Splash! 2011
Course Catalog
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This is the catalog for Splash 2011. Please note that since our teachers are volunteers, most classes do not repeat from year to year. To view the Splash 2012 catalog, click here.
Arts
A4992: Street Art Shirts Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Tara Ebsworth
Bring a shirt (or other piece of clothing) and your creativity and get ready to make some one of a kind fashion. We will create and cut out our own stencils, then spray paint them onto our clothing to create permanent, washable designs.
**If you can bring a shirt to paint, please do! If you can't, we will have a few extras.
**If you can bring a shirt to paint, please do! If you can't, we will have a few extras.
A4931: Typography and Typesetting Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Tana Wattanawaroon
Typography and Typesetting are about arranging text into a piece of publication, which is in no way simple. It is about choosing fonts, size, spacing, and everything. Modern word processors have made publication accessible to anyone with computers, while taking some beauty away from this extremely delicate craft.
Take this course to learn about the basics of typography and typesetting! We will look into publications at different levels: glyphs, lines, paragraphs, and pages. We will learn how to maximize beauty while preserving readability and legibility. We will explore how technology has transformed the era of good old press into the age of digital typography.
Take this course to learn about the basics of typography and typesetting! We will look into publications at different levels: glyphs, lines, paragraphs, and pages. We will learn how to maximize beauty while preserving readability and legibility. We will explore how technology has transformed the era of good old press into the age of digital typography.
A5567: The Physics of Singing Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Joseph Lubars
How does the voice work? What is special about singing compared with normal speech? What is the difference between vowels and consonants? How does an opera singer project over an orchestra without tiring his voice?
I'll try to answer most these questions and more, and perhaps demystify the things voice teachers tell you in their lessons.
Prerequisites
A theoretical knowledge of waves and vibrations will be helpful.
I'll try to answer most these questions and more, and perhaps demystify the things voice teachers tell you in their lessons.
Prerequisites
A theoretical knowledge of waves and vibrations will be helpful.
A5037: Art and Science: The visual culture of HIV public health campaigns
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
samira daswani
Over the last three decades, ever since 1984, when Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) was discovered, a large body of imagery has come to represent this global epidemic. Public health campaigns aiming to bring about effective therapeutic intervention for AIDs rely heavily on the visual culture surrounding this infectious disease. This visual culture serves a multitude of functions, perhaps most importantly to bring about behavior changes in large populations. Artists, NGOs, governments, and other international foundations utilize the power of visual imagery to communicate certain ideas such as ‘safe sex’. The fundamental issue of how art communicates scientific discoveries to general audiences underlies most health related visual imagery.
This class will examine the intersection of art and science in HIV public health campaigns. The three broad questions that will be investigated are as follows:
1. What is the visual culture of HIV public health campaigns? What type of images has come to represent the visual culture of this disease?
2. In what ways do art and science come together to create visual meaning in the public health sector? How does art communicate health related scientific discoveries to common people?
3. What are effective and ineffective visual public health campaigns?
Prerequisites
No Pre-requisites
This class will examine the intersection of art and science in HIV public health campaigns. The three broad questions that will be investigated are as follows:
1. What is the visual culture of HIV public health campaigns? What type of images has come to represent the visual culture of this disease?
2. In what ways do art and science come together to create visual meaning in the public health sector? How does art communicate health related scientific discoveries to common people?
3. What are effective and ineffective visual public health campaigns?
Prerequisites
No Pre-requisites
A5449: Movie Time! (Pi) Full!
Difficulty: **
Like movies, but sick of mainstream Hollywood and summer blockbusters? Come join us as we watch some of the greatest (and alright, possibly weirdest) obscure films of all time!
(Movies will be followed with a discussion)
This section will be watching Pi.
Prerequisites
Permission slip for students under 17 (for R-rated film sections only)
(Movies will be followed with a discussion)
This section will be watching Pi.
Prerequisites
Permission slip for students under 17 (for R-rated film sections only)
A5093: What Musicians Should Know About Harmony Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Miriam Gershenson
You've been playing in band or orchestra for a while now. You know about notes, and you probably know about scales, but maybe you haven't heard much about chords.
In this class I'll introduce the most common kinds of chords, show you what they sound like, and discuss how they function in the music we hear.
Prerequisites
Ability to read music in at least one clef
In this class I'll introduce the most common kinds of chords, show you what they sound like, and discuss how they function in the music we hear.
Prerequisites
Ability to read music in at least one clef
A5391: Building the Wall: An Analysis of Pink Floyd the Wall
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Mateo Williams
Analyzing the story behind Pink Floyd's film and album The Wall.
A5159: Portrait-Drawing Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jessica Tran
Face it! You see people's faces everywhere and everyday, and yet you don't know how to draw something so common. Learn how to draw human faces. We will look into depth with proportions and arrangements of the human features. We will also be drawing from a live model!!!
Prerequisites
Should know how to draw beyond stick-figures
Prerequisites
Should know how to draw beyond stick-figures
A5209: Introduction to DJing Full!
Difficulty: **
Always wanted to know how to spin a beat? In this course three student DJ's will help you learn the basics to mixing your favorite songs. We will have three portable turntables which will give you smaller group interaction with one of the instructors. When you are done with the course you might just be comfortable enough to show off your skills at the next party!
A5221: It Doesn't Just Taste Good! Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Casey Dugan
In this class, we’ll make sculptures out of chocolate! But, they’ll look so good you won’t want to eat them when you’re through. In previous years students have come up with all kinds of creative designs: viking ships, a suspension bridge, rainbows, fireplaces, dragons, islands, scenes from books, space ships, turtles, houses, horses, abstract pieces, sunflowers, lily pads, chess boards, painters’ palettes, breakfast, a clock, a wedding dress, three turkeys, pyramids, trees, playing cards, robots, pumpkins, the Apple Logo, a Snitch and the Sorting Hat, and more. You can see more examples here: https://picasaweb.google.com/111405222431264859764. Candy bars don’t count… :) Come with ideas or come up with something on the spot!
Those with food allergies: Chocolate may contain peanuts or peanut products. Sorry. :(
Those with food allergies: Chocolate may contain peanuts or peanut products. Sorry. :(
A5415: Felt Animals: Hand-sewn and Portable Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Esther Kim
Ever wanted to carry a DiY mini animal with you? Come and hand-sew one! Sewing experience not necessary.
We will go over how to design your own pattern - and I will provide one for pandas and rabbits. Once you're done, you can stick him (or her) on your backpack, your cell phone or your keys!
*Please e-mail me at esther.sh.kim@gmail.com if you want me to bring a pattern for a specific animal
Prerequisites
Sewing experience is not necessary but please bring your patience and an animal in mind.
We will go over how to design your own pattern - and I will provide one for pandas and rabbits. Once you're done, you can stick him (or her) on your backpack, your cell phone or your keys!
*Please e-mail me at esther.sh.kim@gmail.com if you want me to bring a pattern for a specific animal
Prerequisites
Sewing experience is not necessary but please bring your patience and an animal in mind.
A5042: Birds and Music Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Evan Kuras
Ever wonder what those birds outside were trying to say? Explore the language of birds and its use in music throughout history.
A5452: Movie Time! (Metropolis)
Difficulty: **
Like movies, but sick of mainstream Hollywood and summer blockbusters? Come join us as we watch some of the greatest (and alright, possibly weirdest) obscure films of all time!
(Movies will be followed with a discussion, if time permits)
This section will be watching Metropolis.
Prerequisites
This film is in German, so be prepared to read subtitles!
(Movies will be followed with a discussion, if time permits)
This section will be watching Metropolis.
Prerequisites
This film is in German, so be prepared to read subtitles!
A5413: Writing and Performing the Ten-Minute Play Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Michael Cox
Called “the American theatre’s haiku” and “theatrical lightning”, the power of the Ten-Minute Play can stand you hair on end.
Students will write, rehearse, and perform in short plays based on their lives and experiences. We will cover basic structure, conventions, dialogue, characterization and performance. Student will be separated into groups depending on their strengths: writing, directing, or acting.
Samples of Ten-Minute Plays and suggestions for construction will be posted for students to review. Students may them submit scripts or ideas of their own in advance of the class, or pads and pens will be provided for students to quickly engineer plays on the day of class. From there, student will build relationships and conflict in the characters through rehearsal. In the final hour, students will perform. The emphasis is on making bold, dramatic choices and effectively "pitching" your ideas to producers, publishers and casting directors in an atmosphere of collaboration with other artists.
Students will write, rehearse, and perform in short plays based on their lives and experiences. We will cover basic structure, conventions, dialogue, characterization and performance. Student will be separated into groups depending on their strengths: writing, directing, or acting.
Samples of Ten-Minute Plays and suggestions for construction will be posted for students to review. Students may them submit scripts or ideas of their own in advance of the class, or pads and pens will be provided for students to quickly engineer plays on the day of class. From there, student will build relationships and conflict in the characters through rehearsal. In the final hour, students will perform. The emphasis is on making bold, dramatic choices and effectively "pitching" your ideas to producers, publishers and casting directors in an atmosphere of collaboration with other artists.
A5523: Infographic Design: Turning Data Into Art Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Joanna Kao,
Connor Kirschbaum
Representing data visually can be a challenge, but learning to do it well can make your research and presentations engaging and accessible.
This one hour seminar, taught by a team of designers from MIT’s student newspaper The Tech, will teach you to create effective and visually appealing infographics. You’ll even get a chance to draft a few yourself! Feel free to bring in your own set of data to work with (If you don’t have any, don’t worry — we’ll give you some!). Evolve beyond Excel pie charts!
This one hour seminar, taught by a team of designers from MIT’s student newspaper The Tech, will teach you to create effective and visually appealing infographics. You’ll even get a chance to draft a few yourself! Feel free to bring in your own set of data to work with (If you don’t have any, don’t worry — we’ll give you some!). Evolve beyond Excel pie charts!
A5110: Beginner Salsa Dancing
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sarah Kolitz,
Ravi Purushotma
Learn the basics of dancing salsa! Salsa is a fun, fast Latin partner dance. No need to bring a partner - we'll be switching it up throughout the class.
A5530: PANINI!
Difficulty: ****
Teachers:
Vincent Lee
Let's make panini!
Let's make them classy!
Let's make them awesome!
For sandwich connoisseurs.
Let's make them classy!
Let's make them awesome!
For sandwich connoisseurs.
A5048: Art of Improv Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Rahat Bathija
This course will focus on beginner Improv techniques.
We'll be doing some warm up exercise and move onto Who's Line is Anyway type Improv Games.
Prerequisites
An Open Mind
We'll be doing some warm up exercise and move onto Who's Line is Anyway type Improv Games.
Prerequisites
An Open Mind
A5225: Advanced: It Doesn't Just Taste Good!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Casey Dugan
This version of "It Doesn't Just Taste Good" is for older students interested in making more complex sculptures out of chocolate. The goal is still to make them look so good that you won't want to eat them when you're through. But there will be emphasis on more complicated or intricate designs / forms and additional time to work on them. Examples of what I consider "advanced" sculptures from the past include: a model of MIT, a suspension bridge, etc. You can see more examples here: https://picasaweb.google.com/111405222431264859764/AdvancedChocolateSculptureExamples . As always, candy bars don’t count… :) Please come with an idea for your design so we can get started as soon as the class begins!
Those with food allergies: Chocolate may contain peanuts or peanut products. Sorry. :(
Those with food allergies: Chocolate may contain peanuts or peanut products. Sorry. :(
A4956: PVC Flute Choir Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Like music? Physics? Making stuff? All of the above?
Take this class. Explore the physics of sound production. Craft your very own instrument. Create music from plastic. Decorate your creations.
Students will individually make a single-note noisemaker out of PVC pipe and then work with a group on a more complex project.
Prerequisites
Basic algebra. No physics knowledge or musical aptitude is required.
Take this class. Explore the physics of sound production. Craft your very own instrument. Create music from plastic. Decorate your creations.
Students will individually make a single-note noisemaker out of PVC pipe and then work with a group on a more complex project.
Prerequisites
Basic algebra. No physics knowledge or musical aptitude is required.
A5152: History of Musical Theater Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Christopher Brathwaite
Gershwin, Porter, Rogers & Hammerstein, Sondheim and Larson. Come learn about the growth of musical comedy, the great American theater form. Where did it come from? Where is it going? And why is the entire score of RENT so freaking catchy? Come find out!
Prerequisites
A love of theater
Prerequisites
A love of theater
A5165: Knit a House Scarf Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Trevor Walker
Never knitted before? Come learn to knit, and make a beautiful, 100% wool Harry Potter house scarf for the house of your choice to keep you warm! Even if you already know how to knit, we'll give you yarn in Hogwarts colors and needles to knit with, as well as helpful tips if you run into a snag. If you have your own needles, bring them; that way you can continue working on your scarf after the class.
A5223: The Golden Ratio in Math and Art
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Christina Boldosser,
Naureen Ghani
Math in Art- what is the first thing that pops up into your mind? One of the key connections between the two is the golden ratio. Hit TV shows such as 24 have long been fascinated by numbers... and since you're reading this, you must be too! Come see how art allows us to derive the Golden Ratio and its importance in math. I plan to show how it has been seen in famous paintings such as "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci. I will also show how it has been found in the very campus of Columbia University and in nature. Thus, I will then transition into talking about Nautilus Shells. I also plan to give a difficult (but fun!) math problem involving phi and then explaining the various unique and fascinating properties of phi. This course will conclude with summing up the beauty of art due to mathematics in part. You will hopefully leave amused by now being aware of the golden ratio and its presence in nature and museum walls.
A5292: Modern Music Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Lauren McGough
Modern classical music - it is mind-blowing, and will stretch your definition of music. Used to Beethoven, Chopin, or even Shostakovich? Well, it turns out composers have been doing lots of radical things in the last 50 years - come find out about them.
Prerequisites
Come prepared to talk about some crazy pieces, have an open mind
Prerequisites
Come prepared to talk about some crazy pieces, have an open mind
A4933: Hand-Drawn Holograms Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Robin Deits
Holograms are awesome, but they're too expensive and difficult to produce to be an easy art form...until now!
In this class, I will teach you how to make abrasion holograms by hand using just a compass and a sheet of plastic. You can create a simple 3D hologram in just a few minutes, or you can spend hours creating your holographic masterpiece.
You'll be able to create 3D shapes and images, and even create pictures that change as you move them around. It's going to be awesome!
In this class, I will teach you how to make abrasion holograms by hand using just a compass and a sheet of plastic. You can create a simple 3D hologram in just a few minutes, or you can spend hours creating your holographic masterpiece.
You'll be able to create 3D shapes and images, and even create pictures that change as you move them around. It's going to be awesome!
A5281: Beyond The Rhyming Dictionary: Hip-Hop Songmaking and Structure Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Evan Moore
Ever wanted to tap into your inner Jay-z, Eminem, or [insert favorite rapper here]? Well then, look no further!
The class will delve into hip hop songwriting, covering topics including the types of songs made, lyrical content and its influence on the listener, and different rhyming schemes. The production side will be delved into as well, showing the different types of beats that rappers love to lay their vocals over.
By the end of the class, students will have a new appreciation of the different purposes, techniques, and types of hip-hop music.
Sample Music, if used, will be edited.
The class will delve into hip hop songwriting, covering topics including the types of songs made, lyrical content and its influence on the listener, and different rhyming schemes. The production side will be delved into as well, showing the different types of beats that rappers love to lay their vocals over.
By the end of the class, students will have a new appreciation of the different purposes, techniques, and types of hip-hop music.
Sample Music, if used, will be edited.
A5368: Animation in Adobe Flash Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Ramya Swamy
Ever wondered how cartoons are made? Breathe some life into your drawings! Learn how to use Adobe Flash to create a small animation of your own. We’ll discuss animation techniques from frame-by-frame animation all the way to "tweening" and inverse kinematics (come learn what these are!). This course will go pretty rapidly (but don’t let that deter you) so come with a crazy awesome DESIRE TO LEARN :D
Prerequisites
Be comfortable drawing with a mouse.
Prerequisites
Be comfortable drawing with a mouse.
A5329: Sing a Song in French!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Abhishek Nagaraj
Parlez-vous francais?! If you do, excellent -- if not, don't worry!
In this class we won't be doing anything that resembles $$i\hbar\frac{\partial}{\partial t} \Psi(\mathbf{r},\,t) = \hat H \Psi = \left(-\frac{\hbar^2}{2m}\nabla^2 + V(\mathbf{r})\right)\Psi(\mathbf{r},\,t) = -\frac{\hbar^2}{2m}\nabla^2\Psi(\mathbf{r},\,t) + V(\mathbf{r})\Psi(\mathbf{r},\,t)$$
Instead we will come to class and sing a song in french -- simple!
Prerequisites
None
In this class we won't be doing anything that resembles $$i\hbar\frac{\partial}{\partial t} \Psi(\mathbf{r},\,t) = \hat H \Psi = \left(-\frac{\hbar^2}{2m}\nabla^2 + V(\mathbf{r})\right)\Psi(\mathbf{r},\,t) = -\frac{\hbar^2}{2m}\nabla^2\Psi(\mathbf{r},\,t) + V(\mathbf{r})\Psi(\mathbf{r},\,t)$$
Instead we will come to class and sing a song in french -- simple!
Prerequisites
None
A5237: How to Make Your Facebook Photos Worthy of Stalking
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Danielle Hicks,
Emily Seitz
Everyone likes stalking their friends photos on Facebook. You know you do it too :) Why not post great photos for your friends to enjoy?!
This class will give you an introduction to important elements of good photo composition so that you too can have stalk-worthy photos on Facebook.
Prerequisites
Bringing a digital camera is recommended.
This class will give you an introduction to important elements of good photo composition so that you too can have stalk-worthy photos on Facebook.
Prerequisites
Bringing a digital camera is recommended.
A5515: How to be on the run from people who are more powerful than you are Full!
Difficulty: **
Did you piss off Michael Weston? A mob boss? The Feds? Come to this class to learn the essentials of running away and staying away from the man. Throw out your cellphones, pull out your fake passport and don your sunglasses, this class will cover how to stay low and stay on the run when you're in trouble and someone is out to get you. This class is part of a three part series with "How to plan and execute operations in deep cover" and "Chemistry of Explosions."
A5341: How To Write 50,000 Words In A Month And Survive Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sahar Hakim
Want to take that big step and write a novel? Ever think of doing the whole thing in just thirty days? Well, not to worry! This seminar will focus on National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), an annual challenge in November in which people must write a novel of at least 50,000 words. We’ll focus on writing tips such as how to form a plot, how to create characters and the world about which you are writing, and, above all, how to stay on track without falling too behind. And of course, November’s not the ONLY month you can do this. Find out about other writing challenges, too!
A5525: The Democratization of Verse: Poetry Discussion and Workshop Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Christopher Sarabalis
Poetry like you've never felt it before.
We'll take a look at all sorts of modern poetry, focusing in on poems typical of a poetry slam. Imma show you how cool poetry really is. You'll walk away thinking, holy smokes, I never knew THAT was poetry.
You don't have to, but I encourage you to bring poems you've written. But really, you don't have to. You can come for the ride.
This workshop is a safe space. You can say anything. Be anyone.
And as a result poem content and language could be mildly offensive.
We'll take a look at all sorts of modern poetry, focusing in on poems typical of a poetry slam. Imma show you how cool poetry really is. You'll walk away thinking, holy smokes, I never knew THAT was poetry.
You don't have to, but I encourage you to bring poems you've written. But really, you don't have to. You can come for the ride.
This workshop is a safe space. You can say anything. Be anyone.
And as a result poem content and language could be mildly offensive.
A4957: Rope Corsets
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Amos Meeks,
Alicia Singham Goodwin
This class will teach you how to tie a couple of different styles of rope corsets using basic knots. In addition to learning practical tricks we will also go over how to make your corsets comfortable and beautiful! Rope will be provided for you to practice with during class.
You don't need a partner or any previous experience. Your own thigh or leg is perfectly good to practice on.
You don't need a partner or any previous experience. Your own thigh or leg is perfectly good to practice on.
A4932: Color Theory in 3 hours! Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Elizabeth Holmes,
Zoe Schladow
This course will be a very short condensed survey course on Color Theory.
A5187: Where the Musical Scale Comes From Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Rob Speer
Why does the musical scale we know consist of 12 notes, and why are they those notes in particular? It turns out that there’s some simple math that describes what sounds good to the human ear, and you can use that math to build up the familiar Western scale.
Like curious engineers, we’re going to take apart the scale and see how it works — and then we’re going to put it back together differently. By making different choices, you can end up building other musical scales used through history and around the world, or exotic scales that few people have ever heard. Instead of 12 notes, you could have 5, 19, 22, or even 53 notes in each octave.
You’ll hear some examples of music with intervals you've never heard before, learn why every piano is “out of tune” in one way or another, and you’ll even have a chance to improvise on a keyboard with a 19-note scale.
Prerequisites
Being comfortable with math operations such as square roots, fractions, and powers, and some familiarity with music notation.
Like curious engineers, we’re going to take apart the scale and see how it works — and then we’re going to put it back together differently. By making different choices, you can end up building other musical scales used through history and around the world, or exotic scales that few people have ever heard. Instead of 12 notes, you could have 5, 19, 22, or even 53 notes in each octave.
You’ll hear some examples of music with intervals you've never heard before, learn why every piano is “out of tune” in one way or another, and you’ll even have a chance to improvise on a keyboard with a 19-note scale.
Prerequisites
Being comfortable with math operations such as square roots, fractions, and powers, and some familiarity with music notation.
A5469: BHANGRA!!! (Awesome Indian Dance)
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Shataakshi Dube,
Vedha Sayyaparaju
Come join us for the 5th year of the HOTTEST class of Splash! Learn a new style of dance and get a full-body workout while having LOTS OF FUN!!! Bhangra is an energetic folk dance from the north Indian state of Punjab, and in this class you'll learn how it's done from members of MIT's very own Bhangra team. We’ll start from the basics and then teach you a full Bhangra dance that you can take back with you and show off to your friends :)
Prerequisites
A smile and a strong desire to learn a fun new style of dance!
Prerequisites
A smile and a strong desire to learn a fun new style of dance!
A5168: Conducting and Interpretation Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Daniel Zhang
Learn the fundamentals of conducting and score interpretation!! We will be covering everything from beat patterns, cues and cut-offs to musical gestures and complex meters. In addition, we will also discuss interpretation with regards to compositional context and orchestration.
Prerequisites
Some musical experience. Orchestral experience not required.
Prerequisites
Some musical experience. Orchestral experience not required.
A5180: The Day The Music Died Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
James Douberley
No, we’re not talking about the SuperBowl halftime show. This class will discuss the historical context and meaning of Don McLean’s ‘American Pie’. As it turns out, the death of Rock ‘n Roll was long before Fergie tried to sing Guns ‘n Roses.
A5411: Intro to Beatboxing Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Michael Chen,
Brian Coffee
Ever felt a need to lay down a beat, but didn't have a drum kit handy? Learn the basics of vocal percussion from three members of the Chorallaries of MIT, the Institute's competitive a cappella group. We'll work our way up from a simple set of sounds to more complex (and entertaining) beats.
A5511: Aso, Shutter Speed, Aperture and All That: An Introduction to Photography Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jared Wong
Ever wanted to impress that special someone with a good profile picture but never understood how to make your camera do what you want it to do? Even if you didn't, but simply had an interest in knowing what those buttons, ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, controlled I'll teach you the basics of both the artistic and scientific sides of photography. We'll also learn simple image editing techniques and, time permitting, play with some/learn how to use expensive DSLRs and lenses.
Prerequisites
None.
Prerequisites
None.
A5470: Draw Manga!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Ruwen Liu
Learn how to draw your favourite cartoon characters from the land of the rising sun. Cool digitizer tablet demonstrations included at no extra cost! Get your dose of essential photoshop skills and useful pikachu skills in one class.
A5389: Choral Crash Course Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Royal Morris
Think that singing is fun? Involved in any sort of musical group or want to see what it's like to be in one? Join some of the members of the Chorallaries for a fun experience in the world of a cappella.
A5004: The Art of Calligraphy Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Thomas Boning
Ever seen calligraphy before?
Ever wanted to write in calligraphy before?
Stop having a boring font, stop having a boring life! We will cover the history of calligraphy briefly and then have a hands-on course in calligraphic writing.
Ever wanted to write in calligraphy before?
Stop having a boring font, stop having a boring life! We will cover the history of calligraphy briefly and then have a hands-on course in calligraphic writing.
A5375: Improv Comedy Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Hannah Pelton
Love the FUNNY? So do we. Come learn how to make your family chuckle, your friends laugh, and your enemies submit to your humorous ways. Join us for a workshop from MIT's premier improv comedy troupe!
A4942: To Infinity and Beyond! The History of Pixar Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Ari Donnelly
Do you find yourself looking at all your old toys that you haven’t played with for years, and feeling very guilty? Have you ever tried tying a thousand balloons to your chimney in the hope that your house will take off and fly away? Have you been neglecting to call the pest exterminator for months on end, out of fear that the rats in your house will stop cooking exquisite French cuisine for you if you do so?
Do want to know who’s responsible for these strange feelings you keep having? Come to Infinity and Beyond! We'll cover the birth of Pixar, how they have become one of the most successful and critically acclaimed film studios of all time, and what they have planned for the future.
Prerequisites
Watch Pixar movies!
Do want to know who’s responsible for these strange feelings you keep having? Come to Infinity and Beyond! We'll cover the birth of Pixar, how they have become one of the most successful and critically acclaimed film studios of all time, and what they have planned for the future.
Prerequisites
Watch Pixar movies!
A5326: Make Your Own Jigsaw Puzzle! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Michele Pratusevich
Like solving jigsaw puzzles? Have your own ideas for jigsaw puzzle patterns? Want to make a custom jigsaw puzzle? Here's your chance! Come up with a pattern or simple picture you want on your jigsaw puzzle and come ready to draw it!
A5497: The State of Boston Hardcore Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Amber Bennoui
Hardcore, a music genre that blossomed out of punk, is not well known considering its raw nature. In this class, we'll start by discussing the 80s where bands like SS Decontrol and Jerry's Kids dominated the grimy basement culture of Boston. We'll explore the inner workings of the pivotal album "This is Boston, Not LA" while also discussing common modern trends in hardcore -- such as crews, popular ideologies and zine culture.
Prerequisites
This class is discussion based and everybody is welcome to take it. Mosh warriors certainly welcome!
Prerequisites
This class is discussion based and everybody is welcome to take it. Mosh warriors certainly welcome!
A5508: Intro to Livecoding
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Thomas Murphy
Play two instruments at once!
Not impressed? How about 100?
Livecoding is performing music, live, with computer programming. Imagine being a coder and a rockstar (or pianist, or rapper) at the same time. It's so fun! I'll demonstrate the basics of how it's done, and show what musicians have done with it.
There are two sections of this class. This is the Arts one, and we'll spend more time on the basics of programming.
You don't need to know much (really anything) about music theory or programming.
Not impressed? How about 100?
Livecoding is performing music, live, with computer programming. Imagine being a coder and a rockstar (or pianist, or rapper) at the same time. It's so fun! I'll demonstrate the basics of how it's done, and show what musicians have done with it.
There are two sections of this class. This is the Arts one, and we'll spend more time on the basics of programming.
You don't need to know much (really anything) about music theory or programming.
A5344: Freelance Writing In The Internet Age Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jason Iannone
Thanks to the Internet, it is easier than ever to begin a side career as a freelance writer. There are tons upon tons of websites out there, and they need material. Many of them will pay YOU to write that material.
This can equal extra spending money in your pocket or, quite possibly, you could turn your knack for writing into a full-time dream job! It's a hard road, but the possibility is there.
This class, taught by a published author on Cracked.com (among other sites) will introduce you to the wide world of independent freelance writing. Subjects such as genres, payment issues, the pros & cons of freelancing, and finding the ideal market, will be tackled and dissected.
This can equal extra spending money in your pocket or, quite possibly, you could turn your knack for writing into a full-time dream job! It's a hard road, but the possibility is there.
This class, taught by a published author on Cracked.com (among other sites) will introduce you to the wide world of independent freelance writing. Subjects such as genres, payment issues, the pros & cons of freelancing, and finding the ideal market, will be tackled and dissected.
A5365: Weaving Chainmail Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jesse Ashcraft-Johnson
For some 1500 years, chainmail armor was one of the standards for armed combat. Nowadays, though you may not be engaging the enemy in pitched battle on a daily basis, it's still pretty cool.
Come learn the basic weaves for converting rings of wire into bad-ass armor and jewelry.
Prerequisites
two hands and a reasonable amount of patience
Come learn the basic weaves for converting rings of wire into bad-ass armor and jewelry.
Prerequisites
two hands and a reasonable amount of patience
A5342: A Brief History of K-Pop
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Sahar Hakim
So maybe you've heard of Korean pop songs like "Sorry Sorry," "Ring Ding Dong," "Gee," and "Nobody." Want to know more about the groups who sing them, or the origins of Korean Pop in general? Come hear about some of the biggest names in the industry, the up-and-coming stars, and, of course, the music they produce!
A5188: History of Video Game Music
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Rob Speer
Video game music has evolved over three decades from simple blips and bleeps into a genre of its own. This genre has been influenced by the technological limitations of its roots, and also by numerous crossovers from popular music, electronic music, film soundtracks, and anime.
In this class, I’ll give a tour of the history of video game music and the programmers and musicians who made it what it is, and we’ll take time to appreciate some of the most significant technological and artistic accomplishments along the way.
In this class, I’ll give a tour of the history of video game music and the programmers and musicians who made it what it is, and we’ll take time to appreciate some of the most significant technological and artistic accomplishments along the way.
A5293: Learn to Draw Fractal Artwork!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jennie Zheng
What are fractals?
Fractals are some of the most beautiful things that occur in nature. They are defined as "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is (at least approximately) a reduced-size copy of the whole."
Some real world examples: snowflakes, blood vessels, broccoli, river networks and lightning.
We're going to take a look stunning examples of fractals found in nature and math.
After that, you'll be able to design, draw, and color fractals of your own to take home!
Prerequisites
Just come prepared to use a ruler and pencil
Fractals are some of the most beautiful things that occur in nature. They are defined as "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is (at least approximately) a reduced-size copy of the whole."
Some real world examples: snowflakes, blood vessels, broccoli, river networks and lightning.
We're going to take a look stunning examples of fractals found in nature and math.
After that, you'll be able to design, draw, and color fractals of your own to take home!
Prerequisites
Just come prepared to use a ruler and pencil
A4912: Cinematic Secrets: Symbolism on the Screen
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
E Rosser
If a picture is worth a thousand words, and a movie runs at 24 frames per second... You do the math: there's a lot to be seen in every single shot you see in a movie. And all of it--from the rip on the main character's jacket to the color of the extra's dog in the background--was a deliberate decision by the directors. Come learn to interpret these decisions, hear some fun trivia, and engage in some good ol' fashioned cinephilia. You'll never watch movies the same again!
Prerequisites
An interest in cinema.
Prerequisites
An interest in cinema.
A5205: Learn to play Ukulele
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sam Fomon,
luke plummer
Ukuleles are awesome and easy to play! Learn the basics of uking from the Uke duo masters, Lukulele and Fomo-master. Then play ukulele favorites by artists ranging from Jake Shimabakuro to Train!
Prerequisites
*Prerequisites* Must have minimum of 2 fingers distributed over at least 2 hands. Musical experience optional.
Prerequisites
*Prerequisites* Must have minimum of 2 fingers distributed over at least 2 hands. Musical experience optional.
A5136: How To Make Stop Motions And Claymations! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
William Little
Have you ever seen animated movies such as Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas, or Wallace And Grommit? In this course you will learn the meticulous work that goes into those movies, and how you can make your own short video with nothing but a computer and a webcam/camera!
A5390: Learn to Use Finale! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Benjamin Boyajian
Do you have aspirations to write your own music? If so, you know that writing music by hand can be a slow and frustrating process. This class will teach you the basics of using Finale, a computer program that allows you to notate your own music neatly and quickly, and enables you to hear what you've written. We will cover the basics of using Finale, and then you will get a chance to play around with Finale and listen to your own music!
Prerequisites
None, except a basic knowledge of music notation and an interest in writing your own music!
Prerequisites
None, except a basic knowledge of music notation and an interest in writing your own music!
Computer Science
C5323: The Cake is not a Lie: Baked Goods and AI Full!
Difficulty: **
Come learn about Artificial Intelligence: past, present, and future.
And bake a cake you've never heard of: "The Accidental Cake."
Prerequisites
Love for cooking and interest in Artificial Intelligence
And bake a cake you've never heard of: "The Accidental Cake."
Prerequisites
Love for cooking and interest in Artificial Intelligence
C5301: How to be Anonymous on the Internet: An Introduction to Tor Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jack Hill
Anonymity is a complement to encryption on the internet. Encryption prevents me from seeing
what you are saying. Anonymity prevents me from seeing with whom you are talking. This class
will investigate both the technical challenges that Tor addresses and the social
implications of anonymity. Example users of Tor include political activists in Iran, law
enforcement officers carrying out under cover operations, and corporations visiting
competitors' websites.
Prerequisites
Tor is built using the OSI protocol stack model and public key cryptography. Knowledge of those will be helpful, but we will do a whirlwind explanation of them at the beginning of class.
what you are saying. Anonymity prevents me from seeing with whom you are talking. This class
will investigate both the technical challenges that Tor addresses and the social
implications of anonymity. Example users of Tor include political activists in Iran, law
enforcement officers carrying out under cover operations, and corporations visiting
competitors' websites.
Prerequisites
Tor is built using the OSI protocol stack model and public key cryptography. Knowledge of those will be helpful, but we will do a whirlwind explanation of them at the beginning of class.
C5008: Intro to TI-84 BASIC Programming
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Chelsea Voss
Learn how to program your TI-84 calculator using BASIC, and come code some projects yourself!
TI-BASIC is an immensely useful programming utility -- it's more portable than your laptop, plus quick and easy to use. This skill will provide endless uses in math classes, as well as personal enjoyment.
Cope with only 27 variables!
Draw slope fields!
Prove that 2+2=5!
Graph radii of curvature!
Impress your friends!
Convert numbers between bases!
Make simple text games!
Prerequisites
You will need to bring your own calculator, either TI-84 Plus or TI-84 Plus Silver Edition.
TI-BASIC is an immensely useful programming utility -- it's more portable than your laptop, plus quick and easy to use. This skill will provide endless uses in math classes, as well as personal enjoyment.
Cope with only 27 variables!
Draw slope fields!
Prove that 2+2=5!
Graph radii of curvature!
Impress your friends!
Convert numbers between bases!
Make simple text games!
Prerequisites
You will need to bring your own calculator, either TI-84 Plus or TI-84 Plus Silver Edition.
C5354: Turing Machines Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Andrea Lincoln
Learn about Turing Machines.
You may have heard the term "Turing Machine" thrown around before. Come here to get an intuitive understanding!
We will go over an intuitive description and build some intuition for basic results about Turing Machines.
We will then discuss the rigorous definition.
Learn about topics including: the Halting Problem, Decidability, NP hard problems, and more!
Prerequisites
1) You should know what a computer is. 2) You should find math or theory exciting (not just piratically building things) 3) Algebra I
You may have heard the term "Turing Machine" thrown around before. Come here to get an intuitive understanding!
We will go over an intuitive description and build some intuition for basic results about Turing Machines.
We will then discuss the rigorous definition.
Learn about topics including: the Halting Problem, Decidability, NP hard problems, and more!
Prerequisites
1) You should know what a computer is. 2) You should find math or theory exciting (not just piratically building things) 3) Algebra I
C5258: Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Francis Plaza
This class introduces basic ideas of Object Oriented Programming, as implemented in Python. Students will learn about objects, classes, and inheritance. This class will have hands-on exercises.
Prerequisites
Experience and familiarity with Python programming. Should have basic understanding what variables are, variable types, and procedural or functional programming. Eager to learn.
Prerequisites
Experience and familiarity with Python programming. Should have basic understanding what variables are, variable types, and procedural or functional programming. Eager to learn.
C5574: Al Gore-isms
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jacob Hurwitz
Ever wondered how Google Maps finds a route so quickly, or how the Watson computer is smart enough to play Jeopardy? Well, we won’t answer those questions but we will learn about algorithms, which, sadly, have nothing to do with Al Gore.
Prerequisites
You should be able to think logically.
Prerequisites
You should be able to think logically.
C5568: Intro to Livecoding (C.S. Section)
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Thomas Murphy
Play two instruments at once!
Not impressed? How about 100?
Livecoding is performing music, live, with computer programming. Imagine being a coder and a rockstar (or pianist, or rapper) at the same time. It's so fun! I'll demonstrate the basics of how it's done, and show what musicians have done with it.
There are two sections of this class. This is the Computer Science one, where you should have some experience with programming, so we can jump deeper into the music.
If you aren't very comfortable with computer programming, there's another section of this class under Arts.
Prerequisites
Familiarity with basic concepts of programming, especially functional languages (like LISP & Scheme)
Not impressed? How about 100?
Livecoding is performing music, live, with computer programming. Imagine being a coder and a rockstar (or pianist, or rapper) at the same time. It's so fun! I'll demonstrate the basics of how it's done, and show what musicians have done with it.
There are two sections of this class. This is the Computer Science one, where you should have some experience with programming, so we can jump deeper into the music.
If you aren't very comfortable with computer programming, there's another section of this class under Arts.
Prerequisites
Familiarity with basic concepts of programming, especially functional languages (like LISP & Scheme)
C5451: 3D Computer Generated Imagery: Sculpting Digital Worlds Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
A Pottinger
Ever wondered how Pixar makes movies? Try your hand at building 3D models and scenes! Join us as we cover navigation of the Blender 3D workspace, block modeling, and basic lighting.
C5502: A Hardcore Introduction to doing Math and Programming in Python Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Will Oursler
Math is hard, and life is short. Learn how to solve problems and hack together code in python. We'll learn about expressions, variables, loops, functions, and more by solving math problems from Project Euler. You'll walk away with the ability to code almost anything you can imagine, a book of tricks in case you run into something you can't, and a list of Project Euler problems to try on your own time.
Prerequisites
Precalculus level math is recommended, but strong Algebra II students are welcome. If you know Java, C++, or another programming language, this will be redundant.
Prerequisites
Precalculus level math is recommended, but strong Algebra II students are welcome. If you know Java, C++, or another programming language, this will be redundant.
C4904: Learn how to [learn] LaTeX Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jason Gross
Want to learn how to use LaTeX to format your mathematical formulae like this: $$\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{n^2} = \frac{\pi^2}{6}$$? Want to make your English teachers think you’re crazy for having your papers formatted nicely in scientific form? Come learn the basics of LaTeX, the standard mathematical typesetting language. Works on any platform. We provide the computers. But I’ll tell you how to install it on your own computers.
If you want to use your laptop instead, you should install MiKTeX and TeXnicCenter (either together from http://www.tug.org/protext/, or separately from http://miktex.org/2.8/setup and http://www.texniccenter.org/resources/downloads/29), or another LaTeX editor (if you don’t use windows) before you arrive; the installation of MiKTeX can take about half an hour to an hour.
Prerequisites
You should be self-directed and capable of learning from examples.
If you want to use your laptop instead, you should install MiKTeX and TeXnicCenter (either together from http://www.tug.org/protext/, or separately from http://miktex.org/2.8/setup and http://www.texniccenter.org/resources/downloads/29), or another LaTeX editor (if you don’t use windows) before you arrive; the installation of MiKTeX can take about half an hour to an hour.
Prerequisites
You should be self-directed and capable of learning from examples.
C5435: Distributed Computation Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Louis Wasserman
How do you perform computations on massive amounts of data?
You get a bunch of computers together and you do the work in parallel, of course.
How do you actually make that happen? Let's find out.
Prerequisites
Familiarity with writing programs that run on a single computer.
You get a bunch of computers together and you do the work in parallel, of course.
How do you actually make that happen? Let's find out.
Prerequisites
Familiarity with writing programs that run on a single computer.
C5097: What's Better than Free?
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Lars Johnson
Why pay hundreds of dollars for software when there are free, open-source alternatives that are just as good? After a brief discussion about what open source software is, we will take a whirlwind tour of available open-source software. We will quickly overview a variety of programs including free office suites, 3D modeling programs, audio editors, graphics programs, and assorted productivity tools. (Although all of the programs covered work on the Mac operating system, many are cross-platform and work on Windows and Linux as well.)
C4999: Intro to Programming in Scratch Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Bianca Homberg
Ever wanted to learn some programming, but didn't know where to start? Do you want to be able to quickly make animations or animated stories? Ever wanted to make a computer game to share with your friends? Come learn Scratch, an introductory graphics-based programming language! And what's awesome, Scratch is available to download for free online, so you can keep using it after Splash and even share your projects online. (See http://scratch.mit.edu/ to get an idea of what it's all about or start playing around with it beforehand.)
Prerequisites
None!
Prerequisites
None!
C5361: How the Internet Works Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Leonid Grinberg
We all use it every day. Many of us can't remember life without it. It's on our desks and in our pockets. It has revolutionized the way we work, the way we learn, the way we keep in touch. But how does it work?
This class will introduce you to the basics of the Internet as well as many of the technologies that rely on it, such as the World Wide Web and email. We'll talk about both the theory behind these technologies as well as their histories and futures.
This class will introduce you to the basics of the Internet as well as many of the technologies that rely on it, such as the World Wide Web and email. We'll talk about both the theory behind these technologies as well as their histories and futures.
C5374: From Wire to Web: Digital Computer Networks Explained Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Russell Cohen,
David Xiao
This year, 2 billion people will transfer 950 exabytes (950 billion gigabytes, or about 150 DVD's per person) of information through the internet. These bits will zip through hundreds of miles to get to their destination, in fractions of a second. And that's just the internet. We're not even talking about GPS, television, radio, phones, LAN parties, or the USB cables. Yet.
This is a 2 hour crash course on how computers talk to each other. We'll start with electrical impulses through a wire, through the World Wide Web, and if we have time, beyond. A little bit of theory, a touch of history, a cool demo or two, some math, and a dash of hawaii.
This is a 2 hour crash course on how computers talk to each other. We'll start with electrical impulses through a wire, through the World Wide Web, and if we have time, beyond. A little bit of theory, a touch of history, a cool demo or two, some math, and a dash of hawaii.
C5157: Writing Rootkits: The Pragmatic Programmer's Hands-On How-to Guide to Operating Systems Security Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Kevin Ellis
Rootkits are programs designed to subvert the operating system. This class will cover the design and implementation of rootkits and, of course, rootkit detectors. By the end of the class, you will know how to write programs that hide themselves and whatever nefarious deeds they may perpetrate, as well how to write programs to detect and remove such intrusions.
Prerequisites
You must know C or a C-like language. Some knowledge of Linux, operating systems in general, assembly and networking might help a bit, but aren't strictly necessary.
Prerequisites
You must know C or a C-like language. Some knowledge of Linux, operating systems in general, assembly and networking might help a bit, but aren't strictly necessary.
C5472: Silvio Micali's Mechanism Design
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Umaimah Khan,
Shaunak Kishore
Three of you are splitting a pizza, but there are only two slices left. Who deserves the biggest piece? How can you make money in this situation? In this class, we'll explore the theory of auction design - a mix of computer science and game theory.
Note: This class has not been blessed by Silvio Micali.
Note: This class has not been blessed by Silvio Micali.
C5212: How to Solve a Rubik's Cube
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Eugenio Fortanely
That darn Rubik's Cube got you down? Don't know how to solve it but think that you can't be a full-fledged nerd until you can. Learn how!
Prerequisites
Ability to follow algorithmic instructions
Prerequisites
Ability to follow algorithmic instructions
C4924: Zippers Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Pavel Panchekha
Zippers are a purely functional way of updating a data structure. This class describes how they could be used and the theory behind them.
Prerequisites
Some programming experience. A functional language like ML or Haskell would be best, but that's far from a requirement.
Prerequisites
Some programming experience. A functional language like ML or Haskell would be best, but that's far from a requirement.
C5522: Computability from the Ground-Up
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Zach .
As complicated as computers are, they are based on a few simple models. Starting with primitive Turing Machines, all computer problems can be reduced to fundamentals.
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of programming, but no specific language is needed.
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of programming, but no specific language is needed.
C5100: The Limits of Computation
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
David Girardo
What does it really mean to do a computation? Most people are familiar with the common implementations: "Take some input, push some variables around, and spit something out". But how much of that do you really need? Do you absolutely need random access memory? Loops? Recursion? How much is just enough? In this class, we will look at "computers" and "languages" in whatever shapes they hide. From a two dimensional Billiards game on a doughnut, to a sequence of fractions. I will quickly introduce you to the Church-Turing Thesis, a rigorous way of defining full computer systems, as well as some of the fundamental "computation structures". Most of the class will be spent looking at some cool examples from the strange world of 'Esoteric' languages and hardware.
Prerequisites
Some programming experience
Prerequisites
Some programming experience
C5432: Intro to Complexity Theory
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Louis Wasserman
What is the mysterious traveling salesman problem, and why does it strike fear into the hearts of programmers? What does number theory have to do with the NSA, and why is it safe to send your credit card number to Paypal? Why is it called “Department of Computer Science & Applied Theology?”
Prerequisites
You should know what the graph of a logarithm looks like.
Prerequisites
You should know what the graph of a logarithm looks like.
C5379: Supercomputers Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Predrag Gruevski
What is a supercomputer? Short answer: A computer that is 10 or 15 years ahead of the best desktop in Best Buy. Long answer? Take this class.
We'll explore the history of supercomputers, how they work, the problems they are built solve, how they solve them, and the problems facing their producers today. Topics include Moore's Law, parallelism, distributed computing, GPGPU, and cooling all that stuff down.
We'll explore the history of supercomputers, how they work, the problems they are built solve, how they solve them, and the problems facing their producers today. Topics include Moore's Law, parallelism, distributed computing, GPGPU, and cooling all that stuff down.
C5553: How Not To Run A Website
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Alex Dehnert,
Geoffrey Thomas
It's 2011, and it's really easy for anyone to set up a website. It's much harder to set up a website that hackers aren't going to take over within a day. We'll look at many of the popular attacks on websites (including buzzwords like "SQL injection" and "clickjacking"), why these problems came about, and exactly how hard it is to avoid these problems.
Prerequisites
Familiarity with either HTML or some programming language
Prerequisites
Familiarity with either HTML or some programming language
C4909: Modern Cryptography
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Sweet Tea Dorminy
Ever wanted to know how banks, the government, etc. can keep a drive’s contents from being read, even if someone steals the hard drive? Or how to generate numbers that appear random without actually creating random numbers? Enter cryptography, the study of keeping secrets.
We’ll be running over basic principles of modern (symmetric) cryptography, discussing:
What does it mean for an encryption algorithm to be secure? (common attack methods, random output)
What do we do with an encryption algorithm? (hash functions, pseudo-random number generators, block cipher modes)
What do modern symmetric encryption algorithms look like? (DES, AES)
Note that this course specifically does not cover RSA or any other asymmetric cryptography.
Prerequisites
Some familiarity with basic group theory is helpful for understanding the math behind DES/AES. Some familiarity with the difference between pseudorandomness and true randomness would also be helpful.
We’ll be running over basic principles of modern (symmetric) cryptography, discussing:
What does it mean for an encryption algorithm to be secure? (common attack methods, random output)
What do we do with an encryption algorithm? (hash functions, pseudo-random number generators, block cipher modes)
What do modern symmetric encryption algorithms look like? (DES, AES)
Note that this course specifically does not cover RSA or any other asymmetric cryptography.
Prerequisites
Some familiarity with basic group theory is helpful for understanding the math behind DES/AES. Some familiarity with the difference between pseudorandomness and true randomness would also be helpful.
C5499: Google Navigator and Bayes' Theorem
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jacob Steinhardt
Most smartphones have a "my location" button that tells you where you are currently located. The locator is accurate enough to be used for navigation through urban environments, where the streets are close together and there are many intersections. Have you ever wondered how this is done?
You might think the answer is GPS, but it turns out that GPS alone is not accurate enough for street-level navigation. We'll go over a way to combine GPS with other information to get more accurate estimates. If time permits, we'll go over how to use the same techniques to segment an image (that is, to divide it up into individual objects).
Prerequisites
Familiarity with probability, including what a conditional probability is.
You might think the answer is GPS, but it turns out that GPS alone is not accurate enough for street-level navigation. We'll go over a way to combine GPS with other information to get more accurate estimates. If time permits, we'll go over how to use the same techniques to segment an image (that is, to divide it up into individual objects).
Prerequisites
Familiarity with probability, including what a conditional probability is.
C5099: course = "Hasklo" ++ (drop 4 course) -- An introduction to functional programming in Haskell Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
David Girardo
The history of computer science has been dominated by so-called 'imperative' languages: Java, C, Perl, etc. The Imperative style is so common, that you might not even realize that there are other programing paradigms, paradigms without (Gasp) variable assignments. Now, you might be saying to yourself: "Programming without variables!? Why, that's like Science without unpaid interns!". In Functional programming, one describes what things ARE rather than how to make them. Our tool in this endeavor will be Haskell; A Lazy, Functional language with Strong Static Typing. In this course, we will discuss what all of this means, as well as some cool things that you've probably never heard of, including: Monads and Monoids and Functors (Oh my!).
Prerequisites
Familiarity with programming: basic recursion, functions, etc. No particular language necessary
Prerequisites
Familiarity with programming: basic recursion, functions, etc. No particular language necessary
C5450: The Big-O: Algorithms and Analysis (and Sorting!)
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Zach Minster
So you've written some code before, getting the job done in Java, C++, C, or some other programming language. Have you ever wondered how to prove to someone that your code works efficiently? How to describe exactly how long your program will take on a variable number of inputs? In this course we'll explore one of the most fascinating aspects of computer science - efficiency - and learn to write code that not only works, but works beautifully and promptly. Along the way we'll explore different methods of sorting, one of the most important problems in computer science, and see how analysis comes into play when working with sorting different types of data. Leaving this course you will have a much deeper understanding of how algorithms are classified and what the main problems in the academic study of computer science are. If you're interested in studying CS later on, this is a wonderful introduction into a world most high school students don't get to see until college!
Prerequisites
You should have some programming experience, either on your own or as part of a previous course (you don't need a lot) - if you're familiar with just the basics of arrays, loops, and recursion, then you have enough experience for this course. You should be fairly comfortable with mathematics (a knowledge of limits is useful but by no means required).
Prerequisites
You should have some programming experience, either on your own or as part of a previous course (you don't need a lot) - if you're familiar with just the basics of arrays, loops, and recursion, then you have enough experience for this course. You should be fairly comfortable with mathematics (a knowledge of limits is useful but by no means required).
C5231: Distributed Algorithms
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Jonathan Schneider
Doing algorithms with n computers might seem strictly less hard than doing algorithms with just one computer, but there are all these pesky details to worry about. What if some of your computers break? What if messages sent by some computers never reach others? What if n/3 of your computers are hijacked by terrorists trying to force your algorithm to produce an incorrect answer?
This is what distributed algorithms is mostly about. We'll probably talk about some subset of the following classical results: synchronized leader election, distributed MST, the Two Generals' Problem, and byzantine agreement protocols.
Prerequisites
You should know a thing or two about ordinary algorithms. For example, you should probably know what O(nlogn) means and what Dijkstra's algorithm is.
This is what distributed algorithms is mostly about. We'll probably talk about some subset of the following classical results: synchronized leader election, distributed MST, the Two Generals' Problem, and byzantine agreement protocols.
Prerequisites
You should know a thing or two about ordinary algorithms. For example, you should probably know what O(nlogn) means and what Dijkstra's algorithm is.
C5070: Writing an Android App 101 Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Ryan CHeu,
Gurtej Kanwar
Ever thought "I wish there was an app for that?" Well we're here to teach you how to make that app! We know things about Android programming. Come learn from us!
In this class we'll go over the basics of setting up the basic view and activity structure of an Android application. We will also briefly go over setting up a google code project to share your code with the world and work with other people. Finally we will have you split up into small groups and make some simple apps which you can put on your Android devices (not required) and hopefully continue to work on afterwards!
Prerequisites
Familiarity with an object oriented programming language is strongly recommended. We will be working with Java, so knowing Java is ideal.
In this class we'll go over the basics of setting up the basic view and activity structure of an Android application. We will also briefly go over setting up a google code project to share your code with the world and work with other people. Finally we will have you split up into small groups and make some simple apps which you can put on your Android devices (not required) and hopefully continue to work on afterwards!
Prerequisites
Familiarity with an object oriented programming language is strongly recommended. We will be working with Java, so knowing Java is ideal.
C5101: Calculus? I thought we were talking about computers Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
David Girardo
One of the nice things about programming is that it's secretly just math. To substantiate this claim, we'll explore some of the connections between various types of "calculus" and functional programming.
Find out how programming is equivalent to 'calculus', by the Curry-Howard-Lambek correspondence, and why in the world you would ever want to take the derivative of a data structure.
Prerequisites
Functional programming familiarity. Ideally the intro Haskell class. No calculus necessary
Find out how programming is equivalent to 'calculus', by the Curry-Howard-Lambek correspondence, and why in the world you would ever want to take the derivative of a data structure.
Prerequisites
Functional programming familiarity. Ideally the intro Haskell class. No calculus necessary
C5006: Promiscuous Mode:Network Protocol Analysis
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Harvey Yee
Do you want to be in Promiscuous mode(Monitor Mode)? You may if you are a network engineer. Join us in learning what is involved in Network Protocol analysis, and along the way learn about network architecture and protocols. Depending on what is available in the class room, a demonstration of a wired or wireless network session will be provided. A free copy of Linux LiveCD will be provided so that you can continue your learning of network protocol analysis after this class.
Newly added based on popular demand is a demo of a router operation.
Prerequisites
A sense of curosity, adventure, and fun!!!
Newly added based on popular demand is a demo of a router operation.
Prerequisites
A sense of curosity, adventure, and fun!!!
C5458: Introduction to Algorithms: Searching and Sorting Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Shaunak Kishore,
Jacob Steinhardt
Algorithms drive most of the technology we see today: Google search and Google maps, Facebook, and Amazon.com all have algorithms tightly woven into their software.
This class will be a quick introduction to algorithms. An algorithm is a procedure for accomplishing some task, usually with efficiency as a goal, and oftentimes implemented on a computer. We will lay the foundations for constructing and analyzing algorithms, using the examples of sorting a list of numbers and finding a number in a list.
Prerequisites
Enough math to know what a logarithm is. If you already know what binary search, merge sort, quick sort, and heap sort, then this class is not for you. Instead, you should look at Graph Algorithms, Data Structures, or Randomized Algorithms.
This class will be a quick introduction to algorithms. An algorithm is a procedure for accomplishing some task, usually with efficiency as a goal, and oftentimes implemented on a computer. We will lay the foundations for constructing and analyzing algorithms, using the examples of sorting a list of numbers and finding a number in a list.
Prerequisites
Enough math to know what a logarithm is. If you already know what binary search, merge sort, quick sort, and heap sort, then this class is not for you. Instead, you should look at Graph Algorithms, Data Structures, or Randomized Algorithms.
C5467: Data Structures
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Shaunak Kishore,
Jacob Steinhardt
There are a million words in the English dictionary, but when you start typing one on your iPhone, you quickly get a list of autocompletes. How is that possible? In this class, we'll see how to store enormous datasets on a computer in ways that make lookups easy.
Prerequisites
You should be familiar with the basics of algorithms, such as merge sort, heaps, and binary search. The Splash class "Introduction to Algorithms: Sorting and Searching" will cover all necessary prerequisites.
Prerequisites
You should be familiar with the basics of algorithms, such as merge sort, heaps, and binary search. The Splash class "Introduction to Algorithms: Sorting and Searching" will cover all necessary prerequisites.
C5288: Adder? But I hardly know her! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Andrea Lincoln
You will: Build a circuit to add and subtract.
You start by learning how transistors can be used to make AND, OR and NOT logic gates.
With AND, OR and NOT you consider how to build any logical statement including but not limited to XOR!
You then design and build an adder.
Finally you will determine how to subtract numbers using your adder!
You start by learning how transistors can be used to make AND, OR and NOT logic gates.
With AND, OR and NOT you consider how to build any logical statement including but not limited to XOR!
You then design and build an adder.
Finally you will determine how to subtract numbers using your adder!
C5078: Making Other People's Websites Better, with JavaScript Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Gary Wang
Ever been annoyed by websites that don't do what you want them to do? Do you want to make the tiny text on Facebook less painful to read, download videos from YouTube, stop yourself from wasting time on reddit, or make Gmail display a pop-up when you get email? Or do you want to do silly stuff like rotating the page by 45 degrees or poking yourself on Facebook?
First, we'll go through a brief introduction of JavaScript, and how to use tools like Greasemonkey to apply it to other websites. Then, we'll go through some examples of annoying websites while learning all the JavaScript we'll need to improve them.
Prerequisites
You should be familiar with another programming language, but you don't need to know any JavaScript beforehand. Knowledge of HTML and CSS may be useful, but is not necessary.
First, we'll go through a brief introduction of JavaScript, and how to use tools like Greasemonkey to apply it to other websites. Then, we'll go through some examples of annoying websites while learning all the JavaScript we'll need to improve them.
Prerequisites
You should be familiar with another programming language, but you don't need to know any JavaScript beforehand. Knowledge of HTML and CSS may be useful, but is not necessary.
C5266: The Internet & Computer Networks
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
J.D. Zamfirescu
Got some 1337 skills but at a loss when it comes to networks? Come learn about how the Internet and computer networks work!
I'll teach you how to use and abuse the internet's underlying network protocols TCP and IP, and application protocols like HTTP, SMTP, and POP. You'll also learn about some of the fundamental physical limitations that restrict connection speed.
Cool demos included!
Prerequisites
No prior knowledge required! You don't need to have 1337 skills.
I'll teach you how to use and abuse the internet's underlying network protocols TCP and IP, and application protocols like HTTP, SMTP, and POP. You'll also learn about some of the fundamental physical limitations that restrict connection speed.
Cool demos included!
Prerequisites
No prior knowledge required! You don't need to have 1337 skills.
C5064: The philosophical significance of computational complexity theory
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Nirmesh Malviya
Many mathematical problems being studied under computational complexity theory upon a closer look appear to seek answers to profound philosophical questions which have been debated for centuries.
This course discusses how complexity theory convincingly resolves some philosophical questions by mathematically formulating the problems and their proofs, and how a resolution of many open problems in complexity theory could shed light on their philosophical counterparts.
To make the 1 hour class accessible to students, the discussion about complexity theory shall be high level with minimal mathematical rigor.
This course discusses how complexity theory convincingly resolves some philosophical questions by mathematically formulating the problems and their proofs, and how a resolution of many open problems in complexity theory could shed light on their philosophical counterparts.
To make the 1 hour class accessible to students, the discussion about complexity theory shall be high level with minimal mathematical rigor.
C5464: Graph Algorithms
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Shaunak Kishore,
Jacob Steinhardt
Have you ever wondered how Google maps works? In this class we will go over the theory behind it, developing a fast way of finding the shortest path from A to B.
Prerequisites
You should be familiar with the basics of algorithms, such as binary search, merge sort, and heaps. The Splash class "Introduction to Algorithms: Sorting and Searching" will cover all necessary prerequisites.
Prerequisites
You should be familiar with the basics of algorithms, such as binary search, merge sort, and heaps. The Splash class "Introduction to Algorithms: Sorting and Searching" will cover all necessary prerequisites.
C5468: Randomized Algorithms
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Shaunak Kishore,
Jacob Steinhardt
Is it okay if an algorithm works ‘almost all’ the time? In this class, we’ll see how computers can use randomness to run faster. We’ll give randomized algorithms for finding medians, for testing if a number is prime, and for finding structures in graphs. Along the way, we’ll prove that the probability that our algorithms fail is less than the probability that the computer spontaneously bursts into flames.
Prerequisites
Know how merge sort works or take Introduction to Algorithms. Some knowledge of probability.
Prerequisites
Know how merge sort works or take Introduction to Algorithms. Some knowledge of probability.
C5546: How This Website Does (and Doesn't) Work Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jordan Moldow
Ever wonder what was actually going on when Splash registration opened? Find out how the Splash website (or any website) works behind the scenes and what actually happens when it breaks.
We’ll cover, very briefly, the basics of all the major concepts of web design, including HTML, CSS, databases, client-side and server-side scripting, servers, version controlling, and caching. All examples will be taken from the Splash website. And if time allows, we’ll take a look at some of the administrative portions of the website - the pages that help the Splash directors administer the program.
This class will be an overview of many different concepts of web design, and how they interact. It will not be an in-depth look at any one concept, though links to resources for additional learning will be provided.
Prerequisites
No computer experience is required. In fact, if you have a lot of computer experience, you’ll probably be bored. But if you don't already know most of the terms listed in the description, then you're encouraged to register for this class!
We’ll cover, very briefly, the basics of all the major concepts of web design, including HTML, CSS, databases, client-side and server-side scripting, servers, version controlling, and caching. All examples will be taken from the Splash website. And if time allows, we’ll take a look at some of the administrative portions of the website - the pages that help the Splash directors administer the program.
This class will be an overview of many different concepts of web design, and how they interact. It will not be an in-depth look at any one concept, though links to resources for additional learning will be provided.
Prerequisites
No computer experience is required. In fact, if you have a lot of computer experience, you’ll probably be bored. But if you don't already know most of the terms listed in the description, then you're encouraged to register for this class!
C5453: Intro to 2D Game Development Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
A Pottinger
Ever wondered how video games are created? Want to try to make your own? Take your first step into computer science with us develop your own game. No programming experience required.
C5096: Demystifying the Command Line Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Lars Johnson
Unleash your computer's hidden power by using the UNIX command line that underlies the Mac and Linux operating systems. Learn command-line syntax to speed up common tasks such as file management, data entry, and text manipulation. We will explore Unix from the ground up, starting with the basics of the command line and ending with to powerful, advanced tools.
You will be able to search your computer using regular expressions, quickly compare what has changed between two files, create simple secret codes, quickly convert units, and even write your own simple program, all using only a few commands on the terminal.
Prerequisites
Basic surface understanding of the computer filesystem (folders, etc.)
You will be able to search your computer using regular expressions, quickly compare what has changed between two files, create simple secret codes, quickly convert units, and even write your own simple program, all using only a few commands on the terminal.
Prerequisites
Basic surface understanding of the computer filesystem (folders, etc.)
C5433: Script Kiddie Boot Camp Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Alex Goins
Want to exact revenge on your enemies for fun and profit (not recommended)? Looking to make a dynamic website without it getting decimated (more recommended)? The internet is a dangerous place, and not just for your PC. Learn the essentials for breaking into a web server so it doesn't happen to you!
Prerequisites
PHP experience helpful General computer experience helpful Sound ethical framework recommended
Prerequisites
PHP experience helpful General computer experience helpful Sound ethical framework recommended
C5524: How This Website Does (and Doesn't) Work Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jordan Moldow
Ever wonder what was actually going on when Splash registration opened? Find out how the Splash website (or any website) works behind the scenes and what actually happens when it breaks.
We’ll cover, very briefly, the basics of all the major concepts of web design, including HTML, CSS, databases, client-side and server-side scripting, servers, version controlling, and caching. All examples will be taken from the Splash website. And if time allows, we’ll take a look at some of the administrative portions of the website - the pages that help the Splash directors administer the program.
This class will be an overview of many different concepts of web design, and how they interact. It will not be an in-depth look at any one concept, though links to resources for additional learning will be provided.
Prerequisites
No computer experience is required. In fact, if you have a lot of computer experience, you’ll probably be bored. But if you don't already know most of the terms listed in the description, then you're encouraged to register for this class!
We’ll cover, very briefly, the basics of all the major concepts of web design, including HTML, CSS, databases, client-side and server-side scripting, servers, version controlling, and caching. All examples will be taken from the Splash website. And if time allows, we’ll take a look at some of the administrative portions of the website - the pages that help the Splash directors administer the program.
This class will be an overview of many different concepts of web design, and how they interact. It will not be an in-depth look at any one concept, though links to resources for additional learning will be provided.
Prerequisites
No computer experience is required. In fact, if you have a lot of computer experience, you’ll probably be bored. But if you don't already know most of the terms listed in the description, then you're encouraged to register for this class!
C5307: Computer Building 101 Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Joseph Lodin
Ever thought about building your own computer? Maybe the possibility of potentially saving HUGE gobs of cash is enticing, perhaps the prospect of playing Crysis or Metro 2044 on MAXIMUM settings may lure you in, or hey, maybe you're just a hobbyist who's curious about how to build a desktop computer.
In this class, we'll go over the process of picking out the right parts for your specific needs, what those parts actually do in your computer, how to survive the interminable wait for your parts to arrive (curse you, Newegg 3-day shipping!), how to actually put the parts together once they DO arrive, and we'll also go over some questions like "which operating system do I use" and "why is this actually way easier than I thought it would be."
If you've ever considered building a desktop computer so you don't have to deal with the painful process of owning a Dell or HP, or maybe just want to learn a thing or two about computers, this is definitely the class for you!
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of computing would be good, like knowing the difference between a desktop and a laptop, but anyone should be able to get some good stuff out of this class. -IMPORTANT NOTE- This is just a crash course in the fundamentals of computing hardware, we're only going over the basics - if you're looking for a hardcore discussion on the merits of Intel vs. AMD or some other in-depth lecture, you probably won't find it here. Find me after class if you want to duke it out over which graphics card is superior.
In this class, we'll go over the process of picking out the right parts for your specific needs, what those parts actually do in your computer, how to survive the interminable wait for your parts to arrive (curse you, Newegg 3-day shipping!), how to actually put the parts together once they DO arrive, and we'll also go over some questions like "which operating system do I use" and "why is this actually way easier than I thought it would be."
If you've ever considered building a desktop computer so you don't have to deal with the painful process of owning a Dell or HP, or maybe just want to learn a thing or two about computers, this is definitely the class for you!
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of computing would be good, like knowing the difference between a desktop and a laptop, but anyone should be able to get some good stuff out of this class. -IMPORTANT NOTE- This is just a crash course in the fundamentals of computing hardware, we're only going over the basics - if you're looking for a hardcore discussion on the merits of Intel vs. AMD or some other in-depth lecture, you probably won't find it here. Find me after class if you want to duke it out over which graphics card is superior.
C5457: Introduction to Computer Science through Functional Programming Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Zach Minster
Do you know nothing about computer programming at all and want a solid introduction that will set you up for success on your own? Do you already know how to code imperatively but have little or no experience with functional programming (or have no idea what either of those terms mean)? This course is for you! We will learn a variant of the Scheme programming language called Racket, which will highly some of the beautiful simplicity of functional solutions to problems. You will discover the beauty of the phrase "functions ARE data," and learn exactly what that means for us as programmers. Coming out of this course, you will have a much greater appreciation for different types of programming and what they are most suited to solve.
NOTE: This course is good for those students who want a more formal introduction to computer science. We won't be making flashy graphical programs, but we will be discussing the "meat" of the CS discipline and learning things you probably wouldn't learn on your own.
NOTE: This course is good for those students who want a more formal introduction to computer science. We won't be making flashy graphical programs, but we will be discussing the "meat" of the CS discipline and learning things you probably wouldn't learn on your own.
C5431: Software Engineering: Building Big Programs Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Louis Wasserman
If you've ever worked on a program for longer than a week, you know it can start to run away from you, and become a tangled morass of code.
We'll talk about how big software engineering companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook avoid these problems and manage hundreds of thousands of lines of code without their programs degenerating into spaghetti.
We'll talk about how big software engineering companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook avoid these problems and manage hundreds of thousands of lines of code without their programs degenerating into spaghetti.
C5059: A Git Story: Because you need to understand version control
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Wylie Conlon
Do you program anything ever? Then you need this course.
We'll explore how someone like you might build a version control system that acts a lot like git. We'll talk about using git to manage your code. Then we'll look at a place to share your code online called Github, and look at why it's become so popular among programmers.
Optional: You can bring a laptop if you'd like to follow along, but it is not required.
Prerequisites
You should understand what a command line is. We'll talk about everything else you need to know!
We'll explore how someone like you might build a version control system that acts a lot like git. We'll talk about using git to manage your code. Then we'll look at a place to share your code online called Github, and look at why it's become so popular among programmers.
Optional: You can bring a laptop if you'd like to follow along, but it is not required.
Prerequisites
You should understand what a command line is. We'll talk about everything else you need to know!
C5331: File systems for Linux
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Mohan Chinnappan
1. Linux operating system fundamentals 2. File systems in general 3. Linux file systems 4. Ext2 file system 5. Ext3 file system 6. Ext4 file system 7. Status of Linux's new file system: Btrfs 8. ZFS and the future of file systems
Prerequisites
Experience in Linux, user level
Prerequisites
Experience in Linux, user level
C5283: Learn Haskell! Full!
Difficulty: ***
Haskell is an awesome functional programming language. Learn about basic syntax, recursion, types, type classes, functors, and Maybe even monads.
Prerequisites
previous experience with other programming languages may be helpful, or may be unhelpful. haskell is known for being a kind of "mathy" language, so fondness for math (abstraction) is a plus
Prerequisites
previous experience with other programming languages may be helpful, or may be unhelpful. haskell is known for being a kind of "mathy" language, so fondness for math (abstraction) is a plus
C4925: Modern Programming Language Theory
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Pavel Panchekha
Describes the various facets of modern programming language theory. Type theory, macro systems, safe computing, machine proofs, concurrency and parallelism, dynamism and extensibility, and similar are covered.
Prerequisites
Programming experience. Preferably in multiple languages.
Prerequisites
Programming experience. Preferably in multiple languages.
C5430: Software Engineering: Building Big Programs
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jacob Hurwitz,
Louis Wasserman
If you've ever worked on a program for longer than a week, you know it can start to run away from you, and become a tangled morass of code.
We'll talk about how big software engineering companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook avoid these problems and manage hundreds of thousands of lines of code without their programs degenerating into spaghetti.
We'll talk about how big software engineering companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook avoid these problems and manage hundreds of thousands of lines of code without their programs degenerating into spaghetti.
C5003: Creating Your Own Website
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Edward Tremel
If you've ever wanted to create a website for yourself or someone else, this is the class for you. You might be surprised to learn how easy it is to make good-looking websites with only a few simple tools. We'll walk through creating a simple website while learning the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It is recommended to bring a computer so you can follow along for a hands-on experience; no special software is required, and you don't even need to be connected to the Internet in order to preview your website.
Prerequisites
Some familiarity with computers will be helpful, but knowledge of programming is not required.
Prerequisites
Some familiarity with computers will be helpful, but knowledge of programming is not required.
Engineering
E5092: Hands-On Aerospace Systems Engineering Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Phillip Cunio
This class will provide a quick introduction to aerospace systems, including some historical examples. Students will then split into groups to complete their own aerospace engineering systems development project, carrying through from concept to testing and final fabrication. After evaluation of the produced aerospace systems, there will be additional class discussion of lessons learned, with additional perspective provided by lessons from an ongoing systems development project in MIT's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Prerequisites
None.
Prerequisites
None.
E5512: Constructing a Giraffe at Subzero Temperatures Full!
Difficulty: *
Do you have what it takes to build a structure higher than the Eiffel tower? A bridge strong enough to support a Twinkie? A giraffe bold enough to dazzle the judges? This is a hands-on class that will test your ingenuity. In teams, you will be building structures that will compete with other teams in a variety of aspects. With the completion of each task you'll learn tips and tricks that'll hopefully help you with the next challenge you face.
E4958: Peak Oil: What it is, and why it matters
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Joshua Velson
Energy from liquid hydrocarbons powers the modern economy. In recent years, the price of the oil these essential fuels comes from has gone up dramatically, sparking fears that the world really will run out of oil soon. However, others are pointing out that new technology is allowing humanity to continue producing.
In this class we will try to answer three fundamental questions. First, what does "peak oil" mean, really? Second, if new technology lets us find new sources of oil, why does peak oil matter? And finally, what are some ways out of the crunch?
Prerequisites
A basic background in introductory economics and an understanding of different measures of energy is recommended.
In this class we will try to answer three fundamental questions. First, what does "peak oil" mean, really? Second, if new technology lets us find new sources of oil, why does peak oil matter? And finally, what are some ways out of the crunch?
Prerequisites
A basic background in introductory economics and an understanding of different measures of energy is recommended.
E4921: Introduction to Plane Crashes Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
M H
How in the world can a pilot not notice that their plane is headed steadily towards the ground? What sorts of mechanical failures can cause a plane to crash? How can a pilot prevent a crash from getting deadly? Come hear stories of plane crashes and pilot error, and learn a little about flying along the way!
E5311: Introduction to Graphene
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Burhan Saifaddin
You will make tiny flakes of single layer Graphene (~0.5 nm). You will learn a little bit about the physics and properties of Graphene and how it is different from normal semiconductors and metals. You will learn about some of the potential applications of Graphene.
You will also learn about why scientific research and new technologies are essential to economic growth and development.
You will also learn about why scientific research and new technologies are essential to economic growth and development.
E5527: Balloon Engineering Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Amber Bennoui
I will give you a balloon and a bunch of knick-knacks. You will make it float at a constant height.
E5090: Train Science
Difficulty: **
A whirlwind tour of railroading, ranging from the dawn of the industrial revolution through the present day. Locomotives, signalling, track structure, bridges and tunnels...plus the engineering behind it all. Whether you're a hardcore train buff or just a curious observer of steel-wheeled things, this is the class for you!
E5393: Toilets! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Reuben Aronson
Toilets are one of the best examples of purely mechanical systems that are everywhere and easy to open up and figure out. In this class, we’ll do just that: open up a toilet and try to figure out how it works. Not only will you get the experience of figuring something out, but you can take home your new knowledge and fix your own plumbing!
Prerequisites
Interest in figuring stuff out. This class is more intended toward people who have not had as much experience taking apart random things -- if you have, go home and do it yourself!
Prerequisites
Interest in figuring stuff out. This class is more intended toward people who have not had as much experience taking apart random things -- if you have, go home and do it yourself!
E5345: Make your own Solar Panel! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Madeline Hickman
Curious about how solar cells work? Have you ever thought about harnessing the power of the sun to charge your cellphone or music player?
Come learn about photovoltaics and power electronics, then use that knowledge to design and build your own small solar panel. We'll also show you how to use it to power a USB port, so you can recharge your iPod or smart phone. Bring your favorite USB device!
Prerequisites
Prior experience with circuits helpful but not necessary. (Class will involve soldering, etc.).
Come learn about photovoltaics and power electronics, then use that knowledge to design and build your own small solar panel. We'll also show you how to use it to power a USB port, so you can recharge your iPod or smart phone. Bring your favorite USB device!
Prerequisites
Prior experience with circuits helpful but not necessary. (Class will involve soldering, etc.).
E5542: Of Motors and Music Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Lizi George
The combination of magnets and electricity can turn huge generators and help to amplify your favorite music! What makes them so awesome? This class will explore the physics behind some cool topics in electromagnetics in an intuitive way.
Prerequisites
An interest in physics, or willingness to learn.
Prerequisites
An interest in physics, or willingness to learn.
E5012: Glowing Projectiles! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Saba Ghole
Learn how to build projectile devices and then visualize their motion. In this studio, we will work in teams to create dynamic projectile devices to launch colored LED lit balls. We will then photograph and record the motion of the launched LED lit balls, and create layered film time-lapse sequences.
Materials we will be using:
wood, foam, string, LED lights
Materials we will be using:
wood, foam, string, LED lights
E5504: Duct Tape & Zip Ties Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Zach .
You only need two things to build any structure: Duct Tape Zipties GO!
E4960: Next Generation Biofuels Full!
Difficulty: ****
Teachers:
Joshua Velson
Ethanol from corn and sugarcane is now in the tanks of cars from Brazil to Denmark and everywhere in between. But what are the innovative companies of today cooking up to make tomorrow's biofuels?
The teacher for this course will draw on his experience as a consultant in the fast-moving world of advanced biofuels companies to give an engineering overview of the kinds of technologies you can expect to see in the next few years.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of basic biology and chemistry is required. Some organic chemistry is very helpful, as is some knowledge of biochemistry, particularly enzyme catabolism.
The teacher for this course will draw on his experience as a consultant in the fast-moving world of advanced biofuels companies to give an engineering overview of the kinds of technologies you can expect to see in the next few years.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of basic biology and chemistry is required. Some organic chemistry is very helpful, as is some knowledge of biochemistry, particularly enzyme catabolism.
E5423: How to Build an Atomic Bomb (7th-9th) Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Matthew Cole
Topics will include the fundamentals of nuclear science, historical and modern atomic bomb designs and delivery mechanisms, relevant scientific and military history, and nuclear diplomacy. Course will be taught assuming no prior knowledge.
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of chemistry and US history would be helpful, but is not required.
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of chemistry and US history would be helpful, but is not required.
E4976: How to Use a Slide Rule
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Shaymus Hudson,
Allison Schneider
Back in the day, when things were more hardcore, you couldn’t find a scientist or engineer without his or her trusty slide rule. Unlike the TI-whatever-they’re-up-to-now, slide rules are a purely analog method of calculation. Operating, not on batteries, but on the magic of logarithms, they can be used for multiplication, division, roots, powers, trigonometry, and more. We’ll talk about the history of the slide rule, and teach you basic and advanced calculations. Bring your own if you’d like!
Prerequisites
A knowledge of the basic trigonometric identities is a must.
Prerequisites
A knowledge of the basic trigonometric identities is a must.
E5534: Analyzing the Automobile
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Adam Seering
Have you ever felt (or made) your car shift before, and wondered what exactly it's doing? How about what antilock brakes are for? Or why your pickup truck starts sliding around every time it hits a little patch of ice? And what (beyond just "using both gas and batteries") makes a hybrid a hybrid?
Join me in a walk-through of the physics of automobiles. Cars are, at their core, just a bunch of simple machines piled together; I'll try to give you some factoids to help you start to figure out how your own car works and why it does what it does.
Prerequisites
Taken or taking a high-school-level physics class or equivalent
Join me in a walk-through of the physics of automobiles. Cars are, at their core, just a bunch of simple machines piled together; I'll try to give you some factoids to help you start to figure out how your own car works and why it does what it does.
Prerequisites
Taken or taking a high-school-level physics class or equivalent
E5325: Face Detection Demystified Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Michele Pratusevich
When you take pictures with your digital camera, do you ever wonder why a square pops up around a face on the screen? We'll talk about why in this class!
We will build up an intuition about why the concept of face detection works, then explain the face detection technique in greater detail.
Prerequisites
None!
We will build up an intuition about why the concept of face detection works, then explain the face detection technique in greater detail.
Prerequisites
None!
E5394: Sensational Failures in Engineering
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Liza Plotnikov
Exploding space shuttles, collapsing bridges, exploding naval guns… sometimes designs fail, and sometimes they fail catastrophically. These failures can be dramatic, deadly, or sometimes just plain silly, but they have one thing in common: they are all preventable. In this class we’ll cover the technical missteps behind some famous engineering disasters (and some you may never have heard of). We’ll talk about how smart people can make bad designs, the importance of communication, and especially the value of common sense.
E5403: Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Small Things: an Introduction to Nanotechnology Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Liza Plotnikov
Let’s say you have a brick of pure gold. What color do you think it would be? Probably yellow, right? Okay, let’s say you take your brick of gold and cut in in half. Now what color is it? Probably still yellow, right? Alright, now what if you cut your brick of gold in half so many times that you wind up with a teensy piece that’s only a couple hundred atoms across. Of course you’d find that its color is….red? Turns out that stuff tends to behave really weirdly when it’s small. Why? How can we even tell what something that small is doing? Come find out.
Prerequisites
high school chemistry and physics
Prerequisites
high school chemistry and physics
E5539: Build steam circuits! Full!
Difficulty: **
Let's extend the water analogy for circuits to steam!
Make audio filters with brass pipes and steam! Be as steampunk as you can!
Prerequisites
Some familiarity with regular circuits.
Make audio filters with brass pipes and steam! Be as steampunk as you can!
Prerequisites
Some familiarity with regular circuits.
E5079: Physical Security Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Eric Van Albert
Learn the basics of how buildings are secured, how security measures are easily defeated, and how to fix these vulnerabilities. Hands-on class covers flaws in building construction, locks + keys, alarm systems, and electronic authentication. Also includes a short lockpicking seminar.
E5235: Rocket/Composites Design and Fabrication Class Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Christian Valledor,
Andrew Wimmer
Ever want to learn how rockets are designed and built? How about how to use composite materials, which if used properly, can have significant benefits over traditional materials, such as metals. This class will discuss how rockets work and what goes into the design of a rocket. Then it will discuss how composites are generally fabricated and students will get a chance to make their own rocket fins out of composite materials.
Prerequisites
None
Prerequisites
None
E5572: Modern Origami Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jason Ku
This workshop is designed to be a crash course introduction to the art and engineering science that is modern origami. The class will begin by focusing on the artistic side of origami and teach the basics of paper folding technique. Then we will focus on the more technical, mathematical, and engineering aspects of the art.
Prerequisites
A curiosity of folded structures.
Prerequisites
A curiosity of folded structures.
E5556: Gadgetry 101
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Adam Spanbauer
Speedy overview of everything that goes into making electronic devices.
-introduction to digital electronics
-microcontrollers and programming
-sensors and their communication protocols
-basic power electronics and applications
-communication with a computer
-design and layout of circuit boards in Eagle
-manufacturing and assembly of circuit boards
Prerequisites
No prerequisites. You'll pick more up if you've played with electronics before or have learned a programming language.
-introduction to digital electronics
-microcontrollers and programming
-sensors and their communication protocols
-basic power electronics and applications
-communication with a computer
-design and layout of circuit boards in Eagle
-manufacturing and assembly of circuit boards
Prerequisites
No prerequisites. You'll pick more up if you've played with electronics before or have learned a programming language.
E5436: Satellite Design and Engineering - Do It Yourself!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Rebecca Jensen-Clem,
Mary Knapp
What parts go into a satellite? How do you design for an extreme environment like space? Why do we build satellites anyway? Learn the fundamentals of designing vehicles for space with a tasty hands-on project.
E5052: Intro to Drafting Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Ian Martin
Who needs 3D modeling software when you can draft with paper and pencil? Come learn the basics of the art behind drafting, and you’ll have the skills to take on fields from scenic design to mechanical engineering. Things that we'll cover: line weight and type, standards and conventions, orthographic and isometric projections, and more!
E5085: Modeling: Bio-Circuits, Electronic Circuits, and the Power of Analogy
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Alioth Drinkwater
Modeling is the act of building understandable analogies that let us parse the real world. It is a crucial part of understanding and engineering complex systems. What can it teach us? Where can it lead us awry?
In this class, you'll try your hand at a few basic methods of modeling biology, and learn about the relationships and analogies between different engineering fields.
Prerequisites
HS bio or equivalent. (If you've read The Cartoon Guide to Genetics, you're good.) Note that this course does *not* require proficiency with electronic circuits. In fact, if you have experience with circuits and breadboards, you will probably find the circuit exercise uninteresting.
In this class, you'll try your hand at a few basic methods of modeling biology, and learn about the relationships and analogies between different engineering fields.
Prerequisites
HS bio or equivalent. (If you've read The Cartoon Guide to Genetics, you're good.) Note that this course does *not* require proficiency with electronic circuits. In fact, if you have experience with circuits and breadboards, you will probably find the circuit exercise uninteresting.
E5349: Build your own Rechargeable Solar Lamp Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Madeline Hickman
Use rechargeable batteries and a small solar panel to power a lamp you design and build yourself.
Prerequisites
Prior experience with circuits helpful but not necessary. (Class will involve soldering, etc.).
Prerequisites
Prior experience with circuits helpful but not necessary. (Class will involve soldering, etc.).
E4941: Introduction to Orbital Debris Removal
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Phillip Cunio
This course will describe the nature of orbital debris and detail the growing problem for operations in Earth orbit that it represents. The mechanics of orbits and the nature of debris creation will be discussed, and notable examples of orbital debris and orbital debris mitigation will be mentioned.
The course will close with a survey of feasible methods to remove debris from orbit, and students will break into small groups to brainstorm and create concepts to implement these methods. Students will be encouraged to share interesting concepts or key insights with the rest of the class.
The course will close with a survey of feasible methods to remove debris from orbit, and students will break into small groups to brainstorm and create concepts to implement these methods. Students will be encouraged to share interesting concepts or key insights with the rest of the class.
E4997: Mating in Engineering
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
michael buchman
Mating in engineering is when you attach two thing together. I will be going over different mating techniques in engineering. I will discuss welding, brazing, the use of different fasteners, glues, epoxy, dovetailing, and anything that can be used to structurally join two pieces of materials together.
E5507: Reverse Engineering Full!
Difficulty: **
Reverse engineer something awesome!
E5545: How and Why your Car Works Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Adam Seering
Do cars run on magic? Well, no; they run on gasoline. But how does a car take a flammable liquid and use it to get you where you want to go?
The modern car is very complex, but at its heart it's just a whole bunch of simple machines strung together just right. We'll take a look at what makes cars work; how they go, turn, and stop; also at different types of cars, hybrids, trucks, SUV's, and why they not only look different but work and act differently as well.
This class will be similar to "Analyzing the Automobile", but without the dependency on physics.
The modern car is very complex, but at its heart it's just a whole bunch of simple machines strung together just right. We'll take a look at what makes cars work; how they go, turn, and stop; also at different types of cars, hybrids, trucks, SUV's, and why they not only look different but work and act differently as well.
This class will be similar to "Analyzing the Automobile", but without the dependency on physics.
E5073: How to Build an Atomic Bomb Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Matthew Cole
Topics will include the fundamentals of nuclear science, historical and modern atomic bomb designs and delivery mechanisms, relevant scientific and military history, and nuclear diplomacy.
Prerequisites
High school chemistry and US history recomended
Prerequisites
High school chemistry and US history recomended
E4974: The Great Lego Challenge: A Hands-On Introduction to Engineering Design Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Adam Gleitman
Engineering is fun. Legos are fun. Challenges are fun. Let's combine all three and learn a lot at the same time. Can you build a Lego contraption that can zip across a high wire without falling off? What engineering principles go into it?
This class will conclude with an exciting tournament with prizes for the winners!
This class will conclude with an exciting tournament with prizes for the winners!
Humanities
H5218: Introductory Russian
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Pamela Alvarez
A basic introduction to the Russian language and the Cyrillic alphabet
Prerequisites
Prior study of a foreign language helpful, but not necessary
Prerequisites
Prior study of a foreign language helpful, but not necessary
H5372: The Legacy of Isaac Asimov Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Phillip Seo,
Zoe Snape
Discover some of the many works of one of the greatest science fiction writers of all time! Isaac Asimov was a pioneer of science fiction, the inventor of the term "robotics," and a writer of science non-fiction in almost every scientific discipline, history, theology and even jokes. This class will explore Asimov's life and works alongside the history of science fiction and robotics and get to read and discuss some of his short stories and scientific essays.
H5335: Abnormal Psychology - Truth and Fiction Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Veronica Gross
Ever wonder if ADHD is real? What does it actually mean when someone has schizophrenia? Does the insanity defense really work? All these questions and more will be asked and answered during this course!
Prerequisites
Basic biology and chemistry will be incredibly helpful here.
Prerequisites
Basic biology and chemistry will be incredibly helpful here.
H5061: Paradoxes of Democracy: Fair Elections and Voting Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Stephen M. Hou
What if, in hypothetical two-way races during the 2012 primaries, Romney beats Perry, Perry beats Cain, and Cain beats Romney? Is this even possible? (Yes.) What would then be a fair way to decide the "best" preferences of Republicans? Whether it's a T-shirt design contest or a presidential election, voting converts preferences of individuals into a single preference for the community. We'll discuss Arrow's Impossibility Theorem, which states that there is no "perfect" way of doing so. We'll demonstrate a few of the mind-boggling flaws that every voting method must have.
Prerequisites
Comfort with arithmetic; interest in voting, political science, decision-making, and/or economics.
Prerequisites
Comfort with arithmetic; interest in voting, political science, decision-making, and/or economics.
H5371: Queer and Gender Studies Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Queer and gender studies is a field of interdisciplinary study which analyses race, ethnicity, sexuality and one's personal interaction with society. In this class we will explore gender identities and expressions, and sexual orientation and its representation in various media including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) sexual identities as well as their roles in society. Come to listen, share opinions, and learn about identity and societal perceptions.
H5410: Dreams and Dreaming Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Carol Hardick
Dreams and Dreaming introduces you to psychology, cognition and memory from the perspective of a sleeping brain, using an interdisciplinary approach of neuroscience, psychology and humanities. The Harry Potter series and the movie, Inception, has lots of twists and turns and both raise questions about the brain, knowledge and artificial intelligence. What's possible and what isn't? Can an idea be planted in a person's mind? Can two people share a dream? With lots of discussion, we’ll explore those questions, and more.
H5156: Human Typewriter Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Shannon Kao,
Sabina Maddila
Creative writing! Poetry! Prose! Limericks and short stories and more! If you love writing, this is the place to be, because we love it too.
H4947: Introduction to Thai
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Tana Wattanawaroon
There are more Asian languages that involve exotic characters and outlandish tones than Chinese, Japanese and Korean! Learn about this awesome language where tone markers don’t describe the same tone on different characters. We will focus on the Thai alphabet, tone recognition, and useful expressions for tourists in Thailand. After this course, you will know how not to be a “farang” clown saying words used by opposite gender.
H5531: The 99% -- Here and Abroad Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Michael Shaw
Who are the 99%? Why are they occupying Wall Street? How do these protests relate to ongoing unrest in Europe and around the world?
Bring your thoughts and ideas. This will be a roundtable discussion of some of the most important issues of our day.
Bring your thoughts and ideas. This will be a roundtable discussion of some of the most important issues of our day.
H5075: The Linguistics of Thought
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Chelsea Kendall
Does the structure of the language you speak influence the way in which you see your world? Do the words in your vocabulary limit the scope of your thoughts? Linguists have been puzzling over these questions for decades, and the answers are still somewhat fuzzy. We will attempt to answer these questions for ourselves, taking our examples from current research into Yucatec Maya and Piraha as well as older work done on Hopi and Hawaiian Creole English. Along the way, we will explore the principles of languages and the tools linguists use to analyse them.
H5177: Board Game Design, A Comparative Study: Puerto Rico, San Juan, and Race for the Galaxy (Part 1) Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jayson Lynch
The award winning board game Puerto Rico was adapted into the card game San Juan. Race for the Galaxy was developed out of another prototype adaption of Puerto Rico. We will play and compare these three games. Points of interest include the similarities between San Juan and Puerto Rico despite having some fundamentally different mechanics, whether the science fiction setting of Race for the Galaxy changes how it feels, and consider the design decisions given each game was released several years after the previous one. These three games will provide a context to study board games and game design.
Part 1 will cover some basic background on board game criticism and design, as well as play and discussion of the game Puerto Rico.
Prerequisites
There will be required reading before the class. Students who have not done the reading or do not have an understanding of the MDA framework will be asked to leave.
Part 1 will cover some basic background on board game criticism and design, as well as play and discussion of the game Puerto Rico.
Prerequisites
There will be required reading before the class. Students who have not done the reading or do not have an understanding of the MDA framework will be asked to leave.
H5274: Behind Barbed Wire: What was the Japanese American internment? Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Naomi Schurr
During World War II, thousands of Japanese people in America and American citizens of Japanese ancestry were ordered to leave their homes and move to War Relocation Centers, presumably for the safety of the United States. This class will explore key facts, events, and people of the internment, and why this part of our history should not be forgotten.
H4949: The Sonnet Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Lance Ozier
The sonnet is one of the oldest and most durable forms of poetry. It’s been used by great poets from Shakespeare to e. e. cummings. Because it has certain rules, it poses creative challenges for any poet, but as a result can yield poems that astonish and delight. Come see how poets have met the challenges and reaped the rewards over the past 400 years.
Prerequisites
Interest in poetry, language, words
Prerequisites
Interest in poetry, language, words
H5267: Introduction to Positive Disintegration - Part 1 Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Josh Shaine
Dr. Kazimierz Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD) provides a lot of explanations for why some of us feel as if we fit into this world so poorly.
In this session, we will explore the basics of TPD, including OverExcitabilities, Dynamisms, and Levels of Development of personality.
So, if you are looking for alternate explanations for why some things bother you far more than they bother most folks, join us!
In this session, we will explore the basics of TPD, including OverExcitabilities, Dynamisms, and Levels of Development of personality.
So, if you are looking for alternate explanations for why some things bother you far more than they bother most folks, join us!
H5402: Searching for Happiness: Perspectives from Jainism Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Finale Doshi-Velez
Just about everyone wants to be happy, but we all know that being happy is easier said than done. In this class, we'll first learn about the perspective that Jainism, an Eastern religion, takes on the nature of happiness--both what it is and how to find it. We'll compare and contrast it with other popular and religious concepts of happiness, and then have a discussion about how these various ideas apply in our daily lives and our society.
H5327: Comparative Film: Old and New Hollywood Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Michele Pratusevich
There was a transition in the Hollywood culture around the 1960s with the decline of the studio system. The new styles of Hollywood led to more films of unique genres with European film influences. In this class we'll explore the differences between the New and Old Hollywoods in terms of genre, themes, and styles. Hopefully you'll come out of this class with a new appreciation for film and with many new film recommendations!
Prerequisites
None!
Prerequisites
None!
H5062: Introduction to Chinese Writing
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Stephen M. Hou
Chinese writing is unique among the world's major languages in that it uses thousands of characters as opposed to an alphabet with a few dozen letters. We will learn some basic characters, their organization and structure, the distinction between traditional and simplified scripts, calligraphic styles and typographical fonts, how new characters are created, how Chinese characters are used in the modern Japanese and Korean languages, and how Chinese is typed electronically. I will also discuss Chinese dialects and why the Chinese language did not (and will likely never) switch to an alphabetical writing system. About one-third of class time will be devoted to practicing writing characters by hand.
Prerequisites
This class is intended for students with very little or no previous experience with written Chinese, but previous study of any other foreign language is strongly recommended.
Prerequisites
This class is intended for students with very little or no previous experience with written Chinese, but previous study of any other foreign language is strongly recommended.
H5119: The Evolution of the Human Soul Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Seong-Ah Cho
From the dawn of civilization, we have always come into life as bundles of want and weakness to lead and leave it as something else. Hunters, gatherers, mothers, fathers, revolutionaries, investment bankers, murderers, mechanics.
When -and how- did we start leading and leaving it as human beings with "souls?"
Through a wide-ranging look at science, social science, our own lives and our experimental interactions with each other in this class, we will tackle the extraordinary evolution of human interiority over the course of man's history and in the shorter but no less valuable trajectory of a single human life. What has it ever meant to be human, and what does it mean to us, and you, today? Get ready to get your human-soul-mush pulpy.
Prerequisites
Are you human(ish)? Awesome. Come on in.
When -and how- did we start leading and leaving it as human beings with "souls?"
Through a wide-ranging look at science, social science, our own lives and our experimental interactions with each other in this class, we will tackle the extraordinary evolution of human interiority over the course of man's history and in the shorter but no less valuable trajectory of a single human life. What has it ever meant to be human, and what does it mean to us, and you, today? Get ready to get your human-soul-mush pulpy.
Prerequisites
Are you human(ish)? Awesome. Come on in.
H5528: Aperature Science Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Lavi Blumberg,
Sachi Hashimoto
Come learn about cameras and make your own camera! The Splash Enrichment Center reminds you that the camera cannot speak. In the event that the camera does speak, the Splash Enrichment Center urges you to disregard its advice.
Also, there will be cake. (Thats a lie)
Also, there will be cake. (Thats a lie)
H5270: Behind Barbed Wire: The Experience Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Naomi Schurr
A look at America’s World War II internment camps—from the inside. During World War II, thousands of Japanese people in America and American citizens of Japanese ancestry were ordered to leave their homes and move to War Relocation Centers, presumably for the safety of the United States. Rather than simply listing facts, in this class we will briefly establish the historical context, then focus on the people, their experiences, and other tidbits not normally emphasized in textbooks. We will read selections from internee testimonies and cartoons exposing inconveniences, ironies, tragedies, and good times. We will explore how and why internment affected Japanese-American young, old, and families in different ways. Please come ready to expand your view of the internee experience, and participate in our discussion.
H5399: Writing Stories, for Serious! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Finale Doshi-Velez,
Emily Fay
Enjoy writing fiction? Want a chance to get feedback on your projects? Getting--and giving--critique is one of the best ways to improve your writing because it helps connect ideas you've learn in school to projects that you think are cool. We'll start this two-hour workshop session by talking about what makes a good critique and reading each other's works. The second part of the class will be devoted to giving each other feedback: both on our writing and our critique. You'll go home with lots of constructive ideas on how to make your story even better.
Prerequisites
Since this class is primarily a workshop, every student MUST bring 6 copies of a 750-1250 word piece of fiction (in any stage of the writing process). The work may not contain explicit gore, sex, or illegal substances. (Yes, we know a lot of good fiction has these things. No, they're still not allowed for this class.)
Prerequisites
Since this class is primarily a workshop, every student MUST bring 6 copies of a 750-1250 word piece of fiction (in any stage of the writing process). The work may not contain explicit gore, sex, or illegal substances. (Yes, we know a lot of good fiction has these things. No, they're still not allowed for this class.)
H5348: A Conversation Between Poems and Paintings Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Rebecca Cox
Students will examine various poems and paintings that are inspired by each other. Discussion will focus on how these two forms speak to one another and enrich our understanding of the subject matter. If we have time and inclination, students may compose their own poetry or drawings based on another piece of art.
H4922: How to Bullshit Full!
Difficulty: ****
Teachers:
Pavel Panchekha,
Benjamin Yang
Hello, I definitely know what I'm talking about! And so do I! Get ready to go on a tour of politics, art criticism, and philosophy.
Come learn to be an expert on being an expert.
Prerequisites
Must be knowledgeable in Algebraic Geometry, Quantum Physics, and Literary Deconstructionism. After all, your teachers are...
Come learn to be an expert on being an expert.
Prerequisites
Must be knowledgeable in Algebraic Geometry, Quantum Physics, and Literary Deconstructionism. After all, your teachers are...
H4950: How to Read a Poem
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Lance Ozier
Have you ever read a poem and wondered what the heck is going on? Or, to paraphrase the poet T. S. Eliot, have you “had the experience but missed the meaning”? In this class you will learn some simple ways to help you make more sense of the poems you read.
Prerequisites
Interest in poetry, language, words
Prerequisites
Interest in poetry, language, words
H5142: A Taste of the Classical Chinese Language - 【文言之味】 Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Stephen M. Hou
Get a taste of the language of Confucius! Classical Chinese (文言), which is as distinct from Modern Chinese as Latin is from Italian, is highly revered for its logic, sophistication, and elegance. It can be vague, yet can also achieve a level of expressive precision limited only by the human mind. Until the early 20th century, Classical Chinese had been the international written language across East Asia for thousands of years, much like Latin had been for Western civilization. Before 1750, more books had been published in Classical Chinese than in all other languages of the world combined. As late as 1850, Classical Chinese books still outnumbered those in any other single language. We will learn some basic vocabulary and grammar, examine a few proverbs, analyze excerpts from Chinese philosophical literature, and practice constructing sentences. By the end of the class, you'll be able to translate sentences like:
「天下爭順以仁義行德之君。」
("The whole world vies to obey a lord who practices virtue by means of kindness and justice.")
Let's have fun with this ancient and rich language!
Prerequisites
WARNING: This class is not for the faint of heart. You will not be sitting back, relaxing, and learning to say "hello" and "thank you". We will cover some rather abstract concepts and express ideas that are barely possible to do in English, so be prepared to think outside the box. Previous study of any foreign language is required. Taking my "Introduction to Chinese Writing" class is helpful, though not required. No previous experience with Modern Chinese or Chinese characters is necessary, though it may be helpful (just like knowing Italian or Spanish would be helpful in studying Latin). In fact, here's an "anti-requisite": If you already know Chinese at or beyond the equivalent of four years of high school-level foreign languages, this class would probably be too easy for you.
「天下爭順以仁義行德之君。」
("The whole world vies to obey a lord who practices virtue by means of kindness and justice.")
Let's have fun with this ancient and rich language!
Prerequisites
WARNING: This class is not for the faint of heart. You will not be sitting back, relaxing, and learning to say "hello" and "thank you". We will cover some rather abstract concepts and express ideas that are barely possible to do in English, so be prepared to think outside the box. Previous study of any foreign language is required. Taking my "Introduction to Chinese Writing" class is helpful, though not required. No previous experience with Modern Chinese or Chinese characters is necessary, though it may be helpful (just like knowing Italian or Spanish would be helpful in studying Latin). In fact, here's an "anti-requisite": If you already know Chinese at or beyond the equivalent of four years of high school-level foreign languages, this class would probably be too easy for you.
H5561: Advocacy and Lobbying 101 Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Brock Adler
Is there a cause you are passionate about? Would changing laws or regulations, or having new government funding for your area of interest be useful? By joining together and advocating and/or lobbying with others, you can work towards accomplishing your personal, community, and societal goals. This session will give you (and your collaborators) a great start at being able to plan and carry out campaigns to create or change laws that you feel will improve things. You will learn about strategies and tactics applicable to a variety of different kinds of causes. I will use as an example an effort I have been working on for a few years to pass the Federal “No Child Left Inside Act” H.R. 2547 (see www.NCLIcoalition.org), but the lessons presented will be applicable to a wide variety of other issues and levels of government. We will spend much of the time helping you think about how to advance your causes or projects.
Prerequisites
Prerequisites: have a basic understanding about how laws are passed http://kids.clerk.house.gov/high-school/lesson.html?intID=17, do some thinking about what cause you are passionate about, and find out who your Congressional Representatives are at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov and look up on their websites which committees they sit on.
Prerequisites
Prerequisites: have a basic understanding about how laws are passed http://kids.clerk.house.gov/high-school/lesson.html?intID=17, do some thinking about what cause you are passionate about, and find out who your Congressional Representatives are at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov and look up on their websites which committees they sit on.
H4980: Introduction to Socionics
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Roan LaPlante
Socionics is a field of nonscientific (some argue protoscientific) analytical psychology developed by Ausra Augustinavicitue who was working with ideas of Jungian psychology, which is well popularized in Eastern Europe and almost unheard of in Western Europe or America. Socionics is best described as a language for understanding and interpreting processes of personality. It is by far most often used as a typology, assigning personality types to individuals and using these types to systematically predict relational compatibility. However, some would argue that it is more a philosophical language for modeling people, social interaction, and different cultures than strictly a model of personality. Perhaps most importantly, thinking about socionics provides a substantial conceptual framework for thinking about questions of personality, social behavior, cognition, and philosophy. In this class, we will first try to investigate the alphabet of this language, and also discuss the myriad issues in practice of actually applying it.
Prerequisites
none; familiarity with MBTI is potentially helpful but also potentially detrimental. familiarity with contemporary research on personality, social, developmental and cognitive psychology and Russian language are (potentially) invaluable for further study of socionics, but no background in psychology, socionics or Russian language is expected of any students in this class.
Prerequisites
none; familiarity with MBTI is potentially helpful but also potentially detrimental. familiarity with contemporary research on personality, social, developmental and cognitive psychology and Russian language are (potentially) invaluable for further study of socionics, but no background in psychology, socionics or Russian language is expected of any students in this class.
H5056: Cross-Cultural Bro Studies Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
W D,
George Hansel
Chad likes to play ultimate frisbee out on Killian Court, but wears jeans that are too tight to play in. Tripp likes cruising down Mass Ave and trying to pick up chicks with his bros, but has conflicting feelings about misogyny. Grant just picked up a couple of cold ones for the guys, but secretly only likes rose wine. What is going on? What happens when two worlds collide? In Cross-Cultural Bro Studies, we will examine the growing taxonomy of bros and discuss the consequences of loosening social boundaries on bro culture.
H5385: History of the American Musical Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Courtney Marchuk
From Singin' in the Rain to Rent to Glee, we'll cover movie musicals, Broadway classics, rock operas and even a certain television show.
We'll discuss how the musical genre reigned and waned, and come back full force!
Prerequisites
A love of musicals in any shape and form.
We'll discuss how the musical genre reigned and waned, and come back full force!
Prerequisites
A love of musicals in any shape and form.
H5513: How to plan and execute covert operations in deep cover
Difficulty: **
Learn the essentials of covert operations work. We will analyze the success and failure of many important covert operations in an attempt to discover the elements of a successful covert op. We will study important government-sponsored covert operations as well as terrorist plots and guerilla warfare. By the end of this class, students will be familiar with these operations and the reasons for their success or failure. We cannot legally claim that you will be sufficiently knowledgeable to plan and carry out your own covert operations after this class.
H5343: Rationality Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Sophie Monahan
What does it mean to be rational? Is rationality about the content or structure of our preferences or beliefs? What are "reasons" and how do we know when they apply? Come learn about structuring and analyzing logical arguments, and discuss some cognitive puzzles.
H5023: How Judges Think (Or Don't)
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Chris Peterson
An introduction to mainstream theories of legal consciousness, historical and present.
We’ll broadly review how formal legal actors have conceived of the roles (order? dispute resolution? tradition?) and origins (nature? god? man?) of law throughout history, and how these different views of law have helped shape society.
We’ll then do a deep dive into the issue of precedent and how it works, with a special focus on the critique of “activist judges” and whether or not it is conceptually coherent.
Prerequisites
None. However, students will get more from the class if they are specially aware of and conversant in basic concepts and issues in government structure and legal practice. For example, this course assumes a basic grasp of things like separation of powers, the idea that lawyers are advocates, and familiarity with "activist judge" as a claim that is invoked about how judges make decisions. If you are the sort of student who would take AP Gov or Poli Sci, or even if you just have the basic ideas down and want to learn some interesting stuff about how law works in practice, especially from a historiographic analysis, this is the class for you.
We’ll broadly review how formal legal actors have conceived of the roles (order? dispute resolution? tradition?) and origins (nature? god? man?) of law throughout history, and how these different views of law have helped shape society.
We’ll then do a deep dive into the issue of precedent and how it works, with a special focus on the critique of “activist judges” and whether or not it is conceptually coherent.
Prerequisites
None. However, students will get more from the class if they are specially aware of and conversant in basic concepts and issues in government structure and legal practice. For example, this course assumes a basic grasp of things like separation of powers, the idea that lawyers are advocates, and familiarity with "activist judge" as a claim that is invoked about how judges make decisions. If you are the sort of student who would take AP Gov or Poli Sci, or even if you just have the basic ideas down and want to learn some interesting stuff about how law works in practice, especially from a historiographic analysis, this is the class for you.
H5171: Musket, Saber, Cannon: Napoleonic Era Warfare
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Lawrence Lin,
Mark Markov
Why was Napoleon so successful? How did he dominate Europe with the French army? What were the forces at play in such battles as Austerlitz, Jena-Auerstadt, and Waterloo? This class examines the development of the French army from a collection of lackluster regiments serving Louis XIV to a seemingly invincible fighting force under Napoleon, as well as the strategy, tactics, operational methods, and willpower behind La Grande Armee and the other armies fielded by the other major powers, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain, during the era. Topics covered will include the conduct of war, the roles of different arms, the impact of permanent army staff, and more.
Prerequisites
Interest.
Prerequisites
Interest.
H5068: Market Economics: Supply and Demand
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Zoe Thorkildsen
You hear about supply and demand on the news all the time, but what do they really mean? And are the newscasters even using the words correctly? (Answer: sometimes.) Learn about Adam Smith’s theory of the invisible hand, and about how markets reach equilibrium. We will also discuss elasticity of demand and supply and what implications they have for buyers and sellers in a market.
Any remaining time will be open for questions about economics in general.
Prerequisites
Basic algebra skills
Any remaining time will be open for questions about economics in general.
Prerequisites
Basic algebra skills
H5373: Rapidfire Modern European History
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Think you know what started World War I? What about the foundation driving Napoleon's greatest acheivements? What was the most painless way to die in18th century France, and what happened to Germany after its defeat in World War II?
Come learn a lightning-fast, rapid-fire vividly presented chronology of Modern European history! Afterwards we'll play Jeapordy!, simulate world war 2 battles, and talk about today's global society.
Come learn a lightning-fast, rapid-fire vividly presented chronology of Modern European history! Afterwards we'll play Jeapordy!, simulate world war 2 battles, and talk about today's global society.
H5576: Board Game Design, A Comparative Study: Puerto Rico, San Juan, and Race for the Galaxy (Part 2)
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jayson Lynch
This is the second part of a two part course on board games and game design. This is intended for people who have taken Part 1.
In Part 2 we will play San Juan and Race for the Galaxy and analize these boad games using the ideas discussed in Part 1 of the class. We will then look into the history and relation of the games and discuss the games similarities, differences, and design in this context.
Prerequisites
Intended for students who have taken Part 1 of the class. Discussion may not be accessible without familiarity with the game Puerto Rico and some knowledge of game design and game criticism. There will be required readings.
In Part 2 we will play San Juan and Race for the Galaxy and analize these boad games using the ideas discussed in Part 1 of the class. We will then look into the history and relation of the games and discuss the games similarities, differences, and design in this context.
Prerequisites
Intended for students who have taken Part 1 of the class. Discussion may not be accessible without familiarity with the game Puerto Rico and some knowledge of game design and game criticism. There will be required readings.
H5369: History of Warfare through Board Games, Part 1
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
David Xiao,
Kevin Yue
What does it mean to fight a war? 1000 years ago? 100 years ago? 10 years ago? Today? Do you enjoy board games?
We'll introduce you to a few of our favorite strategy board games, let you play a round or two, and show you how these games mirror the evolution of warfare. From thousands of years ago to today, in every corner of the world.
Part I of two parts.
We'll introduce you to a few of our favorite strategy board games, let you play a round or two, and show you how these games mirror the evolution of warfare. From thousands of years ago to today, in every corner of the world.
Part I of two parts.
H4994: How to Develop a Rich and Varied Folk Music Tradition Without Even Trying
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Ruth Byers
Visit the shores of Lake Siljan in Sweden and the fjords of Norway to watch the birth, near death, and resurection of music and dance tradition.
Scandinavia has a rich tradition of music played on the fiddle and it's variations, and is a case study on how geography and history can influence culture. Meet instruments like the Hardanger Fiddle (twice as many strings as a regular fiddle, whose sound is featured in the Lord of the Rings) and the Nyckelharpa or "keyed fiddle," which is, well, a fiddle with keys. Their musical tradition has been shaped by the mountains that isolated them and the trade routes that served as paths for tunes as well as physical goods. It was disrupted by the arrival of christian religion and changed again by the technology-induced end of isolation.
Scandinavia has a rich tradition of music played on the fiddle and it's variations, and is a case study on how geography and history can influence culture. Meet instruments like the Hardanger Fiddle (twice as many strings as a regular fiddle, whose sound is featured in the Lord of the Rings) and the Nyckelharpa or "keyed fiddle," which is, well, a fiddle with keys. Their musical tradition has been shaped by the mountains that isolated them and the trade routes that served as paths for tunes as well as physical goods. It was disrupted by the arrival of christian religion and changed again by the technology-induced end of isolation.
H5081: Thinking about Religion
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Amy Estersohn
Where does religion come from, and what is religion's use, anyway? Is religion more than a set of commonly shared beliefs and commonly understood practices?
This discussion-based class will introduce some theories of religion as we consider just what religion is, through the lens of scholars like Emile Durkheim and William James.
This class is appropriate for anybody who is curious about religion- whether or not you consider yourself to be "religious." We will NOT be questioning/defending the validity of religious beliefs; we are instead examining why and how religious beliefs have prevailed among human societies.
Prerequisites
This course is going to be a neat blend of anthropology, philosophy, religion, and sociology, so certainly bring your willingness to have your head spinning. I am keeping this class open to students in grades 7-12 though I recommend it for grades 10-12
This discussion-based class will introduce some theories of religion as we consider just what religion is, through the lens of scholars like Emile Durkheim and William James.
This class is appropriate for anybody who is curious about religion- whether or not you consider yourself to be "religious." We will NOT be questioning/defending the validity of religious beliefs; we are instead examining why and how religious beliefs have prevailed among human societies.
Prerequisites
This course is going to be a neat blend of anthropology, philosophy, religion, and sociology, so certainly bring your willingness to have your head spinning. I am keeping this class open to students in grades 7-12 though I recommend it for grades 10-12
H4963: The Films of Tarantino Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jacob Bailey
A brief overview of the films of Quentin Tarantino, a director who has been both heralded and scorned throughout the course of his career for his unique and often crude style. We will examine what it is that gives his films their distinctive feel and what it says about him as a filmmaker.
Prerequisites
Recommended watching: Pulp Fiction Reservoir Dogs Inglorious Basterds
Prerequisites
Recommended watching: Pulp Fiction Reservoir Dogs Inglorious Basterds
H5164: Intro to Korean Writing or The Coolest Writing System You Will Ever Meet Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Emily Westland
Come learn about this super awesome, super logical alphabet!
A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a great king of Korea thought “Gee, these Chinese characters just don’t work very well to write Korean.” He decided to fix this problem, and thus, Hangul was born.
By the end of this class you’ll be able to write your name (and a great many other things) in Hangul, and we’ll also talk about some of the things that make Hangul so amazing.
A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a great king of Korea thought “Gee, these Chinese characters just don’t work very well to write Korean.” He decided to fix this problem, and thus, Hangul was born.
By the end of this class you’ll be able to write your name (and a great many other things) in Hangul, and we’ll also talk about some of the things that make Hangul so amazing.
H5429: Anime in Academia
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jennifer Fu
Interested in anime but looking to do more than just watch it? Anime media studies is a growing academic field that spans multiple fields-- anthropology, arts, economics and business, globalization and culture, and more. Learn what kind of topics are covered in the world of anime studies, the different techniques that are used, and some of the anime-related research that's gone on in Japan, America, and at MIT!
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of anime is suggested but not required.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of anime is suggested but not required.
H5275: Literary Analysis of Popular Culture Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Jacob Cole
Anakin: "If you're not with me, you're against me!"
Obi-Wan: "Only a Sith thinks in absolutes!"
Does something bother you about that statement, seem subtly hypocritical? Then this is the class for you. In Literary Analysis of Pop Culture, we will have the conversation you've always wanted about nifty elements of plot and style that come up in stories such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, and more.
Obi-Wan: "Only a Sith thinks in absolutes!"
Does something bother you about that statement, seem subtly hypocritical? Then this is the class for you. In Literary Analysis of Pop Culture, we will have the conversation you've always wanted about nifty elements of plot and style that come up in stories such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, and more.
H5217: Introductory Latin
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Pamela Alvarez
A basic introduction to the Latin language
Prerequisites
Prior study of a foreign language helpful, but not necessary
Prerequisites
Prior study of a foreign language helpful, but not necessary
H5074: Elements of freestyle rap
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Archit Bhise
Ever wanted to know how to compose your own rhymes and understand beats? Ever want to understand how hip-hop culture works and what is being portrayed? Ever wanted to express yourself in a lyrical manner? Sign up for this class.
We take a combined scientific and applied view to this idea. First half of the class involves the theory behind freestyle rap and the expressions. Next half involves students getting a chance to try it out.
We take a combined scientific and applied view to this idea. First half of the class involves the theory behind freestyle rap and the expressions. Next half involves students getting a chance to try it out.
H5232: Salve! A Crash Course in Latin Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Chelsea Kendall
Latin was a beautiful, complex language that was used to write some of the most exquisite literature in the canon of Western literature and was spoken by some of the most powerful and influential figures in history. Latin also has wonderful and complicated grammar that can teach us a lot about the structures of languages in general. In this class, we will discuss the significance of Latin, learn some basic vocab and grammar, and at the end, translate a few famous lines of poetry.
Prerequisites
No knowledge of Latin. Knowledge of another language would be helpful, but not necessary.
Prerequisites
No knowledge of Latin. Knowledge of another language would be helpful, but not necessary.
H5330: Lost in Translation: Poetry, Language, and Meaning Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Amy Woodruff
We will use this class to explore the way meaning and language interact by looking at two different translations of a poem from Pablo Neruda's "Veinte Poemas de Amor y Una Canción Desesperada".
If this sounds intimidating, don't worry! This class is open to people of all levels of experience with spanish, poetry, and the ideas we're going to discuss.
If you've ever been confused when your english teacher asked you what an author "meant", or frustrated when trying to understand something written in another language, or annoyed at poetry with all of its double (or triple!) meanings, this class is for you.
Prerequisites
If you took this class last year, we're using a different poem this time so you're welcome to enroll again!
If this sounds intimidating, don't worry! This class is open to people of all levels of experience with spanish, poetry, and the ideas we're going to discuss.
If you've ever been confused when your english teacher asked you what an author "meant", or frustrated when trying to understand something written in another language, or annoyed at poetry with all of its double (or triple!) meanings, this class is for you.
Prerequisites
If you took this class last year, we're using a different poem this time so you're welcome to enroll again!
H5496: Battle Ballads: The War-Time Music of the 20th Century Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Lizi George,
Rebecca George
What does a war sound like in music? Come learn about the history behind some of the most influential compositions of the 20th century. Meet the music of Béla Bartók, Igor Stravinsky, Charles Ives, Benjamin Britten and more!
H5271: Non-Linear Thinking in a Linear World Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
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 hows and whys of non-linear thinking. We’ll talk about how to recognize and develop strengths, not just how to “fit in.”
H4951: Glorious Music Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Lance Ozier
Sure, you've heard of Beethoven and Bach. We'll start there, but move quickly to some of the most glorious classical music of the 20th century, including pieces by Orff, Stravinsky, Ravel, Respighi, Gershwin, Puccini and more!
Prerequisites
Interest in orchestral music.
Prerequisites
Interest in orchestral music.
H5036: Writing/Wandering Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Alexander Cronis
An exploration an unstructured and outlineless style of writing. This will mostly be aimed at fiction writing, but I will briefly touch upon essay writing as well. We'll be doing some free writing, listening to music, listening to poems, and discussing various ways to strengthen writing.
H5426: Once upon a time, the end. The art of incredibly short fiction. Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
A L
Inventive writers are now crafting really short stories that can be surprising, intriguing and delightful. The fascinating genre of flash/sudden/micro fiction is all around us. In the form of cell phone stories, TV/radio commercials, web videos and other manifestations, highly compact stories can be humorous, thought-provoking, informative and much more. Come sample some microfiction and write your own in this workshop! Bring writing materials!
H5338: Journalism and Why It Matters Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
David Han
A crash course to the basic foundations of journalism, "Journalism and Why It Matters" will teach everything from writing the perfect lead to taking the clutch photo. The class will be structured so that students will practice writing strategies and journalistic writing styles. Students will learn not only how to write news stories, feature stories, and editorials but also how to write them for an audience. Enrolled students will also learn how to take interesting photographs and how to choose which photographs are best to print. Students in "Journalism and Why It Matters" will understand the ethics of journalism as well as the importance of journalism in the world today. The goals of the class are two-fold: to instill a sense of journalistic competence for aspiring editors and photographers while cultivating a greater appreciation for news sources.
Course Instructor David Han has served as Editor-in-Chief of his high school newspaper in Newton, MA. The publication has won numerous awards including the General Excellence Award at Suffolk University in 2010 as well as first place in the New England Scholastic Press Association Award that same year.
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of English grammar.
Course Instructor David Han has served as Editor-in-Chief of his high school newspaper in Newton, MA. The publication has won numerous awards including the General Excellence Award at Suffolk University in 2010 as well as first place in the New England Scholastic Press Association Award that same year.
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of English grammar.
H5251: College Essay Funtime
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Paul Hemberger,
Hosea Siu
Is your Common App too common? Is your personal essay too essay and not enough person? Do you want your essay to be as awesome as you are?!*
Come join us as we unravel the mysteries of college essay. We will discuss sample essays, work through common prompts and guide you on your way to enlightenment.
* Yes, you do.
Prerequisites
Silly putty, at least three magnetic monopoles and those neutrinos we keep hearing about. If you'd like, feel free to email us an essay prior to class for feedback/comments/review/etc. We'll get back to you as soon as possible!
Come join us as we unravel the mysteries of college essay. We will discuss sample essays, work through common prompts and guide you on your way to enlightenment.
* Yes, you do.
Prerequisites
Silly putty, at least three magnetic monopoles and those neutrinos we keep hearing about. If you'd like, feel free to email us an essay prior to class for feedback/comments/review/etc. We'll get back to you as soon as possible!
H5317: Intro to Foreign Rap
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Jeremy Rossmann
Ever heard French rap? Italian? Russian? How about Georgian, Armenian, Moroccan, or Polish rap?
Take this class if you want to listen to some of the most popular foreign rap and learn about its history! We'll look at both local and American influences on the foreign rap scene.
Take this class if you want to listen to some of the most popular foreign rap and learn about its history! We'll look at both local and American influences on the foreign rap scene.
H5347: I'm Not a Prescriptivist, But...
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Diyang Tang
Everyone has a word-related pet peeve. Is there a word other people misuse that makes you a bit sad, since you like the word so much? Come exalt over words, but also come prepared to celebrate the fluidity of the English language and how word meanings change.
H5336: True Lies - Our Terrifying Judicial System Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Veronica Gross
Did you know that police can get innocent people to confess to crimes 90% of the time? How about that something as simple as wearing glasses can increase the chances that you'll be found innocent of a crime?
This course will look at all the peculiar, scientific, and downright terrifying ways in which our judicial system (doesn't) work. From bogus police practices to missing evidence to (supposedly) mind-controlling the jury, this will be a journey through the terrifying mess that is our judicial system.
Prerequisites
A basic understanding of how the legal system works will be very helpful. Also, the student should recognize that this course won't teach them how to go out and commit crimes; merely the inadequacies in the current structure.
This course will look at all the peculiar, scientific, and downright terrifying ways in which our judicial system (doesn't) work. From bogus police practices to missing evidence to (supposedly) mind-controlling the jury, this will be a journey through the terrifying mess that is our judicial system.
Prerequisites
A basic understanding of how the legal system works will be very helpful. Also, the student should recognize that this course won't teach them how to go out and commit crimes; merely the inadequacies in the current structure.
H5017: Introduction to Ancient Greek
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Sam Trabucco
Join us as we embark on the study of ancient Greek. We'll start by getting oriented reading and writing words using the Greek alphabet (it's easier than it may seem!), then we'll dive right into basic grammar and vocabulary. Before you know it, we'll be reading excerpts straight from Plato and Homer!
Bonus: we'll settle once and for all what the correct plural of "octopus" is.
Prerequisites
Familiarity with another foreign language (especially Latin) would be helpful, but is by no means required.
Bonus: we'll settle once and for all what the correct plural of "octopus" is.
Prerequisites
Familiarity with another foreign language (especially Latin) would be helpful, but is by no means required.
H5038: Why you make worse decisions than you think you do.
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Amy Estersohn
This class will cover some of the shortcuts our brains use to help us make everyday decisions, from what we buy at the store to which treatments doctors choose to how we decide to take risks. We'll learn through games and simulations, so bring your strategy face to the table.
This class is intentionally listed as a 7-12 class-- older students may appreciate more of the economic theory and statistics of the games that the younger students may win. This class is also pitched at an introductory level-- I am happy to provide additional reading materials for students eager to learn them.
Prerequisites
1. A brain. 2. 10+ years of life experience. 3. Enjoy playing games. 4. Basic arithmetic skills may not be particularly helpful.
This class is intentionally listed as a 7-12 class-- older students may appreciate more of the economic theory and statistics of the games that the younger students may win. This class is also pitched at an introductory level-- I am happy to provide additional reading materials for students eager to learn them.
Prerequisites
1. A brain. 2. 10+ years of life experience. 3. Enjoy playing games. 4. Basic arithmetic skills may not be particularly helpful.
H5269: Introduction to Positive Disintegration - Part 2
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Josh Shaine
In Part 2, we’ll look more deeply into Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration and how the different levels of development are reflected in behaviors and emotions.
Among the ideas we will explore are positive maladjustment, auto-psychotherapy, and syntony vs. empathy.
Prerequisites
Either Part 1 or prior exposure to Dabrowski's work.
Among the ideas we will explore are positive maladjustment, auto-psychotherapy, and syntony vs. empathy.
Prerequisites
Either Part 1 or prior exposure to Dabrowski's work.
H5021: How To Apply To MIT (And Other Awesome Colleges)
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Chris Peterson
I will give an admissions information session, which will contain both a ton of information about MIT and a ton of information about how to apply to college in general.
H5500: What is Intelligence?
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Daniel Zaharopol
“If the Aborigine drafted an I.Q. test, all of Western civilization would presumably flunk it,” wrote anthropologist Stanley Garn.
What is intelligence, really? Can we measure it? If so, what does it tell us about the human mind? Is it something that’s born into us by our genes, or does it depend on how we’re raised? What makes someone smart?
Psychologists and neuroscientists have been doing research into the remarkable processes that go on in our brain, trying to understand what gives us the ability to think. Together, we'll explore some experiments and try to better understand what "intelligence" means.
What is intelligence, really? Can we measure it? If so, what does it tell us about the human mind? Is it something that’s born into us by our genes, or does it depend on how we’re raised? What makes someone smart?
Psychologists and neuroscientists have been doing research into the remarkable processes that go on in our brain, trying to understand what gives us the ability to think. Together, we'll explore some experiments and try to better understand what "intelligence" means.
H5412: Cooking an Elegant Meal.
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Michael Cox
Learn the basic art and science of cooking composition and use it to impress you family, friends, or a date. Prepare an elegant dinner party for a very economic price--it's mostly ingredients that you already have in your house.
We'll be making a cheese souffle, green vegetables in béchamel sauce, lemon curd, and a dark chocolate pastry.
The essentials you'll learn in this class will give you the foundations for numerous culinary creations that are sure to impress.
We'll be making a cheese souffle, green vegetables in béchamel sauce, lemon curd, and a dark chocolate pastry.
The essentials you'll learn in this class will give you the foundations for numerous culinary creations that are sure to impress.
H5446: Money and Power
Difficulty: *
Teachers:
Nathaniel Lathrop
Ever wondered why money and power always seem to go to together? Not sure what to make of the ruckus over Citizens' United? Has your town been "occupied?"
Come discuss political theory, economics, and the politics of the present, as well as some history of class in America. Class taught by a die-hard progressive, but all viewpoints welcome.
Come discuss political theory, economics, and the politics of the present, as well as some history of class in America. Class taught by a die-hard progressive, but all viewpoints welcome.
H5364: Introduction to the FInnish language
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Nora Räsänen
Tervetuloa! Mistä tulet? Puhutko suomea? Did you understand that? No? Excellent! In this class you'll learn the basics of the Finnish language. As part of the Finno-ugric language family, Finnish is unlike almost any other language spoken today. In this class we'll start with the a,b,c's and by the end you will understand and be able to answer the questions at the beginning of this paragraph. Impress your friends with one of the most difficult languages in the world!
H5031: Build A Language Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers:
Jennifer Melot
This class will consist of a rapid pass through various areas of linguistics in pursuit of a language of Our Very Own.
Note that this class focuses more on the underlying structure of language than on generating vocabulary - don't expect to come out of the class being able to write a novel in the language we create.
Prerequisites
A willingness to make weird sounds and ungrammatical utterances. Also some ability to deal with abstractions.
Note that this class focuses more on the underlying structure of language than on generating vocabulary - don't expect to come out of the class being able to write a novel in the language we create.
Prerequisites
A willingness to make weird sounds and ungrammatical utterances. Also some ability to deal with abstractions.
H5414: Ultimate Dictator Showdown: Hitler vs. Stalin Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Prakriti Paul
Hitler and Stalin were both powerful and honestly, crazy dictators. The impacts they had on their respective societies and on the world were so crucial, that people still cringe at the mention of "The Holocaust" or "gulag". So who were Hitler and Stalin? Where did they come from? What did they do? And if they were both so powerful, how were they similar? Furthermore, we will look into PROPAGANDA (super important!!), and maybe even make some of our own ;) This class intends to give students an understanding of the characters and policies/actions of these dictators, and then to compare them to understand what makes a strong dictator. And of course, this is supposed to be super fun for history geeks- I intend for us to rant incessantly about ridiculous these dictators were, etc. =D
H4930: Parliamentary Procedure and Debate Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers:
Simone Agha
Decorum! Learn how to write your own bills and debate them using the much-loved Robert’s Rules of Order.