Hampshire College

Elementary Chinese II
(IA-0112)

Elementary Chinese II: This course covers the second semester of beginning Chinese (LS/IA 111). It will be taught by a visiting professor of Chinese from the Hampshire College China Exchange program and K. Johnson. The course will continue to use the Integrated Chinese textbook series. The class will cover speaking, reading, and writing Chinese characters. Required books are: Integrated Chinese Textbook Level 1, Part 2; Integrated Chinese Workbook Level 1, Part 2; Integrated Chinese Character Workbook, Level 1, Part 2. The class will meet three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 5:00-5:50) for one hour each session; there are also two one-hour drill sessions per week (Tuesday and Thursday 5:00-5:50) for a total of five class periods per week. Students who complete this class will be able to continue studying Chinese at the intermediate level at any of the other Five Colleges. Prerequisite for this class is one semester of college level Chinese or the equivalent. PRJ, MCP, PRS.
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Design Fundamentals I
(IA-0180)

This is an introductory level design class that will begin with a series of guided activities and culminate in a final independent project. Students will become familiar with a range of basic design tools and skills, such as drawing, model making and prototyping in materials such as cardboard, metal and plastic. We will also consider aesthetics, manufacturability and usability of the objects we create. Throughout the course students will work towards improving visual communication skills and the ability to convey ideas. EXP,PRS,PRJ.
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Integration of Creative Drama and Core Curriculum
(IA-0183)

A Chinese Proverb states, "Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand." The core curriculum subjects of language arts, social studies, mathematics, and science are often taught through modalities recognized to be ineffective to many students. Integration of creative drama with basic subject areas provides opportunities to fully engage students in their educational process. In this course we will explore how history and science may be examined through the role-playing mode of process drama, how language arts, social studies and geometry can be taught through improvisation and story dramatization, and how abstract concepts of math are made comprehendible and critical thinking skills are encouraged through pantomime and movement. Gardner's multiple intelligences, Heathcote's mantle of the expert, and other theories and practices will be considered to gain further understanding of the possibilities creative drama presents in primary and middle school education. EXP, MCP, PRJ, PRS.
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Ideas in Sculpture and Design
(IA-0184)

In this course, students will be introduced to many of the ideas that have shaped sculpture, three-dimensional design, and other elements within the built environment. The course will combine a classroom format with a studio component, giving students the opportunity to engage in research as well as study three-dimensional form and space, primarily through drawing. The class will also explore collage and sculptural reliefs. Please note: this is not a hands-on sculpture course. By means of slide lectures, studio work, museum field trips, group discussions and independent research projects, students will gain a greater understanding of three-dimensional art and design. Students will share their drawings throughout the course and keep individual design notebooks. In a final project, students will complete independent research in their own areas of interest and present their findings to the class through a variety of media. This course satisfies Division I distribution requirements. PRJ, PRS, REA, EXP, WRI.
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Staging Original Drama
(IA-0198)

A studio course which applies introductory principles of directing to writing, staging and performing original dramatic material. Primary concerns are developing a collaborative language between playwrights, directors and actors, crafting and staging clear dramatic events, integrating movement, music and text as theatrical language, and creating ensemble through collaboration. Assignments include co-scripting, staging and performing in one evening of original drama, completing one written character analysis, and writing one theatre review. Due to the highly collaborative and experiential nature of this course, attendance and punctuality are essential: two absences, but no late arrivals will be permitted. REQUIRED texts: "The Viewpoints Book" by Anne Bogart and Tina Landau, and "The Performer's Guide to the Collaborative Process" by Sheila Kerrigan. This course satisfies Division I distribution requirements. EXP, PRJ, PRS, REA, WRI
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Teaching Art in the Elementary School
(IA-0211)

This course will explore methods of teaching art to children in grades K-6. Class meetings will include discussions and exploration of contemporary issues within the field of Art Education. We will focus on theoretical and practical approaches to teaching visual arts. Students will work in groups and individually to plan lessons for elementary school children and experience hands-on teaching in a local elementary school. Entry into this course is based on instructor's permission. Contact instructor for details jsilver@hampshire. edu.
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Using Suspense in Story
(IA-0227)

Writers of all genres know that suspense is integral in the creation of stories that keep people turning the pages of your work. You needn't be interested in writing about crime, mayhem, or even mystery to benefit enormously from reading some classic short stories in the genre and looking carefully at how these stories are structured, how information is revealed, and how fully drawn characters emerge. We will be looking at the writing of some of the masters: Edgar Allen Poe, Patricia Highsmith, Stephen King, Raymond Chandler, and Josephine Tey, to understand better how suspense is created and sustained throughout a story. While this will be the focus of our readings and some short writing exercises, you will be free to write stories in any style/genre you choose for workshop.
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Storytelling as Performance: Voice, Body, Narrative
(IA-0228)

Storytelling is an oral art form whose practice provides a means of preserving and transmitting images, ideas, motivations, and emotions. The practice of oral literature is storytelling. A central, unique aspect of storytelling is its reliance on the audience to develop specific visual imagery and detail to complete and co- create the story. The primary emphasis of this course is in developing storytelling skills through preparation, performance, and evaluation. In this class you will research storytelling traditions and the resurgence of storytelling in America. Participants will engage in exercises and activities to enhance the delivery of telling stories; learn to incorporate various techniques to engage audiences; and develop an awareness of resources, materials, and philosophies of storytelling. This class is designed to help participants build a storytelling repertoire which will express their unique identities as tellers. This course satisfies Division I distribution requirements. EXP, MCP, PRJ, PRS, REA, WRI
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Designing With Light
(IA-0231)

What draws us to the light? What is the depth of our connection? We use light as a mode of artistic expression: to illuminate, to underscore, to surprise or intimidate. Why? After beginning with a study of the fundamentals of theatrical lighting design, we will then proceed to explore the use and design of light in other disciplines such as dance, music, sculpture, interior design, performance art, and architecture. The influential work of lighting designers from these disciplines will be examined. Through the study of how light defines and reinforces line, movement, texture, scale, and color in many disciplines, we gather skills and techniques that will inform our own personal use of lighting design. Students will experiment with light manipulation in class and work on group and individual projects throughout the semester. This course satisfies Division I requirements. EXP, PRS, PRJ
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Creative Electronics
(IA-0235)

This course will familiarize the student with some of the basic creative applications of electronics. We will cover the fundamentals of electronic design as well as examine and modify common electronic devices. This approach encourages an understanding of electronics through both hands on experience and technical knowledge, with a strong emphasis on building projects. Students are encouraged to look to pre-existing devices for artistic materials, and build what is necessary from scratch. This will be a project-based course; the majority of class time will be spent experimenting and building. Prior experience with electronics is not required, but the student should be comfortable using basic hand tools. Each student will be supplied with a course kit which will include all the necessary tools as well as a variety of common and useful electrical components. This course satisfies Division I distribution requirements. EXP, PRJ, PRS. Lab fee: $80.
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Appropriate Technology in the Developing World
(IA-0237)

This course will look at the issues involved with design and fabrication in situations where there are limited resources. Students will engage in the hands-on study and design of technologies considered appropriate for less developed economies. Topics will include water quality, human powered cargo transportation, energy production, food storage and preparation, and wheelchair technologies. We will consider factors that make for successful adoption and widespread use of appropriate technologies.
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White on Black
(IA-0247)

What happens when a white American author chooses black American life as subject matter? Is it possible for white Americans to write about black life without stereotyping and misrepresenting? This class will focus on such questions involving literary texts, mainly novels and plays, that explore black American life and experience. We will read these works and ask further questions: What unique vision do white authors bring when they treat black life? How have these works and authors contributed to the development of American literature? How has social history shaped and informed these texts? We will also examine patterns, themes, and motifs that have emerged historically in them?e.g., the tragic mulatto, primitivism, rape and lynching. Among texts we will read include: Harriet Stowe, UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; William Faulkner, LIGHT IN AUGUST, Fannie Hurst, IMITATION OF LIFE; John Griffin, BLACK LIKE ME; Joyce C. Oates, BLACKGIRL/WHITE GIRL; William Styron, CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER; Lilian Smith, STRANGE FRUIT; Eugene O'Neil, EMPEROR JONES; Edward Albee, DEATH OF BESSIE SMITH. This course satisfies Division I distribution requirements. WRI, REA, PRS, PRJ, MCP.
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Poetry Workshop: Writing Poems about Visual Art (aka Ekphr
(IA-0255)

For centuries, poets have been inspired by the works of visual artists. In this workshop, we'll study the art-inspired poems of a range of poets (from Romantic poet John Keats to contemporary poet Jorie Graham). As we explore the balance between the poem as an independent work and the poem as an art-inspired text, we'll grapple with a number of questions, including: "Does one's appreciation of such poetry require familiarity with the art that inspired it?" Early in the semester, workshop members will identify an artist whose work they find inspiring. For the remainder of the semester-- through focused assignments, in-class writing exercises, research, careful consideration of sources related to the selected artist, and peer workshops--each member will work to develop a portfolio of 10-12 inter-related, art-inspired poems. Prerequisite: This class is designed for students who have had at least one college-level poetry workshop or an equivalent course in Visual Arts.
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Making A Scene
(IA-0268)

A studio course which applies introductory principles of acting to contemporary American scenes. Primary concerns are identifying and playing clear objectives, developing character through behavior, and developing a language for the critical analysis of contemporary drama. Assignments include performing three contemporary American scenes, presenting two life studies, completing three written character analyses, and writing one theatre review. Due to the highly collaborative and experiential nature of this studio course, attendance and punctuality are essential: two absences, but no late arrivals will be permitted. PREREQUISITE: Opening the Instrument (or another college level introductory acting class). This course satisfies Division I distribution requirements. EXP, PRJ, PRS, REA, WRI.
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Documentary Drama
(IA-0275)

This course will explore the creation and ethics of documentary drama. Concentrating on the contemporary American repertoire, students will read and analyze the works of Peter Weiss, Emily Mann, Anna Deavere Smith, Eve Ensler and The Tectonic Theater Company amongst others. Students will also have the opportunity to research, edit and perform oral histories and historical documents, learning first hand the responsibilities of representing a ?real? story on stage.
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Advanced Intermediate Chinese
(IA-0312)

This course will be taught by a visiting professor of Chinese from the Hampshire College China Exchange program and supervised by K. Johnson. Students entering this class will be expected to have completed the equivalent of at least one semester of an intensive college-level Intermediate Chinese course. Theclass will cover the second half of Integrated Chinese Level 2. Materials from Chinese magazines and other primary Chinese sources will be used to augment the text as the course progresses. Emphasis will be placed equally on speaking, reading, and writing. By the end of the course, students will be expected to have mastered all of the grammar patterns and characters (both recognition and writing from memory) introduced in the Integrated Chinese series, Levels 1 and 2. Required books are: Integrated Chinese Textbook Level 2; Integrated Chinese Workbook Level 2; Integrated Chinese Character Workbook, Level 2. The class will meet three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 4:00-4:50) for one hour each session; there are also two one-hour drill sessions per week (Tuesday and Thursday 4:00-4:50) for a total of five class periods per week. Alternative drill session times may be scheduled if necessary to meet the needs of student schedules. Class is limited to 12 students. Pre-requisite: completion of a minimum of three semesters of intensive Chinese or equivalent is required to enter this class.
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Art/Nature/Technology
(IA-0338)

The discourses of art, nature and technology have been intertwined for centuries, but as technology becomes more sophisticated, it is possible for artworks to go beyond just representing nature, and to begin to simulate it or engage it directly. This course will explore the ways that art can employ both the ideas and tools encountered in areas of research like artificial life, the simulation of complex systems, remote environmental sensing, biomimicry, and green technology. Students will complete a series of conceptually based art projects culminating in a final project of their own devising. Projects will be contextualized by looking at the work of artists working with nature, from the earth art of the 1960s to contemporary work such as Ken Goldberg?s ?Telegarden.? There will be series of readings on topics like the social construction of nature.
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