Because the study of history entails a dialogue with culture and should continue beyond a classroom or library, and because it is excruciatingly difficult to get the entire class free for a day, I encourage you to take advantage of local resources as your own schedule permits. Each of the following will earn you significant extra credit on your quarter scores. I grant credit on an inverse graduated scale: meaning the amount decreases according to your scores. (If you have a 69% raw score, for example, extra credit will give you a bigger boost than if you had an 89% raw score.) You may decide which quarter you wish to credit.

IMPORTANT: While significant grade elevation can accrue, extra credit will never boost you two complete grades. For example, if you earn an 82% (B) and complete three extra projects, you will not get to a 90% (A) due to the extra credit alone. (Though you might with an exceptional presence in class discussion.) Extra credit alone will also not boost anyone into A+ territory. At the moment I accept a max of 3 per grade term.

Here are other opportunities:

• Halloween Oct – Very rarely will you ever have the opportunity to experience a silent film in the way it was intended: large space with live music. Now’s your chance. Attend ‘Nosferatu’ at AFI Silver for extra credit: The AFI Silver Theatre is located at 8633 Colesville Road — at the intersection of Colesville Road and Georgia Avenue — in the heart of Silver Spring [bring me your ticket stub]
• Any production at the Shakespeare Theatre
• Almost any European film at AFI Silver throughout the year, especially if part of the EU Film Showcase – talk to me about which ones qualify. Here are some up-coming films that qualify:
  • Wicker Man
  • The Hallow
  • Nosferatu
  • The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
• Visit the National Gallery of Art and find at least two of the following works: 1) ‘Il Magnifico’ near Verrocchio’s bust of his brother ‘[send me a cell-photo of you in front of him] 2) something with Giuliano de’Medici in it, 3) Henrietta Maria and Jeffrey, 4) Bindo Altoviti
• SECOND SEMESTER: visit the National Portrait Gallery and find 1) the bust of the MArquis de Lafayette [send a cell-phone pic of you w/him] and find the answer to these two questions: 1) what does Queen Elizabeth wear around her neck? 2) What is the language of the first Bible printed in America?
• Visit the Kreeger Museum. The museum showcases 19th and 20th century art (Monet,Picasso, Miro, van Gogh, Renoir, Cezanne, Chagall, Rodin, Kandinsky).
• Visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum [bring me your ticket stub.]
• Renaissance Architecture
• Many opportunities throughout the year at Politics&Prose to listen to authors speak (see above).
• Visit the Phillips Collection. Especially the following: 1) The Klee Room (to 31 Dec only). Note: there are special student discounts; sometime admission for visitors 18 and under has been free. [bring me ticket stud and cell-photo inside]
• Choose a menu from ‘Aus Kaisers Küche’ (Imperial Austrian Cuisine) or one of my other traditional  European cookbooks, and prepare a meal (three courses) for your parents. Give me your menu; submit a photo of you with your work, and have someone who ate it write a brief note of review to me.