Extra-Departmental and Friday Courses

New beginnings, however wonderful, can be a challenge. In this course, this year’s newest Middle School students will face that challenge properly prepared. This course also provides them with an orientation to Middle School life and the Pingry community as a whole. Students will practice organization tips as well as time management skills through a variety of activities. Optimizing brain power, managing one’s digital life, and developing effective note-taking and test-taking strategies will be covered in a collaborative, laid-back environment.

Students in this course will engage in a wide range of creative expression while learning elements of writing craft. They will have the opportunity to experiment in several literary genres which may include  short fiction, poetry, personal narrative, drama, and more. Students will have the option of sharing their work in order to receive feedback from the class. Elements of the writing process, including brainstorming and revision, will be discussed and practiced.

The Wellness 6 course will introduce the decision-making model and the core values of character. Internet safety will also be addressed, and students will discuss ways to treat others respectfully when using technology sources. Students will learn how to utilize nutrition databases to make healthy food choices, and the dangers of tobacco and vaping devices will be discussed.

This course will serve as an introduction to Computer Science for Grade 6. Students will learn how to program a robot and will explore topics in computer science. Topics may include binary, algorithmic thinking, and debugging.  

Mindful awareness is a practice that can help students to notice what is happening in the present moment, without making judgements or trying to change anything. Students will learn skills that can help them to relax, tune in to their senses, and learn to enjoy the ever-changing and sometimes challenging moments of their day-to-day experience. Mindfulness training can also help students to focus and pay attention in athletics, in the classroom, and in other favorite activities. Students will learn to cultivate positive emotions and gratitude as well.  

This course runs during the same trimester as students’ regular music classes. Students may select from band, strings, or girls’ or boys’ chorus. Students participate in a concert that corresponds with the trimester in which they take music, in December, March, or May. The Friday time slot allows for combined rehearsals in preparation for these concerts. All band students will also participate in an additional period of music, once per cycle, for the entire school year. In addition, optional musical sectionals will be offered after school throughout the year. For more information, and to sign up, please contact Helena Moseman, Music Department Administrative Assistant.

Studies have shown that playing chess has many benefits. It exercises both sides of the brain, improves problem-solving skills, teaches planning and foresight, and even improves your memory and creativity. In this introductory course, we will learn the rules of the game, explore basic checkmates, and introduce phases and tactics of the game. We will start each lesson with puzzles, review what we have covered so far, and introduce a new concept. Students will receive accounts at chesskid.com, where they can watch instructional (and humorous) videos, solve puzzles (at a “just right” level of difficulty), and play other students online. Time for free play will always be incorporated. Incentives for reaching milestones (such as a certain puzzle rating) will be offered, and we will have a tournament at the end of the course in which students will have a chance to compete against their classmates.

Take a journey around the world to discover new and old places without leaving the classroom! We will explore Google Earth, create our own maps, play games, discover food and music from around the world, and much more!

Are you interested in the stories of gods and goddesses and the cultures that produced them? Have you read all the Rick Riordan books? Do you want to learn about Zeus, Thor, Isis, Morrigan, and others? Let's Get Kraken will explore the myths of multiple cultures (some familiar, some novel) and what those myths tell us about the cultures that created them. We will also envision how these various gods might interact with one another at an International God Summit.  

Head over to the beautiful C.B. Newton Library for some library fun! Students will browse the library collection, check out books, and listen to read-alouds. We’ll wonder and discover, providing an easy intro to research and reference skills. Class time will also focus on library events such as Banned Book Week, the Newbery Awards, and Poetry Month, and yes, sometimes we will just “chill out” and read.   

In Strategic Tabletop Games students will play a variety of tabletop games and learn about the design elements of games, the strategies employed in interactive games, as well as positive social interaction skills when participating. We will also examine applied mathematical elements such as human motivation and how this is manipulated in gaming using principles of logic and chance. Finally, students will create their own interactive games, and teach the class how to play them. 

No scripts, no memorizing, just fun! Designed to be creative and liberating, this class will teach the basic rules of improvisation and how to keep a scene going. Students will experience many theater games and exercises that stimulate the imagination.

In this course, students use Tinkercad to design 3D objects. Through a series of original projects, they apply their knowledge to create models suitable for 3D printing. Students also gain exposure to how 3D printers operate and have the opportunity to print one of their own creations. 

In this course, students will be given instruction and experience in the preparation and delivery of speeches, persuasive arguments, and spoken contributions to group discussions. Instruction will begin with samples of successful oral presentations and arguments, along with discussion of organization, research, and communication strategies. As the course progresses, students will prepare and present their own work and receive feedback from both their instructor and peers. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on content, research, persuasiveness, presentation, and listening.

This course will focus on communication skills, character development, bullying and harassment, mental and emotional health, and conflict resolution. The course will provide students with the opportunity to develop and practice skills pertaining to these topics.

This course runs during the same trimester as students’ regular music classes. Students may select from band, strings, or girls’ or boys’ chorus. Students taking music during the first and second trimester will participate in the Winter Festival Concert in December, and students taking music during the third trimester will participate in the Spring Festival Concert. This Friday time slot will also allow for combined rehearsals in preparation for these concerts.

Head on over to the beautiful C.B. Newton Library for some library fun. Students will browse the library collection, check out books, and listen to read-alouds. We’ll wonder and discover, providing an easy intro to research and reference skills. Class time will also focus on library events such as Banned Book Week, the Newbery Awards, and Poetry Month, and, yes, sometimes we will just chill out and read.  

Do you like or even love science? Do you think of yourself as a mad scientist? If so, then this is the Friday course for you! During our sessions, we will explore many branches of science, including chemistry, biology, physics, and earth science. In these hands-on classes, you will investigate food science, aviation, engineering challenges, toy science & design, forensics, polymers, science games, and other fun and exciting topics.

Does the thought of a complicated math problem excite you? Do you look for ways to do extra math in your daily life? Do you want to be the next mathematician to design a formula to photograph black holes or solve another seemingly impossible riddle? If this sounds appealing, then this is the course for you! We will gather with like-minded souls and have fun with math.

Students will be able to work in various Pingry arts spaces with a variety of Pingry visual arts teachers. This course may include some brief mini-lessons on different media. It will also provide space for students who are interested in art to pursue their own projects.

Civic Engagement, or concern for others and the community, is not something we feel or practice only at special holidays or events; it is a constant, important part of our lives, in and outside of school. Through discussion and hands-on activities, this course promotes the understanding that learning is not just an end in itself, but the means to an end, a way to connect what we learn with what we can do, and a way to make the communities we belong to inclusive for everyone. After examining models of civic engagement in action (guest speakers, videos, simulation activities), students will create their own action plan to initiate change in their community.

In an interactive format, students identify the attributes and characteristics of effective leadership by analyzing videotaped and live examples of speeches and presentations from an array of leaders. Students also work toward developing and refining their own leadership styles as they consider the qualities necessary for leadership: public speaking, making a positive first impression, inspiring and valuing others, gathering group input, making decisions, delegating, and fostering teamwork. Students have several opportunities to present to the class on various topics while receiving feedback.

Students in the Outdoor Research course will explore the Basking Ridge Campus. They will observe various sites, including the campsite, outdoor classroom, nature trails, fields, wooded areas, and ponds. Throughout the trimester, students will make observations, record data, and take photographs to analyze over time. Students may have the opportunity to interact with Pingry’s flock of chickens and tour Beinecke House and its award-winning sustainability features. Students will also learn about Pingry’s deer exclosure, practice valuable field research skills, and use the interactive iNaturalist app to identify and geotag plant and animal species on campus as part of the Pingry Wilderness Survey Project.

Students in this course will explore logical thinking through a series of interactive puzzles, games, and simulations. Beginning with the prisoner’s dilemma and the tragedy of the commons, the course will discuss the challenges of collaboration and how to overcome them, focusing on a new concept each week. Students will be encouraged to meet each new challenge through effective collaboration and teamwork, strengthening their communication and critical thinking skills. Students will have opportunities to share their strategies for each game with the class, and they will receive feedback on their approaches. 

The goal of this elective is to give students the opportunity to learn how to perform basic strength training and aerobic activities safely and effectively.  Students will also learn how to develop their own exercise routine they can perform on their own in the Greig Center. Each Friday will focus on a new workout with an eye toward progression of skills.

Students in Sustainable Agriculture will learn more about the farm on Pingry’s campus, explore how the surrounding forest is sustainably managed, and contribute by working in the greenhouse. Throughout the trimester, students will participate in hands-on experiences caring for the chickens, planting seeds and growing vegetables and herbs, and identifying and removing invasive plant species in the forest, replacing them with native trees and shrubs. They will also prepare eggs, herbs and veggies to be used in the Pingry cafeteria. Through this course students will experience how farms and forests can be cared for in ways that benefit both humans and the local ecosystem.