Splash Biography

It's pretty tough to understand the ancient past from just a few fossils, but some puzzles are tougher than others. This course will explore a handful of the greatest mysteries in paleontology, exploring the mysteries themselves and how they were finally solved. Our main goals will be to understand some of the basic methods of paleontological research, as well as some of the critical thinking skills and creative research methods used to solve these big questions. No background in paleontology or earth sciences necessary!

This course will examine the roots and history of sushi in Japanese culture, and the various ways that sushi is constructed and presented today. A portion of this class will also be dedicated to hands-on experience preparing and rolling sushi.

Are you curious about how sharks can detect electrical currents? Want to learn why a sea star’s arms never get tired? These odd facts are just some of the things we’ll talk about in this class, which overviews plenty of exciting kinds of marine life. We’ll start by looking at less complex (but still fascinating!) organisms like starfish and crustaceans, and from there work our way up evolutionarily to more complex organisms like sharks and whales. A big part of the course will focus on the anatomies of these creatures and examining how their bodies are adapted to the lives they live under the sea. We’ll also talk a bit about ecology and how human behaviors relate to and impact the variety of life in the ocean.

Are you curious about how sharks can detect electrical currents? Want to learn why a sea star’s arms never get tired? These odd facts are just some of the things we’ll talk about in this class, which overviews plenty of exciting classes of marine life. We’ll start by looking at less complex (but still fascinating!) organisms like starfish and crustaceans, and from there work our way up evolutionarily to more complex organisms like sharks and whales. A big part of the course will focus on the anatomies of these creatures and examining how their bodies are useful for the lives they live under the sea. We’ll also talk a bit about ecology and how human behaviors relate to and impact the variety of life in the ocean.

Learn about dinosaurs and their life histories in this brief overview of paleobiology!

This course will be a brief examination of the many diverse forms of dinosaurs that once roamed our planet. We will spend a lot of time discussing features of skeletal anatomy, and looking at how paleontologists put together these clues to form a more complete picture of the dinosaur world when they were alive.

Are you curious about how sharks can detect electrical currents? Want to learn why a sea star’s arms never get tired? These odd facts are just some of the things we’ll talk about in this class, which overviews plenty of exciting classes of marine life. We’ll start by looking at less complex (but still fascinating!) organisms like starfish and crustaceans, and from there work our way up evolutionarily to more complex organisms like sharks and whales. A big part of the course will focus on the anatomies of these creatures and examining how their bodies are useful for the lives they live under the sea. We’ll also talk a bit about ecology and how human behaviors relate to and impact the variety of life in the ocean.