This is an experiential course designed to help students become more aware of themselves as unique individuals. Using their own experiences as a guide, students are encouraged to be scientists in the process of exploring themselves and their place in the universe as they examine such topics as love, beauty, joy, spontaneity, and self-actualization. The following books are included with this course:
Oak Meadow Psychology Syllabus
George Orwell’s 1984

Psychology provides an overview of current psychological research methods and theories. Students will explore the therapies used by professional counselors and clinical psychologists, and examine the reasons for normal human reactions: how people learn and think, the process of human development and human aggression, altruism, intimacy, and self-reflection. They’ll study core psychological concepts, such as the brain and sense functions, and learn to gauge human reactions, gather information, and form meaningful syntheses. Along the way, students will also investigate relevant concepts like study skills and information retention. The equivalent of a 100-level college survey course, AP Psychology prepares students for the AP Exam and for further studies in psychology and life sciences.
Psychology: A Modular Approach to Mind and Behavior (Wadsworth Publishing)
Note: The college-level textbook used for this course includes a chapter on human sexuality; however, only the introduction of that chapter is referenced in the course.

Photography is a relatively new art, less than 200 years old, but one that changes the way we interpret the world around us and, quite simply, the way we see. This course will teach such fundamental concepts as frame, focus, and composition, while also exploring the more interpretive side of photography. Students will complete weekly assignments, getting hands-on experience and a chance to convey their unique vision of the world. Students will also keep a journal and collect ideas, magazine clippings, inspiring images, and some personal writing about their experiences. Students are expected to have a working knowledge of and general familiarity with the camera they choose to use for this class. Either a 35-mm camera (point-and-shoot or SLR) or a digital camera is acceptable. The Oak Meadow Introduction to Photography Syllabus is included with this course.

There is no formula for writing a good short story, no magical instruction booklet to guide you effortlessly to a well-written story. Writing is an experience, and writers are born of little more than their own experiences. This course focuses on the guidelines and rules that can lead a writer into a deeper sense of clarity and expression. In this course, we will explore the fundamentals of writing short fiction, while at the same time sowing the seeds of dissent that are necessary to good writing. The following books are included with this course:
Oak Meadow Introduction to Short Fiction Syllabus The Norton Book of American Short Stories

This intermediate chess course is for players who already know something about how to move the pieces and the general rules of the game. The course takes students through two refresher sessions to bring them up to speed, then in a measured way substantially expands their insight into the game, evolving pattern recognition skills plus an array of tactical abilities. The course can be taken for one or two semesters of eighteen lessons each, using texts, DVDs and chess software course materials, and is mentored by strong chess-playing coaches. This course is appropriate for any age level with sufficient reading ability. The following materials are included with this course:
Oak Meadow Chess Syllabus
Manual of Chess: Chess School Tactics for Champions 2 chess DVDs