HSSP Spring 2015
Course Catalog


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Arts Engineering
Humanities Mathematics
Science Social Science
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Arts

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A9157: Improvisational Comedy 101 Full!
Difficulty: **

This course will cover the basics of learning improvisational comedy in a relaxed and supportive setting. Students will play fun improv games that allow them explore their imagination and spontaneity and build confidence in their performing and public speaking abilities. Students will learn a variety of improv games and learn how to initiate a scene and work with fellow actors to create scenes. All levels of experience are encouraged to participate—novice and experienced actors alike.

A9177: The Science of Science Fiction: World Building from a Literary Perspective
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Thomas Miller

A mixture of lectures and seminar discussions that discuss the methods employed by various authors in the development of their literary universes. The real science behind these creations will also be covered to push the idea that in order to write solid science fiction, solid science is a necessary foundation. Examples of authors to be covered: Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Neal Stephenson, C.J. Cherryh, Orson Scott Card, and more. Topics covered will include hard sciences, such as geology and astrobiology, as well as, the soft sciences, such as anthropology and politics.


Prerequisites
A love of science and literature, especially the science fiction genre.

A9187: The HSSP Band
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ben Sena, Alison Smith

Join the HSSP band and learn about music while jamming with other students. I will prepare music and instruction, but will allow you as much freedom as you can handle as a class.

Before the first class I will send a message asking what everyone will be playing, so please respond to that.


Prerequisites
Please bring your own instrument and know how to make appropriate sounds come out of it, but you do not necessarily have to be an expert. If we end up with like a million guitarists I will bring things like mandolins and stick them in some of your hands.

A9195: Fiction Writing and Workshop
Difficulty: **

Do you have a story you're stuck on? A piece of work you want to receive feedback on? A bit of motivation to keep writing? This course will provide a short lecture on topics including plot structure, pacing, dialogue, imagery, use of theme, how to start a story and how to end a story. After the lecture, each student will have the opportunity to workshop a piece of completed fiction with the class.


Prerequisites
Students should have a short story or a 10-20 pages of a longer work finished or in progress to workshop with the class.

A9179: Fashion and the Future
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Steven Faerm

This course introduces students to fashion design through conceptual thinking, innovative design processes, fashion technology, and how designers create collections. Learn how to think conceptually and understand how designers work, how and why the fashion industry is changing, and how new technology is being applied to apparel. During this course, each student will design and sketch their own fashion collection that may be used for their portfolio. Activities include lectures, drawing exercises, readings, and class discussions. The course is open to all skill levels; previous experience in design or drawing is not required.

The course is taught by a visiting Associate Professor from Parsons The New School for Design who will also discuss art and design schools, and the portfolio application process.


Engineering

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E9235: Making games with Gameblox Full!
Difficulty: **

Make small, simple games using Gameblox, an online blocks based programming environment made here at MIT. So far, users have made a wide range of games, from tower defense, to maze, and item collection games. By applying basic programming concepts, you'll make something fun that others can play online.

No previous programming experience is required.

E9231: Languages, Parsers, and Computation
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Siddharth Trehan

Parsers are incredibly handy -- from writing interpreters for a toy programming language to doing natural language processing, learning how to write parsers well is a useful skill for any application. They are also interesting to study, because they give insight into the structure of languages as well as the nature of computation itself. In this course, we will use Haskell to study and learn how to write parsers, with hands-on real-world examples. In addiiton, we will learn about the relevant areas of linguistics and theoretical computer science. No knowledge of Haskell beforehand is necessarily, as we will also be learning the principles of functional programming along the way.


Prerequisites
Some basic knowledge of programming -- ability to solve basic algorithmic exercises using a programming language of choice

E9203: Introduction to Digital Communications
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Brode-Roger

Ever wondered how we are able to make computers talk to each other, how we can listen to radio or how we are able to watch kittens jump into boxes? Take "Introduction to Digital Communications" to find out!

A week-by-week list of topics we will cover:

1) Information and entropy
2) Huffman encoding
3) Error detection and correction
4) Linear Time-Invariant systems
5) Bits to world
6) World to bits
7) Combining it all together


Prerequisites
Being comfortable with some basic algebra.

E9199: A Tour of Scala
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Miguel Young

This course will teach you almost everything you would want to know about the Scala language, including very awesome features like "mixin" multiple inheritance, function literals, local functions, custom operators, custom control structures, pattern matching, and much more! Programming techniques learned in this class will be useful in learning other languages, too!

Rough syllabus:
https://github.com/drXor/scalatour/blob/master/README.md


Prerequisites
Experience with one programming language is assumed (Java is optimal but not required). A laptop is useful not not required.

E9206: Fun with Electronics! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Bianca Homberg

Want to make things you can interact with? Come build with us! :D

We'll start from the very beginning and teach you everything you need to know to make small, cool electronics projects and give you the skills and resources for where to learn more after the class! You'll get to take home most of what you make. Please don't register for this class if you have prior experience with electronics -- you'll be bored!

Project list (subject to change):
Week 1: Toothbrush robots!
Week 2: Racing robots
Week 3: A light that turns off when you turn it upside down
Week 4: Solar phone charger + solar robots
Weeks 5-7: Intro to Arduino, ending with a line following robots


Prerequisites
*No* prior experience with electronics. If you've done electronics projects before, at home or at school, I promise you'll be bored. Take a class you don't have experience in. :)


Humanities

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H9193: Millennium Development Goals
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jose Esparza

In this 7 week course we will discussing the 8 different Millennium Development Goals. We will analyze the problems at hand, study the progress since the establishment of the goals, and we will discuss the different methods to further address these or other global issues.


Prerequisites
No formal prerequisite.

H9168: English Theatre!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sarah Wharton

Get ready to act! We will be exploring the works of some of England's finest playwrights: Marlowe, Wilde, and Stoppard. Each class, we'll spend time reading aloud the plays, then we'll discuss themes and motifs, talk about the life of the author, and discover the ways in which the plays were performed in their days. You don't need to have any acting experience whatsoever to participate! The plays we'll be discussing are: Marlowe's "The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus," Wilde's "An Ideal Husband," and Stoppard's "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead."

H9196: Battle School
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Kevin Yue

Do you get bored in class? Do you ever wonder why teachers rarely cover interesting topics? Do you like playing games? Have you ever wanted to learn to wield a sword? If so, this is the class for you.

At Battle School, I will cover the history of warfare. We will discuss the best and worst tactics, maneuvers, and strategies of the past two millennia. We will examine the greatest commanders of all time, see where they succeeded, and how they failed.

And then you will have the opportunity to do better. I won't promise that every one of my students will conquer the world. I do promise that every one will have that chance.

Come, command armies, best your classmates, make staunch allies and then betray them for your greater glory. Come to Battle School, where learning is fun, and winning is more so.

H9178: Healthcare and Global Health
Difficulty: *

We will be discussing different approaches to healthcare around the world, and how various forms of aid and systems shape the face of healthcare.


Prerequisites
None

H9204: Writer's Craft: Creative Writing and Personal Narratives
Difficulty: **

Interested in writing short stories, creative fiction, poetry, or personal narratives? In this course we will be teaching techniques for plot mapping, character development, and writing authentically. These skills will be practiced through open-ended writing prompts and writing exercises, and we will also be applying techniques learned in creative writing to personal narratives.


Prerequisites
None! Just enthusiasm for writing and willingness to share your work!

H9161: Asimov: the Making of the Master
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Penrose Allphin

Are you passionate about science fiction, or just interested in getting your feet wet in the genre for the first time? An Asimov enthusiast (or willing to become one)? What were the influences that shaped the science fiction master that Isaac Asimov is known as today? In this class, we'll look at short stories written by Isaac Asimov, his contemporaries, peers, and his predecessors. Come and discuss the works of the writers who influenced Asimov's development as a literary genius.


Prerequisites
An interest in the subject matter, the willingness to read, ponder, and discuss the course selections, and above all, an open mind. Open both to students who did and did not take Asimov, Robots, and Society with me in the summer - this will be a different course.


Mathematics

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M9232: From the Fourier Transform to Hilbert Spaces
Difficulty: ****

Discovered at the dawn of the nineteenth century, the Fourier transform revolutionized mathematics, engineering, and physics forever. Classically, it converts a function of time into a function of frequency, but it was later discovered to have numerous other amazing properties, such as converting a quantum wave function of position into one of momentum, and allowing X-ray scanners to reconstruct 3D models.

We will start by applying these techniques to problems such as the wave equation, heat diffusion, and computer speech recognition, then later build to a discussion of Quantum Mechanics (QM) and proving Heisenberg's uncertainty principle via Fourier transforms. Along the way we will meet Hilbert spaces, which are the mathematical tool used to formalize modern QM.

Each class period will have a handout, a lecture heavy on derivations and proofs on the board, and plenty of pretty pictures and simulations.


Prerequisites
A strong understanding of single-variable calculus (integrals, derivatives), complex numbers, and above all, motivation. A cursory familiarity with differential equations and linear algebra are not strictly necessary, but will be helpful. This class will not be easy.

M9162: Your Face is a Vector
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Ziv Scully

"Hey, do you remember how to take the cross product of two vectors?"
"No, but you're a vector."
"Your mom's a vector."
"Your face is a vector."
"Right you are!"
—Overheard conversation between tired math majors

Linear algebra might just be the most important piece of mathematics ever to grace humanity's chalkboards. It has an elegant theory and a plenitude of applications, both in further abstract theory and matters of genuinely practical importance. Ergo, I thought it'd be pretty cool to teach a class on it. Amongst our activities will be such diverse elements as automatically filtering spam email, winning a difficult card game, counting paths in a network, and writing a facial recognition program—at which point it will be brought to light the way in which your face is a vector.


Prerequisites
You should be comfortable working with variables to the level at which the formula $$\sqrt{(x_1-x_2)^2 + (y_1-y_2)^2}$$ shouldn't scare you too much. Other than that, there's not much specific material you need to know going in, but having been around the mathematical block once or twice will help.

M9148: Number Theory
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Aditya Gopalan

Introduction to number theory: Introduction to why basic number facts like 1*0 = 0, solving equations with integer-only solutions, and exponents in modular arithmetic.

M9202: Numbers and Patterns
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Brode-Roger

An adventure into the world of small numbers. We will look at some simple operations and expand on them. This journey will take us through the land of combinations, binary, fractals and logic.


Prerequisites
All you need to know is how to do some simple algebra!

M9227: Introductory Topics In Pure Mathematics

In this course, we will introduce several elementary topics in pure math. We will discuss some basic techniques and notions of abstract algebra, topology, analysis and geometry. There will be a focus on broad themes in mathematics and we will discuss some recent math research.

There will be optional reading and exercises handed out at the end of every class.


Prerequisites
This class will be hard. However, if you do not have a broad math background, but you are enthusiastic, then you should still consider taking the course. We will do our best to help you keep up.

M9149: Recreational Problem Solving
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Lawrence Wu

Hey, like being nerd sniped? Then you might be interested in this seminar-style class about math/algorithms riddles. I'll be going over some broad thinking skills, but mostly we will be playing around with some tricky problems as a group. The problem statements will be short but they will make you think!


Prerequisites
Recommended: Have a feel for how variables and pointers work in programming. Preferred: Have a feel for how big-O is used and how basic probability and modular arithmetic work.


Science

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S9176: Adventure Science Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Emmett Krupczak

Do you love science? Do you enjoy regaling and/or boring your friends with long discussions about neurons, exoplanets, ice flows, or the Higgs boson? Are you considering studying science in college or becoming a scientist someday? Are you passionate about astronomy, geology, botany, neuroscience, zoology, chemistry, physics, something completely different, or all of the above? Do you want do do more than just read about cool things that other people have discovered? Then this class is for you!

The great minds of science didn’t just learn from courses and books. They took matters into their own hands and uncovered their own answers. In this class, you’ll take your interest in science and turn it into a quest. Science is more than a hobby or a career. It’s an adventure! We’ll learn how to look at the world in a scientific way, taking lessons from the likes of Feynman, Einstein and Darwin. Among much else, we will talk about keeping a scientific notebook, designing and performing your own experiments, and how to do your own research.

This course is for students who have a strong prior interest in any (or many!) fields of science. Students will be encouraged to do some experiments and other projects between classes, customized to their area of interest.

S9223: Physics in Supercars
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Zhulin Yu

Nothing is more charming than a Ferrari 458 Italia on this planet EXCEPT a supercar designed by YOURSELF!

Through lectures and project-based learning, we will cover the basic of the basic in physics: Newton's Laws. Deep understanding of the theory and technical mastery of its implementation are pursued in this course, as well as the evolution of physics and the nature of science. In addition, a car which you believe is the fastest in the world is going to be "built" by yourself!

S9190: Metals in biology, medicine, and disease.
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Osasere Evbuomwan

Have you ever looked at the periodic table and wondered why exactly you need to study the properties of elements in specific groups? Are you curious about how these properties of elements apply to your body? If your answer is yes to anyone of these questions, this course is for you. We will discuss the properties of metals in the periodic table and the various roles they play in biology, disease, and medicine.


Prerequisites
Chemistry

S9230: Intermediate Classical Mechanics
Difficulty: ***

This course is designed for the enthusiastic high school students who wish to explore exciting topics in classical mechanics beyond conventional high school topics. We will start by reviewing the very basic ideas of kinematics and dynamics such as Newton's laws of motion, momentum, and energy. We will conclude with the advanced theoretical topics of Hamiltonian and Lagrangian dynamics. In between, we will study examples from central forces, non-inertial reference frames, gyroscopic motion, and fluid dynamics. Along the way, we will emphasize both theory and applications so that students can appreciate the intricate relationship between the two prominent directions of current cutting-edge physics research.


Prerequisites
Prerequisites: We will use basic one-variable calculus extensively in this course. Thus, it is expected that students taking this class know differentiation and integration of both algebraic functions (e.g. $$f(x) = x^2+x$$) and transcendental functions (e.g. $$f(x) = \cos x$$.). As this course is dedicated to the study of some advanced topics in classical mechanics, it is helpful for students to have seen basic Newtonian mechanics before this class.

S9198: Evaluating the Nervous System through Critical Exploration
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Pierre Martin

Using the methods espoused by Eleanor Duckworth, students and I (as facilitator) will critically explore how to evaluate the Nervous System using everyday items and drawing on the student's personal experiences. The content discussed in the class will be a reflection of the student's inquiries and not predetermined or prescribed by me as facilitator. Potential topics to be discussed may be their conceptions of the brain,spinal cord, peripheral nerves, individual neurons and reflex arcs.

My professional background is as a Yale School of Medicine student who has finished his 3rd year of medical training. I have taught Anatomy and Cellular biology at the medical school level as well as Organic Chemistry at the undergraduate level. I am currently a masters student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in the Special Studies Program.


Prerequisites
No formal prerequisites.

S9153: Relational Databases Before There Were Such Things Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Stirling Newberry

This is a story about the underpinnings of what we now call relational databases. It may sound fancy to remember Codd and Date, the progenitors of the relational database, are not household names. But even with these two, the story goes back hundreds of years. This is that story in the outlines, or at least a version of it, which reaches back not to Codd and Date, but to Galileo Galilei, and forward to an unknown future.


Prerequisites
the ability to use a computer

S9180: Intersections of Art and Science
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jennifer Halford

We will be exploring connections between different periods of art (from ancient to contemporary) and developments in the sciences (physics, chemistry, and biology). Some topics to be investigated include how artists and scientists approach the wave-particle duality of light, dimension of time, and different ways to visualize macroscopic and microscopic worlds. Each class will include both active discussion and hands-on work, so be prepared to explore different art media and styles each week!

S9171: Particle Physics Full!
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Emmett Krupczak

Physics at its finest! Literally. We will discuss the smallest constituents of matter and the most fundamental components of the universe: elementary particles. We'll discuss all the usual suspects, like quarks and leptons, plus new discoveries at the Large Hadron Collider (the Higgs boson!) and weird stuff like dark matter and supersymmetry. We'll also talk about the intersection between particle physics and astrophysics: how particles govern everything from the early universe to the structure of galaxies.

We won't steer clear from the math. You will learn how to construct Feynman diagrams and actually calculate lots of fun things like the masses of particles and how they interact with each other. Expect to encounter group theory, calculus and plenty of algebra. There will be optional take-home assignments for interested students.


Prerequisites
A strong grasp of algebra. At least a glancing familiarity with derivatives and integrals.

S9225: Basement Chemistry
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Austin Clark

This course teaches chemistry, laboratory techniques, industrial applications of chemistry, and practical home applications of chemistry. The goal of this course is to simply develop and enhance a student's chemical intuition.


Prerequisites
An interest in chemistry


Social Science

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S9191: Becoming a Global Citizen
Difficulty: **

This class will prepare students to better understand human diversity from a personal and interpersonal perspective. Essential skills discussed will include, skin color awareness, biology of race, understanding identity and individuality, learning appropriate language around how to be inclusive with one another, looking at differences and similarities through the lens of the many areas of human diversity, history of race in America, understanding cultural patterns vs. stereotypes, discussing fairness, peace, injustice and the term “changemakers”, in the context of Civil Rights and American history. Students will explore these many important topics utilizing conversation, books, media, art, poetry and other engaging activities.

S9211: Introduction to Linguistics
Difficulty: **

How far does the language you speak determine the way you think? What accounts for the different ways you speak to different groups of people in your lives? Why do you keep hearing "Starbucks lovers" in that Taylor Swift song? How did the English language come to be what it is today? How has the English language evolved in other parts of the world?

If you have ever wondered about any or all of these questions, this class is for you! :D This course will explore the different domains of English linguistics ranging from the more theoretical structural features of the language from its syntax and its sound system to the more descriptive sociolinguistics and a little bit of historical linguistics. Class sessions will involve fun activities, discussions and puzzles about language that you'll be able to work through together! Come prepared to have fun and learn more the English language!

S9152: Wagner and his English Descendants
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Stirling Newberry

Wagner was an awful man, and there is no way of denying this. But what is also true, though many attempts at making a stab at this, is that he is a great artist, even if you don't think so - there is no denying that he was important. This was recognized even as he stormed - an idea man stormed- the earth.

Rather than looking at Wagner's music, we are going to look at the literary dimensions he inspired, starting with the generation that came of age in the 1890s. Particularly those who were spellbound by the works enormous power. We are then going to look at three authors who took this work and formed it as the great response, and not always positively: Joyce, Pound, and Tolkien.


Prerequisites
have read some English lit.

S9194: Asian American Studies
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Mingshi Yang

Over this course, we will explore historical and modern role of Asian Americans. Topics that we will learn about include the Asian American Civil Rights Movement, exclusionary immigration policy, modern US-China relations and American foreign policy towards China, how unfair treatment of Asian Americans affects other minorities, and modern social movements like "#NotYourAsianSidekick." In consideration of current events, we will also analyze how and why discrimination of Asian Americans differs from that of blacks, hispanics, and other minorities.

Classes will consist of engaging discussions, reading excerpts from various papers, and watching exciting videos. A respectful atmosphere will be maintained in class, and everyone of all viewpoints and philosophies is welcome!

This class is for anyone who wants to enrich their understanding of American history, become a more world-aware person, and learn how to solve these instances of systemic oppression.

S9214: Social Deconstruction
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Joseph Seering

Social scientists analyze social systems and why they work the way they do. Engineers design and build things to accomplish certain tasks. In this class we will merge the two disciplines by taking apart social systems, figuring out what makes them tick, and then putting them back together in new and different ways.

We will focus specifically on education, as it is a large social system with which we all have some measure of experience, but will explore other topics in less depth.

S9147: The Animal World and Us
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Zhao

Every week we'll focus on a different aspect of our relationship to the animal world, including pets, scientific testing, and animal intelligence. This class features everything from deep discussions on animal ethics to an entertaining video of monkeys demonstrating social inequity aversion. Bonus, slideshows of cute animals.

This is a class for anyone interested in learning more about all types of animals and how animals impact our everyday lives.

S9167: American Government in Comparative Perspective
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Mary Coleman

What does it mean to be a citizen of the United States? What are your rights and duties to the country? What are children's rights and the responsibility of the United States in their protection? Who are your neighbors? How is community defined? Who is in that community? Who is excluded and why? What religious practices do your parents adhere to and why?

Register now for this engaging course and learn more about the U. S. Constitution in world context.

This course will cover the following topics through analytical exercises:
1. Memory, Affection, and Trust: Socio-Historical Generations
2. Knowledge and Understanding of the Declaration of Independence
3. An Ideal Democracy: Its Essentials
4. Expanding Citizenship
5. Intergenerational Continuities and Challenges
6. Building Research and Debate Skills (Social Destabilization)
7. Building Analytical Skills: Exercise: Bucharest
8. Reasoning in Dissent and in Consensus: Exercise: Cuba
9. National Identity and Policy Making: Writing and Speaking to Persuade and be Persuaded
10. Building and Sustaining National Values after Destabilization: Exercise: Rwanda


Prerequisites
None

S9221: Political Leadership
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Matthew Davis

An analysis of various types of political leadership around the globe, looking at contemporary leaders, parties, constitutions, and their governments. The aim of the class is to analyze how political leaders work to promote and pass their agendas. In addition to lecturing, students will have the opportunity to experiment with government types and coalition building in class.


Miscellaneous

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X9175: Making the Most of your Education
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Anthony McHugh

Each week we will explore a different theory about education and explore how it can be applied to learning leadership. By the end of the course, you will understand why your teachers do what they do and how you can work with them to learn smarter!

X9210: Making Light
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Dina El-Zanfaly

Is it always difficult to know how to make something? How do we learn how to realize our ideas and to describe our making activities? In this class, students will learn a new process on how to design and build things. We will make (design and build) small lighting units using paper, LEDs and basic electronics. Students will be able to understand and apply simple electronics circuits in a fun project. If budget permits, we can use arduinos and sensors and learn some basic programming. If we can get access to a laser cutter – a machine that cuts paper and cardboard using laser- and couple of laptops, we can learn how to draw a simple 2D shape, and cut it on a laser cutter.

X9181: The Head and The Heart: Using Art to Understand What It Means to Be Alive
Difficulty: *

We will use student experience, psychology, philosophy, physical sciences, AND multiple forms of art (including poetry, narrative, dance, and music) to look at how emotion is experienced and expressed. Examine the awesomeness of being ALIVE from the ever-growing world of art! How do your mind and body connect when it comes to emotions of all kinds? How can we use art to take a closer look at our feelings or to be free of them? How can art make us experience our emotions more intensely? Do other feeling animals exist or are humans flying solo in this emotional journey? Students will explore, create, and design individual and collective experiences of interacting with and producing art out of emotion.

Note: Understanding that the study of emotions and what it means to feel is implicitly lined with sensitive content and demands an appreciation of this, in choosing and carrying out classroom lessons, we are designing the course in consideration of negative experiences students might carry and are specifically pulling materials that intend to not make anyone feel uncomfortable. While students will be asked to create their own personal art pieces each week based on the content and experience in class, the materials enlisted to spark these independent projects will be sensitive to all student experiences and environments. Above all else, we want students to feel comfortable individually in the classroom and as a group creating a safe space for sharing, working, and learning together.

X9154: Look Around You
Difficulty: *

Think about how you go to school everyday. You're probably pretty familiar with it. But could you explain how to get to your school to an alien? Are there any details that people have pointed out to you that you've never seen before?

Come explore the MIT / Cambridge area with us as we learn how to be more observant of your surroundings. Find wonder in the mundane by looking around with us, writing your own exploration reports, and reading famous poets and authors' take on truly experiencing one's environment.


Prerequisites
Can comfortably traverse long distances

X9173: The Next Bill Nye
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Carrie Fowle

*cue Bill Nye theme song* Do you like science? Do you like the idea of making movies? Then why not combine these two in a class focused on creating videos about science?

Inarguably, science education is important, but making science education engaging and accessible is arguably more important. In this class, I hope to cover the basics of short form science video production (in the style of VSauce and SciShow), including script writings, filming, and editing.

X9234: The Deception Tournament
Difficulty: **

Doubt. Alliance. Betrayal. Deceit. Can you deceive your fellow students and become the most cunning of all?

In this class, students are pit in battles of wits and skill, requiring toughness and social deftness to come out on top. Each week, we will play different social strategy games as part of a course-long tournament.

Inspired by the manga Liar Game and similar games.

X9431: Hands-on Teaching Lab
Difficulty: ***

You're an HSSP student... do you want to be an HSSP teacher, too?

This is an experimental program where you get to teach younger HSSP students, instead of taking a class this block. This is NOT a regular HSSP class. We will train you and help you brainstorm your classes, but for the majority of HSSP you get to teach anything you want!

IMPORTANT: Enrollment in this class is by application-only. To apply, send an email to spring-hssp@mit.edu and tell us why you want to take this class and any ideas you have for classes (none is also okay!). You do not have to sign up here -- we'll enroll you if your application is accepted.


Prerequisites
Responsible, trustworthy, and reliable. Must respond to emails promptly and reliably.

X9156: Wall {Street Fighting} Finance
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Attila Forruchi

Bare knuckle finance to swim among the Wall Street sharks!

How to value and structure investments in financial products (stocks, bonds, & derivatives) so as not to get ripped off.

Learn how money and math mix and how to decipher fuzzy math behind a bad deal.


Prerequisites
two years of Algebra Comfortable with the Normal Distribution statistics use of laptops, calculators or online resources is highly encouraged

X9303: Sprinkler
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Hannah Diehl

In addition to your core 7-week classes, Sprinkler allows you to try something different. There will be several one-shot class offerings each week for you to chose from. Past classes have covered introductory programming, ballroom dancing, space travel, and more.
It's like a mini-Splash within HSSP!