Class II Presents at the Annual Greek Symposium

Friday, January 21, 2020—Class II welcomed faculty, staff, and students to the annual Greek symposium, sharing results from six weeks of focused study and collaborative work. The project is part of a larger unit on the “golden age” of Greece—a time of great prosperity and learning in Greek history. History faculty Josh Constant created the symposium in 2009 as a way for students to practice their research and collaboration skills. 

To prepare for the symposium, students brainstorm potential topics in class. This year’s topics included sports, crime and justice, philosophy, drama, sculpture, medicine, architecture, among others. Students are then placed in groups of two or three according to their interests. Over the next several weeks, students dive into learning about their topic through research—using books, online databases, and websites. Students also meet with Amanda Blicharz, assistant library director, to learn how to use Noodletools, Winsor databases, and how to evaluate a website. 

During this period, students also formulate a research question and a thesis statement. In the final two weeks of the project they build the components for their presentation. Faculty encourage them to have a variety of visual components such as posters, trivia or board games, slideshows, iMovies that they create as well as skits, pamphlets, and the like. They then take what they have learned in the research phase and make it accessible and engaging for their audience/visitors—including fellow Lower School and Upper School students who remember the project from their time in Class II. Winsor History Faculty Annie Huntoon stated that the symposium is “a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun. Oftentimes, students consider it the highlight of the year.” 

Thanks to Chef Heather Pierce for making the morning even more festive and fun for Class II with a delicious chocolate cake as a special snack.