Splash 2013
Course Catalog

Bring a guitar if you own one!

So I've been playing the guitar for about a year and a half now, and I love it!! So much so, that I purchased a guitar of my own, a Fender Dreadnought, and named her Azure Ray.

I would love to share my love for music and guitars with you :)

Even if you don't have a guitar of your own, I will be working to get friends of mine to possibly lend me theirs for the day. If worst comes to worst, though, I could just pass mine around! So, no worries.


TL;DR?: I will help you learn how to play the guitar to the point where you would be able to continue on to teach yourself, even your friends. If we have enough time at the end of the quick/easy lessons, I'll help you learn the song that you chose.


Prerequisites
Choose a song from http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ which uses any combination of the below approved (simple/beginners) chords. Approved Chords: A, Am, Bm, C, Cm, D, Dm, E, Em, F, G, & Gm.

Three stacked bars of color painted on a red background. Thinly mixed paint poured across a canvas. A huge, menacing black cube. The art of the last century can seem silly at first glance, but once you understand the theory behind it, whole new ways of looking at art--and the world--emerge. Come learn about the ideas and brushstrokes that have shaped the last century, and find out whether or not painting really is dead!

You will make a graffiti wall mural and learn about the history of Chicago Murals in this class co-taught by an artist and an art historian

Do you love looking at photo albums and yearbooks? Do you often collect ticket stubs or programs as memorabilia? Or is there a special day or event you want to remember forever? Perhaps you want a picture to be worth more than a thousand words. Enter the art of scrapbooking, where you create beautiful pages that show off the best days of your life!

This class will give you the opportunity to create a personalized scrapbook page or wall hanging to describe an event, a person or an animal, or a specific time in your life (i.e., a birthday, wedding, birth, etc.). You will learn about a few of the common techniques used at the beginning of the class and the rest of the time will be spent making your scrapbook page. The page will come to life as you use borders, backgrounds, stickers, sayings or memorabilia to enhance your pictures. Examples, idea books, guidance or suggestions, and help with techniques will be available from the teacher. All crafting supplies will be provided, except for scrapbooks or wall hanging frames. All you will need is your pre-printed pictures, any memorabilia you might want to include, and your imagination!


Prerequisites
No experience necessary. However, please bring your own pre-printed pictures to create a personalized page. Pictures available in class will be limited to generic events (which is not as much fun, trust me!). Each page can hold between 3 and 5 pictures, depending on size. Scrapbooks and wall hanging frames will not be provided. For page ideas, go to: http://www.michaels.com/Page-Layouts/projects-scrapbooking-pagelayouts,default,sc.html

Take a look at how several epic sagas tie in to the classic "Hero's Journey," a pattern of events that is found in many stories. Stories reviewed will include "Star Wars" and "The Lord of the Rings." Take a look at how the "Hero's Journey" could help you write your own epic adventure!

Pretty much, whenever anything goes wrong in engineering – we call it a failure.

Sure, buildings and bridges are interesting, but what’s going on beneath them? Do you know that some buildings sink over time? And quicksand… it’s not just a sci-fi movie stunt!

This course will look at different types of geotechnical engineering failure. Some of them are dynamic, fast – and frightening! Others occur more slowly, but can also lead to serious problems.

Come to see these failures caught in action! Learn what causes these types of failures, and see what engineers (past and present) have done to help prevent them.

Together we will discuss, analyze – and even apply our knowledge of these failures, hands-on!


Prerequisites
Interest in learning more about engineering!

Are you wondering what to do next, after high school?
Maybe you’re thinking about college, and choosing a major.
Maybe you’re wondering how math and science actually gets applied to the real world.

So what is civil engineering, anyway?
Is it designing things that we $$ \textit{really} $$ couldn’t live without?
Is it protecting nature from humans? Is it protecting humans from nature?
Is it organizing, planning, and applying large-scale?

Civil engineering can be skyscrapers, bridges or construction management; it can be protecting the environment, clean drinking water or avoiding damage from natural disasters; it can be building roads, setting foundations, or investigating existing structures. Oftentimes, it’s a combination of these things.

Civil engineering is almost everywhere and can do almost everything.

In this class, we will talk about what it is “to civil engineer”: how it is being an engineering student, what civil engineering work is really all about, and the accomplishments of famous civil engineers.

There will be a bit of lecture to guide the way, but we will mostly talk and discuss!


Prerequisites
Interest in learning more about engineering!

The future of science and engineering is 3D printing! Although 3D printing is now being used in many science and engineering fields, its current and potential applications in the biomedical sciences and engineering are arguably the most exciting. Everything from printing custom made implantable medical devices to cells, cell tissue, and even whole organs is being done right now! This course will review current 3D printing methods utilized in biomedical applications and some of the exciting research that is coming out of this field.

Have you heard of the supermaterial from the future, graphene!? Think you know why all brittle and rubbery materials behave the way they do? Come learn all this (and more!!!), while at the same time designing YOUR own graphene. In this session, teams of students will assemble their own models of graphene structures while learning to link material properties with the behavior we see in the "real world".


Prerequisites
Chemistry & Physics can be helpful, but not required.

Modern ICBMs (inter-continental ballistic missiles) can deliver multiple, individually targeted warheads to anywhere in the world in under half an hour. An entire war, that could obliterate whole continents, could be over within a day. Yet despite the incredibly destructive potential of these weapons, the 70 years since their invention have been remarkably peaceful. How could nuclear weapons possibly promote peace, and how have they changed the ways in which we think about war? And why is the US so afraid of Iran getting nuclear capabilities (and why does Kenneth Waltz think it'd be great)?

If you've ever been interested to learn more about the oldest of the all of the world's major religions, you should enroll for this course. As an Indian and a secular Hindu, I am very eager to provide other people of an insight into a defining feature of India's past, present, and future - Hinduism. Although, India today is a modern and secular republic, Hinduism has a played a vital role in shaping its history, and has heavily influenced the inherent unique outlook that Indians have on the world. The course aims to provide a brief outlook on the origin of the religion, its basic tenants and scriptures.


Prerequisites
It would be helpful for students to be open-mined, as Eastern religions and philosophy are fundamentally different from Western ones. It would also be particularly helpful to learn about the geography of South Asia and the Indian subcontinent; this will make references more clear.

Capitalism is often blamed for the recent financial collapse, the greed that pervades modern American culture, and the destruction of culture abroad. But when did this criticism of the market system originate? In the mid-nineteenth century, with the famous philosopher of communism, Karl Marx.

Das Kapital is Marx's (giant) critique of industrial capitalism, explaining how the capitalist exploits the laborers and forces them into cruel inhumane conditions. In this class, we will follow Marx's argument in Capital, Volume I from his labor theory of value all the way up to his dark conclusion: the workers must rise up, for they have nothing to lose but their chains.


Prerequisites
Some knowledge of the industrial revolution. No experience with Marx required.

How does one determine right from wrong? Two centuries ago, the philosopher Jeremy Bentham proposed a solution: an action is considered good if the pleasure that it produces outweighs the pain. In this class, we will examine this theory, known as utilitarianism, and debate whether it is possible to quantify pleasure and pain in the manner that Bentham and others proposed. We will also examine some criticisms of utilitarianism in order to arrive at our conclusion about how to determine right from wrong.

In ancient ethics, we find one idea consistently emphasized: that while all animals are capable of living, humans alone are able to really have a life. In this class, we'll look into the nature of this distinction and try to figure out why it's so important to ethical reflection.

Students will learn the alphabet in ASL and how to tell someone their name. Then, they will learn how to sign the song "Colors of the Wind" from the movie "Pocahontas."

Come play Liar's Dice, as seen in Pirates of the Carribean, where players must out-roll, out-bluff, and out-smart their opponents! We will go over the rules and basic strategy, then have a tournament where students can flex their skills and test their opponents!

Have you ever wondered how computers keep your information safe on the internet? Or how the Greeks and Romans kept their secret information out of the hands of the barbarians? Do you ever wonder how the Enigma machine really worked? If you said yes to any of these, this class is for you! We will look at the history of cryptography from ancient times to the modern day. Who knows, you might even learn how to break codes yourself.

Have you ever wondered how groups like Anonymous access confidential information? Have you ever wondered what steps companies, governments and individuals take to prevent unauthorized access? Are you interested in computer security in general? In this class, we'll investigate some of the more common methods used to hack computer systems, as well as possible defenses against these attacks.

$$6^2 = 36$$
$$76^2 = 5776$$
$$376^2 = 141376$$
Can you find more numbers like this?
Is there a limit to how long they can get?
Can you find any which end in 5 instead?
Can you do this in base 2? Base 12?

In our quest to answer these questions, we'll take a little excursion through an area of math known as ring theory.


Prerequisites
We're going to make up new numbers and the methods for adding and multiplying them out of thin air. If you're not okay with that, maybe this class isn't for you.

At the intersection of math and art is chaos. This class is about chaos and beautifully symmetric infinitely detailed highly organized geometry. What do they have to do with each other, and what do they have to do with nature? Can chaos create order, how do patterns emerge out of complete disorder? What does it mean to have a 1.585 dimensional shape?

To quote Tom Stoppard in his play "Arcadia": The unpredictable and the predetermined unfold together to make everything the way it is. It's how nature creates itself, on every scale, the snowflake and the snowstorm.

This is not your typical Stat class -- instead of equations and variables, we will be developing a survey and administering it to the people of a simulated city. Unfortunately, our research grant gives us only limited amounts of money to conduct our survey. How do we get accurate results with limited time and resources? In this class, we will play around with this problem that survey statisticians face everyday.


Prerequisites
No prior Stat background required!

Take a look at this pattern:

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, ...

Each number in the list is the sum of the previous two numbers. It may seem like an arbitrary pattern, but it's secretly hidden in every pinecone, sunflower, pineapple, and artichoke. Leonardo Fibonacci used the sequence to describe how fast rabbits multiply. If you look take any two adjacent numbers in the list and divide the bigger one by the smaller one, you get something very close to 1.618... a legendary number known as the golden ratio or the divine proportion, and which is equal to exactly one more than its own inverse. If you add up the first 100 numbers in the list, you get exactly the 102nd number, minus one. In this class, we'll see these and other weird facts about this Fibonacci sequence. There shall be math.

Congratulations! You've been selected to appear on an exciting new game show! There will be two envelopes, each full of an undisclosed amount of money. The amounts were chosen randomly, except for that one envelope has ten times as much money as the other (but you don't know which has more). You will go on TV and pick one of the envelopes, and the game show host will show you how much money is inside. You can then keep the money in that envelope, or instead switch and take the other envelope sight-unseen.

Let's say you pick the left envelope. The host reveals that there's $1,000 inside. Should you switch envelopes? The right envelope has a 50% chance of having ten times as much, $10,000, and a 50% chance of having a tenth as much, $100. By switching, you would get, on average, $5,050. That's way more than $1,000. So you should switch to the right envelope. But somehow this calculation didn't depend at all on the fact that the left envelope has $1,000 in it. No matter how much was in the left envelope, the right envelope would have on average about 5 times as much. So you should always switch to the right envelope. So why didn't you pick the right envelope in the first place? Well if you did, the same logic says you should switch to the left envelope. What's going on here??

We'll figure out what the problem is with this, and we'll also look at two other paradoxes (The Monty Hall Paradox and the St. Petersburg Paradox). We'll have a lot of discussion trying to resolve these paradoxes.

We will explain how the visual system creates our experience of reality even when the physical world does not match our perceptions. It may surprise you to realize how much of our subjective experiences are created on a moment to moment basis!

The course would give students a perspective on the gradual and incredible process of evolution of life on earth - from simple molecules in the primordial ocean, to complex and intelligent beings capable of contemplating the very nature of existence. It is a story common to every single living entity on earth. The course will cover the major events that took place over a timeline of 4.5 billion years.


Prerequisites
It would be useful to have a strong fundamental understanding of the basic concepts of science, primarily chemistry and biology - organic molecules, DNA, cells, very basic thermodynamics, etc.

In this Class, we will be exchanging ideas between fellow scientists. The purpose is to be able for aspiring scientists to come to a "scientific environment" where they can discuss this "preferred subject" freely with peers that they might have not known otherwise. In other words, it is a party for scientists.
We will have open discussion on any range of scientific subjects that you wish to come up with. We can talk about anything from Back to the Future to whether Newton's laws are true to new techniques in medicine ...anything that you want.
You can decide to discuss your own thoughts and theories with the whole class or within smaller groups of students within the class. I will make my own small introduction and then I will be there to answer any questions that I can. I am warning you guys in advance that I have a different outlook on science than most people. I love plausible "outrageous" theories. I can go by the book and against it. I also feel like it is worth pursuing any line of logic, since there is always the potential for your theories to hold boundless merit.
There are just two clauses. No Plagiarism and No prejudiced outbreaks. We are here to help each other out within an idea-proof environment, where we can feel to discuss the edge of scientific knowledge. Also, whether you believe a theory is stupid or not is your opinion. Keep it to yourself.


Prerequisites
Enthusiasm for Science or Math (unrestrained preferably) A knowledge of how to conduct a respectful "argument" based on scientific concepts Your willingness to participate in whatever discussion you like

What makes men different from women?

I will try to address this question and more by explaining what we know from psychology and biology. I will draw from psychological evidence, evolutionary theory, genetics, endocrinology, etc. There will be some (hopefully fun and interesting) opportunities for participation from students.


Prerequisites
Some very basic knowledge in biology helpful but not required

How does sound work? All the sounds that you encounter in everyday life - such as a car horn, the barking of a dog, or your favorite song - are produced by invisible waves that travel through the air at high speeds. In this class, we will examine what makes certain sounds appear to be so different from others, and why some sounds appear to be musical while others do not. We will also learn why musical intervals such as an octave or perfect fifth sound pleasant while intervals such as a minor second sound unpleasant.

Is paper really better than plastic? Which uses more water, a pair of jeans or a swimming pool? This class will examine the effects that products have on the environment from production, transportation, and use to disposal.

We will demonstrate superconductors that levitate magnets in midair, colorful fire that isn’t orange, materials that behave differently when cooled to 321°F below zero with liquid nitrogen, and more!

We will also discuss the physics and chemistry that make these amazing things possible and why materials science is important to our day to day lives.

Why should we care about climate change and why is combating global warming so important? How does the way we produce energy affect climate change? What are the technological, economic, and environmental benefits and drawbacks of various energy sources? How do we produce our energy today? How can we sustainably power the world in the 21st century? Come to this class to learn and discuss topics in climate change and energy!

Come learn about how the immune system works to fight off infection. We will then play a mafia-style game in which the goal is for the immune cells to fight off viruses and bacteria.

Anyone see the film Contagion? The film is based on the idea of an epidemic - the quick spread of an infectious disease to thousands of people. How does a disease like SARS or H1N1 swine flu spread so fast? How is the country or even sometimes the whole world to fight against such a clever disease? Learn about how one person getting sick can lead to a potentially lethal epidemic.

Mark Twain once said, “Never let your schooling interfere with your education.” But what does he mean? What’s schooling, and what’s education? Is there a difference?

But most importantly, how do they affect you and how much you enjoy your life? And why should we even care?

(This “class” won’t really be like what you have at school — instead, it’ll be a relaxed and free-form discussion.)


Prerequisites
An open mind. (Or the desire to un-brainwash yourself).

Ever dream of defeating your friends in one fo the most addicting "fighting" games on the market? There is more to super smash bros. than meets the eye. From combo-ing to wave dashing, to L-canceling, this class will teach more advanced techniques that could give you the edge in any smash battle. It will focus on more advanced techniques as well as character control and spacing.


Prerequisites
Must be at least somewhat familiar with the Super Smash Bros. franchise.

What do the Holocaust, pedestrians walking across the street in a green light, and the NASA administration have in common?

How far would you go to please others?

Through several psychological experiments, we will explore how individuals can cave in to the most disastrous of decisions, how conformity can be exploited for good or evil, and what factors can increase or decrease conformity.

"All is fair in love and war."

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

“Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.”

Romance can be a rather treacherous thing, raising questions such as what makes someone attractive and whether beauty is equal across cultures.

Through several psychological experiments, we will explore the basis of attraction, whether inner beauty truly does triumph over physical features, and what makes love for another person grow stronger or fade away.

When you walk into a supermarket, you are faced with decisions. Fruit Loops or Cinnamon Toast Crunch? Whole milk or 2%? Peanut butter or Nutella? (By the way, the answer is ALWAYS Nutella).

More than to fulfill our dietary needs, decisions can be of crucial importance. What do you want to be in the future? Who are you going to vote for?

Through several psychological experiments, we will see how we make sense of the world to make choices, how we judge others and ourselves, and realize that we are not as objective as we would like to think.

Having an exemplary résumé is key to landing jobs, internships, college acceptance, and many more opportunities. Learn how to take your experiences and present them in the best form possible. By the time you leave this class, you will have a great start on one of the most important documents of your life.

Yoga is a great way to destress and calm oneself and can easily be done at home. This class will introduce you to an easy vinyāsa flow and breathing techniques in order to make yoga personal, accessible, and practical to you in your lifestyle.

Are slasher films in horror all about violence against women? Are bronies changing the definition of masculinity and bucking gender norms? What is slash fiction, and why is it popular among women?

Join me for this class as we take a look at a few interesting subcultures, and you might be surprised at the answers to these questions.

Do you like to solve riddles? Do you enjoy thinking outside the box? We will be solving riddles, logic puzzles, and various mind games. If this sounds like fun then this class is for you!

This course will encourage free thinking and creativity in piecing together some of the many subtleties, mysteries, and unknowns of the Pokemon Universe. Class will begin with a presentation by instructors of some of the more intriguing theories of Pokemon history and philosophy and conclude with a group brainstorming session where students will share their own theories.

Questions to be discussed include but are not limited to:

Is Ditto a failed experiment?
Have some evolutionary lines been crossed?
Who is the murderer in Pokemon Red/Blue?

The discussion will not only entertain and inform, it will also demonstrate valuable skills such as:

- attention to fine detail
- connecting disparate ideas
- storytelling

Please join us for an engaging discussion that will fascinate any Pokemon fan!


Prerequisites
Moderate to intense interest in Pokemon

Learn the basic blocks, punches, and kicks taught with a Tae Kwon Do background. Work out apparel is suggested!

Do you want to explore exotic destinations, meet anybody living or dead, or fly? Do you wish that you could have more time during the day, improve your creativity, or control the physical realities of the universe? If you’ve ever wanted to do something so absurd that it could only be possible in your wildest dreams, then lucid dreaming is for you!

A lucid dream is when you are fully aware that you are dreaming. A concept that inspired the movie Inception, you can control your dreams if you are conscious of them. This class will teach you how to train yourself to have lucid dreams and the amazing things that can be done once you’re in one.

Michael Jordan is wildly considered the best basketball players of all time based on his teams and individual success. However, these are simply the results of a few poor qualities that allowed him to shine brighter than the rest of his peers. This course will discuss these qualities and more.


Prerequisites
You must know who Michael Jordan is.

Whether you're negotiating peace talks in the Middle East, a conflict with a friend, or your curfew with a parent, creative problem solving skills are essential for success. In this introduction to productive problem solving, learn the critical aspects of creative conflict resolution and participate in exercises to help develop your ability to use crisis as an opportunity for creativity and growth.

Want to learn to make authentic Chinese food with a twist? How about soy sauce turned into caviar? Join us for a scientific exploration of molecular gastronomy techniques as we learn to cook delicious food!