Tag Archives: 23winter

Beatcraft (Brandon Bermudez)

This is a beginner/intermediate music theory and song creation class. Students will learn how to read and interpret written music, as well as operate software-based music creation tools. This class will go over the most fundamental music ideas from rhythm and time, to melodies and chord progressions. Do not worry if you don’t play an instrument since this is NOT a performance class, though you will learn to understand the piano as it is our primary interface for making music. Students will need a computer, headphones, Google Chrome, and a BandLab account.

Outside work: A small amount (e.g., <30 min) for each session

Music Share (Brandon Bermudez)

This is a music sharing and appreciation class for everyone. This class will explore several in the wide variety of music genres around the world. Each week, students will research a group or artist from a specific genre and share some of their music and art with the class. Students will need a computer, headphones, and access to Spotify fro the playlists (Spotify has free accounts).

Outside work: A small amount (e.g., <30 min) for each session
Mature themes:

Casual Ghost Party (Brandon Bermudez)

This is the PSCS advanced Pop Band.

Asaso (Brandon Bermudez)

This is the beginning/intermediate Pop Band.

Dungeons and Dragons

Have you ever wanted to slay a demon or god? Well sorry, I can’t make that happen but I will be facilitating Dungeons and Dragons where you can pretend to! Wow, so cool right! New and experienced players are welcome, plus I will be helping everyone along so don’t worry, but you will have to put in some work. I will be the DM or Dungeon Master which means I will be running the game. We will choose the setting and the theme together and I will help you create characters. You will need to bring your laptop and have a DnD Beyond account which is free. Also please buy a set of dice if you can afford them. They can be cheap dice but it would be really helpful for me.

Take this class if you want to roleplay or just chill and play a fun game at school. We will take turns bringing snacks once per week and will eat them at lunch (we can talk about this in class). This is a collaborative game and we will make decisions together but I will ultimately have the final say on most things. Also, while this is for fun I want people to take this seriously. I have put hours of work into this class and I would like you to be respectful of this class and the people in it.

I should just make it clear it’s ok to do fictional accents, but please do not do an accent of a culture or people you do not have ties to. Also I am a student and a teenager and I am going to mess up, but I will do my best to make sure everyone feels like they are respected and included.

This class will require a minimum of 3 and maximum of 6 people.

Outside work: A small amount (e.g., <30 min) for each session
Mature themes: fictional violence
Minimum students: 3
Sponsor: hannah

MS Human Anatomy and Physiology (hannah)

Note: This class is open to middle school students only.

Human Anatomy and Physiology explores the inner workings of the human body. Anatomy! From the Greek word anatome meaning “dissection.” In this class, you will learn about the body and its systems of organization, as well as the cooperation required between those systems.

Topics will include tissues, blood, and ALL THE SYSTEMS: cardiovascular, skeletal, digestive, nervous, and reproductive. Students will dissect, observe, and have hands-on experience seeing what these systems look like in an actual specimen (of animal, probably a rat). This class will also include some lessons on nutrition and how to keep our bodies healthy.

Outside work: A small amount (e.g., <30 min) for each session

HS Human Anatomy and Physiology (hannah)

Note: This class is open to high school students only.

Outside work: A small amount (e.g., <30 min) for each session

College Prep (HS only) (hannah)

Note: This class is open to high school students only.

A continuation of the fall term class. For juniors and seniors preparing for life beyond PSCS. A space to get guidance, get organized, work on next steps in the application process, communicate with peers, research the future. Still in the last slot on Wednesdays.

Outside work: Occasional throughout the term

Leadership! (elizabeth ortega)

Note: This class is open to high school students only.

Hi student leadership crew! I would love to as many of you back from last term and keep this group going! Wow, we’ve had a good time, learned some things, grown some things, and I’m excited for more with all of you.

Again, my intention is to support y’all in facilitation development and actually trying on leading all community and small group things and school parties/gatherings!

Let’s continue to work on and commit to and supporting, guiding and mentoring each other into deepening your self trust, integrity and leadership skills that goes to serve the community at large and the communities you’ll be in, in the future.

Outside work: Occasional throughout the term

Sex Ed and Health (Year long) (HS) (elizabeth ortega)

Note: This class is open to high school students only.

This is a continuation from fall term and will continue all year. So, let’s continue to have some fun! There’s much more to cover and have a good time learning about. Please come on down for more, this is a year long class.

Relationships, with ourselves and others, our sexuality and our gender journeys are life long paths we build and build. Talking about sex, relationships and our bodies openly and honestly can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be. It can also be enlightening, informative, and pretty exciting! I will do my best to include a wide variety of genders, sexualities, experiences, and perspectives and focus on the real world and real life experiences throughout this class and always, you as the students help mold that process.

I will be utilizing the curriculum, Beyond the Basics, 3rd edition created byAction Canada for Sexual Health and Rights and supplement with S.E.X., second edition: The All-You-Need-To-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties by Heather Corinna as well as various educational media pieces and articles.

“Beyond the Basics takes an approach that is rooted in comprehensive sexuality education—seeking to move the bar beyond anatomy and risk, to ensure students are better prepared to lead empowered sexual lives where they feel comfortable in their own bodies, can exercise their right to bodily autonomy, and are equipped with the skills to challenge oppressive gender norms. The comprehensive approach fosters cultures of consent, respect for diversity, and critical thinking skills, some of the most valuable things that students can learn in school, which also happen to be some of the hardest things to teach. There is another lens to this work, one that is sharply attuned to social change at the highest levels. One of the strengths of CSE as an approach to sexual education is that the connections between systemic forces and individual health outcomes are made. This is the work that connects the structural drivers of health to individual experiences. Challenging systemic oppression and body shaming; demanding public policy that supports consent, healthy relationships and resiliency; all while keeping one eye firmly focused on the individual in need of education.”

Check out: https://www.actioncanadashr.org/

and the book: S.E.X., second edition: The All-You-Need-To-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties

Outside work: Occasional throughout the term

MichaelMath (Michael J. Coffey)

Want a little more support in learning math? Maybe that means extra time to work on your homework or doing practice problems with someone nearby who can answer your questions. Maybe you need a short one-on-one meeting to work through something tricky. Or maybe you’ve heard of Michael’s new math system called Numerimurgy, based on the idea of earning “levels” like a roleplaying game and want to check it out. That’s the main purpose for this class: math time with Michael.

However, for anyone waiting for their time to meet with Michael, or who already finished their math work, each session will start with an introduction to a different math-based game. Michael will tell you how to play at the start of the class, and by the end we’ll also take a few minutes to peek at the math ideas embedded in that game. Those who want to dive into the game can do so, while Michael meets with those who want his time, and those who want to work on math by themselves can do that, too.

Soccer and Kick It (hannah and elizabeth)

Head up to Yesler Terrace to play some non-competitive, very fun soccer and kick it.

Outside work: No outside work

World Literature – The Thing Around Your Neck (HS only) (hannah)

Note: This class is open to high school students only.

The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a series of 12 short stories exploring the ties that bind men and women, parents and children, Africa and the United States.

Searing and profound, suffused with beauty, sorrow, and longing, these stories map, with Adichie’s signature emotional wisdom, the collision of two cultures and the deeply human struggle to reconcile them.

This class will include reading (in and outside of class), analytical writing, critical discussion, and studying contextual African history, especially about Adichie’s native Nigeria.

Outside work: A small amount (e.g., <30 min) for each session
Mature themes: violence, sexual content

Shop Life (Scobie)

If you like making things, fixing things, and being competent with tools, you should always take as much Shop Life as you can possibly get your hands on! Here’s what we’ll be doing:

Learning about tools and the skills to use them effectively and safely.
Working on improving, organizing, stocking, and cleaning our ever-developing shop.
Contributing to the school and our larger community with fixes, furniture, and projects.
Completing projects that result in gifts you can give to yourself or others.
Possibly learning about our new CNC cutting machine, when to use it, and for what. (If you wish to use this aspect of the shop, please understand there may be significant outside-of-class work to learn about drawing and preparing cut files)Outside work is elective and almost entirely voluntary in this class, almost never assigned.

Integrated Algebra 2 (Michael J. Coffey)

A continuation of fall term’s Integrated Algebra 2, continuing to use the Numerimurgy system so that everyone can be working at the right level of challenge. (Experienced students at or above level 19 of Numerimurgy should consider taking this course rather than IA1, but either can work if there are scheduling conflicts.)

This class will cover all four of areas of skills and concepts of pre-college mathematics with an emphasis on algebra, but also drawing from number systems, measurement, and geometric thinking. The course has a lot of ideas about relationships between numbers, and learning the special language of math. That includes things like:

learning how to convert real-world problems and situations into mathematical descriptions of what’s going on, like using an equation to describe the relationship between two things that influence each other such as price of a product and how many get sold
looking at different ways of representing and manipulating numbers, even when you don’t know specifically what number you’re working with (variables, exponents, roots)
new functions and equations–and what can be done with them
graphing and estimation skills
some techniques for analyzing and comparing different data sets
practice thinking in specific ways in order to solve problems (rather than guessing or experimenting)

We will discuss in class what your math goals are. However, keep in mind that most high school math classes meet 5 days a week and we will only meet for 2 days each week. If your academic goals are to learn the equivalent of a public high school’s amount of math, you will have to do a significant amount of work on your own.

Will happen in one of the two Monday/Tuesday morning slots.

World Literature – Persepolis (MS only) (hannah)

Note: This class is open to middle school students only.

Persepolis is a graphic novel memoir by Marjane Satrapi. 10-year-old Marji narrates the story, sharing her experiences of a changing political, social, and cultural landscape in Iran during and after the Islamic Revolution.

Marji discusses how her family’s secular ideas and background exposed her to different political thoughts, ideologies, and philosophies. The ideas she learns at home often clash with what is being taught at school, which confuses Marji and leaves her wondering about where she stands and her future.

In this class, we will read the book together, discuss, and practice analytical writing. We will examine the genre of graphic novel memoir. We will study the history of Iran and the Islamic Revolution, making connections to the current state of revolution happening in Iran right now. The class will culminate by watching the excellent film adaptation of the graphic novel.

Outside work: Occasional throughout the term
Mature themes: violence

Social Psychology – HS only (TSam)

Note: This class is open to high school students only.

Social Psychology

In the study of this science, you will consider individual human behavior in relation to the social environment. The power of the situation, other individuals, and the social group are examined. Emphasized topics include aggression, prejudice and stereotypes, interpersonal attraction, attitudes, and attitude change, conformity, group phenomena, cultural norms, personal perception, and social cognition.

Some class activities to expect:

Note Taking

Vocabulary

Short Answer quizzes

Short Writing Assignments

Mini Project

Outside work: A moderate amount (e.g., 30-60 min) for each session
Mature themes: Some of the subject matter will possible cover topics that discuss some areas of life that can be troublesome and reflect the causes of teen/adult life misfortunes due to specific situaltions..

Taking Care of Me (elizabeth ortega)

Our nervous systems and hearts can feel overloaded with stress and anxiety throughout this life. What better time than to slow down and figure out how to be more well onto yourself and your loved ones?

We will come together to take care of our hearts, bodies, and spirits, and get to know each other and ourselves a little better. We will meditate, listen, breathe, make art together, go outside, write, stretch, play games and create a little sanctuary space in school for an hour. We will continue to honor each students “self-care day” and learn from each other’s ideas of self care.

This class is for you if you enjoyed last night and would like another round and it’s open to new students. Should this feel like the right fit for you right now.

Outside work: No outside work

Slow, Quiet, Journal, Make Art (elizabeth ortega)

This class will be a quiet, chill space where will will listen to music, drink tea if you’d like and get into writing in our journals and drawing.

Journaling is a lovely tool to get your thoughts and feels out somewhere, expressing yourself and understanding yourself better and so is creative expression. We will do just that in this class and maybe hit a coffeehouse once or twice. Writing and creating can soothe anxiety, support your mental and emotional health and help you process challenging emotions and life experiences.

This class is perfect for you if need a calming, grounding place to reflect, write, and engage in your personal creativity and self care.

I can provide journal prompts if folks would like.

Outside work: No outside work

An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States – American History (HS Only) (TSam)

An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States (REVISIONING HISTORY)

American History

The first intersectional history of the Black and Native American struggle for freedom in our country that also reframes our understanding of who was Indigenous in early America.

Beginning with pre-Revolutionary America and moving into the movement for Black lives and contemporary Indigenous activism, Afro-Indigenous historian Kyle T. Mays argues that the foundations of the US are rooted in anti-blackness and settler colonialism and that these parallel oppressions continue into the present. He explores how Black and Indigenous peoples have always resisted and struggled for freedom, sometimes together, and sometimes apart. Whether to end African enslavement and Indigenous removal or eradicate capitalism and colonialism, Mays shows how the fervor of Black and Indigenous peoples’ calls for justice have consistently sought to uproot white supremacy.

Mays uses a wide array of historical activists and pop culture icons, “sacred” texts, and foundational texts like the Declaration of Independence and Democracy in America. He covers the civil rights movement and freedom struggles of the 1960s and 1970s and explores current debates around the use of Native American imagery and the cultural appropriation of Black culture. Mays compels us to rethink both our history as well as contemporary debates and to imagine the powerful possibilities of Afro-Indigenous solidarity.

Some class activities to expect:

Note Taking

Vocabulary

Short Answer quizzes

Short Writing Assignments

Required texts/materials: The instructor will procure the texts/materials.

Mature themes: Due to the nature of past American History, students will encounter narratives of harm and violence against Indigenous, Black & Brown people.

Sex Ed and Health (Year long) (MS) (elizabeth ortega)

Note: This class is open to middle school students only.

Hi students! It’s one of my all time favorites. If you were in MS Sex Ed last term, please come on down for more, this is a year long class.

We will continue to have a darn good time learning about healthy relationships, sexuality, gender, bodies, emotions and how to take care of yourself. Sex Ed is something you deserve to have and have fun learning in it!

In this class I will do my best to include a wide variety of genders, sexualities, and different bodies, and to focus on the real world experiences of students in middle school.

We will work to create a space where you can learn relevant information about sexual and relational health. Talking about sex and our bodies openly and honestly can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be. It can also be enlightening, informative, and exciting!

This class will be a place to build confidence and friendly curiosity, rather than shame and judgment. Cultivating a relationship with one’s sexuality and body is a journey – and it’s better if you feel informed and aware along the way.

We will utilize the book: You Know, Sex: Bodies, Gender, Puberty, and Other Things by Cory Silverberg

“Racially and ethnically diverse, inclusive of cross-disability experience, this is a book for every kind of young person and every kind of family…You Know, Sex is the first thoroughly modern sex ed book for every body navigating puberty and adolescence, essential for kids, everyone who knows a kid, and anyone who has ever been a kid.”

Please reach out if you have any questions about the content of this class!

Outside work: Occasional throughout the term

Fearless English (Scobie)

How I Make My Hypnosis Recordings - Start to Finish | Giovanni Lordi
This is the class where each week, you write something you’re genuinely excited to read aloud to your classmates, mostly fiction, but sometimes other kinds of work.

I am nowhere near out of good, provocative prompts, and I’ll take ANY of my wonderful writers from fall term, as well as ANY new writers!

There is always work outside of class because we use class for reading your pieces aloud. You get your pieces written between classes!
This class is FIRE, people, based on the idea that you should only bother writing what you’re super-pumped to share. When you do this the way it’s meant to be done, it feels like being in the best writing class there ever was.

Outside work: See course description above

Integrated Algebra 1 (Michael J. Coffey)

A continuation of fall term’s Integrated Algebra 1, continuing to use the Numerimurgy system so that everyone can be working at the right level of challenge. (Newcomers or students below level 19 of Numerimurgy should consider taking this course rather than IA2, but either can work if there are scheduling conflicts.)

learning how to convert real-world problems and situations into mathematical descriptions of what’s going on, like using an equation to describe the relationship between two things that influence each other such as price of a product and how many get sold
looking at different ways of representing and manipulating numbers, even when you don’t know specifically what number you’re working with (variables, exponents, roots)
new functions and equations–and what can be done with them
graphing and estimation skills
some techniques for analyzing and comparing different data sets
practice thinking in specific ways in order to solve problems (rather than guessing or experimenting)

Will happen in one of the two Monday/Tuesday morning slots.

Intersectional Sociology of Gender (2 terms, last term) (HS) (elizabeth ortega)

Note: This class is open to high school students only.

Hi everyone, I enjoyed this class and am truly excited for this next and last term. We will continue to examine how gender, from an intersectional lens shapes the media, violence, sexuality, intimacy, education, the economy, different family structures, religion, government and society at large. We will explore how gender varies by race, class, ethnicity, global region, sexual orientation, why feminism and women’s liberation across the globe aim to improve the lives of women and men and everyone in-between. Emphasis will be on U.S. history and society, but comparisons to other countries will be made to examine how gender works and plays out.

These are the topics to come and I can’t wait for more with you all.

Gender Based Violence and Gender Inequities

White body supremacy and violence (overt and covert)

Religion and Systems of Beliefs

(Dis)abilities

Through this class students will be able to 1) analyze how social structure and culture shape gendered identities and experiences, apply sociological terms and concepts concerning gendered experiences and phenomena to their papers and presentations 2) Identify how race, ethnicity, class, and sexuality affect gender relations and experiences 3) Explain how gender creates power and control imbalances in people’s personal relationships

Outside work: Occasional throughout the term

Natural Latin (Michael J. Coffey)

Avete, discipuli! Nomen mihi est Michael! Magister matematicus sum.

This is a continuation of fall term’s offering. We will be jumping into Hans Orberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata at chapter 9. Students who have had Latin before or want to try and catch up over winter break are welcome to do so; however, familiarity with the vocabulary and grammar (and story!) of the first 8 chapters will be assumed from day one.

Using a book based on a newer approach to language learning, we’ll learn Latin “naturally.” In other words, by reading, listening, and speaking it rather than primarily worrying about all the technicalities of precise translation. It’ll almost be like we just got magically transported* to ancient Rome and are learning from what’s going on around us. Each sentence or two of the book adds something new that we can figure out through context, illustrations, or hints in the margins. Before you know it, you’ll know the family of Julius and Aemilia, their parenting challenges (ugh, Marcus!), what their home is like, and which of their servants they can trust…and which ones they can’t! All without a single word of English.

To truly cement the language in your memory, however, you will need to practice outside of class on a regular basis, using various tools we’ll talk about as the class progresses, such as taking notes on vocabulary and grammar in Obsidian.

If you would like, you can buy your own copy of Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata, Pars I: Familia Romana by Hans Orberg. This is entirely optional, however.

* magus = magician; trans + portat = he carries it across to the other side

Duolingo (Val)

Break down communication barriers by learning a world language. Which communities do YOU want to interact with a little more? Choose a language in the free Duolingo app, work at your own pace to earn your language credit, and report your weekly progress to Val!

Danny Woo Community Garden (hannah)

More gardening! Come walk, plant, weed, tend to chickens, pull invasive ivy, chat, commune with the vegetables, and use the staple gun with us! Anyone and everyone is welcome.

Outside work: No outside work

Podcasting & AV Club (con’t) (TSam)

Podcasting has now become one of the coolest ways to acquire information in the present, digital age. While traveling, exercising, or relaxing; your average person is usually tuned into their favorite show. Recently, the popularity of podcasts took to new heights with the deep interest in shows like True Crime, and other mystery-based, story-led programs. Whether you’re into listening to podcasts or always wanted to create your own, this is the class for you.

Also, this class will double as a space for our new starting Audio/Visual Club! The purpose of this club is to help create a new culture around filming our school events while keeping our audio (and other video effects) in great working order. This club will be a starting point for a permanent need in our community. We will learn/enhance our skills in camera work, audio sourcing, mixing, and making sure lighting and other visual needs are being met on a high level.

(Limited to 8 students, max)

Outside work: A small amount (e.g., <30 min) for each session

Recess! (hannah)

More recess! Play, run, sweat, engage in conflict resolution, and move your body at our nearby community center. Open to all.

Outside work: No outside work

Art & Aesthetics (TSam)

One of the many forms of expression, Art, is expressed in a variety of mediums. In this class, I want to explore the idea of what makes something art. How do we look at different pieces and express the deeper meaning behind them? We will study the people who have made huge influences and current artists who are stretching the medium in many different directions. Let’s get into great conversations about the things we experience and do some creating of our own while pushing ourselves to build new skills!

Note: This class is for those who have a need to make art, both analog and digital style. Please feel free to bring your art notebooks, and art tools along with your digital devices as well.

Outside work: No outside work

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