Splash! 2013
Course Catalog


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Languages and Literatures [Deprecated] Computers and Programming
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Miscellaneous Social Studies


You can browse the Splash! 2013 class offerings below. To register for the program, see our student guide.


The schedule of walk-in activities below does not have fully accurate times. For more information about walk-in activities, including an accurate schedule, see this page.




Languages and Literatures

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B7855: Russian language and culture for beginners
Difficulty: **

Want to learn some russian phrases that Eastern Europeans use in their everyday life and know more true about their culture? Then come to this small one hour lecture !

B7614: Casual German (11th-12th Grade) Full!
Difficulty: **

Ever wanted to learn how to ask for a pretzel or a bratwurst auf Deutsch? Curious about what a Biergarten *actually* is? This is a crash course in German - you’ll learn the very basics of grammar, some vocabulary, useful/entertaining phrases, plus resources and directions to explore in German literature, film and music.

B7948: Linguistics Problem Solving
Difficulty: **

Do you enjoy unraveling logic puzzles, want to learn about other languages, or crave the feeling of a good riddle?

Come solve fun problems from the Linguistics Olympiads, NACLO and IOL!

A variety of languages, problem styles, and difficulty levels will be provided for you to solve. Logic and reasoning are your main weapon here – no prior linguistics knowledge required!


Prerequisites
Tables and chairs. Pencils and scratch paper.

B7453: The Sonnet
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, and words.

B7626: "Superman/woman" and Science Fiction/Fantasy Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Josh Shaine

Science Fiction and Fantasy have many characters who stick out compared to others because they have more magic, different powers, unique abilities.

We will look at how these characters are treated by the worlds in which they are set and reflect on what, if anything, this says about the society in which we live.

B7367: Writing Systems Full!
Difficulty: **

How are the worlds' writing systems different, beyond just using different characters? What writing systems are more similar to each other than others, and why? Why is Hangul (the Korean writing system) the best in the world, and Chinese characters the worst?

B7674: The smart French student's survival guide to Paris
Difficulty: **

Do you have a pretty good high-school level of French? Then you can do much better than being just a tourist in Paris! Want to pick up some handy phrases and manners that will get you mistaken for a local? How does one make official phone calls, get into every museum for free, and order delicious crêpes in the most un-touristy locations? Want to know where the Parisians hang out, dine, and celebrate; what books they read and what movies they watch? What are some quirks of the Parisian lifestyle which make the city a real cultural gem?

Come prepared to pratiquer votre Français and learn why the City of Light is the unquestionably most amazing city in the world.


Prerequisites
Some level of high school French (French 2 or above recommended, but not required)

B8019: NaNoWriMo Write-A-Thon
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Cathleen Nalezyty

Want to work on your NaNoWriMo novel during Splash? Stuck half-way through and need some tips about how to keep your energy up for the rest of the month?

We'll spend part of class talking about ways to keep your motivation up and fun ways to up your word count and then we'll spend some time doing word sprints, word wars*, and other fun writing tasks.

*Don't worry, we'll go over what these are if you haven't heard of them!


Prerequisites
Interest in NaNoWriMo would be great; but if you just want to hang out and work on some other writing project, feel free to come join us!

B8005: Dramatic Reading: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Anna Ho, David Rolnick

Just when you thought you knew the story of "Hamlet," the playwright Tom Stoppard wrote "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead." Join us for a dramatic reading of the text! Coax Hamlet out of madness, bow to Queen Gertrude, and get frustrated as everyone mixes up whether you're Rosencrantz or gentle Guildenstern.


Prerequisites
Some familiarity with Hamlet (otherwise you won't enjoy it as much.)

B7686: Ender's Game and Good and Evil Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Kaylee Brent

Do you want to figure out what makes a person good? Do you like science fiction? Do you like philosophical discussions? Come discuss good and evil in intent and deed, through the lens of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

**Unlike when we taught this in Splash! 2012, we are going to open the discussion up to ALL of the books in the Ender's Universe, AND the movie for those who have seen it. However, if you haven't read all of these or seen the movie, feel free to come anyways! But be warned of spoilers.**


Prerequisites
Have read Ender's Game (and preferably others of the series)

B7383: Korean 101
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Chae Jeong, brice lee

Want to learn to greet your Korean friends' parents properly? What if you could order a meal at a Korean restaurant solely in Korean? What is PSY really saying in Gangnam Style?
Join this class to learn some basic Korean, from the alphabet, to greetings, to even translating PSY's hit song!

B7451: 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 eight simple steps to help you make more sense of the poems you read.


Prerequisites
Interest in poetry and language.

B7639: Linguistics for People Who Language
Difficulty: **

Do you language? Is language even a verb? … If it’s not, how can you understand what I’m saying? Language is clearly more than the grammar you learned in English class. So welcome to the study of linguistics! In this introductory class we will learn what a Wug is, discover the genius of Lewis Carroll, and put a magnifying glass on something you do every day: language.

B7740: Advanced Korean
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Jihu Kim, Jisoo Park

What does the vampire drink in the morning?

If you want to know the answer to this question, join us for Advanced Korean.
This would be a great chance for you to learn "real" Korean.

Slangs, popular catch phrases, conversational expressions ... and even corny jokes!!


Prerequisites
Prior knowledge in Korean (basic alphabets, etc) required.

B7357: Sounds and Language
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Chelsea Voss

Ever wonder how humans create, hear, and understand the sounds of language? What actual, measurable properties of sound are we sending when we speak? How our ears can decipher all of the information in sound, and send it to our brain to be processed into language?

To figure all of this out, we'll dive into phonology and phonetics, the study of the audible components of language.

Come learn what you never knew you never knew about sounds!

This class is two hours, but there will be a ten-minute break in the middle.

B8011: Arthurian Legend Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Cathleen Nalezyty

Have an interest in stories about King Arthur? Confused about all the different versions of the story that are floating about?

We'll spend some time in class talking about different aspects of the King Arthur legend. No need to have read any particular work -- though some knowledge of the legend in general would be helpful. We'll also be reading some (short) passages in class that we'll talk about.

B7612: Casual German (9-10th Grade) Full!
Difficulty: **

Ever wanted to learn how to ask for a pretzel or a bratwurst auf Deutsch? Curious about what a Biergarten *actually* is? This is a crash course in German - you’ll learn the very basics of grammar, some vocabulary, plus a handful of useful/entertaining phrases that may or may not help you get communicate in German!

B7739: Basic Japanese conversation
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Tomohiro Soejima

Starting from pronunciation of Japanese, basic conversational Japanese.
Topics covered are, how to introduce yourself, how to ask a simple question etc.

B7817: Introduction to Phonetics: Chinese vs English
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Steven Keyes

Come be entertained by my thoroughly bad pronunciation of Chinese! Phonetics is the study of sounds in speech and how people produce them. This class will introduce you to this branch of linguistics and be informative for learners and native speakers of Chinese and English alike!


Prerequisites
None!

B7691: Introductory Odawa
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Dmetri Hayes

Odawa or Nishnaabemwin is a dialect of one of the most widely spoken Native American languages today. Come learn about this fascinating language!

B8001: Quirky Linguistics
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ryker Reed

Like linguistics or just enjoy thinking about language? Ever noticed how weird language can be? Come learn about some of the quirkier aspects of language. We'll discuss things ranging from infixation (putting words inside other words) to semantic implication (things we say without actually saying them), and semantic satiation (that thing that happens when you say a word too many times and it stops meaning anything). Come enjoy the strangeness of language!

B7543: Word Games! Full!
Difficulty: *

I'll bring Deluxe Scrabble, Bananagrams, Boggle, (and of course the Official Scrabble Dictionary)...you bring your wits (and if you want, your favorite word game).


Prerequisites
None! Beginners welcome.

B7331: We're going to read some modern literature, contemplate some philosophy, and get a little dizzy from thinking about stuff.
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Amy Estersohn

Part of what makes "modern" literature "modern" is that it takes traditional forms and pokes holes into them.

For example, real people in real life don't have narrators attached to them, explaining their every move or describing their everyday feelings. So why do we attach narrators to characters in literature? How can we tell "real" stories using words, when so many things are left unsaid?

As a class, we'll start reading "The Great Good Place" by Henry James, but we won't come close to finishing it. Instead, we'll spend a lot of time diving deeply into this tale, considering some of the questions asked above.

B7376: "You Talk Funny": Dialects and Other Language Change
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Megan Belzner

G'day, mate! Want to sit down with a spot of tea* and discuss how they speak across the pond? Ever wondered aboot why some people's English sounds a bit funny, eh? If yer hankerin' to know about dialects, this is the class for ya!

Want that translated into something you can understand? This class will talk about just that. We'll cover the ways in which languages can differ, and how they can change over time. Learn about the history of past-tense verb forms and the gradual process of regularization, how some people say sounds a bit differently and the rules that govern this, and where the line is drawn between dialects and languages (answer: wherever you want, really). Understand how and why "that funny way of speaking" came to be!

*actual tea not promised

B7482: Writing/Wandering
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Alexander Cronis

We're going to be working with a style of writing which doesn't use an outline for most styles of creative writing (graphic novels, short stories, novels, etc). We'll talk about great artists who use/used this process (Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor, the creative team behind the Katamari games and others) listen to music, read poems, do some free writing and generally talk about how to write.

B7700: Shakespeare Comedy Workshop Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Becky Gould

From wordy puns to slapstick antics, Shakespeare's plays are brimming with humor. This class is an opportunity for students to examine some of Shakespeare's funnier moments and hone close reading skills of the original Elizabethan language. Students will also engage with Shakespeare's humor through improv games and acting activities. No previous Shakespeare experience is necessary.


Prerequisites
An interest in great literature and a sense of humor!

B7593: How to find your way around in Beijing (i.e. Basic Conversational Chinese) Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Aofei Liu

Are you thinking of going on a trip to Beijing (or maybe just somewhere in China) this winter break? Do you want to be able to impress your Chinese friends by pronouncing their names accurately with the right tones and inflections? Do you like languages and want to learn some basic conversational (Mandarin) Chinese? If you answer is yes to any of the above questions, you might want to consider signing up for this class! We will start off with learning the four tones and 汉语拼音 (hanyu pinyin), the romanization of the pronunciation of chinese characters (very useful for reading road signs), followed by some basic useful conversational phrases, with some geographical knowledge of Beijing thrown in somewhere. At the very least, you would (hopefully) be able to pronounce characters accurately based on the romanization by the end of this class!

Disclaimer: This class will be teaching Mandarin Chinese and not Cantonese/some other dialect of Chinese. The focus of this class is on speaking and not reading/writing so it will not focus on the recognition of Chinese characters (though you might end up recognizing some by the end of the class anyway). This class is a beginner class, so it may not be very helpful for those already studying Chinese as a foreign language, unless they wish to perfect their pronunciation or just find someone to practice speaking Chinese with.


Prerequisites
You do not need to know anything about the Chinese language to sign up for this class, but you must be prepared to open your mouth and participate in pronouncing things (and possibly embarrass yourself in front of the whole class because you did it wrongly, but don't worry, everyone else is probably doing it wrongly as well :))

B7506: Short Fiction Workshop Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jamie Truman

Do you yearn for a story with an ending in sight? Have you ever wondered how some authors can tell a whole story in just a few pages? There's a lot more to writing than novels and essays. Short fiction is an art and science that has stood the test of time - and for good reason.

Together, we'll craft short stories and try to figure out what makes them tick.


Prerequisites
Fluency in English recommended.

B7648: Open Mic at Splash!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Mohammad Hossain

Bring a piece of prose, poetry, song, or thought, and present it! Unwind and enjoy writing from your peers. We'll throw in some feedback as well, but this will be a positive and constructive environment for you to present in, no negativity involved.


Prerequisites
Open mind, and respect for peers.

B7604: A Brief History of Middle Earth
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Nathaniel Mathews

A 4-hour saunter through Tolkien's vivid mythology, including an overview of the Quenta Silmarillion, Narn i Chin Hurin and the Fall of Numenor - the Akallabeth. The session will feel more like a history class than a literature class: we won't be talking so much about Tolkien's inspiration and hidden meanings (though if the class is interested, I'd love to talk about those things too!) so much as we'll discuss the timeline and events in exciting, realistic and lively ways.

You don't have to be some sort of Lord of the Rings scholar for this class - anybody is welcome!

B7929: Introduction to Spoken Japanese Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Kristi Oki

This class will offer a basic introduction to commonly used Japanese words and phrases. Come ready to learn and practice simple Japanese conversations!


Prerequisites
NO prior knowledge of Japanese!

B7397: Russian Tonguetwisters
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Hannah Harris

Impress your friends and confuse your tongue with an introduction to some of the Russian language's craziest tongue twisters!

No prior knowledge of Russian or the Cyrillic alphabet necessary!

B7399: Once Upon a Time, The End. The art of incredibly short fiction. Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: A L

A tear formed in my eye as I watched him pick out the peas from his carrots. He learned it from her.

That's it. A complete work of fiction in two sentences. 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!

B7955: Languages of Middle Earth Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ryker Reed

Love Lord of the Rings? Ever wondered where all the names in Middle Earth come from? Come find out more about the complex linguistic systems underlying Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series. For instance, did you know that Tolkien was a linguist and actually invented an entire Elvish language before even writing the Lord of the Rings books? Learn about some of the real world languages that inspired and influenced Tolkien’s invented languages. And find out more about the history of Middle Earth and how its languages came to be what they are now.


Prerequisites
None, if you've taken this class last year, it will be the same material.

B7622: Hooking Literature in Big Fish Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Kris Kim, Libby Koolik

Are you ready for an adventure as big as life itself? In this class we will analyze Tim Burton's "Big Fish" - a movie that explores themes of life, death, love, father-son relationships, and so much more! Snack on popcorn and participate in an enthralling discussion on a Golden Globe/BAFA/Oscar nominated film. We will be showing excerpts, so we recommend that you watch the film beforehand, but you'll still be fine if this is your first viewing. We reel-ly hope you join!


Prerequisites
Watching Big Fish would be nice!

B7571: Improv Spanish for Beginners
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Clarissa Towle

What do you say when your burrito suddenly explodes into interstellar space? If you'd like to take a bus through Sevilla, Spain, but it's currently levitating ten meters off the ground? Come learn some basic and some not-so-basic Spanish phrases to help you describe the ordinary and the extraordinary in this crazy existence of ours.


Prerequisites
Some exposure to Spanish is helpful, but not necessary.

B7794: Introductory Azerbaijani
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jessica Oehrlein

Come and learn Azerbaijani! Azerbaijan was along the Silk Roads, so the country and the language have lots of different influences. Azerbaijani is also the second most commonly spoken language in Iran! We'll also cover a little history along the way.

B7958: Learn Elvish!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ryker Reed

Ever wanted to speak Elvish? Write Dwarvish runes? Now is your chance! Come take this interactive class and learn the basics of spoken and written Elvish! This class will focus on the Elvish language Sindarin, and we will also cover a bit of the other languages, such as the Elvish language Quenya and the Dwarvish language. We will practice speaking Elvish and also how to write the Elvish script and Dwarvish runes. No prior knowledge necessary, just enthusiasm!

B7386: Linguistics and Human Genetics Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Morris Alper

How was Madagascar populated? Why do some languages use more sounds than others? What is the origin of the Romani ("Gypsy") people of Europe?

We'll explore the answers to these questions and more using a cutting-edge method combining linguistics and population genetics. We'll also discuss its limitations and current controversies.

B7515: Making it in Moscow: A Splash! Course in Introductory Russian Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Marcella Lusardi

Take a journey east to learn the mysterious language of the czars, the Soviets, and the modern-day natives of the largest country in the world—Russia! An introductory course in conversational Russian. No prior knowledge of the Russian language, Cyrillic alphabet, or Russian culture/history needed.

B7605: Poetry Workshop Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Nathaniel Mathews

A chill, intimate workshop setting where people can come and write, and share their work for constructive, friendly peer critique. Everyone must write; you only have to share if you want to. Beat, spoken word, traditional or all other forms of poetry are welcome.

B7748: Character Analysis Through Classpect
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Houston Mills

This class will explain the character sorting system used in the popular webcomic Homestuck and its useful applications in generalizing the character's interactions with narrative themes.

B8053: Hungarian for dummies Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Gergely Odor

Are you interested in being able to speak a language that is unlike any other (maybe Finnish, but not really)? Come to Hungarian for dummies and learn about one of the most complicated grammars and to pronounce strange new phonemes from a native Hungarian MIT student. I promise, by the end of the class you will all be able to pronounce my name (Gergő).


Prerequisites
None


[Deprecated] Computers and Programming

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C7380: Promiscuous Mode-Network Protocol Analysis Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Harvey Yee

Do you want to be in Promiscuous (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 classroom, a demonstration of a wired or wireless network session will be provided. A free copy of Linux LiveCD will be provided so that you can continue your learning of network protocol analysis after this class.


Prerequisites
just come with a sense of curosity

C7459: How to pass the Turing Test
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Megan Belzner

Have you ever wondered whether the person you were talking to over the internet was secretly a computer? In this class we'll discuss a simple test for artificial intelligence which measures whether a computer and a human can be distinguished in conversation. We'll discuss some of the potential pitfalls of such a test, as well as look at some real life examples from ELIZA to Cleverbot. From here, we'll touch on the nature of intelligence, and the ways in which machines are (or are not) intelligent.

C7900: Quantum Computation
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Bennett Amodio

This will be a very flexible class with an introduction to quantum computation. We can cover basics of quantum computation, including a brief overview of the history of quantum computing, the qubit, and quantum algorithms. From there, we can move to promising future applications for quantum computation. We could also talk about current topics in quantum computation, or we can go more in depth to gain a more rigorous understanding of the math of quantum computation.


Prerequisites
Some linear algebra highly recommended. Being comfortable with math and physics would be helpful. Quantum mechanics experience is NOT required -- we will go over some basic necessary concepts in class.

C7503: Intro to Circuit Design
Difficulty: **

Ever wondered how a computer works, how to build your own 3D printer, or how to be a better programmer?

Circuit boards are awesome. They connect our digital lives and the resistors, capacitors, and microchips that run them. This class will jumpstart your knowledge about circuits by teaching you how to make your very own Printed Circuit Board (PCB). We'll use a free program called Eagle to teach you everything from the components you'll need to how to lay them out. Build your own Arduino! Make a LED light game! Hack your own web server!

Join us for this exciting class that will teach you everything you need to know about circuits and hardware. At the end you’ll even get to take home the PCB that we designed together!

C7838: Web application security
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Favyen Bastani

As we increasingly rely on web applications for a variety of tasks, their security is becoming paramount. We'll discuss common vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting, SQL injections, and cross-site-request-forgery attacks, and look at some examples and their implications. Then we'll see how modern technologies prevent these attacks by design, but why they continue to be a problem.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of how websites work. Knowing what GET and POST mean is useful but not required.

C7988: Bits and Bytes: How to Compute
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Quentin Smith

We'll take a whirlwind tour of the foundations of computing. Starting from the humble electron, we'll introduce transistors, logic gates, binary numbers, and instruction sets, and then we'll show how you can put them together to make a very basic computer.


Prerequisites
A basic interest in electronics and math is helpful, but not required. If you know what a "volt" is, and how to add and subtract numbers, you're good!

C7800: Intro Programming for Newbs Full!
Difficulty: ***

Don't know programming? Excited to learn? We'll try to help out! Warning: expect no pity. No seriously, you won't remember anything =D!


Prerequisites
no programming experience

C7352: 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 Skyrim on MAXIMUM settings may lure you in, or 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.

C7946: Bitcoin: everything you ever wanted to know
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Duncan Townsend

Bitcoin is a cryptographic, pseudonymous, peer-to-peer internet currency. It's also really, really cool. Bitcoin's meteoric rise has made some people millionaires overnight.

This class will cover in depth the technical details of the Bitcoin protocol. We will also touch on some of Bitcoin's interesting economics and events in Bitcoin's history.

C7860: Scheming Away Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Brian Lee

Have you ever wanted to learn how to program?

Learn how to program in Scheme, one of the simplest yet most powerful languages ever designed.


Prerequisites
None

C7805: Learn to Program Your Own Apps with App Inventor! Full!
Difficulty: **

Program your own apps for an Android phone or tablet by using App Inventor 2.


Prerequisites
None

C7875: How Computers Work: Voltages and Transistors
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Nicole Glabinski

You might know that computers run on 1s and 0s, but how in the world does that actually work?

In this class, we'll talk about how computers work at their lowest level. We'll cover how voltages can represent 1s and 0s and how processors use transistors and CMOS circuits to perform basic logic expressions.

If we have time, we'll also talk a little bit about the higher levels of computer architecture and how all those binary numbers allow computers to do all the complex tasks we're familiar with.


Prerequisites
You should have some familiarity with boolean expressions or boolean algebra and truth tables. A very basic understanding of circuits (e.g. knowing what a voltage is) would also be helpful.

C7355: Communication is Key: How to be a Professional Nerd
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Joseph Lodin

Us techies are awesome. We can write our own operating system, build robots from junk, fix a computer just by looking at it, you name it - we can do it. But, is that enough to get a job or start a business? In short, probably not. In long... come to this class.

We'll have a (mostly) informal chat about how to be successful, and what important skills you may not have considered.


Prerequisites
Technical knowledge is NOT required, just an open mind and willingness to think outside the box.

C7894: Demystifying the Command Line
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Lars Johnson

Unleash your computer's hidden power by using the UNIX command line that underlies the Linux and Mac 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 (filepaths, directories, etc.)

C7665: Dynamic Programming
Difficulty: **

Ever wondered what is dynamic programming? Come and discover what it's about!


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of programming

C7539: Make Your Own Website! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Abhishek Nagaraj

The objective of this class is simple --
we will make our own website with the most basic tool out there, HTML and learn how the internet works in the process!

I will host your pages for you, for a year and you can share what you've created among your friends and family!


Prerequisites
some familiarity with using a computer, typing and using the internet is needed.

C7902: Learn You A Haskell: Functional Programming
Difficulty: **

FUNCTIONS ARE DATA
LISTS ARE INFINITE
HASKELL IS FUN

Haskell is a purely functional, strongly typed programming language with non-strict evaluation. If none of those words made sense to you, you should take this class to fix that! We'll talk about the basics of programming in Haskell, why it's the best programming language, and how you can fit an infinite list in your computer's memory.


Prerequisites
You should have experience programming in some language, but no knowledge of Haskell is necessary.

C7502: How to Fold Anything!: Computational Origami
Difficulty: **

Lots of people like folding origami, but have you ever wondered how those models were actually designed? Here in the 21st century, we have computers to help us!

Come learn the theory behind techniques like "circle packing" and Robert Lang's "tree method," and even try your hand at designing and folding your own model!

Already an origami expert and looking to break into design? Never made a paper crane, but interested in folding as a computational problem? This class is for you!

C7392: Write a Sudoku Solver
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Ziv Scully

There's this really cool programming language called Haskell. We could spend a while going over all of its features, slowly and rigorously introducing the language. Alternatively, we could jump in and write a Sudoku solver.

I like being alternative. It's gonna be wild.


Prerequisites
Willingness to accept a concept that's a bit confusing and not let it block you from understanding other concepts that use it. Programming experience helpful but not required

C7898: What's Better than Free? Full!
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.)

C7736: A Secret to Faster Typing
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Kevin Chen

Working faster doesn't just come from faster typing speed; you can switch to the world's most powerful editor.

Imagine an editor where you can go to the next sentence in one keystroke.
Auto-complete an entire line in two keystrokes.
Encrypt files and browse the internet.

Well, this editor exists, and it can do much much more. It's called Vim. Come and learn how to use it.


Prerequisites
typing speed of at least 50 wpm recommended. some coding experience lightly recommended.

C7433: Programming Concepts Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Aaron Dunbrack

Learn how to write a program, at least in theory. Note that this course will not use any particular language, because languages have syntax, and syntax is annoying. Instead, we are going to learn conceptually how to program in any language, which you can then use in any language you want, whether it’s Python, C, Java, or something else entirely.


Prerequisites
None - if you have some experience with programming (in fact, if you know how to program in just about any language) then this course will probably be too easy.

C7653: Graph theory
Difficulty: **

Learn about search algorithms and graph theory!


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of programming

C7381: Wireshark Workshop
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Harvey Yee

Here is follow-up course to Promiscuous Mode-Network Protocol Analysis. In this course, we will hone our knowledge and skills in understanding and decoding network traffic.
Come prepared to get a deep dive into network protocol analysis by bringing a laptop so you can participate in a course discussion of some of the problems that we will uncover and solve.

C7928: How to be an AI Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Megan Belzner

This class will discuss some of the topics covered in MIT's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence course. But there's a twist - you'll be playing the role of the AI! Ever wondered how the facial recognition software in your camera works? Or what sorts of rules govern decision making? Learn about the algorithms that make an artificial intelligence tick in this interactive class.


Prerequisites
Some exposure to trigonometry would be useful.

C7683: Hacking Solitaire
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Damon Doucet

Want to learn how to hack video games? Technically games (just like programs) are files on your hard drive. What's to stop us from modifying them just like you edit your Word documents?


Prerequisites
Programming experience in any of Java, C++, C#, Python, etc. Preferably a year at least

C7340: Let's Talk About Servers And Server Hosting!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: William Little

In this class I'll be explaining the practical side of servers. I'll be answering questions such as "those big humming boxes in a dark room, what do they do?" And "why do I lag on some game servers but don't lag on others?" And most importantly, "how do I do all of this myself?"

Well, I can't tell you how to do everything you want to do, but I can point you in the right direction and give you an introduction! We'll be looking at some cheap hardware and free software that may help you understand some of the more power hungry tasks that these marvelous creations handle. Want to host a Minecraft server? Sure! File server? Web server? Mail server? MySQL server? All possible with very little budget, as long as you're willing to stretch your mind muscles a bit.


Prerequisites
Some knowledge in how the Internet works may help. Decent knowledge in how your own computer works will be beneficial as well.

C7934: How Computers Recognize Patterns: An Introduction to Machine Learning Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Adam Gleitman

How can you teach a robot to distinguish red objects from blue objects? How does Facebook know which of your friends appear in your photos? Can you use today’s articles in the Wall Street Journal to predict tomorrow’s trends in the stock market?

Machine learning is a popular field. It helps computers to understand patterns that humans can find "intuitively" without too much effort on the programmer's part. But how does it all work? Take this class and find out!


Prerequisites
You should be comfortable with thinking abstractly. We will be using some more "advanced" mathematical tools, like vector/matrix algebra and probability distributions, but mostly at an intuitive level. I do not assume any prior knowledge of these subjects. This class also makes use of Python and NumPy for working with actual datasets, so familiarity with Python is a plus, but not absolutely necessary. (And if you don't know any Python at all, don't worry!)

C7584: Learn Python Full!
Difficulty: **

This is not a class on snakes nor Monty Python. We will go over the fundamentals of python, and teach you all about the power a programming language can give. Take this class if you have little to no programming background, but want to learn how to program.

C7353: Not Everyone's a Programmer! Computer Majors/Careers in an Hour
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Joseph Lodin

So, you're a high school student who's interested in computers, right? You know you want to study them, but every counselor you talk to just tells you the same thing, "go into computer science!" 5 minutes of research online and you realize that no, computer science isn't right for you, you want to build and run servers, or sanitize databases, or work as a security analyst, or whatever!

In an hour, we're gonna go over a bunch of different majors and possible careers for computer hobbyists like you, so maybe now you can do your own research instead of letting your counselor or someone else tell you that CS is the only way to go.


Prerequisites
Having an interest in computers. :)

C7510: Computers at the Lowest Level
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Letitia Li

Ever wonder about the location of every electron in your computer? Probably not, but we'll get as close as possible to that level of detail! We'll go over gates and how to build them, encoding, and everyone's favorite programming language: assembly language!


Prerequisites
Some Physics E+M

C7837: Hadoop - tackling "embarrassingly parallel" big data
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Favyen Bastani

Learn how to write programs that process large amounts of data in parallel! We'll be using the Apache Hadoop framework for Java. We'll discuss how the framework works in general and its applications, and then write a program in Hadoop for a simple task.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Java.

C7897: How Operating Systems Work
Difficulty: ***

You deal with operating systems on a day-to-day basis -- Macs, Windows, Linux, etc. An operating system is the software that lies between your computer hardware and the applications you would interact with on a day-to-day basis.

Operating systems have to be carefully designed for security, modularity, and speed. In this class we'll look at the basics of how operating systems function to meet these goals.


Prerequisites
Knowledge of C programming is highly recommended. Knowledge of x86 architecture would be helpful but is not necessary.

C7984: The Digital Abstraction Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sara Sinback

What's inside your computer? A CPU, hard drive, a motherboard -- stuff like that. What's inside those? Wires and transistors. But at the very heart of your computer, beating with all the regularity of an insistent square wave, is an idea. That idea is what we know as the digital abstraction. What is it about that sequence of 0's and 1's we always hear about that is so valuable to us? Learn about how digital systems make complicated behaviors predictable and controllable. We'll talk about binary mathematics, boolean logic, and the ways systems manage digital signals.


Prerequisites
Previous exposure to boolean logic, base-2 math, or simple rules about how voltages and current work might make this class easier, but we'll assume no background in computing, logic, or anything like that. I will stop to take questions so don't be afraid to take this class if you don't know much about computers!

C7627: Intro to Graphics Programming with Processing Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Daniel Richman

Always wanted to do computer programming, but didn't know how to get started? We'll learn how to think the way computers do. Then we'll program some cool graphics/animation programs in Processing.

Not for you if you have substantial programming experience.


Prerequisites
Basic trigonometry. If you know what the unit circle is, you're good.

C7509: Living Optimally with Dynamic Programming
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Letitia Li

Imagine on Halloween, some grouch only lets you keep a certain weight in loot. How would you optimize your candy-induced happiness for the next year, while you plot revenge against that grouch? Learn a certain type of optimization algorithms along with map-finding and other algorithms.

C7400: A Brief History of Web Design Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Megan Belzner

Ever wondered what web developers spend their time thinking about? Want to know how we got from "text on a page" to today's intricate and highly interactive websites? Want to know how to make more website with less code? This is the class for you!

In this class, we'll discuss the timeline of web design paradigms and technologies, from the first days of the World Wide Web to today. We'll get an overview of the different basic technologies, where they came from, and how they work together. Then, we'll see some of the new ideas and technologies that make modern web design possible. Finally, I'll send you home with some tips on how to start learning this stuff yourself.


Prerequisites
Some experience with web design (or any sort of programming) helpful, but not strictly necessary.

C7440: The Crashiest Crash Course in Computer Vision
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Tommy Chen

Learn a bunch of ways to program a computer to "see like we do." We will chat about the awesome field of computer vision, program a panoramic camera together, and see some amazing live demos. There will also be cookies provided. (Also Splash is my birthday this year, so please come! :D)


Prerequisites
Okay programming skills and a good foundation in matrix math.

C7435: Automated Theorem Proving
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Jason Gross

Are you interested in getting computers to do your math homework for you? Are you confused about what constitutes a "valid" proof? Are you interested in seeing computers check your proofs? Come experiment with the interactive proof assistant, Coq!

I'll begin by talking a bit about the history of computer-assisted proofs, including the first proof of the four color theorem and the recent formalization of the odd order theorem. Then, you'll experiment with simple arithmetic and logic proofs in the Coq proof assistant, while I walk around and answer questions and give help.


Prerequisites
You should understand basic logic (if you can do the puzzles on http://www.math.hawaii.edu/~hile/math100/logice.htm, you'll be fine). You should understand the programming concepts of "function" (or "procedure" or "method"), "function arguments", "if statement", and "data types" (such as integer, string, double, etc.). You should understand what it means to prove something (reading and understanding http://www.mathcamp.org/prospectiveapplicants/quiz/proofs.php should be sufficient).

C8098: Cracking a Hackathon
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Siddharth Trehan

So you know how to code, and you've always wanted to team up with a few others to build something incredible, but you've never gotten the chance to do a hackathon before. This class is an opportunity to do just that. We begin with a few tips for hackathon success (including how to host your own hackathon, which can be just as fun), and cover some useful API's. Later, we split into teams and try to hack our own projects, and we finish by showing off our creations to the class.


Prerequisites
Knowledge of at least one programming language is required, experience with platforms other than the desktop may be helpful

C7354: How Websites Work, Home Networks, and Run Your Own Game Server: Networking 101 in Three Parts
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Joseph Lodin

You may not realize it, but 99% of things you do on your computer require an Internet connection. Computer networking is an extremely advanced field with countless different uses, protocols, and experimental research making things faster and more reliable. To save time, I'm gonna summarize basic networking with three short topics:

-How Websites Work: When you click a link, what happens in the seconds between that click and when the next page is displayed on your screen? It's not as simple as it sounds, and often it involves a hundred (or even thousand)-mile journey happening in the blink of an eye. Also, I promise I'll briefly address why Splash registration always seems to hang. ;)

-Home Networks: So you probably know about the big Internet, the World Wide Web, right? Did you know that in most of your homes/apartments/wherever, you have a mini "internet" that functions all on its own? Let's look into the setup of a normal home network, and I'll even explain how to host your very own LAN party!

-Run Your Own Game Server: Ever feel like hosting your own Minecraft server, just so you can be the evil game admin for once? Maybe host a TF2 server and go crazy with mods. The sky's the limit! We'll go over just what a game server is, how to run your own, and even how to set it up so people across the world can join!


Prerequisites
Anybody who uses a computer can come to this class and learn something! We really won't go into too much technical detail, so if you already run your own game server or make/host your own websites, you probably won't see much new information.

C7960: Software Engineering: Building Big Programs
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.


Prerequisites
Some basic knowledge of programming in any language.

C7947: Artificial Intelligence in Video Games
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: David Bocek

Ever wondered about the vast world of video games that the player DOESN'T control? Then come learn about the wonderful land of game AI! This class will focus on video game AI techniques and how modern and classic games implement them to present challenges to players. Will cover game genres including: RPGs, strategy games (RTS & TBS), shooters, and side scrollers! Come learn how games are made from navmeshes and state machines to emergent behavior, planning, and dynamic difficulty! (Not knowing one of many of these terms is perfectly fine!)


Prerequisites
Some experience playing video games, basic understanding of programming (helpful, but not necessary)

C7888: Splay trees are magic!
Difficulty: **

Computer programs need to store and manipulate data--but that data can stored in many different ways! Sometimes it makes sense to store data in a binary tree, but in order to maintain quick lookups, binary normally need to be balanced. And there are lots of different specialized binary trees for different applications.

That's where the magic comes in: splay trees don't stay balanced, but are in many cases provably as or more efficient than more complicated, specialized data structures for particular types of problems. And it gets better--the (as-yet unproven) dynamic optimality conjecture proposes that for any sequence of accesses of elements, splay trees are at least as efficient as a specialized data structure which knew the sequence of accesses ahead of time!

C7983: Introduction to Algorithms
Difficulty: **

Algorithms describe a "recipe" for doing something. Having good algorithms that are fast and easy to use is important for every area of life.

This class will be a survey of several computer science algorithm topics including sorting, hashing, and graph algorithms.

C7909: The History of Operating Systems
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Michael Skuhersky

Let's go back to a time before any of us were born to learn about the formative years of operating system development! Learn why DOS dominated! Learn about the Unix family tree! Learn how the rise of personal computing forced OS designers to innovate! Emphasis on pre-1990.

C7979: Concurrency and Multithreaded Programming
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Dan Noe

I started teaching this course in 2006 when dual core processors were a newfangled thing. Now even cell phones have multicore processors! Programming to take advantage of today’s multicore processors is tricky and filled with pitfalls. We’ll talk about Amdahl’s law and how it benefits the performance increases from adding processors. I’ll discuss how programming language locks are actually implemented under the scenes. And I’ll talk about different ways computer scientists like to abstract concurrency to make it easier to program.


Prerequisites
You should know the hardware parts of a computer (Processor, RAM, etc) and have some experience with any programming language.

C8091: Cyberespionage
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Benjamin Tidor

What happens when a government gets into the business of computer hacking? Back in the good old days, viruses were written by criminals out to steal your money. Nowadays, we can do more interesting things—like sabotaging a nuclear enrichment facility, for example, or spying on an entire country’s private email messages. In this class, you’ll hear about recent break-ins and sabotage on the international stage while learning a bit about the everyday systems that keep us safe and secure on the Internet.


Prerequisites
Know how to use a computer.

C7966: A Bit about Logic
Difficulty: **

Ever wondered how computers can do so much with only those 1s and 0s you see in movies? Come learn about how your computer works at the lowest level!


Prerequisites
Basic logic

C7587: How to Conquer Your Fear of Programming!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Akshara Thejaswi

Most people shy away from programming because it tends to look intimidating. If you want to be an engineer or a scientist of any sort, you're probably going to have to learn how to use MATLAB. Come learn the basics! Programming is really nowhere near as intimidating as everyone thinks it is. I'll be going through basics of the software, going through example problems, and maybe having fun, too.

Kidding. Fun guaranteed. Come have some fun while simultaneously learning something you'll actually use!


Prerequisites
None, but previous experience with programming (however little) may be helpful. But it's an intro course, so don't worry if you've never programmed before!

C7892: How To Talk To Your Computer Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Miriam Gershenson

You probably know that you can program your computer. You might even have done some programming yourself! But how does your computer understand and execute what you've written? Come learn about how you get from a text file with a bunch of code in it to a running program.


Prerequisites
Having programmed before in any language will be helpful, but not at all necessary

C8035: Under the Internet's Clothes with Wireshark
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Quentin Smith

How many times have you typed "google.com" or "wikipedia.org" into your web browser? Have you ever wondered what's actually going on behind the scenes to get you the summary of Hamlet you so desperately wanted? We'll lift up the skirt and show you all the hidden stuff that makes the Internet work. We'll talk about things like IP (Internet Protocol), DNS (Domain Name System), HTTP (HyperText Transport Protocol), and more, as we look at all the data your computer sends and receives on the Internet.

C7870: Put Together The Pile of Junk! Full!
Difficulty: **

Ever wondered how to build a computer, or what all of those random parts do? Help us put together computers that are older than you are, and learn about the innards in the process!


Prerequisites
Interest in computer hardware, patience.

C7336: What Makes The Internet Work?
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: William Little

Let's open up the internet and see what's what! In this class I'll be showing you how things like how Minecraft and Team Fortress 2 servers are accessible to you from anywhere around the world, how websites such as Facebook are able to handle so much traffic, why domain names exist, what kind of hardware goes into your daily browsing, all the way down to why there's no place like 127.0.0.1! (or for some people, there's no place like ~)

Put on your nerd/geek hats! You'll be in for a wild technical ride.

Only a small portion of this class is going to be a presentation. Try to think up some questions/discussions/rants to bring up! We'll have plenty of time for talking.


Prerequisites
Some basic knowledge in computers. If you know how to turn a computer on and open a web browser then you should be able to at least understand most of the concepts that I'll be teaching.

C7434: Working with Databases Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Aaron Dunbrack

Learn the basics of working with databases - mainly SELECT, UPDATE and DELETE - using SQL. We'll go over advanced topics such as joins if we have time.


Prerequisites
If you know another programming language, that’s great; if not, that’s fine too, but you might find it more difficult if you want to use it outside of class. If you already know SELECT, UPDATE and DELETE (including WHERE clauses) then you'll probably be bored.

C7504: Computational Photography: Make an image look like it was painted
Difficulty: **

Learn about what makes a photograph a photograph, and how to use them in a program to make them look like they're painted by a human! See this link for examples:
https://skydrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=81C8A82979AEED8F!1364&app=WordPdf&authkey=!AGMgqriGta8Ovrg


Prerequisites
Computer Programming helpful, but not required

C7601: Wi-Fi (in)security Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Roger Zurawicki

Every wanted to learn how Wi-Fi works?

Want to find out the password to your neighbor's wifi?

We will be exploiting WEP, WPA, and WPA2. (That's right, no one is safe.) We will learning all about Wi-Fi, TCP/IP networking, and the internet along the way.

Students bring home a free Linux live. CD


Prerequisites
Just an interesting in any of the following: Computers, the internet, radios, hacking

C7802: Reverse Engineering (aka serious hacking) Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Yuchen Fu

Ever wondered how hackers actually get stuff done? How are exploits found? How are keygens made?

Reverse engineering is a key to all of those things. In simple terms, the goal of reverse engineering is to take a compiled program and discover how it works without ever seeing the source code. This technique enables hackers to have very good (often complete) understanding of the behavior of the programs, and all the rest follow from there.

Within the two hours that we have, we're going to do some quite serious work together, including decoding encrypted data, writing our own keygens, bypassing security checks and some other stuff--of course, all in a legal, safe, and education-oriented settting. In addition, we will also cover the legal aspects of reverse engineering--when are you allowed to reverse engineer, and what are you allowed to do with your product--which is of great importance as we deal with this rather "grey area" subject.


Prerequisites
Basic programming ability will be assumed. Understanding of modern computer structures (CPU, memory, stack model, thread model, etc.) would also be assumed to a basic degree, although we will go into more detail in class. In addition, students will be assumed to be able to read at least one kind of assembly language, i.e. to be able to understand the meaning of basic commands. Students who haven't had that experience may learn about x86, which is what we'll use primarily, with the following web pages: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/X86_Assembly (you only need the first two sections, "x86 Basics" and "x86 Instruction Set") http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~evans/cs216/guides/x86.html

C8020: Alice - 3D Computer Animation
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Michelle Ng

Alice is an innovative 3D programming environment that makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story, playing an interactive game, or a video to share on the web. For this course, we will be using Alice as a learning tool for introductory computer programming. The 3D graphics and a drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to learn and facilitate a more engaging experience for students with no programming background. We will begin with the navigation of the Alice tool and the basic steps in creating an animation - storyboard, character (objects), actions (methods). We will also learn about fundamental programming concepts such as class, object, parameter, if/else, loop, etc. The final hour of the course will be devoted for an “animation-hour” to encourage students to apply their new skills to create their own animation programs using Alice. The Alice software is developed by Carnegie Mellon University and can be downloaded for free (http://www.alice.org).


Prerequisites
Strong interest to learn and explore animation - no prior programming experience is required.

C7785: Learn to LaTeX!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Descartes Holland

Learn how to use the most powerful typesetting language in the world! Ever wondered if you could type your math homework and have it look extra nice? Come learn how!


Prerequisites
Any previous programming experience helpful but not necessary

C7520: Make A Computer! (On Paper)
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Ben Horkley, David Xiao

1) Here's a transistor. 2) Take this class. 3) ??? 4) Computer! This class will take you through the basics of what makes a computer work, from the transistor level all the way up to putting it together into a basic processor. Learn what it takes an MIT class 2 months to cover in 3 hours!


Prerequisites
Knowledge of basic Boolean algebra (and, or, xor, etc.)

C8092: Probabilistic Robotics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Benjamin Tidor

Let's face it: from a robot's perspective, the real world kind of sucks. There are people to bump into, stairs to fall down, and distances that are never quite what you measure them to be. In this class, we'll discuss how noise plays a central role in the field of robotics, then learn about Bayesian probability and how it can help us out.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with basic probability, Venn diagrams.

C7907: Introduction to Parallel Computing
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Michael Skuhersky

Have a lot of computer hardware? Link it together to make your calculations go faster! This class will explain the philosophical approaches to coarse and fine-grained parallelism, go over how different types of hardware are utilized by software and programming techniques, and include some real world examples of how researchers use parallel methods. Half the class will focus on multi-CPU methods, the other half will focus on advances in GPU methods.


Prerequisites
Basic understanding of computer hardware, basic knowledge of programming structure.

C7493: Machine Learning & Audio Analysis with Python
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Daryl Sew

Machine learning is a field of computer science that concerns writing programs that can make and improve predictions or behaviors based on some data. The applications of machine learning are very diverse - they range from self driving cars to spam filters to autocorrect algorithms and much more. Using scikits-learn, an open source machine learning library for Python, we'll cover reinforcement learning (the kind used to create artificial intelligence for games like chess), supervised learning (the kind used in handwriting recognition), and unsupervised learning (the kind eBay uses to group its products). We'll then cover audio analysis through Fourier transforms with numpy, an open source general purpose computational library for Python, and we'll use our newfound audio analysis and machine learning skills to write very basic speech recognition software.


Prerequisites
Prior programming experience strongly recommended. Knowledge of calculus helpful but not necessary.

C7743: Interactive Computer Algorithms
Difficulty: **

Don't just sort lists -- get sorted! Don't just hash objects -- get hashed! Learn about common computer algorithms by getting out of your seat and getting sorted, hashed, balanced, and more!


Prerequisites
An interest in computer science and algorithms. Some background helpful but by no means required.


Engineering

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E7514: Environmentally Benign Design and Manufacturing Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Vrajesh Modi

After this class, you will be able to: (1) justify why environmentally benign design and manufacturing matters; (2) evaluate and compare the environmental impact of various products and technologies; and (3) recognize and challenge questionable environmental analysis. Format will consist of a 25-minute lecture on theory followed by a 25-minute discussion/exercise. Students will be divided into groups for the exercise.

E7788: Design of Energy Systems
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Amos Meeks

In the US we don't think about our electricity very much. It's just a few holes in the wall that make things work when we plug them in, and then at the end of the month we get an electricity bill. But where and how is all of this electricity made? Why does it cost what it costs?

This class will be about the engineering and economics of energy systems. We'll talk about common and not-so-common ways of generating electricity, and some of their potentials. Then we'll talk about different ways of putting these together into a system, and ways of characterizing and measuring that system.


Prerequisites
Knowing the difference between a Joule and Watt will help, but I'll also talk about it.

E7993: Questions about Living in Space and Future Space Settlements Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Bruce Mackenzie

Bring your questions about how we might live in Space, on Mars, asteroids, moons of planets, or Luna (what Earthlings ‘the Moon’, forgetting that there are lots of moons)
I will try to answer them. and maybe throw some
questions back at you. Preference for questions about how to live in
space, construct spinning space settlements for artificial gravity, grow
food, find air and water, stay warn or cool, etc. There will be little
math or equations, just general information.

E7476: Programming Life: Introduction to Synthetic Biology
Difficulty: **

Play god with cells! We'll explore the fast-emerging field of synthetic biology, with a focus on learning how to develop genetic circuits (like electrical circuits but with DNA) to control cellular behavior. By the end of the class you'll be able to design your own biological circuit and understand how to build it in real life - theoretically, anyway!


Prerequisites
A basic understanding of molecular biology (DNA replication & transcription, etc.) will be helpful

E7566: Slotted Disk: How to find the velocity of a falling ball.
Difficulty: ***

If the disk is spinning, and the ball is falling through the slot, how do you calculate its velocity? Come find out and learn concepts of dynamics.


Prerequisites
algebra 2, physics mechanics

E7711: Sustainability Series: Biofuels n' Smores Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Divya Arcot

Want to learn about Biofuels? Want to eat some s’mores? You can do both!

Come take a relaxed class about the application of synthetic biology to biofuel production and make your own s’mores!


Prerequisites
AP Biology or a high school Biology course.

E7982: How to Live on Mars Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Bruce Mackenzie

How would you build a house on Mars? I’ll show lots of pictures of
possible Mars structures. We will review the conditions on Mars which
affect how you would live, work, grow food, and build houses.
Differences from Earth include: low temperature, very low pressure,
carbon-dioxide atmosphere, almost 25 hour days, long seasons, dust,
and radiation. One advantage is lots of cheap land. The Mars soil and
air have every element we need to live and build structures, but not
in convenient building forms such as wooden 2x4’s. We might have to
make fiberglass, brick, or aluminum structures. They must be
cylindrical to hold the internal air pressure, with air-locks for
doors. Oh, incidentally, how to pay for the rocket to get you there is
not included. I will also suggest ways you can get involved and help
the settlement of space.

E7981: Design that analog circuit! Full!
Difficulty: **

Ever wished you could turn off the light without having to get out of bed? Wanted a system that will close your curtains when it's too bright out? We're here to help you take that first step!
Here are some cool things we *might* use to make even cool-er things: LED, diodes, transistor, temperature sensor, photocell, comparator, Op Amps, motors, potentiometers, and switches.

E7771: Build-It with D-Lab!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jessica Huang

D-Lab is a program at MIT building a network of innovators to design and disseminate technologies that meaningfully improve the lives of people facing issues of poverty around the world.

Our "Build-It" modules provide basic technical training on how to use tools to make something, while applying the skills learned to build practical technologies. For example, we have offered "Build-It" modules to make useful agricultural tools and battery chargers with communities in Haiti, Brazil, Ghana, Uganda, and Zambia, while teaching basic circuitry, woodworking and metalworking.

A team of D-Lab university students will be traveling to Ghana over January to lead "Build-It" modules with high school students in the community of New Longoro. We would like to practice with you first, and get your feedback.

Please come try out some of our "Build-It" modules, and make your own versions of technologies that D-Lab has used in international development! Become a part of our global network of innovators!

E8079: Hydro Carnival! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Michelle Dutt

Step right up! Come get your hands wet tackling the most challenging challenges, solving the most mysterious mysteries in the known hydrosphere! This year's Hydro Carnival features three midway games that test your brain and braun. Do you have what it takes to win a battle against water with nothing but your lungs? Can you explain the unexplainable and reason what makes a "special" ice cube sink? Are you capable of great magic by creating a cloud in a bottle that doubles as a rocket? You'll perform three hydrology experiments to answer these questions and learn about the physics of water. So come on down to the Hydro Carnival where great prizes are to be won and great science is to be discovered!


1) Lungs of Steel
2) A Sinking Feeling
3) Cloud in a Bottle Rocket

Come for the prizes or come for the thrill, but be ware...you might learn something!

E7833: Natural Biomaterials for Tissue Repair, Reconstruction, and Regeneration
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Sujata Bhatia

A new class of implantable medical materials, constructed from naturally-derived and renewably-sourced polymers, is poised to transform clinical medicine by providing materials with improved performance and versatility. Biochemical engineering and biomedical engineering, both of which fall under the broad category of biological engineering, are being brought to bear for the development of bio-based polymers as biomedical materials. Toward the goal of a sustainable bio-economy, research in biochemical engineering is increasingly devoted to the development of renewably sourced materials, such as bio-polymers and bio-composites derived from biomass and obtained from agricultural resources or microbial production. At the same time, innovators in biomedical engineering are seeking novel materials for implantable medical devices which will be optimally compatible with the human body. Such optimized materials will have properties of biocompatibility and mechanical tunability that maximize the clinical benefits of the implant. A natural intersect exists between these two areas of emerging research: naturally sourced polymers may be ideal for the design of new biomedical devices, as such polymers can effectively interface with human cells and tissues. Moreover, naturally-derived polymers can allow developing nations to join in the biomedical revolution in ways that were not previously possible. Bio-based polymers can empower developing countries to leverage their own agricultural capabilities to enter the biomedical revolution. This class will discuss the evolving field of bio-based polymers as biomedical implants, and describe examples of success stories in wound closure, tissue repair, and tissue regeneration. The class will describe several specific examples of bio-based materials for biomedical applications from our work. Students will brainstorm potential applications of natural biopolymers for medical applications.


Prerequisites
An understanding of high school biology and chemistry is helpful.

E7796: Applications of Trolling in Society
Difficulty: ****

In this class we will study the applications of trolling in social engineering, as well as mathematical modeling of such behavior. Topics will include Internet Transfer Functions and Discrete Internet Psychology


Prerequisites
Advanced Calculus, Thermodynamics, AP Carpentry, AP Engrish

E7565: Static Equilibrium Full!
Difficulty: ***

Learn about static equilibrium and impress your friends.

Do objects deform and move when a force is applied? Do the objects produce a reaction force?

If these questions interest you, come learn how to solve for these unknowns in any system that is currently at rest.


Prerequisites
physics mechanics, algebra 2

E7998: One Way to Mars Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Bruce Mackenzie

Would you go to Mars, if there was no way to come back to Earth?

A major reason to explore Mars is to plan to live there, so why not just set up a settlement on the first trip?
Note, Mars has every chemical element needed to grow food and live.
And, much of the risk and cost of a trip to Mars is the return trip back to Earth.

This is a general presentation of a possible mission plan to send just a couple
of people to Mars, planning to stay many years, without really knowing if a
return rocket will be available.
This plan is a 'work in progress'.  I would like to hear your opinions and ideas
to improve the mission plan.  (If you want to see a more polished
plan, attend the other class on “How to Live on Mars “.)

E7696: How to land on the Moon: Getting out of Earth
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Brode-Roger

Rocket science!! How do rockets work? What are the challenges? How does it not explode?
First part of the "How to land on the Moon" course. Both parts are independent from each other.

E7699: How to land on the Moon: Getting to the Moon, and back
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Brode-Roger

What path should we take to get on the Moon? How do we land there? How do we get out of there? How to get back to Earth?
Second part of the "How to land on the Moon" course. Both parts are independent from each other.

E7994: Social Robotics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sabrina Shemet

What are social robots? Why do they matter? How do we build robots that can interact naturally with people? In this class we'll attempt to demonstrate answers to these questions, and more!

E8045: Dynamic Fluids! Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Leslie McClain

The human body is more than 60 percent water! A focus of Biological Engineering is the study of fluid behavior. This course will explain and demo some basics methods used in this discipline including microfluidic devices and polymer synthesis.

E7991: 3D Printers for Mars Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Bruce Mackenzie

New 3D printers may change the way we manufacture things, allowing us to make objects at home, which might otherwise be made in a factory and shipped to us.

To live on Mars, we should be able to make construction materials from the resources found on Mars, even make plastic ‘from thin air’ (the only kind of air Mars has), and then use a 3D printer to make most any shaped plastic object we need.

The Mars Foundation will be demonstrating and testing a 3D printer at a Mars Habitat in Hawaii. We are also planning a museum activity/exhibit which will show how to print yourself a house (well, maybe just the furniture) on Mars. Note, we will not be running a 3D printer during class, nor teach you CAD, that cannot be done in the time available.

E7472: How lithium-ion batteries (in your iPhone, laptop) work
Difficulty: **

If you have a smart phone (iPhone, Galaxy) or a laptop, you have certainly said this at least once: "My battery is dead." But, do you know why? Lithium-ion batteries are in our smart phones, our laptops, and are now in electric vehicles. Come learn about how they work, why they are so exciting, and what the future holds for lithium-ion batteries.

Without lithium-ion batteries, our smart phones and laptops would not even last for as long as they currently do. Can you imagine that?? And current electric vehicles would not even exist!!


Prerequisites
Some knowledge of chemistry would be helpful (ions, electrons, positive charge...)

E7970: Cluster Ballooning
Difficulty: *

As it so happens, helium is lighter than air, which is quite useful. Cluster ballooning is the use of multiple balloons tethered to yourself to leave the familiar terra firma and grace the sky like Up's Carl Fredericksen. You won't get to fly yourself, but you'll learn how to from someone who has. Also featuring: the physics of buoyancy.

E7419: Complex Numbers and Applications
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Rishi Patel

Ever seen this formula, and wonder why it's useful?

$$ e^{i\theta} = cos\theta + i sin\theta$$


Come and learn about the incredible role of complex numbers in applied mathematics. The class will teach about the basic properties of complex numbers assuming almost zero prior knowledge about them. It will cover basic applications in science and engineering.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with basic trigonometry is a plus.

E7952: Heat, Work, and Energy
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Ian Martin

An engineering-based introduction to thermodynamics and heat transfer. Learn how we use the basic principles of heat and work to generate electricity, power cars, and fly airplanes.


Prerequisites
Good algebra background and decent knowledge of chemistry, some calculus helpful.

E7549: Uncool Computing: The SQL Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Ruth Byers

… where SQL (“Structured Query Language” if you must) is pronounced “sequel.”

Learn about SQL injection, a tactic for getting unauthorized data (read: “credit card numbers and passwords”) through standard user interfaces (read: “by typing stuff into web forms”). We’ll talk about the technical details of how the exploit works and how websites defend against it.


Prerequisites
You should have used some sort of computer programming language before, even briefly.

E7913: Modern Rapid Fabrication
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Michael Skuhersky

Suppose you designed some cool 3D model and wanted to hold it in your hand. Or say you are making a prototype of a product you want to bring to market, but you don't want to make an entire assembly line for it! The most visible solution is FDM 3D printing, but this has plenty of limitations. We will take a look at the history of rapid fabrication techniques, the wide range of current methods and their limitations, and options being developed for the future.

E7646: Biological Warfare: Theory and Applications
Difficulty: **

Do you think the world is overpopulated? Are humans a blight upon the surface of the earth?

Come learn how to solve all of these problems, and many more!

E7783: Physical Security
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.

E7964: Engineering Mechanics Full!
Difficulty: ***

The world is interesting in that it is full of stuff. The materials you interact with everyday respond to forces, stresses and pressures in a variety of ways. And we aim to teach you about it! We'll cover the physics of elastic materials, then make a foray into plasticity, viscoplasticity and how materials fracture.


Prerequisites
Physics

E7406: MIT in Microgravity
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Henna Jethani

A few of us actually experienced microgravity this summer! We were WEIGHTLESS and testing an experiment for NASA. If you're interested in finding out about our experiences and learning about microgravity, then this is the class for you!

E8081: How to Build an Audio Amplifier Full!
Difficulty: **

This class will start from the ground with resistors and voltage sources and work its way up to how to build a basic audio amplifier. During the last part of the class, every student will make their own small amplifier to take home.

E7474: Steampunk 101 Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: E Rosser

Greetings, illustrious ladies and distinguished gentlemen! In this class, rather than Gluing Some Gears On It And Calling It Steampunk, we shall be venturing into the realm of cogs and gears, levers and steam, Victorian aesthetics and sci-fi re-imaginings in order to truly understand this unique visual style, from the engineering basics up. Learn about steam technology and motion transfer, then try your hand at designing an original Steampunk device and character. Showcase your creations during our Gentlepeople's Expositionary Tea of Discovery. Join us in a rousing 'Huzzah!' for neo-Victorianan SCIENCE!


Prerequisites
An enthusiasm for kinetics, a stalwart imagination, and an indefatigable sense of adventure!

E7642: Auto Mechanics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ian Martin

Learn about the engineering that goes into your everyday automobile! Will cover basic principles of heat engines, powertrains and transmissions, and braking technology.

E7809: How to Use a Slide Rule
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Shaymus Hudson

Back in the day when things were more hardcore, you couldn’t find an engineer or scientist 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. You'll learn about the history of the slide rule, as well as basic and maybe a few advanced calculations. If you already have one, you're more than welcome to bring it!


Prerequisites
A basic understanding of logarithms and trigonometry is a must.

E7926: Automobile Crash Testing: The Basic Physics and Technologies
Difficulty: **

Automobile crash testing remains one of the most critical components to certify the safety of a vehicle in accordance with with National and corporate safety requirements. Crash tests also remain one of the flashiest and most adrenaline pumping examples of test engineering in industry. Learn the basic physics of automobile collisions, the tech that is used to collect data during tests, basic knowledge of federal requirements, and watch videos of crushing metal and glorious destruction.


Prerequisites
Basic understanding of physics

E7883: But can we make it smaller?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Anubhav Sinha

This class will explain some of the principles of manufacturing things that are really, really, really small. How do you make a silicon processor? or a solar cell? Or an accelerometer? Or a laser?


Prerequisites
A basic class in physics will probably be helpful.

E7467: Engineering Polymers Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Rachel Davis

Explore the wonderful world of polymers. Why are straws so bendy? What happens when you light a water bottle on fire? How can you alter plastic polymers to have the properties that you want them to have? Come learn about how polymers work and why they are essential to our everyday lives.


Prerequisites
One basic chemistry course

E7445: Ships in the Sky: History and Technology of the Airship
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Celina Walker

Marvel at one of the grandest examples of early aviation: the airship. We'll be covering the history and technology involved in lighter-than-air craft and how it's being revisited in today's aircraft designs.

E8009: Physics of Spaceflight (with Kerbal Space Program)
Difficulty: **

Do you want to go to space?! Come learn how to do it, and practice your skills.

You will learn the basic physics principles behind rocket launching and orbiting, including:
- Gravity
- Rocket Physics
- Orbital Physics

You will apply these principles to build the best launch vehicle to get into orbit. We will be using the game Kerbal Space Program. From the game's official website at kerbalspaceprogram.com: "KSP is a game where the players create and manage their own space program. Build spacecraft, fly them, and try to help the Kerbals to fulfill their ultimate mission of conquering space."


Prerequisites
No physics background is necessary, but some familiarity with forces might be beneficial.

E7525: Rocket Science! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Matthew Vernacchia

Learn the fundamentals of rocket propulsion with the MIT Rocket Team. We will talk though the engineering considerations behind large space-launch vehicles, and also go over a few principles relevant to model rocketry.

E7954: Build a robot! Full!
Difficulty: **

Come learn the basics of circuits and build a small robot! Learn how to wire up LEDs and motors, using a switch and a breadboard! You'll be designing your own robot, so, if you'd like, come with ideas and/or small recyclables.


Prerequisites
*No* prior experience with circuits! This class is targeted at students with no experience; you won't get very much out of this class if you've already done this before.

E7588: Fixing the World through Engineering
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Anthony McHugh

How to design and implement an engineering project for the developing world!

E7942: Fun with Electronics
Difficulty: **

This will be hands-on workshop on basic electronics. Students will work with power supply, LEDs, switches, buzzers, motors and micro-controller. The course will conclude with a final project.

E7641: Immunobioengineering: Applying Nanomedicine to Immunology
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Pranam Chatterjee

Immunology has evolved into one of the most powerful and applicable fields of basic science, as evidenced by an emerging number of immunological therapeutics, including those for cancer and HIV/AIDS. Still, there is an need for increased specificity and sophistication in modulating the immune response to better fight and ultimately cure these diseases. In this class, we will first introduce the basic principles and fundamentals of immunology, and later examine the role that engineering, particularly biomaterials, can play in accomplishing this goal.


Prerequisites
General Biology, Chemistry, and/or Physics

E7780: Engineering for International Development
Difficulty: **

Learn about engineering technology for the developing world. Teams will build and test salt-water batteries, as well as other technologies.

E7812: 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.

E8063: How To Make Smoke Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: James Allen

Learn how to make colored potassium nitrate smoke.


Lunch

[ Return to Category List ]

L8089: Lunch Period
Difficulty: None
Teachers:

Enjoy a break for lunch with your friends! Please register for at least one lunch period on each day of the program.

L8090: Lunch Period
Difficulty: None
Teachers:

Enjoy a break for lunch with your friends! Please register for at least one lunch period on each day of the program.


Mathematics

[ Return to Category List ]

M7490: quadratic reciprocity Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Xinke Guo-Xue

Suppose you want to find if a number is a square modulo p. That is, does $$x^2=a \pmod p$$ have a solution? It turns out there is something called quadratic reciprocity that helps to characterize when this equation has a solution.

This class will quickly teach you the facts needed to understand quadratic reciprocity and present an easy-to-remember elementary proof of it.


Prerequisites
should be comfortable with modular arithmetic

M7609: The Number Orange Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Rebecca Gallivan

Wondering what in the world a Number Orange is? Come and find out as we explore a different way of looking at numbers and why zero is really infinity's evil twin.

M7499: Basics of RSA Encryption Full!
Difficulty: **

Learn about the basic theory behind a widely used cryptographic algorithm that allows transfer of information securely and conveniently between two parties!


Prerequisites
Essentially none, but knowing what prime numbers and modular arithmetic are would be a plus.

M7556: Counting Curves and Quantum Cohomology Full!
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: David Yang

There is 1 line through 2 points. There is 1 conic through 5 points. There is 1 conic tangent to 5 lines. Boring, huh? How many conics are tangent to 5 conics? (3264.) If you have a degree three polynomial in three dimensional space and you look at the surface where it's zero, how many lines lie on this surface? (27.)

We will solve these problems and then explain how this is related to something called "quantum cohomology."


Prerequisites
There are not going to be a lot of formal prerequisites (despite the intimidating name). On the other hand, the geometry will get very very difficult, but you will not need to know anything beforehand to understand it.

M8066: Modular Arithmetic and different bases
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Joshua Frisch

What is the last digit of $$17^{2013}$$? what about $$7^{7^{2013}}$$? why are $$1000^{2011}-1000$$ and $$2010!+1$$ multiples of 2011 and what do these facts have to do with each other? Finally, what does all of this have to do with cryptography, the internet, and how computers work on a basic level?
We will answer as many of these questions as we can in the space of two hours using the powerful tool of modular arithmetic.


Prerequisites
Algebra 2 is strongly recommended. A willingness to deal with challenging mathematics is required.

M7388: Complex Numbers: Math That Will Freak You Out (at least a little bit)
Difficulty: **
Teachers: John Gregg

I promise this math will freak you out at least a bit. We will explore the existence or non-existence of nonsensical things called complex numbers, or less scarily, imaginary numbers (aren’t they all?). We will end up deep, deep inside a certain blob called the Mandelbrot set, which is made of these “imaginary” numbers.


Prerequisites
algebra: basic polynomials

M7427: May the Odds be Ever in Your Favor
Difficulty: **

Have you ever wanted to learn how to rip off your friends (completely legitimately)? This class will teach you the mathematics behind becoming rich and powerful (okay, maybe it won't do quite that). But it will lay down the mathematical foundation that you will need so that you can challenge your friends to bets in which the odds be ever in your favor. During this course, we'll expose you to discrete math tools including probability, expected value, counting, and more through fun and interactive demos. We'll show you cool mathematical tricks that you can use to impress your friends (and maybe make a few bucks in the process).


Prerequisites
Basic probability knowledge helpful

M7789: Winning Ways for Your Mathematical Plays Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Semon Rezchikov

One of the themes running through modern mathematics is that by looking at the formal, algebraic structure in the objects we intuitively perceive, we can find powerful, beautiful, and *very weird* abstractions that solve huge classes of problems.

However, mathematics often lacks a sense of humor. Luckily, combinatorial game theory was developed by a bunch of punsters and jokers. It'll be a wild ride.

We'll start by playing with matchsticks, start thinking about games with uncountably many turns and moves that have a "temperature", and end by constructing the "surreal numbers", which include infinitely small numbers and infinitely large numbers and are fascinating from the standpoint of mathematical logic. In the process, we will learn how to win every impartial game, find out that all games are just heaps of sticks, use words like "nimbers" in complete seriousness, learn a lot about what games *are*, and see what happens when playful mathematicians decide to play some mathematical games.


Prerequisites
a playful mind, a sense of humor, and comfort with mathematical reasoning

M7751: An Introduction to Group Theory
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Anthony Wang

We introduce the basic theory of groups. Groups are fundamental structures which occur all throughout mathematics. We hope to get through the definition, group actions, subgroups, cosets, group homomorphisms, group isomorphisms, conjugation, product groups, quotient groups, and simple groups, illustrating concepts with examples throughout.

M7438: Linear Logic
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Jason Gross

It's a well-known fact of logic that if from $$P$$ you can get $$Q$$, then from $$P$$ you can also get $$Q$$ and $$Q$$.* So since you can get two dimes and a nickel from a quarter, you can get two dimes and a nickel and two dimes and a nickel from a single quarter.

Come to learn about linear logic, which is a version of logic which doesn't claim that you can get infinite amounts of money from a quarter.


*For example, since $$n = 2$$ implies that $$n = 1 + 1$$ then, $$n = 2$$ implies that $$n = 1 + 1$$ and also $$n = 1 + 1$$.


Prerequisites
You should know about truth tables, and the "and", "or", "not", and "implies" logical connectives.

M7574: Conic sections extravaganza
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Xinke Guo-Xue

Ever wondered why cutting a cone (the one that extends infinitely outwards in two direction) with a plane gives you parabola, hyperbola, or ellipse when another standard definition of these 3 conics deal with loci of points? Come to this class to find out why these two definitions are equivalent and possibly learn more fun/interesting facts about conics!


Prerequisites
none, but some familiarity with conics is helpful

M7801: P vs NP in O(1) Time
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Yuchen Fu

The goal of this course is to show you a possibility to earn a million dollars.

Now that I've hopefully gotten your attention, let me explain it in detail. Listed as one of the seven millennium prize problems by the Clay Institute, the P vs. NP problem is a very young (about 50 years, which is young in the math world) open problem that has been recognized by most computer scientists as a central question in theoretical computer science--in fact, some people would argue that it is THE ultimate question in the entirety of mathematics. In informal terms, it asks:

Is verifying an answer to any question harder than solving the question itself?

Indeed, so naturally simple is the question that it frustrated many brilliant scientists--include Richard Feynman--that the question is even an open one. But it is. And, after five decades of failed attempts, most mathematicians have now reached the consensus that we are far, far away from seeing even a faintest glimmer of a solution--or that of the million-dollar prize.

So why is the P vs NP problem so hard? And what have we achieved in the past half a century, if not a solution? What lies ahead? These are among the many questions that we'll try to investigate in this class.

Within the two hours that we have, we'll take a quick tour through the history of this problem, starting from Turing's genius ideas of the 1930s and ending with some research frontier discoveries of the 2010s. Along the way, we'll also see some of the impact of P vs NP on physics, "pure" mathematics and even popular culture.

Of course, the class will involve a heavy load of abstract reasoning; moreover, many of the theorems are simply impossible to mathematically simplify (aka "dumb down"), so we'll use some mathematics that you probably never heard of. But don't be intimidated: as long as you enjoy math and love discovering the unknown, you'll find this class a truly enjoyable one.

So, ready to hop in?


Prerequisites
No previous knowledge in complexity theory will be assumed. Some exposure to general discrete mathematics (e.g. logic, graph theory, elementary number theory) will be helpful, but is not absolutely necessary. Ability to survive mathematical proofs is kind of necessary as the course is a theoretical one.

M7403: Game Theory 101
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Benjamin Shaya

Explore the basics of game theory! Play and analyze game such as the "Prisoner's Dilemma" and "Tragedy of the Commons"

M7816: 2x2 = 4: The Hard Way
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Ziv Scully

We're going to prove this deep and insightful theorem using the most abstractly nonsensical mathematical sledgehammer of them all: category theory!

Category theory is when we draw letters on the board and then draw arrows between them such that certain nice things are true. Seems mostly harmless, doesn't it? Perhaps, but some point we'll need to prove that multiplication distributes over addition without accidentally proving that addition distributes over multiplication, too. This turns out to be pretty difficult :).


Prerequisites
You should know that a function is a map between sets. If you read a bit of the Function (mathematics) article on Wikipedia, you'll be fine.

M7987: The Shape of Space Full!
Difficulty: ***

The Earth seems flat at any given point, but it's actually (approximately) spherical, and if you keep walking in a certain direction for long enough, you'd end up where you started. But how can we tell whether the entire universe is curved, and whether it folds back in on itself? (What does that even mean?) What would it be like if the Earth were shaped like a donut or Moebius strip? Does Euclidean geometry apply on the surface of a sphere, or do we need a new system of geometry?

We'll discuss answers to these questions, and even play some familiar games (tic-tac-toe, chess) on some unfamiliar surfaces (tori, Klein bottles).


Prerequisites
Recommended for students with little to no exposure to topology or differential geometry. (If you don't know the answers to the above questions, then this is a good class for you!)

M7534: Automata and Languages
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Josh Alman

Come learn about the fundamentals of finite automata! These are interesting in their own right, and also have applications to languages - both computer languages, and the languages people speak. These will also be a bunch of fun puzzles!


Prerequisites
No knowledge of anything required!

M7893: Curved Spaces - An Introduction to Surface Topology
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Lars Johnson

Come play tic-tac-toe on a bagel (edible torus) and learn about the fascinating topic of surface topology - the study of two dimensional surfaces. We will learn about how we create, transform, and classify surfaces as well as several applications. Although we will briefly mention some technical aspects, the focus of this class will be in developing an intuition for the fundamentals through interactive activities and computer simulations.


Prerequisites
Geometry, Ability to visualize in 3D - for instance bending a strip of paper to form a mobius strip.

M7873: Learn To Count
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Kayla Meduna

Come dive into the wonderful world of combinatorics. We will calculate how many different ways you can win at poker, pick a dozen donuts, and order a pizza. Impress your friends by telling them how many different permutations of their name you can make.

M7555: Quivers
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: David Yang

A quiver is one of the most accessible objects which have an interesting "representation theory". A quiver is just a graph where each edge has a direction. Imagine that you have a vector space for each vertex (if you don't know what a vector space is, you'll be taught) and a map for each edge. What happens????


Prerequisites
Linear algebra (or really, just knowing what a vector space is) will be helpful but not required. Representation theory will be helpful but definitely not required.

M7669: Coloring and Invariance
Difficulty: **
Teachers: John Ma

Want to prove problems by coloring things? No matter what happens in class, one thing will stay the same: you will learn some cool problem solving techniques and problems!


Prerequisites
Thinking

M8059: The Shape of Logic: Topology in Logic and Computation
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Raeez Lorgat

Topology is the study of shape and space. Traditionally, topological study begins with the study of geometric spaces that we can easily picture, such as 3-dimensional flat euclidean space (our perceived world). It then covers more abstract geometric and set-theoretic topics, like connectedness, the number of holes, and finiteness, before arriving at a theory of an abstract topological space.

In this class, we take topology in a totally different direction: motivated by questions in computer science, we will build a 'topological' understanding of logic via the theory of semi-decidability, ultimately arriving at a geometric understanding of logic and computation.

For us, we will see that a topology will capture an essential computational notion: "open sets are semi decidable properties". The theory, developed from this perspective, will produce results applicable to understanding traditional abstract topology, domain theory, first order logic, decidability theory in computer science and modern algebraic geometry.

No previous exposure to domain theory, topology or formal logic needed.


Prerequisites
Some exposure to programming and/or theoretical computer science would be helpful, but not required.

M7553: Avoid Ancient Greek monsters by INVENTING NEW NUMBERS
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Colin Aitken

In ancient Greek mythology, the Sphinx was a terrible monster who would ask passing travellers difficult number theory problems. Fortunately, Oedipus defeated the Sphinx when he INVENTED NEW NUMBERS OUT OF THIN AIR.

Let's follow in his footsteps to protect ourselves from certain doom! Along the way we'll meet some abstract algebra, some algebraic number theory, and prove some nifty things about ordinary integers.

(Example Sphinx questions include finding all integers $$n,k$$ with $$n^7 + 7 = k^2$$ or all primes of the form $$a^2 + 3b^2$$.)


Prerequisites
Familiarity with basic modular arithmetic

M7943: Modern Cryptography
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Alex Cole

Want to send a message without the NSA reading it? And then digitally sign it? And then have some 3rd party perform an arbitrary computation on it without revealing any information about the message? Then this class is for you.

This class will start out with the basics of symmetric and asymmetric cryptography and then continue onto some cutting edge topics like fully-homomorphic encryption and functional encryption.


Prerequisites
This will be a hard class. You should definitely know number theory (what "mod" means), and general experience in proofs and theoretical math will be helpful. Also knowledge of algorithms and hash functions would be swell.

M7437: Counting Past Infinity with Ordinal Arithmetic Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jason Gross

Did you ever have arguments about whether or not $$\infty + 1 = \infty$$? Have you ever wondered how to define numbers, rigorously? Come learn how to count past infinity, graphically! We'll then go over the formal definition of numbers as sets, and talk a little bit about ordinal arithmetic.


Prerequisites
You should know how to count. You should know what sets are, and how to take the union of two sets and the intersection of two sets.

M7327: Don't Tell A Rocket Scientist It Isn't Rocket Science: Probability Theory, Bayesian Logic and other Fun Stuff
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Riley Drake

We live in a world of random chance. Thankfully, the mathematical foundations behind probability are beautiful and satisfying. Learn how how Bayes Theorem really works, and how it can change your life. No, actually. Life. Changing. Math.


Prerequisites
Some experience with statistics, should know what random variables, stochastic processes and events are-- or google this beforehand

M7431: Conceptual Calculus
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Aaron Dunbrack

Learn what it means to take the limit, the derivative, or the integral! Also learn how to apply these concepts in some pretty cool ways. Note: this class will be almost entirely conceptual - very few actual derivatives will be taken, although some of the more interesting ones may be used.


Prerequisites
Understand basic algebraic manipulations. Familiarity with polynomial functions, exponentials and trigonometry will help with understanding examples, but are not required for basic understanding.

M7773: Infinity and You
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Daniel Epelbaum

I bet someone at some point told you that 2 times infinity equals infinity. And then your brain hurt a little bit.

And maybe now you know that that isn't quite true and if you just don't think about it everything will be okay. If an answer to "how do $$2*\infty = \infty$$?" is something that you would really like, then come take this class. In not a lot of time we will introduce the concept of infinity and show how reasoning about infinity leads to huge implications about the foundations of mathematics.

If you like learning a lot of really cool higher math in not a lot of time then this is the class for you.


Prerequisites
Your brain.

M7533: Cryptography Role Play Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Josh Alman, Timothy Chu

Crypto isn't just for computers! In this class, we'll try to tell each other secrets while our classmate (and nemesis) Eve listens in.

M7635: Harmonic Conjugates
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: John Ma

Harmonic conjugates are a really cool technique you can use in geometry problems.


Prerequisites
Geometry knowledge (similar triangles), some trig knowledge (law of sines)

M7492: Modeling Markets with Math: Intro to Theoretical Microeconomics
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Christopher Natoli

Fact: Resources are scarce. How will humans behave given this fact? How can society maximize their well-being? Economics tries to answer these two questions by modeling human preferences with math and then optimizing their preferences.

This class will quickly cover the important concepts in consumer-side microeconomics to illustrate how economic theory works, its successes, and its shortcomings. Note that this will not be your typical high school economics class with supply and demand graphs.


Prerequisites
You must be comfortable with taking derivatives and using derivatives to find the maximum of a function. There will be a lot of math.

M7716: Re-Envisioning Games
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Zandra Vinegar

Have you ever wanted to remake Chutes and Ladders, War (the card game) or Candy Land so that they're fun again, even now that you understand how strategies work and why those three games don't have any? In this workshop, you might choose to do exactly this: to take a game that is entirely random, and give it mechanics so that there is some new kind of awesome strategy.

Or you might choose to do the opposite: take a game that is entirely strategic, and add a bit of randomness to it to complicate both the strategy and the emotional thrill of the game.

In either case, this will be an introduction to game design and game prototyping. And, of course, there will be plenty of game playing.

M7745: Complex Number in Plane Geometry
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Yibo Gao

It is an introduction to the use of complex numbers in proofs of plane geometry, a pragmatic method in high school math competitions. The course will also include some practices.

M7436: Thinking Categorically and the Curry-Howard Isomorphism
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Jason Gross

Did you know that logic and set theory are, in some sense, the same thing? Did you know that proofs and programs are, in some sense the same thing? Come learn about category theory, a beautiful and abstract mathematical language which is useful for unifying various areas of math.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with truth tables and logical connectives (and, or, not, implication), functions, and sets.

M8067: The computability hierarchy
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Joshua Frisch

Imagine you had a computer with unlimited time and unlimited memory, a genius capable of writing brilliant programs. While you would be able to solve all sorts of problems with this machine, perhaps surprisingly, there would be some simple problems that, no matter how smart you are, you wouldn't be able to solve. Even if you could solve those problems there are yet more difficult problems you couldn't solve. In this class we will discuss computability theory, the field which studies these questions and has links with fields as diverse as math, computer science and linguistics.


Prerequisites
Exceptional mathematical maturity is a must, including knowledge of logic, proof by contradiction, and induction. Although calculus is not necessary for the subject matter, knowledge about the sizes of infinite sets will come in handy. Similarly, although not required, basic programming knowledge would be useful.

M7595: String Theory** Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sachi Hashimoto

Let's say you want to hang a picture in your room, and you are worried that the 2,000 fans you bought last week to create the wind tunnel in your room will blow it off the wall, so you want to hang it very securely. You start by wrapping string around some nails in a complicated fashion. You are sure it will be super-duper secure, because you wrapped it around three nails a lot of times. Your mother, angry about the electricity bills from running all your fans, comes over and pulls one of your nails out of the wall ... and your picture comes crashing to the ground! Actually, no matter which nail she removes, it falls! What happened?

In this class, you'll be playing with string to solve puzzles like this one, and we'll explore fundamental groups, homology, and monotone boolean functions.



**NOT actual string theory. The theory of strings. If you want actual physics-y 11 dimensional string theory, this is not the right class.

M7906: The Mathematics of Love
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Grace Zhang

Love doesn't make sense.

Or does it?

Ever wished to find logic and pattern in this oh so mushy slushy mess called feelings? Be confused no further! Turns out love and happiness are mathematically analyzable - after all, to beat the system, you have to first learn it.


Prerequisites
Basic understanding of calculus (derivatives and integrals)

M7580: Cryptography: Who are Alice, Bob, and Eve, anyway?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Marcus Boorstin

Cryptography (the study of codes) is REALLY cool: it blends together math, logic, and problem solving (code breaking is fun!). We’ll discuss, use, and break simple historical ciphers like Caesar, Vigenere, and Playfair. We’ll take an in-depth look at the Enigma, and then the math and technology that broke it. Finally, we’ll examine modern computer encryption such as RSA and elliptic curve cryptography.


Prerequisites
No firm requirements; a bit of mathematical sophistication might be helpful.

M7889: INTEGARLS Full!
Difficulty: ***

Come learn about INTEGARLS like those found in the MIT Integration Bee! We'll be teaching a number of cool integration tricks, like crazy tangents and swingy-swingy.


Prerequisites
You should know calculus, enough to know what a u-substitution in an integral is.

M7586: Intro to Applied Statistics: Doing an Experiment - Correctly!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Akshara Thejaswi

How do scientists put together those endless reports with all those crazy graphs that no one can read and those calculations that don't mean anything?

No, they actually mean something.

Let me show you how they do it! Learn how to run an experiment from start to finish (the right way), minimize your error, maximize your validity, and publish your findings (the right way)!

Well, I guess this is just basically your AP Stats course condensed into two hours and one PowerPoint presentation.

Come, anyway.


Prerequisites
None, except maybe an appreciation for nice PowerPoints and pun-related "humor."

M7441: Homotopy Type Theory Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Jason Gross

What does it mean for two things to be equal? What does this have to do with string and the foundations of mathematics? Come to this class to find out!

In the past few years, type theory has emerged as a possible replacement for set theory as a foundation of mathematics. Homotopy type theory is an exciting new way to base math on homotopy theory, in the setting of type theory.

During the first hour, we'll talk about paths between points, and paths between paths, and I'll teach about the basics of homotopy theory. During the second hour, I'll explain how equality and isomorphism can be taken to be the same thing, and how equality looks a lot like paths, when you define it the right way.


Prerequisites
It will be helpful to know what it means for a function to be continuous, what I mean by "the closed interval [0, 1]".

M7448: Big Numbers Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: David Lerner

In this class, we study big numbers, including the biggest number ever used in a formal math paper. Just how big? Bigger than yo momma. But really, how big? Too big to write down, if you put a digit on every particle in the universe. As is the number of digits. As is the number of digits in the number of digits. And ditto if you wrote 'the number of digits in' once per particle in the universe....

And then we learn how to go much, much bigger.

M7985: Separating the signal from the noise
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Abby Noyce

Statistics is the science of finding reliable patterns in big messy piles of data. Are guys better than girls at math? Do biology majors earn more money after graduating? Do Splash students come from larger families than the national average? This class will talk about techniques to answer all of these questions - and more!

M7910: Infinite Sums Made Finite: Divergent Summation
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Patrick Ledwith

An infinite number of mathematicians walk into a bar. The first one says, "I'll have 1 pint of beer." The second says, "I'll have 2 pints of beer." The third says, "I'll have 3 pints of beer." The fourth says, "I'll have 4 pints of beer." The bartender looks at them, says, "Aw, the heck with all of you!" and pours 1/12 of a pint back into the barrel.

Get it? because 1+2+3+4+...=-1/12?
We'll be exploring sums like these and how to apply them to find real forces on real objects with quantum field theory.


Prerequisites
High school algebra is the only bare prerequisite, but if you have an understanding of convergent infinite summation (1+1/2+1/4...=2) it will help tremendously.

M8030: Bizarre Paradoxes in Statistics Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Daniel Schwartz

Did you know that most people's friends are more popular than they are? That in a classroom of 23 students, there's a 50% chance that two share a birthday? That it's easy to make a (false) statistical argument that smoking cigarettes will increase your life expectancy?

In this class, we'll explore a bunch of powerful paradoxes in statistics and think about situations where our common intuitions about data fail spectacularly.


Prerequisites
Curiosity! (Being comfortable with math/stats is nice, but totally not necessary).

M8021: Graph theory
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: David Rolnick

This course will present a rapid introduction to graph theory, a rich and fascinating branch of mathematics that has applications to many other fields, such as computer science and biology. We’ll start with the definition of a graph, discuss fundamental concepts like bipartite graphs, cliques, and colorings, and then use these tools to examine important problems of graph theory, including random walks, percolation, and Ramsey numbers.


Prerequisites
Some experience with mathematical problem-solving and proofs.

M7774: Attack of the Killer Rabbits: Why does this polynomial only output Fibonacci Numbers?
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Colin Aitken

One day you buy a pair of rabbits. (Not realizing, of course, that these are killer rabbits). As rabbits are prone to do, this pair grows up and then breeds and suddenly you have more rabbits. As you may know, the number of pairs of rabbits follows the Fibonacci Sequence: 1,1,2,3,5,8, and so on.

Then weird things start happening, and you find the equation $$2y^4x + y^3x^2 - 2y^2x^3 - y^5 - yx^4 + 2y$$ etched into the rabbit cage. Weirder still, you try plugging integers into this equation, and notice that when the output is positive, it always seems to be a Fibonacci number. You don't know if explaining why will stop the impending Rabbitpocalypse, but you don't really have any other hope so you'd better come to this class and find out!


Prerequisites
High school algebra.

M7890: Infinitely Many Proofs of Infinitely Many Primes! Full!
Difficulty: ***

How many primes are there? INFINITELY MANY! How many different ways can you prove that? INFINITELY MANY! Unfortunately, Splash isn’t infinitely long, so we’ll only have time to cover $$\infty - 1$$ ways.


Prerequisites
Previous exposure to basic proof methods will prove helpful.

M7912: Become Fluent in Hex!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Betsy Riley

Who needs to do their math homework in base 10 when they can do it in base 16? Why limit yourself to the usual alphabet when you can use numbers to write poems for your English class?

M7974: Kicking Serious Butt with the TI-83+: A Guide to Lists
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Danny Ben-David

Come on, I know you have one. Maybe it’s the TI-84+ instead, maybe it’s the Silver Edition™—I don’t care. Their plastic casings and ridiculous prices oh-so-carefully conceal a more powerful number cruncher than you ever originally thought.

In this class you will learn how to:
- churn through repetitive equations with blistering speed
- save buttloads of time (an accepted SI unit of time) on the Math SATs
- store useful data sets on your calculator long-term
- intro TI-BASIC programming to automate your calculations further


Prerequisites
You should bring your own TI-83+/TI-84+ if you want to follow along. (TI-89/TI-NSPIRE won’t probably work for this class, sorry; they run with different processors and are thus incompatible.) If you don’t bring your calculator to MIT, don’t worry: you can make a quick new friend and share with them.

M7728: Constructing the real numbers
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Linh Nguyen

You use real numbers every day. But what are real numbers, really?

In this class, we will look at real numbers from a very different way. Going back the history, we shall see two ways to construct real numbers from integers, due to the earnest effort by Cauchy and Dedekind, which become the standard treatment for students who are about to explore the rigor and beauty of math. I hope this should be a fun and challenging class for you!


Prerequisites
Familiarity with algebraic manipulation, set theory, proof writing/understanding, and pre calculus. Expect a good amount of abstraction and non-intuitive concepts.

M8096: Epsilons and Deltas
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Daniel Zaharopol

So, what's a continuous function? Maybe you've heard that it's a function you can draw without lifting your pencil off the paper. Well, that definition is nonsense. It's nice for intuition, but it doesn't let you think about what continuity means, or how to prove anything about it.

The first real definition of a continuous function that you'd see as a math major is the epsilon-delta definition. This is finally a chance to work with continuous functions, to understand exactly what they can and can't do, and to prove a lot about what's going on underneath the hood.


Prerequisites
This will be a challenging math class. It's a class for people who really like to think deeply about things, who are good at following abstract arguments, and who don't mind being a little bit lost sometimes. Choose it at your own risk!

M7629: Crocheting on the Hyperbolic Plane Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: lisa willey

We will use crocheting skills to demonstrate non-euclidean geometry and the hyperbolic plane. Students who sign up for this class should view this video on "how to crochet" so that they are a little prepared for diving right into a project! Hyperbolic crocheting can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History as a crocheted coral reef.


Prerequisites
Viewing and practicing basic crochet skills on this video <http://learntocrochet.lionbrand.com/>

M7464: Mad Hatter Mathematics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Zandra Vinegar

There is math. Like no math in school. And proofs full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive them, you need to be as mad as a hatter!


Prerequisites
Come prepared for logic that doesn’t make any sense.

M7750: Counting Domino Tilings and the Pfaffian Method
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Yuzhou Gu

How many ways are there to tile a n x m rectangular board with dominos? For n=2, the answer is the Fibonacci number. (Try to prove this!) What about when n=3? What about larger n's? This seems hard to approach.
In this class, you will learn how to completely solve this problem and a more general class of problems using the Pfaffian method.


Prerequisites
Knowledge of matrix and determinant will be helpful. Knowledge of graph theory will be helpful, but not required.

M8025: Information. Computation, and provability
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Joshua Frisch

In early 1930s Godel proved two shocking theorems, firstly that there are true mathematical statements which can not be proven and secondly, that you can never prove your axiom system consistent. 30 years later Kolmogorov introduced a notion of how "complex" a number which allows 1000000000000000000000000000000000000 to be seen as less complex then 239340934238409238490237432480 despite being longer. We will use this idea in order to prove the first two incompleteness theorems and, on the way give shocking some shockingly unprovable problems, in particular we will describe a property satisfied by over 99.9999% which it's impossible to prove any particular number satisfies.


Prerequisites
You should be very comfortable with difficult, abstract mathematics and in particular absolutely must know what mathematical proof is. Knowing what a turing machine is would be very helpful but is not absolutely necessary if you are willing to take some things on faith.

M7535: Integers!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Josh Alman

Say I give you a sequence of numbers, defined by $$ x_1 = x_2 = x_3 = x_4 = 1 $$ and $$ x_n = \frac{x_{n-1} x_{n-2} + x_{n-2}^2}{x_{n-4}} $$ for $$ n \geq 5 $$. A priori, this is a sequence of rational numbers, since we divide by an earlier term at each step. But, if we compute the terms, they turn out to all be integers!

Come learn about sequences that don't seem like they should consist of integers, but do.


Prerequisites
High School Algebra

M7758: How Not To Be Eaten By Dragons (by playing games) Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Jonathan Tidor

You heard tales of a far off land occupied by dragons that would challenge their victim to a game for their life. It was a game of skill and intellect involving taking coins from various piles of loot. If you won, you got to keep the treasure, but if you lost, the dragon would eat you.

You traveled to this far off land in search off treasure, but found that the tales lied. Instead of this mythical game, they made you do something completely different. Involving queens or sheep or something? What strangeness is this?

Come to this class to learn how to beat dragons at every game they could possibly think of so they don't eat you!


Prerequisites
This class has no formal prerequisites, but prepared for it to go rather fast at some times.

M7814: Unrelated Math Things That Are Too Short To Be Separate Classes
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Benjamin Cosman

Might include:

- A short 'proof' of Godel's Incompleteness Theorems
- An application of the Buckingham-Pi Theorem to right triangles
- A proof using wires and resistors of a standard inequality
- The number of bears it takes to catch you in a circular arena
- The number of bears it takes to catch you on the Sierpinski Triangle
- Whatever else I come up with and have time for

M7356: The Birthday problem and Applications to Encryption
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Amy Prager

A statement of and solution to the birthday problem is presented as well as its application to modern cryptography


Prerequisites
Familiarity with factorials

M7884: Introduction to Theoretical Computer Science Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Bianca Homberg

Computers are powerful, sure. But can they compute anything you want them to? Is there anything computers absolutely can’t figure out, no matter what? The answer here is yes—computers are not omnipotent.

In this class, we’ll prove mathematically that despite whatever clever algorithms people can come up with, there will always be problems that are impossible for a computer to solve. We’ll look at few examples, including the Halting Problem. Along the way, we’ll encounter and investigate a variety of theoretical constructs which compute: deterministic finite automata (DFA’s), pushdown automata, context free grammars, and Turing Machines. We'll also explore what kinds of problems these can solve--and prove which ones are more powerful.


Prerequisites
Some amount of mathematical maturity--e.g., have seen proofs by contradiction before.

M8010: Euclidean Geometry
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: David Rolnick

We will present a whirlwind tour of olympiad-style Euclidean geometry. Topics covered shall include cyclic quadrilaterals, power of a point, triangle centers, and spiral similarity, as well as more specific results such as the Theorems of Napoleon, Pascal, and Miquel. Problems will be solved in class.


Prerequisites
Students must be comfortable working with geometric concepts such as angles, parallel lines, and similar triangles. Knowledge of basic trigonometry may be helpful but is not required.

M7456: Math is Awesome!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Jonathan Tidor

Did you know that math is really really awesome? Come to this class to hear about the coolest and most ridiculous facts in mathematics, from fairies and multiplying bunnies to dragons that eat ridiculously strange infinite series!


Prerequisites
Nothing but a willingness to listen to cool math! If you know what a complex number was, it will make the class more understandable, but that's not necessary.

M7394: The Craziest Math Class East of the Mississippi Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ziv Scully

Sometimes people ask me, "Why is math fun?" This class is why. Here are some things we might do:

-Describe a computer program that is impossible to write.

-Show that there are different sizes of infinity by playing a game.

-Save infinitely many monkeys from an evil wizard using some tricky set theory.

-Prove the awkwardly-named "hairy ball theorem", which says that it's impossible to perfectly comb a hairy ball.

-Run out of time :).


Prerequisites
Willingness to ask questions when confused.

M8097: Metric Spaces
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Daniel Zaharopol

One of the most beautiful things that mathematics can do is take an idea and generalize it. Take addition and generalize it: you get group theory. Take the idea of maps and generalize it: you get graph theory. Take the idea of distance and generalize it: you get metric spaces.

Metric spaces are just collections of points where there's a consistent notion of distance. Our own world is a metric space. But take that idea and generalize it and you get an incredible theory that introduces many other kinds of spaces. By studying these spaces, we learn more about what distance really means, and we can prove general results that apply to many different kinds of spaces. We'll also get a first introduction to topology, an even more general study of different kinds of spaces.


Prerequisites
This will be a very abstract math class. We will move at a fast pace and you must be ready for it! You should be the sort of person who really enjoys that kind of challenge, or who already has experience with a theorem-proof style of class. Epsilons and Deltas will be a very nice lead-in to this course, and they will overlap a bit in material. You'll get a lot out of taking both, and it will make this class easier to follow.

M7992: The Art of Computation
Difficulty: **
Teachers: MINH TUE VO THANH

The Art of Computation will introduce students to simple notions of numerical algorithms - how to calculate and solve fundamental equations by crunching numbers :) only basic arithmetic are needed


Prerequisites
Basic Knowledge of Algebra and Arithmetics

M7390: The Banach-Tarski Paradox: Speed Run!
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Ziv Scully

Have you ever found yourself with a sphere, a very sharp knife and an Axiom of Choice when all you wanted was a second sphere? Have you ever wondered why everyone's favorite anagram of "Banach-Tarski" is "Banach-Tarski Banach-Tarski"? Come learn about and prove this surprising theorem: a ball can be split into a finite number of pieces that can be rearranged to make two copies of the original ball!

We're covering a few hours' worth of material in 50 minutes, so if that's your idea of fun, then this class is for you!


Prerequisites
A certain degree of mathematical maturity. For example, you should understand the difference between countably infinite and uncountably infinite sets. If you've seen a bit of group theory it will come in handy.

M7364: Problems We Will Never Solve Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Chelsea Voss

Many problems are "uncomputable" -- we will never be able to write a computer program that can solve them.

Ludicrous!, you say. Crazy! Never? That can't be true!

But it's true. And I'll prove it to you.

Come learn the lore of uncomputability, of Turing machines, and of code that loops forever. We will explore the limit of the mathematically possible.

M7634: Miquel's Point and Cyclic Quadrilaterals
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: John Ma

This class will explore the Miquel point, whose configuration come up in a lot of geometry questions. Also it's just really cool.


Prerequisites
Basic geometry knowledge (similar triangles, circles). Knowing what cyclic quadrilaterals are is helpful but not required.

M7557: Quadratic Forms
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: David Yang

A quadratic form is just a degree 2 polynomial (in more than one variable). What interesting things can you say about these? Well...

M7402: Propositional Calculus and Godel's Theorem
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Zachary Neely

Have you ever wondered if two plus two is really equal to four? Or if addition is really commutative?

Have you ever wondered what "proving" something really means? Why a series of lines on paper mean that something is "true" - whatever that means?

Have you ever wondered, "How do math?" "What math mean?" "Do math work?"

This class will answer all those questions and more - and then prove that the whole solution is completely wrong and could never, ever, possibly be right.

Please Note: You will not use anything useful from this class, unless you become a theoretical mathematician.


Prerequisites
High School Algebra; Geometry is a co-requisite (you can either be in the class now or have completed it).

M7478: Uncanny Appearances of Sierpinski's Triangle
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Zandra Vinegar

The hairs on the back of your neck stand on end... It's there - you can see it - sometimes cloudy, as if in a fog, but no! It's a swarm! and the swarm forms... you cannot believe it. But wait, again, not one, but infinitely many overlayed in beautiful pattern... it rises from the predictable, and from randomness... it is: SIERPINSKI'S TRIANGLE. No, really, it's freaking ridiculous where you can find this infinitely-triangular-fractal, and the description above isn't exaggerating at all. Pascal's got nothing on this thing.

M7673: Linear Algebra for Reluctant Physics Students
Difficulty: ***

You’re a student of physics. You may know all about the four fundamental forces, but do you know all about the four fundamental subspaces? Why should you even care about the nullspace of a matrix, or its transpose? Why should you care if a matrix is positive definite, or if it is Hermitian? It is just some pretty math-y stuff that doesn’t really have much physical sense. Right? Totally wrong! Linear algebra is not only indeed pretty, but also super powerful. Come learn about how matrices and linear algebra are used to solve ordinary differential equations in physics, diffusion problems, wave equations, and finite and infinite dynamical systems.


Prerequisites
Calculus, willingness to learn linear algebra or previous exposure to it is welcome but not at all required :)

M7457: How Not to Not Kill a Hydra
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Ziv Scully

Suppose Hercules sets out to battle a Hydra. Hercules knows that if he plans out the battle and chops the heads off in the right order, victory is assured. However, this time Hercules is short on cash, so he's planning to throw the battle as part of a lucrative betting scandal.

But the math is not on Hercules's side! It turns out that no matter how terribly Hercules tries to fight, he's guaranteed to kill the Hydra in a finite amount of time! We'll prove this and show how it's related to the fact that a sequence (called a Goodstein sequence) whose first three terms are 42, 22 trillion, and 10^154 eventually settles 0.


Prerequisites
Be comfortable manipulating polynomials. Be ready to think carefully about infinity.

M8041: Fractals: the Infinite Frontier
Difficulty: **

Fractals...you know what they look like, but do you have any idea what they really are?

Come join us to find out how a coastline could be of infinite length, a shape can be log(3) dimensional, and infinite cats can turn into...well, I won't spoil it for you, but I promise it's awesome.

M7572: Extreme Math Full!
Difficulty: ****

This class is mostly an excuse for us (the teachers) to watch you (the students) flail while you try to solve tricky math problems on the spot.

This is how it will work. We will give you a math problem, and you’ll have to immediately present a solution on the black-board. You’ll have up to eight minutes to present your proof, but you need to continuously be presenting. Then our panel of judges will award you a score based on how correct, confusing, and amusing your solution was. There may or may not be teams, depending on how many students we get.


Prerequisites
The problems we'll give you will probably be at an easy Olympiad level. At a bare minimum, you should be comfortable writing/coming up with proofs; preferably, you're a USAMO qualifier or at least feel comfortable solving Olympiad-level problems. Also, if you're extremely shy, you probably won't enjoy this that much.

M7408: The Mathematics of SET
Difficulty: **

What does visualizing lines in 4D space, ridiculously hard counting problems, and making people think you have ESP have in common? They all have to do with the game SET!

SET is an awesome card game of visual perception and pattern matching with even more awesome math behind it! Come to this class prepared to have fun playing SET and to work with others to figure out some of the awesome combinatorics and geometry involved in the game.


Prerequisites
If you don't know how to play SET, learning beforehand would be a good idea. You can learn here http://multiplayerset.com/ or come to the related walk-in.

M7542: Idempotents: Forever Squared
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Andrew Geng

$$6^2 = 3\boxed{6}$$
$$76^2 = 57\boxed{76}$$
$$376^2 = 141\boxed{376}$$
Can you find more numbers like this?
Is there a limit to how long they can get?
Can you find any which end in 5 instead?
Can you do this in base 2? Base 12?

In our quest to answer these questions, we’ll get a little glimpse of a kind of math known as "ring theory". (What does this silliness have to do with rings anyway?)


Prerequisites
We’re going to make up new numbers and the methods for adding and multiplying them out of thin air. If you’re not okay with that, maybe this class isn’t for you.

M7395: Calculate Pi with Trains!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Ziv Scully

It turns out that you can calculate pi to very high accuracy by bouncing a small train and a big train into a wall. Come on a journey through Freshman Physics Land (where there's no friction and all collisions are perfectly elastic) to see how it works!


Prerequisites
You should know what the law of cosines, conservation of momentum, and conservation of energy are.

M7432: Multivariable/Vector Calculus Full!
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Aaron Dunbrack

Learn what comes after "regular" calculus. We'll start with vector fields, partial derivatives and multiple integrals and end with an explanation of the gradient, divergence, curl, flux and curvature. Warning: This class will be very fast-paced and it will be likely (expected, in fact) that many things you will feel like you fully understand in-class and then be unable to go back you out of class.


Prerequisites
Know what a vector is. Know single-variable calculus, at the very least conceptually, either through my earlier course or through your own knowledge - i.e., know what a limit is, what a derivative is, and what an integral is. A knowledge of matrices would be ideal, but for our purposes matrices will just be tools and won't be required for understanding, so you don't necessarily need them.

M8071: Young Tableaux
Difficulty: **

Young Tableaux are a ubiquitous combinatorial object. They arise in the theory of symmetric functions, representation theory, and more! Come learn all about them.

M8082: How to write a proof
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Corinn Herrick

Sick of those boring 2-column proofs you learned in Geometry? Come step into the world of induction and contradiction. We will discuss basic proof methods through a survey of classical proofs, including the irrationality of $$\sqrt{2}$$, the pythagorean theorem, and the infinitude of primes.


Prerequisites
You should know basic algebra (If you can solve $$x^2+2x+1=0$$, you should be fine). If you've already seen proof by induction or contradiction, you won't learn very much from this class.

M7749: The Sylvester-Gallai's Theorem
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Zipei Nie

The following beautiful result in the area of combinatorial geometry was established at the end of the 19th century:

Given $$n$$ non-colinear points in the plane. A line that contains exactly two of the set of points is called an "ordinary line". The Sylvester-Gallai's Theorem claims that there exists at least one ordinary line.

We will give several proofs to this theorem and investigate some more advanced cases:

Can we develop a fast algorithm (deterministic or randomized) to find an "ordinary line"?

Can we give a better lower bound for the number of ordinary lines? (At least $$3$$? At least $$\sqrt{n}$$? At least $$c n$$ for some constant $$c$$?)

What if we replace the "lines" by "formal lines"? Namely, we may only use the axioms such as "there exists a unique formal line passing through two points" and "there exists at most one point passing through two formal lines"?

What if we replace the "lines" by "pseudolines"? Namely now we may use those two axioms and that "pseudolines" are "actual" smooth curves and cross each other "properly"? In this case we may give an "order structure" for the points on a "pseudoline". Will things be different?


Prerequisites
It's not going to be an easy course, but we will prove everything we need in class. We only expect you to have a decent math background in general and can enjoy this heavily proof-based math course.

M7920: Partial Differential Equations
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Benjamin Horowitz

Partial Differential Equations are really fun and really cool. It is basically ordinary (single variable) differential equations, but BETTER! In this little class we will talk briefly about the main methods of solving partial differential equations. We will also talk about boundary value problems and finally solve “the heat equation” using Fourier Series and separation of variables.


Prerequisites
Comfort with single variable calculus is a must. Ordinary differential equations and multivariable calculus would be useful, but aren't required.

M7393: #winning
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ziv Scully

Do you like winning? I like winning. In particular, I like games where I can figure out a winning strategy with a little bit of logical thinking. We'll eventually find that lots of games can be nicely analyzed by thinking of them as numbers. Then something really weird happens: we can go the other way. Numbers, it turns out, can be thought of as games!

M7886: Ask anything about math! Full!

Come ask all the math questions you've been dying to have answered to a panel of MIT math majors! We'll answer anything from conceptual questions (what are Lagrange multipliers?) to computational questions (how do I compute this integral?) to philosophical questions (what is math?)!

We'll have teachers studying all areas of math, so hopefully we can answer any (reasonable) questions you throw at us.


Prerequisites
Come with questions!

M7813: Voting Theory
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Benjamin Cosman

In the standard "Plurality" voting system, we ignore a lot of useful information by only asking voters to pick their favorite candidate. In this class we will compare the other voting systems that become possible if voters supply more information.


Prerequisites
None. This class may have little to offer if you are also taking "Demockracy" (M7391) or are familiar with the most common systems and criteria in this table: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_system_criterion#Compliance_of_selected_systems_.28table.29

M7821: P-adic Numbers
Difficulty: **
Teachers: David Corwin

When you were little, you learned about the counting numbers, 1, 2, 3, …. Eventually you learned about a new kind of number, the negative numbers, and then you learned about an even larger class of numbers, called rational numbers. Finally, you began to discover irrational numbers like $\sqrt{2}$ and $\pi$ and realize that the rational numbers live in the much larger world of real numbers, consisting of everything on the number line.

What we’ll discover is that there’s a completely different kind of number, called a $p$-adic number. The rational numbers are all $p$-adic numbers, but it turns out that $p$-adic numbers are a completely different way of extending the rational number system than the real numbers! $P$-adic numbers arise when we try to make sense of expressions of the form $...999$, going infinitely far to the *left* instead of the the right. Come and learn about this strange new universe.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with different bases (i.e. base 10, base 2) and some basic modular arithmetic. You can also attend "M8066: Modular Arithmetic and different bases" on Saturday morning.

M7871: Computability and Logic
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Daniel Epelbaum

Even as the first computers were being constructed mathematicians were trying to figure out the power and the limitations of these promising new machines. Even with very simple models about how computers work there are startling conclusions to be made about math and logic leading to a proof of Godel's Incompleteness Theorem, which itself completely changed how people viewed logic. If you want to know more about how the limitations of computers affect the foundations of math itself, then you should take this class.

M7760: How Not To Be Eaten By Dragons (by playing games (even when they cheat))
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Jonathan Tidor

Say you really want to beat dragons at games and take all their loot. Unfortunately, when you come upon the specific variety of game playing dragons that will give away their loot when they lose instead of just eating you, you find out that while these dragons will play nice when they lose, they only play unfair games, stacking the odds in their favor.

Come to this class to learn how to beat dragons at their own games, even when they have completely unfair rules!


Prerequisites
It will be helpful, though not 100% necessary if you come to the first class in this series: How Not To Be Eaten By Dragons (by playing games) or know how to win Nim and other impartial combinatorial games. In addition, be prepared for this class to move rather fast at some times.

M7676: Combinatorial Identities with Involutions
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Anderson Wang

An involution is a function that is its own inverse.

In this class, you'll learn how to apply involutions to prove cool identities involving Pascal's triangle, Fibonacci numbers, and more, purely using combinatorial arguments!


Prerequisites
You should know what a binomial coefficient is, as well as sigma notation for sums.

M7742: Fun with Group Theory
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Yoa Clifton

Ever wonder how Cee Lo Green chose his stage name? Well, prepare to be amazed by the Sylow theorems! Background in Group Theory is not required since we will be building up the theory before heading to the main results.


Prerequisites
Some comfort level with proofs

M7882: Abstract Nonsense: categories and connections in math Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Taylor Sutton

We'll at how similar very different areas of higher mathematics can be, and to do this we'll look at a type of math called category theory, also called abstract nonsense (not kidding). As examples we'll compare a few fields of study: simple things, algebraic things, and geometric things.


Prerequisites
This will be a fairly abstract and somewhat fast math class, so be ready for that. Other than that, no prereqs, but if you happen to know a little about group theory, topology, or set theory it'd be helpful.

M8038: The games people play
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Joshua Frisch

Presidential elections, the price of tea in china, and poker, despite their initial dissimilarities are all intimately related. The common bond, the extremely important mathematical field known as game theory. In this class we will discuss what game theory is, how it relates to our world, and give lots of examples of games which show up in the real world on an astoundingly regular basis. If you want to know why nuclear disarmament, pollution, and buying overpriced entrees at dinner are all basically the same problem, this class is for you.


Prerequisites
Algebra 2 is strongly recommended, Completion of Algebra 1 is required.

M7704: Quickly Solving Integrals Using Complex Numbers: How Not to Get Eaten By Dragons
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Colin Aitken

Let's say you're sitting around, and a dragon comes up and threatens to eat you unless you tell him the integral from 0 to infinity of 1/(x^4 + 1)

You sit down, and begin trying every possible u-substitution you can think of, but nothing seems to work and you give up.

Right before being eaten, you think to yourself "What if there was a super fast way to answer this using complex numbers so I wouldn't have to be eaten by this dragon?"

Fortunately, you attended this class and so, with seconds to spare, you yell out "PI DIVIDED BY TWICE THE SQUARE ROOT OF TWO", and the dragon leaves you alone and you also get like a bazillion dollars because that's what happens when you vanquish dragons from kingdoms.

Come to this class to see really fast, nifty ways of doing weird integrals and to avoid being eaten by dragons!


Prerequisites
Calculus, familiarity with complex numbers

M7455: The Ear and the Uncertainty Principle
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Allan Sadun

If I play you a note, can you tell me when I played it and what note it was? On the one hand, even if you have infinite time and resources, there’s a mathematical limit to how accurately you can do that. On the other hand, scientists found in February that human hearing is better than that limit.

In this class, we'll explore sound waves. We’ll play that game a little bit, then prove (or at least explain) why the limit exists. We’ll learn what a “basis” and the “Fourier transform” are, and explain one of the more famous aspects of quantum mechanics - the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Then, if we have time, we’ll look at how we think our ears are able to cheat.


Prerequisites
You should know what a sine wave is and what increasing its frequency would do to its shape.

M7972: Impenetrable Secrets
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jayson Lynch

How can we ensure that two people must send in the command to launch a nuclear weapon? Or how can a corporation restrict access to their proprietary data when a majority of the board members agree?

Is it possible to prove to someone you know a password without telling them what that password is?

We will be exploring solutions to these situations in the form of zero-knowledge proofs, secret sharing, and other ideas from modern cryptography


Prerequisites
Algebra 1

M7824: Calculus Minus Math Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Michael Pappas

Calculus is an incredible branch of math with tons of relationships to real-life processes and ideas. Many students, however, are terrified of it because of the difficulty of the math. It turns out, though, that they are separable - we can teach you why calculus is important and how it works, all while keeping the math to an absolute minimum!


Prerequisites
Common sense and logic are more important than any math background. Students should have some basic familiarity with 2-dimensional graphs, though.

M7391: Demockracy
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Ziv Scully

Having a fair election with two candidates is pretty simple: everyone votes for their favorite candidate and whoever gets the most votes wins. However, as anyone who was around for the presidential elections in 2000 (or 1912... or 1860) will tell you, things get complicated with three or more candidates. It's sometimes the case that you should vote for a candidate you think is likely to win instead of a fringe candidate you agree with more. We can think of different voting systems that try to get around this and other problems, but as we'll explore in class, no voting system avoids all potential flaws. You might ask: is there a "perfect" voting system out there?

Actually, it turns out there is one. It's called a dictatorship. And unless you have an infinite number of voters, no other system is "perfect". Come find out why!


Prerequisites
If you know how to prove there are infinitely many primes, you're definitely ready. Even if you can't, just come ready to think hard about voting :).

M7624: How to Become a Mathemagician: Mental Calculations and Math Magic
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Adam Gleitman

How can you memorize the order of a random deck of cards? How can you add up a list of numbers faster than you can enter them into a calculator? How can you use minimal information to determine a secret number?

In this class, education meets entertainment as I perform a variety of mathematical magic tricks and explain how they work. Take this class and learn how to amaze your friends!


Prerequisites
You should be comfortable with basic algebra. We will cover a variety of mathematical topics, including probability, basic number theory, and basic graph theory. Don't worry if you don't know all of these; I don't assume any prior knowledge of "advanced" concepts and I will keep things as simple as possible.

M7529: Crash course on Linear Algebra with Applications
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Brian Zhang

It is often to solve math problems in a number of ways. Many times, some ways are efficient than others. For example, we can express linear systems as vectors and matrices, which have properties that we can exploit. Rather than solving for x, y, z, etc., taking the RREF (Reduced Row Echelon form) of a matrix can systematically reveal whether a system of linear equations has a unique solution. Representation of a solid such as a parallelepiped (A prism whose 6 faces are parallelograms) as three different vectors v1, v2, and v3 along the different edges of the parallelepiped, can be used to quickly evaluate the volume of that parallelepiped. However, these are only two basic applications. Linear Algebra creates many shortcuts that we will be exploring in this class.


Prerequisites
Algebra. Geometry and Precalc useful for visualization but unnecessary for simply doing the math.

M7693: Introduction to graph theory
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Lane Gunderman

Ever tried those 'draw this image without picking up your pencil or crossing lines' challenges? This course will give you the rudiments to understanding, verifying, and completing such challenges. This course will be very relaxed on the formalities of graph theory, but focus more on terminology and determining eulerian paths in planar connected graphs, perhaps discussing famous problems related to planar graph theory such as The Traveling Salesmen problem.


Prerequisites
At least a light familiarity with geometry and algebra.

M7757: Olympiad Math Problem Solving
Difficulty: ***

This class will not be like your average high school math class. We will explore topics that include algebra, number theory, combinatorics, and geometry. The problems will range from advanced to math olymipad level and might include one or two International Math Olympiad problems.


Prerequisites
Interested in math problems

M7759: Multivariable Calculus
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Jonathan Warneke

Do you live in a one dimensional world? If we did, you couldn't read this, so we don't. So single-variable calculus won't always do; we need multivariable calculus. Upgrade your symbols repertoire from $$ \frac{df}{dx} $$ to $$ \nabla f = \left\langle \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}, \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}, \frac{\partial f}{\partial z} \right\rangle $$ and $$ \int_a^b f(x) \, dx $$ to $$ \oint_{\partial S} \mathbf{F} \cdot d\mathbf{r} = \iint_S (\nabla \times \mathbf{F}) \, d\mathbf{S} $$, while learning how to use ALL of the fundamental tools of multivar in under hours!


Prerequisites
The basics of single-variable calculus. Review the intuition and formal definitions of the derivative, the Riemann integral, and vectors!

M7762: Mathematics and social justice Full!
Difficulty: *

Come learn how math has a role to play in social and economic justice issues! We will talk about wealth inequality, racism, how the media and politicians can make numbers say anything, and what we can do about it... Please note that this will be an interactive class in which we will discuss problems and solutions together and/or in small teams!

M7859: Superhuman Integration Techniques
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Andre Kessler

How can you determine the exact value of $$\int_{0}^{\pi/2} \sqrt{\sin{\theta}} \, d \theta$$ or $$\int_0^1 \ln^2{x} \ln^2{(1-x)} \, dx$$ by hand? What about $$ \int_0^{\infty} e^{-x^2} \ln{x} \, dx$$ or other similar integrals? The answer lies in series expansions and some really wacky special functions. We will go from infinite product expansions of entire functions to the Gamma function, and learn how this can be applied to things you didn't know you could integrate. Learn to evaluate stuff that doesn't even appear to converge -- and how to beat your computer to it! Along the way, you'll find out what sorts of implications the Riemann hypothesis has for the prime numbers, why $$1+2+3+4+5+\cdots = -1/12$$, what the volume of an n-dimensional hypersphere is, and how to get rid of infinity when you need him out of your calculations.


Prerequisites
Knowledge of calculus, experience with series, and love of math!

M8060: How to Computer: An intro to calculus and numerical analysis
Difficulty: **

I'll introduce you to some ideas from calculus: the limit, integration, differentiation, optimization, and maybe the fundamental theorem of calculus.

$$ \lim_{x\rightarrow \infty}, \frac{\textrm{d}}{\textrm{d}x}, \int\!\textrm{d}x $$

I'll introduce you to julia, a scientific computing language being developed at MIT. It's free and readily available, which means you can use it to do cool stuff after Splash.

You'll learn the basics of computations with arrays, functions, and plotting.
This should all be stuff that you can use for your math classes back at home.

I'll introduce you to numerical analysis, especially root finding, approximating integrals, approximating derivatives, and optimization.
We'll discuss simple numerical procedures for the above problems (euler's method, Simpson's rule, Newton's method, etc.). Maybe we can outline a couple more advanced techniques.
Hopefully you will feel the raw power of the computer.

I am a physics guy at heart, so if we get done with these things, maybe we'll do some cool examples related to physics.
Let's see ... maybe some cool chaotic systems? maybe some quantum mechanics?


Prerequisites
you should be decent at algebra be comfortable with the idea of a function and graphing NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY in programming or calculus


[Deprecated] Performing Arts

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P7840: Chemiluminescence and glowsticking! The art of glowsticking...
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sebastian Templet

Want to learn how some basic dance moves with glowsticks? Want to learn the science behind the glowstick? You'll learn what's going on inside of a glowstick to make it glow and also some dance moves to go with it. Introductory poi techniques with glowsticks will also be taught.

P7615: Cross Step Waltz
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Katarina Dutton

Come do some Cross-Step Waltz! Full Description to be entered later.

P7953: Introductions to 20th Century Classical Music
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Yaning Zhang

Come learn about and listen to the fantastic classical music of the 20th century! Selections from Shostakovich, Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Bernstein, Copland, and more!

P7925: Art of Improv Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Rahat Bathija

Learn the basics for Improv. We'll do some beginner exercises, play some Whose Line Is It Anyway?? games, and just fan some fun.

P7915: Impromptu Speaking Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Kate Rudolph

Quick! You have two minutes to think about the topic I choose--and then you have to give a six-minute speech!

We'll talk about why this is a useful skill to have, and then learn how to work within this framework to write and present an interesting, organized speech under incredible time pressure. Finally, you'll try it out yourself!

P7880: Dance With MIT Bhangra!
Difficulty: **

Break a sweat while having a blast learning exciting modern Bhangra dance moves with MIT's Bhangra Dance Team! Bhangra refers to several types of dance originating from the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. This high-energy dance combines elements of hip hop and North Indian folk dance.

No previous dance experience required!

P7701: Fuse them: Bollywood meets Classical Dance
Difficulty: **

Come learn the basics of Bollywood dance and Classical Indian dance in this fusion workshop. Bollywood is the biggest film industry in the world; now it is your chance to learn the dance that defines the movies! In this class you will learn some basic moves including footwork, spins, facial expressions, and hand movements. The final product will be a complete dance to some great, upbeat music! Please come in comfortable clothes that you can move in, and bring a water bottle!

P7834: Latin Ballroom Dancing
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Brian Solomon

Come learn a bit of Latin ballroom dancing! Latin ballroom dancing is a set of partner dances that is danced both socially and competitively around the world.

The classes will focus on two different dances and are geared towards complete beginners. Comfortable clothing and shoes are recommended.

P7756: Intro to Breakdancing I
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Michael Sun

This course will go over the three core constituents of any breakdancing performance: toprock, which will include the four basic moves in toprock and some basic floor transitions, footwork, which will include basic 6-step, cc's, and coffee grinders, and the five basic freezes: baby, handglide, turtle, shoulder, and chair. If time permits, we will go over some basic series of moves and try them firsthand in a cipher.

P7781: Breakdancing 101 Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Matan Kushner

We will cover the basics of breakdancing, including basic toprock, downrock, transitions, freezes and then we'll use all that we've learned to make a routine.


Prerequisites
No prior knowledge, pants (not shorts), running shoes and energy.

P7672: Cead Mile Failte: An Introduction to Irish Dance
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Kathryn Buggs

Everybody's Irish on St. Patrick's Day (and during SPLASH)! Come learn a little bit about the origins and evolution of Irish dance, a few handy Gaelic words, the difference between a jig and a reel, and more! We will learn a beginner jig, a few ceili figures, and perhaps a bit of hornpipe or treble reel.

P7522: Juggling 101 Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ian Chesser

Brought to you by the campus renowned student juggling club, we will teach you all things juggling- balls, rings, clubs, diabolos, devil sticks, unicycles, you name it! Come learn how to juggle with some of MIT's finest jongleurs. No experience necessary!

P7583: Swing Swing Swing! Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Kate Tatar, Yen Yeh

Come learn how to swing dance!

Experience not required!

Wear comfortable shoes and bring a water bottle... swing is an energetic and fun partner dance. Traditionally set to jazz music, but we'll be dancing to some modern pop songs too.

P7995: Spontaneous 5-Minute Classes on Whatever You Want
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Anna Ho, David Rolnick

You choose the title, we improvise a 5-minute lesson on it! Bring your wackiest topic suggestions, and watch us embarrass ourselves as we teach you about them on the spur of the moment.

P7573: Sassy Hip Hop Workshop!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Clarissa Towle

Learn how to WORK IT! We'll learn some super fun, loose choreography to a ballin' song. Topics covered: body rolling, droppin' it low, hips that don't lie, the dougie, whipping yo' hair, &more.

P7680: Learning communications skills using basic theatre games
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Tughral Turab Ali

Learn about how you communicate verbally and non verbally using your entire body, by having some fun with theatre games! Meant for people with no or little background in theatre who just want to improve their communication skills and be silly while they are at it :) bring a sense of humor!


Prerequisites
None. Open to everyone.

P7338: Irish Ceili Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Louis Wasserman

Come learn to do Irish ceili dancing! Ceili is done both socially and as a performance dance; it's high energy and lots of fun.

We’ll be starting from the very beginning, so no experience is needed, but come ready to dance; wear comfortable shoes and clothing and bring a water bottle if you can.

Experienced ceili dancers are welcome, but will probably not learn anything new.

P7659: Improv Comedy: Embracing Failure Full!
Difficulty: *

Failure is a key component of improv: it launches us in new, awesome directions! This class introduces the basics of improv, with an emphasis on embracing failure.

P7990: Vocal Poetry
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Angela Acevedo

Vocal poetry is written to be heard, not just read. If you have a lot of feelings, this class is for YOU. Come for humor! Come for tragedy! Come to explore your depths as a person--or not. Whatever your motivation, your voice is yours and I can promise a safe space for all voices to be heard. No experience with poetry or performance needed--there will be plenty of example videos, a shortish talk and many, many prompts--as well as time for performances of original poetry.

Also snacks, because I love me some food.


Prerequisites
A commitment to creating a safe, respectful space for anyone to say anything their beating hearts desire.

P7617: Cross Step Waltz: Extended Edition!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Katarina Dutton

Come do some Cross-Step Waltz!

(This will be a beginner level course, but over a longer timeframe to try and allow for A) more social dancing amongst participants, and B) more steps being taught)


Prerequisites
None

P8033: Splash Concert Choir
Difficulty: **

Do you like to sing? Want to learn more about singing? We'll do some fun rounds and fugues, some folk song call-and-response, and then we'll try out a famous classical choral piece.


Prerequisites
Ability to read sheet music is a plus, but not required.

P7723: Dance with Lions! (Not real ones, unfortunately.)
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Lealia Xiong

The MIT Lion Dance lions need new friends! Come say hello and learn how to dance like a lion.

Lion dance is a traditional form of Chinese martial art and dance. It's mostly performed around the lunar new year and at celebrations.

P7835: Beginning Ukulele Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Connie Liu

Want to get all the chicks/dudes with your mad ukulele skills? Want to be youtube famous like that little Asian kid? Just want to learn how to play a cool instrument? Come do all of the above and more at this beginner's ukulele workshop. We'll go over strums, chords, and a few simple songs that you can show off to your friends and enemies alike. :)

Remember, this could be you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWc6PZhFd7s


Pop (and not-so-pop) Culture

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P7803: Carpe diem: Using Meditation to seize the day Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Robin Goldberg

Did you know that by controlling your breathing you can train yourself to be more relaxed, more energetic, more focused, more creative or more detail oriented? Would you like to cruise confidently into the SAT or College Interviews knowing that you can balance your heart and mind to face any challenge? Would you like to be able to tap into your intuition to make those big college decisions? Would you like to be able to say cool even when your friends or family members are being really annoying? Come learn Meditation techniques that you can use to get yourself in the mood for any challenge, even when you aren't in that mood to begin with. Come learn to Meditate with your eyes open anytime, anywhere.

P7372: A Quest Called Vibe
Difficulty: **
Teachers: nathaniel garcia

The status of the group act in hip hop is currently in a valley, but the truth is a group can be more than the sum of its parts. Lets examine what made hip hop acts such as The Wu Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest, and Outkast so successful and the power of a group to launch solo careers.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with The Wu Tang Clan/ Enter the 36 chambers A Tribe called Quest/ The Low End Theory Outkast/ Aquemini

P7596: BE YOURSLEF: subversive internet culture and social media Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Sebastian Denault

Social media and user-generated content represent a paradigm shift in the way that people communicate, leading to unique possibilities for self-expression and community organization. In this class we will discuss the history and implications of sites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter and look at some interesting cases of social media use, including Gary Vaynerchuck, Lil B, Steve Roggenbuck, and Horse ebooks. The goal is to have a discussion touching on the role of the individual in the modern media climate and our personal relationships with media.

P8002: Harry Potter Trivia Contest
Difficulty: ****

You better stock up on your powdered dragon claw so you can rule at this year's Harry Potter trivia contest!

Note that the most stringent anti-cheating charms have been applied to the contest. Auto-Answer Quills are banned from the hall, as are Remembralls, Detachable Cribbing Cuffs and Self-Correcting Ink.

Winning prize: the diadem of Ravenclaw!


Prerequisites
First-year students will require: 1. Three sets of plain work robes (black) 2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear 3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) 4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings) 5. Life-consuming nerdiness.

P7726: Introduction to Radio Production Full!
Difficulty: *

Learn how to make an engaging radio program! You will get to listen to some awesome clips and learn what makes them awesome. Then, you will get a chance to try your hand at editing and recording some sound.

P7959: Existentialism in Stranger than Fiction
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Tasha Schoenstein

Do you want to think about the meaning of life? Do you like good movies and yummy snacks? Do you like philosophical discussions? Come discuss Existential questions, through the lense of the movie Stranger than Fiction.


Prerequisites
None. We will watch the movie before discussing it, so no need to have seen it before!

P7887: Disney and Pixar Films Debunked
Difficulty: *

Have you ever wondered how well Disney and Pixar movies hold up to real SCIENCE? Come apply real SCIENCE to the magic of animated film and see what shenanigans ensue!

P7752: Make Your Own Games Full!
Difficulty: **

Have you ever wondered how the people who make your favorite games? Have you ever wanted to try your hand at making your own games? Do you want to know some of the basics to helping people have a loads of fun? Or do you just want to have a great time?

In this class, we'll be making games! Plain and simple..well, surprisingly not that simple. Get a taste for the art of games and have some extra fun during Splash!

P7811: Defend Your Ship: Calling All Fangirls/boys!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Karleigh Moore

Come and write argumentative essays explaining why your ship is basically canon. Johnlock? Wincest? Snarry?

Allons-y!

Share with the group your argument, and come prepared to defend your ship!


Prerequisites
Must belong to at least one fandom.

P8008: Competitive Pokemon Battling Full!
Difficulty: **

Ever wondered how to be a master of Pokemon battling? To steamroll the Elite Four without blinking? Well come here and learn how the masters compete with each other and the strategies they use - to be like no one ever was! Class will begin with a discussion of basic competitive battling strategy. Remaining time at the end will be dedicated to battling, where the group will be split in half, each half assisting one instructor in battling the other.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Pokemon battling in the video games.

P7662: A Brief History of Neopets (and/or the Online [Social] World)
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Luisa Kenausis

I played a lot of Neopets back in the day. A LOT. We can hang out and reminisce about the good old days before things like UCs, Zombie pets, and Ogrins even EXISTED.

If for some reason you don't want to listen to me talk about Neopets for an hour, I guess we can talk about the Internet at large: Omegle, chatroulette, kik, Instagram…we have friends we don't even *know* now! Like…whaaat?

If all that wasn't enough to pique your interest, there will be snacks!

P7645: Naruto Hand Seals: How to become the Master of Ninjutsu Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Minerva Zhou

Come learn how to create giant fire balls, summon animals, and create a lightning blade! Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu, Kuchiyose no Jutsu, and Chidori! With the help of Naruto, together we shall embark upon the road of becoming the masters of ninjutsu!


Prerequisites
Passion for the shinobi life!

P7560: Sabermetrics 201: Modelling Baseball Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: James Rowan

This class will explore some more advanced topics in the statistical analysis of baseball, taking a more mathematical approach.


Prerequisites
An understanding of baseball and introductory sabermetrics, especially linear weights. Linear algebra would be very helpful; knowledge of matrix multiplication is essential.

P7541: Game Show 101 Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Tana Wattanawaroon

Watching people answer questions, playing games and performing ridiculous stunts have been Americans’ pleasure for more than 80 years. Over the time, game shows have evolved quite a lot. We will explore several aspects of various game shows from ”The $64 Question” on the radio, the famous ”Come on down!” from ”The Price is Right”, the scandal of ”Twenty-One”, the reality boom of ”Survivor”, to the game show’s down time where only a couple of staples stay on air.

We will learn, we will watch, and we will play!

Game shows. Making random Americans rich since the 1920s.

P7370: Microphone Mathematics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: nathaniel garcia

A quote from the hip hop group De La Soul, it has come to be the term for skilled lyricists and their verbal acrobatics. Lets discuss some of the greats, from the era when rakim reigned to nasty nas in the area causing mass hysteria to kendrick lamar winning lyricist of the year awards left and right


Prerequisites
an interest in music listen to: Illmatic by Nas (1994)

P7667: Fact and Fiction: Game of Thrones
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Barbara Duckworth

While reading A Game of Thrones, did the obscure claims to power, devious schemes, and questionable family relationships ever seem a bit far-fetched to you? Well, betwixt the tangle of wars and weddings, there lies a grain of historical truth. G.R.R Martin’s saga resembles many real-world events, from English wars in the 15th century to ancient Egyptian practices. Come learn about the history that inspired A Song of Ice and Fire!

**SPOILER ALERT: this course will cover A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, and A Storm of Swords.**


Prerequisites
Read the first book of A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones), or have watched the HBO series

P7804: Meditation to increase Emotional Intelligence Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Robin Goldberg

Did you know that by controlling your breathing you can train yourself to be more relaxed, more energetic, more focused, more creative or more detail oriented? Did you realize that this can help you deal with annoying people? It can also help with the agony of falling in love, and the chore of falling out of love. Meditation can help you be more persuasive, more attractive, and better at sensing other people's needs. Meditation can raise your Emotional Intelligence (EQ) That's why Google has it's own in-house guru - http://www.wired.com/business/?p=82267

Come experience Meditation techniques to see for yourself why Meditation is so popular in Silicon Valley. We sit in chairs so no Lotus Pose needed.

P7371: I am a God Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: nathaniel garcia

Kanye West stirred up some controversy with his album Yeezus and his line "I am a God". This isn't the first time an artist has made such a claim. Let's explore the origins of divine claims and hip hop's acknowledged divine family Rakim Allah, God's Son Nasir Jones, and according to Vibe Magazine, Kendrick Lamar


Prerequisites
familiarity with Eric B & Rakim, Nas general interest and familiarity with hip hop culture

P7917: How to Seem Cultured Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Julia Longmate

Everything you've ever wanted to know to impress your friends and family and convince them that your education has been worth it!

P7465: Quidditch! Full!

Have you ever wanted to play Quidditch, the magical sport from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter? Well, here's your chance! We will be teaching you how to play and allow you to try out several different roles through game play.

Also, if you are interested in attempting to start Quidditch back home at your school, we will have some information that you can use to help you get started off.

* no actual flying is involved, sadly

P7475: Furoshiki: Be a Proponent for Prudent Portage!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: E Rosser

The Japanese tradition of Furoshiki begins with a cloth square and ends with making a cool package to carry just about anything! Come explore this fun and sustainable solution to shopping bags and gift wrap, learn some nifty ways to wrap up your stuff, and get a furoshiki cloth of your own to take home.

P7559: An Introduction to Sabermetrics Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: James Rowan

Baseball is full of statistics. Some are better than others. For instance, batting average doesn't reward taking walks, and RBIs depend on other batters. This class will explore the question of how we measure the value of baseball players and explain the methodology behind advanced metrics like wOBA and WAR


Prerequisites
Some knowledge of the rules of baseball would be helpful.

P7899: One Direction Infection
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Jennifer Li, Linda Liu

Join this fabuLOUIS, brilLIAM, extraordiHARRY, amaZAYN and phenomiNIALL class! Come and listen to songs from their X factor days to their new album as we make posters collages and tshirts!


Prerequisites
A love for One Direction

P8072: Intro to Tropes, or Everything You Didn't Know You Knew About Fiction Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Kathleen Guy

Like the site tvtropes.org? take this class. Like fiction in pretty much any form (tv, movies, books, plays, comics, anime)? take this class.
Like---okay yes you get it just take this class.
We'll be introducing and discussing a number of idioms, cliches, and tricks of the trade in fiction, as well as bringing up some fun examples of tropes used both well and poorly. After taking this class (and perhaps perusing the site which inspired it, the aforementioned tvtropes.org) you'll find yourself enjoying fiction a lot more as you predict the outcomes of each plot twist and character development. We'll have fun!


Prerequisites
You should probably come to this class having read, like, one book. Overachievers may read two books for a healthy preparation.

P7600: The Game Mechanics of Pokemon
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Adam Gleitman

If you want to be the very best, then you need to know how the world around you works. In this class we will cover the basics of the game mechanics of Pokemon, including finding, catching, training, breeding, and battling.

How can you find rare Pokemon more easily? How can a level 1 Pokemon defeat a level 100 Pokemon without breaking a sweat? What the heck is EV training? What secrets will Pokemon X and Y have in store for us? Take this class and find out!


Prerequisites
You should have played at least one of the Pokemon games. This class does not focus on any specific generation.

P7576: Movies vs Television
Difficulty: *

In the 21st century, especially the past few years, television has emerged as the most popular forum to tell adult stories, arguably surpassing movies in both quality and viewership. This class will investigate how and why this has come about and the specific qualities that are unique to film and tv in the 21st century.

P7602: K-Pop Attacks!! Join the Hallyu Wave~ Full!
Difficulty: *

Come join in on the fun as we listen to Korean pop music, watch dramas, and music videos. We can talk about all your favorite K-pop stars, learn some dances, and even pick up some of the Korean language! Anyone is welcome, especially if you only know Gangnam Style and want to find out more about Korea!


Prerequisites
We ask that people come with an open mind and a genuine love for new cultures and peoples.

P7628: Intro to Circular Gallifreyan Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Loren Sherman

Come learn the writing system of the Time Lords! Perfect for any whovian, or anyone who enjoys cool and unique alphabets. Also, feel free to stick around afterwards for a Q&A session with the inventor of the alphabet.


Science

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S7872: Climate Physics & Fixes: Turning Up the Heat on Global Warming
Difficulty: ***

A discussion of the science behind global warming, its likely effects, and the ways technology can help us fight it. As an introductory class, we will focus on the concepts over the mathematical details.


Prerequisites
A general interest in climate science or alternative energy.

S7823: How To Build A Lightsaber
Difficulty: **

Recently, MIT and Harvard physicists managed to get two laser beams to repel each other, just like lightsabers! Come learn about the awesome experiment that led to this creation, as well as why or why not this technology might actually lead us to making real lightsabers in the future!


Prerequisites
Intro Chemistry is highly preferred (i.e. knowledge of basic atomic structure)

S7712: Urban Ecology 101: History & Theory Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Evan Kuras

What is a city? Why do cities show up in some places and not others? Why can you find the same trees in American, Israeli, and Chilean cities? In this class we will try to answer these questions and examine the ecology of cities - from the placement of buildings to the creation of parks to the flows of people, energy, and ideas.

S7744: Pathophysiology of Epilepsy Closed!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Naureen Ghani

Epilepsy is a brain disorder characterized by multiple seizures. To understand seizures, you must first understand how the brain works. Your brain is made up of thousands and thousands of neurons. Neurons communicate with each other to process and send information. In most brains, neuron interactions are really chaotic yet orderly at the same time. You can think of it as having a friend who has a really messy room but still knows where everything in his room is. When multiple neurons misfire, there is a sudden electrical discharge in the brain, leading to a seizure.
In this class, we will discuss different types of seizures and epilepsy. And we will talk about children who live with epilepsy and how they deal with it on a daily basis.

S7523: Physics Lightning Lectures! Full!

Ever wanted to learn why neutrinos pass right through us or about the curvature of spacetime? Were you ever curious about how we use atoms to do quantum computation? Learn all of it in our series of 5 minute in our lightning lectures on popular topics in physics!


Prerequisites
Enthusiasm and interest in physics, math background equivalent to pre-calculus or higher not required but helpful.

S7790: Introduction to Neuroscience
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Vaishnavi Rao

Ever curious about how the brain works? Learn about everything from the basic unit of the brain, called the neuron, to the whole nervous system!


Prerequisites
Interest in the brain and nervous system.

S8007: Stupid human tricks and why the zombie apocalypse won’t happen Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Andrew Thompson

We’ll cover some of the more unusual examples of how the human body can be an example of exquisite functional design or completely stupid fail. From here I hope to encourage discussion and question and answer of any bodily myth, mystery, or ailment. Stomach growling. Entoptic images. Knuckle cracking. The valgus knee and how Bigfoot has to be a guy in a furry suit. Some time will be spent bashing the biological absurdity of a zombie pandemic.


Prerequisites
1. Bring questions about the human body's functions/dysfunction. 2. Leave the zombie fantasies at home.

S7725: Antibodies! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Cali Warner

Science, engineering, and the applications of the coolest of proteins.

S8028: Ice ages on Earth
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Kathryn Materna

Ice ages: why did they happen, when did they happen, and are they periodic in time? (The real ice ages, not the movies about Scrat, Sid, and company.) Come join us as we talk about the earth's climate system, all while learning some cool and powerful mathematical tools.

S7413: Introduction to Immunology
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Yimin Chen

Ever wonder what exactly happens during an immune response? We'll learn about innate/adaptive immunity and the cells and organs of the immune system. We'll then specifically focus on the development of B cells and delve into current research in the area.


Prerequisites
General biology

S7978: How Human Memory Works Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Abby Noyce

Admittedly, the truly honest answer is "Scientists don't really know." But there are a lot of snippets we do know! From the role of hippocampus structures in pattern separation and pattern completion, to the fMRI evidence for reactivation, to tips about how to study most effectively, this class will explore how the nervous system stores and accesses information.

Come prepared to talk about cells, but also to consider the computational basis of human cognition.


Prerequisites
You should have background equivalent to a year of HS biology. Programming experience is recommended but not required.

S7782: When the Body Attacks Itself: Autoimmune Diseases
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jesse Kirkpatrick

What do multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes have in common? How do small disruptions in the fine balance of immunity in the gut result in aberrant T-cell homing? What is aberrant T-cell homing? Learn all this and more as we explore one of the most mysterious classes of diseases in modern medicine. And who knows? Maybe the next breakthrough will come from one of you!

S7692: Ocean currents: what, where, when and why?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Brode-Roger

We're going to talk about the basic dynamics of the oceans. Everything from the small currents that last a few seconds or minutes to the massive planet-wide ones that go for thousands of years!

S7359: Introduction to organic chemistry
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Charles Du

Drawing organic molecules, arrow pushing, frontier molecular orbital theory, basic reaction mechanisms.


Prerequisites
general chemistry (honors, AP, IB, etc. all fine). Will assume prior knowledge of Lewis dot structures, atomic orbitals, and hybridization.

S7730: Why We Need Quantum Mechanics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ryan Normandin

Quantum mechanics is hailed as the revolutionary beginning of modern science, and is indeed the foundation behind lots of today's technology, from computers to glow sticks. Come and learn why, if it wasn't for quantum mechanics, we would all be dead.


Prerequisites
Extremely comfortable with algebra.

S7608: Crazy Creatures in the Sea Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Rebecca Gallivan

Ever wonder why octopus have green blood? Or what makes orca such a special whale? Or maybe even how that thing that looks like a rock is actually an animal that is responsible for the health of 50% of the ocean? This course will answer these questions and more as it explores the crazy creatures that call the ocean their home.

S8037: The simple harmonic oscillator ain't so simple any more
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Roger Hartman II

This course takes you from classical mechanics (where I will introduce the Lagrangian and the Hamiltonian) to Quantum Mechanics where you will learn how to solve the harmonic oscillator potential.


Prerequisites
You should know how to take a derivative and know what a dot product is

S7668: Bird Basics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Rebecca Shi

Come learn a few basics of birdwatching and how to identify backyard and other common birds! We will then go outside, weather permitting, to search for the common birds around MIT. Designed for students with no prior experience with birds, but an enthusiasm to learn.

For more experienced students who would like to learn about more detailed bird topics, please see the class "Ornithology".

S7904: Quantum Chemistry: Particle in a Box and Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Lily Chen

Quantum chemistry allows us to indirectly measure the lengths of certain molecules just by shining light at them! Take this class to learn how!

The Particle in a Box is one of the simplest model systems in quantum mechanics. We will briefly discuss the experiments leading up to the development of quantum mechanics, derive the solutions to the 1D Particle in a Box, and discuss its applications to fluorescence spectroscopy of conjugated organic molecules. If there's time at the end, I'll talk a bit about other topics in quantum/computational chemistry.


Prerequisites
Calculus (or a willingness to accept calculus-based results on faith) is required; some chemistry and physics background is helpful

S7567: DNA: What is it? Can You see it? How much do strawberries have? Full!
Difficulty: *

Learn about DNA. Extract DNA form strawberries yourself.

S7358: Fantasy Organic Chemistry Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ray Hua Wu

We know how carbon and other atoms usually behave in organic compounds, but let's pretend that reality does not apply and mathematically approach organic chemistry by extrapolation...what possibilities are there now?


Prerequisites
High school chemistry

S7714: Urban Ecology 101: Outdoor Investigation Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Evan Kuras

In this class we will explore the nature of cities, from dogs to squirrels to people to dandelions. We will go outside and try to understand what we're seeing and why it's there. Very recently, scientists discovered a new species of centipede living in Central Park. Who knows what we'll find!

S8070: Crayfish: Take It Apart! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Chelsea Voss, Shulin Ye

Dissections are a fun (and messy) way to figure out how things work!

Crayfish are adorable arthropods, and relatives to shrimps and lobsters. Though they are also animals, their anatomy is vastly different from a human’s. A crayfish has a grand total of NINETEEN pairs of appendages – can you find them all?

Come dissect crayfish specimens in pairs, and learn all about the internal and external anatomy of arthropods!


Prerequisites
You should come willing to participate and try something new – dissections are obviously no fun if you don’t dissect!

S7444: So you want to be a Beekeeper... Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Celina Walker

Come find out how to gain 60,000 new friends! No, not people, honeybees! Honeybees are humankind's oldest and dearest friend among the insects with evidence of beekeeping dating back to prehistoric times. Learn how to start a hive from scratch, harvest honey, and manage pests, while appreciating the beauty of this marvelous insect!

S7779: The meat that makes you think: Neuroanatomy & Sheep Brain Dissection Closed!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alex Kell

Every thought, emotion, and desire you have is generated by your brain – join us to learn about the meat that lets you think! We'll do a crash course in neuroanatomy and each student will dissect a real sheep brain!

We’ll learn about how the brain is organized, with an eye towards function. As we each dissect our sheep brain, we’ll talk about the macroanatomy (the gyri and sulci, tracts and nuclei that you can see with the naked eye). We’ll discuss major landmarks and what they do. We’ll talk both about what the field knows, and what is unknown, in the growing and exciting field of neuroscience! Hope to see you there!

S7640: Quantum: Beyond the Nanoscopic
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Jon Beaulieu

Covering all the ideas of quantum mechanics, without all of the crazy math! So easy your grandma could do it! (OK, maybe not that last part...)

We'll be examining the foundational principles of quantum mechanics, starting with basic particle physics. From there, we take a look at some of the more recent (and more extreme) theories of the quantum world. If there's time left after that, who knows where we'll go?


Prerequisites
A basic understanding of calculus and/or linear algebra will be helpful, but not required. This class will focus more on the qualitative aspect of things.

S7731: The Physics of Climate Change
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ryan Normandin

You've probably heard that the world is getting warmer. Whether you follow all the latest news or don't even think its happening, this class will create from basic physics a model of the atmosphere that will produce the data used by the International Panel on Climate Change. Come and learn the dynamics behind global warming!


Prerequisites
Extremely comfortable with algebra.

S7401: Anatomy of a Metaphor
Difficulty: **
Teachers: A L

Has someone given you a warm smile recently? Are concerns weighing on your mind? Do you have deadlines coming up? How close are you to meeting your personal goals? These questions may not seem metaphorical, but they are. Metaphors aren't just found in the arts---they are fundamental to the structure of our thoughts. Find out how during this short, fun introduction to Conceptual Metaphor Theory. We'll get acquainted with basic concepts and consider some interesting examples from ads, anime and news stories.


Prerequisites
Fluency in English may be helpful.

S7507: Food Industry Nightmares...
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jamie Truman

...and what you can do about them.

Step one: Get informed.
This class will expose the failures of the U.S. food industry in safety, ethics, and sustainability. We'll discuss commercial farming and delve into the important topics of GMOs and animal abuse.

Step two: Learn how to make an impact.
Once we've identified the problems, we'll cover some real-world solutions that can make a difference.


Prerequisites
Fluency in English recommended.

S7986: When cells die Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Andrew Thompson

A mini-introduction to pathology, the study of disease. We will explore the body’s various tissues through examples of micro-anatomy and describe the changes they undergo as they encounter insult, injury and death. Hopefully your basic biology knowledge will be sharpened to explain many sophisticated phenomena of disease and death.


Prerequisites
1 year Introductory Biology. If you can draw and label a cartoon cell, you should be fine.

S7737: Paradoxes of Special Relativity
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ryan Normandin

Come and contemplate some of the strangest apparent paradoxes that result from the strange world of special relativity.


Prerequisites
Must have completed the course "Introduction to Special Relativity" or be otherwise comfortable with the results of special relativity including time dilation and length contraction.

S7643: Tea Time with Thalidomide Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Frank Chung, Jane Qu

Originally hailed as a safe and effective drug, thalidomide’s claims turned out to be false, as evidenced by the thousands of children of thalidomide. Thalidomide, in many ways, was a key turning point in our relationship with drugs in the United States. This seminar aims to investigate many topics including the past and present use of thalidomide with a focus on the United States, the chemistry of thalidomide, the drug research and development process. All of this discussion will happen over a nice cuppa tea!


Prerequisites
An open mind and willingness to participate. This course strives to create a safe environment where we can and are expected to participate in serious discussion.

S7330: The Things They Don't Tell You in AP Chemistry
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Nicholas Rivera

Ever heard of Quantum Mechanics before? How about Schrodinger's Equation? Particle in a Box? Eigenstates? Perturbation Theory? Orbital Approximations and Separable Systems? Band Theory?. Maxwell-Boltzmann Statistics? Fermi-Dirac Statistics? Bose-Einstein Statistics?

If not, and you want to see how these things are part of the backbone of modern chemistry and materials, come to this class! We will discuss how we can use simple models to understand the formation of conjugated molecules, molecules (and determine partially the shapes of their molecular orbitals), why our rules for electron configurations fail so often, why metals are rigid and conductive (and what this has to do with white dwarfs) and why hot objects glow.


Prerequisites
having taken physics (ideally physics with calculus, but a non-calculus physics class is cool too), calculus, and chemistry (preferrably at the AP level)

S7905: Physical Organic Chemistry: Mechanism elucidation
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Lily Chen

In organic chemistry, the "mechanism" of a reaction is the sequence of elementary steps by which it occurs. How do chemists determine the mechanisms of reactions too small and too fast to be observed by spectroscopy? We will discuss kinetics and isotope effects as strategies for mechanistic elucidation, and analyze several example problems.


Prerequisites
Some exposure to organic chemistry will be essential to understanding the material fully; HS physics is strongly recommended

S8046: The Mathematics of Evolution
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Reuben Saunders

How can individual mutations cause speciation and evolution? Can we model evolution as a mutational flux?


Prerequisites
Familiarity with basic calculus is essential. Differential equations are probably handy.

S7563: Nature's Short Cut: Least Action Principles in Physics
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Hengyun Zhou

Nature is smart. Nature knows how to take short cuts, doing things in the most efficient way. We'll talk about some of these short cuts in physics, such as Fermat's principle, the Lagrangian formulation of classical mechanics, and if time permits, Feynman's ingenious path integral recipe in quantum mechanics.


Prerequisites
Knowing basic differentiation and integration will be very helpful; apart from that, just a passion for nature!

S7324: Moons of the Solar System
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ray Hua Wu

The solar system contains moons with atmospheres, moons with geysers, and a moon that is more volcanic than any planet! Learn about all of these moons, as well as others, in this class.

S7616: Understanding The Miracle Berry: A Biochemical and Gastronomical Journey Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Frank Chung

Few people enjoy sour lemons, but what if it was possible to make a lemon taste like a sweet orange? This transformation is, in fact, quite possible with the help of the miracle berry (Synsepalum dulcificum). This course aims to teach how the miracle berry works along with a broad introduction to certain key concepts in chemistry and biochemistry, such as acid base chemistry and receptor-ligand biochemistry critical to the comprehension of the miracle berry’s effects. Afterwards, students will have the opportunity to go through a guided tasting activity and experience firsthand the effects of the miracle berry on various everyday foods.


Prerequisites
A background in chemistry and biology is strongly preferred.

S7903: Viruses and Epidemiology Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Rebecca Shi

Have you ever wanted to know how the 1918 flu spread so quickly, why some viruses make you sick immediately while others surface only after weeks or months, and why the creation of a mutant virus that can spread from ferret to ferret has public health and national security officials worried? Come learn the science of diseases!

S7707: Phtoremediation: Cleaning the Air and Soil with Plants
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Rowan Rosenthal

For anyone who wants to green up their room with plants studied by NASA for their air purifying qualities- to anyone who wants to start a vegetable garden, or just have that nice warm feeling that comes from knowing that the dirt outside your door isn't packed with harmful toxins and metals.
Come learn about the potential of plants to clean up toxins from the air, to the soil to the water.
We’ll cover:
How plants clean up toxins.
Which are best for which situations?
How do I test for toxins?
Indoor effects on mold/dust.

S7688: A story of diamonds... Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Brode-Roger

How are they created? Why do they even exist? What makes them so special? Are they really special?
We're going to talk about geology, physics and chemistry then I'll answer any question you have!

S7741: Topic in Inorganic Chemistry:Metal Organic Frameworks
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Tomohiro Soejima

Describe a novel material called "Metal Organic Frameworks", which has an interesting structure and interesting property such as adsorption.
This class is designed to give a sense of cutting-edge chemistry research. It's not like a "chemistry lecture"!. It's more like a talk about how interesting chemistry research is.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge about some ideas in chemistry such as ion and chemical bonding.

S7705: Heads or tails: how animal body plans come to be
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Lauren Cote

Have you ever wondered why animals have a head at one end and a tail at the other and not the other way around? What if you could make animals which have two heads (one normal head and one where the tail should be)? Find out how the origins of heads and tails in this two-hour seminar. We'll discuss and watch how animals become complex patterned adults from single cell zygotes.


Prerequisites
Basic biology, especially molecular and cellular biology. The main prerequisite is understanding the central dogma (DNA -> RNA -> protein).

S7989: The chemistry and biology of stinkiness
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Andrew Thompson

We have been so obsessed with ridding the world of odor that the art of using your nose to investigate science is being lost. By examining the chemistry of some common odious odors and the chemicals used to eradicate them I hope to give students a more sophisticated understanding of whats in your household cabinets and the esoteric experience of judging a chemical's or microbe's identity by smell alone.


Prerequisites
Some basic knowledge of acids and bases.

S7491: Making of the Modern Mind
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Carol Hardick

This course is a bridge between philosophy of mind, cognitive sciences and humanities. The Splash course will include Theory of Mind, memory, cognition, the mind-body problem, group theory and the problem of good and evil. Discussions will include one or two famous experiments on social psychology, and the subconscious


Prerequisites
This is college level, but open to any student

S8074: All of Physics* in Two Hours
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Lawrence Chiou

If you're not sure what physics course to choose, you might as well take all of them at the same time. (This year there are five classes on special relativity and six on quantum mechanics, which is actually far from a record.)

Starting with Newton's laws, we will proceed to explain all of classical mechanics and electromagnetism (including analytical mechanics and special relativity), then go on to wave mechanics, statistical mechanics, and quantum mechanics.

*[Admittedly, this is a far stretch from "ALL of physics," but it does include the fundamentals of what was known from the 1680s to the 1930s. In any case, if you're ready to see quantum field theory (or have a very good idea of what that is), then this class is probably too easy for you, anyway.]


Prerequisites
If you feel up to the challenge, you should be able to understand most of the class if you have a knowledge of basic physics concepts (e.g., Newton's laws, force, kinematics) and some elementary trigonometry (this is basically a polite way of saying that there are no real prerequisites). However, to understand ALL of All of Physics, you probably will need a bit of single-variable calculus and a knowledge of mechanics around the level of AP Physics C (in other words, don't complain that I misrepresented the difficulty of this class).

S7976: Discovering Genetics: From Peas to Drosophila to You
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Shulin Ye

We've come a long, long way since Mendel first discovered inheritance. This class will take you through various bits of modern-day genetics, from non-Mendelian inheritance to PCR to DNA sequencing to genetic engineering.


Prerequisites
Some knowledge of Mendelian genetics, mitosis, meiosis, and DNA replication will help, but is not required.

S7930: Modern DNA Sequencing
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Zach .

How does DNA sequencing work? What can we do with the data? We've been sequencing DNA for decades now, so how have things changed?

S7548: Drugs and the Brain (A) Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Zak Fallows

If you are poisoned by sarin nerve gas, you may be able to save your life by huffing some BZ nerve gas. This class will explain that chemical curiosity, along with a host of other interesting tidbits of pharmacology.

I will explain how the brain works and what a neurotransmitter is. I will introduce some important neurotransmitters like GABA, serotonin, and dopamine. I will discuss some drugs that act on each, including alcohol, caffeine, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, Prozac, Ritalin, and Valium.

We will also discuss how these drugs relate to brain diseases, most notably addiction and depression.

The students will choose the content of the class by voting, because I have way more than 2 hours of material. Please feel free to take the class more than once, because I will cover different material each time. That means "Drugs and the Brain (A)" and "Drugs and the Brain (B)" will cover different material, you may want to take both. The later session does not assume that you attended the earlier session, so there is some repetition.

S7695: Photonic Crystals - An Introduction
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Nicholas Rivera

So it turns out that people are apparently very interested in materials with periodic dielectric constants. Why?

In this class, we'll discuss some of the mathematics behind periodic structures such as photonic crystals and then go on to talk about the kinds of light waves that can propagate inside photonic crystals and in particular optical band gaps and dispersion relations.

Then we will talk about some of their various potential applications such as developing better lasers and optical trapping.


Prerequisites
Knowing what electromagnetic waves are is a must. And being familiar with reflection, refraction, and interference is also extremely helpful.

S8018: Cosmology: Started From the Quantum, Now We're Here Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Steven Okada

From cosmic inflation to planetary formation, we will follow the grand transformation of the cosmos into the reality we see today.
Exciting stuff.


Prerequisites
An appreciation for beauty.

S7519: Geomagnetism!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Eric Gentry

Magnets are cool.

Using planets as magnets is even cooler.

Come learn about the earth's magnetic field, how it is actually produced. By understanding Earth's magnetic field, we'll use that to explore what that means about other planets and their past.


Prerequisites
Having played with magnets. Having lived on a planet. Students originating from an asteroid are allowed, but should talk to me before class.

S7597: Bombs, bugs, and bonobos
Difficulty: **

We're locked in an arms race that's been going on for millions of years and the scars of war are written all over our DNA. Is the end near? Who will win? Come join us on our exploration of conflict in the history of life.


Prerequisites
None

S7908: Quantum Electrodynamics for Dummies Full!
Difficulty: **

What do you get when you combine quantum mechanics with relativity? The relativistic quantum field theory of electrodynamics, duh!

S7633: Neuroimmunology Full!
Difficulty: **

Your immune system and nervous system have an interesting relationship that is vital to your health. This class will provide a brief introduction to both systems, and then will cover diseases that arise due to a malfunctioning immune system. These include diseases like multiple sclerosis and Huntington’s disease.


Prerequisites
High school biology

S7350: The Magical Beauty of Parasitic Wasps
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Peter LoVerso

Parasites have gotten a bad rap over the past couple centuries. They’ve been looked down upon as inferior, broken organisms that deserve to be objects of disgust, rather than study. But because of attitudes such as this, some of the most wondrous and complex biological pathways we know of have been left by the wayside. Here, we will look at the intricacies of mind control, neurosurgery, and symbiotic viruses through the study of Ampulex compressa and Cotesia congragata.

Warning: this class will be looking at pictures and videos of parasitization. This includes videos and pictures of wasp larvae eating caterpillars, spiders, and other organisms alive. If pictures like this make you feel squeamish: http://i.imgur.com/RWBI8.jpg (Warning, it’s a picture of some larva emerging from a caterpillar)
then this may not be the class for you.

S7772: Drilling for Chocolate
Difficulty: **

Are you interested in how the petroleum industry works? How about chocolate, are you interested in that? Come learn how oil companies go about finding and drilling for oil by trying it for yourself. With a team of your fellow students, you'll be competing to get the data and find the oil without going bankrupt. Except instead of oil, you'll be drilling for chocolate. It's gonna be good.

S7965: Why Relativity isn't Paradoxical
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Benjamin Kraft

Popular culture tells us that Einstein's theory of relativity is hard to understand, full of paradoxes, and generally doesn't make sense. We'll learn why it's really quite natural if you look at it the right way, and why the supposed paradoxes aren't. We'll also learn why electromagnetism doesn't fully make sense without relativity. On the way, we'll go though the basics of relativity, in case you ever find yourself moving at $$0.99c$$ and need to know what's going on.


Prerequisites
In short: You should have some understanding of basic physics, including electricity and magnetism, preferably from a fairly mathematical approach. Calculus is helpful but not necessary. In more detail: You should have an understanding of all of the following: *vectors *velocity and acceleration *momentum *electric and magnetic fields It would help, but isn't necessary, to understand some of the following: *sine, cosine, and tangent *differentiation

S7494: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Marcus Boorstin

Ever heard quantum mechanics talked about in vague or mystical terms but never understood it rigorously? We’ll give a (mathematical) introduction to quantum mechanics, use it to explore some basic problems, and then depending on what the class is interested in discuss other topics in QM (the uncertainty principle, states of the hydrogen atom, etc).


Prerequisites
Some calculus (you should know what derivatives and integrals are); more math and/or physics may help you appreciate what’s going on but probably isn’t necessary.

S7666: Bacteria and You: The Spread of Antibiotic Resistance Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Luisa Kenausis

Ever taken an antibiotic for something like the flu or a cold? Do you regularly wash your hands, your kitchen, or your possessions with antibacterial cleaning products? If you said yes, then you might not be protecting yourself as much as you'd think…

Come learn about bacteria (both good and bad), antibiotics, and the current spread of drug-resistant bacteria!


Prerequisites
Some biology background would be helpful, but anyone interested in learning is welcome!

S7690: Why is it raining today?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Brode-Roger

Why does it rain? What are clouds? Why do they even exist? How do we predict weather? Why are we so bad at it? And so many other questions! We're going to talk about a few weather basics and then look at today's weather and try to forecast it!

S7536: Quantum Cryptography
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Kevin Zhou

If you follow science news, you've probably heard about how quantum computers promise to break RSA encryption, a cornerstone of modern information security. But over 20 years ago, before that algorithm was even invented, two scientists figured out how to use quantum mechanics to guarantee absolutely secure communication -- against any attacker, classical or quantum.

We'll discuss this scheme, as well as what people have done with it since its invention. Time permitting, we'll give a very brief overview of how quantum computers threaten classical encryption in the first place.


Prerequisites
Know what a vector is, and be able to draw them in the Cartesian plane

S7715: From Geocentrism to Exoplanets
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Anna Ho

The study of exoplanets - planets around other stars - is one of the hottest fields in astronomy right now. This is a far cry from ancient Greek times, when Ptolemy proposed a model of the universe that put Earth right at its center, and the stars all as one orbiting entity. It's also - this may surprise you - a far cry from the 1920s, when astronomers were arguing over whether the Milky Way was the only galaxy (false. come on, 1920!) and whether the solar system was at the center of it (also false.) The first exoplanet was discovered in 1992, and that changed the world. We now know that each star has, on average, one planet. MIT recently won a NASA grant to launch TESS, a space telescope that will help lead the hunt for more exoplanets. In this class, we will learn about the progression of humanity's efforts to understand our place within the cosmic order, with a particular focus on exoplanets: how we find them, and how they compare to Earth.

S7831: How to be an Ancient Greek Astronomer Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Elizabeth Berg

Nowadays, we study far-away planets and stars with fancy equipment and complex math. However, Greek astronomers like Aristarchus and Eratosthenes were able to accurately determine the sizes of the Earth, Moon and Sun, as well as the distances between them, with little more than patient observation and rudimentary geometry. In this class, we'll study astronomy the Ancient way, pretending that we don't have calculus (or the internet!) to aid us, as we derive basic astronomical measurements.


Prerequisites
If you know what sine, cosine and tangent are, you'll be more than prepared!

S7694: The biggest tour you've ever been on: the best of the solar system Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Brode-Roger

After a very brief introduction about astronomical bodies, we'll go and see the coolest places of the solar system. Anything from the Sun to asteroids!

S7558: An Introduction to Cosmology
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Christian Cardozo

If the universe is expanding infinitely, what is it expanding into? What do the center of a black hole and the big bang have in common? Will the universe end? How? If questions like this have ever zipped through your mind, this is the class for you! No math or science background required!

S8022: Cholesterol!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Georgina Dorminy

Did you know that there is a genetic disease that causes extremely high cholesterol levels, where patients are at risk of a heart attack before their teens? You have probably heard about cholesterol in food, but how does it work on a cellular level? In this cell biology class, we will look at how cells sense and respond to cholesterol, and what happens when these response mechanisms are faulty.


Prerequisites
You should be familiar with the architecture of a cell, the concept of endocytosis, and know what a receptor is.

S7863: Hot Cities: problems and solutions
Difficulty: **

Cities are hotter than their surrounding areas. In this course we will figure out why, uncover consequences, and try to solve the problem.

S7637: Orbital Mechanics
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Norman Cao

Since the dawn of man, people have been looking up at the stars. The drive to understand the movement of the heavens spurred the development of calendars, maps, math, and science.

Come learn about Orbital Mechanics! This class will cover basic orbits, before moving on to putting rockets into orbit, the three-body problem and Lagrange points, and even basic Classical Mechanics and perturbation theory.


Prerequisites
Precalculus required; calculus helpful but not required.

S7389: The Science of 3D - Why Does It Pop Out Like That? Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: John Gregg

In this hands-on course, we will explore the phenomenon of 3D, the “pop-out” effect of 3D movies, ViewMasters, and the like. We will see examples of many different ways this effect has been achieved since its discovery, and talk about (and see, and touch) related technologies.


Prerequisites
none

S7798: Everything you know about the human body is wrong. (Mostly)
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Veronica Gross

Did you know we only use 10% of our brains?
Your tongue is mapped according to taste, with sugar at the tip and bitter at the back.
If you give a little kid candy, he'll start bouncing off the walls.

These are all myths that permeate popular culture and show up in the average kindergarten classroom. This course will help expose some myths and show how certain biases help create them.

S7538: Cheating at Physics Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Kevin Zhou

Suppose you have an inclined plane, a protractor, a stopwatch, several carts, and a scale. Can you design an experiment using these things to measure the acceleration due to gravity, g?

It might seem impossible to give an answer. After all, aren't there tons of things you could try? But the answer is no, and you don't need to know anything besides basic algebra to prove it.

In this class, we'll discuss several techniques that are incredibly useful for solving physics problems and verifying solutions, and solve some tough, messy problems using almost no effort at all. By the end, you'll be able to do the same, using dimensional analysis, symmetry, scaling, and limiting arguments. If we have time, we'll touch on some cool applications in modern physics.


Prerequisites
Just algebra, though you'll get more out of it if you have experience with mechanics

S8084: Disease and Civilization
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ethan Goldstein

The Black Plague. Tuberculosis. AIDS.

Throughout history, plagues, outbreaks, and pandemics have had an incalculable effect on society, oftentimes defining eras and changing the way of life for people around them. This joint History / Biology course will look at both the molecular mechanisms responsible for disease as well as what effects they've had on human civilization, and will span from Medieval to Modern times, ending on a discussion of modern pandemics like HIV/AIDS and potential pandemics of the future, like Bird Flu, SARS, and MERS.

S7505: An Introduction to Neuropharmacology
Difficulty: **

The human brain is only barely understood, and the way psychoactive drugs interact with it is even less clear. However, scientists and the general public have come to a certain working understanding.

The difference between scientists' understanding and the public's, though, is at times unfortunately large. There's a lot of misinformation out there, and it's not easy to correct.

Want to learn more? Come to this class to gain a little insight into such questions as:

-How do drugs affect the brain?
-How did scientists figure out the mechanisms of action of these drugs, and how did they separate them into classes?
-What is the difference between pharmacology and pharmacokinetics, and why should you care?
-How does the public understanding of psychoactive drugs differ from the truth?
-And any other questions you want answered.


Prerequisites
Students will get more out of the class if they have basic high school biology and chemistry, but it's not required.

S7687: A love triangle: The Earth, the Sun and the Moon
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Olivia Brode-Roger

How do the Sun and the Moon affect our every day lives? We're going to talk about tides, moon phases and eclipses in a fun, new and exctiting way!

S7501: An Introduction to Nuclear Reactions and Ionizing Radiation
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jake Hecla

A 1:50 course dealing with the basics of ionizing radiation, nuclear reactions, reactors and weapons. Ever wanted to know how a nuke works or how Chernobyl happened? This is the class for you. Will include demonstrations and video clips.

Topics that will (likely) be covered:
-Qualitative properties of alpha, beta, neutron and gamma radiation
-History of radioactivity
-Fission and fusion: Reactions, reactors, weapons
-Biological impacts of radiation
-Nuclear disasters (Chernobyl, Chelyabinsk-40, Hiroshima/Nagasaki)
-Radiation detection and protection
-Playing with NukeMap!

S7325: Murder for the Beginner
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Riley Drake

Arsenic and old lace? Beginner luck! Everything you never wanted to know about neurotoxins (and other nasty stuff). Loosely based off the book 'The Poisoner's Handbook' by Deborah Blum and the work of Vil Mirzayanov, inventor of the world's most potent neurotoxin, Novichok-5.


Prerequisites
Some basic knowledge of Biology

S7551: What the F**k is Up with Black Holes?
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Eric Newman

As the course title indicates, our supposed understanding of black holes has tumbled greatly in the past year. Just when we thought we'd made some progress in resolving the paradoxes associated with gravitational collapse, we hit a wall, specifically a FIREWALL.

Yep, we can't get passed this fiery terminus of reality that supposedly hovers just outside old black holes (and perhaps younger ones, too).

Do they really exist, though? Who knows? In this class, you'll hear a few reasons why they might and a few why they might not.


Prerequisites
Any understanding in physics and mathematics will be helpful.

S7921: Intensive Introduction to Cosmology
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Benjamin Horowitz

In this class, we will give a whirlwind tour of the key concepts of modern cosmology. We will cover the dynamics of the expansion of the universe (the Friedmann equations), the history of the early universe (inflation, nucleosynthesis), formation of the cosmic microwave background, and dark matter. Depending on time, we can also dive into some more specialized topics like galaxy evolution, primordial black holes, and gravitational waves.


Prerequisites
This class will assume some basic knowledge of physics (energy, forces) and mathematics (algebra, trigonometry). It is also recommended that students have some exposure to basic calculus concepts like the derivative.

S7658: Introduction to Genomic Systems Biology
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Sin Kim

Living organisms are a lot closer to gigantic, stupidly complex circuits than you might think. Many smart people have realized this, and systems biology is the new hot thing (think Human Genome Project). This class will explain why systems approach to biology is incredible and teach some basic genetic interactions that happen in a cell.


Prerequisites
Good understanding of cellular biology and basic math Highly recommended book: An Introduction to Systems Biology by Uri Alon

S8065: Physics and chemistry experiment (edible) smorgasbord
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Malte Ahrens

Do you like playing with your food? Do you like playing with science?

Well, this is for you! We'll be conducting a buffet of different experiments including measuring the speed of light using chocolate, learning about saturated fats and melting temperatures using you-guessed-it chocolate, and a heap of other delicious science experiments!

S7918: The Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ryan Badolato

Are you interested in what changes occur in our brains during Parkinson's or Huntington's disease? The mechanisms and therapies for these diseases are largely unknown today, but this course will serve as an introduction to what we know (and don't know) about neurodegenerative disorders. The cellular and global mechanisms of dysfunction along with the current therapeutic approaches to treating these diseases will be discussed.


Prerequisites
Some high school biology

S7443: Biology of the Amazing Honeybee Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Celina Walker

Did you know that honeybees are considered a superorganism? Or that a Queen can live up to five years? (thats a pretty long time for an insect) Come learn how bees make wax, cure honey, and function as a society.

S7718: Introduction to Pulsars
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Anna Ho

A star goes supernova: its outer layers explode into space, and in the meantime its core collapses down into a ball of neutrons called a pulsar. Like a lighthouse, the pulsar emits a beam of light (radio waves!) and spins around. Unlike a lighthouse, the pulsar spins at tens to hundreds of times per second. The details of how pulsars "work" are actually still a mystery to physicists. Even so, we've learned a lot about them since their discovery in 1967. In this class, you will learn what pulsars are, how astronomers find them, and how they can be used to learn more about the universe. In particular, this class instructor is currently using pulsars to study the magnetic field of the Milky Way!

S7528: Statistical physics of mini-canonical ensembles
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Andrei Klishin

Are mini-canonical ensembles even a thing? Actually, no, but there are plenty of others. Notion of statistical ensemble as a group of systems with some common properties allowed to greatly expand the workings of statistical physics.
From centrifuges to atmospheric pressure, from polymer chains to Bose-Einstein condensation - all these phenomena deal with systems that can be in many states. Therefore, we can describe them with statistics. Therefore, we want to describe them with statistics!


Prerequisites
Familiarity with concepts of energy, temperature and heat exchange is useful, but not required. Course would use some algebra, but no calculus is required.

S7430: Mechanics in Three Hours
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Aaron Dunbrack

Learn everything from kinematics to gravity to the rules of rotation in rapid-fire format. This course will move quickly and will have fewer "sample problems" than your high school physics course. Formulas will be given in their most general form, and we won't bother to learn all of the special cases. If we have time at the end, we may delve a little bit into electricity and magnetism.


Prerequisites
A knowledge of basic algebra is all that is required. A pre-existing knowledge of vectors will he helpful, but it will be briefly explained at the beginning of the course. Calculus will enrich your understanding, but will not be central to the course. If you have taken a mildly extensive physics course before, this should mostly be stuff you know, although you still might learn something new or get a deeper understanding of physics.

S7753: Mountains, Glaciers and Volcanoes
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Kelly Kochanski

Ever wondered what Cape Cod would look like under 600ft of ice, or why the Solar System's highest volcano is on Mars? Come find out about ice sheets, tectonics, and the basic forces that shape the landscape around you.

S7957: Cardiograms
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Shulin Ye

These are the sounds your heart makes when half the valves don't work. These are the sounds your heart makes when it has a hole in it.

This is your EKG when your atria and ventricles are not communicating. This is your EKG when....


Prerequisites
Interest in biology

S7495: Special Relativity
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Marcus Boorstin

Everyone’s heard of special relativity, but do you actually know what it means or where it comes from? From a few simple thought experiments we’ll rigorously derive the Lorentz transformation, and then (still rigorously) use it to get $$E=mc^2$$ and the rest of special relativity. If we have time, we'll look at its implications and paradoxes.


Prerequisites
High school physics (kinetic energy, etc.); matrix multiplication may be briefly used.

S7843: Math Only! Solving Physics Problems without Any Physics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Melody Guan, Kevin Zhou

Find out how much physics you can do simply with your math skills! Marvel at the mathematical basis of forces, fields and oscillating systems! Derive equations for the movement of astronomical bodies using dimensional analysis! Many delights await you in this special seminar, which will prime you to make a force-ful and electric-fying impression at cocktail parties for physicists!

S7710: Asia's Water Challenge

Water security is a major issue for the future of the entire globe. As one of the biggest suppliers of water - and one of the hugest concentrations of the world's population - Asia is a super important region to look at when examining the future of water security. Come join us for a fascinating discussion of the water crisis in Asia and ways we can potentially fix it.

S7797: 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.

S7414: Brains: the most complex thing in the universe
Difficulty: **

How is it that we have managed to send rockets to space yet still don't know much of what is going on inside our own heads? How do we continue breathing without thinking about it? How and where is consciousness located in the brain? Is there an innate ability to understand language? What does a real brain look like?
Neuroscience pulls information from many different fields, from physics to computer science to biological engineering. Come and find out why your brain is the most complicated thing we have yet to understand.


Prerequisites
basic knowledge of biology

S7702: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ilana Porter

Have you ever wondered how an MRI works? Well, the secret is in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, a powerful tool used to identify the structure of molecules. We will learn everything there is to know about this imaging technique -- and have some fun doing it!


Prerequisites
Basic Chemistry

S7709: The Multicolor Universe
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Anna Ho

Your eyes are powerful: you can distinguish between reds and blues, yellows and greens, purples and oranges. This "visible" light, however, is just a TINY fraction of the light in the universe. Powerful celestial objects like black holes emit x-rays and gamma rays, which your eyes can't see, and pulsars emit radio waves. Quasars emit ultraviolet light (the same kind that fries your skin if you don't wear sunscreen!) and interstellar dust emits infrared light. To see all the colors in the universe, astronomers send telescopes like Hubble, Spitzer, and Fermi to space, and build telescopes like the Very Large Array (VLA) of radio telescopes in New Mexico. In this class, you will learn about the objects and processes that emit different kinds of light, all across the electromagnetic spectrum, as well as the telescopes used to study them.

S7345: Nature or Nurture? Neither! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Samantha Yarmis

The answer, in fact, is epigenetics! This field describes how your genes are affected by the environment, which means that:
-if your grandparents starved, you're more likely to develop type II diabetes
-identical twins look more different as they get older
-"genetic" diseases like cancer don't affect everyone in a family
-and more!

Want to resolve the nature-nurture debate, learn why your cells can specialize, and have another reason to blame your parents for whatever's wrong with you? Come learn about epigenetics!


Prerequisites
Some knowledge of biology and genetics is preferred, but not required.

S7460: The Science of Illusions
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Megan Belzner

Why do things sometimes look like they're moving when they're really not? How do you trick your brain into seeing colors on a white page? What cues do you use to understand speech? This class will explore the explanations behind a range of different perceptory illusions, discovering the limits of the mind and looking at the subconscious tricks we use every day.

S7363: Mathematical Modeling in Physics
Difficulty: ***

This will be a very fast and intense introduction to the methods of modeling physical problems using ordinary and partial differential equations. Topics covered will include heat flow, wave propagation (in one and two dimensions), equilibrium equations and the Schrodinger equation (time permitting, so be on time!)


Prerequisites
Ability to count. (an understanding of calculus will be important though)

S7351: A closer look at the magic of parasitic wasps
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Peter LoVerso

Building off of my previous class, this lecture will look much more closely at the genetics and molecular biology surrounding the parasitization of $$Manducta\ sexta$$ by $$Cotesia\ congregata$$, focusing especially on the Cotesia congregata bracovirus.

This will be an advanced class, and will touch several times upon cutting-edge molecular biology. You should have a good understanding of genetics and of a viral life cycle before signing up. That said, it will be fun! There will be time for discussion as well as lecture, too.


Prerequisites
S6149: The Magical Beauty of Parasitic Wasps A general idea of what DNA is and how it is used in the cell.

S7454: Origins of Modern Science from Copernicus to Newton
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Lance Ozier

Only 500 years ago, most people thought the Earth was the center of the universe and that there were only four elements: earth, air, water, and fire. Come learn how five men, two supernovas, and the Black Plague changed all that.


Prerequisites
Interest in the history of science.

S7483: Learning, Computation, and Humans
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Kevin Ellis

This class is about learning, both in brains and in machines. From just one or two examples, even a young child can learn a new word; from just a single visual image, we can infer a rich, 3D structure. How does the mind get so much from so little? How do we quickly and reliably pick out the concepts in our world? And how is learning possible, even in principle?

This class teaches principles applicable both to cognitive science and artificial intelligence. It will draw upon intellectual tools from (Bayesian) statistics, linguistics, computer science, and neuroscience. It will also give you a taste of modern machine learning.


Prerequisites
Probability/statistics, calculus

S7518: Illuminating Dark Matter Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Eric Gentry

There are about 100 billion stars in the Milky Way. There's also a supermassive blackhole at the center of the Milky Way. While that makes for a lot of mass, its only about 20% of the mass of the Milky Way.

Come learn about the other 80% -- the dark matter!

We'll talk about the discovery of dark matter, what we think it might be. We'll also discuss how it shapes the structure of galaxies and the landscape of the universe.

Some of this will cover similar material as previous years, but there is also much that will be new.


Prerequisites
Having taken a basic high school physics course.

S7818: Acoustics and the Fourier Transform Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Steven Keyes

The Fourier Transform is a tool for looking at the nature of waves and has applications in mathematics, physics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and other fields. However, it is most intuitive to understand when applied to sound. This class will review the physics of sound and introduce the Fourier Transform with examples from synthesizers and electronic music.


Prerequisites
It would be nice to have studied sound at least once in a high school physics setting. This class will not be math-heavy!

S7923: Supersymmetry and Physics Beyond the Standard Model
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Benjamin Horowitz

Supersymmetry is a common aspect of many Beyond the Standard Model physical theories as it is one of the few non-trivial symmetries space-time can have beyond the traditional Lorenz transforms of Special Relativity. In this class we will talk in detail about the mathematics behind Supersymmetric theories and talk more broadly about Beyond the Standard Model theories, including the Minimally Supersymmetric Standard Model and String theories.


Prerequisites
Knowledge of some Lagrangian mechanics (Euler-Lagrange Equation), Group theory (the definition of a group), and basic quantum mechanics (wave-function) would be very helpful. Basic concepts from special relativity (what a Lorenz transformation is) and calculus (what an integral is) are required!

S7508: Where is that star? Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Brode-Roger

How to find, measure and share the location of celestial objects.

S7997: Extreme Physics: Quarks, Black Holes, and Everything In-Between
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Jon Beaulieu

Antimatter production. Superfluids and superconductors. Colliding black holes. Prepare to be inundated with unbelievable physics facts, as we examine some of the most extreme scenarios in the universe.

But it gets better - bring us your own ideas, however outlandish, and have all your crazy "what if...?" questions answered. What would you see if you drove your car faster than the speed of light, then turned the headlights on? Could you fly a 747 through the skies of Saturn? Come ask and find out!


Prerequisites
A basic understanding of physics. Need not be calculus-based.

S7733: Why is the Sky Blue?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ryan Normandin

This question tackles a question as old as time; why is the sky blue? Even if you have a general idea, this class will take your knowledge one step further. A rigorous, math-heavy analysis of why the sky is blue will leave you with no doubt that physics is awesome, and it's ability to model the world in which we live is incredible.


Prerequisites
Extremely comfortable with algebra.

S8014: Is Silicon the same in Spanish? Si.
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Katy Kem, Berk Ozturk

Introduction to semiconductor physics! Learn about the materials that make all your electrical devices work! Learn about the basic chemistry, applications, physical properties and quantum physics.


Prerequisites
Some physics knowledge is good!

S7698: Dat Universe: Some truths behind "time"
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Win Wang

Find out some crazy counter-intuitive phenomena that arise from 2 simple assumptions. This course will focus on basic special relativity, and perhaps feature a very brief introduction to quantum mechanics and general relativity.

We'll be using some advanced 8th/9th-grade algebra ;)


Prerequisites
Curiosity, Algebra, Geometry(?)

S7379: Electrochemistry Done Right
Difficulty: **

Ever wondered why if you stick two different metals connected by a wire into a frog, an electric current (and a dead frog) will result? Or why lithium has a more negative reduction potential than sodium, even though sodium reacts far more violently with water? Or why metals have the oxidation states that they do? Come to my class to find out and to learn about many other subtleties of electrochemistry that are glossed over in high school chem classes.


Prerequisites
Students should have a basic knowledge of electrochemistry and know what a standard reduction potential is.

S7484: Neglected Diseases of the Bottom Billion Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Seyedeh Zekavat

"What do the world’s “bottom billion” — the approximate number of the world’s citizens earning less than $1.25 USD per day — have in common? Aside from poor living conditions, malnutrition, and political voicelessness, they are also all more likely to suffer from so-called neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), scourges that have become a hallmark of extreme poverty in the world. These diseases, neglected by the public eye and in research agendas, actually account for over half a million deaths per year and debilitate over a billion people [1].” ~UAEM website

The goal of this class is to increase awareness of and pique interest in Neglected Diseases. Diseases covered may include: blinding trachoma,elephantiasis, Buruli ulcer, and the plague of leprosy.

S7463: Maxwell's Equations
Difficulty: ****
Teachers: Zandra Vinegar

\begin{equation} \varepsilon \varoiint \mathbf E \cdot ds = \iiint \mathbf q_\mathbf v dv \end{equation}
\begin{equation} \oint \mathbf B \cdot dl = \mathbf I + \varepsilon \frac{d}{dt} \iint \mathbf E \cdot ds \end{equation}
\begin{equation} \oint \mathbf E \cdot dl = - \mu \frac{d}{dt} \iint \mathbf B \cdot ds \end{equation}
\begin{equation} \mu \varoiint \mathbf B \cdot ds = 0 \end{equation}

These four equations describe one of the most universal and elegant relations in physics. They are Maxwell’s equations, unifying all observations of relativity, electricity, and magnetism. Don’t let the notation scare you off – this class has no prerequisites (as in, just be able to graph a function), but we will rigorously derive Maxwell’s explanation of electromagnetic phenomena (including light, electricity, magnets, …). “Derive” with the catch that, as I don’t believe in writing long equations on the board, everything in this class will be presented as a series of intuitive /and/ rigorous deductions, preserving concepts rather than constants. We will begin with only two observations. First, the relativistic nature of light: you can’t catch up to a light beam – it will always move away from you at speed c. Second, our observations of the force between two charges. From these two observations, we will DERIVE the explanation of everything else. Aka, the world will unfold before you and it will be beautiful.


Prerequisites
All this said, and there being no “hidden prerequisites,” the world will need to unfold before you /very/ quickly. I basically just claimed that I would introduce all of single-variable calculus and about half of multivariable calculus in the first hour of class – which I believe is an attainable goal – but this class will be rigorous, will be extremely intense, and will require the full two hours.

S8076: Advanced Mechanics
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Lawrence Chiou

Given two points in the plane, what is the path connecting them that will carry a point traveling between the two points in the least amount of time? In general, what are the conditions under which there exists a conserved quantity (such as linear or angular momentum)?

To answer these questions, it will help considerably to recast Newton’s laws in an equivalent but much more powerful form instead of working with Newton’s laws directly. A more advanced grounding of mechanics, the so-called Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms, provides the theoretical underpinnings for much of physics as we know it today.

We will derive the so-called Lagrange and Hamilton equations and explain some of their implications on thermodynamics and quantum mechanics.


Prerequisites
AP Physics C or equivalent. (Even if you have not formally taken AP Physics, knowledge of basic calculus and introductory mechanics should suffice.)

S7720: Fractals Everywhere! The Science, Math, and Art Between Dimensions
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Deepa Rao

The discovery of fractals gave humanity a new geometry to describe nature. This highly visual course will investigate fractal patterns in math, nature, and art and consider what it means to exist “between dimensions.” Starting with the basics of mathematical fractals like the Sierpinski Triangle, Koch Curve, and Mandelbrot/Julia Sets, we will launch into an in-depth exploration of the fundamentals of fractals. We will discuss how to identify and understand natural fractals and what they say about the evolution of dynamic systems. Anticipate a survey of a wide range of fractal objects like purely algebraic forms, clouds, river networks, cyclones/hurricanes, architecture, artwork across different cultures, and even our own brains. Because we will explore the concept of a fractal dimension, feeling comfortable with algebra and geometry is suggested. Come with an open and inquisitive mind to learn about the fractals within us, in nature, and in the cosmos!

S7384: What is Negative Temperature?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: DW Rowlands

A low-math introduction to the concepts of statistical mechanics and negative temperature.


Prerequisites
algebra

S7660: Physics of Unicycling (and other fun stuff!)
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jonathan Abbott

Every wondered how somebody balances on a unicycle? Or curious about how Newton's laws apply to the real world? Come learn all about how! There will be live demos and lots of fun!

S8016: Has Global Warming Been Causing More Hurricanes?
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ray Hua Wu

In fact, no.

Come and find out why not.

S7489: Dreams, Dreaming, and the Subconscious
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Carol Hardick

Dreams, Dreaming, and the Subconscious introduces the topic of memory, cognition, consciousness, metaphors, and oneiric theory from the perspective of the subconscious and the sleeping brain, using an interdisciplinary approach of science and humanities.

Movies and books include these ideas with lots of twists and turns, and bring up 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? Can a person’s mind be controlled? What’s deja vu? With lots of class discussion, we’ll answer these questions, and more. The first section of class will discuss the topics of subconscious and awareness, and the second section will teach the science of a dreaming brain, leaving time for class discussion and questions.

As we discuss the breadth and depth of the mind, the sheer ingenuity of an individual’s ability to think and create in so many ways, (and even do it while we’re sleeping,) we open the door to understanding that vast universe we call a mind.


Prerequisites
none

S7732: Physics of Alternative Energy Sources
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ryan Normandin

Come and learn about the cleaner, safer alternatives to fossil fuels! We'll examine the physics underlying solar energy, wind power, and nuclear, and you can decide which you think is best-positioned to be the energy of the future!


Prerequisites
Extremely comfortable with algebra.

S7449: How Does MRI and Functional MRI Work?!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Tehya Johnson

Ever wanted to know what the inside of your body looks like in detail? Or see the inter-workings of your brain!?! Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has revolutionized how doctors and scientists non-invasively explore and examine the inside of our bodies and diagnose a wide array of diseases and disorders. Utilizing this technique, scientists have learned an immense amount of new information about the different organ systems, especially the brain. Come explore with me how this technique works and is applied, including how it can be used to predict what you are thinking and feeling without you even saying a word!


Prerequisites
Some Introductory Physics (Magnetism) is best but I will give a short introduction into some Physics terms/concepts needed to understand how MRI works.

S7319: Insects!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Chelsea Voss

Is that an orchid, or a mantis? What's the difference between a bug and a beetle? Why does EVERYTHING seem to want to pretend to be an ant? Why do bees cooperate with each other like that?

Come learn about insects, the fascinating animals with more than a million species on Earth and a majority of ALL the species we know about!

This class will present a whirlwind tour of insects of all sorts. You'll learn how each group is related and how to recognize each group's unique features, as well as some random cool things about camoflage and parasitism among insects.

Real insects are promised! Really!

This class is two hours, but there will be a ten-minute break in the middle.

S7819: Drugs and the Brain (B)
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Zak Fallows

If you are poisoned by sarin nerve gas, you may be able to save your life by huffing some BZ nerve gas. This class will explain that chemical curiosity, along with a host of other interesting tidbits of pharmacology.

I will explain how the brain works and what a neurotransmitter is. I will introduce some important neurotransmitters like GABA, serotonin, and dopamine. I will discuss some drugs that act on each, including alcohol, caffeine, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, Prozac, Ritalin, and Valium.

We will also discuss how these drugs relate to brain diseases, most notably addiction and depression.

The students will choose the content of the class by voting, because I have way more than 2 hours of material. Please feel free to take the class more than once, because I will cover different material each time. That means "Drugs and the Brain (A)" and "Drugs and the Brain (B)" will cover different material, you may want to take both. The later session does not assume that you attended the earlier session, so there is some repetition.

S7776: Eleven Blue Men: Advanced Topics in Murder
Difficulty: ***

No longer consider yourself a beginner in murder, and want to become an expert?

Come hear enthralling tales of forensic detection (and the science behind them!)

S7385: Negative Absolute Temperature: An Introduction to Statistical Mechanics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: DW Rowlands

A recent paper in Science discussed an experiment that produced a collection of particles with kinetic energy corresponding to a negative absolute temperature. What does that even mean? We'll cover an introduction to statistical mechanical definitions of concepts like entropy and temperature as a way to develop an understanding of what it means for a system to have a negative absolute temperature.


Prerequisites
differential calculus recommended; precalculus necessary

S7914: How to Build a Brain Full!
Difficulty: ***

Not so long ago, you were just a single cell. How did you grow into a person, able to talk and move and think and read this page? How was your whole brain built from something so small? In this class, we'll take a look at the biological orchestra that gives rise to the brain; along the way, we'll take a look at two-headed fish, three-eyed frogs, and other jaw-dropping experiments that give us clues on how the nervous system develops.

S7654: One easy physics problem you'll get wrong
Difficulty: **

We'll be teaching a physics problem about bikes. Wow your teachers and friends with it! And learn how to draw a bike.


Prerequisites
Be comfortable with forces and free body diagrams

S7722: Developmental Psychology: Games and Play Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Zandra Vinegar

If you have a passion for teaching or tutoring younger students or peers, then you already know that "making it a game" is one of the best educational strategies out there. But why, and what kinds of play are most effective and most powerful?

In this class, we'll explore why games and play make such an effective learning environment.

The theoretical content of this class is inspired by the video game creator Scot Osterweil, who co-created the Zoombinis Logical Journey video games.

S7670: Ornithology: Bird Senses
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Rebecca Shi

How do other animals sense and perceive the world? When we ask this question, we automatically think in terms of our own experiences, sometimes assuming a sense is not important just because it isn't used in the way humans use it. Birds in particular, because they share our well-developed visual systems, are in danger of this comparison.

But just how similar are bird senses to human senses? How did anatomical and behavioral studies work together to give evidence of exotic bird senses, including echolocation? Why was it so difficult for people to accept that birds have significant senses of taste and smell? In the first session of this class, we will address vision and hearing. The second session will cover smell, taste, and magnetic sense. Come learn about the fascinating world of birds!


Prerequisites
Some prior knowledge of or experience with common birds / basic bird identification would be helpful. For students interested in learning about birds at a more basic identification level, please see the class “Bird Basics”.

S7606: The Particle Zoo and Standard Model
Difficulty: **
Teachers: John Hardin

Quarks, leptons, and gauge bosons are the particles the make up all known matter and 3 of the 4 known forces. This class will discuss the particles of the standard model, how they interact with each other, and how they make up other particles. We'll talk about how the forces differ from each other and why it's so hard to find and measure some particles (like the Higgs Boson and neutrinos). If there's time, we'll talk about searches for dark matter and how that relates to things we already know. This course will not require much, if any, math, as we will generally be discussing qualitatively.


Prerequisites
Algebra

S7719: Tritan Plastics: Building a Better Bulletproof Glass
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Elizabeth Sterner

Popular polycarbonate plastics (aka bulletproof glass) became less favorable due to concerns about BPA, so Eastman Chemical decided to design a replacement polymer from the molecular level on up. This class will walk you through the process they went through making their Tritan plastics line, which was specially designed with a new structure that replicates or improves polycarbonate applications. The chemistry, physics, and engineering behind this new material will be covered and how they all came together to show how scientists design new materials. This is a great course to take if you're interested in being a researcher in industry, or if you're just curious!


Prerequisites
Some knowledge of organic chemistry is helpful, but not required.

S7944: Three microbial science stories
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alison Takemura

Discoveries are being made about microorganisms and the crazy stuff they do (like making us healthier, cleaning our water, and making us energy for free), and we're going to play a game - which of the stories I tell you are true, and which aren't? Two-truths-and-a-lie, about microbes!

S8087: Recombinant DNA, or How To Make a Glowing Marmoset Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Stephanie Bachar

Somewhere, in the labs of America (probably even here in Cambridge) there are monkeys, rats, pigs, mice, and other animals that glow in the dark. In fact, there's currently a kickstarter to make commercially available glowing plants (check it out here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/antonyevans/glowing-plants-natural-lighting-with-no-electricit ).

This is made possible by recombinant DNA - inserting DNA from one organism into another. This technology doesn't just allow scientists to make glowing plants, though. It enables the creation of cancer therapeutics, GMOs, biofuels and much, much more.

Take this class to learn about the scientific underpinnings of recombinant DNA as well as some awesome examples of how it's used today and could potentially be used in the future.


Prerequisites
High school biology

S7856: Taking the Twinkle Out of Stars
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Fangfei Shen

Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I want to see what you really are. Come learn why stars twinkle, why astronomers can't stand the twinkling, how engineers get rid of the twinkling, and why taking the twinkle out of stars leads to better science.

S7649: Introductory Astronomy
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Rachel Aviles

Have you every looked up at the stars? Ever wonder what's out really out there? Come explore the universe and start to gain an understanding to this strange wonderful place that we live in.

S7864: Color Physics!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Aaron Dunbrack

Ever wondered why red and yellow light make orange, or why there are three primary colors? Come here to learn why! (Hint: It has less to do with physics - and more to do with how your eyes work - than you think.) We'll talk a bit about random tidbits about color as well if we have time.


Prerequisites
A knowledge of what the electromagnetic spectrum is would be nice, but we will talk about it at the beginning of class.

S7931: Chemistry of Explosions Full!
Difficulty: **

Learn what makes things go bang. Covers low-order explosives such as black powder, as well as primary, secondary, and tertiary high-order explosives such as RDX and TNT. Learn what chemicals go into making explosives and how they are safely manufactured.

S7937: Introduction to Cookie Clicker Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alex Cole, Stephen Face

Do you like cookies? What about clicking? If so, then this class is for you.

This course will discuss all of the fundamentals of Cookie Clicker. From exponential growth, to present value, to what to do about the grandmapocalypse, we have you covered. It should be appropriate both for those entirely new to Cookie Clicker and those who play recreationally.


Prerequisites
Experience clicking with a mouse and a love of cookies.

S7636: Astrophysics in a Nutshell
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Jon Beaulieu

This class will examine the outermost reaches of our knowledge concerning space, time, and physics. We'll start with Einstein's relativity and build from there. If you've ever been fascinated by black holes, wormholes, faster-than-light travel, time dilation, or any other part of cosmology, this is the class for you.

Hold onto your hats and prepare yourselves for a drink from the proverbial MIT firehose. This class moves FAST.


Prerequisites
A good understanding of calculus/linear algebra. Not required, but will increase understanding & enjoyment.

S7517: Structure-function relationships in the brain
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Roan LaPlante

The computational power and complexity of the human brain is one of the great mysteries of science. It is also one of the most poorly represented avenues of knowledge in popular culture.

In this course, we will attempt to review a small amount of what is known about the overall functioning of the brain at a high level and the epistemology of these findings -- the physical measurements and methods that affirm this. We will also look at some erroneous concepts of the brain in popular culture, and compare this to the level of detail present in the scientific source material.


Prerequisites
this course is ideal for students with little or no background in neuroscience. high school physics is a plus.

S8075: Exploring Einstein's Special Relativity
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Lawrence Chiou

As Einstein posited at the turn of the last century, if we accept that the speed of light is the universal “speed limit” and that the laws of physics are the same to all inertial observers, then a simple thought experiment reveals stunning inconsistencies in the foundations of Newtonian physics.

The theory of special relativity is elegant enough that starting with nothing but two simple postulates and a little algebra, we can derive and explain all of the fundamental results of special relativity. We will also discuss some rudimentary aspects of relativistic dynamics (which requires a third assumption).

S7329: How Doctors Do It: Making Diagnoses from Xrays
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ariana Boltax

No previous knowledge required. Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes while your doctor decides on a diagnosis from your X-ray? This class explores the use of X-rays in the medical field and is applicable to anyone with an interest in science, medicine, or just a general desire to learn something new! Students will leave this class with a general knowledge of how X-ray machines work and what types of materials (tissue, fluid, bone, metal) they see when they view X-rays at their doctor’s office. We will be going through real-life examples of X-rays taken of wildlife patients at the New England Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. By the end of this class, students will be prepared to read X-rays and postulate about the health status of the patient.

S7378: Introduction to Special Relativity
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ryan Normandin

This is the class that will throw everything you know out the window. Time travel is not only possible, scientists actually know how to do it! The Law of Conservation of Mass is a lie. Energy Conservation is another lie. From a four-dimensional point of view, you are a strand of spaghetti. Come and learn how to not only time travel, but turn into a black hole while you’re at it!


Prerequisites
Algebra, Pythagorean Theorem

S7415: Electromagnetic Earth
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Neesha Schnepf

From Earth's inner core to its outer atmosphere, our planet produces electromagnetic fields that all known life depends on. Come to learn how Earth's many different electromagnetic fields are produced, how they protect us, how we study them, and how we take advantage of planetary magnetic fields for awesome technology and scientific discoveries.

S7552: Your Brain on Drugs
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Dustin Hayden

This introductory neuroscience lesson goes over the basic concepts of addiction and how both legal and illegal narcotics exploit our natural reward pathway.


Prerequisites
Some biology and chemistry is helpful.

S7564: How to Disapparate to Hogwarts
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Hengyun Zhou

We'll discuss the basic ideas of quantum teleportation and how, in theory, we might be able to "disapparate" something, making it disappear here and completely reconstructing it in another place. If time permits, we will also talk about why you can't clone yourself in teleportation, and some experimental progress in quantum teleportation.


Prerequisites
Basic linear algebra will be helpful, but we'll go over the basic concepts of linear algebra and quantum mechanics in class.

S7592: Medical Genetics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Christine Zhou

Genetics is a magical word that governs a huge part of us, from our appearance to our lifestyles. This class will teach you the science behind it. From mitosis and meiosis all the way to ultrasounds and karyotypes, we'll talk about all the most common genetic disorders (and some super rare ones too!). At the end of the class, you'll learn how to draw a family pedigree and how to start asking these questions of family history in an empathetic and sensitive way.

S7727: Mind Over Body: Applied Psychophysiology and Self-regulation
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Christine Zhou

Currently in the US, medications are prescribed even for the slightest illness. The pharmaceutical industry makes millions off over-the-counter medications like Tylenol and Allegra alone. But what if we could train our bodies to heal itself? What if we could control immunological responses and physiological functions with our MIND?

In two hours, this class will take your understanding of what your own body can do... and flip it upside down.

S7767: Radical Organic Chemistry Reactions! (may or may not contain free radicals) Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Eli Sadovnik

Organic chemistry is filled with weird and beautiful reactions that turn molecules upside down and inside out. Come learn certain types of reactions, and then apply them in really cool ways. Functional groups will mysteriously jump around, electrons will dance, and bonds will break! Come learn the magic of Organic Chemistry.


Prerequisites
A year of high school chemistry, preferably AP chemistry.

S7799: The Chemistry of Food
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Papa

Interested in the science behind the food that you eat? This course will delve into the chemistry and biology that explains the components of some of our favorite foods.

S7839: The Dawn of Quantum Mechanics Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Phong Vo

This crash course traces the early developments of quantum theory. We will focus on experiments that led to inconsistencies with classical mechanics. Namely, we will study the photoelectric effect, the ultraviolet catastrophe, Compton scattering, and interference effects. We will conclude with a qualitative introduction to the Bohr and Schrodinger models of the atom. Throughout the course, we will, of course, use mathematics to describe the experiments, but we will focus more heavily on developing intuition to interpret those experiments.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with algebra and trigonometry and basic physics (forces and momentum) will be helpful. Otherwise, minimal math beyond that will be used. Therefore, anyone with an interest in learning quantum mechanics (whether or not you like math) is welcome to join.

S7911: Radiation! What is it? Where does it come from?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jedidiah Phillips

You hear about this mysterious invisible menace in many different contexts in life. On average you get 6 milliseverts per year. You get it from the air you breath, the water you drink, the food you eat, the people you spend time with, and even from space. Some cutting edge medical procedures use the properties of radiation to save lives. You'll be learning the different kinds of radiation and the many cryptic units used to describe them. You'll see where you get exposure to radiation and what situations you should be concerned about. Then, you'll be sent out with detectors to find sources of radiation.

S8080: Bioanalytical Techniques
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Kristian Teichert

This course will focus on common techniques in the analysis of biomolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids and lipids. These methods include, but are not limited to different types of chromatography, mass spectrometry and electrophoresis.

The uses for different methods will be covered, as will some real-life applications.


Prerequisites
A biology background would be useful, but not critical.


[Deprecated] Visual Arts

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V7578: Digital Collage in Photoshop CS6 Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ilana Habib

Do you love photography and want to try something new and exciting to try with your work? Photoshop is a great way to create new content from pictures or digital art that you already have. In this class we will learn the exciting art of using layer masking, blend modes, and adjustment layers in Photoshop CS6 to create digital collages. Even better, a lot of these skills translate well to traditional digital dark-room processes!

If you have pictures or digital art that you have created and would like to use in class, please bring them on a jump-drive or portable hard-drive. Bringing a hard-drive or jump-drive to save your work and take it home with you is recommended.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of computers/Photoshop. Some experience with photography preferred.

V7644: Stuffed Animal Theory
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Rui Wang

Want to make soft squishy versions of your favorite creature? We can help with that. This class will cover fabric types, other materials, tools and basic pattern design. Come hang out and learn to make things!

V7561: Cosplay, Propmaking, and Design, Version II: Electric Boogaloo Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Alyssa Waln

Perhaps you've heard of this class. Perhaps you've even taken it. Perhaps, then, you also remember me not having time to say all the things despite talking far too fast. BAM. Not anymore.

Now a 2 hour class. Material is actually probably more like 1.5 hours, so possibly time for discussion and personal projects. Topics include design, patterns, basic convention etiquette, basic tools, and all the materials I have the experience to be teaching about, which as of writing includes hard plastics, thermomorph, fabrics, foam, and some basic woodworking. Also painting and weathering, which are universal across those materials, for the most part.

V7562: Cosplay, Propmaking, and Design: Short Version Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Alyssa Waln

The original 1-hour class. A very quick speedthrough of some key topics, including design, patterns, basic convention etiquette, basic tools, and all the materials I have the experience to be teaching about, which as of writing includes hard plastics, thermomorph, fabrics, foam, and some basic woodworking. Also painting and weathering, which are universal across those materials, for the most part.

V8004: Glitterarium Making 101 Full!
Difficulty: *

Have you ever found yourself wanting to make a glitterarium? Do you even know what a glitterarium is? Come to Glitterarium Making 101 and find out!

V7540: Designing Fonts
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Tana Wattanawaroon

Designing fonts can be an interesting hobby, but to get a complete and beautiful font can be quite an ordeal. In addition to drawing hundreds of individual glyphs, one need to consider the interaction of those letters to make sure that they are cohesive and legible. This class will be half lecture and half lab. We won't have time to complete a full set of fonts and we will not focus on putting fonts in digital form, but we will know where to start.

V7655: Introduction to Architecture Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Anthony Kawecki

Do you like architecture? Do you like drawing? Do you just like really tall things? Do you like to have fun? Then architecture is perfect for you! In this little sampler we will learn about famous (and not so famous) architectural landmarks, draw some famous buildings, draw our own buildings, and even build our own scale buildings with some questionable materials.

V7585: Video Games as Art
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Chase Kolozsi

This course revolves around the discussion of video games as an emerging form of art. We will discuss and see live demonstrations from several important video games.

At certain points the class will be asked to choose which games will be demonstrated from an extensive catalog which includes, but is not limited to, Mass Effect, Alan Wake, Batman: Arkham City, Dishonored, BioShock Infinite, The Walking Dead, and more. The course deals with the games that truly push the medium forward and deal with themes of racism, death, and just why we have so much fun killing people.

It is meant to be a discussion heavy course so expect to be engaged.

V7689: Selfies: From Renaissance Paintings to Instagram Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Sarah Li

Throughout history, people have found it important to capture images of themselves, whether on canvas, film, or photo. Why do we take selfies, what are we trying to say about ourselves, and what are we *actually* saying about ourselves?


[Deprecated] Walk-in Activity

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W8101: Play SET!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Zoe Snape

Learn to play SET, a fun and fast-paced game of matching shapes and colors, and practice playing with some new friends.

W8100: Learn to Play Liar's Dice
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Liza Plotnikov

At some point in your life (or afterlife), you may find yourself trapped on a cursed ship, doomed to forever serve the infamous Davy Jones in his never-ending journey on the high seas. How can you win your freedom? Challenge him to a game of Liar's Dice of course! Liar's Dice is a fun and interactive game that combines luck, probability, and good old fashioned bluffing, as popularized by Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoPeqtR5vpc, Come learn the game, beat your friends, and win some prizes!

W7671: Five-Minute Fandom Debates!
Difficulty: **

Tennant vs. Smith? Hiddleston or Cumberbatch? Marvel or DC? Which Avenger would you rather have as World Dictator? Where would you rather live- Middle Earth or the Wizarding World? You've got opinions, come voice them here, and listen to the ensuing debate. But go fast- you've only got 5 minutes!

W7418: The Paper Airplane Workshop
Difficulty: **

We give you paper, you make it fly! If you don't know how to fold paper airplanes or want to learn new folding designs, we'll teach you.

W7607: Ever-Expanding Origami Structures
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Madonna Yoder

Help grow an Origami Crystal to epic proportions or make your own origami cube!
The module and assembly for a Cube with Windows will be taught and possibly some other modules.

W7867: Pixel Art with Post-Its
Difficulty: **

Make huge works of art out of post-it notes! Using each individual post-it note as a single color pixel, you can recreate sprites from your favorite retro video games. Choose your design, or create your own, and work as a team to make awesome murals of Pokemon, Mario, and more.

W7524: Physics Demos - Fun with Liquid Nitrogen!

Want to have some fun with ferrofluids, or shatter gummy bears and flowers? Come join us as we experiment! We'll be demonstrating these cool effects on a variety of objects.

W7724: Mathematical Card Castles
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Zachary Abel

We will make card castles like you've never seen them before. In this large-scale collaborative sculpture, we will assemble almost 36 full decks of cards, some metal fasteners, and a bunch of unique mathematical insight into two large, intricate, and mystifying creations. Come be part of this massive undertaking!

W7901: Play Bughouse Chess
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Gurtej Kanwar

Bughouse chess is chess for teams of two with a twist -- all pieces you take are passed to teammates! Come hang out, play chess, and make new friends!

W8102: The Pokeymanz Project!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Michael Sun

How much do you love Pokemon? How good do you think your describing skills are? Come test both of these skills out and watch as hilarity ensues in the Pokeymanz Project!

W7461: LED Creativity Lab
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Megan Belzner

Arts and crafts - with LIGHT! Build miniature lighthouses, figurines with light-up eyes, light up dice, and whatever else strikes your fancy. In the process, learn a bit about basic circuitry. Craft supplies and LEDs in a variety of colors will be provided.

W7815: LN2 Ice Cream!
Difficulty: **

Do you like ice cream? Come see how ice cream can be made using liquid nitrogen, and learn why it tastes so much better than store bought ice cream.

W7919: Not Your Average Cootie-Catcher
Difficulty: **

Come practice the ancient Japanese art of awesome-gami on a whole new level you never knew existed. Modular origami, kusudama specifically, is an amazing, beautiful branch of this craft, folding many parts to put together into one giant ball of awesome. Come and make something totally fantastic with us!

W7968: Basic Card Tricks
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Marvin Romero

Card tricks are a great way to get into magic!

Come on over and learn some basic card tricks and card maneuvers!

Cards provided.

W8024: Telephone Pictionary
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Miriam Gershenson

Is that a rampaging dinosaur breathing acid on a girl eating a hot dog? Or is it a dragon trying to make friends with a guy playing a harmonica? It's like the game of Telephone, on paper, with steps alternating words and pictures.

W8088: SET!
Difficulty: **

Come play the awesomest game in existence! SET is a game of visual perception and pattern matching. Come to learn how to play and challenge yourself against others!

W7956: Learn to Knit
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Shulin Ye

Learn how to knit lace and cables, and get help with your own knitting projects!

Materials will be provided; if you'd like to bring your own projects, please do so.

W7679: 1000 (or more!) Paper Cranes
Difficulty: **
Teachers: maya critchfield

We are going to make 1000 paper cranes in this walk in class! Don't worry, if you don't know how to fold an origami crane, I will show you!

W7827: Fanfiction SAT Vocab
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Karleigh Moore

I will give you a list of SAT vocab words and your job is to write fanfiction (a paragraph or so is fine, but you can write as much as you want) of your choice. I will be posting our results (you can opt out of this) to fanfic-vocab.tumblr.com

Come prepared to represent your fandom and learn vocab!

Bring a laptop if you can, but if you can't I will have paper/pens for you to write with.

W8013: Arts and Craft from Outer Space and Other Places
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Neerja Aggarwal

Think MIT is all about science? Guess again and make cool crafts. Take home your own portable sparkling model of Saturn. Did you think paint was only for paper? Well, we ask what else can we cover with acrylic colors?
Stop by, hang out, talk to use about art, science, or ultimate frisbee, take home pretty things to show off to all your friends.
If you're a boy, I double dare you to stop by. Don't let girls steal all the creativity!

W7416: Magic: the Walk-In Activity
Difficulty: **

Come play Magic: The Gathering! Please bring your own deck.

W7746: Math Scrabble
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Tana Wattanawaroon

Imagine a version of Scrabble where players form equations instead of words. Although there are some of these sold in the US market, they are hard to play and not very popular. However, in some countries, this game is polished, standardized, and people actually play this game in national tournaments. We'll play one such tournament-level version. It'll be fun. Did I mention we'll do it life-sized?

W7866: Modular Origami for All
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Tracy Cheng

Stop by to create some modular origami with us! We'll be ready to teach a variety of modular origami models, so there'll be something to learn for everyone! No folding experience necessary.

W7365: Linguistics Problem Solving
Difficulty: **

Do you enjoy unraveling logic puzzles, want to learn about other languages, or crave the feeling of a good riddle?

Come solve fun problems from the Linguistics Olympiads, NACLO and IOL!

A variety of languages, problem styles, and difficulty levels will be provided for you to solve. Logic and reasoning are your main weapon here – no prior linguistics knowledge required!

W7323: Tea Tasting!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sweet Tea Dorminy

Come drink some delicious teas from around the world!

W7485: Rube Against The Machine 2: 2 Splash 2 Furious
Difficulty: **
Teachers: James Buckland

HEY GANG! REMEMBER ME?

We're doing RUBE AGAINST THE MACHINE again. Last year, you all built a big, (somewhat) working Rube Goldberg Machine. If you don't know what it is, go look it up. THIS YEAR, We're gonna build two of them. And they're gonna each propel a racecar down a hallway. And we're gonna split y'all up into teams and have you work on competing machines, and then they'll race the cars or something. It'll be dope.

W7404: Foodtongue!
Difficulty: **

Yogurt mint cake! Apple oyster Peach-Sauce-Sandwich!

What could these random collections of food possibly mean? Come learn Foodtongue, a constructed language where all of the words are food in an immersive learning environment. Beginners and polyglots welcome!

W7458: Make Chain Mail!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Miranda Gavrin

Learn to make your own medieval armor! With simple supplies, you can make chain mail jewelry, bags and purses, or start on your own "mithril vest". Come make something to take home with you while supplies last!

W7734: Spinning Arts Sampler
Difficulty: **

Come learn the basics of poi, staff spinning, flow wand and possibly other exciting props as well! Drop in anytime, practice props provided.

W7738: How to make bubble tea
Difficulty: **

Experience the self-satisfying joy of making your own bubble tea! Choose from a variety of different flavors! Mix bubbles....and tea! Learn about the history of bubble tea and the physics of bubbles.

W7854: Origami
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Yongquan Lu

Come fold things with OrigaMIT, MIT’s origami club! We’ll provide paper, diagrams and help.

W7891: Ninjas
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Benjamin Kraft

Play Ninjas, a game of "one smooth motion".


Miscellaneous

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X7768: Have your cake and eat it too! Full!
Difficulty: **

Come learn how to make healthy desserts! Balance nutrition with sweet, delicious goodness.

X7480: Learn your Way Around MIT!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ray Hua Wu

MIT has its own neat code of referring to geographical locations. They're like...numbers. And they're actually mostly method with touches of madness. Don't worry, this class will cover plenty of both.

X7409: Introduction to Chainmail Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Stephanie Ger

Do you sometimes daydream about being a medieval knight? Have you ever wanted to make a mail shirt or just some unique jewlery? Don't even know what chainmail is? Well, come to this class and learn! Supplies will be provided, just bring your creativity!

X7945: Touch Rugby Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Christi Dawydiak

Learn how the game of rugby is played then learn the basics of passing and other rugby skills in a game of touch rugby.

X7425: Introduction to Dungeons and Dragons Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Aaron Dunbrack

Have you always wanted to play Dungeons and Dragons, or at least try it out, but never knew what it was? This is definitely the class for you! Learn how to play and be able to teach your friends at home. I’ll give an overview of the game, an explanation of the relevant rules, and a look at how to lead a game, and (if we still have time) we'll either create characters or play through a sample dungeon.

X7512: Negotiation Lab Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Vrajesh Modi

This class will introduce students to the theory and practice of negotiation. Topics covered will include basic terminology and strategies. Format will consist of: (1) a brief lecture on theory; (2) a negotiation exercise/simulation; and (3) debrief. Students will be divided into teams for the simulation.

X7936: Kimbap Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Jun Choi, Jennifer Yim

Want to learn how to make kimbap? Kimbap is a simple and delicious dish. Come join us in making and eating this easy Korean snack.

Make note that this is a foods class so be aware of any possible food allergies.

X7975: Want to learn how to save a life? Full!
Difficulty: *

Don't know what CPR stands for? You've never had the chance to learn it yourself? Then come have fun while learning how hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) could help you save a life in case of an emergency! Taught by friendly MIT EMTs and CPR Instructors. Note: No CPR certifications will be provided.

X7681: Tie-Dye
Difficulty: *

Come make art you can wear! Either bring something (preferably cotton) that you want to jazz up or just stop by and we have t-shirts you can dye. Be creative or use a design we have on hand!

X7951: Sustainability Seminar
Difficulty: *

In this interactive seminar, we will explore the meaning of sustainability and what each one of us can do to promote a "greener" lifestyle at home and in our communities. Bring your ideas!

X7550: Origami 101: How to Fold the World Full!
Difficulty: **

A crash course in everything origami, from the basics of folding to real world applications in math and science! You will walk away from this course with the ability to design virtually anything from a square piece of paper! Lots of folding, lots of fun, come delve deeper into a rich branch of math and art.

X7682: How-to: Professional looking make-up Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Jessica Artiles

Always liked make-up but never knew how? Come learn what is appropriate, and then try it yourself! We will go over color palettes and practice basic techniques to look like you've just had professional make-up done!
From day-to-day au natural to all out Prom Queen, you'll be a pro in no time!

Bring your own make-up, brushes, and stand alone mirror, if possible.
No zombie make-up included.


Prerequisites
Bring your own make-up, brushes, and stand alone mirror, if possible.

X7569: A Quick Guide to Independence (ie How to Take Care of Yourself so you don't Die) Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Veronica Boyce

Feeling like there are a lot of life skills you were supposed to pick up but haven't yet? This class will give an overview of what useful life skills you might want before you’re at college or living on your own, and discuss how to acquire those skills. Topics covered include grocery shopping and food prep, planning schedules, banking, making appointments, transportation, and voting.

X7765: Sustainability Series: Light and Energy Efficiency
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Eunice Lin, Jason Tong

We'll teach you how to make your very own cardboard spectrophotometer to break down the emission spectrum of any light source you'd like to analyze! We will use this fun activity to introduce a discussion on energy efficiency, particularly in light bulbs, and how you can make your own home more energy efficient.

X7428: Dungeons and Dragons Optimization (3.5)
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Aaron Dunbrack

In short: you know how to play. Now learn how to talk with experienced gamers about things like RAW vs. RAI, Pun-Pun v. the Omnicifier, the d2 Crusader v. a mailman sorcerer, and the tier system. (Note: if you've been a lurker on just about any RPG forum, you'll probably already be conscious of what will be taught in this class.)


Prerequisites
Know how to play Dungeons and Dragons, version 3.5. Having taken the Introduction to Dungeons and Dragons class should be fine.

X7322: Splash Contra Dance Full!

Come learn to contra dance! Contra is a type of traditional social dancing that’s high energy and a lot of fun. It’s done as couples in a long line, so you end up dancing with everyone else in your set. We’ll be starting from the very beginning, so no experience is needed, but come ready to dance; wear comfortable shoes and clothing and bring a water bottle if you can. We’ll teach how contra works and go over some basic moves, then spend the rest of the time dancing.

X7513: Interview Workshop
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Vrajesh Modi

Learn what to wear, say, and do before, during, and after an interview. Format will consist of a 20-minute lecture followed by a 30-minute workshop. Formal dress not required.

X7747: Discover Materials Science and Engineering
Difficulty: **

Learn how materials scientists use chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology to study and engineer materials--from polymers and glasses to metals and magnets. Be prepared for fun experiments!

X7829: Using Myers Briggs Indicator for Better Relationships & Career Planning
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Patricia Craig

The Myers Briggs Type Indicator is a powerful personality tool that can benefit your life. By understanding your Myers Briggs personality profile, and those of your friends, you can have more harmonious relationships. Additionally, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator can help you make better career choices.

In this class we will give everyone a short version of the Myers Briggs personality “test” and review the results. We will delve into the sixteen Myers Briggs personality types. Finally, we’ll also briefly discuss the Enneagram personality wheel.

X7577: College Life, Frats, and the Merits of Male Cheerleading Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Azaria Zornberg

READ THIS: This class is for girls and guys, I just mention frats in the title because it's less letters than sororities
So all of you high schoolers probably know what college is... at least I'd hope so. You all also probably have a few ideas about what college is like, what frats are like, and what clubs and sports are like in college.
A lot of what you think is also probably wrong. What I thought in high school was wrong.
So if you want to learn a bit more about what college life is actually about (and about how awesome cheerleading can be), come to this class! ^_^


Prerequisites
you guys are gonna show up anyway, so I won't bother listing stuff haha

X8043: How to run a Splash
Difficulty: **

Step 1: Get teachers.
Step 2: Get students.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: SPLASH!

…want to know what the ”???” is? Come find out how we make Splash happen! Presented by the directors of several past Splashes.

X7996: Game Design Workshop
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Katy Kem

Work in small groups to prototype a card/board/live action game! At the end, test out what you've created and play everyone else's games!

X7807: Hard Times: Some Tools and Tricks for Managing Hard Times (Adversity) Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Patricia Craig

Having a rough time in school, at home, or with your fiends? Whether a grandparent just died, or parents are getting divorced, or not fitting in at school - - - life can get really tough. Every person has times in their life when it gets really tough.

Learn how to get through the “hard times” in an easier way. Learn some tricks that great athletes, writers, entertainers, and others have used to succeed, to get what they want, in spite of some tough times.

We’ll discuss the essence of the books, “The Adversity Quotient”, “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living”, and “The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook.” Additionally, some hints from Stanford Professor Michael Ray’s course, “Creativity in Business” will be discussed

X7417: How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube
Difficulty: **

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!

X7971: Sustainability Series: Vermiculture 101
Difficulty: *

What happens inside a worm bin? What's the point of keeping one? How do you make one?

42.

X7590: Introduction to Martial Arts Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Johanna Loock

Interested in exploring martial arts for the first time? Come learn about some of the differences between various martial arts and where they're practiced. Discover which may be best suited for you.

To support this discussion, you'll have the opportunity to try some martial arts and see the differences for yourself. This part of the class will include warm-up and cool-down periods, and will focus on Japanese Shorinji-Ryu Karate-do and Chinese Shaolin Kung Fu.

In accordance with the values of martial arts, students will be expected to show a high amount of respect for their classmates, including bowing to one-another when doing group work. Please wear comfortable clothes to exercise in and bring water to drink throughout the class.

X7315: Introduction to Puzzle Hunts
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Eric Mannes

A puzzle is a problem that somehow has a word or short phrase as an answer. The puzzle can come in many forms, including a list of clues, a page of images, and a bag of broken pasta. There are usually no instructions: it's up to the cleverness of the solver to figure out how to get to an answer. In this class, you'll learn how puzzles work and get practice solving them!

X7424: Relationships 101
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Amos Meeks

You live in a world of relationships. Any time you interact with another human being, you create some type of a relationship. You have a relationship with your parents, with your friends, with your enemies, and with your lovers. Throughout your lifetime your relationships will have a huge impact on your happiness, your career, your children, and most everything else in your life. And yet, despite the huge importance of relationships we're never taught how to do them well. We're left to flail around in the dark, making mistake after mistake until maybe you learn something that makes your next relationship better.

This class is an introduction to thinking about relationships in a deliberate manner, and then learning the tools and techniques that lead to healthy and happy relationships.

X7808: Making the Best Financial Decisions for You: College, Career, etc...
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Patricia Craig

A handful of major decisions can really influence your life and possibly have a lasting influence on your future happiness. What career you choose, what college you attend, how you pay for college, who you choose to marry, whether you buy a house or rent - - these are some of the really big "financial" decisions. The purpose of this course is to help you expand your thinking on these very critical decisions.

X7836: Introduction to the Stock Market
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Jon Toner

Heard of the Stock Market, but unsure what it’s all about? Curious how the stock market’s performance impacts you every day? Find out why companies issue stock, what drives prices and some basic investing strategies.

This course will feature a 90 minute lecture. We'll then break into teams and you'll get 15 minutes to organize before we turn the lecture hall into the floor of the stock exchange and for the next 60 minutes, you'll compete against other teams to generate the highest return on an initial $1,000,000 bankroll. The pressure is on, because each trading day is only 60 seconds long!

Note: This course is designed for students with no background in the stock market!

X7498: Advanced Lightsaber Dueling and Stage Combat Full!
Difficulty: **

This class will cover proper stance and grip when holding a lightsaber, basic spins, how to strike, and how to defend. We will also teach basic choreography and impromptu dueling techniques. Students will also be taught how to construct their own duel, which they will have time to practice. We will also be available to critique and assist in creating and learning your own choreography. This course is part of a larger Star Wars series, including the History of the Star Wars Galaxy (3 parts). These classes are adapted from a lecture series at UC Berkeley, and we have been teaching them for 2 years. They’re super awesome!


Prerequisites
good coordination and muscle memory, experience with weapons is preferred. Students who have taken the class previously are welcome to return. martial arts experience is helpful

X7429: Non-DnD RPG Systems
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Aaron Dunbrack

Ever heard of GURPS, Burning Wheel, Mouse Guard or Paranoia? Haven't, but want to? Have, but want to learn more? Then this class is just what you want to take.


Prerequisites
Have awareness of what a tabletop RPG is - just DnD is fine, since this class will go over others, but any other system is fine too.

X7521: How to Become a Scrabble Master
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ian Chesser

Are you ready to put your word knowledge to the test? Richard and Ian, MIT's brightest young Scrabblers, will show you what it takes to survive in the world of competitive Scrabble. We will walk you through basic strategies like rack management and endgames, and top off the class with a live game against one of the greatest minds in Scrabble! Scrabble is all about strategy, and words, and fun! Come get your anagrams on.

X8036: College Access Workshop Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Michelle Ng

A quick workshop to explore process of college application. I will present an overview of public available resources such as those found in CollegeBoard and Common Application. Students will use these tools to determine what type of colleges/programs they may wish to explore. This program is intended for 9th and 10th graders who are looking to start preparing for the college application process early.


Prerequisites
Interest and desire to apply to college!

X7374: Twists in SciFi
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Dan Doan, Average Phan

This class will be about some interesting twists in SciFi and how one can make them better. We'll use twists from some famous Visual Novels as examples, such as Never7, Ever17, Remember11, 999 and Virtual Last Reward. No prior knowledge about these Visual Novels is needed - this class will be self-contained.

* If you're interested in "real" SciFi, which is Theoretical Physics, you should try Trung's other class 7369: The Story of Theoretical Physics

X7496: Introduction to Psycho Analysis
Difficulty: *

We're Holmes, you're Watson, and instead of neglecting you like Holmes normally does, we're gonna teach you about deduction and psychoanalysis.

For the purposes of this class, we’re defining ‘psychoanalysis’ as deriving information about a person using psychological principles and observational deduction; Because no one likes Sigmund Freud anyway. In other words, this class is about Holmesian Deduction.

Want to learn how to deduce a person’s personality, interests, and background from just a few seconds of interaction with them, like the pros do? We deduced that you do, ‘cause if you weren’t cool enough to be doing so, you wouldn’t be at Splash.

Come to this class to learn psychoanalysis and deduction from various angles, including appearance, possessions, and less personal methods, like Facebook profiles.

Psychoanalyze your friends, psychoanalyze your family, psychoanalyze your enemies, psychoanalyze random strangers, psychoanalyze other Splashers, and even try to psychoanalyze us!

Good chocolate will be provided for students who volunteer to be psychoanalyzed, or volunteer to psychoanalyze.


Prerequisites
Willingness to participate. Being able to think outside the box, reason from multiple angles, and familiarity with a wide variety of media.

X7684: Consent 101 (Or What They Should Have Taught You In Sex Ed) Closed!
Difficulty: *

Consent is a basic life skill for interpersonal relationships-- of the sexual and/or romantic variety and otherwise! Come learn about what consent is, how to ask for it, how to give it or not, and how to make it part of your everyday life!

This class will not get explicit. It should be appropriate to everyone who has been through basic high school sex ed. It is also not all about sex! Consent is important in platonic relationships too! If you have concerns about the content feel free to contact one of the teachers. If you would like the attend the class and there is a specific topic that may make you uncomfortable and/or trigger you, please talk to us and we will try to make it so that you can attend!

Brought to you by MIT Stop Our Silence, the group that brings MIT the Vagina Monologues every year.


Prerequisites
Willingness to leave social scripts and assumptions at the door :)

X7405: Beginning Tetris Strategies Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Lilly Chin

Enjoy Tetris but can't seem to clear your lines fast enough? Come learn some new strategies and strengthen your spatial reasoning abilities!

This class is not required for participation in the Tetris tournament. If you know what a T-spin is, this class is not for you.

X8078: Sailing theory, hydrofoils and other random sailing things.
Difficulty: **

So sailboats. They don't have motors or any mechanical form of propulsion. Only wind blowing over the sails makes them move. And yet, some boats can go even faster than the speed of the wind that propels them! Come learn how this works, how boats like the America's Cup trimarans can levitate out of the water on hydrofoils and some other really neat sailing things!
(We're going to see some videos of some super cool boats ;D)

X7850: Influence: The Power of Word Choice (Neuro-Lingusitic Programming) Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alec Lai

As part of the "Influence" series, this course will cover some basics in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) in persuasion, where word choice and sentence structure can have dramatic effects on interpretation. Every word you say has a subconscious connotation (even conjunctions), and this course will show you what power you could have with your words.


Prerequisites
None

X7500: History of the Star Wars Galaxy
Difficulty: *

This is a course on the history of the Star Wars galaxy, which will cover history from 100,000 BBY to the prequel era (time permitting). This includes events prior to the creation of the Star Forge, discussing the Celestials and their technology, and will continue all the way up to the end of the Great Hyperspace War, the Rise of Freedon Nadd, The Great Sith War, the Mandalorian Wars, and The Second Great Sith War. This class also introduces some key information about the galaxy, the force, and technology. This is a course focusing on character profiles, important events, weapons and technology, and vehicles and vessels with a focus on the use and development of the force by the Jedi Order, the Sith, and other lesser known factions throughout. Class will consist mostly of lecture with short breaks for discussion of the material. This class is adapted from a lecture series at UC Berkeley, and we have been teaching them for 3 years. Also it's awesome!


Prerequisites
Useful/ preferred to have prior knowledge of Star Wars (books, movies, games, etc)

X7466: Tetris Tournament of Champions! Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Lilly Chin

Must smash puny blocks!!! Come show off your might and mettle against other Splash students in fierce games of Tetris!

We will be playing 1 v 1 games on Tetris Friends' Arena mode. TetrisFriends account and laptop not required, but would be helpful.

X7348: What to Do When You're Bored in School Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Samantha Yarmis

Do you wake up every morning, eager to sit through seven hours of classes, confident that you'll be suitably challenged?

No?

I certainly didn't.

Unfortunately, it's mandatory, at least for a while, and you might not have other options open to you. However, there are many things you can do to keep yourself from wanting to claw your eyeballs out from sheer boredom! Even better, there are ways of beginning college early and finally doing interesting things in class - I know, because that's exactly what I did.

X8073: Mightier than the Sword: The Greatest Pens and Pencils Ever Made
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Lawrence Chiou

A couple years ago, I began my search for the greatest pens, pencils, and inks ever made. Although the quest for a definitive answer continues, I have identified some of the smoothest and most elegant (and at times most expensive) writing tools ever crafted by humankind.

We'll examine the world of the mighty pen (with a focus on the elegant fountain pen) and trusty pencil (both mechanical and conventional). There will be live demos, samples on display, and possibly the chance to play with some pens worth more than $200.

X7582: How to Get Along with People Who Disagree with You
Difficulty: *

Living in America, we're all free to hold our own opinions. Some people think that's bad. We call it "intellectual diversity" and think it's pretty cool. A natural consequence of all this unbridled freedom of thought is that some folks are bound to disagree with you. We think that's pretty cool too, and we'll teach you to agree with us.

X7763: Scientific Analogies to Harry Potter Spells Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Botong Ma

Being normal non-magical Muggles, we only have technology. But don't despair! This class will explore ways of getting Harry Potter spells (and items) to work in real life (albeit with much more complicated resources...) Examples include Invisibility Cloaks/Disillusionment Charms, Banishing Charm, Babbling Curse, Marauder's Map, etc.

X7876: Introduction to Rope Dart
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Nicole Glabinski

Rope dart is a spinning arts prop based on Chinese martial arts, consisting of a weight on a long rope. Today, rope dart can range in style from traditional to performance art almost like dance.

In this class, you'll learn a variety of basic rope dart tricks, like elbow shots, kicks, and empty knots.

X7611: Social Norms and and Gender
Difficulty: *

Societal expectations are often impossible and it feels weird not to fit into any of the pre-made boxes, lets talk about making a coherent self concept that does not depend on jumping through hoops that don't make a lot of sense. Likely to be especially useful if you are gender-queer or any other kind of weird.

X7868: What Makes a Good Board Game?
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Isaac Grosof

Have you ever looked at a board game, played it once, and asked, "Is this really a good board game? Will I enjoy playing it again and again? How could it be better?" Have you ever wondered how to design a board game, or how to make one better? All of these questions will be answered.

Learn how to analyze board games, and find out what characteristics are needed for enduring entertainment. We will analyze the merits and failings of games such as Go, Chess, Checkers, Hex, Ultima, Abalone, Settlers of Catan, as well as games of the students' choice. If you want to find good board games or design your own, this is the class for you.

X7603: CAT FACTS!
Difficulty: *

Come learn about the history, biology, and societal significance of Felis catus! We promise we won't sign you up for any SMS lists. No prior knowledge necessary.

X7663: Truffles! Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sarah Wharton

Mmm... chocolate. You know you want to learn how to make velvety-smooth chocolate truffles. You'll also learn about the history of chocolate, crystal formation in candies, and other random facts about one of the best foods ever to have existed.


Prerequisites
Can you handle yourself with a saucepan and a stove? Good.

X7661: Why NASCAR is Awesome
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Dirk Stahlecker

A fun and informative look at everything NASCAR - starting from its roots on Daytona Beach, continuing to the sport we watch today and looking into the future. We will explore a brief history of the sport and the evolution of the cars and their safety features. We'll delve into the dynamics of a race: speed, strategy, setups, teamwork, racing specifics, and how the tracks are all so different. We'll even throw in some video of amazing (and harmless) crashes and wrecks! Even if you've never watched NASCAR before, you too can learn why it is one of the most watched sports in America!

X7852: Influence: Online, Text, and Phone Analysis and Persuasion Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alec Lai

We use our computers and phones now for universal communication, and many say it's harder to read the other person when there are no faces to read. However, as typing has become a subconscious action for us, it has opened up many more weaknesses that can only be seen through analyzing and utilizing the text through technology. Learn how to use Facebook, GChat, and other messaging services (as well as your phone) to your advantage. (33% similar with Class 7 of ESP HSSP 2013.)


Prerequisites
Familiarity with messaging services.

X7935: Two Thousand Years of Philosophy: Perfecting the Proof of God and the Soul Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Chanthia Ma

Ever thought about what the mind and soul really are? Ever wonder about the philosophical roots of religion? It’s fine if you haven't, and even better if you have! Come explore the philosophies of Parmenides, Plato, Aristotle, Anselm, Descartes, Berkeley, Kant, Mill, Hume, Hegel, Parfit and more, tracing the debate on the existence of god and the soul across the centuries. Look forward to learning and analyzing how some two thousand years of philosophy have evolved on these topics!

X7853: Influence: 10 Easy Ways to Change Your Life Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alec Lai

The introductory, applied "Influence" course! Learn in 50 minutes, 10 quick ways to easily change your life (making people like you more, getting what you want, etc.). Combines basic techniques from various disciplines and sectors.


Prerequisites
None.

X8000: Steak: Theory and Practice Full!
Difficulty: **

Steer yourself on over! By the end of this class, you'll have herd how to cook a delicious prime steak. We'll moove from the science of cooking meat to useful tools and techniques for preparing beef. Classes this well done are rare, so it would be a missteak to miss this.


Prerequisites
An interest in preparing or consuming beef. .

X7462: The Mess known as Club Soccer
Difficulty: **
Teachers: William Sablove

When I was your age, only one kid in school played for a club soccer team. Today, anybody who can kick a ball plays for MPS or NEFC or one of the other giant clubs. How did it get like this? What caused the explosion of club teams even with a contraction of clubs? Why does every coach come from England or the Caribbean? This course will explore what triggered the boom and how it has affected youth soccer in the United States. Also, there will be a referee discussion and roundtable.


Prerequisites
Must play or have played soccer for a club, town, or school. Referees are encouraged to sign up.

X7487: Paracord Bracelet Making
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Amy Sollitti

Make parachute cord (paracord) bracelets! These are also called "survival bracelets" because in an emergency, these bracelets can be unwoven, and the superstrong cord can be used to pitch tents or as fishing line.

X7761: Transitioning to college--everything EXCEPT academics and admissions
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Diana Abramo

High school students are often so hyper-focused on doing well academically and being accepted to college that it leaves little room for thinking about what happens once you get there. There are lots of ways you can start now to prepare to make the transition easier. These include:

--What happens when the "smartest kid in the school" is in a roomful of the smartest kid?

--How do you move from someone telling you how much homework to do every night, to planning for one or two exams that are months apart?

--Students who homeschooled up until college find some things easier and some things harder than their schooled peers. What can they capitalize on, what new skills might be needed, what can be practiced now?

--What do you do when you can't figure out why you are having trouble learning something--especially if it has never happened before?

We will discuss these, and your other concerns.

X8034: Analysis of Pop Music
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Grant Falkenburg

Pop Music. We all hear it, but what is it exactly? What are all of these noises we're hearing? Why does it sound so good? And finally, how do I make my own!? You've all been wondering, but now you'll find out!

In this class, we'll deconstruct pop music from the ground up -- starting with sound synthesis and design, working up to progressions and structures. By the end of the class, you'll know the inner workings and you will be able to identify common tricks and techniques used in production of pop music. Get ready to pop!


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of music and a good ear are both helpful, but not necessary.

X7962: Gender Beyond the Binary
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ryker Reed

Like thinking about gender? Ever felt like male and female don't cover all the possibilities? Come learn all about the Gender Spectrum and all the different identities that a person can have that fall outside the Binary of Female or Male. We will talk about gender identity in society, in science, and in life. Come enjoy a fun discussion and bring your questions! No prior knowledge necessary, just respect and an open mind.

X7326: Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room or: Introduction to Social Dynamics Full!
Difficulty: **

Navigating a crowded party is like traversing a minefield. Engineering is about iteration, but in social engineering, you only have one shot to get it right. Learn how to get the conversations you need, use the conversations you have and hack any situation.

Results not guaranteed. Always add water.

X7950: Seminar in Electronic Music Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sara Sinback

We'll listen to some electronic music together, and talk about it. What makes this music "weird" or "normal"? What makes it "pleasant" or "unpleasant"? What compels us and drives us away about electronic compositions? Be prepared to expose your ears to styles you may have never heard before. We aren't aiming to be nonjudgmental, but we are aiming to be open.


Prerequisites
You must be able to sit still and silently through whatever music I play, not talk over your peers, and generally help foster a respectful, constructive environment for discussion. The quality of this class is up to every participant, so think hard about whether or not you want to take this class.

X7447: Sewing for Complete Beginners Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Celina Walker

Have you ever wanted to know how to sew your own clothes? Do you have trouble finding styles or sizes that fit you ready-made? Or do you just really wish you could make your own Steampunk or Dr. Who costumes? Learn how to start sewing! We'll be covering sewing equipment, how to read a pattern, chose fabric, and basic construction techniques.

X7916: Peanut Butter & Jelly Robotics Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Kate Rudolph

Think you know how to make a PB&J sandwich? Well enough to explain it to an extraordinarily stupid robot? Then this class is for you. Work with your classmates to instruct a robot to make delicious sandwiches.

X7708: Fundamentals of Magic
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Marvin Romero

In any magic act - be it a show or a single trick - there are some key aspects you ought to know. What can be better than learning those aspects from a magician? Join us in learning the art of magic - from presentation to basic tricks, which are all a part of the fundamentals of magic.

X7544: CEO Flight Simulator
Difficulty: *

A multiplayer simulation in which participants seek to maximize their company's net worth as they compete against each other while dealing with variations in resource supply. Participants buy, sell, and build equipment, decide where to operate, and negotiate with one another. Policy options the instructor may use to introduce complexity include auctions, permits, and quotas. Format will consist of a 80-minute simulation followed by a 30-minute debrief. Students will be divided into groups for this exercise.


Prerequisites
Instructor will send out ~30-minute video that explains the user interface before the class.

X7973: Boffing Full!
Difficulty: *

Have you ever wanted to whack people with pool noodles duct-taped to PVC pipes, or roughly equivalent objects? Have you never really thought about it, but now that we mention it you kinda do? Then we have the class for you!

You'll learn the ancient and revered art of boffer combat from fencing masters Ross and Ben. We'll teach you all our most powerful techniques, then let you loose upon each other in a high-stakes tournament to be crowned... THE BOFFING MASTER.

Winner will receive a fancy hat.


Prerequisites
An intense, all-consuming desire for a fancy hat is helpful but not necessary.

X7828: A computational introduction to harmony
Difficulty: **
Teachers: David Lawrence

We'll start with the physiological and mathematical foundations of musical harmony: the reasons that only some pitches sound good together. Then we'll write a computer program that searches for sets of maximally harmonious pitches. We'll conclude by "discovering" the twelve-tone scale.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of music theory and Python programming.

X7398: How to be a leader! with LTI Full!
Difficulty: *

MIT's Leadership Training Institute is offering a course for students to learn more about what it takes to be a leader. Students from MIT will do fun activities with high school students to teach through example how to be a better leader.

X7486: Gender, Sex, and Sexuality! Closed!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Amy Sollitti

Have you ever gotten the feeling that some things in life aren't just black and white? That there isn't just gay and straight? Male and female? Man and woman? In this course, we'll delve into what sex, gender, and sexuality really are while covering other topics such as the importance of safe sex and consent!

X7675: Dark Chocolate Tasting
Difficulty: *

So you like chocolate. A lot. You even have a favorite brand. (Ghirardelli? Hershey's is not an acceptable choice.) But it’s all just chocolate, right? Wrong! There’s a lot more to chocolate than what you buy in the grocery store. There are gradations of how dark it is, different types of beans, even chocolate made from beans all from the same country or even the same plantation! And they all have distinctive tastes. We’ll have a range of different chocolates, as well as information about the different types of chocolate. We’ll explore several different aspects of high-quality chocolate (such as percentage cocoa contents, and what country it comes from) and discuss what these things do to the flavor. We’ll also bring some suggestions for where to look for buying your own chocolate. Note: Although younger students may take this class, please make sure they can sit still and join in a reasonable discussion. Anyone being rowdy will be asked to leave.

X7792: How to Sound Like You Know What You're Talking About
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Isaac Silberberg

Do you want people to assume you know what you're talking about? I know what I'm talking about, and after this class so will you. At least, you'll sound like it. As you'll see, that's most of the battle.

X7932: Insects!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: David Rolnick

Would you like to learn about beetles with suction cups, ants that explode, and wasps that use metal-tipped drills? About why fruit is red, how to avoid mosquitoes, and what the fireflies are talking about when they glow? About insects that look like poop, insects that hide in poop, and still others that eat it? About how there is a world of fascinating life visible in a single square foot of weeds? In this class, we will explore insect ecology from the rainforests of Bolivia to the sidewalks of MIT, see why insects are so interesting and, in many cases, beautiful, and find out how to see and study miracles in one’s own backyard.


Prerequisites
A mind open to wonder.

X7777: It's Not Like in the Movies: An Introduction to Lockpicking Full!
Difficulty: **

We live in a world inherently vested in physical security. We use locks to protect most tangible things important to us. Dogs, cats, children, money. Learn how locks work by picking them apart. Or, maybe not apart.

X7613: Communication and Boundaries Full!
Difficulty: *

Effective Communication and Conflict Resolution for negotiating social difficulties in a positive and constructive manner. Also, knowing what healthy boundaries look like.

X7452: Glorious Music
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, and Puccini.


Prerequisites
Interest in orchestral and choral music.

X7477: Swing Dancing with the Stars
Difficulty: *

Out-class all your friends with some fancy swing moves at the next dance! Learn the basic steps plus awesome turns & spins, and maybe even a dip if you're adventurous. Plus we have tasty brownies!


Prerequisites
No experience necessary! Just bring yourself, ready to move around & have a good time :)

X7869: Vampires, Vampires, Vampires!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Grace Cook

Ever wondered what makes vampires such a hot topic? Yes, Twilight is a big part of it, but there's definitely more than meets the eye!

We'll take a look into the history and folklore associated with vampires, from Dracula and Nosferatu all the way into the modern vampire subculture, and we will find out why this bloodsucking predator has made such an eternal, spine-tingling impact on all corners of the globe.

X7778: Science Discovers G-d
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Yale Zussman

Recognition of the relationship between physics, biology, sociology, and culture lead to a proof of the existence of G-d that follows all the rules of Science. Come find out what this relationship is and how it leads to a requirement for an entity with all the essential properties of G-d.


Prerequisites
Some understanding of current theories of the origins of the universe and its evolution to its current state.

X7470: High School Summer Research Opportunities Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Rachel Davis

Summer is a really important time to explore things you are interested in and get an idea of what you want to study in college. Many students who are interested in science and engineering are looking for fun programs to participate in like Junction, but would like something more for during the day. Summer research at universities is a great way to get involved in a field of study and figure out if that field is right for you, in addition to opening up great scholarship and college opportunities. Learn about those opportunities and programs and ask questions about what you can do to get involved in research and travel the world.

X7980: Mat Pilates
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Michael Chang

Working on your beach abs?

Interested in fitness?

Looking for a way to relieve stress and get a good workout, all in the comfort of your own bedroom?

Come learn Pilates! Mat Pilates is a series of mat-based exercises that promote strength, stability, and awareness of one's body.
And it makes you look good.

Students learn various Pilates exercises and their relationship with the main muscle groups of the body.


Prerequisites
Wear comfortable, not-too-tight clothing. No jeans, please!

X7497: Lightsaber Dueling and Stage Combat Full!
Difficulty: **

This class will cover proper stance and grip when holding a lightsaber, basic spins, how to strike, and how to defend. We will also teach basic choreography and impromptu dueling techniques. Students will also be taught how to construct their own duel, which they will have time to practice. We will also be available to critique and assist in creating and learning your own choreography. This course is part of a larger Star Wars series, including the History of the Star Wars Galaxy (3 parts). These classes are adapted from a lecture series at UC Berkeley, and we have been teaching them for 2 years. They’re super awesome!


Prerequisites
good coordination and muscle memory, experience with weapons is preferred. Students who have taken the class previously are welcome to return. martial arts experience is helpful

X7407: Ultimate Frisbee: Strategy Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Stephanie Ger

Ultimate Frisbee transcends a simple pickup game played at picnics and after school. Instead, at the competitive level, there are many rules that govern the game, even though there are no referees, and strategy involved in each play. This class will be a brief introduction to competitive ultimate, the rules that govern the sport and different offensive and defensive plays.


Prerequisites
n/a

X7610: Procrastination, Perfectionism & Productivity Full!
Difficulty: *

Understand what gets in the way of getting things done and how to set patterns and goals to make it work better.

X7791: Beading 3-Dimensional Figures Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Wei-En Lee

Learn how to create three dimensional figures out of nothing but fishing line and plastic beads! Walk away with a finished product you can keep.

X7865: Sight-singing sing-along and Notation Exploration
Difficulty: **

We will learn about and sight-sing music using:
- Early European notation
- Western staff notation
- Shape Note notation
- North Indian Classical notation

X7825: Intro to Swing Dancing!
Difficulty: *

Come learn basic swing steps, turns, spins, and perhaps a dip or two! No experience necessary, just bring yourself, comfortable dancing clothes, and be ready to have fun.

X8085: Video Broadcast Journalism
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ethan Goldstein

Who makes the news?

Learn about both the technical and journalistic challenges in creating a local, regular news show. What components go into a broadcast? What types of cameras and studio equipment are used to make them? And how do you write a news show to be objective - can you?


Prerequisites
Try to watch a variety of news shows before coming to familiarize yourself with their style!

X8099: Rethinking Gender
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Emily Matteson

Are "man" and "woman" the only two categories of gender? Can we, as a class, develop a better model of gender that describes a wider range of human experiences? If we stop thinking of gender as a binary, how does that change the way we talk about sexual orientation? We'll work to answer these questions and more in this class. There will be time for open-ended discussion, so feel free to bring questions, observations, and topics you'd like to discuss.

X7511: How to Read a Financial Statement
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Vrajesh Modi

After this class, you will be able to: (1) understand balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements; and (2) calculate several simple financial ratios to better understand the performance of a company. Format will consist of a 50-minute lecture on theory followed by a 60-minute group exercise.

X7969: Popularity - Social Dynamics Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Rebecca Li

Have you ever wanted to know what makes a magnetic personality? Ever wanted to know what it takes to be the life of the party? It's not always about looks, money, and clothes. Find out what makes people the social equivalent of neodynium!

X7967: Ballroom Basics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Patricia Hanus

For those interested in learning about swing and waltz.


Prerequisites

X7337: Spontaneous! Creativity Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Hannah Harris

"Spontaneous" problems are exercises in thinking creatively on the fly in a team setting. In a given amount of time, students come up with the wittiest and wackiest responses to oral prompts, build crazy structures in hands-on challenges, and everything in between.

Engineering and the performing arts mash together to create a multidimensional problem-solving atmosphere in which anything goes!

We will work Spontaneous problems from the Odyssey of the Mind international creativity competition, drawing exercises from all three categories: verbal, hands-on, and hands-on-verbal.

No prior experience necessary!

A few example problems:
http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/practice/default_cat.php?Id=2

X7473: Cryptograms!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Asra Ali, Lisa Ho

Fdq BRX vroyh d fubswrjudp? Gr brx kdyh dqb lghd zkdw wklv txhvwlrq vdbv? Bhv? Qr? Hlwkhu zdb, frph wr wklv fodvv iru ixq zlwk fubswrjudskb sxccohv!

X7382: How Combination Locks Work Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Harvey Yee

Come to this class to get a hands on introduction to the science and art of combination locks. Together, we will examine and explore their construction, their designs, and their weaknesses, from a physical and mathematical perspective.

X8031: Lindy Hop for Beginners!
Difficulty: *

An awesome dance from the 20's and 30's that is still danced today! We will learn the basic steps and how to dance to the music.

Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkthxBsIeGQ for some of the pros!

X7999: How This Website Works
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Jordan Moldow

Ever wonder what was actually going on when Splash registration opened? Find out how the ESP website (or any website) works behind the scenes.

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 ESP website.

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!

X8077: How sailing works - Intro to sailing
Difficulty: *

Ever wanted to know how sailboats go? Want to learn how to SEE wind on the water? Curious about what people are doing when they're sailing around on sailboats? Come learn about boats, the wind and the basics of how to sail!

X7933: From Plato to Parfit: Two Thousand Years of Western Philosophy in Less Than An Hour
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Chanthia Ma

Want to learn about Western Philosophy, but don't know where to start? Or you do, but don't want to spend more than one hour on it? Take this class to get an overview of the progression of Western Philosophy from Plato to Parfit. Come learn what it really means to bring into conversation the big names of philosophy such as Aristotle, Cicero, Aquinas, Descartes, Hume, Kant, Mill, Hegel, Nietzsche and more!

X7820: Music Festivals 101!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Grace Cook

Come learn the ins, outs, and history of music festivals from an enthusiastic festival-goer. From Bonnaroo to Camp Bisco, metal to electronic, there is a festival for everyone!

We will cover a broad spectrum of events from varying musical genres with particular focus on those in the New England area. Whether or not you have attended a festival before, all are welcome!


Prerequisites
Please bring your musical tastes and an open mind!

X7339: What's The Deal With 3D Printing?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: William Little

Well, the title says it all. What's the deal? What is it about 3D printers? How can you get in on this crazy new thing? What can you do with it? What about printing on a cellular level? Why can't we print bacon yet?

In this class, I'll be covering both the theoretical and practical sides of 3D printing. We'll talk about how the printers themselves work, how they've evolved in the past few years, and what's coming up in the future of 3D printing.

There will be a bit of presentation time, a bit of hands on with a 3D printer AND plenty of discussion time and time to toss around a few 3D printed creations.


Prerequisites
A curious mind and perhaps a pair of eyes.

X7333: Basic Accounting Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Jessica Thomas

Learn the basics of accounting, the accounting equation and logic. Learn the basics of the balance sheet and profit and loss statement.


Prerequisites
None

X7346: Potato Printmaking! Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Samantha Yarmis

Come make a cool, unique shirt with any pattern you can think of. With potatoes.

X7362: Introduction to Meditation or "How to Hack your Nervous System"
Difficulty: *
Teachers: David Girardo

If you've ever wanted to improve your concentration, creativity, dexterity, endurance or relaxation, and think that meditation is "just for relaxation", you should think again.

This class will be a broad introduction to various meditative practices, sprinkled with a bit of contextual history and philosophy surrounding each.

We will cover the two most popular styles, mindfulness (vipassana) and zen (zazen), as well as a few lesser known or supplementary practices.

For each type we will introduce the concepts behind the technique and practice for a few minutes.


Disclaimer: I will try to introduce as wide a range of practices as possible so that you can choose one that works best. However, every meditator has their own. Rather than introduce it as "The Right Way", I will give reasons to prefer some techniques over others.

X7625: Entrepreneurship 101
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Madeleine Allen

Learn about what makes an entrepreneur and how to become one in this interactive workshop. This course covers everything from creating a convincing elevator pitch to writing a killer business plan. Other topics covered in the course include, leadership, networking, finance, and marketing. Come and see how your idea can be turned into a successful business.

X7632: College cooking 101 Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: marissa Stephens

Like food? Don't know how to make your own? Learn how! In this class you'll learn the basics of making pancakes, cheesecake stuffed strawberries, and more!


Prerequisites
None

X7717: The Golden Ratio in Music
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Benjamin Boyajian

Over the course of history, the number $(\sqrt{5}+1)/2\approx 1.618$, known as the Golden Ratio, has been used to provide structural elegance in architecture and other forms of art. But did you know that the Golden Ratio also appears in music? In this class, we will analyze works by Bach and Beethoven and observe how their climaxes correspond to the Golden Ratio.

X7793: Tea Blending Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Karleigh Moore

Come learn how to create your own loose tea blends!


Prerequisites
Interest in tea!

X7842: Social Psych: Pitfalls of Perception
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alec Lai

Understand how people think, perceive, and rationalize social settings - much of which should be surprising! Reflect on theories like the "Spotlight Effect," "Fundamental Attribution Error." "False Consensus," and much more. By the end of this hour, you will be mystified (or distraught) and how poor humans are at perceiving the world!


Prerequisites
None.

X7846: Social Psych: Influence on Identity Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alec Lai

How easy it is for us to be influenced by society and those around us? This course isn't just about "media" or "peer pressure," it's about "evaluation apprehension," "social loafing," "groupthink," and many more actual social psychology theories that help answer this question. Leave the course wondering about what everyone else has done to shape who you are...


Prerequisites
None.

X7847: Social Psych: Roots of Relationships
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alec Lai

How do we form relationships and thrive from those relationships? What tendencies do we have in these social relationships? Topics include "matching phenomenon," "two-factor theory of emotion," "the social trap," and "GRIT." These will begin to help you understand much more about these simple, yet complex, relationships.


Prerequisites
None.

X7848: Social Psych: Studies of the Subconscious Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alec Lai

Understand how strong, yet vulnerable, the human subconscious is. The first half of this short seminar will be used to help you explore your subconscious and to understand the basics. The second half will be devoted to how you can utilize your subconscious to your advantage. This is only a short survey course, but you will leave it thinking so much more about how little you need to think.


Prerequisites
None.

X7849: Influence: What Any"Body" is Saying - Body Language Basics Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alec Lai

As part of the "Influence" series, this course will help give you insights into how to read others' body language (and how to use your own body language to your advantage!). This is a 2 HOUR course, as it will not only cover the basics but do so in an interactive, workshop format. (This course is 75% similar to Day 6 of ESP HSSP 2013 last semester.)


Prerequisites
None.

X7851: Influence: The Secrets to Relationships Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alec Lai

The famous trademark course, renamed from past iterations! This TWO hour class will be a workshop on how to look at relationships, their development, and their sustenance. Everything learned can be generalized to relationships between leaders and followers, friendships, and even romantic constructs. Disclaimer: It looks at relationships/emotions very critically; not for the faint of heart. Secrets are proven to be successful, but use with discretion.


Prerequisites
An open mind. A really open one.

X7895: The Miracle of Flight
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Michael Sanders

Want to know how planes fly? Or how many different people your flight talks to? Or even why you need to keep your seatback upright, tray tables locked, and electronics powered off before we can land? This class is taught by a private pilot who has logged 23 hours of piloting time (his own airplane) and >100,000 miles (airline travel) this year.

X7941: Fifa 14 Full!
Difficulty: **

Never played Fifa 14 before and want to learn how to play this game on the xbox? Join my class to learn basic and intermediate skills in playing this game and possibly beating your friends. Will be a good time

X8003: Everything is Due, Nothing is Submitted
Difficulty: *

This is a discussion based class. We will be discussing the ups and downs of college while also giving out some tips on how to survive them. Also, what a high school students perspective is on college life is. Be ready to talk!!

X8057: It's Vinyl Not Vinyls!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Dang Pham

Enjoy music? Want to know how your grandparents, and parents listened to music? Come learn about vinyl records! Yup that black disc that you see but never heard from. This course will teach you about how we can get audio from a physical medium. Be part of the vinyl revival movement!


Social Studies

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Z7531: You're Probably A Feminist Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Kimm Topping

Do you believe in equal opportunity for all people? Well, you’re probably a feminist then. Feminism is for anyone and everyone (and yes, that means men too). This course will debunk many of the misconceptions associated with feminism, by examining exactly what feminism is and why it is important. Whether you leave this course identifying as a feminist or not, you’ll certainly gain more knowledge about human rights and social justice.

Z8023: What’s the point of education? Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Daniel Schwartz

Mark Twain once said, “Never let your schooling interfere with your education.” But what does he mean? What’s schooling, and what’s education? Is there a difference? And most importantly, how do they affect you and how much you enjoy your life?

In this discussion class, we'll put basic assumptions about school and education to the test and then explore what all this means for education policy.


Prerequisites
An open mind!

Z7678: Humanity in the Midst of War Full!
Difficulty: *

War. Torture. Child soldiers. Human dignity. What do these topics have in common? International Humanitarian Law touches all of them. In a world where warfare and civil strife are a daily reality for millions, international humanitarian law provides a framework for protection for civilians and combatants alike. Learn about the Geneva Conventions by engaging in hands-on activities and thought-provoking discussions, while exploring the powerful and fundamental concept of human dignity in wartime. Be the change. Take action. Learn about international humanitarian law.

Z7594: Thinking like a Justice Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sachi Hashimoto

Congratulations! You've just been appointed to the Supreme Court. After a long senate confirmation, you've finally got the job, fancy robes and all, and now you get a vote in deciding the Court's next case. But...how is it that you're supposed to decide anyway?

Maybe you should read the Constitution? But it's sort of unclear what that old thing says anyway... Well, you'd better look at past cases, right? But if you only followed past cases, the country would never make progress in protecting civil liberties, right? Perhaps you should look at the current public opinion. But...well, that doesn't always jibe with your moral compass, so maybe just vote from the heart? Hm, perhaps this is more complicated than you thought.

You suddenly regret not taking that Splash! class on Thinking like a Justice back when you were in high school...

Z7479: Intro to Criminal Justice
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Shar Gunn

Students will discuss the aspects of Criminal justice.
Discuss trending topics.
Discuss violent crimes.
Students will learn how to do a pat search.
Students will finger print and analyze their fingerprints.


Prerequisites
Must be mature when discussing certain topics of crime.

Z7830: What is college and why is it that way?
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Joseph Seering

A history of American Higher Education in less than an hour; why is college the way it is today? When did college start being that way, and what was it like before?

Z7526: The elementary forms of religious life
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Andrei Klishin

Have you ever thought why people started to believe into supernatural forces? What caused them to regularly gather for religious celebrations? Following the footsteps of the father of sociology Emile Durkheim we would discuss the reasons for emergence of most primitive religious beliefs, and whether the same logic applies to modern, much more sophisticated religions.

Z8058: Powder and Steel: The Military Tactics of the American Revolution
Difficulty: **

Following the "shot heard round the world", men and women of all stripes took up arms and marched to Boston to face the King's troops in the name of liberty.
Yet enthusiasm alone does not win wars, and in 1775, Britain was the foremost military power in the world. The Americans had fought native tribes and French outposts...under British leadership.
Yet somehow, this group of armed rabble grew to defeat and outmanoever royal troops on the battlefield and seas, winning the respect of Europe (and the crucial alliance of France) and ultimately American freedom.
How did the war move from Boston to Yorktown? Why did British Regulars wear bright red coats? How much of an effect did colonial millitia have relative to continental regulars?
Learn the answers to these and other tactical questions in this military history of the American Revolution!

Z7664: Sunzi's Art of War: How to Pwn Noobs in Video Games and in General
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sin Kim

Art of War is the world's most well-known military treatise. It's said that people like Napoleon, MacArthur, Mao Zedong all read this book. Modern military schools make people read this book. Of course, this means it teaches us how to pwn opponents in games.

Although the class will take examples from video games, the advices from Art of War themselves are applicable to everything from hoarding more cookies for yourself to business and sports.


Prerequisites
General knowledge of what fighting games, RTS, action RTS are. Shameless willingness to PLAY TO WIN.

Z7591: What is 'Cyber War'?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Johanna Loock

'Cyber war' is frequently mentioned by politicians and the media (most recently in the context of a US/Syrian conflict.)

This class explores what exactly 'cyber war' means and implies. Is it all hype? What problems exist with the concept? Do different cultures understand it in the same way (especially comparing US, UK and Chinese understandings)?

These questions and more are explored in this lecture, followed by time for Q&A and general discussion.

Z8052: Wheat and the Western Expansion: Funerals, Fungi, and Fungibility
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sweet Tea Dorminy

We often think of the Midwest as having always been a part of the United States, but in fact, it's been settled less than two hundred years! A strange set of pressures forced Americans into the west despite Indians, war, and drought, and created the vast American nation we know today from a barren prairie that some had described as a desert. None of this settlement would have succeeded without a crop, and wheat was the right crop at the right time --- it could easily be transported and stored, and due to an amazing coincidence, wheat prices were high, disease was low, and technology had just made large-scale wheat growing possible when the West opened for settlement. Learn about the perils of the west, technological advances in farming, and the other factors that settled the West and gave rise to today's tractors and industrial farming

Z7620: Know Your Rights
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Andrew Cowan

A police officer stops you on the street. Where are you coming from? Where are you going? Why are you out so late? Can I have a look in your backpack?

Do you have to answer these questions? If not, should you answer anyway? What do you say? Can you just walk away? What if you have nothing to hide? What if you're completely innocent? What if you're Mother Theresa?

Mother Theresa left this Earth in 1997. The rest of you should take this class. An experience defense lawyer will explain how to protect yourself when you come into contact with law enforcement.

Z8042: Why all polls are wrong, and why they're still useful
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Benjamin Kraft

What percentage of Americans support Obamacare? What about the Affordable Care Act? What about a law that requires that individuals buy health insurance, expands Medicaid, prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage on the basis of a pre-existing condition, and creates health insurance exchanges in each state? All three refer to the same law, but they have wildly different approval rates in the polls.

In this class, we'll be examining the challenges of polling, how pollsters try to compensate for them, when it works, and when it doesn't. We'll also discuss how polling and its successes and failures affect our government and society.


Prerequisites
Following the news and general knowledge of how the US government works will be helpful, but you don't need any formal political science knowledge.

Z8095: How We Got to the Civil War
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Daniel Zaharopol

You might think that Republicans and Democrats are at each other's throats now. You have no idea!

In the 1840s and 1850s, the country was a crazy place. People talked openly about slavery being a good thing and the superiority of the white race. But a growing movement started to see it as a moral wrong, and proxy wars were waged for influence in the country. The US attacked Mexico because we thought we were entitled to the land. A guy from Florida invaded Cuba. Three times.

This was when the Republican Party was born; when the Democrats were strong in the South and the Republicans in the north. Find out how it happened, and the incredible factors that led to a terrible war.

Z7420: Paradoxes of Democracy: Fair Elections and Voting
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Stephen M. Hou

What if, in hypothetical two-way races during the 2012 primaries, Romney beats Santorum, Santorum beats Gingrich, and Gingrich 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.

Z8029: Sustainability Series; Climate Change and Activism Full!

Come learn the basic sciences, effects, and the infrastructure that surrounds modern day climate change, and what you can do to start getting involved! These techniques not only have to apply to environmental activism, and can apply to any grass roots campaign, but you will leave with some tools that allow you to fully participate in a democracy!

Z8047: 'English In America': British-Colonial Relationships Before the American Revolution.
Difficulty: **

When we think of the American Revolution today, we think of a band of rebels fighting the British. This isn't how the revolutionaries would have described themselves just a few years before the Revolution, however -- the colonials thought of themselves as loyal British citizens, enjoying the same rights and priviledges as any other British citizens. The British, though, came to disagree during the French and Indian war, and argument over the specific rights of colonials formed the tension that led to the Revolution. From the Stamp Acts to the Tea Acts (leading to the Boston tea party!) to the failed attempts at reconciliation between England and the colonies, come learn about the pre-Revolution history of the revolution!

Z8086: Refugees
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Stephanie Bachar

What are refugees and who defines them? Why and how do they come to America? How do they manage to survive and even thrive once they arrive here? If you're curious to know the answers to these questions and more, come to this class!

Z7766: Your learning profile--learning how you learn Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Diana Abramo

Recent research in learning and the brain makes it clear that every single learner has areas of strength and areas of struggle in learning. And people tend not to be skilled or struggling within an entire subject-- instead, we have different degrees of strength in each of the "brain jobs" used in perception, memory, attention, processing speed, decoding language and symbols, and expressing learning. Many learners have hard to define trouble simply because psychology assessments often miss these. And categories like "visual learners" clump together too many brain jobs to be of use.

In this session, we will introduce models that describe brain jobs; give an overview of how these brain jobs play out in practice; talk about remediation, work-arounds, alternative ways of expressing learning; and the role of technology in working around relative weakness. We will not, of course, be able to identify individual profiles within a class session.

Z7328: I'm Big In Japan: Libertarianism, the FDA and the Changing Landscape of Drug Regulation
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Riley Drake

Want lower taxes? Move to Singapore! Want to develop a drug without having to deal with the FDA? Move to Guatemala! Want to 3D Print drugs in your own home? Claim in as a civil liberty, and get on with it.

We'll discuss the limits and merits of self-expermentation, long-phase clinical development and the creation of a personalized pharmaceutical market.

Z8094: How to Understand Statistics and Reasoning Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Daniel Zaharopol

Do you want to understand the world? Statistics can give us incredible power to understand how the world works, how people work, and how we think. But statistics can also be manipulated to promote false diet fads, help one political cause over another, or just to convince you of something that's not true.

We'll study ideas of correlation and what it means for a result to be "statistically significant". You'll learn how to interpret the statistics you see and get a sense of which are worth paying attention to---and which are just gimmicks. You'll also learn where you can go in more depth.


Prerequisites
There will be some math, but it won't be too intense. If you have a decent algebra background and are willing to think a bit, you'll be fine.

Z7618: What we say to people, What people hear
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Josh Shaine

Why is it that I am constantly being misunderstood?! What they think I mean and what I mean have nothing to do with each other. They are irrational. Or are they... Let's see if we can figure out what is going on.

Z8048: Colonials to Americans: The Forging of a Nation from Rebellion
Difficulty: **

Before the Revolution started, the colonists thought of themselves as British citizens, just the same as any others. All they wanted was to drink their tea and eat their sugar like any good Englishman, and not be ripped off by high taxes. But somehow, in the course of a short eight years, the United States in Congress Assembled developed a [semi-]unified governance system, the Articles of Confederation; fielded an army that defeated the best army in the world; and amalgamated its citizens into a nation with a distinct identity from Britain. How did this happen? How did a protest group seeking their British rights turn into a national identity? These questions and more will be answered by examining the Declaration of Independence and other publications and newspapers from the Revolutionary period.

Z7861: How to Save the World in Your Spare Time Full!
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Shava Nerad

Do you want to change the world? Do you know you could make a difference if you could only figure out how, and find other people who could help? Have you ever suspected that people who tell you that when you get to be 18 and "your vote counts!" -- that at best, that is a really partial story about what your contribution could be?

Did you ever suspect that all those hero's tales were trying to tell you something about the real world?

You were right. And it's a grind... But you can change the world. Locally, even globally, eventually, if you have the will, play well with others, talent, and sheer stubborn and games(person)ship.

What, you thought the game of thrones was all in fantasy books? ;) But mostly, yes, it's blazingly dull paperwork, chasing bureaucrats, dealing with difficult people, building coalitions, flirting with media, sitting through meetings, and writing good copy.

From improving the hot lunch menu to tackling the NSA, we'll talk about problems local to global -- bring an issue you'd like to tackle, and maybe we'll workshop it as a group!


Prerequisites
Patience, savvy, open mind, some affinity for history and social structures, people skills, a desire to develop leadership skills, introverts welcome but don't be shy, prefer 10-12 grade, younger if you think you're ready.

Z8032: Practical morality and foreign policy
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Malte Ahrens

Most major western countries have been at war for close to half of the last century. Are wars a necessary evil?

If people are dying in other countries at the hands of their Governments, do we have a responsibility to protect them? Can you make a moral case for war?

We bury and cremate our dead, on the other hand a tribe in Papua New Guinea eats them instead. Can you make a case for the case for a similar dichotomy but with human rights? Are morals universal?

Can you ever justify torture? Are there moral absolutes - things you would never do? What about working with a government that does torture?

Together, we will learn, discuss and debate these (and many more!) issues.

Z7368: American Politics
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Jamie Kang

What is the American political process? How does our government work? You will be introduced in this course on American politics and how you can get involved in politics as a high school student.

Z7446: World History through Weapons
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Celina Walker

From Prehistory to the Modern Era weapons have been a part of the human existence. We'll be covering the history and technology of weapons from Prehistory to the first gun.

Z8064: Making Sense of the Government Shutdown Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Jack Spira

Calling off your camping trip due to closed National Parks? Still checking the mail for your federal tax refunds?? Worrying about the security of your "non-essential" government job??? You've got the Shutdown Blues!

For almost 16 days, the United States government was offline. Join us for an in-depth look at the causes and implications of the recent government shutdown, and what this event means for the present and future of American party politics.

Z7332: Thinking, Fast and Slow
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Amy Estersohn

We'll example some principles of the psychology of risk and how it applies to business situations, as described in the landmark "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman.


Prerequisites
If you've read the book already, this class will be review for you. A good grasp of how to calculate an arithmetic mean and why this number may be useful.

Z7537: Social Science through the lens of Isaac Asimov's Foundation novels
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Shreeharsh Kelkar

Have you ever wondered what economists do? Or sociologists? Or anthropologists? Historians? Political scientists? Geographers? Political economists? Historical sociologists? Yes, they all study some field -- sociology, or history -- but what does that really MEAN? What makes an analysis sociological rather than economic? What kinds of methods do these practitioners use? What kinds of questions do they ask? How do they decide if an issue or phenomenon lies in their field of inquiry? Finally, what do these people actually DO?

In this short 3-hour class, we will try to answer these questions. Not, however, by reading stuffy research papers but by using Isaac Asimov's famous novel: Foundation. In this novel (originally published as short stories), Asimov imagines a crumbling Galactic empire and a set of visionaries who aim to save this empire through a science of "psychohistory." Taking Asimov's world seriously, we will ask how the sciences of society work and what they do. At the end of the class, you will have some idea of the differences between the social sciences. Perhaps you will also know what classes you want to take in college!


Prerequisites
You must have read (or have some knowledge of) Isaac Asimov's famous novel: Foundation. (Amazon link here: http://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Novels-Isaac-Asimov/dp/0553382578). You might enjoy the class even more if you've read the next two novels "Foundation and Empire" and "Second Foundation."

Z7545: DIY Cults Full!
Difficulty: **

L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, supposedly said “If you want to get rich, you start a religion.” We will explore the vibrant history of cults. The course aims to explore questions including what defines a cult? Why do cults exist? How do some of them become accepted by mainstream society? We will not be examining the veracity of their messages; instead we will examine the anthropological and sociological context of selected cults throughout history. At the end, students will have the opportunity to draw upon what they have learned to create a mock cult.


Prerequisites
Maturity is absolutely paramount. We aim to make this a fun, informative and engaging environment.

Z7570: More Disorders Than You Can Think Of! Full!
Difficulty: **

This class will begin with very brief descriptions of a number of disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5 (often called the bible of psychiatry, it’s a huge book that is used to classify mental illness based on symptoms). It will cover everything from common mood disorders (ex. generalized anxiety disorder) to uncommon disorders (ex. pica- eating innutritious materials such as dirt, plaster, lead). Then, use your new knowledge (and old knowledge) to argue over the legitimacy and usefulness of the DSM classification system to our understanding and treatment of mental illness.

Z7832: Breathing is Fun, Kids: The Clean Air Act
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Rachel Keeler

In 1948, smog descended on Donora, Pennsylvania. In less than three days, twenty people died and over a third of the town was sick; mortality rates were significantly higher than surrounding towns for many years.

Smogs like this don't happen in the US anymore, because back when Congress was functional it passed this wonderful thing called the Clean Air Act. The CAA regulates airborne pollutants from asthma-causing O$_3$ and PM to acid-rain-forming SO$_2$. This class will cover a little bit of atmospheric chemistry, a little bit of history, and a little bit of regulatory and legal history, all focused around the CAA.

Z7862: Q&A with the Tor Project Founding Executive Director
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Shava Nerad

The Tor Project has been in the news lately due to the Snowden leaks which showed that the NSA had targeted Tor users to try to decloak them, and because of the Silk Road marketplace being busted. How did a local MIT-spin-off nonprofit, founded to help journalists, human rights activists, democracy activists, and online privacy advocates end up in this weirdness? Sit down for a Q&A with the founding executive director of the project, former MIT staff member Shava Nerad (who taught her first ESP class in 1981!) for some answers from the source.

The Q&A is going to try to focus on sociopolitical/news aspects, not technical aspects of Tor -- but some technical computer geekiness will no doubt come up, without being vital to the core topic much more than if you were reading the New York Times or The Guardian.


Prerequisites
Somewhat more than idle curiosity. Courtesy, please!

Z8044: Why they "hate us"? A brief history of the Middle East
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Malte Ahrens

A brief dive into the history, religion and people of the Middle East; why the maps are as they are today, why wars are still being fought to this day, and what our involvement is.

Grab onto your seats, this is one wild and fascinating ride through history!

Z7527: Pictogram introduction to philosophy of law Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Andrei Klishin

What is a just society? Oh, there are so many answers. Equality, freedom, greater good - where do these concepts start to contradict each other? Is it possible to build a justice system that is not self-contradictory?
Yes, and even a few such systems, choose to your taste. This class provides an overview of three big schools of though in political philosophy and a few dilemmas to which there are different answers. We would use pictograms and schemes to illustrate the difference of approaches.

Z8068: Sex laws in the united states Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Joshua Frisch

In this class we will study laws regarding where you can put what it whom, what things you may put where, and which pictures, movies and books, you may take of whom in various states throughout the history of the united states, and the relationship that these laws have to religion, cultural mores, and international diplomacy.

Z7961: The Gender Gap in Politics
Difficulty: *

Last I checked women make up about 50% of the US population yet they hold only 18 percent of seats in U.S. Congress, 23 percent of statewide elected offices.

Why? Forget sexism. Only 26% of women seek out elected office.


This class will discuss research behind why more women run for office, what research says about the ones that do, and what you can do to make a difference.

Z8049: The Origins and Writing of the Constitution Full!
Difficulty: **

We often think today of the Constitution as the piece de resistance of the Colonial period, a perfect government that sprang from the Founding Fathers fully formed and without precedent. In fact, few things could be further from the truth. The Constutition wasn't even supposed to exist --- the committee that forged it was supposed to propose amendments to the existing government, not overthrow it. The Founders themselves hardly thought their document was perfect --- it had a host of compromises, over religion, slavery, power, and other critical aspects of the government. In fact, several Founders spent months locked away in a room with the others making the Constitution --- and then refused to sign it!
How did the founders arrive at the Constitution? Did they come up with something new, or was it foreshadowed by the British system? Why did they make the choices they made? Come learn and discuss these and many other Constitutional topics!

Z8051: Another Look at the Continent System
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ray Hua Wu

Many grow up on the seven-continent model of land in the world. Is this model actually reasonable? We investigate alternative methods of looking at land in this class.

Z7697: Statecraft and Power
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Matthew Davis

Together, we will examine what allowed past states and enables modern states to establish and maintain domestic and international power.

Z7619: What is Education Reform?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Josh Shaine

During this seminar, we will discuss what the schools systems intend to do with education reform, take a look at some of the proposals, and evaluate the ideas behind the proposed changes. Core Curriculum, MCAS, NCLB, Race to the Top... ALL the jargon!


Prerequisites
Anyone currently either in a school, out of school, or in between is welcome.

Z7885: Epidemic - How have epidemics shaped human history, and how do they affect our world today? Full!
Difficulty: *

You've probably learned about a few famous epidemics in school:The Bubonic Plague and maybe the Influenza Pandemic of 1918. However, there have been many other epidemics that have impacted human history, such as the Plague of Justinian and the New World epidemics after Europeans first landed in the Americas.

This is primarily a history course, not a science course. We will study primary source documents about these events to learn about how these epidemics affected the people who lived through them, and how an epidemic might affect our society today.

Z7927: Trayvon Martin and Criminal Justice? Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Shar Gunn

Lets talk about Trayvon. What were your thoughs and opinion of the case? Do you think George Zimmerman was guilty or not? What do you know about the Stand your Ground Law?


Prerequisites
Students must have taken Intro To Criminal Justice before taking this class. Must have a basic knoweldge of the Stand your Ground Laws.

Z7335: The Promise and Perils of Genetically Modified Foods
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Chelsea Kendall

Thanks to recent developments in biotechnology, scientists have produced tomatoes that don’t rot, corn resistant to drought and herbicides, and extra-nutritious high-yield rice. These technologies hold tremendous promise for feeding the world in an era of climate change and growing populations–yet public acceptance is a long ways away. Come dissect the debate, and learn a little anthropology on the way.

Z7516: Introduction to Socionics
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Roan LaPlante

Socionics is a field of nonscientific analytical psychology developed by Ausra Augustinavicitue who was working with ideas of Jungian psychology. Socionics is moderately well popularized in Eastern Europe and almost unheard of in Western Europe or America. It 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 in doing so discuss the vagueness of the alphabet itself and 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.

Z7706: A short introduction to decision making
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Lauren Cote

What influences people's decisions? You'd be surprised! We'll discuss how the framing of a question influences the answer and how to "nudge" people in general towards one decision over another. This is a small group discussion of several examples - be prepared to state your opinions.


Prerequisites
None

Z7532: Gendered Media
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Kimm Topping

A person living in the United States, on average, views 37,000 television commercials a year (Stankiewicz and Rosselli, 2008). When we watch a commercial advertising a new skin product or a delicious meal, how are our ideals and expectations influenced? Advertisers are very clever in their ability to send us subtle messages about society and acceptable behaviors within society. This course will focus particularly on gender depictions in advertising and other media outlets.

Z7755: Advocacy and Lobbying to Change the World
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
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.

Z8050: Implementing the Constitution: Ratification and the Formation of a Government
Difficulty: **

The Federal Constitution was written in four months by fifty-five men cloistered in the Pennsylvania state house.
The final text was signed by thirty-nine: "eleven states, and Colonel Hamilton" in the words of George Washington.
How did it it go from the proposal of a small committee to being ratified by the thirteen nearly-independent states
as a replacement for the Articles of the Confederation? Once it was ratified, how did the generation that wrote it convert
it from a few pages of parchment into a functioning government? Learn about the battle over ratification and how it
led to the Bill of Rights (and a near-war with Rhode Island!). We'll also discuss how the development of a Treasury created
a functional executive branch---something that had not existed under the Articles of the Confederation---how the Federal judiciary,
which is barely sketched in the Constitution, developed, and how the fights over these issues created a national party system.

Z7858: Existential Meaning in 60 Minutes
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Shi Ke Xue

Spend the first half hour losing life meaning, then spend the next half hour finding it again. Come and dip your toes in the philosophy of existentialism!

Z8017: Social Innovation and Volunteerism - How to Make a Difference?
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Michelle Ng

Social innovation and volunteerism is on the rise among young people. We all want to make a difference. The question is… how? This course will begin with a 1.5 hour lecture on various topics related to social issues we face today (e.g., health care, poverty, hunger, education, environment). The lecture will be followed by a 1.5 hour interactive discussion to engage students on different ways to examine these issues and potential solutions. Plenty of young people want to make a difference to our world. The intent of the course is to broaden their horizon and encourage them to seek ways to make their impact.


Prerequisites
Interest to give back and make a difference!

Z7387: Let's Go to the Mall!: American Ideals, Values, and Capitalism Through Architecture and Materialism
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Victoria Zeamer

Disneyland is often seen as a place for fun and imagination, but in what ways did Walt Disney try to promote American idealism through his theme parks? Why were the suburbs seen as an American answer to Communism? What did Frank Lloyd Wright have to do with the concept of a nuclear family? In what way was the invention of the mall seen as an American version of European plazas? How did department stores and factories change the way consumers thought about material goods and trading?

We will turn back the dial on United States history and culture to see how these spaces are uniquely “American.”

DISCLAIMER: We MAY also delve into tangent topics related to American consumerism/materialism such as tupperware, blue jeans, and retail therapy.


Prerequisites
Brief understanding of 20th century American history is helpful but not necessary.

Z7735: Education Policy Discussion
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ryan Normandin

Come and learn something new about education policy in the country that you live in and discuss it with similarly interested peers! Led by a first-year teacher.

Z7787: Gender and Health
Difficulty: **

Learn about the difference between sex and gender, and how each impacts health and health care in the United States! For example, we will discuss how biological sex differences such as estrogen production protect women against heart disease, but the gendered history of biomedical research combined with gendered doctor-patient interactions make women less likely to be correctly diagnosed when they present with heart disease.

Z7822: Gender Games Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ralph Hogan

In general, boys and girls, men and women, think and act differently. Understanding these (typical, not universal) differences, can help to improve how you interact with either gender. Through games and discussion, we will try to understand these differences and how they may be socially constructed.


Prerequisites
Some exposure to sociology would be beneficial, but not mandatory.

Z7598: Politics, Policy and the Paradox of United States Government
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Bryan Klickstein

A policy is generally defined as a settled course to reach rational outcome. The framers of the US Constitution envisioned a government “for the people”, so that a logical definition of governmental policy would be: to achieve rational outcomes designed for and in furtherance of, the needs of the people. However, since there is no single objective standard by which what is “rational” outcomes and “needs” can be measured, government policy in the US is determined through the subjective lens of electoral politics. In other words, a zero sum electoral system (one winner and one loser) coupled with political polarization (the need to affiliate oneself with a clear “side” in order to win elections) holds significant influence over policies enacted by government. What is rational and or necessary is not always conducive to what wins elections. If this seems paradoxical, it is. Politics and policy are often at odds across a broad spectrum of issues from labor and poverty policy all the way to environmental and foreign policy. This course will examine specific examples from both the past and present in order to explore in detail the influence that US politics have on US policy.

Z7949: Theories of Justice Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Christopher Natoli

Would you sacrifice one person to save five? How do you decide? The person to be sacrificed has as much right to live as the five. Yet sacrificing the one lets more people live happy lives.

In this class, we'll talk about different theories of justice to help us answer tough questions like this. After thinking about moral philosophy, we'll see how (or if!) it helps us construct a just society. We will cover utilitarianism, Kant, Rawls, and hopefully Sen.


Prerequisites
A passion for doing the right thing.

Z7530: Gender Stereotypes 101
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Kimm Topping

What traits come to mind when you hear “masculine?” How about “feminine?”
In this course, you will challenge your ideas about masculinity and femininity by understanding exactly where these stereotypes are derived and how they are portrayed in many different facets of life and society. How do gender stereotypes influence work, education, personality, and sexuality? Pulling from findings in psychology and sociology, this course will give you the tools to evaluate gender in your everyday life.

Z7878: Parliamentary Procedure
Difficulty: *

We will teach a short lesson on parliamentary procedure. We will watch some (mostly humorous) videos of congressmen and legislators going through the motions.

We will eventually ask you to elect your own Speaker of the House who will run the show, and you will get to act like a real-world legislature, passing laws, resolutions, etc.

You are permitted to make wacky laws and are encouraged to write up bills in advance.

You are all STRONGLY encouraged to make fun of the congressmen in the videos.

Z8012: Privacy in the age of the internet and terrorism
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Malte Ahrens

How do we balance security and freedom? Do we need to give some privacy in order to gain security? How much would you be willing to give up?

And what about in the name of convenience? What will privacy look like in fifty years where the average household will own hundreds of internet connected devices, appliances and products? Online advertising last year in the US alone made more money than the poorest 39 countries did, put together. When you use something for free, are you getting the product for free, or are you the product being sold? And is that necessarily a bad thing?

Z7857: How To Lie With Maps
Difficulty: **

Maps are everywhere-- on the walls of classrooms, in the daily newspaper, pre-loaded as an app on smartphones. These maps are as much the product of artistic choices as a painting, as much a product of bias and research as a news article, and as much a product of technological expertise as an app, yet somehow as a society we subject them to a lower level of scrutiny than other forms of media. No map can possibly be 100% accurate, so how do cartographers decide what to show and what to leave off? How are the maps that we see in the news and share on facebook potentially misleading? How can you lie (and have no one catch you) with a map?

In this class, we will discuss the many technological, geographic, and aesthetic choices that go into making a map. Armed with this knowledge, students will analyze and critique famous maps, and then use GIS (computer mapping software) to design and produce a map of the Boston area.

Z7488: Thinking About Religion
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Amy Estersohn

Here's how this class generally works:

1. As a group, we develop a series of questions we have about religion. Sometimes we organize the questions into general categories based on the question's assumptions (e.g. whether the question assumes religion to be social, psychological, or cultural.)

2. We attempt to provide answers for some of these questions or to find resolutions to the paradoxes we create. If you don't find the paradoxes yourselves I will provide some for you. Your brains will explode. I will tell you a little bit about other people who have attempted to answer these questions and their own approaches to answers.

3. You will leave this class with more questions than answers and a long list of books you'll want to read.

Sounds crazy, I know, but this class got overwhelmingly positive feedback at MIT Splash 2012 and we always have fun.

Z7621: What does it mean to be gifted?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Josh Shaine

"All children are gifted." "I can't be gifted, I'm no good at math." "Gifted kids don't need any help." "If I'm so smart, why are my grades so bad?" "You're done? Why don't you help the others, then?" What do we mean by gifted? What difference does it make? Does it change who you are - or should it? Why bother with the label, anyway?

This is a discussion-oriented class.

Z8062: Normative Ethics Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Shi Ke Xue

Normative ethics is the branch of ethics that demonstrates that "practical philosophy" isn't an oxymoron. Instead of asking "What is good?", ask "What should one do?". Learn different approaches to solving moral problems.

Z8006: THE VIKINGS Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Sweet Tea Dorminy

The discoverers of America. The defenders of the Roman Empire. The raiders of England. The pirates of the early medieval period. The terror of Northern Europe. Who could this be but the Vikings? Learn about the multifarious activities of the Vikings and their civilization --- war, peace, trade, and discovery!

Z7439: Controversial Topics in Modern American Politics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Matthew Cole

Every day and especially every election cycle, the same few topics seem to dominate the news and the national discourse. This class will cover four: immigration, gay marriage, abortion, and gun control. Background will be provided for each, as well as common and not-so-common positions for every side of the issues. Discussion and analysis will be heavily encouraged. Ideally, students who have taken this class will be able to understand why each faction holds their respective beliefs, even if the student disagrees with that faction’s reasoning. The teacher is the vice president of the MIT Debate Team, and this class may also function as an informal primer on debate.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of civics and moderate to heavy interest in social issues.

Z7922: North Korea: The World's Most Isolated Country
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Emmy Yang

Take a peek into the country known as the “Hermit Kingdom.” In 50 minutes, we will blast through 50+ years of history, beginning with the formation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and explore North Korean culture and the state of human rights in this isolated country. You will begin to understand why relations between the US and North Korea become more and more strained.

Z7554: Politics Is Cool (And So Can You!)
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Rodolfo Garcia

You might think of politics as a bunch of old men making arbitrary rules. And you're right! ...To a point. American politics is actually the craziest dog-eat-dog world out there, and the closest we can get to legal gladiatorial matches in America. Come take this class and learn about our crazy political system: did you know a guy urinated in a chamberpot so he wouldn't stop speaking? Welcome to American politics!

Z7784: War, Diplomacy and Trade Simulation
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Evan Hefner

Need to sharpen your warfighting or politicking skills? Come practice in the most underplayed hot-spot in the world: East Asia. Rich with natural resources, key strategic islands, and ambitious great-powers-to-be, peace in East Asia is getting hard to come by. Come and lead one of eight elements: Japan, China, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, Russia, Vietnam, and the United States, controlling their diplomatic, military and economic actions in the great East Asian conflict of 2012. Accomplish your country’s goals by fighting on land, sea and air, or if you prefer, by using diplomacy, backstabbing, and market manipulation.

Note: returning students are welcome.

Z7881: Blitzkrieg! The German Way of War Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Henryk Kowalski

Achtung! Think you know the story of how Germany shocked the world in the opening chapters of World War II? Come find out how to conquer Poland and France in a month. Also, find out how dive bombers and tanks were (at least theoretically) part of the German military tradition for centuries, and why the fabled Blitzkreig failed outside of Western Europe! This class is meant for those new to military history just as much as it is for the grizzled and joyless amongst you. (Read: this will be fun!)

Z7568: A Brief History of Birth Control
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Veronica Boyce

A survey of the development of methods for not getting pregnant, from prehistoric condom use to the development of the pill in the 1950s to the modern proliferation of hormonal methods.The focus of the class will be on the science and researchers who developed birth control, but the social and political history will be touched upon as it influenced the scientists.

Z7623: Non-linear Thinking in a Linear World
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 the How's and Why's of non-linear thinking. We'll talk about how to recognize and develop strengths, not just how to 'fit in.'


Prerequisites
Open mind will help!

Z7764: A MONEY EXPLOSION
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Priya Kikani

Come explore the 2007-08 Financial Crisis! WHY did it happen? What's next? America teetered on the financial abyss five years ago--and the effects of the "Great Recession" are still reverberating. We'll dig into the underlying causes--from the infamous rows of "for sales" signs to what was actually happening on Wall Street. We'll attempt to answer the following: what caused the crises? Will it happen again? And if so, when?