The warm weather is here and the end of the spring semester is fast approaching. That means it’s time to get ready for Q-Terms!

Q-Terms are SKS Signature Courses–short, intensive courses that take place outside of SKS’ regular academic schedule, and often outside the classroom. Q-Terms are designed to allow students and faculty to collaborate, create, innovate, think critically, and solve problems while immersed in their subject of choice. These courses usually take place during the 2-week period between final exams and commencement. Due to the calendar changes this year, Storm King will be offering Q-Terms on May 24-28 and the due date for course sign-ups is April 18.

Once again, our faculty has created an engaging roster of Q-Term courses to choose from that appeal to a wide range of interests. Most of the Q-Terms offered this year are also ‘online friendly’ to make it easy for our remote students to participate. From the sciences and engineering to investing, art, music, photography, travel, hiking, and many others, our students will be sure to find a course that will spark one of their passions!

Students, don’t forget to sign up for your favorites by April 18th!

Q-Term Course Offerings:

Explore the exciting world of digital art. We will collaborate on projects, learn lots of tips and tricks, share knowledge, and create excellent art. Beginner to advanced, everyone is welcome! You will need the Procreate app which comes with the iPad, or you can also use Sketchbook or any other digital platform.

ONLINE FRIENDLY
Fees: none

Instructor/s

Students will engage in beginning and advanced stock analysis, along with bond and mutual fund investing. Trading will be done using The Stock Market Game platform. Strategies to safely engage in the options market will involve learning to use covered call writing and cash secured puts for the advanced investor. We will also discuss and understand the frenzy surrounding the Game Stop run up (and down) that upended some big-time Wall Street investors.

ONLINE FRIENDLY
Fees: none

Instructor/s

Students will engage in discussions and activities surrounding photography. We will look at various genres and arts. We will explore a variety of  photographic elements (contrast, leading lines, shadows, composition, color)  and styles (still life, landscape, portraits, photo-journalism). Each day there will be a specific photo shoot assignment to be completed independently, and students will then present their work for peer review. Students will also be expected to create a final portfolio (or photo essay) in an area of their choice (photojournalism, portraits, abstract, etc.). This course is well designed for those on campus as well as those studying from a far. If there is interest, we may also explore the history and mechanics of cameras and photographs.

ONLINE FRIENDLY
Fees: none
Materials: camera

Instructor/s

Study the medium and history of sequential art, a.k.a. “comic books”, in America and abroad. This course will use Scott McCloud’s groundbreaking book on the philosophy and psychology behind sequential art, Understanding Comics, as our guide as we dissect how exactly this medium works. We’ll also look at cross cultural comparisons of sequential art and see how the medium is different in other cultures, particularly Japanese Manga. Students will also select and dissect an example of sequential art and present a report and/or create an original work of sequential art.

ONLINE FRIENDLY
Fees: book purchase (under $50)

Instructor/s

Engage in the elements of songwriting. Learn about lyrical poetry and the art of storytelling. In this course, students will examine different songwriters and develop their own unique approach and style as they write, record and perform their own original work. Students will gain an understanding of songcraft basics, lyrical quality, story telling, melody, musical concepts, and arrangement and production techniques.

* Mr. Vondras may lead a side project transforming pop to punk!

ONLINE FRIENDLY
Fees: none

Instructor/s

Stop motion is an animated film-making technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they appear to exhibit independent motion when the series of frames is played back as a fast sequence. Students will brainstorm, develop scripts, storyboard, and create their own stop-motion featurette.

ONLINE FRIENDLY
Fees: none

Instructor/s

Craving some travel?  Tired of all the restrictions?  Me, too!  Let’s take some virtual tours of some of the world’s most beautiful and amazing places.  Students will choose locations to discover. Exploring their history, art, and points of interest all over Europe. Tentatively planned locations are:

  • Italy: The Vatican Museums, The Forum, Colosseum & Pantheon, Leaning Tower of Pisa
  • Austria: Salzburg (Mozart Residence/Sound of Music), hang-gliding, Stephansdom Cathedral
  • Iceland:  Northern Lights, coastline and waterfalls
  • France:  Louvre, Palace of Versaille, Eiffel Tower
  • Greece: Santorini, Acropolis Museum, Mt. Olympus
  • Germany: Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavarian Alps, Munich

ONLINE FRIENDLY
Fees:none

Instructor/s

This active class consists of two outdoor themes. In our fishing section, we will find tranquil locations in Black Rock Forest to fish for  largemouth bass. Our gardening and horticulture activities will enhance the campus grounds, and we will  learn about sustainability and the environment.

* Everyone who will fish will need to purchase a fishing license.

ON CAMPUS ONLY
Fees: $50 (approximately)

Instructor/s

The infamous Appalachian Trail passes just south of The Storm King School as it runs its course of 2200 miles from Georgia to Maine. Students will hike nearby sections of the trail while completing a project related to their preferred subject area. The course may include both day and overnight trips. We will learn important wilderness survival skills along the way. 

* Students may need to purchase appropriate clothing items and/or equipment.

ON CAMPUS ONLY
Fees: none

Instructor/s

Travel to and enjoy day hikes to several nearby majestic waterfalls. Students will explore these beautiful sights and will produce a video journal and reflective writing pieces inspired by these trips. Reflections may include poetry, sketching, ecological observations, and/or journal entries.

Some of our destinations will be:

  • BUSHKILL FALLS: This waterfall is located in the Pocono Mountains on the edge of the Delaware Water Gap. It is known as the “Niagara Falls” of Pennsylvania. ($15 entrance fee) 
  • KAATERSKILL FALLS: This waterfall is in the Catskill Mountains and is the highest cascading waterfall in NY State. 
  • INDIAN BROOK FALLS/ CONSTITUTION MARSH NATURE PRESERVE AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY: This nearby trail is in Garrison, NY, with a bird sanctuary and a wildlife habitat.

Fees: see text

Instructor/s

What is engineering, and what do engineers do? To get a flavor for what engineering is all about, students will survey the historical development of rocket flight and will implement the engineering design cycle as they work together to design, build, fly, and evaluate model rockets. Students will employ relevant physics and engineering principles including measurement techniques to characterize the performance of model rocket engines and evaluate the flight characteristics of their rocket designs. That’s real Rocket Science!

ON CAMPUS ONLY
Fees: none

Instructor/s

Forensics is the set of scientific techniques used in the detection of crimes. Students in this class will study how to analyze blood, DNA, fingerprints and other types of evidence required to reconstruct a crime scene. Prerequisite: Chemistry or Biology

ON CAMPUS ONLY
Fees:none

Instructor/s

“I try to give people a different way of looking at their surroundings. That’s art to me,” said Maya Lin (known for her sculptures and land art). Painting a mural takes a certain amount of preparation, equipment, and hard work, but the effect the finished product can have on one’s surroundings is unequaled in the art world. Add your voice to our ongoing mural project throughout the school so that the creativity of today’s students will be enjoyed by all!

ON CAMPUS ONLY
Fees: none

Instructor/s

In 1965, five young, talented musicians came together in London and formed the epic progressive music group Pink Floyd.  Pink Floyd gained an early following as one of England’s first psychedelic groups, and were distinguished for their extended compositions, sonic instrumentation, philosophical lyrics, and elaborate live performances throughout the seventies and eighties.  The main themes in Pink Floyd’s music are still applicable today as they were on the cutting edge of addressing social injustice, the horror of war, and mental health.  We will take an in-depth look at the group’s approach to these and other social issues.  The class will culminate with a full concert production of Pink Floyd’s legendary music.  Students in this class should be prepared to perform either instrumentally, vocally, or both.

ON CAMPUS ONLY
Fees: none

Instructor/s

Students will be working backstage in collaboration with  Mr. G’s Pink Floyd musical production (a separate Q-Term). They will get experience focusing lights, setting up and running sound, and getting the stage prepped for the performance.

ON CAMPUS ONLY
Fees: none

Instructor/s

In this course, students will work on small craft projects using wood as the primary medium to learn and practice basic carpentry skills. By the end of this course, students will be able to follow a schematic, use a variety of tools, and safely execute basic carpentry skills. Students will gain familiarity with measurement, types of hardware and materials, use of tools, and finishing techniques.

ON CAMPUS ONLY
Fees: $100-150

Instructor/s