Camp 4 Academic Program

This course focuses on the rise of industrialization, spanning 1877-1945. You will discover connections between industrialization, the birth of organized labor, immigration, urbanization, and the impact of war on the period. Three books will serve as the springboard for discussion each day, such as: Zora Neale Hurston’s "Their Eyes Were Watching God," "Bread Givers" by Anzia Yezeirska and "Coming of Age in Mississippi" by Anne Moody. In addition to class discussions and lectures, you will read primary sources, while thinking critically and historically about their meaning. Statistical data will round out your study, which is integrated into class activities.

In the afternoons, you will focus on the writing process, using the books introduced in the American history class. You will brainstorm, develop a thesis, create an outline, perform research and write. The writing session also features how to incorporate visual tools and public speaking as you learn to create a powerpoint presentation on immigration’s impact on the country.

Twice a week in the evenings, you and your fellow Camp 4 scholars will take studio art classes. In the past, these sessions have created sculptures in metal and stone, large public art installations, and pottery. Our instructors aim to incorporate what you are learning in your academic classes to experience an interdisciplinary approach to creativity.

The focus of this course will be the effects of drugs of abuse on brain function and behavior. Several drugs will be discussed including marijuana, opiates, alcohol, and caffeine. Specifically, you will learn about the drugs’ site of action, mechanism of action, effects on brain chemistry and effects on behavior. Through these discussions, you will come to learn about the normal function and structure of the brain and the long-term effects of drug abuse on this important organ. In addition, the course will include a short laboratory experiment demonstrating some of the principles discussed in the lecture. In short, this course will provide you with a basic understanding of addiction, drugs of abuse and the effects of the drugs on the brain. 

Beginning with Emancipation, the course traces the evolution of black culture and identity and the continuing struggle for freedom and equality. Topics include the tragedies and triumphs of Reconstruction, interracial violence, black political and institutional responses to racism and violence, the Harlem Renaissance, jazz, blues, and the civil rights and black power movements. You will write and edit essays based on key themes in the films and readings.

"Introduction to Topics In Physics" (PHYS 95) will introduce the theory behind concepts covered in the first year of the Kenyon physics curriculum and will enable the performance of experiments in those areas using the Kenyon Physics Department facilities and equipment. Topics will include kinematics, dynamics, impulse & momentum, work & energy, electricity, circuits, atomic physics, and nuclear physics. The course will use a combination of topics discussions, performance of labs, in-class exercises, reading assignments, and quizzes. Seven full (3-hour) labs will be performed along with supporting activities. Students will continue to develop skills in computer-assisted graphical and statistical analysis of data. The final exam will be an in-lab exam performed in a similar manner to those taken in regular academic year Introductory Lab courses. Knowledge of calculus is not required, but algebra will be used throughout the course.

Studying religion provides a fruitful opportunity to engage with other cultures. In this course we will read about and discuss some of the world’s major religious traditions. We will also introduce aspects of African religious traditions in the Americas. Throughout, our major focus will be on how religion shapes people’s understanding of themselves and their roles in the world. Your responsibility as a student is to read, reflect, and through writing and discussion, offer your own interesting perspectives to contribute to our understanding of religion.

Twice a week in the evenings, you and your fellow Camp 4 scholars will take studio art classes. In the past, these sessions have created sculptures in metal and stone, large public art installations and pottery. Our instructors aim to incorporate what you are learning in your academic classes to experience an interdisciplinary approach to creativity.