creative and technical processes. A guest presenter will join the session one day to run a quick start adventure so students can game with their new figurines.

What time is it? Crafternoon

We all love Pinterest - welcome to Crafternoon. This year’s theme will be upcycling old books into works of art! We plan to create bookmarks, snowflakes, flowers, found poetry, book necklaces, pinwheels, and more. The only limit is your imagination. Each participant will be asked to bring a few old books to revitalize and their imagination.  You must possess a desire to try new things - no artistic ability is required!

Trippy Films and Art

What is reality? Whoa, dude, you’re trippin’ me out! This course will explore ways in which 20th century visual artists, writers, filmmakers, and musicians have pushed the boundaries of creative expression in order to explore the nature and perception of reality. We will examine art movements, such as expressionism and surrealism; watch films that play with the theme of reality; explore the mind and consciousness; discuss dreams and philosophy; and experiment with our own creative expression. We will watch some truly bizarre films that will generally freak us out, from early surrealist films to more recent magical realist films. We will end with Twin Peaks, the awesome show from the '90s.

My Tennessee Mountain Home: Exploring the History of Country Music in Tennessee and beyond

This winterim course will offer students the opportunity to explore the unique history of country music in Tennessee. We will welcome several special guest speakers and watch and discuss clips from Ken Burns' recent documentary series, Country Music. On Friday we will listen to a playlist of our favorite country songs in the Ralston Listening Library. On Saturday, we will make a trip to Nashville to visit  the Country Music Hall of Fame and the “Mother Church of Country Music,” the Ryman auditorium.

Spanish Civil War through Film

We will watch and analyze five Spanish movies learning about Spain during and after the Spanish Civil War. To begin we will....eat Spanish food!...and watch the fantasy, Pan’s Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno), and the heart wrenching Butterfly (Lengua de las mariposas), seeing imagery and symbolism in Spanish cinema, and interpreting the role of women in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. We will continue with the thriller, Devil’s Backbone (La espina del diablo), to further understand the effects of the Spanish Civil war and witness some of horrors (and ghosts!) of the Civil War endgame. At the end of the week we will explore the effects of the post war with The Sleeping Voice (La voz dormida) and transition into post-Franco Spain with…. more Spanish food!....and the showing of the thrilling (ghost!) story, The Orphanage (El Orfanato)!

History and Hollywood

Since the dawn of the motion picture industry, telling America’s history through film has become a large part of our culture. In this class, we will watch historical films that depict a true American story and research the actual events to study and compare. Films might include Apollo 13, A League of Their Own, The Ghosts of Mississippi, and more! We will read news articles and other literature of the great stories that inspired these films and be detectives to see what Hollywood had altered to please American audiences.  

Earth Day 2020

This April will mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. In this Winterim course, students will take steps to prepare for the anniversary celebration, including learning about the history of Earth Day on the mountain, making posters for an April display in Stirling's Coffee House, preparing for the annual Art Knoll Cleanup, and making and recording entries in nature journals. We will collaborate with local figures with various areas of expertise around the subject, and will culminate with an organized program for our school's own celebration.

Grundy Greats

This course is an exploration of our closest community in the east: Grundy County. We will go to several historic and cultural sites and experience all the beauty and lore of the region. All that is required is a love of exploration and a positive attitude! We will be going off campus all five days.  Please dress for hiking as that is how some time will be spent. 

Basic Knitting

In this workshop, we will explore the basic techniques for knitting: casting on and binding off, knitting, purling, and garter and stockinette stitches. We will also learn how to choose needles and yarn and to read patterns. At the end of the week, participants will take with them the basic knowledge to create a scarf and additional simple knitting masterpieces!  

Strategy Focused Board Games for the Cooperative & Competitive

Board games require a certain amount of strategic thinking, cooperation, competitive drive, and luck. This class is for students who are interested in playing board games, whether they are seeing a game for the first time or the hundredth time. A variety of competitive and cooperative board games will be supplied. Live, laugh, learn, play!

Life After High School

Student: Why don’t we learn how to do taxes, start a business, or even about personal financials in high school?
Teacher: Welcome to Life After High School!

Students will be challenged to think critically about their past experiences and future aspirations as we explore life after graduation from high school. From selecting a college major based on personal interests and opportunities to buying their first home, students will investigate topics and subjects essential to thriving in the next phase of their lives. Using Youtube videos, guest speakers, crowdsourcing, social media, and featured films as references, this class doubles as a workshop where students design a game plan for the future. This class will conclude with a visual presentation or movie to express ideas and experiences.

Topics:

• Discover Personal Ethos
• College and Potential Career(s)
• Personal Finance
• Friendship, Dating, Relationships
• Citizenship in Community, Country, and World
• Mental and Physical Health
• Retirement and Succession Planning

Self Awareness + Self Love as Practice (Biohacking as a way to feel your best)

Embracing every aspect of self can seem difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Just like anything, we practice self love to have it emanate throughout all aspects of our life. From making our own 100% natural face + body scrubs, basic meditation + breathing exercises, sound healing,  journaling, learning about the importance of the language we use towards ourselves and others, preparing meals together, etc. we will practice self love. This course will also provide an opportunity to learn about Jyotish (vedic ancient Indian astrology) and how to read your personal natal chart, identify your dosha type along with the fundamental principles of Ayurveda (keys to your individual elemental nature), cook ayurvedic foods, and read your human design chart. This course will help individuals cultivate awareness of their self in the many layers that coexist as one.

How to be a First Responder

This is a first aid class that will teach you lifesaving skills.  We will learn how to look for signs/symptoms of a stroke, heart attack, severe allergic reaction, and more, and learn how to treat them.  We will learn how to respond during an emergency. This hands-on class will take place in the clinic as well as outside. LIfe Force will fly their helicopter in and Grundy County EMS will drive an ambulance to campus.  We will do part of the Stop the Bleed course that is used for mass shootings.

Backpacking in Winter 

Our group will complete a loop in a wilderness area, meaning no shelters, no bathrooms, no trail crews to clear away the fallen trees, and no easy navigation. While the hiking will be slow and tough, we won’t do as many miles per day in order to allow time to set up camp, cross rivers, and learn about wilderness procedures. 

Caving

Explore several of our area's grand, gloomy, and peculiar caves.  See flowstone, dripstone, breakdowns, columns, stalactites, stalagmites, hidden pools, and underground lakes.  Dress to get wet and muddy and be ready to hike. We'll provide helmets and headlamps. (This is a no cell phone class.)

Fire and Smoke

Since the dawn of time, humankind has used fire to survive. Cooking food over fire makes everything taste better. Students will learn

• The art of seasoning, preparation, and cooking over fire
• The five methods of live-fire cooking (direct, indirect, rotisserie, smoking/barbequing, open fire)
• How to light and control a fire
• How to harness the power of wood smoke in everything from appetizers to desserts
• Several methods for gauging doneness
• And much, much more.

A variety of grills will be utilized including gas grilling, charcoal grilling, electric smoker, and even a campfire!  Food will be prepared, cooked, and shared by the group. Cooking techniques will range from basic to complex with short prep/cooking times to cooking all day long.  

Popular and Easy Day Hikes Around Sewanee

It's time to lace up your boots and follow the scent of trees and streams. During this Winterim course, students will take a walk on some of the most popular day hikes in the area. Each day, students will explore a different trail, visiting some well-known areas such as Fiery Gizzard, Grundy Lakes, and more. The winter landscape will provide us with wide open views of the valleys and coves, and we'll take in lakes, streams, waterfalls, and lots of interesting geological features. Throughout the journey, students will have the opportunity to take photographs as remembrances.

Into the Deep: An Immersive Look Beneath the Waves

Seventy percent of our world's surface is covered by oceans. What’s down there? How is the health of our marine life tied to the overall health of our planet? What is a reef and why is it important to aquatic life? These questions will be looked at in this class through the following content:

• Our ocean ecosystem (videos)
• The importance of keeping our oceans healthy
• Coral reefs and the aquatic life that lives on a reef
• Jobs associated with love of the ocean: marine archaeology, ocean engineering, SCUBA instructor, commercial diver, aquatic veterinarian, treasure hunter, aquatic mammal trainer, underwater filmmaker, and more

We may also explore the underwater world by learning about and then trying out SCUBA equipment in a pool setting with a qualified instructor. 

Firewood Fundraiser

Want a great workout without going to the gym...split firewood. Want to heat your home with a natural, renewable energy...split firewood. Want to make some extra money...sell firewood. Students will learn the process of cutting, splitting, stacking, and selling firewood, along with chainsaw maintenance. Sales from the firewood will go to a charity of the group’s choosing.

A Walk on the Wild Side

You have heard about the Perimeter Trail and have seen the signs. Now it’s time to lace up your boots and follow those blue blazes. During this week-long course, students will take a walk on Sewanee’s wild side by hiking the 20+ mile Perimeter Trail in five days. Each day, we will explore a different section of the trail, visiting some well-known areas such as Shakerag Hollow, the Forestry Cabin, Proctor’s Hall, and the Memorial Cross, but also some lesser known spots such as Dotson Point, King’s Farm, Audubon Lake, and Elliot Point. The winter landscape will provide us with wide open views of the valleys and coves, and we’ll take in two lakes, streams, waterfalls, and lots of interesting geological features. Throughout the journey, students will have the opportunity to reflect by journaling. Their journal may include, but is not limited to, thoughts, poems, and drawings. We’ll document our trip with photographs, as well. Local experts in forestry and geology will join us on parts of the trail to help us learn more about the local flora and fauna and the origin of the Cumberland Plateau. 

All Things Baseball

Immerse yourself in the world of baseball! Learn the fundamentals of hitting, fielding, pitching, and base running during this week of baseball instruction. Whether you are a seasoned player with lots of experience or you simply want to learn more about this amazing sport, this class is for you! We will begin the week by covering how to throw and catch, swing a bat properly, and field a batted ball. Then, we will move on to more specialized skills such as fielding specific positions, learning how to pitch, and how to hit live pitching. Finally, the week will culminate with a nine-inning Wiffle ball game on the baseball field. The class will also supplement these activities with baseball movies and history in order to immerse the students further in the culture of baseball.

I've Got Game

Have you ever wanted to learn the rules and fundamentals of sports commonly talked about or played in the United States? This course will provide you with the basic skills and knowledge to understand and play football, baseball/softball, volleyball, basketball, and soccer. Each day we will focus on one sport starting with the review of elementary rules and regulations of each game. Students will then be taught the fundamentals of the sport by participating in various warm-up drills and scrimmaging. Examples of warm-up activities include shooting layups, passing a football, hitting a baseball off of a tee, etc. After the students have a grasp of the basics and feel comfortable with how the game is played, they will simulate a game with their fellow classmates through a scrimmage. Students will be able to demonstrate their athletic ability in a fun and relaxed environment while learning new skills.

Futsal (a kind of Indoor Soccer)

Through play, lectures, and movies we will learn the rules, strategies, skills, culture, and history of Futsal.

Fly Fishing

In this fly fishing class students will learn about equipment, general techniques, and species commonly pursued. A portion of each class will be spent fly tying. We will start with wooly buggers and move to commonly used trout nymphs. Students will also be  casting/fishing on Gunn Lake. We will focus on roll casting and overhead casting for distance and accuracy. If water temperatures are warm enough we may pursue fish in the lake.