Classes shaped by
the people in the room.

The More-Than-Human World

This year, seven classes form a loose cluster exploring ecology and our place in the more-than-human world. We encourage you to take 2–3 courses in the cluster.

• All The Other Living Things: Environmental Science ✦ George Rather than a textbook march through ecological vocabulary, this class starts with the land right around us. We become naturalists of our own place first, then use that grounding to reason about bigger systems like climate and biodiversity loss.
• Field Guide In Your Mind ✦ George Learn to identify the common birds, trees, understory plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fungi of the Charles River watershed, using techniques and mnemonics developed both in the classroom and out in the woods. A hands-on companion to Environmental Science, sharpening the field-note skills students will use there.
• Philosophy and/or Religion: Animism and Indigenous Life Ways ✦ George Drawing on Indigenous writers, anthropologists, and archaeologists, this class explores the animist worldview, where knowing a place means relationship and story, not just observation and classification. The first half contrasts this with Western ecological thinking; the second digs into one or two specific Indigenous traditions of environmental knowledge.
• Humanities: Great Nature Literature ✦ George A complement to the rest of the cluster drawn from the tradition of nature writing, including Robin Wall Kimmerer, Rachel Carson, Aldo Leopold, and Annie Dillard. About one essay a week, chosen for the broadest possible range of voices.
• Flourishing: The Ecosystem of Mind and Body ✦ George A return of Flourishing class, examining our own bodies and minds as ecosystems. We support each other while looking at habits, sleep hygiene, media consumption, and diet for ways to feel better and live fuller lives.
• Nature ✦ Terry The whole point is to get outside — nature is the teacher. Hiking, fishing, growing plants hydroponically and outdoors, documentaries, cooking projects, and whatever else the class dreams up.
• Foraging ✦ Linda (volunteer) Get outside and learn how to identify plants and fungi, practicing responsible and safe foraging. We'll also learn about different ways you can use the plants you forage.

Math & Science

• Math Lab · Amelia Math is so much more than calculations! It's also about spotting patterns, visualizing relationships, and solving problems creatively. Each week, we tackle a new puzzle, game, art project, or thought experiment, from infinitely typing monkeys to trickster game-show hosts to the mathematics of flower petals.
• Statistics · Amelia The mathematical study of data, with applications in science and everyday life. We explore data visualization, probability, and statistical inference, working toward a student-directed research project.
• Math Practice · Amelia One-on-one or small-group math tutoring — sign up for as little as ten minutes or as much as an hour. Build math fluency at your own pace, using whichever resources work best for you.
• Algebra · Elijah (volunteer) Covers linear equations, polynomials, and the core algebra skills that show up again and again in math and science.
• Physics · Elijah (volunteer) An introduction to physics that starts with mechanics and kinematics, with room to go further into relativity, quantum theory, and Maxwell's equations depending on what the class wants to explore.
• All The Other Living Things: Environmental Science ✦ George Rather than a textbook march through ecological vocabulary, this class starts with the land right around us. We become naturalists of our own place first, then use that grounding to reason about bigger systems like climate and biodiversity loss.
• Field Guide In Your Mind ✦ George Learn to identify the common birds, trees, understory plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fungi of the Charles River watershed, using techniques and mnemonics developed both in the classroom and out in the woods. A hands-on companion to Environmental Science, sharpening the field-note skills students will use there.
• Books on Brains · Amelia A non-fiction book club diving into behavior, brains, and social science.
• Science Fundamentals · Rowan (member) An introduction to core scientific concepts across life, earth, and physical sciences.

Art, Music & Making

• Photography & Image Editing · Terry Technique, lighting, and the art of making images, from smartphone to digital SLR. Build a portfolio of your best work through image-editing and multimedia projects.
• Handwork Hour · Terry A collaborative making session where everyone brings their skills to share. Enjoy the process of working with your hands alongside others!
• Band Practice · Jay Regular practice sessions for BSLC's many bands. Jay works with each group on their material, helping them develop as musicians and as collaborators.
• Music Advising · Jay A one-on-one advising session dedicated to whatever musical project you're working on. Learn the basics of an instrument, get feedback on your playing, or learn to read music!
• Music Theory · Jay An introduction to how music works: reading notation, understanding scales, chords, and rhythm, and building the vocabulary to talk about what you're hearing.
• Music History · Jay A survey of how music has evolved across time and place, beginning in ancient Mesopotamia. We explore the history of music and its relationship with cultural change.
• Watercolor Class · Keith (volunteer) An introduction to watercolor technique, ranging from landscapes and still lifes to portraits. Build basic drawing skills, explore mixed media, and learn to give and receive kind, constructive feedback in a low-pressure environment.
• Beginner Drawing · Lee (volunteer) An introduction to drawing for beginners, starting with simplifying subjects into shapes and building toward perspective and lighting.
• Artists' Workshop · Lee (volunteer) A critique group for visual artists looking to improve their work. Each week, one or two students share a piece for group discussion, with each artist setting their own comfort level for feedback.
• Windworld RPG · Lee (volunteer) A tabletop role-playing game set in a fantastical, ever-changing world designed by Lee. A great fit for Dungeons & Dragons fans, or anyone curious about RPGs without the intimidating rulebook.
• World-Building · Sasha (member) A workshop in constructing fictional worlds from the ground up: geography, culture, history, and the rules (magical, technological, scientific, religious, or social) that hold them together. Useful for anyone crafting a setting for a story or campaign.
• Theater Club · Grayson (member) Select a play as a group, and then put on a production. Come to act, or to help out behind the scenes!
• 3D Printing Workshop · Jacob (member) Learn how to use our 3D printer, with a focus on working with practical designs in Fusion.

Humanities

• Critical Thinking · JayJay & Amelia Practice analyzing contemporary media through the lens of rhetorical appeals, logical fallacies, statistical literacy, and how algorithm-driven and AI-generated content shapes our thinking.
• Current Events · Terry News through the lens of media criticism — evaluating sources, spotting bias, and distinguishing reporting from propaganda and misinformation. Bring your own news stories to discuss.
• Implications Discussion · JayJay & George A free-flowing discussion class weaving tangential threads from other classes into an ongoing conversation across the semester. Topics tend to draw from philosophy, religious studies, politics, and pop culture.
• Philosophy and/or Religion: Animism and Indigenous Life Ways ✦ George Drawing on Indigenous writers, anthropologists, and archaeologists, this class explores the animist worldview, where knowing a place means relationship and story, not just observation and classification. The first half contrasts this with Western ecological thinking; the second digs into one or two specific Indigenous traditions of environmental knowledge.
• Humanities: Great Nature Literature ✦ George A complement to the rest of the cluster drawn from the tradition of nature writing, including Robin Wall Kimmerer, Rachel Carson, Aldo Leopold, and Annie Dillard. About one essay a week, chosen for the broadest possible range of voices.

Language & Literature

• Intro to Poetry · JayJay A broad introduction to reading, discussing, and writing poetry. We learn different ways to approach a poem, plus the building blocks of poetry like diction, enjambment, and figurative language. Each class pairs a poetry sampler with seminar-style discussion, and students write original poems demonstrating what they've learned.
• How to Do Things with Words · JayJay A hands-on look at how language actually works: sentences, parts of speech, paragraph structure, and how arguments and moods get built word by word. Useful for anyone who reads, writes, or yaps! 30 minutes, heavy on games and group activities, light on memorizing terms.
• Monsters, Gods, and Men: Horror Makes Us Human · JayJay An interdisciplinary literature course exploring the monstrous, the divine, and the human through Frankenstein, Prometheus Bound, and Paradise Lost. We examine the ethics of creation, the cost of knowledge, and the alienation of the outsider.
• Poetry Against the Machine: Romantic Thought and the World that Produced It · JayJay Part history, part philosophy, part poetry study, tracing the brilliant, contradictory cast of characters behind Romantic thought. We read Blake, Wordsworth, Byron, and others who rebelled against an industrializing world. We explore the ideas they built on, and the surprising ways Romantic thinking still shapes how we see nature, empathy, and ourselves today.
• Books and Tea Time · Terry A collaborative reading group where students choose the books and lead the discussion each week. Outside reading is required.
• Anime and Manga · Archy (member) An anime and manga book club. During the first half of each class we discuss a reading; during the second half, we watch an anime. Akira is required.

Life & Transitions

• Life Skills and Financial Literacy · Rebekah (volunteer) and Terry Build practical life skills, with a strong focus on financial literacy. Topics include understanding your pay stub, banking, credit cards, budgeting, saving, résumés and interviews, professionalism, physical and mental health, drug and alcohol safety, and using your own learning style to your advantage.
• Inquiry Projects · Terry Each student picks a big idea or issue and dives deep, researching their topic like a journalist. Projects wrap up with a final presentation — anything from visual displays and art projects to infographics and hands-on builds.
• Transitions Program · Terry For members in their final year (or two) at BSLC, blending academic readiness with real-world experience. Includes HiSET prep, college guidance, weekly check-ins, and internship and mentorship opportunities.
• Analogue Hour · JayJay An hour on Mondays to prepare for the week and catch up on work or creative projects, screens off.
• Movement Snack · JayJay and Terry Fifteen minutes of movement, twice a week, to help you regulate and meet your body's need to move. Will include anything from mindful walks to dance parties.
• Flourishing: The Ecosystem of Mind and Body ✦ George A return of Flourishing class, examining our own bodies and minds as ecosystems. We support each other while looking at habits, sleep hygiene, media consumption, and diet for ways to feel better and live fuller lives.
• Nature ✦ Terry The whole point is to get outside — nature is the teacher. Hiking, fishing, growing plants hydroponically and outdoors, documentaries, cooking projects, and whatever else the class dreams up.
• Foraging ✦ Linda (volunteer) Get outside and learn how to identify plants and fungi, practicing responsible and safe foraging. We'll also learn about different ways you can use the plants you forage.