The Ulysses Signature Program Mrs. Lance Dempsey, Principal Dr. Suzanne Borenzweig, Coordinator

The Ulysses Signature Program is: A four-year program, admission by application only A small learning community A creative, dynamic approach to learning across the academic disciplines

The Ulysses Signature Program provides: An opportunity for students to engage in real-world research A practicum for authentic presentation skills A HOME IN YOUR HOME SCHOOL

Ulysses Program Expectations Genuine interest in research and research projects Commitment to four-year program Willingness to explore MCPS curriculum with Ulysses approach Emerging independence Respectful community member Active community participant Recommended for honors or AP: English, History, and Science

Ulysses Program Course Sequence Grades 9 & 10 Grades 11 & 12 Signature Honors English 9 & 10 Signature Honors Physics 9, Biology & Chemistry Signature Honors US History or AP US History Signature Honors NSL Government or AP Government Signature Honors or AP Modern World History Signature AP Bio Advanced Research* Senior Research Project* Sometimes scheduling intricacies do not allow for all three Signature honors courses—non-Signature honors instead.

Ulysses Science Course Sequence Two Science Pathways Physics Recommendation Biology Recommendation Grade 9: Honors Physics Honors Biology; HSA Grade 10: Honors Chemistry Honors Chemistry Grade 11: AP Biology; 3 on AP Honors Physics or AP Class Grade 12: AP Science of choice AP Science of choice

Ulysses Biology Fall Semester Spring Semester Research Paper on invasive species; pill bug project Inquiry Project on student designed, implemented, and analyzed scientific experiment Ulysses Biology Night Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Grade 11 Advanced Research Through Technology Research Methods Annotated Bibliography Literature Review Final Project in Research Design The required semester class is ARTT. It’s a survey of qualitative research methods like case study and ethnography, and it’s where students begin to explore topics of interest using more sophisticated search techniques, such as the database of scholarly journals, JSTOR. They also learn to be fastidious about citing their sources and formatting their papers using the guidelines of the Modern Language Association (MLA). It’s a blast! The final project for the class is the DESIGN of their senior research project. They write a literature review and plan out the components of their original study to be undertaken in the senior year. The student’s performance in ARTT and the final project design determine whether the student will be invited to continue to Senior Research Project class. MOST STUDENTS ARE INVITED,

Grade 12 Senior Research Project Class Project Requirements Mentor Oral Presentation Exhibition Ulysses Fair Portfolio The only Ulysses class senior year is Senior Research Project. The students take one period, one semester to compete their independent Ulysses projects. Projects must have: Comprehensive literature review Oral, visual, and written components Elements of original research Students choose a mentor, usually a Northwest staff member The students present their research projects to any class at Northwest, as well as to an evaluation panel comprise of me and several staff members, chosen in conjunction with the students. The students also keep a record of their research PROCESS and PRODUCTS in a portfolio which they turn in for a grade and can take with them to scholarship interviews! The seniors also share their research as exhibitions at the Ulysses Fair on January 8 or April 22. We also have an opening night reception for Ulysses seniors and their families and mentors the night before each fair. And we like parents to coordinate this! Students may also choose an off-site internship as part of their Ulysses experience, but it is not required.

Colleges/Universities St. Mary’s College of Maryland Stanford University University of Maryland University of Michigan University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill University of Wisconsin University of Southern California, School of Architecture University of Virginia Yale University Amherst College Barnard College Brown University Bucknell University Colgate University Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Fashion Institute of Technology MIT New York University Rhode Island School of Design

Application Process Recommended for honors: English, History, and Science Application form available December 1 Application due February 15, 2013 Essay 2 teacher recommendations

Making the GrAde but Missing the POINT + Making the GrAde but Missing the POINT The Flaws in Today’s American School System Adjua K. Jones POINTLESS

Interracial Identity So…What Are You Anyway? By Kelly Puyear

Film Piracy by Sara Wugofski Research Questions: What motivates people to commit piracy? To what extent is piracy wrong? What are the negative effects of piracy on the film industry? Effect of internet on the industry Digitalized distribution, both good and bad

A Study of Mobile Applications Personal APPrentices A Study of Mobile Applications By: Jitesh Nadimpalli

Ulysses Fairs January 9 -10, 2013 April 24 - 25, 2013 7:30am – 2:00pm (closed for lunch 11:00 – 11:40)