SOME ELECTIVE COURSE EXAMPLES
Digital Design ... Did you know that it's possible to make a photo album from a trip to the Moon without actually going there? In this class, students will learn the techniques that allow designers to create art using computers. We'll learn how to separate images from pictures and splice them together, as well as more advanced techniques like filters, layers, paths, and animation. The class will be taught using Adobe Photoshop, the same software that professional graphic designers use. By the end of this class, you'll have created your own poster or advertisement and taken your first steps into the exciting world of digital design.
Spoken Word ... Ever wonder what poetry sounds like off the page, away from its written form and physically transformed into performance art? We call this Spoken Word. This elective course will allow you to listen to, and watch Spoken Word artists put poetry on the page in motion by transforming it into its spoken form. Moreover, you will be given the time to write and practice performing your Spoken Word poems in class. You also will review one another’s poems and give them feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. Speak your mind!
Mouse Trap ... Have you ever played the game Mouse Trap and wondered why there are so many steps to do such a simple task? A man named Rube Goldberg spent his life designing these processes to the point where they became known as Rube Goldberg devices. We will look at the game and the principles behind these processes. As a class, we will work together to explore options of how to make these devices. Students will then work to create their own Rube Goldberg machines in order to show the many different possibilities there are in order to complete a task.
Hmong Dance ... If you like to dance and learn about other people’s culture, this is the dance class for you. In this class, you will get the opportunity to explore the art form of Hmong dancing. You will learn the meaning and the significance of how traditional Hmong dancer move their hands, feet, and hips. Once you are well-skilled and equipped, you will work with others in your class to create and choreograph your own dance routine. You will not only learn about Hmong traditional dancing, but you will also explore the traditional aspect of the Hmong culture and its history!
Access & Disability ... Did you know more than 100 million people in the U.S. are blind? Or that about 1 in 1000 babies are born with Down’s syndrome? Did you know people who communicate with sign language have accents? Or that it is illegal to build a new building that doesn’t have an elevator for people who use wheelchairs? In this interactive class, students will learn about different disabilities, experience simulations of disabilities, take class trips to schools or centers for people with disabilities, learn some sign language, and plan and present their own way to make a building, law, or group more accessible to people with different disabilities.
Electronic Companions: Robotics and Programming ... Do you believe that a robot can see and follow a curvy line on its own? What about find its way out of a maze? Do you think a robot could play basketball? They can! If you not only wish to discover how, but also build your own robots out of LEGO blocks, then Robotics and Programming might be perfect for you! Investigate the intriguing world of robotics and programming while competing with fellow students—in a friendly manner—to build the most efficient robot. Our robots will include motors, sensors, and moving parts! This course will culminate when student groups build robots to compete in our very own LEGO Robotics Olympics!
Improv ... From the classroom to the dinner table, the art of improvisation plays an important role in strengthening and solidifying public speaking skills. In this exploration class, we will be investigating improv in the world around us through various games and exercises. We will also develop our own forms of improvisational games in preparation for our final performance: Whose Line Is It Anyway, BSP? By the end of the exploration students will be able to utilize comedic and improvisational skills in real-world situations, not to mention having a little bit of fun.
Money, Money, Money, Money, Money! ... Nasdaq? S&P 500? And who is this Dow Jones guy? Open up a paper or watch the daily news and you will hear that the stock market did well or did not do so well. In this class we will see how the stock market works, how to make money, and why it is a primary part of our economy. You will receive 100,000 “dollars” to buy and sell stocks. Watch them grow! Or, watch them shrink! You make the decisions; you make or lose the money!
