Splash! Fall 2011
Course Catalog

Come and drop some tunes!!! In this class, students will use pieces of junk to create self-made musical instruments of ingenuity and wonder. Using their new instrument, they will then compose and perform a short musical composition. Orthodox instruments such as guitars and keyboards will be provided, but students will be encouraged to go through the creative process starting from junk, to instrument, to playing an instrument that was formerly just junk. COLLABORATION IS ENCOURAGED!

Everyone at some point in their lives wishes they had a British accent. Or maybe it's a German accent, or a southern accent, or an Irish accent. Whether you want to sound like you're from Australia or you just want to learn how to mimic your sister, this is the right class for you! Trained in the art of imitation, the instructors of this course will help enhance your ability to manipulate your voice in a fun improvisational atmosphere.


Prerequisites
An interest in improv and imitation. A good sense of humor is crucial.

Scene: a dark auditorium. You nervously walk in to greet a director and producer. They hand you a script and ask you to begin.

Feeling chills? Unsure of how to proceed? The cold read (reading an unrehearsed scene of a play in character) is a staple of the theatre audition. This course will teach students how to dive into fresh material, building character with each read. Students will also cover theatre basics such as projection, diction, and taking direction.

Sides will be taken from playwrights such as Shakespeare, Samuel Beckett, and Arthur Miller, and will include monologues, dialogues, and ensemble work. This course is open to seasoned stage veterans and acting newbies alike. Interested in expanding your audition repertoire or learning how to think on your feet in everyday life? Then this is the course for you!

There is an entertainment revolution, and that revolution is video games. In less than forty years, we've gone from two rectangles and a circle in Pong to games like Portal, Bioshock, and Heavy Rain that make us laugh out loud, jump out of our seats in fear, cry uncontrollably, and question our very morals and ethics.

With their immersive environments and interactive nature, video games give us the opportunity to tell and experience stories like never before. They give us the ability to create and destroy worlds. So come join in on a discussion of the many facets of storytelling in games, from plot and dialog to game mechanics to aesthetics and more.

Bring poems! Bring stories! Bring magazines! Bring photos! Bring scripts!

Now let's put those all together...

You're wandering around downtown one day, just hanging out, you know, when...hark! You hear a glorious cacophony of rhythm and sound from around the corner! Street drummers! This class will provide you with a knowledge of basic street drumming technique, rhythms, posture, history and philosophy. By the end of the class, you and your classmates will be able to complete a basic, but impressive, street drumming performance. And you'll feel really cool, I promise.


Prerequisites
A basic understanding of music theory (basic rhythms, like quarter and eighth notes) will be helpful. Percussionists are encouraged to attend, though the course will be taught assuming no previous knowledge of percussion technique.

Everyone loves watching movies in class. But, have you ever wondered what the purpose of a movie really was.....besides entertainment of course.

We'll take a look at some popular and virtually unknown eastern and western films to look between the shots.

Watch movies in a way you never have before.

This class will be a crash course in a bunch of different styles of dance. We will learn about ballet, jazz, modern, a little bit of Indian dance (Bhangra and Bollywood) and finish off with some Hip Hop.


Prerequisites
Please come dressed to dance, this means no jeans, no skirts. Clothes you feel comfortable moving in. Please also wear tennis shoes.

Ever wondered how fibers become yarn? What happens between the sheep and that neatly spun strand you can buy at the store? Learn how to make yarn yourself using a drop spindle and wool roving.

wHY dOes rEaDiNg tHis feEL sO mUCh wORSe...................than reading this?

In this class we will look at how 'beauty,' or the success of presentation and style, interacts intimately with content in both art and language. In our critical pursuit of "the beautiful," we will touch on balance and color theory in art, the essential elements of typographic design, as well as the components of style in creative writing.

We are not only here to figure beauty out as observers, but also to harness it as creators. We will apply what we learn to our own works of art and language to understand and make "beautiful" more beautiful than "bEaUTiFuL."

As Europe begins to emerge from the Dark Ages, interest in the classical Greco-Roman world leads to a rebirth of antiquity we refer to as the “Renaissance.” Marked by incorporation of classical elements in the context of 15th century Europe and an evident shift in the way art is seen and done, the Renaissance is said to be the beginning of the Modern period of art. While there is debate about this, in this course we seek to understand the beginnings of this period in Italy in order to make sense of later artistic developments, such as the famed art of the High Renaissance (including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael).

We will teach you how to juggle balls. Or, really, do any other prop/type of juggling that we know how, including clubs, rings, swords, poi, devil sticks, cigar boxes, diabolos (chinese yo-yos), contact juggling, etc.


Prerequisites
At least 1 hand.

This course is for those who have danced before. We will focus a little more on technique, and choreography will be a little more advanced. Focus will be on Ballet, Jazz and Hip Hop.


Prerequisites
Prior dance experience recommended.

The circus arts are an extremely fulfilling and beautiful way to test the boundaries of human physical and creative potential. Come join UChicago's circus club to see, try, and learn about some of the skills we are proud to feature in the circus, such as stilt walking, fire spinning, acrobatics, balloon art, and more.


Prerequisites
Many circus skills require some degree of athleticism to remain safe, but we also encourage those interested in the artistic side to join us in the creative design aspects of the circus.

The course will trace animation in the Soviet Union from the 1920s until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, mixing short screenings of various animated Russian films with Soviet history and history of animation around the world during that time.

Do you want to discover first-hand the world's largest and loudest musical instrument? Do you want to give a concert for everyone within a two-mile radius?　Then this is definitely the class for you! A carillon is a set of tuned bells played with handles and pedals arranged like a keyboard.
During the first hour, you will learn some simple pieces on an electronic practice keyboard, and during the second hour, you will get to climb the bell tower and perform your piece on UChicago's Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon. Our carillon is the second-largest in North America with 72 bells weighing 100 tons.


Prerequisites
Ability to read music and familiarity with the layout of a piano keyboard. Also, the ability to climb 260 stairs.

Learn how to create your own music productions using nothing but your computer. Produce beats like Timberland or Tiesto, DJ Khaled or David Guetta, Dr. Dre or Deadmau5.No prior experience needed.

Ever wanted to show off on St. Patricks day? Been inspired by Michael Flately or Riverdance's fast feet? Come and learn a taste of Irish Dancing! We'll learn a little tradition (ever wonder about the curly hair?) and learn a jig to impress your friends.



Prerequisites
Please wear comfortable shoes, like tennis shoes or some type of dance shoe. No flip flops or sandals. Also, wear comfortable clothing. Workout clothing like t-shirts or shorts are perfect!

Come learn some flamenco basics -- including footwork, palmas, and arm movement -- and pick up a few steps of the most popular flamenco dance, Sevillanas.


Prerequisites
none!

If you have questions about how to make origami, or have been particularly frustrated by making origami in the past, this is the class for you! We'll go over the "bases" step-by-step, ensure that origami instruction books will now read clear as day, admire the works of origami masters, and even sneak in a little bit of geometric explanation of the magic behind origami.

We will cover the basics of microfinance in the U.S. and the developing countries with a special emphasis on Latin America and Africa.We will focus on the mechanics of microfinance, the different types, its weaknesses and strengths. All the principles will be demonstrated through a simulation and an accompanying workshop. The class will be very hands-on.

What historical background do stuffed animals come from? What roles do stuffed animals serve in society? How do we perceive stuffed animals, and what perspectives do we have on them?

This class will discuss several intriguing aspects of stuffed animals.


Prerequisites
Love of stuffed animals.

Perhaps the most studied hundred years in world history, the end of the Roman Republic has gripped scholars of every era not just for its importance but also its memorable participants, like the brilliant and complex Marius and impossibly righteous Cato, and its gripping stories, such as the assassination of Julius Caesar and the nighttime escape from Rome by the future tyrant Sulla.

Scav, the C-Bench, Shake Day, "Don't step on the seal!", Washington Prom, Sleepout, the Iron Mask Honor Society, and the Owl and Serpent are just some of the past and present traditions that make up the UChicago culture. Learn more about these traditions and view some treasures and memorabilia about campus life from the University Archives.


Prerequisites
This course involves a trip to the Special Collections Research Center, Joseph Regenstein Library, a few blocks north of Harper.

What makes a publicly-traded company successful in the long term? What are the "signs of success", and where can they be found? Using modern cases of actual stocks and companies, students will be introduced to qualitative equities analysis with Michael E. Porter's "Five Forces".


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of the American market economy and stocks.

Immanuel Kant, a late 18th century German philosopher, posited that there is such a thing as the "moral law", a law that governs how we ought to act, and that this "moral law" is given by reason and reason alone. In this class I will give a brief overview of Kant’s rationalist moral theory, as well as the intellectual climate prior to Kant, and we’ll discuss whether or not reason can actually serve as the true moral guide.

No familiarity with Kant, or with philosophy in general will be assumed. But come ready to think!

This class will focus on places, their character, and why thinking about place matters. We'll talk about observing places, the role of time in changing our relationship to place, ways of expressing our relationships to place (art, photography, music, poetry, etc.), and the methods and challenges of actually shaping places and cultures.

This will be a very interactive class, with a lot of images and sounds to help us work through the ideas.

No prior knowledge of any topic is necessary, but students will be encouraged to participate in the conversation. You'll probably like this class if you're interested in cities, Chicago, architecture or just ideas.

(If you're interested in this class, check out Urban Design II, a chance to put some of these ideas into practice, as well!)


Prerequisites
No prior knowledge of any topic is necessary, but students will be encouraged to participate in the conversation. You'll probably like this class if you're interested in cities, places, Chicago, architecture or just ideas.

All of us eat, and with frequency if we are fortunate. Yet, do we ever
really pause and think about what we are eating and what had to happen
for it to find its way into our grasps? This class will be centered on
an overview of agricultural history and the development of our eating
habits (no, our cereals did not always come pre-sugared in cardboard
boxes decorated with cheery cartoon animals), with some surprising
facts (around one-third of fresh fruit and vegetables is thrown away
because it is considered ugly) and figures (America, a major global
agricultural exporter, has a farming population of only about 1.9
percent) along the way.

What is the origin of "trick or treat"? Who wore the first Halloween costume? Do we give out candy to pay a tribute to the spirit world, or the Hershey corporation?

Learn about All Hallows' Eve and its cultural, economic, and spiritual history and influence. Costumes not required!

"The superior man is aware of righteousness, the inferior man is aware of profit." - Confucius

With the increasing prominence of China in the world, Chinese philosophy is no longer only of interest to specialists in the West. Confucianism, which has long been the dominant philosophical tradition in China and all of East Asia, sought to make government by justice and righteousness a reality, and this course will examine its principles and trace its development.

Ever wonder what's behind the big attitude of femcees like Nikki Minaj and Li'l Kim? They'll tell you how hard it is to make it as a woman in the rap game--but how did the genre get that way? In this class, we'll go behind the "Parental Advisory" sticker to talk about hip-hop's woman problem. Music fans of all genders are welcome to this crash course in feminist theory and hip-hop, and are invited to ask important questions about what it means to make and consume culture.


Prerequisites
Consider your comfort level with language and content--I'll be using mostly uncensored cuts and we'll be talking about race and sexuality and other meaty stuff. No gigglers, please!

We are living in one of the most diverse, and one of the most mediated, countries in the world. Whether its the butt of a joke or the stereotype in a role, race is a constant factor in the media that we absorb everyday and yet we often shy away from truly open conversations concerning race. In this class we'll take a chance to express what we see and what it can mean, to look at the comedy, reality, action and reaction that occurs in American media and analyze the dialectic of racial representation that it constructs.

When the Allied powers and the Nazi war machine clashed with each other, they did so with an array of weaponry and tactics never seen before in previous conflicts. World War II set the stage for the introduction of tanks, semi-automatic and automatic small arms, fighter-bombers, and new infantry and mechanized combat tactics. What implications did these new developments have for the outcome of World War II and for the postwar period?

This class will be a philosophical introduction to thinking philosophically about philosophy. What is philosophy? Does it work? Is it useful? We will interrogate these questions and more in an informal discussion style class. Basically, this will serve as an introduction to philosophy as an academic discipline and a college major. Any student who is interested in philosophy and in what a philosophy major actually does and learns will definitely enjoy him/herself!

What can we know? What ought we do? What can we hope for?


Prerequisites
Only a mere curiosity (or even pessimism) about philosophy is required.

This course will cover many aspects of lying. Starting with the definition of lying students will discuss their opinions and study how lying is used in today's society. Students will also learn how to read common emotions, illustrations (particular hand movements) and tonal inflections in everyday situations that can hint to alternative motives. In the end, students will then discuss the pro’s and con’s of reading people and where the line must be drawn for each individual in regards to infringing upon others privacy.

We will build on the ideas about place that we talked about in Urban Design I with an eye toward a specific project: reimagining the Midway Plaisance. First, as we walk along the Midway, we'll brainstorm a set of issues we want our redesign to engage, confront or challenge; then we'll split into teams and get to work. Finally, at the end of the class, we'll present our projects and also look at other moments in the history of the Midway, both real and imagined.

As this class is a group project, it will require every student to come ready to think quickly and creatively, and collaborate with other students.


Prerequisites
Urban Design I: Thinking about Places

Created after the second of two devastating world wars to prevent
another, the United Nations and its agencies make up the only global
body of deliberation, legislation, and action. Yet, how much knowledge
about the United Nations does the average person have? What are its
strengths and where are its failings? What are the background stories
of the global dilemmas it seeks to remedy? Is criticism well-deserved?
Through an overview of the structure and powers of the United Nations
and its various agencies, as well as the major issues which are
addressed by this unique organization, this course aims to improve and
expand upon the student’s knowledge of the functions and role of the
United Nations through a dual lecture and discussion format.


Prerequisites
A world history course helpful

Under its last king, Ashurbanipal, the Assyrian Empire reached its zenith of power and might. In this class we will investigate the empire under this king. We will discuss the civil war against his brother, his campaigns at the far ends of his kingdom. We will also devote time to his attempt to build a library containing all the knowledge in his kingdom. Finally we will look at how his empire collapsed spectacularly shortly after his death.

The dictionary defines an entrepreneur as “a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, especially a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk.” What does this definition mean in every day life? Who are entrepreneurs? What makes an entrepreneur different from an inventor or a small business owner? These are questions we’ll seek to answer as well as think what it takes to become an entrepreneur.

What does it mean to be a good person? Famous philosophers have argued about this for thousands of years, so it's obviously a pretty complex question. Different people have very different ideas of what is good, from religious commandments, to the laws we decide benefit society, to our personal life choices.

In this class, we will explore a way to make good choices, no matter what we each believe about right and wrong. We will use a "consequentialist" view of ethics to do this: that is, we will look at what happens when we make a particular choice and compare the outcomes to help us pick whatever is better. We will conclude with a quick look at the the world to evaluate whether our society makes "good" choices.


Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for your ideas about what is "good". All views of what is right and what is wrong will be welcome!

CEOs, professional athletes, and those with chronic illnesses do it. Martin Luther King Jr. did it; so does Beyoncé. Meditation is becoming increasingly popular among diverse groups of people.

Come find out why, and how you can begin a simple meditation practice to improve almost any aspect of your life- your health, grades, stress level, relationships, and more!

Our daily lives are filled with advertisement - every product you buy, every TV you watch, every food you eat is advertised.
What exactly does it mean to 'Advertise'? How do people in advertisement think? How are our ideas shaped?

In this class, we will examine the nature of advertisement and analyze real life examples.

Be prepared to talk!

Fact: Brazil is the largest country in Latin America, the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas and the world’s fifth largest country! You have probably heard of this country’s Churrascos, Samba, Carnaval and beautiful beaches. However, a little known fact is that Brazil has the largest number of people of African descent outside the continent of Africa—much greater than the United States! People of African descent are nearly 50 percent of the overall population and this population is steadily increasing. In this Splash course I will introduce you to a little Portuguese and the cultural, social, economic and political distinctions among people of African descent in Brazil.

What is global health? How do we, as young adults and as Americans, factor into the bigger picture? Is health a human right that transcends geographical borders?

Currently, 1 billion people in the world live without access to healthcare systems, 2.5 billion live without access to clean water and sanitation, and every three seconds, a child dies of an infectious disease.

In this course, we will go over the philosophical frameworks of global health, do an overview of major global health issues, and analyze specific case studies to generate possible solutions. Most importantly, through hands-on activities and discussions, we will explore OUR role in the fight for global health equity.

This class will approach global health from medical, social, political, economic, and humanitarian perspectives. It is beneficial for students of all interests.

Are you a leader? More importantly, do you want to LEAD? Everyone has leadership potential, but only some choose to take on the challenge of becoming a leader.
We will examine what it takes to be a leader, and practice those skills in a fun and interactive environment. Students should gain an understanding of leadership conceptually, and emerge with greater self-confidence as a leader.


Prerequisites
A desire to become a better leader

In this class, we'll explore the appearance of hybrids in mythology and popular stories - characters who simultaneously embody male and female, animal and man, god and mortal, good and evil, and sanity and insanity. We'll look at Greek mythology, the Egyptian pantheon, classic stories like The Little Mermaid, Jekyll & Hyde, and Dracula, shamanistic practices, and movies like Fight Club and Black Swan. We'll finish by painting our faces to illustrate our unique hybrid nature!

Public speaking. Problem solving. Team building. These are the skills you need to achieve your goals. Join a group of UChicago women, who will help you build your leadership abilities. Through games, videos, personal stories, and more, learn how to lead with passion and confidence.

By the nineteenth century the Western world had surpassed every other civilization in terms of technological advancement, military and economic stength, forms of politcal organization, and standards of living. How did this come to be?

This short course will examine the four prominent theoretical lenses with which scholars have view the rise of the West: Weberian, Marxist, what has been termed the 'California school,' and geological/ecological. After outlining these arguments, attendees will be engaged in trying to formulate their own possible rationals for the Western divergence.


Prerequisites
some background of Western history

This class will explore why humans tend to take certain risks, from gambling to clothing purchases.

Get ready to play some games, do a tiny bit of math, and learn a LOT about psychology!

Landmines! They're small! They're cheap! And they're a humanitarian nightmare. This class will cover the history and military science of landmines, followed by landmine design and demining technology. The lecture will conclude with a discussion of international politics and humanitarian efforts on banning the weapons.

With the State Department estimating an annual $13.6 to $48.4 billion annually in wholesale illicit drug sale earnings, people on both sides of the border have been impacted by the Mexican cartels’ fight to control the drug trade to the US. This class will examine the Mexican Drug War’s impact on government corruption, human rights, law enforcement, and media portrayal. We will inspect flaws in the current policy approach, and discuss what American efforts can be taken to improve the situation.

We are living in one of the most diverse, and one of the most mediated, countries in the world. Whether its the butt of a joke or the stereotype in a role, race is a constant factor in the media that we obsorb everyday and yet we often shy away from truly open conversations concerning race. In this class we'll take a chance to express what we see and what it can mean, to look at the comedy, reality, action and reaction that occurs in American media and analyze the dialectic of racial representation that it constructs.

What makes us happy? How can we achieve more happiness in our daily lives and in the long term? Is happiness just a word? What is the difference between pleasures and gratifications? Explore all of this and more in this class. :)

Did you know that all black, green, and white teas come from the same plant? Or that chamomile tea is not actually tea at all?

All types of "tea" are fickle, and must be prepared differently, and many of the world's cultures have got it down to a science. In this class we will discuss the many different types of tea, how they are produced, and their different presentations across cultures. We will spend most of class preparing our own tea and sampling and comparing different kinds.


Prerequisites
Must be open to trying new things! And no giggling about the word "pu-erh."

This is a course introducing the history and philosophy of atheism, outlining the essential events and thought experiments associated with the evolution of non-theistical thought. Important texts from a wide selection of writers and philosophers (such as Lucretius, Hume, Spinoza, Marx) will be examined alongside the works of key theologians (such as Anselm, Aquinas, C.S. Lewis) to fuel discussion. Additional topics will be discussed such as the foundation of ethics, the scientific method, and the existence of souls.

This course is NOT targeted solely towards atheists, but is rather meant to serve as a general introduction to some of the most fascinating philosophical questions of all. Knowledge of these arguments should benefit all intellectually curious people, regardless of their religious backgrounds.

Our time in the course will be split equally between lecture and discussion.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with key religious texts (the Bible, the Koran, the Bhagavad Gita, etc. . .) is preferable but not required.

Instrumental rationality is finding the best way to achieve goals. This course focuses on what it means to hold a belief and how this can be used to better student's lives.

History, more often than not, is presented in school as a series of heroic and brilliant individuals forging empires and kingdoms out of sheer willpower and creating incredible inventions out of sheer ingenuity. While there are some individuals who indeed impress with their greatness, more often than not historical events and transitions come to pass due to accidents, oversights, and sheer idiocy. This course, inspired by the Arrogant Worms song, seeks to explore the flow of history using the rather unconventional tactic of analyzing not the greatness of our predecessors, but how their missteps have led us to where we are today, for better or for worse. Students are encouraged to bring their own examples of famous blunders to class for discussion.


Prerequisites
An open mind and a willingness to explore

By 1453, the former bastion of ancient Roman glory that was the Byzantine Empire had been reduced to little more than a few islands and a sliver of land around Constantinople. Covering the proud few thousand that defended the triple land walls of the city to the massive Ottoman bombards that hurled quarter-ton stones up to a mile distant, this course seeks to show the power of the well-organized and motivated individual against the seemingly invincible might of the Ottoman war machine as well as to show how the disparate paths of development of the East and West led to the ultimate triumph of the Turkish forces.


Prerequisites
Some interest in history, hopefully some knowledge of Roman and Islamic history, though neither is absolutely required and the former is far more important.

The college application process is, for most high schoolers, the single most important point of their academic career. Everything you’ve worked for, all you’ve done up until this point, has been leading up to this. Your future hinges on one application. Yet most teachers, counselors, and help books are unaware of the intricacies of the modern application process.
Taught by a college first-year who recently braved the process himself, this class is designed to teach kids exactly what they need to do in order to get those elusive acceptance letters – without compromising their identities. The college application process is strenuous, yes, but approached appropriately, it can also be one of the greatest sources of self-understanding a student will ever encounter. The Common App will be this class’s focus, with special emphasis on writing the essay.
What makes this class different than any other college-help class? Not only will students learn how to structure their applications for optimal acceptance chances, but they’ll also learn how to juice the system: we’re talking free college visits, application waivers, and more!
Only after finishing the process myself did I realize that the goal isn’t necessarily getting into the best college, but rather it’s about getting into the right college. And in order to find a perfect fit, you need to express yourself loudly and clearly in your applications. This class is here to help.

A whirlwind tour through the savoury streets of India, with a look at the history behind favourite street foods from all over the diverse country. Students can taste homecooked popular favourites, and learn how to make some of them with a hands-on dish preparation at the end of the class.

Pokémon was originally conceived by Satoshi Tajiri as a way to instill in children of the modern, urbanized Japan the same enjoyment that he felt as a young boy collecting insects near his hometown. Today, Pokémon inhabit every corner of the world (both literally and figuratively). There is no doubt that video games from Japan are popular around the world, but Pokémon is considered the “most successful export of Japanese culture”. Why, and how did this happen? Pikachu and his friends have not only changed the face of modern video games, but also redefined mainstream globalization and cultural exchange. In this class, we will discuss the history of Pokémon and its effects on global culture (with a focus on the Japanese and American audiences).

The Greeks, as the famous saying goes, made gods of their men and men
out of their gods. Who were those gods, and were they always nasty?
How come Athena, goddess of wisdom, made war over an apple? Why did
the half-divine hero Heracles clean out horse poop and chase birds?
And why, oh why, did Zeus never learn to be faithful to his wife(and
sister)? Beyond the tales, what may be equally interesting for
students is how another culture, which adopted the Greek tales and
made them part of its own mythology, had myths of its own with a
completely different focus. This class will consider the relationship
between mythology and society’s attitudes-after, of course, delving
into dangerous quests, silly and long wars, and jealous-wife hissy
fits.

Ancient Egypt, one of the most AMAZING sections of history, and quite possibly the foundation of civilization as we know it. Did you ever want to learn about the way these ancient people thought? What about their crazy world of gods? Wait until you hear the soap opera tale of the gods' intertwined family! In this class we'll discuss the awe-inspiring architecture, art, religion, and impact of this great society. Get ready to feel the wrath of Amun-Ra!

In this course, I will go over several principles of good work ethic ranging from attendance to character. The course will compare bad work ethic to good work ethic so that both sides are presented. My goal is to give this generation a sense of what it is to work rather than just showing up to work and being there. Overall, it will promote something called a "contributing work ethic."

Games are a classic source of entertainment for a fun afternoon with friends and family. So why are games like Chess, Starcraft, or even Rock-Paper-Scissors played competitively?

In this class, we will explore strategy in competitive gameplay, such as covering options and the metagame. We will also discuss what game design elements make games competitive.

The games discussed will primarily consist of video games: Pokemon, Starcraft, Smash Bros., etc. Abstract games (e.g. Chess, Rock-Paper-Scissors) will also be central to discussion.


Prerequisites
Background knowledge of the examples used (Pokemon, Chess, etc.) will be helpful but not necessary.

The Super Smash Bros. series is a popular yet unique type of fighting game. This class offers an introduction to competitive Smash play. Specific combos and mechanics, as well as broader fighting game theory (strategy, metagame, etc.) will be covered.

The focus and complexity of discussion will depend on the students' interests and knowledge. All 3 games (64, Melee, Brawl) are open for discussion.


Prerequisites
Must have played Smash and have a basic understanding of gameplay (how movement/attacks work, etc.)

You may have heard of Minecraft, the increasingly-popular sandbox building game. With over 3,000,000 copies sold, this uniqely quaint yet limitless game opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for the imagination.
In this lecture-style course, we will cover the fundamental aspects of Minecraft gameplay and strategy. How do you build a shelter to survive your first night? What are the most important crafting recipes to know? These are just a few of the topics that we look to discuss and demonstrate in this course.


Prerequisites
Familiarity and/or interest in the computer game Minecraft

Ever wondered what it's like to be a pilot? Though you won't be able to actually fly an airplane during this class, we'll simulate a flight from one local airport to another. You'll learn what all those instruments are used for, how to control the plane, how to talk to the controllers, and even how to fly in the clouds!

Interested in learning about the world's most popular sport? We want to show you multiple aspects of the noble game of soccer, as well as its impact outside of the game itself. We want to share our love of soccer with you through different lenses including math, economics, history, sportsmanship, current events, biology, and physical activity. We will go over:
-Basic rules and an intro to soccer
-Club rivalries
-Famous moments in soccer history
-Historical development of soccer
-Introduction to the book "How Soccer Explains the World" by Franklin Foer
-Geometry of soccer
-Basic drills
-Teamwork
-Exercise physiology of soccer
-A game of world cup


Prerequisites
An interest soccer (especially if you have never played before), and comfortable clothing to move around in.

This course will coach students on all levels of gymnastics skills. It will begin with stretches and warm up, proceed to teaching each student based on their individual level, and end with conditioning that they can repeat on their own outside of Splash!

There's more to Pokémon than beating the Elite Four or completing your Pokédex. If you go deeper into the Pokémon community, you'll find competitors building teams, predicting moves, planning strategies, running gambits, and silently plotting as if they were playing a chess game. This course is intended to teach the basics of the Pokémon metagame, including terminology, access to the metagame, building a team, basic strategies, and common threats.


Prerequisites
Basic understanding of Pokémon preferred.

The resume is a nuanced, tricky beast: one page to make a positive impression. Too much information, no one will read all of it; too little, no one will think you've done anything. And that's before worrying about how to arrange that info!

This course is a practical seminar on how to write resumes, targeted at high school students who may not realize the wealth of things they've done!


Prerequisites
Studnets sholud intend to apply for a job or college in the next 18 months. Bring a list of current and past activities, clubs, sports teams, honors, community service, and academic achievements to class.

This is an introduction to Miguel de Cervantes's classic Spanish novel. It will include reading, some analyzing, and acting for the chivalrous.


Prerequisites
Enough knowledge of Spanish to be able to read along with the text.

A poem's shortness can be hilarious (Stephen Crane) or contemplative (traditional haiku). No poetry experience required, just the desire to have fun expressing yourself in as little space as possible.

What is the relationship between language and thought? Do the words we use to speak and form our thoughts shape the kinds of thoughts we are able to think? Could a language’s lack of past or future tense indicate anything about the way its speakers perceive time? Or do these questions fail to acknowledge the fact that languages are created by humans, humans who all think and experience their individual worlds in basically the same way? This debate has ignited much controversy in the world of linguistics. By looking at work done on Hopi, Hawaiian Creole English, Yucatec Maya and the Amazonian language Pirahã, we will get a sense of the arguments for both sides and the current consensus of the linguistic community.

In this class we will discuss the basics of Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. Students will learn how to pronounce seemingly difficult Aztec names. Students will also learn basic grammar and will be given a enough vocabulary to understand the meanings of names and Aztec loan words in English. In addition we will briefly discuss some of the other languages spoken in Central America before the arrival of the Spanish.


Prerequisites
Students should have taken at least one foreign language, or have a strong background in English grammar.

This course is an introduction to spoken and written Mandarin. You will learn to differentiate between the different tones in the spoken language. For example, the sound “ma” can mean mother, horse, numb, or to curse. (And you don’t want to call your mother a horse, do you?) Also, you will learn to draw some basic Chinese characters and examine how they once were pictorial. Note: this class is not appropriate for students who have some knowledge of Mandarin.

College is scary, and college application essays are even scarier. But they don’t have to be! We’ll discuss what makes a good application essay and what doesn’t, and we’ll brainstorm some ideas.

Do you want to learn how your favorite poets or songwriters create lyrics that have a natural flow? Or do you aspire to become a poet or a songwriter yourself? Then this class is for you! This class will teach the basics of how to write in rhyme and meter, the qualities that give poetry its sense of rhythm. We will begin with an introduction to some commonly used types of meters such as iambic pentameter, and other commonly used rhyme structures such as sonnet and limerick. We will analyze several poems and songs as examples, ranging from Wordsworth to Dr. Seuss to any popular music song (you get to choose). Then we will learn how to make almost any sentence fit whatever meter or rhyme scheme we want, simply by playing around with words. At the end of class, we will write a short poem together, with a topic of your choice. If we have enough time, we will also take a look at some less commonly used techniques such as alliteration and assonance. If you don't know what these words are, don't worry - you will learn if you take this class, and you will become a master poet!


Prerequisites
None. It would be helpful if you already know the concepts of rhyme and meter, but even this is not necessary.

Have you ever wondered how cross products would work in dimensions higher than 3? (How would, say, rotational motion work in 4 dimensions anyway?) Or why cross products can be calculated using what looks like a determinant?

Wedge products, a related way to multiply vectors, can illuminate these questions. The allowable vectors are a bit more complicated, but the rules are simple. Maybe it will help you remember how to calculate cross products too!


Prerequisites
Algebra 2

How do you know Sammy Sosa was a great hitter? Well, he hit lots of home runs, of course. But there's a lot more to baseball than just batting average, home runs, ERA, and strikeouts. So much more, in fact, that lots of mathematicians make good money telling baseball teams how to win by looking at the right statistics.

In this course, we'll dive into the world of sabermetrics, or the study of baseball through numbers. We'll talk about how to figure out if a power hitter is really good (Albert Pujols) or just plays in a ridiculous ballpark (Carlos Gonzalez); if a pitcher wins a lot because he's got a great defense behind him or because he's actually that good; and how to come up with ways to rate defense other than fielding percentage (hint: Derek Jeter has never been a very good shortstop).


Prerequisites
There will be a moderate but not huge amount of math--if you're comfortable with algebra, you'll be fine. On the other hand, there will be lots of baseball--you should be very comfortable with the rules and quirks of modern major league baseball.

Let's take trigonometry back to its roots! Sines and cosines measure side lengths of triangles, so let's see if we can explain the equations they satisfy by drawing some pictures.

In one hour we won't find everything you'd see in a high school trigonometry class, but hopefully by the end you'll have seen enough that you can find more on your own.


Prerequisites
Students should have finished high school geometry and have seen sine and cosine before.

According to the latest statement from the U.S. Treasury, the government had an operating cash balance of $73.8 billion. With Apple surpassing that with $76.2 billion in cash from the craze of all things iPod, iPad, and MacBook, it becomes more and more important to learn how to use these devices that you just bought. Do you want to see how much bang you can get for your buck? I'll show you with any and every apple gizmo brought in,showing neat tips and tricks to transform you into the go-to guy for all things electronic and fruity.

Ever wonder what was actually going on when Splash registration opened? Find out how the Splash website (or any website) works behind the scenes and what actually happens when it breaks.

We'll cover the basics of all the major concepts of web design, including HTML, CSS, databases, client-side and server-side scripting, servers, version controlling, and caching. All examples will be taken from the Splash website. And if time allows, we'll take a look at some of the administrative portions of the website - the pages that help the Splash directors administer the program.


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!

The real number system is one of those things you see in high school, and probably play around with, but never really appreciate. You may have been told that a real number is anything you can write out as a decimal, or something equally simplistic, but this is really hiding some pretty interesting and very revealing math.

What we'll show you is a construction of the real numbers (and, along the way, the natural numbers and the rational numbers) from nothing. In the event that we have some time left over at the end, we will probably explore something interesting like set theory, and I promise that if you think you may be interested in this stuff, we will make this as accessible as we can!

Also, the class is (sadly) 3 hours long because we want to do things right, but we will have a few breaks. We'll do our best to keep you from falling asleep by the end of it!


Prerequisites
You should have seen real numbers before ($$\pi$$, perhaps), be comfortable with algebra and interested in seeing some rigorous math.

Why is the concept of nothing defined mathematically? Why is zero necessary to the existence of numbers? Why does 0!=1? Through exploring the characteristics of 0 we will answer all these questions and more. And perhaps even 0 to prove that William Churchill is a carrot!

Statistics are important tools in many fields, including areas with which we interact on a daily basis. How will this substance affect my health? How long will it take me to drive to work through traffic? Which candidate is winning the election? This course will explore exactly what statistics tell us (and what they don't), what sorts of assumptions are made in the use of statistics, and how we can understand and quantify the uncertainties that are inherent in situations where statistics are used.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with first-year algebra

Every second of every day your body is under attack, but
you only rarely realize it. In this class we will discoverer our own
blood types, and explore the threats your body faces and how it does
so. We will also explore what can happen when things go horribly
wrong.

Learn about the Earth (from rocks to plants to the atmosphere) and what we can do to help it out.

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.

Where was the first atomic bomb made? How do nuclear bombs work and why are they so destructive? What is radiation and how can it hurt us? Are there any non-destructive uses for the discoveries and advances that have been made in the past 100 years?

This class will feature a brief history of nuclear chemistry followed by a deeper look at nuclear fusion, fission, and radiation. We will also discuss other ways that nuclear chemistry has impacted humanity.


Prerequisites
This class is meant for people who have some basic chemistry knowledge but have not learned about nuclear chemistry.

Anthrax is awesome and useful! Ok, so it might kill you, and one* anthrax toxin is enough to kill a cell, and each Bacillus anthracis bacteria produces a lot of toxin; but current research says that anthrax toxin** is potentially useful precisely because it kills cells --- especially cancer cells. We'll explore current research and how anthrax works, and it'll be really enjoyable.

*One anthrax toxin? Anthrax toxin is actually composed of three individually non-toxic components that complex together in order to enter and kill cells.

**And by useful, it turns out anthrax toxins or their derivatives may actually be useful cancer treatments one day --- it may actually, one day, be a good idea to get injected with a derivative of anthrax toxin in order to destroy a tumor.

We'll learn all about anthrax's mode of entry into cells, how we can modify anthrax toxin to do more useful things than willy-nilly killing everything, and what interesting cancer-killing tests have been done. It'll be great!


Prerequisites
You should have heard of cell receptors (or read the wikipedia page enough to know a little bit). You should have a general idea what a protein is, and why a protein's shape matters to its function. Presumably if you know all that you like biology or chemistry, but you should like biology or chemistry too ;)

An introduction to Astronomy and Astrophysics for all! Anybody with passion for physics and/or space science would be perfect for this course.


Prerequisites
Some prior physics is helpful, but not necessary.

Everyone knows that one of the best parts of chemistry is blowing things up. Come learn about the chemical structure and synthesis of explosive materials! Sadly, we can't blow anything up ourselves, but we can watch videos of it. Along the way, we'll learn about organic synthesis, how explosives are made; thermodynamics and characteristics of explosives, why things explode; and plenty of other awesome and explosive chemistry.


Prerequisites
Know what a Lewis structure is.

Dinosaurs seem unusual and exciting to us because there is nothing like them living today. How do paleontologists know anything about dinosaurs? How, from just bones, can we make inferences about their behavior? In this course, using an interactive approach, I will show students how paleontologists use the scientific method to learn about dinosaurs.

This course will give a broad overview of some of the reasons why students perform poorly on exams (i.e., choke under pressure).

This course will also cover some strategies to help students avoid choking.

WARNING: the sheer number of optical illusions you will see here might just make your head spin! This is your introduction to the phenomena of illusions. How exactly do they work? And why?

Complex brain processes are involved in encoding the images that we see. From studying optical illusions, we can better understand how perceptions normally work and why sometimes they fail us.

Find out more about what happens when your head hits the pillow and you drift off to sleep! You'll learn about basic sleep science, dreams, and how to improve your own sleep habits as well. If you want to improve your health and learn more about what happens to your brain while you're asleep, this is a great course for you!


Prerequisites
High School Biology recommended, but not required

What if you could engineer a cat that eats lint? Or a patch of strawberries that produces a flu vaccine?

Curious?

Come learn about synthetic biology, an up and coming hybrid technological science.




Prerequisites
here are some links to pique your interest: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg5_NQRIMxs www.synbioproject.org

The British writer and scientist Arthur C. Clarke once said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." In this class, we will examine the popular Harry Potter series and the science behind the magical events depicted within it. We will explore topics, which may include, but are not limited to: Does truth serum really exist? Could quantum mechanics make apparition possible? What kind of forces would need to be involved to achieve actual broomstick flight? Students will walk away from this class with a heightened appreciation for the complex and magical nature of science.

Black holes are one of the hottest topics in astronomy and astrophysics today but what do we know about them? In this class we will learn the background (such as how the name was coined) to some of the most fascinating current research into supermassive black holes and black hole satellites. We will even touch on the science in the science fiction of black holes.

For centuries we have used mathematics to help describe the world that we all live in. It has shown to be a very effective tool for guiding our reasoning about natural phenomena. In fact, complex and abstract mathematical ideas show up in some unexpected places in our everyday lives. Let’s explore some of these bizarre connections and try to discover what they tell us about our world and about our relation to it.

Due to media crazes such as Jaws and Shark Week, sharks have developed an image of being the man-eating monsters of the sea. But are sharks really so menacing? This course aims to define the line between media hype and the truth about sharks.

You’ve heard the term thrown around as one of those crazy new discoveries in cosmology, but what IS dark matter? What does it do? And how do we know it exists? Scientists predict that there's five times as much dark matter as there is regular matter, which means many laws of physics and chemistry may apply only to a fraction of the cosmos. It seems like our place in the universe is ever shrinking, but our understanding of the mechanisms governing it expands with theories like this on the frontiers of science. While not everything is known about dark matter, this class will shed some light on this mysterious substance. (I’m sorry, astrophysics puns aren’t easy.)
We will discuss galactic rotation curves, gravitational lensing, the role of dark matter in forming cosmic structures, dark matter’s possible compositions, and alternative theories without dark matter.


Prerequisites
Basic understanding of physics (including light, atoms, and gravity).

Whether it is a lemonade stand, re-selling video games, collecting baseball cards, choosing a cell phone plan, the stock market, real estate prices, \or the world economic crisis’s they all follow the same basic fundamental principals economics. Economics is not just money. It's businesses, organizations, households and the decisions make about them. It is part of almost everything you could ever think in today’s society. We will discuss the major economic problems faced by consumers in American society, understand how consumers make decisions, & learn how to save money to invest for the future. Come & join us on a journey through the fundamental economics & personal finance to better build our lives!



Prerequisites
None

For years a cancer cure has seemed to be just over the horizon, every scientist a breakthrough away from becoming the next Louis Pasteur and creating another world changing vaccine. But we have been left disappointed, time and time again. It is with great frustration that we must report that cancer fatality rates have not changed much in the past ten or twenty years, and some of us are beginning to wonder if we have done anything at all. This two-hour class will go into more detail about some of the reasons why cancer is such a monster of a disease, why conventional medicine continues to fail to eradicate the invasive cells, and most importantly, what we are going to do about it.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of biology is preferred but not required