Opening play, mid-game, end-game - develop these strategies and more as you move across a chessboard or around a cribbage and backgammon board. Improve your memory, concentration, and ability to conceptualize as you engage in these ancient games of kings. Develop your ability to estimate and predict your opponents' moves. Create a personal repertoire of tactics and plays. Create a game that stumps your classmates.

The way materials are put together and the way they act under certain conditions is called the study of chemistry. Chemistry helps us explain the things that happen in nature. Chemists are scientists who use each of their five senses to explore and make sense of life. Experiment with water, acids, bases, and everyday household items to discover the chemical world in which we live. Design a series of experiments to test your predictions about the reactions of substances.

How big is your world? Your universe consists of everything that is known to you. This course will help to make you aware of your immediate world and then expand your understanding of the bigger universe as far as you can see or imagine. As you expand your understanding of the cosmos, you will also grow in your understanding of your unique role in these differently sized worlds.

Did you know that even when you are at rest, your body is working nonstop? Take this class and you will learn about your body’s organs and how they work together to perform your body’s work. Look at cells under the microscope to get up close and personal with your body’s tiny parts. Learn how food and movement provide fuel for those cells and exercise for your muscles to keep your body machine going strong. Put all this information together and create a Power Plan for making the most of your biology.

Did you know that shovels, wheelbarrows, hockey sticks, and wooden bats are all simple machines called levers? Simple machines make work easier by enabling us to decrease our mechanical effort to move objects. The six types of simple machines are often combined in complex machines. Come learn about the six types of simple machines and create some original machine designs of your own.

Do you believe a picture is worth a thousand words? In this course, you will explore new and classic works of literature that have won the prestigious Caldecott award. Did you know that Caldecott winners, even though they are picture books, often have more challenging vocabulary and reading levels than entry level chapter books? Because the pictures tell so much of the story, word choice is very important- every word counts! Authors spend a long time making sure they have just the right words to complement the illustrations! After considering the components that make these stories award-winners, you will have the chance to write and illustrate your own work of storytelling art! Caldecott award winning authors and illustrators intertwine the art of illustration and the craft of vocabulary to create sophisticated themes in their works- and in the class, you will too! If you love to read and draw, and long to design fantastical stories and creative characters, this is the class for you!

Are you a budding engineer or just want to know how to fix things? Do you stay awake at night wondering how things work? Then this is the course for you! Gain an understanding of the world around you. Learn about the mechanics involved in the workings of everyday gadgets. Apply creativity and scientific principles to improve a current machine or invent a new one that solves a problem. Learn basic engineering principles and delve into the inner workings of vital machines.

There’s more to Australia than kangaroos and shrimp on the barbie! Did you know that there are 1500 species of Australian spiders? Did you know that there are more sheep in Australia than people? Did you know that the Great Barrier Reef has a mailbox? In this course you will investigate some of the ways Australia is unique! You will examine the evolution of Australian slang and impact of Australian culture on American society today. If you are interested in learning more about the Outback, and applying this knowledge to your understanding of zoology, anthropology, and geography, hop aboard the SIG Land Rover and learn all about the flora, fauna, and people of the Land Down Under!

Whether you like to collect rocks or just appreciate the beauty of a colorful gemstone, this class has something for you. You’ll learn to analyze and appreciate rocks and minerals by their characteristics, grow crystals, and research related topics that really interest you. Finally you’ll determine what makes things like gems valuable to humans.

Superheroes with superpowers abound in our books and movies today. What powers do you have that you would enhance if you could to help someone? Would you be able to heal a sick person, see an accident before it happened, use your powers of persuasion to convince people to do good things, or something altogether different? In this class you will study the origins of superheroes and investigate the reasons for their lasting popularity in our society. Then you will have the chance to adapt their imaginary powers in a real way and focus your newly tapped energies on a challenge that interests you.

Have you ever wondered how likely it is to win the lottery or if you have a good chance of being the grand prize winner in a local drawing? Questions like these are answered by types of math called statistics and probability. In this course, you will review fractions, decimals, and percents and translate these functions into the math of probability! You will calculate odds using data, determine frequencies, values, and even learn about Pascal’s triangle. If you’ve ever wondered, “what’s the chance…”, wonder no longer- just do the math!

Do you like to solve mysteries? Then you might be interested in what detectives do to solve crime mysteries. Would you like to learn the techniques for interviewing witnesses and interrogating suspects? Have you ever pictured yourself giving evidence in a court room? If so, then join us for a study of the world of the police detective. Discover the roles detectives play when they go undercover or gain information from an informant. Find out how detectives collect and preserve evidence for court testimony. Create a mystery for your peers to solve!

Learn how to be a mass communicator through developing your writing and public speaking skills. Work on precision of language, imagery, figures of speech, and the revision process. Discover how you can use the power of your words to motivate, persuade, influence, inform, or entertain others. Investigate how to turn your skills, interests, and knowledge into speaking topics. Become a communicator who will have the potential to earn applause, admiration, and financial prosperity while motivating others.

Music is everywhere, everyday, in the media, at the mall, even in nature. Have you ever stopped and analyzed how the sounds of music have influenced you? Take note of how music has played a critical role throughout history, from patriotic anthems and protest songs, to the marketing of new products and services for children and adults. Explore the scientific and mathematical formulae that professional musicians use in the studio. Create a musical composition or instrument!

“When will I ever use algebra?” you ask. Introduce yourself to pre-algebra through this class that focuses on applications of algebra in the world. In addition to tackling concepts of linear equations, polynomial functions and factoring, you may also have time for fun with games, tessellations, and probability.

Did you know that there is a sophisticated, virtually unexplored ecosystem under the sea, and that it is the new frontier of scientific exploration? Become the Jacques Cousteau of the next generation by investigating the newly discovered species of luminous inhabitants that thrive in the depths of the oceans, the latest technological advances in submersibles and underwater salvage, and the potential medical and nutritional applications of marine plants and animals. Take the plunge and dive into the field of maritime studies!

Did you know that the first compasses were not designed for navigation? Appearing in China around the 4th century BC, primitive compasses showed people the way, not literally but figuratively, helping them order and harmonize their environments and lives. Today many westerners are familiar with this kind of use of direction as part of feng shui. In this course you will explore the literal uses of direction finding through experiences such as orienteering and geo-caching. North, south, east, west… do you want to learn the tools for successful exploration? Join the compass crew and develop your map reading skills, and geo-cache your way to finding your true north, literally and figuratively!

Did you know that the newest satellite technology can look into your living room from thousands of miles away in space? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a spy and monitor this technology? Did you know that some of the gadgets from James Bond really exist? Come discover how spies keep—or uncover— secrets. Get an inside look at the science behind the spy’s tricks of the trade. Create an original spy gadget and persuade your peers of its usefulness.

Do you feel strongly about animals in research, school uniforms, bioengineered foods, global warming, or nuclear proliferation but feel unable to convince others to agree with you? This debate course will help you improve your skills of persuasion. You will have the opportunity to argue controversial issues of your choice using a debating format. The content will stress public speaking delivery, organizational skills, quick thinking, awareness of issues, and knowledge of current events. You will leave with a readiness for advanced forms of debate and increased argumentative confidence.

How do cells make copies of themselves? How do your hair follicles generate protein to keep growing? The answers to these questions are DNA replication and protein synthesis. Investigate the structure of DNA and the processes by which it creates proteins. Learn what turns genes on and off. Gain an understanding of the structure that holds all the information and controls every cell within a living organism. Debate the ethical uses of DNA knowledge and the pros and cons of biotechnology. Materials fee: $25

For those students who have not yet taken Algebra I, let us introduce you to linear and quadratic equations, polynomials, rational functions, and graphing. Class highlights include factoring algebraic expressions and using algebra in solving word problems.

Architecture combines the practical qualities of safety and protection for our lives with unlimited possibilities of self-expression. Architecture can also offer solutions to problems such as ecological concerns, energy issues, or space limitations. After learning about form and function and the ways structures are built, you will create an architectural solution to a problem that concerns you. You might get ideas from such inventive projects as Arcosanti and Victory City, and you might become inspired through such famous architects as Saha Hadid, Louis Kahn, I. M. Pei, Sir Christopher Wren, or Frank Lloyd Wright. Finally, take a look at your own community and envision a beautiful and functional future for it.

Did you know that standup comedy existed in the music hall circuit of 18th century England? In 19th Century America, professional comedians performed in Vaudeville and minstrel shows. Comedy isn’t just a laughing matter; from the 19th Century to today, it’s also good business! In this class, you will explore the business of humor, from comedy clubs to coffee house open mike nights to national tours. Delve into other comedic enterprises of interest from comics and satirical writings to sit-coms and movies. Learn about the comedy industry, from microphones to marketing! You could even create a business plan for your future comedic enterprise!

From ancient observations of celestial bodies, inventions of sundials, and water clocks to modern day timepieces, computers and calendars, humans have carefully kept track of time. But what is time? Is it mostly an illusion that humans have created to make sense of the ever-changing world around us? How did Einstein’s theory of General Relativity affect our conception of time? Come grapple with J. E. McTaggart’s theory that time is unreal and with Craig Callender’s comparison of time as a unit of motion. Generate your own theories about time or create a new and meaningful way to mark time in the present and future.

In this drama class, you will enjoy an introduction to the fantasy world created in the theater. Examine various aspects of theater production, including taking on an acting role, analyzing a scene, designing a set, and performing for others. Focus will be given to thinking on your feet, creating a stage presence and projecting a character. Those who enjoy music and dance can incorporate these talents as well. Demonstrate how theatrical you can be in front of a SIG audience!

Do you love to draw, paint and sculpt? Then this art class is right up your alley! We’ll help you express yourself in pencil, ink, and watercolor, as well as through three dimensional materials. You will learn how to create perspective, light, shading, and color, along with learning to shape sculptures. Find out about positive and negative space. Discover the artist within and create original, displayable work to share with others.

If you love to be physically active through various team sports, you’ll enjoy this sports smorgasbord. Dependent upon campus facilities available, engage in old favorites such as softball, touch football, basketball, volleyball, and soccer. Practice the skills of various well-known sports and field games. Then create a new sport or game that showcases your best skills and strategies and try it out with others. You will be grouped with students in your age range during activities.