Spark 2018
Course Catalog
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Visual and Performing Arts
A12240: Fancy Paper Structures
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sophie Mori
Turns out we can score paper and fold a flat sheet of paper into a cool, geometric, 3D form. Here is an example: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51u4exQ8oTL._SY496_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg. Come make your own! I will have various templates available.
Prerequisites
Should have fine motor skills. We will be scoring paper while applying a controlled amount of pressure.
Prerequisites
Should have fine motor skills. We will be scoring paper while applying a controlled amount of pressure.
A12134: Improv games
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Meghal Gupta,
A Weisblat
We'll play some improv games and work a bit on our improv skills.
A12135: Improv workshop
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Meghal Gupta,
A Weisblat
We'll play a few warmup games and then play some improvised scenes as quick small groups in front of everyone. At the end we'll split into groups and improvise small scenes around prompts.
A12146: Make and Play a Didgeridoo Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Regan Dvoskin,
James Koppel
awuwuwuwuuuuweeorweeorwadelewadelewu! The didgeridoo is an Australian instrument that adds a tribal flair to any situation. In this class, we'll build our own didgeridoos out of PVC pipe, and then learn to play them. With the didgeridoo, you can create a variety of rhythms, produce animal noises, and make yourself sound like there's two people playing! For people with little to no experience.
A12136: Scenic Design Workshop
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Nelson Niu,
A Weisblat
Introduction to Scenic Design for the theater. We'll read a short play, do some visual research, and then build models and iterate on our designs.
Prerequisites
a little theatrical experience recommended
Prerequisites
a little theatrical experience recommended
A12161: Animation 101
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
MITAG Exec,
Caleb Richardson
Did you like Coco? How about Kimi no Na Wa? Has animation intrigued you, but been an enigma at the same time? Well, look no further! Here in Animation 101, we're going to dive into discussing various tenets of animation alongside some tips and tricks animators use to bring about the illusion of life. By the end of this crash-course in animation, you'll have a better understanding of how the magic works--and who knows? Maybe you'll go on to perform some magic of your own!
A12192: Paint Realistically with Gouache
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sanjay Ganeshan,
Tara Liu
Have you always wanted to paint realistically? Or maybe you're curious about gouache (a fast-drying, opaque version of watercolor)? Well, here's your chance! We'll briefly cover composition, color mixing, and some gouache-specific techniques, then give you time to work on a painting you can bring home.
Prerequisites
drawing and/or painting experience. ideally, you should have practice drawing from life and identifying areas of light and shadow.
Prerequisites
drawing and/or painting experience. ideally, you should have practice drawing from life and identifying areas of light and shadow.
A12223: Start Your Own Band
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Sarah Coleman,
Katie Fisher
Back by popular demand! Do you like music? Do you like collaboration? Do you like fun? Well come have all three at start your own band class! Participants work together to come up with and then perform their own original song! Some instruments provided but creativity is encouraged!
A12166: Radio Production & Engineering
Difficulty: **
Radio is the original electronic "social medium;" connecting diverse groups of people through common language and shared cultural experiences. Join several DJ's and producers from WMBR Radio as we demonstrate the practical how-to's of communicating over the air. This course will introduce participants to the basic of WMBR's (MIT FM Radio station) B Control engineering training.
Prerequisites
None
Prerequisites
None
A12142: Unusual Ukulele Music
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Ashley Kim,
A Weisblat
We'll learn some ukulele techniques you may not have encountered and then we'll learn a few songs and play them together.
Ukuleles will be provided.
If you are an expert ukulelist, you may not learn much, but you're welcome to come and jam with us anyway.
Prerequisites
You should have played a ukulele or a guitar before. You don't have to be an expert.
Ukuleles will be provided.
If you are an expert ukulelist, you may not learn much, but you're welcome to come and jam with us anyway.
Prerequisites
You should have played a ukulele or a guitar before. You don't have to be an expert.
[Deprecated] Computers and Programming
C12138: Meltdown and Spectre - some recent CPU vulnerabilities
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Isha Gani,
A Weisblat
A class of vulnerabilities that was in the news recently and is starting to be exploited in the wild, Meltdown and Spectre take advantage of a cool feature of modern computer chips.
Prerequisites
"How do computers add?" OR You should know a little bit about computer architecture; if you know what a register is, or an ALU, or a cache, you're probably fine.
Prerequisites
"How do computers add?" OR You should know a little bit about computer architecture; if you know what a register is, or an ALU, or a cache, you're probably fine.
C12242: Introduction to Python Programming
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sophie Mori,
Keith Phuthi
What is programming? Where does one even start? We will go over basics in Python, a general-purpose programming language, and write a small game by the end of the class!
Prerequisites
Assumes absolutely no knowledge of programming. Ability to type is required.
Prerequisites
Assumes absolutely no knowledge of programming. Ability to type is required.
C12059: How to Make the Perfect Button with CSS
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Brian Chen,
Jingyi Zhao
We'll make fancy, stylish, delightfully clickable buttons with HTML and CSS for no reason except that we can. We'll learn about all sorts of CSS properties you can apply to buttons (and other things), old and new, mundane and bizarre, and see how major websites and CSS frameworks style their buttons.
C12205: Regular Expression Crosswords
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Margaret Sands,
Joanna Sands
Regular Expressions are "a sequence of characters that define a search pattern" that are used often in computer science for parsing and searching.
Come learn the basics of regex and one of its least useful use-cases (CROSSWORDS)!
Prerequisites
None!
Come learn the basics of regex and one of its least useful use-cases (CROSSWORDS)!
Prerequisites
None!
C12137: Intro to Distributed Computation
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Mark Theng,
A Weisblat
We'll talk about some simple but powerful algorithms for distributing computation among multiple computers. MapReduce, RAFT, Google File System, etc.
Prerequisites
You should know a bit about computer systems.
Prerequisites
You should know a bit about computer systems.
C12066: Blockchain 101
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Sharon Lin
Learn about Bitcoin, Ethereum, smart contracts, blockchain technology, and how you can join the hype for ICOs and cryptocurrencies! We will also learn about developing for distributed ledger platforms, mining Bitcoin, and how investing in cryptocurrencies works.
C12229: Intro to Circuits and Coding with Arduino
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Sarah Flanagan,
Zoe Klawans
Learn the basics of building a circuit on a breadboard. Program an LED light to blink in time with music using an Arduino. An Arduino is a small device that allows your code to come alive on your circuit. No prior knowledge of circuits, programming, or Arduino is required for this class.
C12244: Introduction to HTML and CSS Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Brian Chen,
Sophie Mori
The Internet has become so ubiquitous in our lives. Come learn about HTML and CSS, the languages that give our favorite websites structure and styling. We will learn how to make a simple website page and make it pretty.
Prerequisites
None
Prerequisites
None
C12125: Pacman: The Untold Story Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Kevin Chen
Ever wondered how the game of pacman worked? How do those ghosts always manage to trap you? Is there even an end to this terror? Find out all that and more as we go through the history and mechanics of this iconic game.
[Deprecated] Engineering
E12225: Kerbal Space Program -- Relax, It's Just Rocket Science
Difficulty: ****
Teachers:
Srinivas Kaza,
Matthew Pfeiffer
Have you ever wanted to design and test rockets, but didn't want to deal with multi-million dollar budgets and years of preparation? Well, this is the game/class for you!
We'll be playing Kerbal Space Program, a perfect middle-ground between brutally realistic rocket sim and space-themed fantasy. We'll be covering some basic rocket-related math and physics, and then play the game.
DISCLAIMER: I do not study anything related to rocket engineering/science.
Prerequisites
If you already know how to play Kerbal Space Program, this class is probably going to be pretty boring. We're going to cover some basic physics. Some basic understanding of algebra would be nice.
We'll be playing Kerbal Space Program, a perfect middle-ground between brutally realistic rocket sim and space-themed fantasy. We'll be covering some basic rocket-related math and physics, and then play the game.
DISCLAIMER: I do not study anything related to rocket engineering/science.
Prerequisites
If you already know how to play Kerbal Space Program, this class is probably going to be pretty boring. We're going to cover some basic physics. Some basic understanding of algebra would be nice.
E12210: Exploring Aerospace!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Deepti Ajjampore,
Rachel Morgan
Come learn about exciting topics that relate to aeronautics and astronautics. We'll talk about current research, fascinating phenomena, and fundamental principles relating to aerospace engineering. Hosted by MIT's Women in Aerospace Engineering group.
E12228: Understanding IQ with Computational Neuroscience
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jessica Huang
Intelligence plays a role in our daily lives, but much controversy exists around defining intelligence. Nonetheless, IQ testing is an important and widespread clinical practice for diagnosing disease and tracking recovery. In this course, we'll try to define intelligence, then use computational neuroscience to examine how an "intelligent" brain might behave. We'll see concepts at the foundation of psychology, neuroscience, computation, and image processing!
E12176: Lasers 101
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Katia Shtyrkova
We shall learn what lasers are, some basic laser physics, how they are different from other light sources, and learn about different types of lasers.
During the second hour we shall learn about numerous laser applications and what role they play in our every day life.
During the second hour we shall learn about numerous laser applications and what role they play in our every day life.
E12213: Geoengineering and Climate Change
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Josh Moss
Climate change is arguably the most dangerous threat we are currently facing, and the vast majority of scientists agree that humans are largely responsible for causing it. Several radical ideas have been proposed to mitigate and even potentially reverse the negative effects of climate change by deliberately engineering the Earth-climate system; this group of proposed solutions is referred to as geoengineering, and experts from around the world are hotly debating whether geoengineering's benefits outweigh its dangerous and unpredictable risks. The first part of this class will focus on the science governing climate change and will include analysis of the cutting-edge climate research currently being undertaken in labs all around the world. The latter portion of the class will be centered around the potential rewards and risks posed by a variety of different geoengineering solutions including carbon capture and sequestration, cloud seeding, and stratospheric aerosol albedo modification.
Even though the geoengineering apocalypse in the movie Geostorm is not realistic, geoengineering can be dangerous and even catastrophic.
Even though the geoengineering apocalypse in the movie Geostorm is not realistic, geoengineering can be dangerous and even catastrophic.
[Deprecated] Humanities
H12045: Topics on Southeast Asia/lo seltadni be se ra'a la nanstuna zei tumlrxasia
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Robert Kao
Miscellaneous issues relating to Southeast Asia. Taught entirely in Lojban.
lo vrici selsnu be se ra'a la nanstuna zei tumlrxasia .i ctuca bau la .lojban. bau no drata be ri
Prerequisites
It is recommended that the students have a basic understanding of Lojban.
lo vrici selsnu be se ra'a la nanstuna zei tumlrxasia .i ctuca bau la .lojban. bau no drata be ri
Prerequisites
It is recommended that the students have a basic understanding of Lojban.
H12199: NeuroEconomics: Why you do the things you do
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Amelia Buckner,
Jeyshri Sundaram
Why do you do the things you do?
It's because you're a rational decision maker, right? Wrong! You probably make 'irrational' choices all the time. Come and learn about why this happens! This course looks at decision making using Economics and Neuroscience
It's because you're a rational decision maker, right? Wrong! You probably make 'irrational' choices all the time. Come and learn about why this happens! This course looks at decision making using Economics and Neuroscience
H12230: King John: Not the Robin Hood Version
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Marcus Boorstin,
Yiran He
If you've ever seen the animated Robin Hood movie, King John is a very angry and incompetent lion disliked by his people. This is a *slight* exaggeration of the actual King John of England - but not much. Come learn about the *real* King John, who was hated so much his barons went to war against him and made him sign the Magna Carta - which he promptly ignored. There will definitely be clips from Robin Hood.
H12214: How to make your own writing system!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Helen Read,
Erica Weng
If you've ever wanted to create a secret code that only you and your friends can read? Do you want to make a fancy script for your fantasy world? Do you just like writing systems?
In this one hour class, we'll discuss the different writing systems of the world before delving into making a unique way of writing English! (or another language or conlang if that applies)
In this one hour class, we'll discuss the different writing systems of the world before delving into making a unique way of writing English! (or another language or conlang if that applies)
H12065: Consonant Phonology: Strange Sounds of the World's Languages
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Joseph Cox,
Roan LaPlante
In this course we will go over the theory, anatomy, and orthography (International Phonetic Alphabet) of different consonant sounds, including sounds in English and lots of amazingly fun sounds that are not at all like sounds in English.
This is a very interactive course, with an emphasis on speech production.
This is a very interactive course, with an emphasis on speech production.
H12179: Building Histories for Your Fantasy, Science Fiction, or Dystopia
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sherene Raisbeck,
Josh Shaine
In the year 2150, we've colonized Mars. How did we get from here to there?
On the planet Trzymy, there is a plot to overthrow the Usurper! How did he come to power and what is the heritage of his country?
We're doomed. We know we're doomed. The leaders say so. Has it always been this way? If not, when did things change and how?
Creating a solid history to lean on in your story telling can make the tale a lot easier to craft for an author, or at least a lot easier to follow for a reader!
We will work to understand how histories work and what we need to do to build them!
Prerequisites
Must love one or more of the genres in the title and have a desire to create your own!
On the planet Trzymy, there is a plot to overthrow the Usurper! How did he come to power and what is the heritage of his country?
We're doomed. We know we're doomed. The leaders say so. Has it always been this way? If not, when did things change and how?
Creating a solid history to lean on in your story telling can make the tale a lot easier to craft for an author, or at least a lot easier to follow for a reader!
We will work to understand how histories work and what we need to do to build them!
Prerequisites
Must love one or more of the genres in the title and have a desire to create your own!
H12050: Crash Course on Lojban
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Robert Kao
A very brief class that addresses only the most notable points about the Lojban language and serves as a foundation for further study of the language.
H12177: The Future is NOT what it used to be
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sherene Raisbeck,
Josh Shaine
Both science fiction authors and futurists have been trying to figure out what the future would look like for a long time!
In this class, we will look backwards at the ideas of the future looked like - jet packs for everybody, robots in everyday life, living on the moon, or perhaps WWIII and IV, and other dystopian prospects.
Join this class and your future will be looking up!
Prerequisites
Enjoyment of Science Fiction.
In this class, we will look backwards at the ideas of the future looked like - jet packs for everybody, robots in everyday life, living on the moon, or perhaps WWIII and IV, and other dystopian prospects.
Join this class and your future will be looking up!
Prerequisites
Enjoyment of Science Fiction.
H12235: Myth Matched: What do Hermes and Hermod have in common?
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
John Bond,
Marianne Olsen
Cultures all around the world developed rich and varied bodies of myth, yet there are often striking similarities and differences. Come compare Greco-Roman, Norse, and other mythologies, discover weird comparisons and speculate about their origin, and consider interesting differences!
H12048: Topics on Southeast Asia demystified
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Robert Kao,
Molly Schmidt
Covers the same material as H12045 and thus includes slides in Lojban, but taught in endonym-intensive English (and perhaps little bits of Southeast Asian languages as well). Will also cover additional content.
H12143: Evolution of Writing
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Yale Zussman
Students will take their "notes" about the process that led to writing using a clay tablet. We will begin with the earliest "simple tokens" and proceed to the origins of cuneiform. The final piece of the class will give students an opportunity to write their names in Old Assyrian cuneiform. The tablets will then be fired giving them an expected half-life of a million years.
H12100: Making deep friendships - Circling
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jason Gross,
Duncan Sabien
Most of your Spark classes will be about objects and things. Some of your conversations will involve personal history, where you grew up, what you like and dislike. This class will be a third kind of conversation, about what our present experience is, as we're having it.
Access to this level of conversation has a way of facilitating deep connections where you can feel deeply seen and welcomed. Circling is a practice about getting others' worlds, sharing what it's really like to be you, and having that be seen and reflected. Come experience the magic.
Prerequisites
Openness to talking about your emotions and present in-the-moment experience.
Access to this level of conversation has a way of facilitating deep connections where you can feel deeply seen and welcomed. Circling is a practice about getting others' worlds, sharing what it's really like to be you, and having that be seen and reflected. Come experience the magic.
Prerequisites
Openness to talking about your emotions and present in-the-moment experience.
H12178: Magic Systems in Fantasy Stories
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sherene Raisbeck,
Josh Shaine
We'll spend a good chunk of this class exploring how magic is presented in a variety of books and movies, after which we will see about constructung our own, either individually or collectively, as the class prefers.
Prerequisites
Must love fantasy stories!
Prerequisites
Must love fantasy stories!
H12200: Income Inequality: You're richer than you think
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Amelia Buckner,
Jeyshri Sundaram
Have you ever wondered about how rich you are? By the end of this class you'll know all about the GINI coefficient and how to objectively assess how 'rich' you are. This is basically a crash course in economics, society and development.
H12217: Ocean Myths
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Anthony Arena-DeRosa,
Annika Heinold
Landlife emerged from water. Some of our earliest myths are of the sea - its creation, its creatures, its influence. In this class we will explore cultural context for oceans, in science, art and economy.
Prerequisites
Swimmers preferred, floaters encouraged, all are welcome.
Prerequisites
Swimmers preferred, floaters encouraged, all are welcome.
H12219: Languages of Middle Earth
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Ryker Reed,
MaryJac Reed
Love Lord of the Rings? Ever wondered where all the names in Middle Earth come from? Come find out more about the complex linguistic systems underlying Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series. For instance, did you know that Tolkien was a linguist and actually invented an entire Elvish language before even writing the Lord of the Rings books? Learn about some of the real world languages that inspired and influenced Tolkien’s invented languages. And find out more about the history of Middle Earth and how its languages came to be what they are now.
Prerequisites
None, if you've taken this class before, it will be the same material.
Prerequisites
None, if you've taken this class before, it will be the same material.
H12101: Circling - Intersubjective Mindfulness Meditation Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jason Gross,
Duncan Sabien
Most of your Spark classes will be about objects and things. Some of your conversations will involve personal history, where you grew up, what you like and dislike. This class will be a third kind of conversation, about what our present experience is, as we're having it.
There's a kind of magic to being deeply seen, and to being welcomed as you are. Circling is a practice about getting others' worlds, and sharing what it's really like to be you, and having that be seen and reflected. Come experience the magic
Prerequisites
Openness to talking about your emotions and present in-the-moment experience.
There's a kind of magic to being deeply seen, and to being welcomed as you are. Circling is a practice about getting others' worlds, and sharing what it's really like to be you, and having that be seen and reflected. Come experience the magic
Prerequisites
Openness to talking about your emotions and present in-the-moment experience.
H12220: Quirky Linguistics
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Ryker Reed,
MaryJac Reed
Like linguistics or just enjoy thinking about language? Ever noticed how weird language can be? Come learn about some of the quirkier aspects of language. We'll discuss things ranging from infixation (putting words inside other words) to semantic implication (things we say without actually saying them), and semantic satiation (that thing that happens when you say a word too many times and it stops meaning anything). Come enjoy the strangeness of language!
H12049: Introductory Lojban
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Robert Kao
Covers the most essential concepts about the Lojban language, a constructed language with many peculiar properties.
H12099: Communication in Navigating Relationships, Friendships, Family
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jason Gross,
Alana Lidawer
Do you have questions or uncertainties about how to deal with dating, relationships, friendships, or family interactions? Do you have unmet desires for deeper connections, being more understood, or understanding others better?
Bring your questions, thoughts, and insights, and let's discuss these topics! We may also practice some exercises that I've found especially useful in my ability to communicate, foster emotional safety for myself and others, and resolve conflicts.
Bring your questions, thoughts, and insights, and let's discuss these topics! We may also practice some exercises that I've found especially useful in my ability to communicate, foster emotional safety for myself and others, and resolve conflicts.
H12052: Writing systems
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Robert Kao,
Varot Premtoon
A panoramic view of many major writing systems used around the world.
H12072: Madison on the Founding of the Country
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Bil Lewis
President James Madison (in full costume) would like to lead a forum on the issues and debates leading to the establishment of this country. From 1776 through 1796 the United States came into being and James Madison was at the center of it all.
With the participation of the students playing the parts of George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Dolly Madison, etc., he will lead reenactments from the Declaration of Independence, the Constitutional Convention, the “Dinner Party,” etc., ending with the peaceful transition of power from Washington to Adams that marked the coming of age of the United States.
More than a mere recitation of dates and facts, we will explore the underlying reasons that prompted them to act as they did. Many of the issues they confronted then continue to be relevant today. The presentation covers a good deal of the Massachusetts High School History Curriculum.
• What debts should be paid?
• Who gets the power of Taxation?
• Should a Private Bank issue money?
• Should we be agrarian? Or a center of manufacturing?
• How do we limit the influence of Great Corporations on our public life?
• How do we eliminate Slavery? • How do we make real the
“Spirit of ’76?” So we can truly say that “All Men are Created Equal.”
With the participation of the students playing the parts of George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Dolly Madison, etc., he will lead reenactments from the Declaration of Independence, the Constitutional Convention, the “Dinner Party,” etc., ending with the peaceful transition of power from Washington to Adams that marked the coming of age of the United States.
More than a mere recitation of dates and facts, we will explore the underlying reasons that prompted them to act as they did. Many of the issues they confronted then continue to be relevant today. The presentation covers a good deal of the Massachusetts High School History Curriculum.
• What debts should be paid?
• Who gets the power of Taxation?
• Should a Private Bank issue money?
• Should we be agrarian? Or a center of manufacturing?
• How do we limit the influence of Great Corporations on our public life?
• How do we eliminate Slavery? • How do we make real the
“Spirit of ’76?” So we can truly say that “All Men are Created Equal.”
H12104: Does Race Affect Your Life?
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Michelle Chalmers
This 2 hour class for Spark students will participate in a viewing of the powerful PBS Documentary, “Race: The Power of an Illusion, part 3.” The film focuses not on individual behaviors and attitudes, but on how our institutions shape and create race, giving different groups vastly unequal life chances. The episode reveals some of the ordinary social institutions that quietly channel wealth and opportunity, so that white people benefit from a racist system without personally being racist. It concludes by looking at why we can’t just get rid of race. Following the film, the class will engage in small and large group discussions to unpack what was learned and have questions answered.
[Deprecated] Life Sciences
L12144: Microbiome 101: What's in your poop?
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Michaela Gold,
Paul Wegzyn
Come learn about the microbiome and where you can find it! We will discuss the current methods to study the microbiome, what correlations it has with diseases and the environment, and how you (and your poop!) can help somebody through microbiome science! Who doesn't love talking about poop!
Prerequisites
None
Prerequisites
None
L12060: The Plague
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Regan Dvoskin,
Ryan Perny
In the mid 14th century, the bubonic plague, commonly known as the "Black Death," swept across Europe, killing millions. Come learn about Yersinia pestis, how it spread, how it affected the human body, and how it is treated today.
Prerequisites
A basic understanding of biology (if you know what bacteria is, you should be able to follow along).
Prerequisites
A basic understanding of biology (if you know what bacteria is, you should be able to follow along).
L12173: Don't Touch the King Cobra: An Exploration of Venomous Creatures
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Mary Spanjers
Venom is one of the weirdest and coolest weapons animals have developed. From jellyfish to snakes a wide variety of animals use this chemical warfare.
We'll cover the types of venom, which species exhibit them, the biology of venom, and why you really shouldn't touch the king cobra.
We'll cover the types of venom, which species exhibit them, the biology of venom, and why you really shouldn't touch the king cobra.
L12196: Evolution revolution: why Darwin was wrong.
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Henri Champigneulle,
Mendel Keller
You might have heard in school about a fellow named Darwin, something about a boat and birds and then a book with words.
What they might have left out was all the ways in which Darwin was dead wrong. In fact, as written, Darwinism is total bogus!
I will be discussing how life really came to be. I will use proper evidence to draw the story of the tree of life, with an emphasis on how very wrong Darwin was.
What they might have left out was all the ways in which Darwin was dead wrong. In fact, as written, Darwinism is total bogus!
I will be discussing how life really came to be. I will use proper evidence to draw the story of the tree of life, with an emphasis on how very wrong Darwin was.
L12215: What makes a dinosaur a dinosaur?
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Adrien Gau
Dinosaurs ruled the Earth for ~185 million years, with huge diversity in physical forms and living everywhere from North America to Antarctica. But during that time, from 250 million years ago to 66 million years ago, they most definitely weren't alone: alongside them were monsters the size of giraffes flying through the skies, marine leviathans that could feast on a T. rex, and hidden beasts scampering through all layers of the prehistoric forests.
So how do paleontologists classify the differences between dinosaurs and other creatures? Why did these differences evolve in the first place? Are there dinosaurs today? What makes a dinosaur a dinosaur? Come find out and bring any questions you may have about dinosaurs or other prehistoric creatures!
Prerequisites
a love of prehistory!
So how do paleontologists classify the differences between dinosaurs and other creatures? Why did these differences evolve in the first place? Are there dinosaurs today? What makes a dinosaur a dinosaur? Come find out and bring any questions you may have about dinosaurs or other prehistoric creatures!
Prerequisites
a love of prehistory!
L12198: Are you a SuperTaster? The Neuroscience of Taste
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Amelia Buckner,
Jeyshri Sundaram
In this class we will learn about how your sense of taste works. Everything from the different types of taste buds on your tongue to the way your brain reacts to different types foods will be explored.
There will also be an experiment to figure out if you're a "supertaster"!
There will also be an experiment to figure out if you're a "supertaster"!
L12112: Intro to MRI- the anatomy of a kiwi Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Sarah Bricault
MRI machines are amazing- they let us look inside organisms and get a 3D image of what's there! This class will go over the basics of MRI. We'll only touch briefly on the physics behind the technology, focusing instead on applications in science and medicine. We'll end the class by going on a 'field trip' to one of the small MRI machines on campus, where we'll scan various fruits and vegetables.
Prerequisites
None
Prerequisites
None
L12208: Synthetic Biology with Intermittent Soccer Bowling Breaks
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Pranav Lalgudi,
Alexis Schneider
Ever wanted to learn how to control life? How to merge computer science, biology, and engineering? What about how to score a strike in soccer bowling? Do it all, right here, right now.
Prerequisites
None
Prerequisites
None
L12168: What's in the Vial? An Introduction to Bioanalytical Techniques
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Salvatore LaRussa,
Cori Posner
Imagine for a moment that you walk into a laboratory and someone hands you a tube of an unknown clear liquid. Your immediate reaction would probably be concern about what, exactly, you were just handed. So, how could you answer that question? It turns out that there's a very large number of potential techniques out there to do so.
In the real world, this sort of scenario doesn't exactly happen a lot, but identifying unknown substances is still very important. Biochemistry often involves studying individual proteins and small molecules that are far too small to see with any reasonable microscope. And yet, every day, biochemists and other similar scientists and engineers around the world manage to do meaningful work studying and manufacturing everything from medicine to microbes and pond scum to compostable soda cups.
This class will explore a variety of analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry and gel electrophoresis, and the basic principles by which they work. The class will also start with an introduction to biochemistry.
Prerequisites
It will be assumed that you probably have an idea of what an atom and molecule is, but everything else will be covered in class.
In the real world, this sort of scenario doesn't exactly happen a lot, but identifying unknown substances is still very important. Biochemistry often involves studying individual proteins and small molecules that are far too small to see with any reasonable microscope. And yet, every day, biochemists and other similar scientists and engineers around the world manage to do meaningful work studying and manufacturing everything from medicine to microbes and pond scum to compostable soda cups.
This class will explore a variety of analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry and gel electrophoresis, and the basic principles by which they work. The class will also start with an introduction to biochemistry.
Prerequisites
It will be assumed that you probably have an idea of what an atom and molecule is, but everything else will be covered in class.
L12204: Babies and Brains Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Junyi Chu,
Halie Olson
What do babies know about the world?
How do we ask what babies know?
In this class, we’ll share some of the most exciting findings in psychology and neuroscience that come from studying babies and toddlers, and explore techniques that enable us to ask big questions about the little ones. Be ready to think, ask questions, participate in demos, and see some adorable videos!
How do we ask what babies know?
In this class, we’ll share some of the most exciting findings in psychology and neuroscience that come from studying babies and toddlers, and explore techniques that enable us to ask big questions about the little ones. Be ready to think, ask questions, participate in demos, and see some adorable videos!
L12211: CRISPR: Hacking the Genome
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Pranam Chatterjee
Designer babies? Superhumans? Cyborgs? While these futuristic visions may not be currently realizable, genome editing holds the keys to transforming humanity as we know it. While the ability to precisely edit the genome has been proposed and demonstrated before, CRISPR-Cas9, derived from the prokaryotic immune system, has enabled the rapid development and refinement of genome-editing tools as well as advances in using this technology to further basic research, develop potential therapies for a number of human diseases, and promise numerous breakthroughs in agriculture, bioenergy, food security, nanotechnology, and a host of other applications. Come to this class to learn more about how CRISPR works and what improvements we are making to the system to enable its broad applicability, all from a CRISPR researcher!
L12231: Dazed and Confused: The Science and Art of Illusions
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Zoe Lee
You probably know that your legs look longer in high-cut bathing suits than in calf-length pants. Why is that? In this class, we will address that question by blowing our minds with illusions! Dazed and confused?
But there is no magic involved- it's all in your head! But does this mean that your brain is unreliable? We will explore the mechanism in your eyes and brain that leads to these illusions and how this is cleverly used around us, in architecture, art, TV shows, and even in nature.
But there is no magic involved- it's all in your head! But does this mean that your brain is unreliable? We will explore the mechanism in your eyes and brain that leads to these illusions and how this is cleverly used around us, in architecture, art, TV shows, and even in nature.
Lunch
L12248: Lunch Period
Difficulty: None
Teachers:
Enjoy a break for lunch with your friends! Please register for at least one lunch period on each day of the program.
L12249: Lunch Period
Difficulty: None
Teachers:
Enjoy a break for lunch with your friends! Please register for at least one lunch period on each day of the program.
Mathematics
M12234: Mathematical Gems
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Tahsin Saffat,
Josh Talbot
Will present some simple unexpected and insightful results in math. Hopefully this will convince you that math can be beautiful.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites. Just enjoy learning about math!
Prerequisites
No prerequisites. Just enjoy learning about math!
M12167: Cellular Automata Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Della Hendrickson,
Jordan Hines
A cellular automaton is a grid of cells that changes according to simple rules, but can have complicated behavior. The most famous one is Conway's Game of Life. We'll discuss 1- and 2- dimensional automata, look at cool patterns they can produce, and see just how powerful they can be.
Prerequisites
Know how to convert numbers between decimal and binary.
Prerequisites
Know how to convert numbers between decimal and binary.
M12063: Probability Paradoxes, Puzzles and Games
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Kristian Georgiev,
Daniel Leon Jimenez
Nothing scary - we will go over some fun paradoxes and play some games involving gambling candy (no need to bring your own candy).
Prerequisites
Interest in mathematics / science in general
Prerequisites
Interest in mathematics / science in general
M12080: All's Fair In Chess and Cake
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Benjamin Costa
Do you always get the smallest piece of cake, or always lose at board games? Then this is the class for you! In this class, we'll be talking about the math and logic behind what it means for something to be 'fair', and trying to find solutions to some fun problems. Topics will include how to cut all different kinds of cakes (there's more than you'd think!), winning strategies in classic board and card games, and a few gambling puzzles. As time permits, we may also do some light discussion of a few more practical applications of this kind of math, including drawing borders, inheritance law, and writing treaties.
M12207: All about symmetry
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Christopher Hillenbrand,
Rachel Zhang
Symmetry shows up everywhere in nature! Flowers and starfish have rotational symmetry; people have bilateral symmetry (kinda). Cubes and icosahedra seem to have lots of symmetry, and spheres have even more. What other kinds of symmetry are there, and where can they be found?
M12084: Mathematical Modeling
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jessica Oehrlein
Math modeling is how we use mathematics to study open-ended questions about real-world phenomena. What's the best location for a food truck? What would be the effects of sea level rise? How do we best distribute medicine to control a disease outbreak? These are all questions that we can start to answer with math modeling. The goal of this class is to introduce you to the modeling process. By the end, you'll have developed models to answer questions about a couple of different scenarios, and you'll know about some of the tools you can use to tackle more significant modeling problems.
Prerequisites
Comfort with using variables, writing algebraic expressions, and probability. Familiarity with functions and graphs of functions is helpful but not necessary.
Prerequisites
Comfort with using variables, writing algebraic expressions, and probability. Familiarity with functions and graphs of functions is helpful but not necessary.
M12233: How to Win Games
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Tahsin Saffat,
Josh Talbot
We'll start off talking about simple games like Tic-Tac-Toe and discuss how to think about games and optimal strategies. Maybe later we'll talk about more complicated games like Nim and some non-deterministic games. The class will be a mixture of us talking about theory and students splitting into groups and playing games.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites. Just be enthusiastic about games and how to win them!
Prerequisites
No prerequisites. Just be enthusiastic about games and how to win them!
M12085: Bridges, Maps, and Networks: An Introduction to Graph Theory
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Jessica Oehrlein
Graph theory is a relatively young area of mathematics, focused on studying structures that show the relationships among people, places, or objects. We'll talk about two of the first key questions in graph theory, the Königsberg bridge problem and the Four Color Theorem. We'll also explore some applications of graph theory, such as modeling social networks or the spread of information or disease.
Prerequisites
Comfort with using variables, reading algebraic expressions, and probability. It's helpful but not necessary to have seen proofs by induction and/or contradiction.
Prerequisites
Comfort with using variables, reading algebraic expressions, and probability. It's helpful but not necessary to have seen proofs by induction and/or contradiction.
M12124: Hats On Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Kevin Chen
Poof! You suddenly find you and your friends each wearing colored hats, trapped in a dungeon by a wizard. The only way you can get out, he says, is if you can guess the color of your hat correctly. Otherwise, you'll be stuck here, for all of eternity. Can you and your friends do it?
M12222: Math Meets Art!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
maya critchfield,
lisa willey
Many types of artistic endeavors involve mathematics, whether fractals, geometry, perspective or patterns. Come try a couple of fun math meets art activities!
M12145: Finite Automata
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
James Koppel
Would you like to find patterns in text? Prove your program doesn't have an infinite loop? Monitor a nuclear reactor? Find structure in DNA?
In this class, you'll learn about finite automata. Finite automata, or "state machines" can be thought of as just moving a marker between some states according to some simple rules, but their simplicity hides deep mathematics and allows you to manipulate them in interesting ways. We'll start with the basic definition and take you through the math and into some powerful applications.
In this class, you'll learn about finite automata. Finite automata, or "state machines" can be thought of as just moving a marker between some states according to some simple rules, but their simplicity hides deep mathematics and allows you to manipulate them in interesting ways. We'll start with the basic definition and take you through the math and into some powerful applications.
M12188: Introduction to Trading
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Sarah Wang,
Joseph Zurier
What is a market? If you're interested in math, probability, or finance, learn about trading by playing a fun estimation game!
M12121: Clever Codes
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Jackie Bredenberg,
Jordan Hines
I need to send you some important information! How should I do it if I want to minimize the number of bits I send you? How should I do it if we're communicating over a noisy channel that might mess up my message? We'll talk about what information is mathematically and some clever ways to encode data!
Prerequisites
You should know what a logarithm is
Prerequisites
You should know what a logarithm is
M12148: Detecting fake news
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Kaie Kubjas,
Michael Schaub
This class will teach you to think critically about 'facts' presented in the news, media, and social networks like Facebook, Twitter, etc.
How do you know whether the facts reported at CNN or Fox News were genuine, or 'alternative' facts? Can you find flaws in the statistical study that claims that storks deliver babies? And what is wrong with this nice looking infographic in the latest newspaper?
This class will help you to spot 'fake news' in the wild.
How do you know whether the facts reported at CNN or Fox News were genuine, or 'alternative' facts? Can you find flaws in the statistical study that claims that storks deliver babies? And what is wrong with this nice looking infographic in the latest newspaper?
This class will help you to spot 'fake news' in the wild.
M12132: Surreal Numbers and Games
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Della Hendrickson,
Jordan Hines
Learn how to play Hackenbush, a simple game that leads to interesting mathematics. After getting some practice playing, we'll see how the game inspires the surreal numbers, a system of numbers that allows us to to play with infinity in an unusual way.
[Deprecated] Physical Sciences
P12087: Atomic Theory I: The Basics Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Christopher Miller,
Hantoa Tenwhij
From "opposites attract and likes repel" to why we say an atom has protons, neutrons, and electrons - an experimental journey into the basics of chemistry.
P12251: Quantum Computing
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jessica Pointing,
Ray Wang
What is quantum computing? Why are Google, Microsoft, MIT, Harvard and other companies and institutions working on this? How does quantum computing combine quantum mechanics with computation? Come learn the basics of quantum mechanics and computation in order to learn about quantum computing. This could potentially be the next revolution of computers. Be a part of it!
P12088: Atomic Theory II: Modern Concepts Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Christopher Miller,
Hantoa Tenwhij
Discover the reality of the quantum model. Figure out what stops protons from pushing each other out of the nucleus.
Impress your first chemistry teacher with these and more!
Prerequisites
Grasp of protons, neutrons, and electrons, and reading graphs.
Impress your first chemistry teacher with these and more!
Prerequisites
Grasp of protons, neutrons, and electrons, and reading graphs.
P12069: How do you generate electricity from water?
Difficulty: ****
Teachers:
Albert Liu
Direct induction of electricity through interactions of nano-structured materials with a mobile fluid phase is a fascinating subject with a rich history. In this class we will approach this game-changing technology from a fundamental scientific perspective, exploring aspects of potential mechanisms that drive the movement of the electric carriers inside the nano-structures. Together we will learn how to better use our knowledge in physics and chemistry to help power our planet towards a cleaner future!
Prerequisites
none
Prerequisites
none
P12094: A Brief Tour of the Stratosphere
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jessica Oehrlein
We live in the layer of the atmosphere called the troposphere, where nearly all weather happens. But the stratosphere, just above the troposphere, is also important for climate! We'll talk about the ozone layer, why the direction of the winds in the tropics switches direction every 28 months, and what a scientist actually observed when he noticed an "explosion-like warming" over the Arctic.
P12089: Atomic Theory III: Mostly Particle Physics
Difficulty: ****
Teachers:
Christopher Miller,
Hantoa Tenwhij
Break protons and neutrons into quarks and gluons, think about waves, learn about energy and the rest of the Standard Model.
For pure enjoyment - topics usually covered after high school. First half is an overview, the rest is pure math.
Prerequisites
Grasp of protons, neutrons, electrons, probability, and preferably complicated graphs beyond Algebra I
For pure enjoyment - topics usually covered after high school. First half is an overview, the rest is pure math.
Prerequisites
Grasp of protons, neutrons, electrons, probability, and preferably complicated graphs beyond Algebra I
P12243: Let's Talk about Weather!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jordan Benjamin,
Sarah Weidman
Have you ever wondered how hurricanes or tornadoes form? Or how thunder snow happens? Learn about the basic physics that create the weather we observe every day.
P12056: Anything you could want to know about the oceans
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Ju Chulakadabba,
Clio Macrakis
Learn about anything related to the oceans, from hydrothermal vents and the make-up of corals reefs to marine mammal classification and global thermohaline circulation. Intrigued? Don't know what any of that means? This is the class for you!
P12159: Science of Swimming: 6 ways to dramatically improve your swimming skills using basic physiology and physics concepts
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Beatriz Carramolino,
Acacia Landfield
Come participate in an interactive session and take home important tips routed in basic physics and physiology that will help you improve your swimming skills! Though there won’t be time to get in the water together, practicing these techniques and applying these concepts will greatly improve your swimming: 1) Breathing (physiology concept: oxygenation), 2) body position (physics concept: buoyancy, gravity); 3) Rotation (physics concept: propulsion); 4) Sculling (physics concept: Lift as a force; pressure on water); 5) Streamline (physics concept: resistance); 6) Kicking (physics concepts: resistance/drag; thrust).
We’ll do activities together to help you practice and better understand each concept and apply them to the next time you take a splash in the pool.
We’ll do activities together to help you practice and better understand each concept and apply them to the next time you take a splash in the pool.
P12098: Your classical intuition is wrong!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jason Gross,
Allison Schneider
Do you think you have a good grasp of physics? A good intuition for the physical world? Come learn about the predictions of quantum mechanics (and the experiments that validate these predictions) which violate your fundamental beliefs about the universe!
P12120: Special Relativity
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Della Hendrickson,
Jordan Hines
Come explore space and time, and see how the main ideas of special relativity can be derived from simple principles and some basic algebra! If we have time, we'll also talk about relativity "paradoxes" and how to resolve them.
Prerequisites
Algebra (at the Algebra 1 level). Algebra 2 and basic physics are helpful, but not required.
Prerequisites
Algebra (at the Algebra 1 level). Algebra 2 and basic physics are helpful, but not required.
P12149: Exploring Electricity and Magnetism; The Basics
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jack-William Barotta,
Uriel Guajardo
Learn the basics of how electric and magnetic fields are both created and behave in nature! In this course, we will explore the explanations for some phenomena that is observed on a daily basis that is governed by the laws of electromagnetism.
Prerequisites
No Math Prerequisites. I will keep everything conceptual, and will only use simple algebra if necessary. Excitement to learn and participate in a lively presentation!
Prerequisites
No Math Prerequisites. I will keep everything conceptual, and will only use simple algebra if necessary. Excitement to learn and participate in a lively presentation!
P12237: How We Make Energy
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Keith Phuthi,
Evan Tey
A brief introduction on some of the different ways in which we can generate energy.
Prerequisites
None
Prerequisites
None
P12116: Dark Matter: A History and Where We Are Now Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Linda Gong,
Adrian Meza
I'll be doing an overview on the history of Dark Matter (i.e. why do we believe it to exists/why should it exist, what progress we've made over the past years, and what theories have been proposed and seem viable), and where we currently stand in the search for it.
Prerequisites
An eagerness to learn, most importantly. A basic knowledge of Classical Mechanics would be helpful, but not required.
Prerequisites
An eagerness to learn, most importantly. A basic knowledge of Classical Mechanics would be helpful, but not required.
P12153: Sounds, Waves, and Electricity
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
John Gregg
What is sound made of? How do things work that make sound? We will explore this, as well as a lot of related questions in this fun, hands-on course. Fifth graders could understand everything here, but I guarantee high school seniors will learn something they didn't already know!
P12152: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Norman Cao
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants." -- Isaac Newton
Often times science seems kind of... opaque. How did all of these formulas, principles, and laws get discovered? It's cool to learn about them in textbooks, but were they just plucked out of thin air by scientific geniuses like Isaac Newton or Albert Einstein? Or perhaps there were some hints that guided them along the way?
Join us in learning how some of the most significant discoveries in physics were made, and in the process, gain a better intuitive understanding of how physics works. Maybe you'll be able to make discoveries like these some day!
Often times science seems kind of... opaque. How did all of these formulas, principles, and laws get discovered? It's cool to learn about them in textbooks, but were they just plucked out of thin air by scientific geniuses like Isaac Newton or Albert Einstein? Or perhaps there were some hints that guided them along the way?
Join us in learning how some of the most significant discoveries in physics were made, and in the process, gain a better intuitive understanding of how physics works. Maybe you'll be able to make discoveries like these some day!
P12241: Cool Experiments You Can Do in the Home
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Keith Phuthi,
Cannon Vogel
Ever wondered what kind of cool experiments you can do with basic household materials? We'll look at examples of these and have a few demos.
Prerequisites
An interest in science
Prerequisites
An interest in science
P12057: All about ocean water!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Clio Macrakis,
Eric Wong
You probably know that ocean water has salt, but do you know about everything else in it? Learn about ocean water and use sampling methods to compare water samples!
P12245: Intro to Astronomy! Full!
Come learn about space! We can talk about stars, black holes, extraterrestrial life, or whatever other night-sky things you're interested in!
Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace!
Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace!
P12250: Biochemistry at its finest [MEDICINE and FOOD]
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Manna Kidane,
Nashara Moreau
Do you want to know about the processes your body goes through when you take medications (Aspirin, Vitamins, etc)? Would you like to learn about the foods that you eat on a daily basis that can have a big impact on your body function?
This course is an Introduction to the Physical Sciences and Life Sciences and will also provide the student with tools for application to the real world.
Prerequisites
No previous Chemistry or Biology knowledge is necessary
This course is an Introduction to the Physical Sciences and Life Sciences and will also provide the student with tools for application to the real world.
Prerequisites
No previous Chemistry or Biology knowledge is necessary
[Deprecated] Walk-in Activity
W12238: Soma Cube Puzzle
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sophie Mori
The Soma cube is a 7-piece puzzle. The pieces may be assembled into a 3x3x3 cube, and there are 240 distinct ways to do this! Come play with some handmade Soma cubes, and if you solve enough puzzles, you can even take a set home!
W12186: Ukulele
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Erica Liu
Never played a ukulele? Come by and learn a few chords! Already a ukulele master? Come dazzle us with your talent! Whatever your skill level, come have some fun and kill some time between classes with a ukulele.
W12160: How to Fold Origami
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Ting-Chun Lin,
Alisa Ono
Come learn how to fold origami with members of OrigaMIT (MIT Origami Club)! Origami models to be taught TBD
W12147: Ruby Red Appreciation
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Brandon Wang,
Byron Xu
ESP loves to drink juice. Come learn to appreciate the best juice of all with us, Ruby Red. Stop by, enjoy some juice, and learn interesting facts!
W12131: Puzzles!!!!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Della Hendrickson,
Jordan Hines
You are given http://web.mit.edu/puzzle/www/2015/puzzle/rectangles/. You need to get an answer that is a word or phrase. What do you do? (Try it, and check the solution linked on the page.)
Puzzles can be almost anything -
you're given strange data and very few instructions, and you find a way to extract an answer from it. Come try puzzles from various puzzle hunts! Whether you're an expert puzzler or have never done a puzzle hunt, we'll have puzzles for you (and help if you get stuck)!
Puzzles can be almost anything -
you're given strange data and very few instructions, and you find a way to extract an answer from it. Come try puzzles from various puzzle hunts! Whether you're an expert puzzler or have never done a puzzle hunt, we'll have puzzles for you (and help if you get stuck)!
W12226: Learn the Chinese Yo-Yo!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Mikayla Murphy
The Chinese Yo-Yo, also known as Diabolo, has been a popular circus prop for many years. Come learn how to play with this fun toy that also is an important part of Chinese heritage!
W12083: SET and Its Variations!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jenna Himawan,
Anna Khoroshilov
Have you ever played the card game SET? How about 3-deck SET with colored borders, using the borders as an additional attribute? How about SET with cards facedown? SET Sudoku?
If your answer to any of those questions was "No", come play! Players with any level of experience are welcome!
Prerequisites
Being colorblind will be inconvenient.
If your answer to any of those questions was "No", come play! Players with any level of experience are welcome!
Prerequisites
Being colorblind will be inconvenient.
W12209: Make Your Own Snow Globe!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Clio Macrakis
Make your own snow globe with household materials that you can take home!
W12151: Sustainability Games with UA Sustain
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Rebecca Grekin
Come test your knowledge of sustainability and learn some new things with a variety of different games! Prizes will be given!
W12139: Fermi Estimation
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
A Weisblat,
Julian Wellman
How many bouncy balls fit in this jar? How about in this room? In the Pacific Ocean?
How long does it take me to cross this room by foot? How long would it take me to walk to Iowa and back?
We'll have a bunch of ridiculous questions along these lines for you to take your best guesses at, and the closest to my guess for each one will win a prize of some sort
How long does it take me to cross this room by foot? How long would it take me to walk to Iowa and back?
We'll have a bunch of ridiculous questions along these lines for you to take your best guesses at, and the closest to my guess for each one will win a prize of some sort
W12164: Knots Not For Naught
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Ben Rosen-Filardo,
Lauren TenCate
Learn to tie some basic knots--we'll be tying bowlines, fisherman's bends, the trucker's hitch, shoelace knots and more! Knots range from useful to silly; come get knotty with us ;)
W12187: Card games! Recollection + Дурак (Stupid) + others!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jenna Himawan,
Anna Khoroshilov
Come play card games! We can teach you Recollection (also called Fish), a super fun logic & memory game for 6 people! We can also teach you Дурак! (And any other card games that we know!)
Miscellaneous
X12172: Tengwar Workshop
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Rachael Skye,
Carissa Skye
Have you ever wanted to write like the elves from Lord of the Rings? This workshop will give you the chance. We'll do a basic introduction to the letters (Tengwar) used by Tolkien, and practice writing and reading English transcriptions.
X12175: School, Stress, and You
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Steven Faerm
Stressed? Anxious? Is it impacting your schoolwork? And general sense of well-being? You are not alone. Research shows Americans’ stress levels are at an all-time high—and climbing. For students, excessive stress and anxiety compromises academic performance. Why are we so stressed these days? How does excessive stress impact our brain function and learning? What are some easy ways to lower our stress and anxiety, so that we do better in school?
This 45-minute presentation begins with an overview of Americans’ current state of emotional well-being. We’ll then look at specific key factors that are contributing to our high stress and anxiety, such as excessive smartphone usage and social media. Finally, we’ll review 5 easy, practical methods you can adopt in your own daily life to reduce stress and anxiety.
You’ll leave the session with a deeper understanding of how stress and anxiety impact your learning. You'll also have a list of 5 easy methods you can use to de-stress and to be more present in the classroom…and the world!
Presented by Steven Faerm, Associate Professor, Parsons School of Design.
This 45-minute presentation begins with an overview of Americans’ current state of emotional well-being. We’ll then look at specific key factors that are contributing to our high stress and anxiety, such as excessive smartphone usage and social media. Finally, we’ll review 5 easy, practical methods you can adopt in your own daily life to reduce stress and anxiety.
You’ll leave the session with a deeper understanding of how stress and anxiety impact your learning. You'll also have a list of 5 easy methods you can use to de-stress and to be more present in the classroom…and the world!
Presented by Steven Faerm, Associate Professor, Parsons School of Design.
X12158: Winning Arguments with Grownups
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jason Gross,
Duncan Sabien
Something like half of the disagreements between kids, teens, and their parents and teachers comes from just being on different communication wavelengths, rather than *actually* having incompatible goals. If you can fix the *way* that you're arguing, you can make the argument go away—and often in a way that leaves the grownup understanding what you want, and willing to help you get it.
X12157: How to beat your dad at chess, MIT style.
Difficulty: **
Learn what's important in chess. How to take advantage of your opponents mistakes and weaknesses, how to defend, and how to get a queen.
This is a beginner level class, designed for those with a basic knowledge of chess.
We will go over a handful of important things to look out for, and some tricks that will help you beat your opponents.
Prerequisites
All that is required is a knowledge of the rules of chess.
This is a beginner level class, designed for those with a basic knowledge of chess.
We will go over a handful of important things to look out for, and some tricks that will help you beat your opponents.
Prerequisites
All that is required is a knowledge of the rules of chess.
X12212: The Science of Chocolate / How to Make Truffles
Difficulty: **
Do you love chocolate? Ever wonder why chocolate melts in your mouth? Or gets dry and crumbly when it's old? Join us to discover the science and engineering behind chocolate! Learn how to go from a cocoa bean to a truffle and discover phase diagrams, nucleation, and a little bit of history while you're at it. Chocolate will be provided.
X12181: What? Where? When? - Russian Game Show!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Saranesh Prembabu,
Claire Traweek
Что? Где? Когда? ("Chto? Gde? Kogda?", English "Who? Where? When?") is a competitive intellectual game very popular across Russia and the former Soviet Union. Teams guess clever answers to challenging trivia questions.
Come join us to play a round, have fun, and win prizes! Удачи вам!
(you do not need to have formed a team in advance)
Prerequisites
None; questions generally do not require very specialized knowledge in any subject, and will be asked in English
Come join us to play a round, have fun, and win prizes! Удачи вам!
(you do not need to have formed a team in advance)
Prerequisites
None; questions generally do not require very specialized knowledge in any subject, and will be asked in English
X12221: Gender Beyond the Binary
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Ryker Reed,
MaryJac Reed
Like thinking about gender? Ever felt like male and female don't cover all the possibilities? Come learn all about the Gender Spectrum and all the different identities that a person can have that fall outside the Binary of Female or Male. We will talk about gender identity in society, in science, and in life. Come enjoy a fun discussion and bring your questions! No prior knowledge necessary, just respect and an open mind.
X12076: How to Be a Spy
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Sierra Cerda,
Jeremiah Robertson
Have you ever watched Spy Kids and wondered what it's actually like to be a spy? Are you creative and want to figure out how you can spy on your siblings? Come learn about how you can be the best spy in the business! We will teach you how to create identities, how to find information about someone, and most importantly, how to work for the CIA in the future!
X12224: An Introduction to Popular Spanish Music
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Linda Gong,
Adrian Meza
A brief glimpse into the oeuvres and lives of Celia Cruz, Selena and more.
Prerequisites
None
Prerequisites
None
X12239: Civic Engagement
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Regan Dvoskin,
Ryan Perny
Wondering about how to get more involved in your community? Come learn about the history of civic engagement, service learning, how non-profits work, and how you can get involved, too!
X12236: How to Run a Spark!
Difficulty: **
Ever thought about what happens behind-the-scenes when you sign up for Spark classes? Or how all of our teachers and classes fit into MIT's classrooms? Spark takes months to plan, and for good reason. Come learn how we make Spark happen every year!
X12206: Get Hooked on Crochet
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Amy Jin
Take home your own crocheted pencil case, potholder, animal pouch, mug cozy, or dishcloth! Crochet is similar to knitting, but offers more freedom and is easier to learn. In this class, you will learn basic crochet techniques that you can use later to make hats, scarves, blankets, toys, and more.
X12140: Improvisational cooking for vegetarians Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Ben Rosen-Filardo,
A Weisblat
Carrot + Egg + Watermelon == ???
Tofu + Peanut + Mozzerella == ???
Raddish + Lime + Peas == ???
Chickpea + Tomato + Cabbage == ???
Nut and soy products will be used in this class.
Prerequisites
You should have used a stove before.
Tofu + Peanut + Mozzerella == ???
Raddish + Lime + Peas == ???
Chickpea + Tomato + Cabbage == ???
Nut and soy products will be used in this class.
Prerequisites
You should have used a stove before.
X12227: The Science of Baking
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Chris Eschler
This course explores the scientific principles at play in everyday baked goods. A few examples: What makes some cookies crunchy and others chewy? Why are there so many types of flour? And what the heck is a "Maillard reaction" anyway? And what better way to learn all this than with some tasty examples.
X12195: Chess to puzzle over
Difficulty: **
We will be presenting a bunch of chess puzzles, across a wide range of difficulties, for you to solve.
There will be boards set up with puzzles on them.
Prerequisites
If you know how to move the chess pieces, you are ready for this course.
There will be boards set up with puzzles on them.
Prerequisites
If you know how to move the chess pieces, you are ready for this course.
X12154: Learning about Teaching
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Paolo Adajar,
Eli Yang
Some teachers are amazing--exciting, engaging, motivating, inspiring, funny, and so much more. They make you want to stay in the classroom for longer, make school enjoyable, and teach you some awesome stuff in the process. On the flipside, there's teachers where class seems to go on ten times longer than it's supposed to, where it seems like anywhere else would be better than the desk you're sitting at. You've learned so much as a student at Spark--now, let's talk about what it's like on the other side of the classroom! We'll focus on what makes great teachers great, and how if (or when!) you teach something, you too can be an awesome teacher.
X12232: Beautiful Chess Endgame Studies Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Richard Yi
Although chess is known as a mental game, it is also very much an art. Come discover the beauty of the game through a series of mind-blowing endgame studies!
Prerequisites
Students should preferably have some chess tournament experience, but this class can be enjoyable for players of any level.
Prerequisites
Students should preferably have some chess tournament experience, but this class can be enjoyable for players of any level.
X12169: From the Depths of Wikipedia
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Mathew Suazo
Wikipedia has nearly 5.5 million articles in the English language. This class will explore some of the most interesting hidden gems, from "Lawsuits against God" to the "World's littlest skyscraper."
X12201: Subways of the World
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Katie Fisher,
Mark Mockett
Calling all subway fans! Come chat about mass transit with us! Potential topics include: improvements to the MBTA, mini metro, new subway systems in the world and more. All aboard! Next Stop, fun!
X12126: How to Solve a Rubik's Cube
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Kevin Costello
Since it first hit the toy market in the 1980s, the Rubik's cube has been puzzling generations of kids and adults alike. Learn how to solve this "impossible" puzzle from three-time national champion Kevin Costello III, and get a free Rubik's Cube in the process!
X12127: Dadaism
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Mehitabel Glenhaber,
Megan Goodell
Emerging from the First World War in Zurich was as a challenge accepted definitions of art, poetry and the artist too weighty to reject logic and Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp. They wanted to the history of smoke swirling briefly, illuminated by Alfred Jarry, and demoralization... In many others-- congregated in the Slavonic language of Dadaist works can be ghost-like and Marcel Duchamp. They attacked traditional aesthetics, Dada movement is difficult to the Cacophony Society. Upon breaking up bits and elevating them to the value of media. That being said, one day-- like the 'reason' and cultural monuments stood for Surrealism.[36]
Prerequisites
None
Prerequisites
None
X12041: MLB: The Offseason 2017-18
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Daniel Guo,
Ahaan Rungta
Are you a baseball fan? Did your team make stupid moves this past offseason? Come to this class to be on a panel of middle school students discussing major offseason moves and perhaps predictions on the MLB season of 2018. This will be a light discussion and will not involve complicated math and statistics but be ready to argue with classmates!
Prerequisites
Reasonable knowledge of MLB team statuses and the ability to talk actively in class.
Prerequisites
Reasonable knowledge of MLB team statuses and the ability to talk actively in class.
X12141: Trashion Workshop
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Madhurima Das,
Carole Urbano
What's trashion? Trash+fashion! Come learn how you can take someone's trash and turn it into treasure. We'll work together to learn the skills you need to work with different materials and then you'll create your own incredible pieces of wearable art.
(Look up trashion on google images for inspiration on how cool this can get!)
(Look up trashion on google images for inspiration on how cool this can get!)
X12197: Make Your Own Butter
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Sophie Mori,
Evan Tey
Come learn about the history of butter and the science behind how the making process works. Each student will also have the chance to make butter and customize it with various seasonings! We will have a tasting session at the end.
Prerequisites
None!
Prerequisites
None!
X12162: Make Slime
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Leanne Galanek,
Philip Tran
We'll be making slime (which you can get to take home afterwards)! Come play with slime, make a mess, and maybe learn about polymers and fluids along the way.
X12185: Learning to Watch Sports
Difficulty: *
Learn the rules of various sports like football, soccer, tennis, and basketball so you can understand what's going on when you watch sports.
X12128: Harry Potter ft. Conspiracy Theories
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Marcus Boorstin,
Yiran He
Come forewarned: this class is run by you. I want your stories, your headcanons, your bizarrely specifically thought-out theories. Come ready to talk about implications of love potions in this universe, about government interference in schooling, about ethics of werewolves teaching children, about memory modification, about rights for sentient beings. Tell me the strangest coincidences you noticed, the oddest character quirks you found, the underlying theories that you and only you have ever discovered. This class will be completely informal unstructured discussion, its general aim merely to encourage you to think deeply about societal structure, fictional or not. Let's talk about magic... if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.
Prerequisites
in-depth knowledge of Harry Potter, focus on books and structure of society. Enthusiasm for debating ethics and ulterior motives. Open-mindedness. a sense of magic. A love of world-building.
Prerequisites
in-depth knowledge of Harry Potter, focus on books and structure of society. Enthusiasm for debating ethics and ulterior motives. Open-mindedness. a sense of magic. A love of world-building.
X12064: Intro to Linguistics
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Kristian Georgiev,
Daniel Leon Jimenez
We will go over the field of mathematical and computational linguistics, look at problems from NACLO and discuss participating in high school competitions and Olympiads on national and international level.
Prerequisites
Interest in languages, mathematics and puzzle-solving.
Prerequisites
Interest in languages, mathematics and puzzle-solving.
X12193: The gods of Gielinor
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Henri Champigneulle,
Mendel Keller
Come learn about the gods of Runescape, the myths, the history, and the ongoing struggle for control of the races of Gielinor. Learn about Zamorak's betrayal of Zaros, and about Guthix's banishment. Study the dragonkin, and their relationship with the stone of Jas. The divided dragon riders, and the diary of the last of a kind. Follow the staff of Armadyl through five ages. And hear all about Seren's introduction of the ritual to the Mahjarrat, culminating in the murder of Mah.
We will be going over the gods arriving on Gielinor, and the relationships between them. This course will provide an overview of the developing story of the gods of Runescape, and the relationships between them. This will include cutscenes of the more major events, and depictions of many of the more minor ones. We will meet all of the 20+ gods Runescape has to offer, and trace back their often complex history. We will also take a look at how this lore developed in real time, as the developers tweaked their notion of the various gods they had already introduced, in order to fit the evolving narrative being offered.
Prerequisites
None! Only an interest in learning is required. This course is geared both at students who have never before heard of Runescape, and those who have been playing for years. None of what we will discuss will be directly related to gameplay and mechanics, but rather it will all focus on the storyline and lore. *knowledge of how to make bronze recommended **must know correct way to enter Lumbridge castle ***no pray noobs
We will be going over the gods arriving on Gielinor, and the relationships between them. This course will provide an overview of the developing story of the gods of Runescape, and the relationships between them. This will include cutscenes of the more major events, and depictions of many of the more minor ones. We will meet all of the 20+ gods Runescape has to offer, and trace back their often complex history. We will also take a look at how this lore developed in real time, as the developers tweaked their notion of the various gods they had already introduced, in order to fit the evolving narrative being offered.
Prerequisites
None! Only an interest in learning is required. This course is geared both at students who have never before heard of Runescape, and those who have been playing for years. None of what we will discuss will be directly related to gameplay and mechanics, but rather it will all focus on the storyline and lore. *knowledge of how to make bronze recommended **must know correct way to enter Lumbridge castle ***no pray noobs
X12184: Intro to Digital Fabrication with Paper Lanterns
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jake Burga,
Kate Weishaar
Learn the basics of digital fabrication in a fun and safe way with a CNC paper cutter! You will get a chance to design and cut your own paper lantern while learning skills that apply to more advanced maker tools like laser cutters and CNC mills.
X12091: Want to save a life? Learn CPR and First Aid!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Anjali Misra,
Adedoyin Olateru-Olagbegi
Come join MIT Emergency Medical Services for a quick training in Hands-Only CPR and First Aid! We’ll go over the basics of chest compressions, practice on mannequins, and have you trained to do CPR within minutes. Then, you'll learn about how you can use First Aid techniques to help out in a variety of emergencies. Immediate CPR can triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival, so we guarantee this will be worth your time. Come by and learn how to save a life today!
X12190: Imagining the Future
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Matthew Feng
Ever wanted to shape what the future looks like? Do you imagine a world with flying cars and teleportation devices? Or maybe a world where people get around their daily lives on (real) hoverboards? Come to this class to ideate and imagine the future we really want.
X12170: Depths of Wikipedia 2: Electric Boogaloo
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Mathew Suazo
Wikipedia has nearly 5.5 million articles in the English language, and as such, just one class isn't enough to cover all the cool stuff it has to offer. This class will explore even more interesting hidden gems, from the "Indiana Pi Bill" to the "Oak Island mystery."
X12093: School Sucks so Start Your Own
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jim Flannery
Does school make you feel ignored, left behind, ignored, lost in the shuffle, bored, or just tired of being told what to do everyday? There is a solution.
Come join my session where I will share with you all that I've witnessed in traveling around the country seeing how different youth are leaving the system behind to pursue self-directed learning and take their educational destiny into their own hands.
Warning; this class may change your life forever.
Prerequisites
NONE
Come join my session where I will share with you all that I've witnessed in traveling around the country seeing how different youth are leaving the system behind to pursue self-directed learning and take their educational destiny into their own hands.
Warning; this class may change your life forever.
Prerequisites
NONE
X12119: Star Wars Before Disney Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jackie Bredenberg,
Jordan Hines
The new Star Wars movies tell the story of classic and new characters years after the original movies. But did you know that books, games, and comics were telling a very different story of the events after Return of the Jedi for over 30 years before the new movies?
In this class, we'll talk about how the old Star Wars media, known as the "Expanded Universe (EU)", told the stories of Luke, Leia, and Han after Return of the Jedi. We'll also talk about how the Expanded Universe explored other times in the Star Wars timeline.
If you're already an EU fan, come to meet other fans and share your favorite EU moments. If you're new to the EU, come explore this expansive set of Star Wars stories for the first time!
In this class, we'll talk about how the old Star Wars media, known as the "Expanded Universe (EU)", told the stories of Luke, Leia, and Han after Return of the Jedi. We'll also talk about how the Expanded Universe explored other times in the Star Wars timeline.
If you're already an EU fan, come to meet other fans and share your favorite EU moments. If you're new to the EU, come explore this expansive set of Star Wars stories for the first time!
Social Studies
Z12073: How to do adult-related money things
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Joseph Cox,
Roan LaPlante
This is a class about how to handle money.
There are a lot of experiential skills around handling money that students are usually not taught in school, including some very basic things. In this course we will focus on basic life skills around how to make, spend, and move money. This includes how to invest money and what you should invest it in, how to do your taxes (and what is necessary to do taxes well), how to write and deposit checks, how banks work, which banks you should use, and how to apply for jobs.
This class will have extensive student-focused question and answer time. Students are encouraged to prepare questions that they have about how to handle money. There is no such thing as a stupid question.
There are a lot of experiential skills around handling money that students are usually not taught in school, including some very basic things. In this course we will focus on basic life skills around how to make, spend, and move money. This includes how to invest money and what you should invest it in, how to do your taxes (and what is necessary to do taxes well), how to write and deposit checks, how banks work, which banks you should use, and how to apply for jobs.
This class will have extensive student-focused question and answer time. Students are encouraged to prepare questions that they have about how to handle money. There is no such thing as a stupid question.
Z12180: Non-linear Thinking in a Linear World
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sherene Raisbeck,
Josh Shaine
Does doing one thing at a time drive you batty? Do people frequently tell you to pay attention or to 'stay on topic?' Do you think in pictures instead of words? Does the whole "You have to do it in the right order" concept bother you? Join us for an exploration of the How's and Why's of non-linear thinking. We'll talk about how to recognize and develop strengths, not just how to 'fit in.'
Prerequisites
Open-mindedness.
Prerequisites
Open-mindedness.
Z12183: Introduction to Criminology
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Johanna Loock
Have you ever wondered what studying Criminology actually involves? Have you wondered what the reality outside of TV shows and mystery books looks like? In this class we’ll explore what a degree in this subject involves, with plenty of time for questions and answers.
Z12079: Build-Your-Own Utopia
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Casey Evans
Using modern government executive departments (EU, US, others) as a starting point, each class will collaborate to develop a utopian society. Students will be assigned roles as the "Minister of __" and determine ideal states for their department by working first individually and then with the other ministers. In this class you will gain practical experience with negotiation and policy making. The overall goal is to gain a better understanding of the role of citizens and government in society.
Prerequisites
None. It may help to have some understanding of government, politics or economics, but that can all be reviewed during the class if necessary.
Prerequisites
None. It may help to have some understanding of government, politics or economics, but that can all be reviewed during the class if necessary.
Z12090: Broad History of American Politics
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Christopher Miller
From Federalist Papers about factions to the Constitution, Jackson, slavery, populists and progressives, wars, civil rights, conservatives, and Trump.
The themes they love in AP US History.
The themes they love in AP US History.
Z12133: Understanding Diplomacy through Wargaming
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
John Bell,
Jenna Himawan
Much of historical European politics would have made more sense if you were there at the time. This class will give you a chance to recreate those politics. Take command of countries in a simple war game and learn about the balance of power by seeing it play out in action.
Adapted from game created by Daniel Whalen; run with permission.
Adapted from game created by Daniel Whalen; run with permission.
Z12054: Let's talk about Watergate
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Marcus Boorstin,
Yiran He
Let's talk about Watergate - what actually happened (people broke into DNC headquarters), what people think happened (Rose Mary Woods erased some tapes?), and what probably didn't happen (aliens did everything?). Bring questions and conspiracy theories!
Z12218: All the World's a Game: Game Theory in International Relations
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Kelsey Becker,
Marianne Olsen
Game theory tries to predict the choices that perfectly rational decision-makers make in given situations. We'll go over some basic two-player games and discuss how we can apply these theories to the interactions between countries!
Prerequisites
None!
Prerequisites
None!
Z12171: How to Become President
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Mathew Suazo
Setting your sights on becoming POTUS?
Come learn about the Constitution, the electoral college, and how Wyoming could be your key to victory!
Come learn about the Constitution, the electoral college, and how Wyoming could be your key to victory!