List of 2015 Classes:

This course is designed to introduce the student to the third most commonly used language in the United States and Canada — American Sign Language. The course will include communication strategies and an in-depth look at Deaf Culture. Vocabulary, grammar, and structure of the language are taught using games, role playing, videos, and songs. Students may have the opportunity to meet deaf guest speakers.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $10.00 Lab Fee.

If you have ever wanted to design your own house, or have wondered why the buildings around you look the way they do, then this is the course for you! Hands-on instruction will give students the opportunity to lay out spaces, create floor plans, and build computer models. Lectures and field trips will help students learn architectural history and understand the built environment. No prior knowledge or drawing experience required.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $35.00 Lab Fee.

What makes shows like Lost so popular, while well-reviewed programs like Friday Night Lights struggle to gain viewers? Why is the Geico gecko so successful at selling car insurance? Why do celebrities and their babies get more news coverage than political issues in Washington? These questions and more will be answered in this class covering the world of the communications industry. Through an exploration of the journalism, visual media, and promotional fields, students will gain an understanding of how messages are communicated to the masses, and why some succeed while others fail. Students will try their hand at these skills as well, creating advertisements, writing news stories and holding mock press conferences with their classmates. From ABC Family to You Tube, this class has you covered. Class may include a field trip to Gillette Stadium or a local newspaper.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $20.00 Lab Fee.

This course will cover selected aspects of Aviation Science applicable to a student pilot. Lessons will focus on aerodynamics, aircraft structure and design, the airplane cockpit with its flight instruments and controls, and other related aviation topics. Concepts will be supported by hands-on projects such as design and construction of wing air foils, paper, and balsa wood aircrafts. This class will involve hands-on experience in a flight simulator and, with written parental permission, an actual flying experience with a certified flight instructor.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $95.00 Lab Fee that includes the plane ride.

Do you enjoy soccer? Do you know the slang, rules, and the history of the game? Have you ever wondered why it is the world’s most popular sport? In this course, we will explore these topics. This course will also explore tactics and strategies of the game, taking what is learned in the classroom onto the field. Soccer is a way to study traditions of people and places around the world. Soccer both unites and divides some countries. In this course, we will learn how soccer defines the world while gaining an appreciation for the world’s most loved sport.

This course provides a preliminary understanding of contemporary Chinese culture and society in comparison to the United States. Topics include: government, economics, the environment and education. Literature, science, social media, visual arts, TV, film, advertising and fashion will also be discussed. Other topics include; architecture, music, family and personal relationships, as well as leisure and recreation, tourism and holidays, social welfare, law and order, beliefs and religion. We will also examine the challenges China faces, and the erosion of traditional values in a modern society. A group of Chinese students will be participating in the PCC 2014 program. They will be invited to give presentations and to join in on discussions, particularly on their experience as high school students. Chinese American students who have grown up in the U.S., and students who have recently emigrated to the U.S. from China will discuss how both cultures shape their lives. In addition, the relationship between the U.S. and China will be studied, and field trips to museums and historical sites will be taken.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $45.00 Lab Fee.

This course is designed to provide inspiration and a creative experience for the student interested in literary expression. Daily writing activities, class discussions, and individual conferences will be used to develop the student’s creative abilities and writing skills. Experimentation with a variety of literary forms will allow for individual preferences and will encourage the active use of the student’s imagination. This course will be further enhanced by multi-media presentations, and the publication of student writing in our Advanced Studies Program literary magazine.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $25.00 Lab Fee.

With a brief overview of the beginning of cinema, this class will explore films with a depth of analysis, critiquing, and discussion that students have never experienced. From silent films and classics to comedies and suspense thrillers, students will keep journals of each film’s elements: types of camera angles and shots, story, character, and other visual elements. Throw in a couple of games/contests, and students will never watch a film the same way again!

Explore a wide range of the fundamental aspects of photography by utilizing digital cameras. Through demonstrations and hands-on sessions, students will learn the basics of operating digital cameras and Photoshop to modify and produce digital photographs. Topics will include fundamental camera operation, basic to advanced studio lighting skills for portrait and still life. Students will also learn the historical aspect of photography by watching video and power point presentations. Requirement: DSLR camera (preferable) or point and shoot camera and memory card. Students enrolled in this course will pay a $75.00 Lab Fee.

The drawing class will be studio-style with an emphasis on drawing concepts, techniques, and media. Drawing skills can be learned and, with practice, highly developed. Therefore, this course is designed for students who wish to acquire drawing skills, and for experienced students who wish to augment current skills to a higher degree. A field trip to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is included in this course. Students enrolled in this course will pay a $30.00 Lab Fee

WHODUNIT? Enter the crime scene in PCC’s own forensics course. Learn about the evidentiary aspects of solving crime scenes. DNA, fingerprints, shoe and tire impressions, crime scene photography, and sketching, as well as blood spatter, are just a few of the topics we explore. We will process evidence using real crime lab techniques and even investigate a murder mystery… complete with crime scene tape, victim blood samples, and other evidence! We bring the crime scenes to you.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $45.00 Lab Fee.

This course will cover basic human anatomy, emergency medical skills, common life-threatening illnesses, and preventative measures to prevent such illnesses. Students will cover material in both a hands-on environment, earning CPR, and first-aid certifications, as well as through multi-media presentations, guest speakers, and first hand accounts of medical professions. Classes will include basic assessment skills and diagnosing techniques. Additionally students will discuss the presentation of healthcare in the media.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $20.00 Lab Fee.

Have you ever stepped into a children’s storybook and walked around inside it? Have you

ever traveled around the world or visited a world yet undiscovered by anyone else? Have you

put yourself in someone else’s shoes to understand what life is really like from that vantage

point? Imagination is a class in which you participate in creative exercises and projects to

emphasize the power and importance of imagination. As a class, you regain the creative

lens through which you saw the world when you were young, allowing you to see the little

things around you that have faded into the background over time. You investigate where good

ideas come from, exploring concepts like inspiration, hunches, epiphanies, and networks.

These concepts are explored through abstract discussions, smaller cognitive activities that

develop your ability to visualize and empathize, as well as larger concrete projects like

creating a new superhero and designing practical solutions to real world problems.

Think of your favorite comedic actors: Steve Carrell, Jim Carey, Kristen Wiig, Will Farrell, Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, Kevin James, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, just to name a few. All of these actors may have very different comedic styles yet most, if not all, discovered their style in the same place: an Improv class. Improvisational Theater is unscripted, pure dialogue, where the characters and storyline unfold right before the audience AND actors eyes. Made famous by the popular Comedy Channel show, “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” Improv has blossomed into a stage performance of its own. This course will not only present Improv as a structured method for learning the craft of acting, but will also prepare students for an Improv show of their own at the end of just five short weeks. This is a high energy, hands-on class that will stretch the actor’s imagination and allow the students to surrender to the excitement and freedom of improvised theater.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $10.00 Lab Fee.

“I’m with the band” offers students who play instruments used in rock/pop bands the opportunity to play together in a band. Students will play classic rock to modern rock. They will learn about well known bands and participate in discussions about them. Students will learn to play parts and prepare songs for a week six performance and they will take a field trip to a multi-track recording studio where they will record two songs. This class is offered to acoustic and electric guitarists, bass players, drummers, keyboard players, and singers. This class does not offer individual instrument instruction; therefore it is required that students have at least 2 years playing experience on their instruments. Guitarists and bass players must have their own instruments. Keyboards, drum set and guitar/bass amplifiers are provided.

Lab Fee is $75.00. This covers the cost of recording studio time and live sound reinforcement.

This course intends to develop the skills necessary to read a daily newspaper intelligently and objectively. This analysis will cover newspaper make-up, staff duties, terminology, and how newspaper writing differs from propaganda. News collection, editing, and presenting will also be covered. The course will also provide the student with practical writing of news stories, features, editorials, sports, reviews and columns:and practice in the technical aspects of newspaper production, including the editing of copy and proof, writing headlines, preparation, planning, justification, and lay-out. This goal will be achieved through the publication of the PCC newspaper, YOUNGVOICES. Publication theory and practice will be achieved by having students produce the PCC Yearbook.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $25.00 Lab Fee.

You will investigate major marine organisms living in the coastal waters of Massachusetts. Learn about salinity and density. Discover new concepts through multiple lab activities and dissections. Experience the marine world first hand on field trips to the salt marsh, tidal flats, rocky and sandy shore. A whale watch and trip to the Boston Aquarium or New Bedford Whaling Museum will be included.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $90.00 Lab Fee to include extensive field trips.

Want to have a blast this summer? This course will begin with the history of rocketry, essential vocabulary, Bernoulli’s Principle, Newton’s Laws of motion and stability. Topics regarding current space initiatives will be integrated into the program as related to rocket / space science. Students will build a basic Estes rocket, analyze its flight, and apply that information to a homemade rocket of similar design. Several Estes rocket kits with varying performance characteristics will then be utilized to relate high school mathematics and physics to model rocketry. This course will require students applying what they have experienced in the building and modifying of each rocket.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $45.00 Lab Fee.

Calling all Students! Do you know that kids your age are starving, without clean water, and are forced from their homes due to wars? Do you want to do more to help? Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. BE PREPARED!! Experience first-hand how world leaders make decisions and negotiate solutions to global problems that affect young people just like you. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe,Model United Nation lets you step into the shoes of diplomats to challenge international dilemmas such as poverty, environmental pollution, war and peace, human rights and many other issues that affect almost every person on Earth. You will develop skills in debating issues, negotiating with allies and enemies, creating solutions and drafting resolutions. You will become informed about the United Nations system and the work that it accomplishes. The final project will be to create an assembly of student delegates acting as diplomats from around the world at a mock General Assembly and Security Council meeting. The world is waiting for YOU!!!

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $20.00 Lab Fee.

This class gives students an opportunity to take part in a professionally run theatrical production. The course incorporates modern and classic movement to modern pieces of music, centering on current themes and popular culture. Over the course of six weeks, students will learn and rehearse a full-scale production to be performed at the end of the Program. The show features musical arrangements and contemporary choreography.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $50.00 Lab Fee.

This course is designed to be educational and enjoyable as students achieve maximum artistic growth through self-exploration. Creativity and individuality are stressed. Students have the opportunity to work in a variety of styles with an assortment of materials. A field trip to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is included in this exciting course.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $40.00 Lab Fee.

“PCC Sportcenter” is a course designed for anyone that loves sports in New England. In this class, we will talk about sports through the eyes of a player, coach, owner, broadcaster, and fan. We will discuss the history of the Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics, as well as the prominent high school and semi-professional teams in our region. In particular, we’ll examine the contributions each of our local teams and athletes have made to their sport, as well as the impact our favorite teams and players have made in New England. Learn what it takes to be championship-driven!

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $25.00 Lab Fee.

Understanding we all have unique talents, defined and shaped by our own personal experiences, we will learn to create websites and graphic images that are an extension of ourselves, highlighting who we are, and what we’re about. In 2015 we are at a time where our online identity becomes our identity in many ways. Gaining clarity on who and what that is, finding out what really makes us tick and identifying our skill sets enables us to own our space in the world wide web and grow a community that supports our personal and collective growth. Knowledge will be gained in WordPress, the Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign; as well as the sharpening of our personal toolkits and sharing them outwardly with the world.

Have you ever wondered how we can see so deep into space? Or how a rainbow is formed? Or how lightning is created? Or why Einstein and Newton were so important? This class will explore physical phenomena such as: projectile motion, nuclear fission, fusion in the sun, black holes, the speed of light, electricity, magnetism, the interaction of light and matter, friction, relativity, and shock waves. Students in this class will conduct thought experiments and physical experiments, perform calculations, and participate in other fun group activities like racing mousetrap cars and building paper roller coasters while learning demonstrations covering many different aspects of physics. Students will also take a trip to a center of scientific study. No high level math or engineering skills are required for this class-only an interest in the topic and an active imagination.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $40.00 Lab Fee.

Have you ever wondered why people do the things they do? What is “normal behavior?” Learn about this and more as you begin to better understand the mind! Areas of study in the field of psychology will include: abnormal, developmental, social, educational and diagnosis. Learn about dreams and discover career paths in the field of psychology that interest you. This class incorporates lectures, readings, discussions, films, experiments, and simulations to help explain the material. If you are ready to challenge your mind, this course is for you!

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $30.00 Lab Fee

Do you have a passion for books? This course is for anyone who loves books! In an interactive and enjoyable way, this class will learn how to read more effectively: to have more fun with a text, to get more out of it, to see what really lies between the covers of a good book. Students will choose books based on their literary passions and learn the critical reading skills necessary to explore them. Students will be encouraged to interact with a variety of written genres. Through the exploration of various written genres including novels, short stories, poems, and news articles, students will explore what it means to read between the lines.

Let’s build robots! In this course, students will learn the basics of motion and structure, as well as how to use the Vex Robotics kits and Easy C programming to build ingenious and fun robots. Working in groups of two to four students, teams will create robots that will conquer numerous challenges, including Savage Soccer, Robo-Suma, and an obstacle course. Students will explore the history of robotics, present applications, and an introduction to artificial intelligence at MIT. This course is completely hands-on and students at all levels are welcome.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $50.00 Lab Fee.

This class will teach students the art and skill of preserving photos and memories in an archival quality scrapbook. Each week students will take photographs of the daily activities and the special events that make up PCC and then put them into their own scrapbooks. Students will learn tips for taking better pictures, techniques for creative page design, the development of interview and journaling skills, and how to create artistically pleasing scrapbook pages. Students will also attend a field trip which is a historical photo scavenger hunt. Students need a digital camera for this class and must be able to develop between 12-24 pictures each weekend. The finished product for each student will be a completed scrapbook filled with memories of their events and people at PCC.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $75.00 Lab Fee.

Students will work on a series of projects that will enable them to further their understanding of sculptural form and the ways in which sculpture differs from 2-D design. These projects will teach the use of positive and negative 3-D space enclosing a three dimensional space, various perspectives and the sculpture of various cultures. A variety of materials (clay, paper, wire, found objects) will be used. The students will be guided in the development of both their technical skills (use of tools and sculpting materials) and design skills (critiquing the form, examining the piece from different view points.) An exhibit of student work on Family Visiting Day will give the students the opportunity to present their sculptures with pride. This class requires a serious commitment to lab procedures. It is necessary to use tools and materials safely and, if necessary, to clean up the work area each day. Students who are new to a lab/workshop environment are welcome if they are willing to make the necessary commitment to these procedures. It is recommended that each student bring a workshirt or apron.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $25.00 Lab Fee.

Ever wonder how your environment, background and society could shape who you are? Have you ever people-watched and wonder why people behave like they do? Who decides what’s “normal” and what’s “abnormal?” This class will dive into different topics of sociology to discover how groups of people act to create a society, including (but not limited to): gender, families, aging, medicine, deviance, punishment, and global cultures. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to look through the perspective of their personal societies at both PCC and in their schools and communities. Students with a background or interest in psychology (the study of the individual mind) may also find the study of groups fascinating.

You will learn the aspects of the television industry as well as production skills. This includes the history of television and elements of various types of programming in addition to writing, directing, and shooting television shows. Students will learn how to conduct an interview, participate in a press conference, write scripts, direct and create storyboards. The main projects for this class will be the creation of various types of programming, including commercials, newscasts, game shows, and talk shows. Opportunity will be given to assist in the creation of the PCC Video Yearbook. Students will attend a field trip to a major local t.v. station to see first-hand the workings of a real television production.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $25.00 Lab Fee.

Theatre education is life education. Students will explore basic ensemble building, acting, and vocal techniques. Students will be given tasks individually, in small groups, and in large groups. Students will gain confidence that transcends the Theatre Class and encourages creativity without inhibition. The course, as a whole, will be geared toward the students honing their craft into an imaginative performance for the PCC audience.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $30.00 Lab Fee.

This course will look at the major wars the United States has been a part of during the 20th century. This list includes: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the War in Iraq (both 1991 and 2003), and the War on Terror. Students will look at the events leading up to each of these conflicts, some of the major events during each conflict, and how the conflict was resolved/impacted the world we live in today. We will also be looking at the Civil Rights movement and the Cold War and how they have shaped the United States and its place in the world today. Classroom activities will include various visual/media materials, oral discussions, guest speakers, and student prepared presentations and projects.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $25.00 Lab Fee.

Do you like working with little kids? Are you a future teacher? If so, this hands-on class is for you. This course will introduce you to the study of child development and teaching tools for early childhood and elementary age children. You will have the opportunity to create fun and useful materials. You will work to develop lesson plans. You will have these materials and lessons to take with you as a future teacher, babysitter, or child care provider. Be prepared to learn firsthand the fun of working with children, go on a field trip to the Children’s Museum, and of course eat cookies.

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $50.00 Lab Fee.

Can you deliver? What does it take to get the crowd roaring? Or to get someone to crack a smile? Comedy is a serious art form; some even call it a science. What are the elements of comedy? Why do some people “have it” and others not? In this course, we will be exploring the effects, styles, elements, and history of comedy in our society. There will be opportunities to try out delivery and writing techniques, view and listen to the greatest comedians of our time, and discover the value of a good belly laugh. Whether you are the class clown, an aspiring stand-up comedian, or just a fun-loving spectator, this course will have you laughing out loud!

Students enrolled in this course will pay a $25.00 Lab Fee.