Interdisciplinary Studies

In this course, students develop an understanding of their emotions and learn how to regulate them, so that their emotions help rather than hinder their success and wellbeing. The course presents the RULER system developed by Marc Brackett to understand emotions. Students learn to investigate the roots of emotional well-being, discuss giving permission to talk about emotions, and inculcate the view that emotions are information. Students increase their emotional vocabulary, enhance their interpersonal skills, and develop the skills to regain and keep their emotional balance. They learn to acknowledge, talk about, deal with, and learn from their emotions. Ultimately, students learn how to understand what is happening to them now, and how what is happening to them now affects their capacity to learn.

Course length: One semester
Note: Open to 9^th and 10^th graders

This course is an interdisciplinary study of mathematical concepts, and how they were discovered and developed over time in different regions. Students study mathematics explored in early civilizations to mathematics studied in our modern day. The course is supported by historical and mathematical readings, and complemented with writing mathematical papers and proofs. Students develop various skills including written and oral communication of mathematical ideas, writing proofs and mathematical papers, and understanding mathematical literature and its jargon. The course aims to develop an appreciation of mathematics by deepening student understanding of the logical basis of familiar concepts and the history of modern mathematics.

Prerequisite: Algebra II
Note: Open to 11^th and 12^th graders

الدراسات المعاصرة للأدب والثقافة

تُعدّ هذه المادّة متعدّدة التخصصات، إذ تركّز على تحديد القضايا السياقيّة المتعلقة بالأردن والعالم. وتتيح المادّة للطلبة مقارنة وجهات نظر متعددة حول مجموعة متنوعة من القضايا الوطنيّة والدوليّة وتقييمها مثل: الهُويةّ العربيّة والإسلاميّة، والقوميّة مقابل القبليّة، وأزمة اللاجئين، ونظام التعليم الأردنيّ، وحقوق المرأة، وتصوير العرب في الإعلام / الصور النمطيّة، والصراع الفلسطينيّ الإسرائيليّ.

This course focuses on identifying and contextualizing issues related to Jordan and the world. It allows students to compare and evaluate multiple perspectives on a variety of national and international issues such as Arab and Muslim identity, nationalism vs. tribalism, the refugee crisis, the Jordanian education system, women’s rights, the portrayal of Arabs in the media, stereotypes and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. 

Note: Not available for students who have taken ARA 604S
Prerequisites: Successful completion of one of the following courses: Accelerated Arabic Literature and Cultural Studies, Arabic Literature and Cultural Studies, Arabic Literary Appreciation, Islamic Civilization or any of the Arabic portfolio or seminar courses.

This course offers an introduction to the digital humanities, exploring the intersection between qualitative and quantitative worlds, and between writing and computational thinking. For centuries, scholars have analyzed texts computationally in compendiums like concordances, counting and mapping uses of words. Now the computer and easily usable programming languages supercharge our ability to think computationally about words and language. This course gives students first-hand experience primarily in text mining and but also in exploring other elements of the now rapidly growing digital humanities field. The course is meant to open students’ eyes to both the opportunities and limits of the digital humanities, providing traditionally STEM students a chance to bridge into the humanities and providing traditionally humanities students an opportunity to explore the computational element of STEM thinking.

Note: Open to 11^th and 12^th graders; 10^th graders with permission of the instructor

In this course, students learn design patterns to create sustainable urban spaces by using social, cultural, ecological and sustainable tools for generating wealth and well-being. Students propose their vision for a renewable and ethical safe space for humans (and for our fellow non-human beings) that harnesses energy and light, creates sustainable food patterns, catches water, and generates social equity. This course offers the opportunity for design, hands-on projects, and laboratory exploration. Each unit addresses issues and practices tailored to each individual’s background and interests. The subjects discussed are relevant to issues we face in cities and neighborhoods every day.

Note: Open to 11^th and 12^th graders, and to 10^th graders with the permission of the instructor

Capstone Seminar engages students in cross-curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues by analyzing divergent perspectives. Using an inquiry framework, students practice reading and analyzing articles, research studies, novels and philosophical texts; listen to and view speeches, broadcasts, memoirs and personal accounts; understand science experiments; and experience artistic, musical and cinematic works. Students learn to synthesize information from multiple sources, develop their own perspectives in written essays, and design and deliver oral, multi-media presentations, both individually and as part of a team. Ultimately, the course aims to equip students with the power to analyze and evaluate information with accuracy, meaning and precision in order to craft and communicate evidence-based arguments.

Open to 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th
 

In Capstone Research, the second course in the AP Capstone sequence, students deeply explore one academic topic, problem, issue or idea of individual interest. They design, plan and implement a six-month long investigation to address a research question. Through this inquiry, they further develop the skills they acquired in Capstone Seminar by learning research methodologies, employing ethical research practices, and accessing, analyzing and synthesizing information. They reflect on their skill development, document that process, and curate the artifacts of their work through a reflection portfolio. They work on one project: a 5000-word academic paper. As in Capstone Seminar, students share their work thought a multimedia presentation and an oral defense before a panel. The AP Research mentality is about developing and practicing reasoning processes that can help scholars make intentional, strategic decisions.
 

Notes:

• Open to 11^th and 12^th graders
• With the approval of the Head of English, students who have successfully completed INT 752 and ENG 801 can take this course for both English and Capstone credit, provided their research project is humanities-based, by using course number ENG 852.

Prerequisite: Capstone Seminar