HISTORY & SOCIAL SCIENCES
Couples, Groups, Crowds, and Mobs: The Psychology of Interpersonal Influence
We are not only “who” we are but “where” we are; the college interview setting, to some extent, makes us a different person than the lacrosse field. The impact of the social context will be examined through the “classic” studies in social psychology, from Milgram’s Electroshock Experiment to Zimbardo’s Prison simulation. Through films, discussions, class experiments and field studies, we will look at social settings from the very small (marriage), to midrange (Jonestown) to the very large and chaotic (Woodstock). In each instance, we will see how we are molded by our social surroundings.
Instructor: Stephen Duennebier
Stephen Duennebier has completed graduate study in the fields of anthropology, psychology, and American history. As a 30-year veteran of the Brunswick faculty, past Upper School Head, and History Department Chair, he has taught courses ranging from social psychology to media studies to AP United States History. While his primary teaching duties currently revolve around AP Psychology, the range and depth of his experience makes him the ideal tour guide to both colonial Salem to social psychology.
New York Uncovered: Field Trips to New York Historical Sites
[Monday, Tuesday, Thursday—class will meet for 2 hours; Wednesday—class will meet for 6 hours to travel to New York historical sites. There is an additional fee to cover travel and admission expenses for this course.]
New York City is steeped in American History. One of the earliest colonial ports and the first modern city, New York is an ideal city to actively explore American History. Come discover the history of the New York area and the nation through experiential, hands-on visits to historical sites around Manhattan. This course will concentrate on events and sites representing four different periods of US history: Colonial, Gilded Age, Harlem Renaissance, and World War II. We will discuss the historical context of each of the four areas of study. Following pre-visit internet research and reading about topic areas, the course would culminate in a weekly field trip to the following sites: Federal Hall and the South Street Seaport, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, a tour of Harlem (Apollo, Schumberg Center, Langston Hughes House, etc.) and the Intrepid. The fourth day of class would involve a written reflection from each student on the overall visit and what was learned.
[Monday, Tuesday, Thursday—class will meet for 2 hours; Wednesday—class will meet for 6 hours to travel to New York historical sites. There is an additional fee to cover travel and admission expenses for this course.]
New York City is steeped in American History. One of the earliest colonial ports and the first modern city, New York is an ideal city to actively explore American History. Come discover the history of the New York area and the nation through experiential, hands-on visits to historical sites around Manhattan. This course will concentrate on events and sites representing four different periods of US history: Colonial, Gilded Age, Harlem Renaissance, and World War II. We will discuss the historical context of each of the four areas of study. Following pre-visit internet research and reading about topic areas, the course would culminate in a weekly field trip to the following sites: Federal Hall and the South Street Seaport, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, a tour of Harlem (Apollo, Schumberg Center, Langston Hughes House, etc.) and the Intrepid. The fourth day of class would involve a written reflection from each student on the overall visit and what was learned.
Instructor: Marcus Chioffi
Marcus Chioffi’s lifelong passion for travel continues to foster his curiosity about places and people. His enjoyment of travel has taken him to 42 U.S. states and 8 foreign countries, including Brazil and India. Mr. Chioffi has taught in the Middle School at Brunswick since 2000. He holds a MA in American History from Fordham University and a BA in Political Science from the University of Vermont. Along with his major in Political Science he has a double minor in History and Human Geography.
Marcus Chioffi’s lifelong passion for travel continues to foster his curiosity about places and people. His enjoyment of travel has taken him to 42 U.S. states and 8 foreign countries, including Brazil and India. Mr. Chioffi has taught in the Middle School at Brunswick since 2000. He holds a MA in American History from Fordham University and a BA in Political Science from the University of Vermont. Along with his major in Political Science he has a double minor in History and Human Geography.