Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2015 - (Page 16)

GIL TALBOT Studying Revolutions at Phillips Academy Andover by Ugur Gurol W hen I began middle school, I didn't know which subjects I was truly interested in, other than math and science. That changed in sixth grade when we began studying the ancient Greeks and Romans, and I realized that I was also really interested in history. I had taken some computer programming summer courses, and now, in seventh grade, I scoured the Internet for those with a history focus. That's how I learned about Phillips Academy Andover's five-week residential summer session. Andover's Lower School Institute for rising eighth-grade students offered five courses. The one that caught my eye was called Revolution! Continuity and Change in Our World. Analyzing the causes of revolutions and understanding how they transformed society would allow me to explore my budding interest in history. I submitted my application and learned a few weeks later that I had been accepted. I was extremely eager to begin my course and could hardly wait until June 29th rolled around. Since I live only 40 minutes from Andover, I thought I'd be one of the first people on campus. When I arrived, however, students from all over the world were already checking in. In my dorm alone I met kids from Canada, South Korea, Russia, China, Colombia, England, and the U.S. Making Connections Touring campus that first day, I realized how incredibly beautiful it was. In addition to the dorms and dining hall, it featured a library, two 16 imagine museums, a chapel, and a science center, all set on some 500 acres. When I went to bed that night, I could only imagine the tremendous things to come. The next morning after breakfast, I headed off to class in Samuel Phillips Hall, where I got to know my 13 classmates and our outstanding teachers, Mr. Matthew Oosting and Mr. Evan Noce. The first week, we would focus on the Neolithic Revolution; weeks two and three, political revolutions; and weeks four and five, economic revolutions. The objective, they explained, was not to memorize facts and dates in history, but to make connections and analyze events through critical thinking. Finding Meaning That first week, we examined hunter-gatherer societies that evolved into agrarian societies. To learn how to interpret societies' beliefs and values, we visited the on-campus Peabody Museum of Archaeology. Trying to understand the meaning and use of the Native American artifacts provided insight into the Pawtucket culture. Because the majority of artifacts were made of stone, the one that stood out most was a deer antler. The Pawtucket had used it as a flaking tool to shape stones into other useful tools. It was interesting to see how American Indians made the most of this abundant material, which could be shaped in boiling water to create tools that bolstered productivity. We discussed how the availability of raw materials continues to influence production techniques today. Nov/Dec 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2015

Big Picture
In My Own Words Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns
National Treasure Volunteering at the National Archives
Driving My Future, Exploring the Past The many rewards of genealogy
Past in Focus National History Day
People-Powered Movements Studying revolutions at Phillips Academy Andover
Hooked on History From paleontology to conservation science, four graduate students share their research
This is History My summer at Crow Canyon
The Benefits of Majoring in History
Making History My journey to the inaugural International History Olympiad
Historians in Training The Concord Review Summer Program
The Ultimate Game
In My Own Footsteps Putting my choreography in the spotlight
Selected Opportunities and Resources
Off the Shelf Review of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options Interview with archaeologist Inna Moore
One Step Ahead Be your own priority
Planning Ahead for College Choosing the best college for your major
Students Review: University of Washington
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2015