Are you registered for 2024-2025?

TEEN DAY Ithaca still has some spaces available in 2024-2025 programming! If you are/have a teen ages 12-18 looking for a place to find independence, community, and academic rigor, TEEN DAY may be just the spot. All of our classes begin next week.

We also offer courses a la carte on Thursdays. There are currently slots available in the following courses:

Reacting to the Past 

Thursdays, 10:30-11:55am

“Reacting to the Past is an active-learning pedagogy of complex role-playing games. Reacting promotes engagement with big ideas, and improves critical, practical, intellectual, and academic skills.”

In the Fall semester, we will run Patriots, Loyalists, and Revolution in New York City, 1775-1776. Patriot and Loyalists forces struggle to control and direct the populace of New York City in an effort to deliver the city to either the Revolutionary forces or the British.

In the Spring semester, we will run Rousseau, Burke, and Revolution in France, 1791. Participants will strive to craft a constitution for a new France, struggling to balance the need for defense from foreign invasion, revolutionary ideals, and the needs of the common citizen.

Latin I & II

Thursdays, 10:30-11:55am

**We have decided to open up our Latin II class to Latin I students as well with the goal of getting beginning students up-to-speed with our more advanced cohort in advance of offering Latin III in 2024-2025.**

In Latin II, students will expand their knowledge of basic Latin grammar and vocabulary. Major grammar topics that will be covered include five new verb tenses, passive verbs, and the uses of the ablative case. Our Latin readings will describe the day to day life of a young Roman as he explores life in Rome, travels the ancient world, and assumes the responsibilities of adulthood. These readings will also give us an opportunity to explore the tumultuous history of the late Roman Republic and Rome’s complicated relationship to Greece and Greek culture. This course follows the Oxford Latin Course.

Model United Nations

Thursdays, 12:15-1:40pm

Join us in preparing for and participating in Model United Nations conferences. These conferences are a simulation of the United Nations and other international bodies, which allow students to take on the roles of diplomats around the world. They seek to promote awareness of the many issues facing the international community, and to give students the opportunity to engage in critical thinking about how to address those issues. Students or “delegates” must step into the shoes of the country or position they are assigned. Participants research their assigned country, write a country position paper for submission, get to know their particular role/committee, and finally, spend the weekend as a part of a simulated delegation! (highschoolers only)

Spanish III

Thursdays, 12:15-1:40pm

Spanish III will continue to build on the foundational blocks of Spanish I and II. Participants will continue to develop their proficiency in speaking, listening, writing, and reading by interacting with each other and the instructor. Through practice in class and homework assignments, participants will grow their vocabulary and move forward into other verb tenses. There will be a key focus on reading and writing proficiency in Spanish as well. We’ll try to use Spanish as lingua franca of the class and enhance the learning process out side of classes limits.

Precalculus

Thursdays, 1:45-3:10pm

We will be doing algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and even some calculus. We will not be applying theorems and formulas handed down from above. Instead we will make our own conjectures, prove theorems, and use these core concepts to study new types of mathematical objects like fractals, matrices, and dynamical systems. We are also not restricted to the traditional pen and paper used for mathematical reasoning (or even our TI-89s and phone calculators). We will program with Python and use it as a tool for computational thinking.