Splash! 2007
Course Catalog

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C489: Programming Video Games in C/C++		Tim Balbekov, Alex Makkaveyev
Interested in video games? Want to make your own? Then join us in our two hour journey into recreating the 1970’s classic, Pong. We will make the entire game, complete with artificial intelligence and special effects. In this class we will be using C++ and the game library Allegro. The library and the language are both cross platform, so your game will work on almost any system you can imagine. Familiarity with a programming language is STRONGLY encouraged — take a class at Splash on C/C++! MATERIALS: You may wish to bring a laptop to follow along in class. Software and course files will be provided on CDs. If you use Linux/Mac/Vista, you may encounter problems installing the software in class — try to install the software beforehand. Instructions are available on the class website. Prerequisites Exposure to C/C++ encouraged
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Presentation + Lecture Notes Click here to view all 1 documents for Programming Video Games in C/C++

C631: Introduction to Programming		Stephen Oney
This course will provide a brief introduction to programming using the Java language. Topics covered will be classes, methods, inheritance, syntax, and more!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C634: Reading and Writing in Binary		Shawn Westerdale
Learn the alphabet and how to read and write in binary code 01000010 01101001 01101110 01100001 01110010 01111001 00000000 01101001 01110011 00000000 01100110 01110101 01101110
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

C636: How Computers Work: Software		Nelson Elhage
You probably know how to use a computer, and maybe even how to program one in C, BASIC, Java, or python. But do you really understand how one works? Do you know what happens in the hardware when a computer first turns on? Exactly what role does the operating system serve, and how does it interact with your applications? We’ll take a whirlwind tour through computing, learning about the layers of abstraction and complexity that build up to the software most of us use every day.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

C637: A rapid introduction to the Lambda Calculus		Nelson Elhage
This will be a rapid introduction to the Lambda Calculus, a theoretical model of computing originally proposed by Alonzo Church in the 1930s. We will explore how, starting from the barest primitive ideas, you can derive all the comutational power of a modern desktop computer! NOTE: This is not the calculus you’ve heard about in school! In fact, there are almost no numbers involved, and you don’t need to know any math — just have a curiosity for some slightly abstract reasoning.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

C648: Goal Oriented Machine Learning		Bo Morgan
Machine learning is a field of artificial intelligence that focuses on how computers can adapt or change as they are trying to accomplish goals. What are goals? What are methods for computers to learn to accomplish goals? Computers aren’t very good at learning to accomplishing human goals yet: I’ll discuss why and what you can do help program computers to learn to accomplish goals as complex as human goals!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C691: Introduction to Creative Synthesis		Matthew Hockenberry
The ideal of creative synthesis is that the process of creation is intellectually, mechanically, and socially a synthetic collaboration, frames our work. Humans are users of tools and, philosophically, the perceived uniqueness of this trait has defined our understanding of ourselves since the beginning of time. Tools have become increasingly complex, from a chipped stone ax to a web programming interface shared across millions. With rare exceptions everything we do, and everything we do it with, has been constructed by the collaboration and synthesis of thousands of others working before us. This class will attempt to understanding the social, technological, and philosophical implications of creative synthesis and the current trends of synthetic collaboration on the web. We will survey technology (and seeming untechnology) as examples of the acts and artifacts of creative synthesis. Coupled with this we will focus on understanding web programming as a medium for creative synthesis, and collaboratively construct a web application by focusing on what and why, with a little bit of how. Prerequisites Web familiarity.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

C716: Computational Reflective Thinking		Bo Morgan
Some people say, “computers are not Conscious”. They are right, but why? We will unpack a few of the many meanings of this suitcase word, Conscious, and talk about the degree to which computer designs exhibit each of these simpler meanings. We will discuss how to begin to program a few of these different meanings. A novel field of computer science, called “Causal Reflective Programming,” will be briefly introduced in the context of modern artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and psychology.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C717: Computer Game Hacking: An Overview		Kenneth Schumacher
Interested in taking apart computer games and applications and bending them to your will? If so, this is the class for you. We will be briefly touching on many methods and tools used when “hacking” computer games. (Memory searching, hex editing, code injection, packet editing, patching, etc.) I will be available via email after the class for questions regarding any projects you decide to take on. Prerequisites Decent knowledge of Windows OS
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

C718: Misc. Computer Science Q and A		Kenneth Schumacher
Come to this class with any computer questions you could possibly have. (Please try to keep them fairly interesting, haha.) I am a life-long computer nerd and should be able to answer the majority of them; from types of RAID harddrive arrays to the Bittorrent and HTTP communication protocols to how DDoS attacks work. This class WILL end up going off on many tangents and will be a lot of fun. Prerequisites At least a basic understanding of computers
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

C720: How the Internet and Networks Work		Kenneth Schumacher
Ever wonder how a message you send from your computer is split up and makes it all the way to China in under quarter a second? We will be examining in detail how the internet and networks function. We will take a look at DNS servers, network setups, packet routing, switches, communication protocols, IP address allocation, preforming trace-routes, proxys, how schools filter web traffic, etc. It will be a lot of fun—sign up now! Prerequisites Basic understanding of computers.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

C732: Document Similarity Measurement and Clustering		Stanislav Nikolov
Ever Google something and get dozens of annoying irrelevant topics that somehow relate to your query? How do you sort through the mess? If you have an assorted group of articles, on various topics, how do you separate them into categories? More importantly, how would a computer do it? How does one measure how related two articles (or any textual document) are? With these tools among others, you can go forth and tackle the problem of making sense of the information overload that permeates everyday life. Are you up to the challenge? Prerequisites knowledge of vectors; some linear algebra for the more advanced topics would be helpful
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

C742: Advanced Java: Identity, Equality, and Reflection		Derek Rayside
Many data structures, such as hash tables, depend on you to implement the equals() and hashCode() methods correctly for your objects. Getting these right is tricky, especially when your code uses inheritance. This lecture will introduce you to an easy to use Java library that implements these for you, using reflection. Prerequisites working knowledge of Java, including inheritance
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C745: Doing stuff with data		Derek Rayside
Almost all of the data you interact with is in one of four structures, and what you’re doing with it is probably one of three different functions. Learn what these structures and functions are, and thereby have bigger and better thoughts about the data in your life. The ideas in this lecture will explain and relate MP3 files, spreadsheets, databases, HTML, XML, social networks, etc. We’ll use some spiffy websites like RememberTheMilk.com and DabbleDB.com. This lecture is intended for both programmers and non-programmers. No programming knowledge is necessary, and we will not be learning how to program. We’re going to think big thoughts about data. PS: The structures are stream, table, tree, and graph. The functions are map, filter, and reduce. Prerequisites Familiarity with computers, the web, etc. Some capacity for abstract/geometrical thinking.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C746: Promiscuous Mode: Network Protocol Analysis		Harvey Yee
Do you want to be in Promiscuous mode? You may if you are a hacker or a network engineer. Join us in learning what is involved in Network Protocol analysis, and along the way learn about network architecture and protocols. Depending on what is available in the class room, a demonstration of a wired or wireless network session will be provided. A free copy of Linux LiveCD will be provided so that you can continue your learning of network protocol analysis after this class. Prerequisites a sense of curiosity
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C756: Linux and You		Adam Seering
So, you’ve heard of this whole Linux thing. Maybe you’re just a bit frustrated with Windows; maybe you’ve been scared off by Linux in the past. In this class I’ll show you how to install Linux on your own computer and how to use it for basic stuff like word processing and games, and I’ll also glance briefly at the Linux command line and some of the amazingly powerful things you can do with this operating system. I’ll be answering questions throughout the class and at the end I’ll open it to general questions and discussion, so bring something to say! Each student will take home an Ubuntu Linux Live/Install CD.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C817: Concurrency and Parallel Programming		Dan Noe
While computers have grown faster for some time, current hardware developments are in the area of simultaneous processing, not single task execution. Additionally, high tech companies such as Google have scaled their technology through the use of massively parallel processing. This class will explore the advantages and pitfalls of parallel programming and concurrent execution, including a discussion of theory and techniques for synchronizing multiple tasks. No knowledge of specific computer languages is necessary, but the class will assume a basic familiarity with the workings of a computer. Prerequisites Basic knowledge of a computer
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

C820: Common Sense Reasoning for Artificial Intelligence		Catherine Havasi
When people communicate with each other, their conversation relies on many basic, unspoken assumptions. We often learn the basis behind these assumptions long before they can write at all, making the difficult for computers to learn. These assumptions underlie all forms of human communication from teaching, to giving directions, to ordering dinner at a restaurant. A user who interacts with a computer interface, however, can become frustrated because the computer does not understand their goals and motivations. For human-computer interaction to become as fluent as communication between humans, computers need to be able to understand the user’s basic, unspoken assumptions. These assumptions form the body of knowledge known as “common sense” and we’ll be discussing how it is collected and used by the AI research community. Linear algebra experience will helpful to demystify some of the algorithms discussed at the end of the class but is by no means required.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

C841: Database-Backed Web Design		Jason Alonso, Adam Seering
So you’ve written an awesome webpage for the whole world to see! But you want something more than that: You want your friends to be able to post comments on your pages. You want people to be able to upload pictures, change content, even add their own pages to your site. In short: You want to know how to make a dynamic, database-backed website! In this class, we’ll be looking at the Django web framework, using the Python programming language. Prerequisites Experience with HTML; programming Java, Python, or related
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: blog-20.zip, blog-1.zip, blog-21.zip Click here to view all 23 documents for Database-Backed Web Design

C884: Natural Language Processing		Jason Alonso, Ken Arnold
It’s well past 2001, and we still can’t talk with our computers. Well, okay, we can tell our cell phones whom to call, dictate our papers to speech recognizers, and hear driving directions from the car GPS. Google can try to translate web pages. And cell phones predict what you wanted to type. How does this stuff work? We’ll try to figure out how to make computers understand English. Prerequisites intermediate programming knowledge (read/write Python or similar languages)
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

C890: Photoshopping for Beginners		Tim Balbekov, Alex Makkaveyev
Want to create cool illusions with Adobe Photoshop? In this exciting class we will cover the basics of image manipulation in Photoshop. We’ll do a series of small projects to familiarize yourself with some of the tools and functions of Photoshop. Some of the activities include erasing people, creating amusing road signs, and morphing imaginary animals. IMPORTANT: Students will need to bring a LAPTOP capable of running Adobe Photoshop and a MOUSE. A 30 day trial of the software will be available at the beginning of class.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

C903: Scratch - An Introduction		Paul Medlock-Walton
Make stories, games, and animations with Scratch, an easy to learn programming environment from the MIT Media Lab.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-9 Enrollment

C911: Web App Programming with AppJet		David Greenspan, Aaron Iba, J.D. Zamfirescu
We will teach you how to build interactive web applications and give you a place to host them for free. This class is a prerequisite for our other class, “Facebook App Programming with AppJet”. Some experience with programming and HTML is recommended. We will be using a new online programming tool called AppJet. AppJet is designed to make it really easy to write a hosted web application. With AppJet, you write your entire program using JavaScript. (For those in the know: AppJet runs your JavaScript on its servers and has a JavaScript object database). We will also provide free hosting at .appjet.com. After taking this class, you might also want to participate in one of our “Laboratory in Web App Programming” sessions, where you can get more hands-on experience building web apps or facebook apps. See http://splash-info.appjet.com/ for the latest course updates and schedule. Prerequisites basic programming and HTML
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

C914: Introduction to Python		Eric Price
Ever wanted to learn how to program? I’ll teach you [Python](http://python.org/), a clean and easy-to-learn language with all the power you need.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C915: Laboratory in Web App Programming		David Greenspan, Aaron Iba, J.D. Zamfirescu
These lab sessions complement the “Web App Programming with AppJet” and “Facebook App Programming with AppJet” classes. In this lab, you can work in a group building web apps or facebook apps with AppJet. The three of us will be there to answer your questions. We will also provide a series of web programming challenge problems, and be available to give you hints and ideas along the way. During the last 10 minutes of each session, we will present and discuss successful solutions by students. If you have a laptop, please bring it. (We will try to provide some computers if we can.) IMPORTANT NOTE: Although the Splash catalog lists this class at one time frame, we will have the lab open most of the weekend! To see the schedule of lab hours, check http://splash-info.appjet.com/ . We will also be posting announcements there. Come hang out in the lab as much as you’d like, and we will help you get your web apps and facebook apps online! Prerequisites Web App Programming with AppJet (C911)
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

C916: Scratch Board -Scratch to the next level		Paul Medlock-Walton
Make your Scratch projects interactive using the Scratch Board, a circuit board with light, sound, and resistance sensors. Prerequisites Scratch - An Introduction or HSSP course "Creating Projects in Scratch"
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-9 Enrollment

C918: Facebook App Programming with AppJet		David Greenspan, Aaron Iba, J.D. Zamfirescu
We will teach you how to build Facebook Apps! We will also give you a free place to host them, using AppJet. A Facebook account and some basic knowledge of programming and HTML are required, as well as attending the “Web Programming with AppJet” class (C911). (If you are an advanced programmer, you may be able to take this class without “Web Programming with AppJet”.) After taking this class, you might also want to participate in one of our “Laboratory in Web Programming” sessions, for additional help getting your Facebook app online. See http://splash-info.appjet.com/ for the latest course updates and schedule. Prerequisites Web App Programming with AppJet (C911)
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

C935: Learn Programming with Processing		Carlos Rocha, J.D. Zamfirescu
This class is all about teaching people who haven’t programmed before how to use a cool graphical programming language called Processing. We’ll talk about what computers do, how they do it, and how you can make computers do what you want. Well, as much as we can get to in two hours. :) Bring a laptop if you’ve got one, but no worries if you don’t! (And if you do bring a laptop — please install the latest version of Processing from http://www.processing.org/ )
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C937: What's the Internet all about anyway?		J.D. Zamfirescu
Have some programming skills but at a loss when it comes to TCP/IP? Come learn about how the nuts and bolts of the Internet work. How does data get from one place to another? Who keeps track of it? How do webservers work? How does AIM work? E-mail? How does the Internet know who I’m sending an IM to? Answers to all these questions and more!! (And of course, bring your own questions too!!) Prerequisites Some programming experience helpful.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C949: Introduction to Programming with Haskell		Nelson Elhage
This is a class for students who are interested in computers, but who may have never programmed before. Using the functional language Haskell, we’ll learn how to express computation, and write computer programs to do interesting things. Haskell is one of the most advanced and powerful languages out there, but this class will aim to make it easy and approachable for you! No programming experience is required, but some background in math of at least algebra is useful.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

C957: Purely Functional Programming in Haskell		Alex Schwendner
Are you familiar with programming in imperative languages such as C, Java, Perl, etc? This class is an introduction to programming with an entirely different way of thinking, using functional programming in Haskell. Features like lazy evaluation, algebraic data types, and type inference make writing code in Haskell more like writing math. We’ll talk about paradigms to write general, powerful code quickly and elegantly using functional programming, and I’ll try to convince you why Haskell is the most elegant and awesome programming language. The main difference between this class and the one by Nelson Elhage is that this one is intended for students who are used to programming in imperative programming languages. Prerequisites computer programming experience
Meeting Times	Grades: 11-12 Enrollment

C980: Web App Programming with AppJet		David Greenspan, Aaron Iba, J.D. Zamfirescu
We will teach you how to build interactive web applications and give you a place to host them for free. This class is a prerequisite for our other class, “Facebook App Programming with AppJet”. Some experience with programming and HTML is recommended. We will be using a new online programming tool called AppJet. AppJet is designed to make it really easy to write a hosted web application. With AppJet, you write your entire program using JavaScript. (For those in the know: AppJet runs your JavaScript on its servers and has a JavaScript object database). We will also provide free hosting at .appjet.com. After taking this class, you might also want to participate in one of our “Laboratory in Web App Programming” sessions, where you can get more hands-on experience building web apps or facebook apps. See http://splash-info.appjet.com/ for the latest course updates and schedule. Prerequisites basic programming and HTML
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

C981: Web App Programming with AppJet		David Greenspan, Aaron Iba, J.D. Zamfirescu
We will teach you how to build interactive web applications and give you a place to host them for free. This class is a prerequisite for our other class, “Facebook App Programming with AppJet”. Some experience with programming and HTML is recommended. We will be using a new online programming tool called AppJet. AppJet is designed to make it really easy to write a hosted web application. With AppJet, you write your entire program using JavaScript. (For those in the know: AppJet runs your JavaScript on its servers and has a JavaScript object database). We will also provide free hosting at .appjet.com. After taking this class, you might also want to participate in one of our “Laboratory in Web App Programming” sessions, where you can get more hands-on experience building web apps or facebook apps. See http://splash-info.appjet.com/ for the latest course updates and schedule. Prerequisites basic programming and HTML
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

C984: Visualizing Our World: Ray Tracing and Computer Graphics		Daniel Zaharopol
The best computer images–those used in movies and high-quality renderings–come from a process known as “ray tracing,” literally the notion of following rays of light to see what colors your eye sees. We’ll talk about the ideas and mathematics behind these pictures. If you know how to program, this class will prepare you to write your own raytracer to render 3-D images, but programming is not at all required. Prerequisites Algebra and geometry are highly recommended. Familiarity with 3-D geometry (like dot product and cross product) will be useful, but not required.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C985: Software Engineering		Jeremy Smith
This class is for people who know how to code but want to learn the practices and standards for software engineers. Topics covered will be abstraction, representation, modularity, specifications, testing, style, and more. Prerequisites Familiarity with Object Oriented Programming
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

C991: Introducing Artificial Intelligence as Problems of Knowledge		Dustin Smith
This is an introduction to the field of Artificial Intelligence. I will introduce the problem landscape using Knowledge as the backbone for asking and answering these questions: - what is knowledge? - how do we evaluate knowledge? - how is it acquired (e.g., learning, inference)? - how is it represented (e.g., language)? - how is it used to solve problems? Students should have a strong interest in building intelligent machines.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

C1006: The Wonders of Pi		Rufus Roo Roo
The class is all about the greatest number ever “invented” - pi!! We will start with discussing exactly what pi is and a brief history of pi. Then we will discuss different ways to compute pi, and how pi shows up in your life every single day! Prerequisites Algebra, geometry, and trigonometry helpful, but anyone is welcome
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

C1007: Introducing Artificial Intelligence as Problems of Knowledge		Dustin Smith
This is an introduction to the field of Artificial Intelligence. I will introduce the problem landscape using Knowledge as the backbone for asking and answering these questions: - what is knowledge? - how do we evaluate knowledge? - how is it acquired (e.g., learning, inference)? - how is it represented (e.g., language)? - how is it used to solve problems? Students should have a strong interest in building intelligent machines.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

C1009: Scheming		Aviv Ovadya
An introduction to Scheme, a ridiculously flexible and powerful programming language. This class is meant for people who don’t know scheme (or other lisp variants). However, you should have some minimum programming experience - you should know what if statements and functions are. Prerequisites Basic programming experience
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Lecture slides Click here to view all 1 documents for Scheming

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H475: The Crash Course Course… To Go		Jordan Persson
The Crash Course Course makes a brief comeback for Splash. Since we only have a weekend, the tricks taught will be quick and easy… but still cool as hell. You’ll learn to psych out your friends and foes and how to make some neat gadgets with things found around the house. Be sure not to miss the class loved by students and feared by law enforcement!
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

H491: Build Your Own Headphone Amplifier		Michael Price
I enjoy do-it-yourself (DIY) audio because you can build loudspeakers and electronics with immediate, enjoyable results. We can’t build a pair of speakers in a short Splash class (wait until Spring HSSP for that); but we can start small. A headphone amplifier uses the same type of circuit building blocks as almost everything else, and it might noticeably improve the sound quality of your headphones. I’ll teach you some basic ideas about how circuits work, and how to build and test them using lab equipment at the MIT Edgerton Center. I’ll demonstrate the role of filters in changing the tone of sounds, and how they’re used to create accurate (or at least good sounding) speakers. Each of my brave students will receive a kit of electronic parts and documentation explaining the operation of the circuit, step by step. Then you’ll build and keep a battery powered headphone amp.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

H515: Imagine, Invent, Inhabit!		Najiyah Edun, Haruka Horiuchi
Students will learn about architecture and the environment in a hands-on way. We will investigate issues of sustainability, structure and creative problem-solving. Students will get the opportunity to design and build their own shelters out of completely recycled materials at full scale. Prerequisites enthusiasm!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H574: Rubiks Cube in 5 Easy steps! Class I		Weijian Chuah, Pangus Ho, Teerawut Wannaphahoon
Learn to solve a Rubiks Cube! This will be exciting - you never know you can solve one under 3 minutes unless you try! A two-hour workshop for a lifetime skill. Come learn and stun your friends! (We have Class I and Class II - choose the one that best fits your time. Please bring your cube if you have one)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H579: Baseball Statistics		Anthony Rindone
Baseball enthusiasts or newbies who want to understand the game better, this is for you. Previous statistics knowledge is not required. Understand some of the simplest and oldest statistical measures (AVG, OBP, OPS, SLG %, etc.) to the more present and incredibly accurate measures (VORP, PE, Pythagorean Records, etc.) Some time will be spent on deriving a few of these, but most time will be spent on understanding why these are important, as well as identifying the “best” players, under rated/over rated players, and a few surprises. We will also do a managing simulation/competitions on a computer program near the end of the class. Students are encouraged to bring their own statistical inquiries (anything from “what does this mean on the back of my baseball card?” to “why do people care about Barry Bonds and the home-run record?” can be discussed in class.)
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

H587: Card Throwing		Kevin Hwang
Learn how to throw ordinary playing cards! Prerequisites wrists
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H588: Card Throwing		Kevin Hwang
Learn how to throw ordinary playing cards! Prerequisites wrists
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H593: The Delivery and Use of Pick-up Lines		Kevin Hwang
$\emph{Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?}$ In this class, we’ll take a look at a number of pickup lines, from the great to the very very lame, and figure out a couple of our favorites. We’ll also talk about delivery, because not even the best pickup line in the world can cover poor delivery. No prior experience necessary.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H594: Homebuilt Hi-fi and Music Lounge		Michael Price, Laura Schuhrke
I’m an audio hobbyist - I like to build my own stereo systems from the ground up. In this short and informal “class” I’ll present some of the equipment that I designed and built, in a guided show-and-tell. We will scratch the surface of some of the electrical and mechanical engineering concepts that go into these projects. You’ll see what is involved in building gizmos like amplifiers and speakers yourself. Then we’ll sit back and enjoy some of your favorite music. Please bring CDs that you’d like to try, or a portable music player!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H596: Balloon Animal Workshop		Liza Plotnikov, Henry Robinson
Do you feel your life wasting away before your eyes due to your lack of balloon animal-making skills? I felt that way once. Then I learned to make balloon animals. Latex balloons are very easy to shape into all kinds of fun animals and various other crazy contraptions. The first half of the class will be spent learning to make some basic animals, while the second half will be devoted to creating anything you can imagine out of as many balloons as we can blow up. Come have fun making balloon animals with us and learn a little about why balloons behave the way they do. Note: As mentioned above, the balloons we will be using are made of latex. If you are allergic to latex, please do not sign up for the class.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-9 Enrollment

H597: Balloon Animal Workshop		Liza Plotnikov, Henry Robinson
Do you feel your life wasting away before your eyes due to your lack of balloon animal-making skills? I felt that way once. Then I learned to make balloon animals. Latex balloons are very easy to shape into all kinds of fun animals and various other crazy contraptions. The first half of the class will be spent learning to make some basic animals, while the second half will be devoted to creating anything you can imagine out of as many balloons as we can blow up. Come have fun making balloon animals with us and learn a little about why balloons behave the way they do. Note: As mentioned above, the balloons we will be using are made of latex. If you are allergic to latex, please do not sign up for the class.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

H598: Homebuilt Hi-fi and Music Lounge		Michael Price, Laura Schuhrke
I’m an audio hobbyist - I like to build my own stereo systems from the ground up. In this short and informal “class” I’ll present some of the equipment that I designed and built, in a guided show-and-tell. We will scratch the surface of some of the electrical and mechanical engineering concepts that go into these projects. You’ll see what is involved in building gizmos like amplifiers and speakers yourself. Then we’ll sit back and enjoy some of your favorite music. Please bring CDs that you’d like to try, or a portable music player!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H599: Homebuilt Hi-fi and Music Lounge		Michael Price, Laura Schuhrke
I’m an audio hobbyist - I like to build my own stereo systems from the ground up. In this short and informal “class” I’ll present some of the equipment that I designed and built, in a guided show-and-tell. We will scratch the surface of some of the electrical and mechanical engineering concepts that go into these projects. You’ll see what is involved in building gizmos like amplifiers and speakers yourself. Then we’ll sit back and enjoy some of your favorite music. Please bring CDs that you’d like to try, or a portable music player!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H614: Boffer Weapon Construction		Jacky Chang, Jonathan Losh, Dan Yuan
Tired of using a videogame controller to fight your battles? Come build a boffer weapon and be your own avatar! A boffer is a padded foam weapon constructed to strict safety standards used for fights in Live Action Role-Playing (LARPing) or just plain fun. In this class we will learn to build basic mid-length swords. If time permits, we may find a place to try out your creations. Teacher’s note: If you have attended this class before, please refrain from signing up so that others may try something new. Thanks!
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Boffer Construction Handout, Boffer Construction Handout (pdf) Click here to view all 2 documents for Boffer Weapon Construction

H616: Star Trek: Irritation		Mitchell Kelley, Thomas Rozek
Why do they still use the Holodeck after so many malfunctions? Why are ensigns the only ones to be vaporized on away missions? And who ever thought Deep Space Nine was a good idea? Star Trek: Irritation will give Trekkies a chance to spout off about what in the Trek universe gets their Heisenberg compensators out of whack. Come and talk in a supportive, therapeutic enviroment about everything that annoys you, from Starfleet’s curious lack of spacesuits, to time travel, and Wesley Crusher. We will also be discussing Denebian slime devils, Kirk vs. Picard, and Chakotay…while exploring important topics like theology, the destiny of mankind, and Riker’s beard. A firm grasp of the Star Trek universe is highly recommended. This class is for geeks and geeks at heart.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H622: How to Create a Language		Alyssa Kersting
Maid makta kian melkin dama? Dalketelanda majikoren kam’tja, nai’am! (Why would you invent your own language? So you could write things like this, of course!) Come learn the fun art of conlanging! Prerequisites One year of any foreign language
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Samples of Less Common Writing Systems (pdf), IPA Chart, Slide Show Presentation Click here to view all 4 documents for How to Create a Language

H623: Boffer Weapon Construction		Kate Kuznetsova, Jonathan Losh, Dan Yuan
Tired of using a videogame controller to fight your battles? Come build a boffer weapon and be your own avatar! A boffer is a padded foam weapon constructed to strict safety standards used for fights in Live Action Role-Playing (LARPing) or just plain fun. In this class we will learn to build basic mid-length swords. If time permits, we may find a place to try out your creations. Teacher’s note: If you have attended this class before, please refrain from signing up so that others may try something new. Thanks!
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Boffer Construction Handout, Boffer Construction Handout (pdf) Click here to view all 2 documents for Boffer Weapon Construction

H625: Beyond Paper Cranes		Pei Lin Ren
Paper cranes get boring after a while but there’s more to this old origami model than you can imagine. Look at some of Sebanzaru Orikata’s layouts for connected cranes and start on designing your own connected cranes. (BRING A PAIR OF SCISSORS— we will be violating some rules of origami) Prerequisites be able to fold a paper crane
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H627: Make a Jayne Hat! (Firefly)		Jasmine Florentine
“A man walks down the street in that hat, people know he’s not afraid of anything.” If you’re a fan of Firefly, then you probably want a shiny hat like Jayne Cobb’s (and if you don’t know what that is, google it or go re-watch episode 12.) Learn the basics for making a hat - knitting, reading patterns, making pom-poms, killing Reavers. No experience required. This class is listed as a one hour class, but it will continue past the end time for as long as you would like to stay around finishing your hat (no later than 11pm, though). For a fun supplement, also check out “Being a Browncoat 101 - An Intro to the Firefly ‘Verse”
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H628: Spraypaint Mural Workshop		Gabriel Cira
Learn to tag! This class will teach basic techniques and principles of spraypaint art. We’ll provide Big paper and lots of Montana cans. Bring your creativity and wear clothes that you are not afraid to get a little dirty.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H635: Duct Tape Design		Stephanie Bachar, Jacky Chang, Vikki Chou, Nelson Elhage, Jessy McQuaw
Come learn how to make things out of duct tape! We will discuss techniques to construct just about anything out of that most wonderful and versatile of building materials — duct tape! And not just the standard fare — we’ll also look at smaller, trickier things, that need more cleverness and finesse, like gloves. Bring your own tape if you’ve got it!
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H642: The Art of Chain Mail		Jesse Ashcraft-Johnson, Jacky Chang
A long time ago, when things were more hardcore, people actually tried to kill each other with swords. Those who didn’t want to be killed defended themselves with things like armor and chain mail. Come learn a few of the weaves they used for this, and a few that they didn’t. You might even get to try out a few cooler things.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

H645: Patrol		Liza Plotnikov
Travel to strange new classrooms. Meet interesting, unusual people, and kill them! Patrol is a high-action game of live combat with rubber-dart guns. Shoot your friends, then watch out as they try to take their revenge. Sponsored by the MIT Assassins’ Guild NOTE: Since this event is run by a separate student group at MIT, you will need a separate permission slip for it. Please print out the form found on the class website, have your parent/guardian sign it and bring it with you. You will not be allowed into the class otherwise.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H649: Poi Workshop (Beginner)		Greg Echelberger, Danbee Kim, Benjamin Lu
Top 10 Reasons to Spin Poi: 10. It’s good exercise! 9. It makes people try really hard not to stare at you. 8. It lets you create complicated, technical patterns and fool people into thinking you can dance. 7. It lets you play with toys and fool people into thinking you can dance. 6. Why not? 5. It’s the most fun you will ever have with a pair of socks. 4. It’s an excuse to think about physics! 3. It’s actually a great way to dance to music. 2. Procrastination. 1. It’s an excuse to play with fire! For those of you that wanted a real explanation, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poi_%28juggling%29 For those of you who think a YouTube video is worth 1000 Wikis, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCcLZUT81Lw Prerequisites At least one hand
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H652: Automotive Engine Basics		Craig Wildman
This course will cover the basics of how an internal combustion engine works. We will disassemble a car engine and pass around parts to understand what they do and why they were made the way they were. Also, we will discuss relevant issues such as power, efficiency, and emissions. Some background on energy use and pollution will be mentioned as well.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H656: How to Draw Shiny Things		Andrew Geng
Come learn some basics of drawing shiny things! After we talk about some ways to make things look shiny, you’ll have a chance to apply what you’ve learned. If you’ve always wanted to know how to draw water, glass, metal, or even the shiny buttons in Mac OS X, this class is for you! I’ll provide white paper and a few colored pencils, but feel free to bring your own art materials.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H657: How to Draw Shiny Things		Andrew Geng
Come learn some basics of drawing shiny things! After we talk about some ways to make things look shiny, you’ll have a chance to apply what you’ve learned. If you’ve always wanted to know how to draw water, glass, metal, or even the shiny buttons in Mac OS X, this class is for you! I’ll provide white paper and a few colored pencils, but feel free to bring your own art materials.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H659: Magic 101 - Card Tricks		Kevin Brokish
Learn to perform mind-blowing card tricks! No experience necessary: we’ll start with the basic, essential moves that are common to many tricks. Then we’ll use those moves to perform some of the astonishing card tricks that professional street magicians do.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H660: Comics and Manga I: Design and Illustration		Jennifer Fu
Has your love for comics or manga inspired you to create comic-related art? Drawing for comics and manga often involves techniques and processes that are not immediately relevant to general drawing. Learn what it takes, whether you’re drawing comic art for the first time, or you want to take your current skills to the next level. This class will discuss approaches to both sequential art and stand-alone pin-ups, ranging from basics such as anatomy and perspective, to comic-specific versions of topics such as line and form, composition, rendering, screentoning, color, and tools of the trade. We will also cover story-specific points such as character design and world-building. (NOTE: Although these techniques are applicable for most kinds of comics, this class will be taught with slightly greater emphasis on manga, or Japanese sequential art.) Prerequisites Some basic drawing experience (formal art class experience not required.)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H663: Comics and Manga II: Storytelling and Production		Jennifer Fu
Sequential art (also known as comics or graphic novels) is a rich and complex art form that involves more than just superheroes and giant robots. Learn how to turn comic-style artwork into living and breathing comic stories. This class is split into two one-hour focus sessions; the first centers on sequential art storytelling, including panelling, page composition, angle shots, and final effects such as lettering and rendering. The second session walks through the comic production process step-by-step, from the concept and storyboarding to the final product and beyond. (NOTE: Although these techniques are applicable for most kinds of comics, this class will be taught with slightly greater emphasis on manga, or Japanese sequential art.) Prerequisites Basic drawing experience suggested, but not required
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H670: How to Grow Hair		Rohan Agrawal, Aleksandr Arkhipov, Paul Hlebowitsh
In this class we will go through the step by step process of how to grow hair. There will be cookies. And guitars. And ninjas. And robots. And ninja robots playing guitars while eating cookies. And a ridiculous, ridiculous amount of hair. Note: This class may actually contain factual data. Maybe. Prerequisites Desire to max-AMAZE your awesomely, awesome hair
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H672: Pulling the all-nighter		Beth Schaffer
Learn strategies for pulling your 1st, 5th, or $n$ th all-nighter. Coffee and Red Bull are not your only choices! Find out about all of the options at your disposal, from spicy food to a 2am jog. We’ll also look at finding the right balance between energy and concentration, and under just what circumstances our all-nighter strategies should be employed.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H673: Tasseography: Reading Tea Leaves		Jennifer Hogan
Is the future your cup of tea? The reading of tea leaves or coffee grounds developed separately in Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and the British Isles. The patterns in the left-over tea leaves can serve as a mental focus for divination and meditation. We’ll talk about the origins of tea leaf reading, drink some tea, and practise some ourselves.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H675: SET: a game with combinatorial possibilities		Moji Jimoh
Learn how to play the game SET and explore some of the combinatorics behind the game.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H676: Mystery Engineering		Vrajesh Modi
This class is designed to challenge students to think on their feet. They will be given “building materials” and instructions to build a structure to meet certain parameters. The specific scoring criteria will be identified in the instructions, and could include height, weight, or strength–to-weight ratio. (This class is based on the 2007 Science Olympiad Trial Event. Description adapted from soinc.org)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H677: How to Draw Shiny Things		Andrew Geng
Come learn some basics of drawing shiny things! After we talk about some ways to make things look shiny, you’ll have a chance to apply what you’ve learned. If you’ve always wanted to know how to draw water, glass, metal, or even the shiny buttons in Mac OS X, this class is for you! I’ll provide white paper and a few colored pencils, but feel free to bring your own art materials.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H681: 1000+ Cranes in a Day		Pei Lin Ren
Learn to simplify the art of folding a paper crane into as few steps as possible and as quickly as possible. Prerequisites be able to fold a paper crane
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

H683: Snowflakes!!		Pei Lin Ren
Snowflakes are small, pretty and melt in your hands. Why not make some bigger paper ones that won’t melt? Oh, this is going to get complicated … (Bring scissors)
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H690: Being a Browncoat 101 - An Intro to the Firefly 'Verse		Michael Lin
Fans of Firefly and/or Serenity are welcome, but those new to Firefly are especially encouraged to attend. A brief lecture/introduction to the concept and characters, followed by a randomly-selected episode from the series, followed by a discussion. Welcome to Firefly. Note: If students are also registered for the “Make a Jayne Hat!” class, the relevant portion of “The Message” will also be shown to provide context.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H696: Learn to Crochet		Haneef Evans
Teaches the basics to crochet for left and right handed students. Includes some of the basic stitches of Crocheting.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H698: Didgeridoos: How to Build em' and Play em'		Mikey Siegel
Ever heard of a Didgeridoo? Well, check it out: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didgeridoo] Want to build your own and then learn how to play it? When this class is over you’ll have a high quality Didge, better than any you’ll find in a store, and all the knowledge you’ll need to start playing it. I’m also teaching a class on how to Circular Breathe, which lets you play the Didgeridoo without stopping for as long as you want. Its under Hobbies, and called “Learning to Exhale, Forever” Prerequisites Lips.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H699: Learning to Exhale, Forever		Mikey Siegel
Want to learn how to exhale, without stopping, EVER? Circular breathing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_breathing] is a technique which allows you to constantly breath out through your mouth, while taking little inhales through your nose. In a way, you are breathing out and in at the same time. Why would someone want to do this? Playing the Didgeridoo, most wind instruments, impressing your friends…. and tons of other reasons which we can think of if you come to the class. If you took my how to build a Didgeridoo class, bring your new instrument. If you don’t have an instrument, that’s totally fine. You don’t need any special equipment to learn this skill.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H708: Origami		David Zou
Come learn to make cranes, frogs, flowers, and even an X-wing fighter with nothing but a square piece of paper.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H711: It Doesn't Just Taste Good!		Casey Dugan
In this class, we’ll make sculptures out of chocolate! But, they’ll look so good you won’t want to eat them when you’re through. In previous years students have come up with all kinds of creative designs: dragons, islands, scenes from books, space ships, turtles, houses, horses, abstract pieces, sunflowers, lily pads, chess boards, painters’ palettes, breakfast, a clock, a wedding dress, three turkeys, and more. Candy bars don’t count… :) Come with ideas or come up with something on the spot! Those with food allergies: Chocolate may contain peanuts or peanut products. Sorry. :(
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H712: It Doesn't Just Taste Good!		Casey Dugan
In this class, we’ll make sculptures out of chocolate! But, they’ll look so good you won’t want to eat them when you’re through. In previous years students have come up with all kinds of creative designs: dragons, islands, scenes from books, space ships, turtles, houses, horses, abstract pieces, sunflowers, lily pads, chess boards, painters’ palettes, breakfast, a clock, a wedding dress, three turkeys, and more. Candy bars don’t count… :) Come with ideas or come up with something on the spot! Those with food allergies: Chocolate may contain peanuts or peanut products. Sorry. :(
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H713: It Doesn't Just Taste Good!		Casey Dugan
In this class, we’ll make sculptures out of chocolate! But, they’ll look so good you won’t want to eat them when you’re through. In previous years students have come up with all kinds of creative designs: dragons, islands, scenes from books, space ships, turtles, houses, horses, abstract pieces, sunflowers, lily pads, chess boards, painters’ palettes, breakfast, a clock, a wedding dress, three turkeys, and more. Candy bars don’t count… :) Come with ideas or come up with something on the spot! Those with food allergies: Chocolate may contain peanuts or peanut products. Sorry. :(
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H714: It Doesn't Just Taste Good!		Casey Dugan
In this class, we’ll make sculptures out of chocolate! But, they’ll look so good you won’t want to eat them when you’re through. In previous years students have come up with all kinds of creative designs: dragons, islands, scenes from books, space ships, turtles, houses, horses, abstract pieces, sunflowers, lily pads, chess boards, painters’ palettes, breakfast, a clock, a wedding dress, three turkeys, and more. Candy bars don’t count… :) Come with ideas or come up with something on the spot! Those with food allergies: Chocolate may contain peanuts or peanut products. Sorry. :(
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H715: Comic Book Appreciation		Jennifer Fu, Emily Pittore
Do you love comics? Do you love manga? Do you think comic books are for kids? Are you interested in comics but don’t know where to start? Do you read American comics, but have never touched Japanese comics, or vice versa? Do you like to look at pretty pictures? Do you like to read? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should take this class! Comics and manga have gotten pretty popular, and there’s a lot of good ones out there. We’ll discuss why comic books are awesome, what exactly is out there these days, and recommend some good titles for those who want to read more. There may even be some comic books around to read in class
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H722: Gift Wrapping 101		Mindy Eng
Gift wrapping technique and bow making tutorial in time for Christmas! If possible, please bring a small stapler to class
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H723: Origami!		Laura Schuhrke
Folding paper is fun, but wouldn’t it be nice to know how to make more than just a paper crane? Come learn how to make awsome stuff with brightly colored paper!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H726: 8.54 (πe)		Hannah Rice, Laila Wahedi
Come learn how to make pie, just in time for Thanksgiving!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H728: Design!		Holly Greenberg
In this class you will be introduced to some basic design principles. We will examine various problems and try and brainstorm and design solutions! Prerequisites excitement about problem solving!
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

H731: American Numismatics 101		Chris Su
You’ll never look at the dollar bills and the quarters in your pockets in the same way ever again. Guaranteed. :) Prerequisites Bring a dollar bill.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H734: Chocolate 102		Diane Rak
Let’s explore the magical world of chocolate! After discovering the how’s, when’s, and where’s of chocolate, we’ll have a chance to try a variety of types and brands. (Lecture is followed by sampling.)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H736: Class of the Dead		Richard Prevost
Covering such topics as “Dilemmas in Undead Ethics: Playing God or Doing Good?” and “Chainsaw or Shotgun?”, this course will give participants a complete view of all things zombie.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H737: Field Guide to Fanfiction		Dora Gao, Claire Nauman, Emily Pittore
Excerpt from “This is it” by Kaitlynn Malfoy taken off fanfiction.net “So what are you going to do now?” Ginny said. “Are u gonna go get an abortion?” “No I love Harry and I know he’ll love me and our child. I just have to find away to tell him.” said Hermione … “That’s it Ginny thats just it, that’s what I want, real true love like your parents have.” Hermione was crying again now. “Or like Remus and Severus.” Since Sirius died Remus and Snape had gradually become closer to each other and then they had announced they were in love. They had just got engaged and Hermione and the Weasleys were very happy for them. It had taken Harry much longer to get used to the idea of them being together, but he’d made the effort to build bridges. He wanted to see Remus happy, and if that meant him being with Snape, so be it. Harry was even starting to get used to calling Snape Severus now. “Don’t cry it’s going to be OK, Harry loves you I know he does and he will love your baby as well.” Ginny patted her on the back. “but you can’t keep this a secret from him any longer.” “DUH I wasn’t GOING to!” Hermione said “I just told you I’m going to tell him at lunch tomorrow.” — This class will provide a detailed exploration of the anatomy of fan-fiction and its sub-genres. Examples will be taken from various texts, including the epic tales of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Neopets. Prerequisites Sense of Humor
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H738: Knex Weaponry		Peter Schmidt-Nielsen
Knex, not just a fun toy, but also an excellent medium for weaponry. Guns to be specific. In this class we will build Knex guns using exclusively Knex pieces and rubber bands. You will be allowed to keep anything you build. Prerequisites A love of shooting stuff.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H739: Elite/Top College Admissions Information Conference		Steven Mo
If I want to get into MIT, Stanford, and/or Ivy League schools…How good should my SAT be? How important are leadership and extracurricular activities? Is financial cost really a problem even if I get in? How do I be “unique” and stand out on among all the other applications? How do I write good essays? Is there any chance for a B-average student? How do legacy and connection work? Should I even bother to apply? Is the college ranking really overrated? How about liberal arts schools vs. national universities? And, most importantly, any questions you want to ask will be answered in details!!! Prerequisites You have a dream school and you want to go there!
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Top College Admissions Statistics - Class of 2011, An Inside Story of How MIT Chooses Its Students! Click here to view all 2 documents for Elite/Top College Admissions Information Conference

H758: Drawing and Design		Ilan Moyer
Learn some of the basics of drawing… everything from how to properly sharpen a pencil to designing with the golden ratio. The focus will be on drawing man-made objects, but the principles are applicable to drawing nature and people. Please bring a compass, ruler, and eraser. Paper and pencils will be provided.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H767: Simple Stuffed Pals		Yan Huang
Come in and relax. We’ll be hand sewing simple stuffed animals. Make a little pal for your backpack or key chain. It doesn’t matter if your a sewing guru or you’ve never touched a needle before, everyone is welcome.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H769: Cross Stitch Monograms		Yan Huang
Cross stitch is a popular form of counted-thread embroidery in which X-shaped stitches are used to form a picture. It is also one of the world oldest forms of embroidery. Cross stitch is easy to learn and beautiful to look at. Beginners and experts all welcome. I will give a short talk at the beginning about how cross stitching works, and then we will start our projects. We will be working with decorative cross stitch alphabets. You can bring a t-shirt or a handkerchief to monogram or I will also provide aida cloth for making little pouches for a cellphone or a T pass.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H778: Locksmithing		Sho Uemura
Learn about locks: how they work, how they are bypassed, and how they are picked. Lecture format.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

H782: Cook Your Own Thanksgiving		Stephanie Bachar
Ready for two hours chock full of baking, broiling, chopping, and (most importantly) Thanksgiving? Cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes - these are all traditional Thanksgiving foods that we’ll be cooking in this class (along with others). Hopefully you’ll go home with a couple of new recipies to prepare for the Thursday after Splash!
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H783: Tie-Dye ANYTHING! (all day Saturday)		Alexandra Vinegar
Music and all the color you could ever want! This is an open class, so register if you want to save an hour-block to dye a few things, or just stop by sometime during the first day of Splash. There will be white cotton shirts for $2 if you want to buy from us — or you can always bring your own clothing - shirts, socks, sheets, lamp shades — ANYTHING you want to tie-dye (although good luck tying the lamp shade). Tie it and dye it on the 17th and then just stop by to pick it up on the 18th. Don’t know how to tie-dye? Don’t worry, this is, after all, a class — I’ll walk you through it. If there’s a space shortage, preference will be given to those who register, but stop by even if you only have 20 spare minutes). The class will run through lunch if you only have time then. No age limit. Parents welcome too. Hope to see you there! — Zandra
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: tie-dye-claim-form.pdf Click here to view all 1 documents for Tie-Dye ANYTHING! (all day Saturday)

H784: Tie-Dye ANYTHING! (all day Saturday)		Alexandra Vinegar
Music and all the color you could ever want! This is an open class, so register if you want to save an hour-block to dye a few things, or just stop by sometime during the first day of Splash. There will be white cotton shirts for $2 if you want to buy from us — or you can always bring your own clothing - shirts, socks, sheets, lamp shades — ANYTHING you want to tie-dye (although good luck tying the lamp shade). Tie it and dye it on the 17th and then just stop by to pick it up on the 18th. Don’t know how to tie-dye? Don’t worry, this is, after all, a class — I’ll walk you through it. If there’s a space shortage, preference will be given to those who register, but stop by even if you only have 20 spare minutes). The class will run through lunch if you only have time then. No age limit. Parents welcome too. Hope to see you there! — Zandra
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H785: Tie-Dye ANYTHING! (all day Saturday)		Alexandra Vinegar
Music and all the color you could ever want! This is an open class, so register if you want to save an hour-block to dye a few things, or just stop by sometime during the first day of Splash. There will be white cotton shirts for $2 if you want to buy from us — or you can always bring your own clothing - shirts, socks, sheets, lamp shades — ANYTHING you want to tie-dye (although good luck tying the lamp shade). Tie it and dye it on the 17th and then just stop by to pick it up on the 18th. Don’t know how to tie-dye? Don’t worry, this is, after all, a class — I’ll walk you through it. If there’s a space shortage, preference will be given to those who register, but stop by even if you only have 20 spare minutes). The class will run through lunch if you only have time then. No age limit. Parents welcome too. Hope to see you there! — Zandra
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H787: Tie-Dye ANYTHING! (all day Saturday)		Alexandra Vinegar
Music and all the color you could ever want! This is an open class, so register if you want to save an hour-block to dye a few things, or just stop by sometime during the first day of Splash. There will be white cotton shirts for $2 if you want to buy from us — or you can always bring your own clothing - shirts, socks, sheets, lamp shades — ANYTHING you want to tie-dye (although good luck tying the lamp shade). Tie it and dye it on the 17th and then just stop by to pick it up on the 18th. Don’t know how to tie-dye? Don’t worry, this is, after all, a class — I’ll walk you through it. If there’s a space shortage, preference will be given to those who register, but stop by even if you only have 20 spare minutes). The class will run through lunch if you only have time then. No age limit. Parents welcome too. Hope to see you there! — Zandra
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H788: Tie-Dye ANYTHING! (all day Saturday)		Alexandra Vinegar
Music and all the color you could ever want! This is an open class, so register if you want to save an hour-block to dye a few things, or just stop by sometime during the first day of Splash. There will be white cotton shirts for $2 if you want to buy from us — or you can always bring your own clothing - shirts, socks, sheets, lamp shades — ANYTHING you want to tie-dye (although good luck tying the lamp shade). Tie it and dye it on the 17th and then just stop by to pick it up on the 18th. Don’t know how to tie-dye? Don’t worry, this is, after all, a class — I’ll walk you through it. If there’s a space shortage, preference will be given to those who register, but stop by even if you only have 20 spare minutes). The class will run through lunch if you only have time then. No age limit. Parents welcome too. Hope to see you there! — Zandra
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H789: Tie-Dye ANYTHING! (all day Saturday)		Alexandra Vinegar
Music and all the color you could ever want! This is an open class, so register if you want to save an hour-block to dye a few things, or just stop by sometime during the first day of Splash. There will be white cotton shirts for $2 if you want to buy from us — or you can always bring your own clothing - shirts, socks, sheets, lamp shades — ANYTHING you want to tie-dye (although good luck tying the lamp shade). Tie it and dye it on the 17th and then just stop by to pick it up on the 18th. Don’t know how to tie-dye? Don’t worry, this is, after all, a class — I’ll walk you through it. If there’s a space shortage, preference will be given to those who register, but stop by even if you only have 20 spare minutes). The class will run through lunch if you only have time then. No age limit. Parents welcome too. Hope to see you there! — Zandra
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H792: Tie-Dye ANYTHING! (all day Saturday)		Alexandra Vinegar
Music and all the color you could ever want! This is an open class, so register if you want to save an hour-block to dye a few things, or just stop by sometime during the first day of Splash. There will be white cotton shirts for $2 if you want to buy from us — or you can always bring your own clothing - shirts, socks, sheets, lamp shades — ANYTHING you want to tie-dye (although good luck tying the lamp shade). Tie it and dye it on the 17th and then just stop by to pick it up on the 18th. Don’t know how to tie-dye? Don’t worry, this is, after all, a class — I’ll walk you through it. If there’s a space shortage, preference will be given to those who register, but stop by even if you only have 20 spare minutes). The class will run through lunch if you only have time then. No age limit. Parents welcome too. Hope to see you there! — Zandra
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H794: Tie-Dye ANYTHING! (all day Saturday)		Alexandra Vinegar
Music and all the color you could ever want! This is an open class, so register if you want to save an hour-block to dye a few things, or just stop by sometime during the first day of Splash. There will be white cotton shirts for $2 if you want to buy from us — or you can always bring your own clothing - shirts, socks, sheets, lamp shades — ANYTHING you want to tie-dye (although good luck tying the lamp shade). Tie it and dye it on the 17th and then just stop by to pick it up on the 18th. Don’t know how to tie-dye? Don’t worry, this is, after all, a class — I’ll walk you through it. If there’s a space shortage, preference will be given to those who register, but stop by even if you only have 20 spare minutes). The class will run through lunch if you only have time then. No age limit. Parents welcome too. Hope to see you there! — Zandra
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H799: Wading through the bias		Beth Schaffer
Interested in world events? Want to be able to hold your own in intelligent topical debate? Just want to be an informed citizen? Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to do so as it may seem. Just watching the news or reading the paper won’t necessarily give you an accurate idea of what’s actually going on. Most news media is fraught with intentional and unintentional biases that are all too easy to take on as your own. Come to this class to learn to spot these biases and how to determine what actually happened when every news source twists the story one way or another.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-10 Enrollment

H805: Paper Airplanes 101		Kim Jackson, Jacqueline Rogoff, Dan Yuan
Ever wanted to fly your own plane? Now you can! We’ll show you how to make several kinds of paper airplanes, as well as explain a little about what makes them fly.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H816: Introduction to European Games		Jason Alonso, Catherine Havasi, Yuri Lin, David Roe, Adam Seering
Tired of Monopoly, Taboo and Trivial Pursuit? This class will introduce “European-style” board games, which range from monks in a monastery trying to solve a murder mystery to settling an island to building Arabian palaces. These games are social, fun and themed while still incorporating interesting strategy. We’ll explore several varieties of European games, including some specific examples, and examine sources for these games. This class will include, of course, a “games tasting” session, where we will break into groups and play some of these games.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

H828: Sixty Murderous Minutes of Mafia		Eva Cheung, R Tharu
It’s a bright and sunny morning in Pleasantville (or, well, MIT), and all its residents (that would be you, come November) are happily running around—except one. Some poor unfortunate soul is lying, somewhere, dead. Who is it? More importantly—who was the killer? Join us for a game to find out.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H829: Type is Cool: Introduction to Font Design		Luke Joyner
We’ll warm up a bit by drawing some letters of all kinds. Then I’ll provide a short history of letterforms, alphabets and orthographies, from ancient times to the invention of the printing press and up to the most modern digital type design technologies, and give a very short introduction to the practice of designing a font. After that, you’ll get a chance to start designing a font of your own, using some of the techniques that you’ve learned.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H833: The original origami		Annie Kwon
Learn how to make crane, box, camera, flower, chair, just about anything. You name it!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H838: Learn Tolkien's Elvish		Susan Shepherd
If you liked the books, the movie, or the assorted paintings that have been done based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s world of Middle Earth, this class might be for you. Learn how to pronounce the Sindarin form of the Elvish language, including how to spell it out using Tengwar (the writing alphabet), and learn a few basic words and phrases.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H842: The Science of “Dating”		Alice Nawfal, Kevin Rustagi
An entertaining course that teaches students the etiquettes of dating in our contemporary society. Course will include fun quizzes, anecdotes, jokes, a powerpoint presentation, and games.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H844: Rubiks Cube in 5 Easy steps! Class II		Weijian Chuah, Pangus Ho, Teerawut Wannaphahoon
Learn to solve a Rubiks Cube! This will be exciting - you never know you can solve one under 3 minutes unless you try! A two-hour workshop for a lifetime skill. Come learn and stun your friends!(We have Class I and Class II - choose the one that best fits your time. Please bring your cube if you have one)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H845: YOU Can Fly!		Sameera Ponda, Constantine Speridakos
You CAN fly! Have you ever dreamed of flying airplanes? What training do you need to fly? What are the fun things you can do with a pilot’s license? This class will include a little bit of everything about flying - how airplanes fly, how YOU can learn to fly airplanes when you get older, what tasks a pilot completes over the course of a normal flight, and, most importantly, lots of answers to your questions about flying and learning to fly! This class is taught by a licensed pilot, and, if the class size allows, students will have the opportunity to use charts, plotters, and other tools in actually learning how to plan a flight!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Powerpoint Slides Click here to view all 1 documents for YOU Can Fly!

H850: Introductory Dark Chocolate Tasting		Meghan Reedy
So you like chocolate. A lot. You even have a favorite brand. (Hersheys? Nestle? Dove?) But it’s all just chocolate, right? Wrong! There’s a lot more to chocolate than what you buy in the grocery store. There are gradations of how dark it is, different types of beans, even chocolate made from beans all from the same country or even the same plantation! And they all have distinctive tastes. We’ll have a range of different chocolates, as well as information about the different types of chocolate. We’ll explore several different aspects of high-quality chocolate (such as percentage cocoa contents, and what country it comes from) and discuss what these things do to the flavor. We’ll also bring some suggestions for where to look for buying your own chocolate. Note: Although younger students may take this class, please make sure they can sit still and join in a reasonable discussion. Anyone being rowdy will be asked to leave.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H852: Introductory Dark Chocolate Tasting		Meghan Reedy
So you like chocolate. A lot. You even have a favorite brand. (Hersheys? Nestle? Dove?) But it’s all just chocolate, right? Wrong! There’s a lot more to chocolate than what you buy in the grocery store. There are gradations of how dark it is, different types of beans, even chocolate made from beans all from the same country or even the same plantation! And they all have distinctive tastes. We’ll have a range of different chocolates, as well as information about the different types of chocolate. We’ll explore several different aspects of high-quality chocolate (such as percentage cocoa contents, and what country it comes from) and discuss what these things do to the flavor. We’ll also bring some suggestions for where to look for buying your own chocolate. Note: Although younger students may take this class, please make sure they can sit still and join in a reasonable discussion. Anyone being rowdy will be asked to leave.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H854: Learn to Embroider		Meghan Reedy
Ever looked at an embroidery piece and wondered how it’s done? Now’s your chance to learn! It’s easy and fun, and great for working on in front of the TV or to stay awake in class. We’ll be working on counted cross stitch, a particular type of embroidering. Plus, you’ll get your own small piece to make. In the first hour, I’ll show you the basics of counted cross stitching, and get you started on a simple beginner’s kit. The second hour is optional, and you’re more than welcome to stay and ask questions or keep working on your kit. I’ll be on hand to help out.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H857: Introduction to Go!		Yuri Lin, Daniel Whalen
Learn to play go, the abstract (and really pretty!) strategy game that was created in China thousands of years ago. Come learn the rules of the game and some very basic strategy, and try your hand at a few games! (Disclaimer: if you already know some theory or strategy of go, this class is probably not for you.)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H858: Beginning Swing: Moves Galore		David Zou
They say that it’s not about how many move you know, but how well you do them, but let’s face it, new moves are just simply more exciting. Come learn to swing starting with a plethora of moves: waist turns, sugar pushes, and pretzel turns. No previous experience require, all are welcome. Especially males.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H862: Embroider Anything: Pattern Design and Workshop		Kimberly Beder
Embroidery is the art of making designs on cloth. Almost all embroidery projects require a pattern - but what if you can’t find the pattern you want? This class will cover the process of creating embroidered art, from pattern creation to simple stitches. Everyone will be able to make their own pattern and to begin their own embroidery project which you can take home to finish. Pre-made patterns will also be available to study. Students should bring pictures of things they might like to design a pattern for!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H870: An Introduction to Practical Knotwork		Stephanie Cheng, Daniel Whalen
An interactive introduction to the construction and use of knots from sailing, and climbing.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H874: illustration: the small book		Alana Rivera
A book can be filled with words, and pictures, in varying quantities. In this course we will work to create a small book and use a simple binding technique. Prerequisites creativity
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H881: Ramencraft		Jason Alonso, Kevin Hwang
Playing with food is an activity with a long and glorious history. From the very first cave paintings of steak-tossing, to the more modern pastimes of salad bowling and produce bocce, people the world over have long enjoyed making meals both fun and nutritional. In this class, we’ll be exploring the art of ramen noodle sculpture. In particular, we will be working with a soften-and-dry technique with wire reinforcement. Ramen noodles will be provided - come with ideas for designs!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H894: Introduction To Voice Recording and Digital Audio Editing		Jack Hill, Adam Spanbauer
After learning microphone and voice technique, practice hands on recording and then edit the audio for the perfect voice recording.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H896: Photography Experience		Stephanie Lin, Tiffany Tseng
This class will take you through the whole process of photography from taking pictures to developing to printing. We’ll start off the morning with some basic principles that you should keep in mind while you’re taking pictures. After that you’ll have the rest of the Saturday morning session to take pictures. We’ll reconvene in the afternoon and develop the film from the morning session. We’ll leave the film out overnight to dry. Finally, we’ll reconvene on Sunday and teach you how to print. At the end of two days you’ll have prints to take home to share your Splash experience with all your friends! Note: You do not have to have your own (film, not digital) camera to take this course (though if you have one, please bring it!)
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H898: Nutrition with a plant-based diet		Lisa Danz
Depending on whom you ask, being vegan or vegetarian will kill you or save you. It will be easy or hard. I’ll try not to give you an answer to these questions, although I can tell you from experience what it’s like to be vegan for a year. Instead of giving my opinion, I’ll present some of the studies and arguments regarding plant-based food and how it interacts with your body.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H899: Poi Workshop (Beginner)		Greg Echelberger, Danbee Kim, Benjamin Lu
Top 10 Reasons to Spin Poi: 10. It’s good exercise! 9. It makes people try really hard not to stare at you. 8. It lets you create complicated, technical patterns and fool people into thinking you can dance. 7. It lets you play with toys and fool people into thinking you can dance. 6. Why not? 5. It’s the most fun you will ever have with a pair of socks. 4. It’s an excuse to think about physics! 3. It’s actually a great way to dance to music. 2. Procrastination. 1. It’s an excuse to play with fire! For those of you that wanted a real explanation, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poi_%28juggling%29 For those of you who think a YouTube video is worth 1000 Wikis, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCcLZUT81Lw Prerequisites At least one hand
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H901: Card Throwing		Kevin Hwang
Learn how to throw ordinary playing cards! Prerequisites wrists
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H902: Card Throwing		Kevin Hwang
Learn how to throw ordinary playing cards! Prerequisites wrists
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H904: Chess Challenges		Weijian Chuah, Tianyuan Zheng
Good in chess? Mate in 3? Mate in 4? Come play the most exciting chess puzzles and win prizes! Prerequisites Know how to play chess
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H905: Poi Workshop (Advanced)		Greg Echelberger, Danbee Kim, Benjamin Lu
In only one hour, we will transform you from an average three-beat-weaver into a poi prodigy! Seriously, you’ll be this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwGyTK789zE (People who have attended a beginner workshop are welcome to attend!) Prerequisites Some previous experience spinning
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H906: Poi Workshop (Beginner)		Greg Echelberger, Danbee Kim, Benjamin Lu
Top 10 Reasons to Spin Poi: 10. It’s good exercise! 9. It makes people try really hard not to stare at you. 8. It lets you create complicated, technical patterns and fool people into thinking you can dance. 7. It lets you play with toys and fool people into thinking you can dance. 6. Why not? 5. It’s the most fun you will ever have with a pair of socks. 4. It’s an excuse to think about physics! 3. It’s actually a great way to dance to music. 2. Procrastination. 1. It’s an excuse to play with fire! For those of you that wanted a real explanation, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poi_%28juggling%29 For those of you who think a YouTube video is worth 1000 Wikis, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCcLZUT81Lw Prerequisites At least one hand
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H908: How to Sleep in Class		Kevin Hwang, Sho Uemura
The average high school student spends about 30 hours a week in school, and 10 to 15 hours a week in extracurricular activities (Source: Internet). That’s something like 8 hours a day, spent in class! Completely incidentally, sleep researchers suggest getting at least 8 hours of sleep daily. But where can a busy student find the time to get sleep? We have studied this topic extensively, and we believe we have a solution. Join us as we explore this exciting new field of research!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H910: Card Throwing		Kevin Hwang
Learn how to throw ordinary playing cards! Prerequisites wrists
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H912: Card Throwing		Kevin Hwang
Learn how to throw ordinary playing cards! Prerequisites wrists
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H913: Introductory Dog Training		Edison Ein Kaanta, Alice Kaanta, Bradley Kaanta
Teach your dog, present or future, how to do stuff! We’ll cover basic commands, good behavior and a few dance moves (what’s the point of having a dog if you can’t teach it to dance?). A certified AKC Canine Good Citizen will be provided for the duration of the class. People with serious pet allergies should not attend.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H924: Spiral Paper Gift Cards		Stephanie Bachar
Have you ever wanted to personalize cards to friends and family? In this class you’ll learn an awesome gift card making technique that incorperates a 3D, multicolor background in nearly unlimited shapes!
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

H929: Baking Stuff		Jessy McQuaw
Cookies, Apple pie, Cakes, Brownies? I dunno. I’ll grab some ingredients and some recipes, and we’ll see how it goes.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H939: Urban Orienteering		Alex Jiang
So you’ve seen the crazy lego-like Simmons dorm and the earthquake shaken Stata Center. Do you want to get to know the MIT campus even more? Welcome to Urban Orienteering! Equipped with only a map and your sense of direction, you must race your way through all the checkpoints across over campus. Traditionally, orienteering is done in parks, on and off trail. We will be doing the same thing on the MIT campus except instead of having a compass as your guide, you will be using your surroundings to help you. And of course there will be a special something for the fastest teams!!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H948: Nethack!		Nelson Elhage
Come, take on the role of a bold `@’, and descend into the depths of the Dungeons of Doom, where you will face the likes of the vicious `x’, the fearsome `h’, and the mighty `D’. Collect $, % and !, and equip your [ and ) for battle. nethack is one of the most classic text-based computer games of all time. A forerunner of Diablo, Neverwinter Nights and their ilk, it contains far more depth and complexity than nearly any modern game, with none of the pointless graphics, and still draws many devoted fans. Come find out what the craze is about!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H950: Hair Dyeing 101		Amy Hailes, Kate Kuznetsova
This class will teach you some of the basic techniques you need to know for the art of hair dyeing. This is a lab class with hands on experience, so wear clothes that you don’t mind getting colorful. While it is not required that you leave the class with dyed hair, it is strongly recommended.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H953: Truffles Making 101		Kendra Beckler
Truffles are layered chocolates, with soft, milky chocolate (called “ganache”) surrounded by a hard chocolate shell. We will examine and practice the delicate, delicious art of making truffles. Students go home with their creations.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H954: Truffles Making 101		Kendra Beckler
Truffles are layered chocolates, with soft, milky chocolate (called “ganache”) surrounded by a hard chocolate shell. We will examine and practice the delicate, delicious art of making truffles. Students go home with their creations.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H975: How to Racewalk		Natasha Plotkin
Thought the longest Olympic event was the marathon? Actually, it’s the 50 kilometer (about 31 mile) racewalk. Racewalk, if you’ve never heard of it before, is exactly what it sounds like—a very efficient form of walking that allows walkers to compete at high speeds—around a 6:00 minute mile among elite walkers. And, though racewalk is not a popular sport in the U.S., opportunities abound for high school athletes who compete, including competitions around the world for those who make the Junior National Team. In this class, come learn how to race walk! It’s a great way to get in shape, cross train, or, if you get hooked like I did, an awesome sport to compete in. Sneakers are encouraged.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H986: The Art of Chain Mail		Jacky Chang
A long time ago, when things were more hardcore, people actually tried to kill each other with swords. Those who didn’t want to be killed defended themselves with things like armor and chain mail. Come learn a few of the weaves they used for this, and a few that they didn’t. You might even get to try out a few cooler things.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

H989: Star Trek: Irritation		Mitchell Kelley, Thomas Rozek
Why do they still use the Holodeck after so many malfunctions? Why are ensigns the only ones to be vaporized on away missions? And who ever thought Deep Space Nine was a good idea? Star Trek: Irritation will give Trekkies a chance to spout off about what in the Trek universe gets their Heisenberg compensators out of whack. Come and talk in a supportive, therapeutic enviroment about everything that annoys you, from Starfleet’s curious lack of spacesuits, to time travel, and Wesley Crusher. We will also be discussing Denebian slime devils, Kirk vs. Picard, and Chakotay…while exploring important topics like theology, the destiny of mankind, and Riker’s beard. A firm grasp of the Star Trek universe is highly recommended. This class is for geeks and geeks at heart.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H994: Nethack!		Nelson Elhage
Come, take on the role of a bold `@’, and descend into the depths of the Dungeons of Doom, where you will face the likes of the vicious `x’, the fearsome `h’, and the mighty `D’. Collect $, % and !, and equip your [ and ) for battle. nethack is one of the most classic text-based computer games of all time. A forerunner of Diablo, Neverwinter Nights and their ilk, it contains far more depth and complexity than nearly any modern game, with none of the pointless graphics, and still draws many devoted fans. Come find out what the craze is about!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H996: Magic 101 - Card Tricks		Kevin Brokish
Learn to perform mind-blowing card tricks! No experience necessary: we’ll start with the basic, essential moves that are common to many tricks. Then we’ll use those moves to perform some of the astonishing card tricks that professional street magicians do. (I added this 2nd section since the first filled up)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H998: Mystery Engineering		Vrajesh Modi
This class is designed to challenge students to think on their feet. They will be given “building materials” and instructions to build a structure to meet certain parameters. The specific scoring criteria will be identified in the instructions, and could include height, weight, or strength–to-weight ratio. (This class is based on the 2007 Science Olympiad Trial Event. Description adapted from soinc.org)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H999: Wading through the bias		Beth Schaffer
Interested in world events? Want to be able to hold your own in intelligent topical debate? Just want to be an informed citizen? Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to do so as it may seem. Just watching the news or reading the paper won’t necessarily give you an accurate idea of what’s actually going on. Most news media is fraught with intentional and unintentional biases that are all too easy to take on as your own. Come to this class to learn to spot these biases and how to determine what actually happened when every news source twists the story one way or another.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-10 Enrollment

H1000: Beginning Swing: Moves Galore		David Zou
They say that it’s not about how many move you know, but how well you do them, but let’s face it, new moves are just simply more exciting. Come learn to swing starting with a plethora of moves: waist turns, sugar pushes, and pretzel turns. No previous experience require, all are welcome. Especially males. Prerequisites none
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

H1002: Class of the Dead 2		Richard Prevost
Covering such topics as “Dilemmas in Undead Ethics: Playing God or Doing Good?” and “Chainsaw or Shotgun?”, this course will give participants a complete view of all things zombie.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H1003: Learn Tolkien's Elvish		Susan Shepherd
Due to interest in the subject, we will be running a second class! If you liked the books, the movie, or the assorted paintings that have been done based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s world of Middle Earth, this class might be for you. Learn how to pronounce the Sindarin form of the Elvish language, including how to spell it out using Tengwar (the writing alphabet), and learn a few basic words and phrases. Prerequisites none
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H1005: How to Draw Shiny Things		Andrew Geng
Come learn some basics of drawing shiny things! After we talk about some ways to make things look shiny, you’ll have a chance to apply what you’ve learned. If you’ve always wanted to know how to draw water, glass, metal, or even the shiny buttons in Mac OS X, this class is for you! I’ll provide white paper and a few colored pencils, but feel free to bring your own art materials.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

H1008: Root Beer Tasting		Amanda Rose Newton, Steve Pomeroy
Take a brief tour of the wide world of root beer. If you think that root beer is just another carbonated beverage, sign up and taste root beer from a keg! Prerequisites none
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

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L477: Days of the Wolves of Mibu: Shinsengumi!		Jennifer Yoo
They lived in a tumultuous time and became national heroes in a single night. Their swords were feared by countless revolutionaries. Their names were carved in stone and in the hearts and imagination of many. But just who were these great men called the Shinsengumi? Find out here! Learn about the real Wolves of Mibu, and how they compare to their media counterparts. New and improved from Splash 2006, you won’t just hear their stories - you’ll relive them.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

L478: Legends of the Samurai and Ninja		Jennifer Yoo
Hear the stories of some of the greatest samurai and ninja that ever lived. Discover the legends of how the ninja came to be, and what glory truly means to a samurai.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L479: True History Behind Samurai Anime		Jennifer Yoo
Who is Oda Nobunaga? Was Himura Kenshin real? Was Saitou Hajime actually left-handed and did he really like plain soba noodles? Learn the answers and a whole lot more in “True History Behind Samurai Anime.” Find out what’s true and what’s not in some of your favorite Japanese historical series. Show your friends there’s more to shows like Rurouni Kenshin, Samurai Deeper Kyo, and Samurai Champloo than clashing swords. Bring questions and maybe a notebook and pen; learning history has never been this fun!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L577: Oratory!		Roshini Zachariah
“To be or not to be….” “I have a dream…” Speeches are powerful things - verbal communication is one of the most important ways that we can provoke reactions. Any good oration has two necessary components - the text itself and the way it is delivered. In an hour, we will ORATE famous speeches, all types of poetry from Petrarchan sonnets to e.e. cummings to ‘Howl’ and even do a little folk singing. Leave your whispering voices at home! Prerequisites A voice.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

L580: Baseball and Philosophy		Anthony Rindone
You do not need to be a die-hard fan of baseball to enjoy what it can teach us. Everything from the “three strikes and you’re out” principle to the conflict between “team performance” and “individual glory” will be discussed and debated in a forum setting. A list of topics will be presented, and no prior knowledge of baseball history required. Students are encouraged to bring their own topics that they’re interested in debating.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L589: The Sonnet		Lance Ozier
The sonnet is one of the oldest and most durable forms of poetry. It’s been used by great poets from Shakespeare to e. e. cummings. Because it has certain rules, it poses creative challenges for any poet, but as a result can yield poems that astonish and delight. Come see how poets have met the challenges and reaped the rewards over the past 400 years.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L590: Glorious Music		Lance Ozier
Sure, you’ve heard of Beethoven and Bach. We’ll start there, but move quickly to some of the most glorious orchestral music of the 20th century, including pieces by Orff, Stravinsky, Ravel, Respighi, Gershwin, and Puccini.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L592: How to Read a Poem		Lance Ozier
Have you ever read a poem and wondered what the heck is going on? Or, to paraphrase the poet T. S. Eliot, have you “had the experience but missed the meaning”? In this class you will learn some simple ways to make more sense of the poems you read.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L609: A quick introduction to the Arabic language		Ammar Ammar
Learn the basics of Arabic and get to hear some good Arabic music =-) Prerequisites A smile
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-10 Enrollment

L610: Learn Ancient Greek!		Dygo Tosa
Ancient Greek is an amazing language with its very own alphabet that is very much alive in our world today. While you may not hear anyone speaking Ancient Greek fluently, it is a language that you can find buried in English words everywhere. Many science and medical terms are based on Greek roots and learning Greek can really improve your vocabulary- which might come in handy the next time you’re playing a trivia game or taking a standardized test! Greek is also the beautiful language Homer’s epics are written in, among many other great works of literature. This course begins by learning the Greek alphabet, goes on to explore some elements of how the language is put together, and finishes by students reading lines from Homer’s Odyssey. No previous knowledge of Greek required.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

L611: Introduction to Poetry		Susan Shepherd
Are you interested in poetry, but never had a chance to read good poems in school? Bored with poetry but want to change that before AP English Lit next year? There is a solution! We will discuss reasons for writing and reading poems, common forms (rhyme scheme, meter, free verse and other styles), what makes a particular poem endure or fade away, and briefly touch on the history of several poems. Students will have a chance to discuss the kinds of poetry, subjects, and poetry writing styles that they smile or frown at. The last half hour of the class will be dedicated to giving students the chance to hear good poetry read aloud. Students will be given a list of approximately thirty poems and the chance to choose which ones they would like to hear. Featured poems will include works by Kipling, Cummings, Angelou, Housman, Frost, Dickenson, and Nye, among others. Note: this class is oriented toward discussion and lecture, so students will not have a chance to work on their own poetry in class, although experience writing poetry is a plus. Prerequisites An interest in poetry or English
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-10 Enrollment

L618: Beginner Latin I		Jean Cui
This course will teach the very basics of beginner Latin. For slightly more advanced beginner Latin, please see Beginner Latin II. Topics covered will include first and second declension nouns, and first and second conjugation verbs in the present, imperfect, and future tenses. There will also be some Roman culture, some Roman history, some Latin words, and some English words derived from the Latin language. The Roman history will probably be a very basic history of the beginnings of Rome and the Roman Republic (around 753 B.C. to around 31 B.C.). Prerequisites There are no prerequisites; all students interested in Latin are welcome.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L620: Beginner Latin II		Jean Cui
This is a continuation of Beginner Latin I. Topics covered will include regular third declension (non i-stem) nouns, and third, third -io, and fourth conjugation verbs in the present, imperfect, and future tenses. There will be some Roman culture and some Roman history not covered in Beginner Latin I. This Roman history will probably be a very basic history of the Roman Empire (around 31 B.C. to around 476 A.D.) There will also be some not previously-covered Latin words and words derived from the English language. Prerequisites Knowledge of first and second declension nouns, knowledge of first and second conjugation verbs in the present, imperfect, and future tenses.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L624: How to Order Lunch in Athens!		Malamo Countouris, Constantine Speridakos
Technology! Democracy! Feta cheese! Where on Earth do these words come from? Greece! Although it has existed in several different forms throughout its history, Greek is an historic language, an academic language, a language through which many of the fundamental principles of human civilization were defined. This course discusses the Greek roots of a few common English words and also introduces students to the unique energy and color of modern Greek in both its written and spoken forms. After the class, students will be able to order lunch in Athens for themselves!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L662: Being Rude in Japanese		Colin McSwiggen
So you know a little Japanese. If you’ve studied the language in any depth, you’ve probably noticed something annoying: all the sentences in your textbook seem to end in “desu” or “masu,” and your teacher goes on and on about how you should use “polite” rather than “plain” speech to avoid offending anybody. “Well,” you think, “that’s frustrating. What if I WANT to offend someone?” After taking this class, you’ll be able to! You’ll learn to pick fights, insult your enemies, talk down to your underlings, and roll your R’s like a yakuza boss (or at least like an actor playing one). Come learn some Japanese that you should never use in Japan. I’ll touch on a couple advanced grammar topics, so at least a year’s worth of high-school level Japanese is highly recommended. You’ll probably want to bring something to take notes. Prerequisites An understanding of Japanese equivalent at least one year's worth of high school study.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

L666: Egyptian Hieroglyphs		Melissa Kaufman
How did we get from a bunch of “random” symbols to being able to read and understand Egyptian hieroglyphics? Thanks mostly to Jean-Francois Champollion and the Rosetta Stone (among other people and objects), we are now able to accomplish that task. We will talk about the process of decipherment and be able to read some hieroglyphs in this class.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L679: Argumentation Theory and Debate!		Alice Nawfal, Leonardo Urbina
Have you ever been in a discussion? Do you want to improve your oral skills? Come and learn the basics of argumentative theory, body language and general stuff you want to know when speaking to audiences!
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

L680: Design Synectics		Pei Lin Ren
Spark the left side of your brain. Think more creatively through the use of analogies and personal experiences.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

L729: Rock Your College Applications		Chris Su
Stumped by the pages and pages of blank bubbles that you have to fill in? Parents yelling at you to finish those apps? Have six weeks left until Jan 1 deadline? No worries. The solution is here. Come and find out :) Contents: SAT/GPA/AP, activities, essays, recommendations, interview, financial aid, Common App…and more! Prerequisites Seniors only.
Meeting Times	Grades: 12-12 Enrollment

L730: Thinking About College Applications		Chris Su
Don’t know why you’re taking SATs? Confused about what colleges to be looking at? Sick of hearing seniors complain about their apps? Junior year is the best year in HS to start thinking about college applications, because there is still plenty of time to take exams and define your priorities. Come and learn strategies of making the most out of your junior year, plus strategies for senior year (you won’t regret it :)). Contents: Testing info, defining priorities, college overview, summer programs, extracurricular activities…and more! Prerequisites Juniors only.
Meeting Times	Grades: 11-11 Enrollment

L733: Architecture 101		Diane Rak, ana malagon
We will walk you through the steps on how to plan, draw, and construct your very own edible structures using real architectural terms and concepts.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L743: Introduction to Postmodern Philosophy		Kenan Diab
What exactly is postmodernism? What is it a response to? Why does it seem so difficult to understand? These questions and more will be answered in this survey of the postmodern landscape from a philosophical perspective: an explanation of some ideas from contemporary authors who challenge fundamental assumptions about the world that we take for granted.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

L747: Yiddish On One Foot		Meena Viswanath
This is a course that will cover some basics of Yiddish grammar and vocabulary. No guarantee will be made as to the level of fluency at the end of the course, but it will be fun!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L748: Arabic Writing		Lana Awad
learn the basics of the Arabic writing, some words, and how to write your name.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L749: Poems for Fun		Susan Shepherd
Haikus can be fun But sometimes they don’t make sense Refrigerator - Author Unknown Looking for poems to bring a smile to your face? Tired of old musty love poems blathering on about the princess’s eyebrow, and boring English guys writing about the current weather? This class hopes to introduce you to funny poems, including ironic poetry, haikus, very short poetry, and riddles.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L763: Bring Out Your Dead! The Black Death and It's Affect on Europe		Michelle Bentivegna
The Black Death was one of the deadliest plagues in human history. It swept through Europe sporadically throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, leaving great death, and also great change in its wake. In this class, we will study both what the plague was and how it affected the course of European History. This class will include a lecture section and a discussion section. Prerequisites Participants should be familiar with basic historic concepts, like the Renaissance and the Reformation.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L764: Off With Her Head! The French Revolution and the Reign of Terror		Michelle Bentivegna
Why did the French revolt against the king in 1789? How did they succeed? And why did they need to cut off so many people’s heads? After a lesson, we will discuss how the French Revolution appplies to modern-day politics, and what we can learn from it. Prerequisites A basic knowledge of current affairs and European History.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L768: Antoni Gaudí's Masterful Architecture		Jessie Mueller
His buildings looks like they came straight from a Dr. Seuss book, and surrealist Dalí was a big fan. Gaudí, however, was inspired by the natural, not the imaginative. Come learn about the most famous architect of Barcelona.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L771: Writing Straight A Papers!!!		Amy Moolten
I want to help you to write straight A papers and prepare you for academic success in college! In this workshop, you will learn how to forge a strong thesis statement, craft effective supporting arguments, place powerful verbs in your sentences, improve your overall grammar and vocabulary, and most importantly drive your point home for victory! If you already know how to write but you want to turn that B into an A, this workshop can help with that too. We will pick some fun topics together as a group, formulate thesis statements based on your own personal views of the topics you selected, and build outlines with supporting topic sentences. Once basic outlines have been formed, you will take some time on your own to fill in the meat of it on your favorite topic using web resources and your creative thinking skills. I will help out with some individual coaching as you dive in to the guts of it and start to craft your masterpiece. Finally, we will all come together as a group, talk about strong sentence structures and effective verbs, and do a bit of editing. We will also talk about how to refine your intro to invite the reader’s interest with some crafty techniques and how to use the conclusion to drive your thesis home with a personal flare. Then, we will break out for another short period and you can tweak to perfection! If there is time, we can talk about the boring part, bibliography and references as well…Hopefully by the end of this workshop, you will have crafted a rock solid straight A masterpiece on a fun topic of your choosing! At the very least, you will know how to write one!!! I look forward to seeing you all there. Prerequisites Some experience writing papers for school
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Sample Sentence, Syllabus Click here to view all 2 documents for Writing Straight A Papers!!!

L800: A Crash Course in Shakespeare		Catherine Kruchten
Ever realized how little we actually know about the man who wrote Hamlet? We’ll discuss the sparse pieces of Shakespeare’s life and provide a brief introduction into a few of his plays. No prior knowledge necessary.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L801: A Crash Course in Shakespeare		Catherine Kruchten
Ever realized how little we actually know about the man who wrote Hamlet? We’ll discuss the sparse pieces of Shakespeare’s life and provide a brief introduction into a few of his plays. No prior knowledge necessary.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L813: Introduction to American Sign Language		Alice Ohlson
This class will be a brief introduction to American Sign Language (ASL), a language used by over half a million Americans. I hope to show you what a unique, fascinating, and beautiful language ASL is.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L814: Introduction to American Sign Language		Alice Ohlson
This class will be a brief introduction to American Sign Language (ASL), a language used by over half a million Americans. I hope to show you what a unique, fascinating, and beautiful language ASL is.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L815: A Crash Course in Rock		Josh Bails
Starting to discover music? Trying to convince your parents to let you go to concerts? This course will give you a basic overview of essential as well as commonly overlooked bands from various eras in rock (60’s, 70’s, 90’s grunge, 90’s indie, modern rock, modern indie) to start you off on the right foot for discovering your own music tastes.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-10 Enrollment

L821: Playwriting		Daniel Zaharopol
Drama has great power. It’s one thing to read a book, where you’re separated from the characters by words, or to see a movie, where the action is on a flat screen, with the actors themselves thousands of miles away in Hollywood. It’s another thing entirely to see good actors on stage in front of you, to connect on a visceral level with real people who are right there. But writing for the theater is hard. It needs to sound authentic, but it also needs to move the plot forwards. Characters must be true to themselves and each other. Each scene must have a point, it must have action, it must be engaging. Come join us as we explore some excerpts from plays, write our own short scenes, and discuss what it is that goes into a good play. If you’ve written any kind of play (or just a short scene) before, you are encouraged to bring several copies. But this class is open to anyone, including and especially those who have never written before!
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

L822: Playwriting II		Daniel Zaharopol
How do characters listen to each other? What drives a scene to be successful? We’re going to study characters and goals. We’ll see how goals inform characters, and how to use characters to drive the power of a scene. To take this class, you must have taken Playwriting I. In that class, I’ll ask you to write a little bit ahead of time for this class, so set aside a little time to write a scene to share. [This class is given by “popular demand” after successful Playwriting I classes in previous years!] Prerequisites Playwriting
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

L893: The Sonnet		Lance Ozier
This class is a repeat of L-589. The sonnet is one of the oldest and most durable forms of poetry. It’s been used by great poets from Shakespeare to e. e. cummings. Because it has certain rules, it poses creative challenges for any poet, but as a result can yield poems that astonish and delight. Come see how poets have met the challenges and reaped the rewards over the past 400 years.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L897: Philosophy Discussion		Katya Radul
Come sit around and talk about philosophy! We’ll have a few starter questions to discuss. But the plan is to go where the discussion leads us. This is more like personal philosophy not discussion of philosophers or philosophical theories, but it can go either way.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L907: Introduction to Russian Culture		Tim Balbekov, Polina Berdnikova, Alex Makkaveyev
Ever want to sip tea from a samovar and listen to Dima Bilan? Then Russian culture is calling your name! In this class, we’ll discuss historical as well as modern Russian culture. We’ll read Russian skazkas (classic fables) in English (and Russian!), listen to music, and discuss visiting Russia. During the course of the class, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to pick up on useful conversational Russian. All are welcome! No prior exposure anticipated!
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

L917: A Brief Conversation About the Baha'i Faith		David Nawi
Can you imagine covering an entire religion in one hour? Neither can I. So let’s sit down, get relaxed, and have an hour discussion about a religion you may not have heard of or know much about. This will not be a lecture, so you must be sure to bring your questioning nature and open mind along for the ride.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L938: Unknown Science Fiction and Fantasy		Josh Shaine
There’s nobody to discuss this book with, because you are the only person who has ever read it, that you know of! If you join us, you will be able to spread the word of unsung masterpieces, little known authors, and rare favorites, while picking up some new ideas for yourself! Be prepared to talk about what you recommend from beyond the mainstream, and why you recommend it. Please email me titles you know you are interested in discussing. That will help me to figure out what we will and will not be discussing and to prepare a list for the class.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L943: Introduction to Esperanto		Leonid Chindelevitch
Learn the basics of the international planned language Esperanto quickly and easily! You will know how to write, read and have a simple conversation by the end of this course. Esperanto will help you make new friends everywhere in the world, and broaden your horizons!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L982: How to Write a News Article		Natasha Plotkin
Ever wondered how the journalists do it? In this class, learn how to collect and communicate a news story effectively, from researching to interviewing to writing. I’ll teach you the basics, and then we’ll look at examples of some journalistic successes and failures. Then, you’ll give it a go yourself and practice writing solid openings and incorporating quotes in your article.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-11 Enrollment

L992: Uncovering the Ancient World		Elisabeth Caron
Why should anyone care about what some dead guys did thousands of years ago? We’ll explore how the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome continue to influence our daily life in 2007. This is a degree in Classics crammed into one hour, so be prepared for a crash course in the ancient world!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L995: Philosophy Discussion		Katya Radul
Come sit around and talk about philosophy! We’ll have a few starter questions to discuss. But the plan is to go where the discussion leads us. This is more like personal philosophy not discussion of philosophers or philosophical theories, but it can go either way.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

L1010: Argumentation Theory and Debate! Part II		Alice Nawfal, Leonardo Urbina
This is the second part of my other class (L679) on debate and argumentation. Come exercise the skills you have learned! Prerequisites L679 (Argumentation Theory and Debate, Part I)
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

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M483: Trigonometry With Pictures		Andrew Geng
Not satisfied with the confusing algebraic proofs of trigonometric identities in your textbook? Come see some terrific geometric proofs of your favorite formulas from trig! Prior knowledge of trigonometry is not required, but it’ll give you some perspective. Prerequisites high school geometry
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M490: Turning a Pea into the Sun: The Banach-Tarski Paradox		Chris Kennedy
Sometimes you can get something for nothing. At least, you can when you manipulate a sphere in strange—but volume-preserving!—ways to make two spheres that are exactly the same as the one you started with. This is the essence of the Banach-Tarski Paradox—a mathematically tricky but really cool way to rearrange a sphere into two. We’ll cover a proof of that, as well as most of the background material needed. Prerequisites Comfort with Algebra II and abstract ideas
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

M513: Complex Numbers through Geometry		Rohan Agrawal, Paul Hlebowitsh
You know in school, when they said complex numbers were these wonderful algebraic structures, that involved taking square roots of negative numbers? Did this seem like an arbitrary unjustified step to you? We’ll show you a geometric justification for why we construct complex numbers, and show that their algebraic structure follows from this geometric definition. Prerequisites Algebra, Geometry, and some knowledge of Complex Numbers
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M578: SET: The Math behind the Game		Alexa Kottmeyer
For players of all skill levels who are curious about the math of SET. We will be finding magic squares, “no sets”, and some interesting alternative rule sets. Some algebra background is helpful.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M582: A Brief History of Calculus		Nicole Berdy
Class will cover the beginnings of calculus with an emphasis on who exactly invented it. This class will focus primarily on the history side of calculus while covering any relevant mathematical topics at a level suitable for a general audience.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M583: A (very) Brief Introduction to Calculus		Nicole Berdy
Ever wonder what the big deal was about calculus? Wonder no more! This class will cover the very basics of differential calculus. Students will leave the class with a better understanding of what calculus is. Prerequisites proficiency in algebra, curiosity
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

M584: The Necklaces : an technovative program in creativity		Pablo Baques
Come and Discover intriguing sequences of numbers like 112358437… and extract melodies from them. Program an EXCEL spreadsheet to make huge Necklaces. Learn how to teach Necklacing to others and become a Necklacepreneur.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M600: The Riemann Hypothesis		Chris Kennedy
It’s the most important unsolved problem in math, but very few people understand it. The Riemann hypothesis states that the zeta function only has certain roots. So what? Why are the roots of some random function so important? This class will have some answers, as well as some fun anecdotes at some partial proofs through the years. You don’t need to be a math genius to understand this, but you should definitely be very solid on algebra and complex numbers. Prerequisites Complex numbers and functions.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

M630: Melissa the Mathemagician!		Melissa Kaufman
Amaze your friends and family with these magic tricks! You will learn to read minds… using the power of math! Feel free to bring in any math magic tricks you already know and share them with the group.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-9 Enrollment

M632: Polynomial Roots and Coefficients (Contest Math Series)		Keone Hon, Ann Ouyang
In this seminar we will look at a series of powerful techniques and tools used to solve polynomial problems that occur frequently in math contests. Topics covered include Viete’s formulas, Newton’s sums, symmetric polynomials, and secondary polynomials. This class is intended for students who want to improve their skills in preparation for math contests. Students should have some experience with such contests; we will be discussing mostly AIME- and HMMT-level problems.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Roots and Coefficients Lecture Notes/Problems Click here to view all 1 documents for Polynomial Roots and Coefficients (Contest Math Series)

M633: SUDOKU - a competition		Robert Assaly
Come try to solve these challenging, mind-enriching puzzles. I shall present several SUDOKUs that are in the more difficult category. The objective is to solve them by specific procedures rather than by trial and error. Speed is not the goal. Please bring a black pen and a red pen. (If you use specific methods correctly, then you would not need a pencil and eraser.) Electronic aids are not allowed. At various times during the class, I shall show you methods for solving these puzzles. Prerequisites A love of solving math puzzles.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M639: Markov and baseball, assessing offense using linear weights		Chuck Korb
This class will discuss the evolution of offensive statistics in baseball, culminating with hands on instruction in the linear weights system (LWTS) created by Pete Palmer, arguably the most accurate offensive metric available today. If time remains, we will also examine the use of Markovian theory in the Win Probability Added (WPA) system. Please bring a calculator, and wear your favorite team’s hat. Prerequisites Must love baseball
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M646: The Elegance of Mathematics, Part 1		Daniel Mokrauer-Madden
This class will study a series of relationships between numbers. A heavy part of the lesson will focus on polynomials, Pythagorean triples and Fibonacci Series. The class will be intensively examining number theory, although no prior experience is required. This class does not center around theorems and proofs, but rather about very interesting cases and traceable patterns. Prerequisites A solid foundation in algebra
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M650: Introduction to Multivariable Calculus		Laura Schuhrke
Can’t get enough of calculus? Push yourself a little farther with this introduction to multivariable! Topics will include partial derivatives, gradients, and Lagrange multipliers. Prerequisites some single variable calculus
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

M655: Trigonometry With Pictures		Andrew Geng
Not satisfied with the confusing algebraic proofs of trigonometric identities in your textbook? Come see some terrific geometric proofs of your favorite formulas from trig! Prior knowledge of trigonometry is not required, but it’ll give you some perspective. Prerequisites high school geometry
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M664: To Infinity and Beyond!		Melissa Kaufman
What exactly is infinity? If yes, how big is it? Can there be more than one “infinity?” We will tackle this and other such questions in this class.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-9 Enrollment

M665: Solve One of These Math Problems and Become Famous		Michael Kling
Learn about easy-looking problems in number theory that are simple to state, but remain unsolved today, including the 196-algorithm, the Collatz conjecture, the perfect cuboid problem, and others. Prove one and get your name in the history books! Prerequisites Algebra, Geometry
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M674: Least-Squares Data Fitting		Katherine Schadel
We can fit models to data using regression analysis. This lecture will explore the most fundamental fitting technique developed, the method of least squares, and introduce students to key concepts in linear algebra and numerical methods, including matrices, orthogonal subspaces, and stability. The lecture will feature demonstrations of polynomial fitting in MATLAB.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

M678: Zenoian Motion…or lack thereof…		Tina Tallon
There once was this guy named Zeno, who was born around 490 BC in Italy. “So he has a cool name,” you say, “but why was he so important?” Well, truth be told, he wasn’t really that important, which is why you’ve probably never heard of him. However, he did pretty much invent the method of proof known as reducto ad absurdum, or proof by contradiction, which you will come to love as a math major. A few interesting products of this logic are known as Zeno’s Paradoxes, in which our friend Zeno proceeds to prove that motion does not actually exist, and that all motion is at best an illusion. In this course, we’ll look at three of his particular paradoxes, and then examine the implications thereof, attempting to disprove (or prove?) them using calculus. Prerequisites Basic knowledge of calculus (limits, differentiation and integration)
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

M703: Calculus a la Euler I: The Basics via Algebra and Geometry		Michael Livshits
Leonard Euler, one of the most brilliant and prolific mathematicians ever, was born on April 15 1707. He lived and worked long before the notions of limits and continuity were introduced. How could he do Calculus? I will explain, starting with some simple examples. I will also show how Euler’s ideas can be made rigorous and lead to a more direct approach to the subject. This class is for people who are fluent in high school algebra and geometry and are curious about Calculus; some precalculus is a plus, familiarity with physics will help with motivation and appreciation. People who know some Calculus may also find my unorthodox approach entertaining. Most of the content of this class is summarized in the first 10 slides for the talks that I gave at MathFest in 2004 and at the joint AMS-MAA meeting in 2006 (both fell on Friday the 13th), available at (http://www.mathfoolery.org/talk-2004.pdf) See also a recent article in BAMS at (http://www.ams.org/bull/2007-44-04/S0273-0979-07-01174-3/home.html)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M704: Calculus a la Euler II: Some Theory via Inequalities		Michael Livshits
Continuation of Calculus a la Euler I. I will present a streamlined theory of Calculus based on some simple inequalities and prove the fundamental theorem. I will show a few more sophisticated Calculus tricks and/or discuss the relation of our approach to limits and continuity if there is enough time and interest. The core content of this class is summarized in the last 3 slides for the talks that I gave at MathFest in 2004 and at the joint AMS-MAA meeting in 2006 (both fell on Friday the 13th), available at http://www.mathfoolery.org/talk-2004.pdf Prerequisites Calculus a la Euler I
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M705: Some Party Tricks, Geometry and Topology		Michael Livshits
Attach some loose strings to a chair and the other ends of these strings to some other furniture. Tumble the chair once. Can you untangle the strings without futher rotating the chair or moving the other furniture around? The answer is “no,” and I will explain why during this class. Now tumble the chair once more in the same direction. The strings become even more messed up, but amazingly, you can untagle them now. Visit (http://gregegan.customer.netspace.net.au/APPLETS/21/21.html) to get some idea how. Now grab a coffee cup by its bottom. Can you give the cup 2 full revolutions without spilling the coffee or twisting your arm and/or hand out of their joints? Hint: pass the cup under your forearm during the first revolution and keep it over your forearm during the second one. See page 804 In section 23 of the free physics book at http://www.motionmountain.com for an illustration. Don’t attempt this trick with hot coffee in the cup before you become good at it. In this class, besides practicing these and some other party tricks, you will learn several ways to mathematically describe rotations in 3 dimensions. One particularly elegant description uses quaternions and will be especially handy in seeing the connection with quantum mechanics of electrons and understanding why the table of chemical elements is periodic. Prerequisites Familiarity with algebra, geometry in 3 dimensions, vectors, matrices, trigonometry and complex numbers.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M706: Calculus a la Euler I: The Basics via Algebra and Geometry		Michael Livshits
Leonard Euler, one of the most brilliant and prolific mathematicians ever, was born on April 15 1707. He lived and worked long before the notions of limits and continuity were introduced. How could he do Calculus? I will explain, starting with some simple examples. I will also show how Euler’s ideas can be made rigorous and lead to a more direct approach to the subject. This class is for people who are fluent in high school algebra and geometry and are curious about Calculus; some precalculus is a plus, familiarity with physics will help with motivation and appreciation. People who know some Calculus may also find my unorthodox approach entertaining. Most of the content of this class is summarized in the first 10 slides for the talks that I gave at MathFest in 2004 and at the joint AMS-MAA meeting in 2006 (both fell on Friday the 13th), available at (http://www.mathfoolery.org/talk-2004.pdf) See also a recent article in BAMS at (http://www.ams.org/bull/2007-44-04/S0273-0979-07-01174-3/home.html)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M707: Calculus a la Euler II: Some Theory via Inequalities		Michael Livshits
Continuation of Calculus a la Euler I. I will present a streamlined theory of Calculus based on some simple inequalities and prove the fundamental theorem. I will show a few more sophisticated Calculus tricks and/or discuss the relation of our approach to limits and continuity if there is enough time and interest. The core content of this class is summarized in the last 3 slides for the talks that I gave at MathFest in 2004 and at the joint AMS-MAA meeting in 2006 (both fell on Friday the 13th), available at (http://www.mathfoolery.org/talk-2004.pdf) Prerequisites Calculus a la Euler I
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M709: Some Party Tricks, Geometry and Topology		Michael Livshits
Attach some loose strings to a chair and the other ends of these strings to some other furniture. Tumble the chair once. Can you untangle the strings without futher rotating the chair or moving the other furniture around? The answer is “no,” and I will explain why during this class. Now tumble the chair once more in the same direction. The strings become even more messed up, but amazingly, you can untagle them now. Visit (http://gregegan.customer.netspace.net.au/APPLETS/21/21.html) to get some idea how. Now grab a coffee cup by its bottom. Can you give the cup 2 full revolutions without spilling the coffee or twisting your arm and/or hand out of their joints? Hint: pass the cup under your forearm during the first revolution and keep it over your forearm during the second one. See page 804 In section 23 of the free physics book at http://www.motionmountain.com for an illustration. Don’t attempt this trick with hot coffee in the cup before you become good at it. In this class, besides practicing these and some other party tricks, you will learn several ways to mathematically describe rotations in 3 dimensions. One particularly elegant description uses quaternions and will be especially handy in seeing the connection with quantum mechanics of electrons and understanding why the table of chemical elements is periodic. Prerequisites Familiarity with algebra, geometry in 3 dimensions, vectors, matrices, trigonometry and complex numbers.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M750: Sequences and Series (Contest Math Series)		Harrison Chen, Keone Hon
In this seminar we will look at techniques and tools used to study sequences and evaluate series in ways that occur frequently in math contests. Topics covered include arithmetic and geometric series, telescoping series, and recursion. This class is intended for students who want to improve their skills in preparation for math contests. Students should have some experience with such contests; we will be discussing mostly AIME- and HMMT-level problems.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Sequences and Series Lecture Notes/Problems Click here to view all 1 documents for Sequences and Series (Contest Math Series)

M752: Topological Graph Theory		Marisa Debowsky
Draw five dots on a page. Can you connect them without crossing any lines? We’ll (rigorously) solve this puzzle —and answer lots of other questions about dots and lines— in this 1-hour investigation into Topological Graph Theory. And the answers will not be limited to the plane: can you connect the same five dots if they’re sprinkled on a donut instead of drawn on a piece of paper? You’ll come away with a new understanding of the old joke about a mathematician being “someone who can’t tell the difference between a donut and a coffee cup.”
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

M802: Math is Beautiful!		Catherine Kruchten
Math can be found in some pretty unexpected places…we’ll discuss the use of classical mathematical concepts in works of art and architecture, and some more modern ideas that can be found in the world around us.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M803: Math is Beautiful!		Catherine Kruchten
Math can be found in some pretty unexpected places…we’ll discuss the use of classical mathematical concepts in works of art and architecture, and some more modern ideas that can be found in the world around us.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M824: The Amazing Things That Happen in 2 Dimensions		Daniel Zaharopol
Imagine you were a two-dimensional creature, and you lived on the surface of the sphere. Look out from the north pole, and what do you see? The back of your head, because light rays wrap all the way from the north pole, around the south pole and back to the north. Imagine you lived on the surface of a donut. Look out from where you are and what do you see? Infinitely many copies of you, arranged in a repeating pattern out in front of you, all doing exactly what you do at every moment. (Think about that. Consider all the directions you could look out at. But if you don’t see it, don’t worry – we’ll talk about it.) “Two dimensions” doesn’t mean the plane. It means all spaces that look two dimensional, like spheres and “donuts” (what mathematicians call “tori”). It also means strange, less familiar spaces, like the Klein bottle – which is two-dimensional everywhere, but you can’t fit a copy of it in our three-dimensional world; you need four-dimensions to comfortably fit it at all. We’re going to explore the many (infinitely many!) kinds of “surfaces,” two-dimensional objects like these. By the end, we’ll understand what all of them look like, even the ones that don’t fit in three dimensions at all. At the end, I’ll talk a little bit about what happens in higher dimensions, studying a kind of object called a “manifold.” This class will require a lot of thinking, so please come prepared for some very challenging abstract thought. Recommended only for high-school age and above.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M825: The Reeb Foliation of the 3-Sphere		Daniel Zaharopol
Welcome to the fourth dimension. What lives here? A circle and a sphere (the outside shell of a ball) seem to be pretty similar objects. Take a slice through a sphere, and you get a circle. The equation of a circle (in two-dimensional space) is $x^2 + y^2 = 1$ ; the equation of a sphere (in three-dimensional space) is $x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = 1$ . Mathematicians call a circle the “1-sphere,” because up close it looks like a line; they call the sphere the “2-sphere,” because up close it looks like a plane. So what happens if you go up a dimension? You should get an object that sits inside four dimensions, and it should have the equation $x^2 + y^2 + z^2 + w^2 = 1$ . We’re going to study this mysterious “3-sphere.” We’ll understand some of its properties, how to visualize what it looks like and what it would be like to be inside. After all, just like the circle looked like a line up close, and the (2-)sphere looked like a plane up close, this new object should look like 3-dimensional space up close… in other words, we could be inside it!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M840: The System that Ate Itself: Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem		Jesse Dunietz
Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem, one of the most philosophically profound ideas of mathematical logic, radically altered the way we understand mathematical truth. In this class, we will build up a conceptual explanation of Gödel’s proof, covering the basics of formal systems, predicate calculus, and self-reference along the way. Largely based on the presentation in Gödel, Escher, Bach.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Handout on Prepositional Calculus and TNT Click here to view all 1 documents for The System that Ate Itself: Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem

M859: The Horrible Inefficiency of English		Katya Radul
Say you’re a weatherman on Mars, and you need to send messages back to earth reporting whether it was stormy or nice on certain days. You could send a “1” for a storm and a “0” for no storm, but can you do it more efficiently? The answer…maybe. In class you’ll see why. Or maybe you need to send a message that consists of an English word or phrase. Can you use fewer symbols than the phrase contains? (if u txt msg u no u can!) How low can you go? The answer depends on probabilities of English letters, and that can get complicated, but we’ll find a neat way around that. There’s a lot of math behind these examples, but we’ll focus more on the conceptual ideas. Prerequisites Familiarity with logarithms might be helpful.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M860: Paradoxes and Unsolvable Problems		Naomi Hinchen
That’s right: these problems have no answer. Or more than one answer. Or an answer that contradicts itself. Come bend your brain around famous paradoxes from game theory and other fields. Prerequisites Basic algebra. Background in game theory is helpful but not necessary.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

M861: Playing with Matrices		Avril Kenney
You will learn what matrices are and try out some of their surprisingly diverse mathematical applications. Did you know that you can use matrices to solve a system of linear equations? Come to this class to find out how. (This course is aimed at students with little or no experience with matrices.)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M875: Euclidean Geometry Problem Solving (Contest Math Series)		Michael McCanna, Andrew Wang
So high school geometry was a breeze? Now is your chance to apply your knowledge creatively. We will first review and prove some classical results, including triangle centers, areas, circle theorems, and Ptolemy’s theorem. Then, we will work in small groups on problems, and each group will present solutions and learn from each other. This class is intended for students who want to improve their skills in preparation for math contests. Students should have some experience with such contests; we will be discussing mostly AIME- and HMMT-level problems. Prerequisites High School Geometry
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Geometry Problems Click here to view all 1 documents for Euclidean Geometry Problem Solving (Contest Math Series)

M877: What is a number? (And what about sets and sizes and infinity?)		Jonathan Sailor
You may think “number” is a simple concept. In reality, mathematicians deal with many different kinds of numbers. We’ll start by exploring different types of numbers (from reals to ordinals), what kind of structures those numbers form, and how numbers can be grounded in set theory. Then: how to tell how big something is, how many infinities there are (a lot), and some really cool theorems that might just make your head spin. (While we’ll touch a bit on abstract algebra, measure theory, etc., the class will be mostly based on set theory.) Prerequisites Some experience with proofs and formal math
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M878: Combinatorics Problem Solving (Contest Math Series)		Michael McCanna, Andrew Wang
Sure, you can count, but how efficiently can you? Learn how to model counting and probabilistic situations with powerful tools, including Pascal’s Triangle, PIE, bijections, etc. We will work in small groups on problems and present solutions to learn from each other. This class is intended for students who want to improve their skills in preparation for math contests. Students should have some experience with such contests; we will be discussing mostly AIME- and HMMT-level problems. Prerequisites strong high school algebra background recommended
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Combinatorics Problems Click here to view all 1 documents for Combinatorics Problem Solving (Contest Math Series)

M888: Know Your Bases		Pei Lin Ren
Tired of base 10, our current number system? People use it all the time and it gets kind of boring. Amaze and confuse everyone by learning about different bases such as binary and hexadecimal! Plus, create your own number system and make others do calculations in it.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M895: Dynamical Systems		Stanislav Nikolov
Simple systems can evolve in interesting and complex ways over time. We will study some simple and interesting situations like: How does a virus spread among a population? How does a romantic relationship develop based on first impressions? and more. Learn how to think about such questions and study their behavior mathematically. The focus will mainly be on systems with one or two unknowns, but you will get a flavor of what happens in larger systems. Mathematical topics will probably include -cobweb diagrams -eigenvalues and eigenvectors -Markov processes Prerequisites helpful but certainly not required/expected - exposure to and/or some knowledge of differential eqs (i.e., what is a diff eq) and linear algebra (systems of equations, determinants, etc)
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

M909: Number Theory		David Roe
Number theory is the branch of mathematics that studies properties of the integers. Despite being around for thousands of years, there are still many fundamental unsolved problems. In this class we will cover some of the basic techniques of number theory, including modular arithmetic, Fermat’s Little Theorem, primes and unique factorization. These can help you understand where divisibility rules come from, how primality tests work and how to solve systems of modular equations. There are no prerequisites for this course, but a comfort with abstract mathematics will help you get more out of this class.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M919: The Limit of Formal Systems: Hilbert, Gödel, Turing, Church		Jonathan Sailor
Come for an in-depth discussion on the limits of any sort of formal system, from math to computers. We’ll cover Gödel’s Theorems (and why they make mathematicians hope math is incomplete!) We’ll also cover the halting problem, the Entscheidungsproblem, and other related topics, in the vein of /Gödel, Escher, Bach/. Note: this class is similar to Jesse Dunietz’s M840 (“The System that Ate itself: Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem”). His class will be a more mathematically-oriented proof of the theorem; mine will focus more on applications and a computer-science-influenced perspective. We suggest students don’t take both classes (but that’s up to you.) Prerequisites Experience with programming, computer science, or math
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M920: Algebraic Structures		David Roe
The algebra you learned in middle school is only the beginning of the story. You’ve learned how to manipulate symbols and solve polynomial equations. But that is only a tiny fraction of what mathematicians call algebra. Algebra is actually the study of sets with different kinds of operations: groups, rings, fields, modules, vector spaces… By learning about them abstractly, we can prove powerful theorems that apply to ALL groups, or ALL rings. We can use our knowledge of these objects to answer questions that arise naively, like “is it possible to come up with a formula to solve a general degree 5 polynomial equation in one variable?” In this class I will introduce you to these algebraic objects. There are no prerequisites beyond high school algebra, but the material will very difficult.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M922: Finite Fields		David Roe
Is it possible to have a system of numbers like the real numbers or rational numbers, where we can add, subtract, multiply and divide, but with only finitely many elements? The answer is yes: for each prime power, there is a unique field with that many elements. We will prove this result, construct these fields, and learn a few applications. THIS COURSE WILL BE DIFFICULT AND ABSTRACT. Prerequisites M909 (Number Theory) or knowledge of modular arithemetic; M920 (Algebraic Structures); M972 (Galois Groups) will be relevant for a few parts
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M926: Representations of Finite Groups		David Roe
A group is a set with one operation that is associative, has an identity and in which every element has an inverse. We learned about some abstract groups in Algebraic Structures (symmetries of a cube, permutations of the numbers {1,2,…, n}, matrices with complex entries and determinant 1,…). In this class we will learn more about finite groups using a powerful tool called representation theory. The knowledge that we gain by doing so is used ubiquitously in mathematics. It is used by chemists to understand molecular orbitals. Representations of Lie groups show up in particle physics. Come see the subject in it’s cleanest, most basic form. THIS CLASS WILL BE ABSTRACT AND DIFFICULT. Prerequisites M920 (Algebraic Structures), a joy in difficult mathematics
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

M927: Real and p-adic numbers		David Roe
A real number is a number like $==2.73, -47, \pi, e^{7.91}\cdots==$ But what is a real number, actually? How does one define it rigorously? We’ll see two constructions of the reals: Dedekind cuts and Cauchy sequences. Then we’ll apply Cauchy sequences to construct a new type of number system: the p-adic numbers. They are similar to the reals in many ways, but don’t have the property that for any nonzero x, we can find a positive integer n such that $==\|nx\| > 1==$ . This course has no formal prerequisites, though it will be abstract at points. Prerequisites Comfort working with real numbers and abstract mathematics.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M930: Elliptic Curves and Modular Forms		David Roe
There are many possible definitions of an elliptic curve. Perhaps the easiest to understand is the following. An elliptic curve is the set of points $(x, y)$ satisfying an equation of the form $y^2 = x^3 + ax + b$ . It turns out that the points of an elliptic curve form a group (the same kind of object we learned about in Algebraic Structures and Representations of Finite Groups). This group of points is used in a huge number of applications, from cryptography to factoring integers. A modular form is kind of like a function that assigns a number to each elliptic curve. Modular forms are related to the fact that $e^{\pi \sqrt{163}}$ is so close to an integer (use a computer to check it out). This class will consist of a whirlwind overview of interesting results related to elliptic curves and modular forms. IT WILL BE DIFFICULT AND ABSTRACT. Prerequisites M909 (Number Theory) or knowledge of modular arithmetic, M920 (Algebraic Structures), M922 (Finite Fields) will be useful for a few parts
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M931: Galois Representations		David Roe
This is my annual crazy course, where there’s very little chance of anyone understanding much of what I talk about. The hope is that you will be able to see through the difficult mathematics and pick out beautiful pieces that inspire you to learn more. Galois representations and the Langland’s correspondence are a subject of intense current research in number theory. This class will draw on material from all of my previous classes. You are welcome to come without the prereqs. Even if you have them, you will almost certainly be lost. It’ll be fun! Prerequisites M909 (Number Theory), M920 (Algebraic Structures), M922 (Finite Fields), M926 (Representations of Finite Groups), M927 (Real and p-adic numbers), M930 (Elliptic Curves and Modular Forms), M971 (More fun with p-adics), M972 (Galois Groups)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M951: Number Tricks		Beth Schaffer
…divisibility rules, mental multiplication, the postage trick, factorials, sums of series…
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-8 Enrollment

M952: Triangles, Angles, and Ratios		Beth Schaffer
Learn tricks to find the side lengths and angles of triangles in all sorts of situations!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-8 Enrollment

M956: Mathematical Story Time!		Kendra Beckler
Learn some math while listening to stories about the infinity worms of Callisto (trying to live forever via math), surfing the Mandelbrot set, saving the red-eyed dragons from the evil sorcerer using logic, getting out of jail with probability, and more. Prerequisites Pre-algebra
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-8 Enrollment

M964: Math problem solving		Teddy Leung, Philip Tynan
We will cover mathematical ideas and techniques, and show how they can be applied to problems. Problems used as examples will vary, going up to the olympiad level. Most of the focus will be on number theory and geometry, but combinatorics and other topics will be included as well. Prerequisites Some knowledge of algebra and geometry, as well as an enthusiasm for learning
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

M971: More fun with p-adics		David Roe
In this second hour we will continue exploring p-adics by considering their extensions. p-adic extensions are much more rich and interesting than extensions of the real numbers. We will also discuss some p-adic geometry. This class will be more difficult and have more prerequisites than the first course, but you’re welcome to come even if you think you’ll be totally lost. THIS COURSE WILL BE DIFFICULT AND ABSTRACT. Prerequisites M290 (Algebraic Structures); M922 (Finite Fields); M927 (Real and p-adic numbers 1); M972 (Galois Groups)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M972: Galois Groups		David Roe
We will continue our exploration of algebra after dinner, proceeding to more advanced topics like field theory and Galois groups. If you didn’t come to the two hours before dinner you will be totally lost. Even if you did, this class will be difficult. Prerequisites M920 (Algebraic Structures)
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

M974: Hypercubes!		Melissa Kaufman
What is the fourth dimension and what does it look like? We will build a model to explore a part of this concept.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M988: Playing with Matrices		Avril Kenney
You will learn what matrices are and try out some of their surprisingly diverse mathematical applications. Did you know that you can use matrices to solve a system of linear equations? Come to this class to find out how. (This course is aimed at students with little or no experience with matrices.)
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

M1011: Complex Numbers, Quaternions, Rotations and Spins		Michael Livshits
Many of you probably know that complex numbers are related to geometry in 2 dimensions. In this class we will try to understand how quaternions are handy in 3-dimensional geometry, in particular, how they can be used to deal with rotations in 3 dimensions. This connection turns out to be very useful in describing the spin of electrons and understanding why they are fermions — the fact that makes the table of elements periodic. This class is a short version of Some Party Tricks, Geometry and Topology, we will concentrate more on mathematics and will go easy on tricks, I may still show some for entertainment if time permits. Prerequisites Familiarity with algebra, geometry in 3 dimensions, vectors, matrices, trigonometry and complex numbers.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

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P514: Try your hand at sleight-of-hand		Hannah Bao
Always wanted to amuse others with quick magic tricks? Looks like you’ve found the right class! Here you’ll learn some magic tricks involving cards, coins and of course, sleight-of-hand. (This means the tricks will not involve math, sorry!). Many of these will be “classics” and are not recommended for those with a few tricks already up their sleeve. Standard decks of cards will be provided, feel free to bring your own though!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

P595: Basic Jazz Improvisation		Joseph Axiak
Basic through intermediate techniques for Jazz improvisation, including scales and chords over blues, Impressions, and possibly other basic progressions. This course will be very custom-tailored to the skill levels of the students in the class. Experience on your instrument is required, but no jazz experience is necessary. Bring your instruments! Prerequisites Experience on your instrument
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

P602: Intermediate Jazz improvisation		Joseph Axiak
Intermediate Jazz improvisation techniques. Scales and chords with tensions over blues, Impressions, Autumn Leaves, and other standard progressions. This course will be custom-tailored to the skill levels of the musicians who enroll. Experience on your instrument and experience with jazz improvisation is required. Bring your instruments! Prerequisites Experience on your instrument and with Jazz
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

P621: How to Chant the Torah		Stephen Fried
When the Hebrew Bible is read out loud, a standardized set of tunes and cantillations are used in order to turn the text into a poetic song. If you need some more practice with your Torah chant for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah, or if you want to develop this skill just for the fun of it or to impress your friends, then here’s your chance to improve your skills or start from scratch! Prerequisites Ability to read Hebrew
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

P629: Hoop Dance with Yoga		Simone Klein
Hoop dance is the hottest exercise craze to hit the nation. It is not only good for your body—but you look amazing doing it. You might have gotten to see “Hoopalicious” on “America’s Got Talent.” Now it is your chance to learn from one of Hoopalicious’ own students. The class will start with a yoga warm up featuring the “Five Tibitian Exercises” (which will be taught) and a light stretch to some ambient music. Then, the students will pick up their hoops (which will be made by the instructor and donated to each student), and learn the basic mechanics of hooping. How does one keep up the hoop? What does one do when the hoop starts falling? Why does the hoop keep on tilting? I will give each student personal attention to address their personal problems and strengths. Depending on the progress of the class, we will then work on walking with the hoop, turning with the hoop, hooping on one’s hand, and transferring between the two. Other tricks will be taught that will amaze and astonish viewers. An emphasis will be placed not only on technical aspects, but allowing oneself to feel the music and DANCE. The class will end with a jam session, allowing the participants to have fun and play around with their new found hooping skills. This will be a two day class. The format of the two days will be very similar, but the second day will have more advanced techniques and tricks. It will include hooping on the hips and chest, in addition to adding deliberate hand motions. By the end of the class, a student should have a good foundation in the basics of hoop dance which will enable one to learn more complex moves. Furthermore, the student should have started to separate one’s hoop from one’s general body movement to enable free dance and expression. Prerequisites Open mindedness and a desire for fun...
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

P643: Learn to Para Para!		Emily Pittore
Para Para is a dance form that originated in Japanese clubs. It consists of choreographed sequences of arm movements to peppy eurobeat/techno music. It’s easy to learn and a lot of fun to do! There’s even an arcade game version. No experience or dance ability necessary! Want to see what Para Para really is? Here’s a couple youtube videos to get you started. http://tinyurl.com/2t4pf6 http://tinyurl.com/2tkoy5
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

P671: Glowstick Dancing for Novices		Colin McSwiggen
When you wave glowsticks around in the dark, it looks pretty cool. That’s the main idea in this class. I’ll teach you some of the basic moves of glowsticking, plus some tips on practicing and developing your own style. I’m still a beginner myself, so don’t expect wonders, but odds are you’ll learn enough to impress people at your next dance party. Glowsticks are provided.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

P693: Bhangra and Bollywood Dance		Anshul Bhagi, Akansha Kumar
Do you want to learn two new dance styles, get an aerobic workout, and have fun all at the same time? Come learn some moves from Bhangra and Bollywood dance that will impress everyone on the dance floor. Bhangra is an energetic dance from the Indian state of Punjab and Bollywood dance is, well, the main dance of Indian pop culture. Fuse these two dances together and get a healthy dose of fun Indian culture!
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

P710: The Crash Course Course Acts Naturally		Jordan Persson
An offshoot of the Crash Course Course, this class is focused (no lie!) on acting and improv. We’ll play some improv games and maybe go make a scene. If you want to spend a couple of hours shouting and doing silly things, this is probably the class for you.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment

P751: Diabolo		Jesse Ashcraft-Johnson, Joshua Velson
Diabolo, or Chinese yo-yo, is a circus art that is practiced the world over for performance and enjoyment. This class is intended for skill levels ranging from absolute beginners to those with an intermediate working knowledge of tricks.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

P753: Contemporary A Cappella Arranging		Marisa Debowsky
Do you sing with a high school a cappella group? Or are you interested in college a cappella? Then you want to be able to write your own arrangements. In this seminar, we’ll take a pop song and turn it into an arrangement for a fictional 12-voice contemporary a cappella group. For novices, we’ll cover the basics of how to create a great arrangement; for those who’ve already started arranging, we’ll talk about tips and tricks of the trade, creative syllables, resources, and more. Prerequisites Reading music --at least a little-- would be most helpful.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: UNC Clef Hangers - Carolina In My Mind, Deke Sharon's 10-Step Arranging Manual, UVM Cat's Meow - Carolina In My MInd (arr Marisa Debowsky) Click here to view all 3 documents for Contemporary A Cappella Arranging

P765: From The Sound of Music to Sondheim		Michelle Bentivegna, Jessie Mueller
Do you ever find yourself Singin’ in the Rain? Or Defying Gravity? In this class we’ll discuss different themes and styles present in musicals through clips and cast recordings.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

P804: Intro to Middle Eastern Belly Dance		Meiver De la Cruz
This class will provide an overview of basic moves that are part of the core vocabulary of this art form. Breaking the misconception created by the misnomer “belly” dance - we will learn a short dance using the whole body. We will emphasize the role of the arms and hands, posture, hip and torso isolations, and basic traveling steps.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

P812: Radio! Discovering sound as a medium of communication.		Emily Davidson, Katie Puckett, Lisa Song, aubrey samost
Have you ever wondered how radio programs are created? This course will introduce you to some of the actual equipment, interviewing and recording techniques, and computer-based editing programs that are used to create radio programs. By the end of the class, students will have created a short piece of their own!
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

P818: Improv Workshop		Catherine Havasi
You’re the host of a party where everyone is spontaneously turning into chickens. You’re a film director with a time machine. You’re a row of dominoes contemplating their purpose in life. Act accordingly. In improv acting, you and a few other people are given an odd, open-ended situation, and together you act out a scene on the spot. If you’ve seen “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, you know the general idea. Improv is easier than you think! You don’t need any acting or improv experience. We’ll start with some games that get you thinking on your toes and building on each other’s creativity. You’d be surprised what kind of scenes you can create.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

P826: Actors' Workshop		Catherine Havasi, Daniel Zaharopol
Do you love acting, or want to get into it? Want to learn the basics and explore a few interesting parts? Or do you want to see how to make your roles more specific, how to add power and truth to the lines you utter? While we may not be able to answer every acting question, what we can do is create a supportive environment where we can all work on scenes and develop our skills with guidance from some experienced directors. We’ll talk about acting, the process that goes into it and how to improve. Together, we’ll work on some scenes: we’ll split up, each work on a role, and then present them to each other at the end. From this class, you’ll see some new perspectives on what goes into portraying a role convincingly, and you’ll also get to work on your acting skills in a focused but low-stress environment. If you’re new to acting, or if you’ve had years of experience, you are welcome here!
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

P839: Introduction to Traditional Chinese Dance		Adrianna Tam
An overview of traditional Chinese dance for beginners, from instruction in footwork to learning how to smile for long periods of time.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

P958: The Legacy of Beethoven		Kendra Beckler
Beethoven’s music caused classical music to vault into the Romantic Era, freeing composers from the strict constraints of the Classical Era. Learn about the personalities and listen to the music behind the rapid evolution of classical music during the Romantic Era. From the literary influence of Goethe to the popularity of Wagner, we will explore what exactly makes the Romantic Era so special.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

P993: Diabolo		Joshua Velson
Diabolo, or Chinese yo-yo, is a circus art that is practiced all over the world for performance and enjoyment. This class is intended for skill levels ranging from absolute beginner to those with an intermediate working knowledge of tricks.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

P997: Crash Course in Voice		Lyla Fischer
Everything you ever wanted to know about singing, condensed into a couple hours. What are those silly warm ups and why do singers do them? How can you sing the exact same note and make it sound different? We will be covering a lot of material, so be prepared. The topics include ombeture, breathing, posture, solfege, and tone. Maybe some sight reading, if time allows. Prerequisites Some familiarity with music
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

P1001: Try your hand at sleight-of-hand		Hannah Bao
Always wanted to amuse others with quick magic tricks? Looks like you’ve found the right class! Here you’ll learn some magic tricks involving cards, coins and of course, sleight-of-hand. (This means the tricks will not involve math, sorry!). Many of these will be “classics” and are not recommended for those with a few tricks already up their sleeve. Standard decks of cards will be provided, feel free to bring your own though!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

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S576: A Bit of Physics		Anika Huhn, Nikolas Koutsopoulos
I like physics. This class will involve some neat demonstrations, some math to emphasize just how cool those demonstrations were, and some discussion on how you can go about learning more physics on your own.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

S581: Introduction to Genetics		Steven Mo
Introduction to Mendel’s laws, Punnett sqaure, one gene vs. two gene analysis, pedigree analysis, modes of inheritance, complementation test, conditional probability, and Bayes theorem. We will go over many fundamental concepts to make sure you really grasp the taste of analyzing many genetics problems in the real world!!! Items to bring: paper, pen/pencil, a calculator Prerequisites You are interested in biology!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

S585: Going Nuclear: What is Nuclear Energy?		Matthew Denman, Bronwyn Edwards, Taylor Moulton, Lara Pierpoint, Genevieve Russo, Kathreen Thome
Ever wanted to learn what nuclear energy is? Nuclear energy can be used in applications ranging from nuclear weapons to medical treatments. Find out what the difference is between nuclear fission and fusion. Learn how dangerous radiation really is and how we can safely use it. Uncover the problems facing nuclear energy, and help figure out ways to solve them!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: Syllabus Click here to view all 1 documents for Going Nuclear: What is Nuclear Energy?

S586: Why Should I Care about the Environment?		Kathreen Thome
Are you an environmentalist who gets frustrated with telling friends what they should do and then do? Are you one of those doubting friends who doesn’t understand why your friend gets so bent out of shape? Come find out why you should care and how to live sustainability without driving yourself crazy.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

S591: Origins of Modern Science from Copernicus to Newton		Lance Ozier
500 years ago, most people thought the Earth was the center of the universe and that there were only four elements: earth, air, water, and fire. Come learn how five men, two supernovas, and the Black Plague changed all that.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

S601: High School Chemistry is Wrong		Chris Kennedy
Ever been told hydrogen only makes one bond? That water has two lone pairs? That carbon can only make four bonds? Did someone ever make fun of you for drawing a quadruple bond? This class will be a whirlwind tour through all the chemistry you weren’t supposed to see yet—quadruple bonds, hydrogen bonding to two different atoms, and beautiful but totally out-there reactions. If you’ve ever been frustrated by the limitations of high school chemistry, take this class. Prerequisites Some familiarity with orbitals
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

S603: One-Way Missions to Mars		Phillip Cunio
This class will discuss some concepts for crewed Mars missions, and will detail some of the arguments for one-way trips and permanent colonizations rather than round-trip expeditions. Discussion of interest in one-way or round-trip missions will occur among class participants after an initial assessment of the risks to each mission is offered.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

S606: The Quantum States of Light		Bhaskar Mookerji
The goal of this class will be to provide a taste of one of the most useful physical theories ever devised (quantum mechanics) and how it’s used to look at physics’ most-favorite phenomenological punching bag: light. Studying this subject will put you on the road to having a modern understanding of how light and matter behave at the atomic scale. We introduce basic ideas in quantum electrodynamics as a way to understand light from very elementary physical principles. General quantum mechanics formalism: states, operators, Dirac notation, physical observables, and measurement. Electrodynamics: Classical and quantum harmonic oscillators. Gauge transformations and quantization of a classical electromagnetic field. Postulating the existence and energy of photons. Optics: Quantum mechanical models of macroscopic “splitting” of light. Single quantum-state manipulation and applications to practical quantum computing. Prerequisites Mathematical maturity, calculus, and a familiarity with classical electromagnetism and early results of modern physics.
Meeting Times	Grades: 10-12 Enrollment

S607: Cosmology for the Common Nerd		David Friend
I’ll talk about all of the “cool” stuff in cosmology. Black holes, dark matter, dark energy, multiple universes, many dimensions, the fabric of space time, etc. The common thread for the talk will be space travel and the various peculiarities that you’d discover as you ventured into space. Possible topics include: why the electromagnetic force is so much stronger than gravity, virtual photons, Hawking radiation, wormholes, what it’s like to fall into a black hole, moving at the speed of light, whether there are multiple universes (and how we could find out), expansion of the universe, cloaking devices, time travel, the temperature of outer space, and much more. I will try to avoid math at all costs, but $E=mc^2$ may make an inadvertent appearance. Prerequisites Innate curiosity about our universe
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

S608: Why the sky is blue and answers to other pressing questions		David Friend
Take this class if you want to understand why the sky is blue, why clouds are white, where rainbows come from, why the ocean is blue, why sunsets and sunrises are red, why snow is white, why glaciers are blue, why the grass is green, and many other things about colors on Earth. Does pollution really make sunsets prettier? The answer is yes, but don’t take my word for it. I’ll make a sunset appear in class (and other demonstrations too). This lecture uses no math and advanced students may find it elementary. Prerequisites Innate curiosity about our world
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

S612: Music & the Brain		Sheeva Azma
ever wonder what happens in your ears and brain when you hear a song? we’ll be talking about music and neuroscience, from waveforms to emotions. Prerequisites none necessary, although a musical background and/or some basic knowledge of neuroscience and physics might be helpful.
Meeting Times	Grades: 8-12 Enrollment
Materials for this class include: music & language - paper by a. patel, the nature of music from a biological perspective - a review Click here to view all 2 documents for Music & the Brain

S613: Physics Olympiad Master Class		Kenan Diab, Haofei Wei
Tips, tricks, and advice for the United States Physics Team screening exams: it is taught by Kenan Diab and Haofei Wei: both of them were two-time members of the U.S. Physics Team (2006 and 2007), they won a gold and a silver medal for the United States at the 2007 International Physics Olympiad, and they are currently students at MIT. Prerequisites Physics
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

S617: Chemistry Magic!		Stephen Fried
Want to use science to impress your friends? We’ll use simple household chemicals to perform awesome tricks… and then learn the science behind the magic. Come prepared to learn and be amazed!
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

S619: Photosynthesis is Amazing!		Stephen Fried
In plants, light from the sun is used to turn carbon dioxide into energy-rich sugar molecules. It’s an incredibly complicated process that uses nano-solar panels to capture photons to do chemical work. Scientists want to learn more about photosynthesis because it might give us an idea of how to use solar power for alternative energy. Learn more about what really goes on in a leaf and how research at MIT might change the way we generate energy in the future! Prerequisites Intro Chemistry, intro biology
Meeting Times	Grades: 11-12 Enrollment

S640: Diseases of the Nervous System		Yasemin Gokce, Nina Kim
We will cover various diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, ALS, Parkinson’s, Depression, and Schizophrenia.
Meeting Times	Grades: 7-12 Enrollment

S644: How the brain works: a hands-on introduction		Michael Frank, Talia Konkle, Ed Vul
Curious about how your brain works? Ever wanted to peek inside your head and see what’s going on? In this class, you’ll learn about different brain structures and some of their functions. After learning some basics, you’ll participate with a partner in dissecting a sheep brain (similar to the human brain). Come and learn how these remarkable biological computers work! Prerequisites None but students should be comfortable with dissection exercise.
Meeting Times	Grades: 9-12 Enrollment

S647: Renewable Energy Systems		Kevin