Summer Institute for the Gifted

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.

From shapes to colors to numbers, you see patterns every day. Discover the patterns in your world, and how these patterns are used in math, architecture, science, and literature. Create meaning out of the patterns you observe in the sky and all around you!

Did you know that even when you are at rest, your body is working nonstop? Take this class and you'll 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.

Rakontisto. Bard. Griot. Seanache. Scop. Troubador. Do you know what these words mean? They are all names for the same profession- storyteller! In this course you will learn about the cultural tradition of storytelling. Investigate the role of musical instruments and art in storytelling across time and cultures. Create a new world of characters and fanciful settings as you craft your own stories!

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 a greater 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.

How do we know things we cannot see actually exist? Can you see the wind, an x-ray, or an emotion? In this class you will learn about seeing evidence of the invisible on a microscopic, cellular level or even further beyond what you can experience directly. Develop a deep appreciation for scientific methods and other ways of learning about the things we cannot detect with our senses of sight, touch, taste, smell, or hearing.

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.

Where do authors get their ideas? How does a science fiction story differ from historical fiction? What are the elements all stories need? Come have fun and gain writing experience creating new characters and a book of your own. The class will culminate with a reading of original stories to parents at a "Young Authors' Tea".

How does a cacao bean turn into a chocolate bar? How does yeast make bread rise? Why do you add salt or oil to water when making pasta? If you are curious about the food you eat, and wonder where it comes from and how it gets from a plant to your plate, this is the course for you! Learn all about the food we eat from how a simple ingredient tastes to how it combines with other ingredients to make a perfect blend of flavors. Experiment with chemistry in the kitchen and determine what makes a recipe great!

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.

Did you know that archaeologists have pinpointed the construction of Stonehenge to 2300 BCE? Did you know that the earliest known human remains were found around the ancient rock formation of Kibish, Ethiopia? How do we come to these conclusions? Archaeologists study artifacts left by people centuries ago. If you too are fascinated by the contents of Egyptian pyramids, the buried city of Pompeii, the ancient Mayan civilization, or simply the scientific and cultural processes of deconstructing the past through archaeology, this course is for you. In the end, you'll consider what your contribution to future archaeological discoveries may be.

"When will I ever use algebra?" you ask. Here's one way. 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.

Do animals fascinate you? Do you like going to zoos? Then grab hold of this branch of biology called zoology. You'll investigate the important interrelationships humans have with animals. You'll explore important concepts such as similarities and differences among vertebrates and invertebrates. You'll also have the chance to research a mammal, reptile, amphibian, fish, insect, mollusk, or worm that particularly fascinates you. If you are interested in conserving and protecting endangered species or learning how to take care of animals, then studying zoo science may also be your goal. This course will allow you to increase your understanding of the animal kingdom, expand your knowledge about the biological world and possibly help you consider a future career with animals.

Do you ever look up at the sky and wonder about all those celestial bodies you can see as well as those you can't see? If so, you are like millions of people since the beginning of time who have gazed into the sky seeking answers to questions like "How do astronomers find planets that are too far away to be seen, even using telescopes?" or "How do the moon, sun, and stars help us tell time?" If you'd like to travel to the far corners of the universe while your feet are still on the ground, the astronomy activities of this course are for you. You'll also have the opportunity to learn more about related topics of interest, from astrophysics and auroras to zeniths and zodiacs.

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.

What would the world be like without Harry Potter and other fictional characters who make us love reading? Immerse yourself in the genre of fantasy fiction, explore and celebrate what makes it unique, then create your own fictional characters and the worlds in which they live. You could be the next J.K. Rowling!

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.

Welcome to the laboratory that is the world in which you live. Experiment with domestic chemicals, environmental materials, foods, and living organisms to discover the chemical nature of substances, their properties, reactions and uses in daily life. Design a series of experiments to test your hypotheses about the reaction of substances.

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. Please note: Pre-Algebra is an absolute prerequisite for this class!

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.

How do real detectives solve mysteries? Come examine how modern crime investigators use cutting-edge scientific discoveries to search for evidence, gather clues, and analyze data. Participate in a simulated mystery where you become the detective as you learn skills in logic, inductive and deductive reasoning, data collection, and analysis. This is a great way to practice using your scientific problem solving skills!

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.