HSSP Summer 2010
Course Catalog


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Arts Engineering
Humanities Mathematics
[Deprecated] Science Miscellaneous

Grade ranges are for the grades that students will be entering in September. Graduating seniors are considered to be in 12th grade.



Arts

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A3584: Making Manga: Anime-Style Illustration and Comics
Teachers: Jennifer Fu

This class will cover the basics of manga-style illustration and sequential art. Topics to be covered include manga-style sketching, inking, common coloring techniques in analog and digital, exaggerated and realistic anatomy, and the comics production process, including concepting, storyboarding, panelling, finishing and tones, and typesetting. Students should drive much of the class's contents according to their needs, but by the end of the session, they should expect to complete a 1-5 page manga short-story.


Prerequisites
Previous experience drawing comics or manga-style is recommended.

A3598: Intro to Photography Full!
Teachers: Alex Catullo

Learn the photographic process from start to finish! Go beyond the "automatic" mode and learn how to take the most abstract concepts and stunning visual subjects, and turn them into beautiful works of art. We'll start out by learning the basics of photography; going over shutter, focus, ISO, and aperture control, as well as post-production techniques like digital editing, film developing, and darkroom printing. From there we'll learn the tricks and styles you can use to express your artistic vision, studying the examples of famous photographers from the past. We can explore the tools of framing, lighting and composition as we spend half of each day doing photo shoots around the MIT campus. Each shoot will have a theme such as landscapes, street photography, portraits, or any subject we decide to pursue. The course will culminate in a final project where each student will assemble a brief portfolio centered around any topic, subject or technique you like. On the last day of class you'll receive a critique to leave or take with you as you go on to wield one of art's most powerful tools: the camera.


Prerequisites
This is an in-depth intro course. Students should have their own SLR cameras with manual controls for shutter speed, ISO and aperture. This camera can be either analog or digital. Alternatively, a few cameras will be available for students to borrow during class. You'll get more details after you sign up.

A3587: Composing Music
Teachers: Danielle Yuen

Ever want to write your own music? This course will go over some music theory and classical composition basics. By the end of the course, students will have written their own short, original piece of music.


Prerequisites
Some musical experience or background. Can read music and has a general understanding of basic music theory (eg. key and time signatures, pitch names, note lengths)

A3576: Rock Subgenres and You
Teachers: Frank Nakashian

So you like The Beatles and Green Day? How about Bad Brains, Opeth, or MU330? In 'Rock Subgenres and You' we will explore the history and characteristics of different musical styles and bands many casual rockers overlook. Subjects include progressive rock, punk rock, indie, metal, alternative, ska, reggae, and their offshoot styles. We will also explore the evolution of styles and trends in rock such as the new wave movement of the 80's and grunge of the 90's. Students will become familiar with as well as gain an appreciation for different groups and styles, many of which that receive little to no exposure on modern media outlets.

A3543: Intro to Photography Full!
Teachers: Alex Catullo

Learn the photographic process from start to finish! Go beyond the "automatic" mode and learn how to take the most abstract concepts and stunning visual subjects, and turn them into beautiful works of art. We'll start out by learning the basics of photography; going over shutter, focus, ISO, and aperture control, as well as post-production and digital editing techniques. From there we'll learn the tricks and styles you can use to express your artistic vision, studying the examples of famous photographers from the past. We can explore the tools of framing, lighting and composition as we spend half of each day doing photo shoots around the MIT campus. Each shoot will have a theme such as landscapes, street photography, portraits, or any subject we decide to pursue. The course will culminate in a final project where each student will assemble a brief portfolio centered around any topic, subject or technique you like. On the last day of class you'll receive a critique to leave or take with you as you go on to wield one of art's most powerful tools: the camera.


Prerequisites
This is an in-depth intro course. Students should have their own SLR cameras with manual controls for shutter speed, ISO and aperture. This camera can be either analog or digital. Alternatively, a few cameras will be available for students to borrow during class. You'll get more details after you sign up.

A3596: Intuitive Design Full!
Teachers: Vincent Lee

Good design allows people to interact with objects, environments, and ideas in an easy, efficient manner, and it allows the world to work both smoothly and elegantly.

The class will strengthen your ability to intuitively understand how to design well and how to bring good design to your projects. It will partly cover technical skills like type layout and color spaces and partly cover more abstract ideas, such as "the nature of design".

A3552: Experimental Music
Teachers: Nick Seaver

What is music?

Experimental music tries to push the boundaries of what counts as "music" by exploring unusual answers to these questions. Beginning in the 20th century, composers, performers, and inventors came up with a wide variety of experimental musics that stretched the imagination, challenged the ears, and broke with tradition. Technologies for making sounds like the phonograph, synthesizer, and computer allowed new kinds of music to be made.

In this class, you will learn about the history of experimental music from the early 20th century to today and discuss what "experimental" means; you will get to perform some historical pieces; and you will have the chance to compose your own experimental pieces. We will be looking at the music technology of the 20th (and 21st) century, learning how it works, and using it to make and think about experimental music.

Students who took the version of this class taught last summer (see the syllabus and course materials here: http://nickseaver.net/hssp/ ) had this to say:

"This was my favorite class at HSSP this year."
"I <3333 you and your class. Seriously. Best class I've taken at HSSP- it's the one I keep telling people about. Thank you so much! This was a great part of my summer- definitely one of the best parts."

(This class has some overlap with "Sound in the 20th Century" taught last summer, but focuses more on in-class performance and student activities. Repeat students are welcome!)


Prerequisites
No prerequisites. Much of the music in the class is amateur-friendly: you do not need to know music theory or how to play an instrument to take this class. You should be interested in creative experimentation and sound.


Engineering

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E3583: Intro to Circuits & Electronics
Teachers: Tommy Anderson

The goal of this course is to teach you enough about electric circuits so that you can begin to become a hobbyist. The course will introduce the fundamentals of the lumped circuit abstraction. Topics covered include: resistive elements and networks; independent and dependent sources; switches and MOS transistors; digital abstraction; amplifiers; energy storage elements; dynamics of first and second order networks (RL, RC, RLC, LC circuits).


Prerequisites
Students should know how to differentiate and integrate. Previous experience with circuits and physics E&M would be beneficial, but is not necessary to take the class.

E3575: Vision and Computational Photography

This is a class that is both serious and fun based upon the rich MIT experience in Vision, Signals and Systems, Computational Photography and its Pioneers (Prof. Edgerton and Prof. Schreiber).

July 11 Light and Color: Mirror, mirror on the Wall; who is the fairest of us all?

July 18 Lens and Cameras: The Human experience from the Cave to the iPad

July 25 The Pixel and demosaicing the neighborhood: Never have so many given so little.

August 01 A use for the Linears: A one hour Matlab for image processing

August 08 Digital Camera Deconstruction (DCD): and that’s All there is!

August 15 High Dynamic Range (HDR) methods according to St. Paul (Debevec)

August 22 Compressive Sensing (CS) and the Single Pixel Camera

E3577: An Interactive Introduction to Robotics Full!
Teachers: Chris Merrill

Robots -- creations of metal and plastic, code and circuits, the combination of ideas and physical design.
They build our cars, may soon /be/ our cars, fight our wars, control our political establishment, and-- wait, scratch that last one.

Anyways, robotics is an interesting field that combines computational problem solving with real-world interaction in ways that solve many common problems while at the same time exposing new ones.

The class will cover at least the following topics:

Robots as state machines
Analyzing control systems
Using and processing sensor data
...and applying the above to robot navigation and solving complex problems


Prerequisites
A reasonable understanding of procedural and object-oriented programming.

E3565: Creating Projects with Scratch and Clutter Full!

Create your own games, stories and animations in Scratch, a programming language developed by the MIT Media Lab. After learning Scratch, you will be the first users of the Clutter website, which allows you to combine Scratch projects together to create multi-level games and multi-scene stories.



Prerequisites
No programming experience is necessary. Beginners are welcome.

E3601: Intro to Engineering

Do you think you might want to be an engineer, but don’t know much about what an engineer does?

In this class, you will learn how to build a bridge, set off a rocket, among other things. The class will offer a mixture of lecture-based and activity-based classes.

The following engineering disciplines will be offered (subject to change).

Mechanical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Aero/Astro
Electrical Engineering

This class is designed to be an introductory course. Math will be kept at a basic level, and older students might be bored.

Each class will be taught by a different teacher, so it will be more like a series of seminars on engineering than an actual class.

E3594: Model Rocketry and Related Topics
Teachers: Ben Sena

A hands-on introduction to model rocketry and the physics and engineering topics involved. This section is for 10th-12th graders; there is another section (E3595) for 7th-9th graders.


Prerequisites
Recommended one year of physics and basic calculus, but we will teach you everything you need to know.

E3595: Model Rocketry and Related Topics

A hands-on introduction to model rocketry and the physics and engineering topics involved. This section is for 7th-9th graders; there is another section (E3594) for 10th-12th graders.


Prerequisites
Recommended some experience with physical science/physics and some famiiliarity with graphing functions. Know something about position, velocity, and acceleration. In any case, we will teach you everything you need.

E3610: Creating Projects with Scratch and Clutter Full!

Create your own games, stories and animations in Scratch, a programming language developed by the MIT Media Lab. After learning Scratch, you will be the first users of the Clutter website, which allows you to combine Scratch projects together to create multi-level games and multi-scene stories.


Prerequisites
No programming experience is necessary. Beginners are welcome.

E3567: Introduction to Sustainable Energy and Development
Teachers: Carlos Greaves

Everyone is talking about global warming and the environment these days, but if you are wondering what people are actually doing to reduce CO2 emissions and conserve resources, then this is the class for you. Each class day will focus on a different topic, everything from alternative sources of energy, to green architecture, to the economics of sustainable energy. Class time will be divided evenly between presentations, discussions, and activities designed to apply the concepts. This class won’t focus on any one topic in particular, but rather it will serve as a starting point for those who are interested in sustainability, but aren’t sure where to begin.

E3597: Basic Power and Hand Tools
Teachers: Frederick Moore

This course will cover basic use of some of the most popular hand and power tools used by hobbyists today. It will cover use of simple hand tools like hammers and screwdrivers to the use of hand drills, jig saws, and more.


Prerequisites
None, but a willingness to learn how to use power tools!

E3592: Introduction to Optoelectronics Full!

How does my CD player work? What does it mean to connect to the internet? Why are LEDs round? Can the sun power my home? Do you have questions like these that you must have answered. Optoelectronic devices combine electricity and light in many different ways in everyday applications constantly surrounding us. This course will take you from the basic physics of light and matter to the many everyday applications of optoelectronic devices.

Topics we will cover include:
-Solar Cells
-LEDs
-Fiber Optics
-Lasers

We will do at least two mini-projects that combine different devices and apply the material that we cover in class. Depending on class interest, we will try to cover as many projects, topics and applications as we can.

This course will be a survey of many of the interesting topics in optoelectronics research and technology. We hope to help you gain an intuition for this topic without the college-level math and science that is typically involved. If you enjoy or are curious about playing with light, definitely come join us!


Prerequisites
A year of physics and chemistry may be helpful, but this course is intended to give you the basic physics and chemistry needed to understand the applications conceptually. Although we will stay away from calculus and higher level math, a good understanding of algebra, geometry, and trigonometry is required. If you are still interested, but you are unsure if this class will be appropriate for you, please answer the application with all of your concerns.

E3615: Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Full!

This class is an introduction to the fundamentals of electrical engineering and computer science. Some topics include: basic computer programming, circuits, probability, signals and systems, algorithms.


Prerequisites
Some form of physics and calculus preferable.


Humanities

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H3544: Fashion in Revolution: Fashion History from Rococo to the Napoleonic Era
Teachers: Lee Hershey

The French Revolution did not just bring changes in social and political thinking; it also transformed the fashions of French culture. These changes have since manifested themselves in the world’s cultural and fashion perspective, and elements of the styles and trends which arose during the Revolution remain consistent today.

This course intends to follow the fashion trends from the Rococo and Neo-classical era until the Napoleonic era. It will put in context both the events of the French Revolution era: from the reign of Marie Antoinette to the reign of Napoleon, and just how these fashion changes were wrought both because and by the political and social changes at the time.


Prerequisites
none

H3548: The Art of Story Telling and Writing Longer Fiction

Ever wanted to write a novel? Design a television series? Tell stories in front of a captive audience?

In this interactive workshop, we'll go through the basic elements of creating longer fiction: how to build scenes that grab us from the first moment, to design plot twists and turns that will keep us engaged for hours, to create compelling characters that will stay with us for months to come. We'll warm up with a few sessions of fun writing and oral exercises, and a bulk of the course will be devoted to getting started on a longer work -- oral or written -- and critiquing the work of other students.



Prerequisites
Students should be open to sharing and critiquing works in a group setting. Prior story-telling and/or fiction writing experience encouraged but not required. Active imagination recommended :)

H3553: Shouting at the Top of Our Lungs: The Modern American Story
Teachers: Nathan Williams

A multi-media examination of the modern American story and how the increasingly diverse population is struggling to have their voice heard. Students will watch, read, engage and analyze movies, television shows, comic books, blogs and magazines as we attempt to discover what it means to be American in today's media-saturated world. We will contemplate what, for better or worse, makes our country unique and attempt to predict the future of our nation.

This class will focus on developing analytical skills and theories of modern media criticism. Students should be prepared to develop original opinions based on the story of the week and debate their classmates on the story's merit.

H3554: Word Families: Relationships Between Sound & Meaning
Teachers: Murray Denofsky

Explore the many subtle connections between words. Class will trace out themselves such word families as (carry, car, cart, carriage, chair, care), (house, home, hovel, hive, hut, hutch, hotel, hospital) and (glare, gold, glitter, glisten, glory, gloat, glad, glade, glamor, gleam, gloom). Learn both historical (etymological) connections and phonosymbolic connections (certain sounds innately expressing certain meanings by analogical structure or symbolism). We will see how these principles work in English, in languages related to English, and in unrelated languages. This will be an activity with much class participation. Bring an English dictionary, as well as some foreign-English dictionaries if you have them.

H3524: How to Question Everything and Argue with Everybody Full!

In this course, we will teach you how to think logically, spot mistakes, formulate opinions and change those opinions in the event of new information. This should allow you to rationally carry on (and win) a debate or argument about any issue while avoiding common fallacies.

Light reading and research will be assigned as homework — nothing that should take more than 30 minutes a week!


Prerequisites
You must be comfortable with speaking in front of your peers. The art of debating requires both your brain and voice!

H3539: On Being a Writer
Teachers: Sarah Merriman

Writing skills are important, but it can get boring to write essays and stories on topics you aren't interested in. Well, it's summer, so let's take a creative approach--learn to write prose and poetry, and learn about yourself, too. The best writers are ones with imagination, passion, and some knowledge of themselves and their world--and you can be among them. We will write, of course, but more importantly, we will explore many types of inspiration--film, nature, even each other-to get on the path to writing well, and writing often.


Prerequisites
A pen and enthusiasm.

H3589: Slavery in the World Today

This class explores the issue of modern-day slavery across several fields: history, social movement theory, law, public health, and business. We will answer questions such as "Did slavery end in the United States after the Civil War? How do you define slavery? How can the fields of law, medicine, and business support the modern abolitionist movement?" In addition to listening to lectures and reading slave narratives and legal case studies in class, we will also be watching clips of documentaries, listening to expressive music, and writing creative pieces from the perspective of a slave.

H3573: Pop Culture
Teachers: Elizabeth Koczera

Ever wanted to have a serious discussion about rap music? How about your favorite movie or website? This class will explore various forms of media including music, television, photography and the internet and how it influences our lives. Each week students will explore a different facet of the media and through in class projects and discussion learn to interpret and critically engage with popular culture. Students will work collectively in groups and individually toward understanding media and the manner of its production and what that means in our American society. At the conclusion of the class students will have the skills necessary to engage with and challenge all kinds of media, as well as the knowledge to create new effective media forms. Note: Short (but fun) weekly out of class assignments are required for this class.


Prerequisites
-Having ever watched television, a movie, listened to music or read a book.

H3580: Introduction to Arabic
Teachers: Hanah Nasri

With 186 million speakers, Arabic is relatively common making it a great language to learn. Whether you want to sound knowledgeable abroad or just want to impress your friends, this course will cover the language's fundamentals and will give you the opportunity to dabble in calligraphy.

This class will focus on Classical Arabic and will only be an introduction, so the objective of this class will be to learn the Arabic letters, basic words, some calligraphy and general phrases that might help students traveling to the Arab world.

H3588: DREAMS Full!
Teachers: Carol Hardick

WHAT ARE DREAMS? WHY DO WE DREAM? DOES EVERYONE DREAM?

Do you dream in color? Are your dreams silent movies or streaming audio?

Dreams have been described as the doorway to the unconscious. But do we understand what we dream?

Deep in our dreams we recall and relive our past. Do we also dream our future? Are your dreams trying to tell you something? As an individual you develop your own set of images, representations and interpretations that are unique to you alone. This class will search to analyze the framework of different dreams and help you understand them. We'll explore what the experts have to say about where dreams come from and what they are. We'll look at Carl Jung and Edgar Cayce. We'll compare the various opinions put forth by other professionals including philosophers, scientists, cognitive-neuroscientists, psychiatrists, and storytellers and then open up these ideas to class debate. Over the 8 weeks we'll explore dreams and imagery in literature, music, art and the movies. We will also explore how dreams contribute to the creative process in the making of art: Henri Rousseau’s The Sleeping Gypsy, Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and James Cameron’s Avatar for example.

We'll also examine the categories of dreams and delve into the epic dream. We’ll discuss the reasons for keeping a dream journal, what a journal should include and ways to help you recall your dreams. From this journal you can develop your own dictionary of your symbols and definitions. We'll also discuss how to use your dreams for creative purposes such as writing, film-making, creating art, or practical ways that dreaming can help you score higher on a test or invent a new idea or product.

H3591: Intro to French Full!
Teachers: Julia Arnous

Learn the language of Godard, Beauvoir, Debussy, Descartes, Degas, Derrida, Sartre, Proust, Amélie, Astérix, and Le Petit Prince! We'll cover language basics (grammar, vocab, etc.), then work on the four skills: speaking and listening (and some reading and writing). We'll check out music and movie clips along the way, and learn about some famous philosophers, writers, and artists. We'll also debunk a couple stereotypes (think frog legs and hairy French women) and practice our street slang (yo, yo). A language course with a bit of culture thrown in.


Prerequisites
This is an intro language class for beginners - no prerequisites but an interest in learning French!

H3607: Weekly World News
Teachers: Vincent Lee

Are you not content with just "living your life", oblivious to the terrors happening around the world every day? Have no fear! This class will cover the past week's world news, keeping YOU updated!

Each week's class will be taught by a different teacher and will cover different areas of interest.

H3572: The Philosophy of Science
Teachers: Lester Kim

This course will discuss important scientific facts and how they have impacted modern philosophy. We will tackle big questions such as:
Why do we have a sense of morality?
How did the universe begin?
What is consciousness?
What does physics have to say about free will?


Prerequisites
WARNING: Prepare to challenge your beliefs. My job is to inform you of the scientific facts but their mere presentation may contradict your preconceived notions about human behavior, life, and the nature of the universe. The most important prerequisite for this class is to have a curious and open mind.

H3558: Anarchism 101

An introduction to Anarchist theory, history, and current practice. This class is for people interested in learning about the Anarchist political system, consensus decision making, and direct action. As well as learning about the many struggles anarchists partake in such as anti-capitalism, anti-racism, radical feminism, both animal and earth liberation, prison abolition and queer liberation.


Mathematics

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M3579: The Magic of Matrices
Teachers: Ruth Byers, Jason Gross

In arithmetic, if you multiply two numbers, you get the same result no matter which order you put them in. Learn what a matrix is and why the product of two matrices depends on which order you multiply them in. The class will cover determinants, matrix multiplication, row operations, and inverses.

M3609: Game Theory
Teachers: Alex Arkhipov

You and a friend take turns placing dominoes on an 8 by 8 chessboard. Each domino covers two squares and no two dominoes may overlap. You place dominoes vertically and your friend places them horizontally, and whoever can’t fit a domino loses. Will you or your friend come out on top?

We’ll look at the math and the theory behind certain games. How do you find a winning strategy? Can you break the game up into smaller games? Although we will play a few games, the focus is on figuring out who will win before the first move is even made.

M3568: Calculus! Full!
Difficulty: Hard - This class may be exceptionally difficult
Teachers: Sondra Smith

This is just what it sounds like! We're going to start from the basics the class already knows, and by the end of the summer, you guys will know how to do calculus. It's up to the class just how far into the subject we go, but if everyone works hard, I think we can cover most of what you'll learn in high school ;D

I LOVE calculus, and most of all, I want you guys to love it too.


Prerequisites
Know what a function is.

M3600: Introduction to Differential Equations
Difficulty: Hard - This class may be exceptionally difficult

Differential equations are mathematical equations whose solutions provide insight to many of nature's laws. They are fundamental to many disciplines in science and engineering. In this course we will be studying ordinary differential equations (ODE's), which deal with functions containing one variable. Topics covered in this course include: techniques for solving ODE's, variation of parameters, input-response models, complex numbers and exponentials, homogenous and inhomogenous DE's, stability, simple harmonic oscillators, direction fields, integral curves, and existence and uniqueness theorem.


Prerequisites
The only prerequisite for this course is experience with differentiation and integration.

M3547: What are the Odds? A Practical Introduction to Statistics Full!

Is it going to rain? Should I get a flu shot? Is climate change for real? For small questions as well as big ones, many of our decisions require making sense of uncertainty. In this course, we'll go through the fundamentals of core statistical concepts while keeping an eye on how these concepts are used--and misused--in common situations. The technical material, supplemented with real world examples, will start off with basic probability an move into hypothesis testing and linear regression. Students will gain a solid intuition of both rigorous statistical concepts and how these concepts are and should be applied to actual decision-making.


Prerequisites
Students should be comfortable with algebra; some experience with basic probability (coin-flipping, die-rolling) highly recommended.

M3550: Intuitive Calculus Full!
Teachers: Lucas Tambasco

For students that have not yet taken calculus (and are planning to do so in the near future), this class will give an intuitive view of what calculus is. Topics will include limits, derivatives, integration and applications. Class for 8-11 graders, will help the transition from pre calculus to AP/IB or honors calculus.


Prerequisites
Trigonometry

M3605: Introduction to Website Design using WordPress Full!

Introduction to basics of website layout and structures. Design and create a 5 (or more) page website/blog on a topic of your choice, using Wordpress.

Primarily lab work with some lecture time and video tutorials. Can run longer than 90 minutes if there is interest.

This course is not for experienced website designers.

M3606: Intro to Calculus Full!

The class will be geared toward students who have not previously taken calculus but perhaps plan on taking it in the fall. We will cover the basics of differentiation and integration, and I will do my best to make the topics as approachable as possible.

I promise, calculus isn't something mysterious and mind-boggling :)


Prerequisites
I expect students to have some background in trigonometry (know what sine, cosine, etc. are) and have some background in precalculus (know what a limit of a function is and how to evaluate it). I will start out by making sure everyone is on the same page before we learn new material. Please don't sign up for the class if you don't have the prerequisites.


[Deprecated] Science

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S3561: Sensation and Perception
Teachers: D Y

“What is real? How do you define real? If you’re talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain. This is the world that you know”
–Morpheus, The Matrix (1999)

How do we make sense of the world? When you look at a rose, how can you tell it’s a rose? Was it the color of the rose that helped you identify it? Or perhaps it was scent or texture of the petals that gave it away. The knowledge that we have of the world is limited by what we can learn through our senses, and what our brains process of the things that we can see, hear, smell, taste, and feel.

In this course, we will take a closer look at individual senses and learn about how these senses help us interpret the world around us. Students taking this course will learn a bit about the history of perceptions and psychophysics, the study of sensation of perception. We will also explore brain anatomy, how our senses work, and the neural basis of interpreting information from the experiences around us. We will cover all the senses in the system and introduce some of the biggest unanswered questions in the field of neuroscience today.



Prerequisites
Previous biology knowledge is required, previous high school physics is recommended.

S3569: Chemistry of Your Everyday Life
Teachers: Marie Herring

Have you ever wondered how they make artificial sweetener? This class will take one aspect or object that appears in everyday life and show its chemical roots. For example, we might start with aspartame (an artificial sweetenerl), starting with an explanation of its synthesis and historical significance. We might then take some samples of sweeteners and do some tests. We might also try to do some of the reactions involved in making aspartame. Lastly, we would consider the environmental effects of the chemicals that are used to make aspartame, and how these effects might be ameliorated.

These classes will be a rigorous treatment, involving both theoretical and hands-on work. Students will be expected to have a level of scientific maturity and a curiosity about their surroundings. Students should have completed a one-year course (or equivalent) in the physical sciences, and have an understanding of algebra and geometry.


Prerequisites
1 year of a physical science, optimally including some chemistry.

S3614: Social Psychology: Why people do what they do, and how to outsmart them.
Teachers: Alex Catullo

In this course you'll learn about the root of prejudice, and where bad decisions come from. You'll figure out how to be a better leader, and why your lab partner is so lazy. You'll learn whether or not you can trust a jury, and how otherwise good people can be driven to commit acts of evil. For better or for worse, people do things which we sometimes can't explain, yet we go on interacting with them because we have to; but wouldn't things be easier if we knew the reasons why?
This course is about people, how they think about other people, and why. As we study experiments and theories which reveal surprising truths about our own thoughts, this course will teach you how to recognize where social thinking goes wrong, and how to outsmart it.

S3590: Experimenting in the atomic world: an introduction to modern physics
Teachers: Eduardo Sverdlin

You have learned in school all about electrons, neutrons, and protons, but have you actually seen one? This class will explore a number of groundbreaking experiments which allowed man to peer into the heart of matter and observe its smallest components. Along the way, you will learn why salt melts snow, why glass is transparent, and why a basketball can never touch the court. The course will culminate in an independent research project that uses modern physics to explain ultra-complex physical systems like transistors, LEDs, digital camera sensors, lasers, etc.

Click here to download a tentative syllabus


Prerequisites
One year of high school physics; Algebra II.

S3551: Intro to Neuroscience Full!
Teachers: Greg Hale

The human brain is the crown jewel of a millions-year-long evolutionary process. Many brains have tried, and many have failed, and now we are here. For the fist time in the history of life on Earth, an object has been created that has the capacity to study itself.

If your brain is interested, it can peer back on itself, in this neuroscience class. We will learn about what the brains of neuroscientists have discovered about brains in general. What are brains made of? How do brains do computation? How do we see, hear, taste, etc? How do we remember?

None of these questions have been 'completely' answered by scientists, but the early findings are surprising and interesting. We will walk you through a tiny fraction of what is known about neuroscience today, and help you understand the experiments that are being done as the field moves forward.


Prerequisites
Recommended but not required: Biology Physics Chemistry

S3549: Genes, Genomics, and Evolution Full!
Teachers: Ana Lyons

Begins with macro and micro-evolution and the history of biodiversity (with lots of pretty pictures of exotic animals and video clips with British accents), and then moves into topics of molecular evolution and an overview of evolutionary development (evo devo). Next we'll cover major topics in genetics and biotechnology with an overview of modern genomics, and their applications to evolutionary theory and cutting-edge modern medicine. The final section on genomics will touch on computational biology, including a hands-on computational lab introducing students to BLAST and other online databases. Anticipated field trip to the Harvard Museum of Natural History during the biodiversity portion of the course.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Mendelian genetics, with some familiarity of evolutionary theory.

S3582: The Hip Bone is Connected to the... Full!
Teachers: Jaishri Atri

Anatomy is the study of the structures of the human body. Just by looking down at your own hands, you can determine that they are made up of bones, muscles, veins, and skin. However, the structures of the body are more complicated than just what we can observe from the outside. Structures in the body range from being dectable only at the microscopic level, to being over three feet long!
We will begin our study of anatomy by briefly looking to the past. By learning about the history of anatomy we will gain an appreciation for it's current standing as a modern science.
Then, we will explore the twelve main body systems, cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular, integumentary and categorically locate, identify, and name the various structures associated with each body system.
We will enhance our learning by using tools such as charts, diagrams, and artistic modeling using clay and drawings. Dissections, where appropriate, will be demonstrated for the class.
Classes will contain a lecture portion, a modeling/art portion, and a discussion portion. The discussion portion will be class/student led and will incorporate current events and outside information pertaining to the lecture topics.
The course will conclude with an optional, out side of class times, field trip to the Boston Museum of Science anatomy exhibit.

S3557: Human Anatomy and Physiology Full!
Teachers: Bridget Wall

From your brain to your gut to everything in between, this class will discuss the basics of human biology. Both structure (anatomy) and function (physiology) will be used to explain what exactly makes you YOU.

Each day will be spent focused on a different system of the body, allowing for in-depth exploration of nerve cells to heart muscle to digestive organs and beyond.

Classes will be a combination of lecture and hands-on activities. To quote Mrs. Frizzle, plan to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!

A basic rundown of the planned class schedule:

Day 1: basic vocabulary; cells vs. tissues vs. organs, orientation, membranes

Day 2: Skin and bones

Day 3: Heart and muscles

Day 4: Blood and body defenses

Day 5: Brain and nerves

Day 6: Digestive system and metabolism

Day 7: Lung and kidneys

Study materials will be provided; please come ready to learn!


Prerequisites
Either biology or chemistry is required unless prior permission is given by the instructor. This is a class that will move quickly to cover all the material (the human body is indeed fairly complex!)

S3566: Introduction to Organic Chemistry
Teachers: Myriam Taibi

This class will introduce students to the basics of chemistry and building up on these concepts to learn about organic chemistry, which is the study of carbon containing compounds. We will cover topics such as orbitals and bonding, acid-base reactions, naming of compounds, and different types of reactions! This class will explore organic chemistry through many class examples and see how organic chemistry is used to create many of the products we use today!


Prerequisites
One year of high school chemistry is strongly recommended.

S3570: Chemistry of Your Everyday Life for Middle Schoolers
Teachers: Marie Herring

Have you ever wondered how they make artificial sweetener? This class will take one aspect or object that appears in everyday life and show its chemical roots. For example, we might start with aspartame (an artificial), starting with an explanation of its synthesis and historical significance. We might then take some samples of sweeteners and do some tests. Lastly, we would consider the environmental effects of the chemicals that are used to make aspartame, and how these effects might be ameliorated.
This class will be a fun introduction to how chemistry has come to affect many aspects of your life, sometimes without your knowledge. It will be hands-on, focusing on the questions that are raised as we investigate each substance.



Prerequisites
Some basic knowledge of scientific concepts

S3581: Intro to the Solar System
Teachers: Ashley Nash

The Solar System is vast. It would take light nearly two years to travel across it. This class is designed to be an introduction to this system. It will survey what we know about the solar system, what we don't know, and what we are currently trying to figure out. The class time will be split between lectures, discussions, videos, and labs.


Prerequisites
None

S3599: MIT Hogwarts Full!
Teachers: Rebekah Dawson

The magic of Harry Potter meets the mind-blowing science of MIT! Enroll at MIT Hogwarts and you will be sorted into a House and learn everything the modern witch/wizard-science needs to know in a series of mini-lectures, demos, crafts, riddles and puzzles, and other activities. We'll draw on the book the Science of Harry Potter and our own imaginations for inspiration.

S3541: The Chemistry of Toxins, Explosives, and Space

Get a taste of chemistry far beyond high school curriculum! We will take you through a whirlwind survey of the branches of chemistry including organic chemistry, inorganic, physical, forensics chemistry, chemistry history (the interesting bits), biochemistry, and astrochemistry. Get exposed to the diversity of topics in chemistry from the study of natural toxins to radioactivity. A unique approach will be taken to explore chemistry both in historical context and in contemporary world. Our goal is for you to walk away with a broad introduction to the many disciplines of chemistry and get excited about contemporary ideas in science and technology.


Prerequisites
1 year of high school chemistry

S3538: Ecology (of microorganisms)
Teachers: Sarah Preheim

In this class we will review principles of ecology using microorganisms as our "model" system. Microorganisms are too small to be seen with the naked eye, but they are a vital part of our ecosystem. We will discuss why it is important to study the ecology of microorganisms, examine their competitive, symbiotic and antagonistic interactions, survival and growth in exotic habitats, evolution and speciation, and technologies for sensing microbes in the environment. Each class will begin with an outline of basic ecological principles, how these may or may not apply to microorganisms, and elaborate on these principles using examples from microbial ecology.

S3564: Nanomaterials: A World in the Nanoscale

This course would be a brief introduction into the nanomaterials world, from porous materials to nanoparticles. You will learn about the applications of nanomaterials and some of their properties.

S3559: Where are we in the universe?
Teachers: Rebecca Sobel

Where are we in the universe? This course is an introduction to Astronomy designed to answer questions about our place in the universe and how our location and movement in the universe affect what we see in the sky. Students will learn about the ‘big pictures’ of the dynamics and relative scales in the solar system, galaxy, and universe. More importantly students will learn how the various phenomena in the universe manifest in the night sky. The course will address questions such as: Why do we only see Mercury and Venus at dawn and dusk? Why do we see the Milky Way as a ‘milky’ band in the sky if we’re located in it? And how do I figure out when the moon will set if I only know its phase?


Prerequisites
The course will not be math intensive and will only require algebra. However, some students may find geometry helpful.

S3571: Introduction to Organic Chemistry Full!
Teachers: Alan Leung

What organic chemistry and the notoriously difficult class all about? This class will provide an introduction to organic chemistry, covering topics such as nomenclature, bonding, reactivity, functional groups, isomers, stereochemistry, and basic reactions. Further topics may be covered depending on class progress. This class provides a good background for students interested in taking organic chemistry in the future, or for students interested in learning more advanced topics beyond general chemistry.


Prerequisites
one year of high school chemistry is strongly recommended

S3585: Topics in Molecular Biology and its Application
Teachers: Diana Wang

In this course we will be examining certain techniques used in Molecular Biology and studying these techniques in the context of specific research application. Topics include RNAi, stem cells, cancer genetics, and viruses.


Prerequisites
Minimum prerequisite is high school level biology. AP biology recommended.

S3560: Human Medical Genetics
Teachers: Mallary Hoidal

This course is designed to provide an introduction to the world of medical genetics. My hope is that students will achieve an understanding of basic human genetic principals through the examination of various genetic diseases. We will discuss the chromosomal basis of heredity, the structure and function of genes and proteins, and the mechanisms of DNA mutation with an emphasis on the molecular pathology of disease.


Prerequisites
An introductory biology class. Some knowledge of genetics would be useful.

S3613: Neuroscience--Exploring The Brain and all it's Connections

This course will serve as an introduction to the field of neuroscience. You probably know what the brain is, but what exactly does it do? You've probably heard of neurons, but how exactly do they work? We'll give you the fundamental answers to these questions so you can come to understand exactly how amazing this body system is. If time permits, we'll try to jump into higher level topics such as dreaming, the senses, emotion, language acquisition, memory and mental illness.


Prerequisites
Some familiarity with basic biology and chemistry will be helpful, but is not absolutely required. We will try to go over all that is necessary.


Miscellaneous

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X3578: Juggling & Math: 3-ball beginner/advanced techniques Full!
Teachers: Robert Myers

I will be teaching juggling, starting with the basics of juggling 3 balls. As the class continues, the students will learn more and more 3 ball techniques to add to their repertoire. As a break from juggling practice during the class, I will also teach and explain the basics of the mathematics of juggling.


Prerequisites
Want to learn how to juggle.

X3603: ABC of investing Full!
Teachers: Shobha Narasimha

If you always wondered how to grow your money by investing this class is for you. In this course you will learn about basics about investing. This class talks about different types of investing and digs deeper into stock investing. It teaches you basics about analyzing a company – what does that company do , how is it making money. It also talks about different things that impact investing including global economy.


Prerequisites
Enthusiasm and interest for investing

X3604: Leadership Training Institute

Welcome to the Leadership Training Institute (LTI). The goal of the Leadership Training Institute is to teach motivated high school students the philosophy behind leadership, the importance of teamwork, and to promote self-reflection and the comprehension of self-identity.

In a world of advancements in technology, globalization, partnerships and interactions amongst nations, severe environmental problems and humanitarian crises, there must be leaders who will build the future. We plan to start with students in the Cambridge and Boston area. Currently, we feel students are engaging in leadership activities for the wrong reasons or do not know how to apply their innate leadership ability because they do not know the foundations of leadership. LTI seeks to enlighten students with the basics of leadership concepts while also engaging them in a supportive mentorship with successful, experienced MIT leaders. Ultimately, our goal is to fulfill and optimally apply their leadership potential.

LTI is proud of our interactive curriculum. Instead of a lecture format, we encourage our students to scream, run, think, reflect and learn in their own way.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS CLASS WILL BE 2 HOURS LONG.

X3540: The Crash Course Course 6 Full!
Teachers: Jordan Persson

The class that, like Parappa the Rapper, doesn't cut corners and never gives up is back for more, bringing you a new subject and cool life tips and tricks each week. We'll play improv games one class, then make awesome electronic gear another. As usual, some old favorites will return, along with new material, so first-timers as well as repeat students are welcome.

"It was AWESOME!" - a student
"Best class ever!" - another student
"I'm going to have to ask you to stop that, sir." - a campus police officer



Prerequisites
A willingness to engage with the rest of the class

X3602: ESPrinkler

During the third block, middle school students are given the opportunity to participate in ESPrinkler, a mini-program that consists of several one-shot (Splash-style) classes each week, including:


  • Genetics Lecture

  • Improv Acting Activity

  • Engineering Design Activity

  • Capture the Flag!



There is no need to register in advance for ESPrinkler classes -- just show up to classes that interest you each week!