BC Splash Fall 2020
Course Catalog

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Arts College Prep.
Math & Computer Science Humanities
Science Miscellaneous


Arts

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A1965: Calligraphy 101
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Abagail Bianchi

Welcome! This course will review the fundamentals of calligraphy! Learn cursive, block lettering, and faux calligraphy. No prior experience is necessary and all handwriting styles are welcome.

A1973: HIIT Study Break!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Luke Bryan

If you're looking for a reason to get up out of your seat, this High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout should do just the trick! All you need is about an 8x8 space: indoors, outdoors, or wherever. Open to participants of all experience levels

A1998: Singing for musical theater
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Qingyang Zhou

Love listening to songs in musical theaters?

Join our thirty-minute journey for singing for musical theater!

We’ll have ten minutes vocal exercise and then choose one piece of theater music from three to learn!


Prerequisites
No

A2005: Painting Away the Pain
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Zarah Lakhani

An inside look at my experience in the American Education System while painting!


Prerequisites
Materials needed: canvas, acrylic paint and brushe(s)

A1978: An Afternoon at the Movies
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Emily Kraus

CALLING ALL MOVIE ENTHUSIASTS!!

We've all seen movies that were good... and some not so good. But why is that? Come learn about what makes a film "work," why each frame of a movie matters, and a little about the movie industry in general!


Prerequisites
Watch a movie or rewatch one of your faves to talk about!

A2000: Behind the Scenes of Star Wars
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Greg Sorenson

Do you love learning about how films are made? Did you know that the first movie released was called Episode IV in the opening credits? Whether you're a huge Star Wars fan, a lover of cinema, or someone who is curious to learn about why Star Wars was such a big deal when it came out, you won't want to miss out on this class.

Join us and learn about:
- The Inspiration & Storytelling of Star Wars
- Star Wars and World History
- The Filmmaking Process & Special Effects
- And other fun behind-the-scenes trivia!


College Prep.

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C2013: How To Know Which College is Right For You
Difficulty: **

Your college years are the 4 most fun and influential years of your life... tune in to learn which college is best for you.

C2004: So, You're Interested in Law School?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Naziha Bugazia

Want to learn more about how to prepare for law school while in high school and in college? Join this interactive class with tips on how to best prepare yourself for a career in law and test your knowledge of basic legal terms and law school information through fun games!

C1964: I Need to Get Into College...Send Help
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Nicole Huie

*CALLING ALL STUDENTS WHO NEED TO GET INTO COLLEGE AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE DOING* Listen, I've been through this, and many others have as well. Choosing the right college can feel like such a permanent decision, and this course explores how to select a college or university out of the hundreds out there. This class will cover the types of collegiate institutions, the college list, recommendation letters, and general financial aid (need-based vs. need-blind vs. merit-based vs. a bunch of other confusing money words). At the end of the course, students will have the resources and materials to either start planning for their college admissions process or start applying immediately. While in the course, students will be splitting their efforts learning about college and admissions, but they will also be required to take a large amount of time to do some personal reflections that will help them choose career paths.


Prerequisites
A desire to learn about college/wanting to learn about college outside of your parents/guardians forcing you to select this course. Open to all high school students interested in learning more about the enigma that is college (*cue spooky, dramatic music*).

C1963: Splash Leader Panel
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ashley Antico

This is a casual seminar style course led by the Splash Leaders to answer all your questions relating to the college admissions process, college life, or just any general question about majors, classes, clubs, etc. Take a break from academic classes and spend some time with the eccentric and knowledgeable Splash Leaders gaining all the valuable information you would need to know to be ready for college!

C1979: The Art of A Good Interview
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Yiwen Xiong

The college admissions process is not easy. Between filling in your application, writing your first resume, and editing all those essays, preparing for an interview seems like the least of your worries. But a good interview showing, especially during these times, can have a huge impact on your application, especially if it's with an actual college admissions officer. In this class you'll learn what to expect in a college interview and using a little bit of psychology how to walk out of those interviews confident that you did well.


Prerequisites
Digital copy of resume that is shareable with me in some way, shareable copy of high school schedule (courses taken/planning to take)

C2001: How to Crush Your College Essay
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Michael Lyons

It's fall again, and that means college applicants everywhere are staring blankly at a Microsoft Word document, figuring out how to boil down their entire person into a 500 word essay.

Need some help and guidance? Sign up to get tips from a former and future essay application writer who's here to support you in this process!


Math & Computer Science

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M1970: How to Prove Mathematics
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Ian Black

Have you every wondered how mathematicians prove statements? In this class, we'll go over the basics of mathematical of mathematical logic. We will finish by exploring two fundamental proofs: $$\sqrt{2}$$ is irrational and there are infinitely many primes.


Prerequisites
Algebra 1. No other experience necessary!

M1967: Intro to Data Structures
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Dyson Ye

A gentle introduction to some fundamental data structures, and common algorithms associated with them. Data structures covered will include stacks, queues, maps, and linked lists.

The course is tentatively conducted in Python, but the language can be changed to suit students' preferences and familiarities.


Prerequisites
Some programming experience required


Humanities

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R1994: The Economics of Friendship!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ashley Antico

Curious to know how to be the best friend you can be, and how to figure out who is worth your energy according to economics? Come talk about utility, debate whether situations are being a good friend or a bad one, and learn a few things about self-worth!

R2011: Friendship
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Emma Huang

Do you have friends? If you do, are all friends the same to you, or do you have some friends as "best friends" and others just "normal friends"? And, with your friends, do you think there is such things as good friends and bad friends?

If you don't have much friends, or you are thinking about changing your circle of friends, do you want to know how to tell whether a friend is good to you or not?

Come join us to find out more about what the famous Ancient Greek Philosopher, Aristotle, said about friendships!


Prerequisites
An interest to know more and willingness to think and reflect!

R1976: Ethical Inquiries
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Zachary Westen

In this course, we will look at a few common ethical problems (i.e. the train problem), and we will discuss how we might handle these questions as well as the importance of normative ethics when approaching these challenging questions.

R1986: What the Heck is a Blue Raspberry? : Sociology of a Color
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Matthew Vaccaro

Why did Homer claim the sea is "wine-dark" ? How are Ancient Egypt, Columbus's travels, and Isaac Newton's love of witchcraft connected? Most importantly, why are raspberry ice pops blue?

These questions and more will be explained in a crash course of the history, science, and psychology behind the most influential color on the rainbow

R2009: Race & Politics from the Civil War to the 1980s
Difficulty: *
Teachers: James Mazareas

This class will look at the way slavery and race have played a central role in shaping politics in the United States. Particular focus will be paid to the link between slavery and Reconstruction and the politics of the 1980's under Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, and how the politics of the 1980's still heavily influences us today.

R2008: The Stories of the Untold
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ally Nohmy

This class will bring attention to the people who deserve it. We will learn about the untold stories of those who made revolutions and movements possible. In a little over an hour, students will be exposed to novel historical perspectives and will be able to better understand the powers of democracy.

R1971: Chuck Chiquita: the Poor Ethics of the Banana Industry
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Luke Bryan

Bananas... Good right? WRONG! The banana industry is full of more corruption, bribery, and drug deals than you thought possible. Enroll in the class to learn more!

R2010: Fugitive slaves, Black resistance, and the Civil War
Difficulty: *
Teachers: James Mazareas

This course will look at the way fugitive slaves and violent and non-violent resistance by Black communities helped fuel the political crisis that led to the Civil War. Instead of a story about prominent white abolitionists and white politicians shaping history, you will learn about they ways Black men and women in cities across the country took matters into their own hands to influenced events in Washington.

R1993: People's History of Rome
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Patrick Dumitrescu

Do you think you know about the Roman Republic? Well think again because you are most likely getting a very skewed version of history. This is the real Roman Republic that people lived and died in.

R2012: Crash Course in Philosophy
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Betul Gaffari

This class will be on the history of philosophy in the West, as well as the fundamentals of some of the most famous thinkers and movements in philosophy.

R1966: Conlanging
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Dyson Ye

Have you ever wondered how the languages of High Valyrian, Dothraki, and Sindarin were invented? Have you ever wanted to create a language yourself? This class will feature a broad introduction to linguistics, and students will explore the various steps of language creation.


Science

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S2006: The Physics of Airplanes
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ally Nohmy

Have you ever wondered how something so heavy does not fall? How planes take off or land? And most importantly, how they fly in the first place? Well, in this class we will be learning all that and more!!

S1996: It’s in my genes: DNA and Plasmids
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Hugh Notman

Ever wondered if you could ever apply the basic biology of DNA to anything interesting? Well, after taking this class you’ll be able to!

Plasmids, independent, circular strands of DNA, can be inserted into cells to change the genetic makeup and the characteristics of that cell, which I find super cool. In this class, we’ll discuss the basic biology and implications underlying recombinant DNA technology.

S1969: Straws and Turtles: Our Global Plastic Pollution Problem
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Jenna Mu

Have you ever heard the hashtags #StrawFree or #SaveTheTurtles? Have you ever wondered why exactly plastic straws, and other plastic products, pose a threat to the environment and organisms living in it? If so, this class is for you! We will explore the sources of plastic pollution, and the harmful effects of plastic on the health of the environment, organisms (including humans), and even economies. We will also explore several solutions to this issue, and answer the question "What can we, as students, do to help solve this issue?"

S1972: COVID-19: Impacts on Global Public Health
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Morgan Walsh

Are you interested in global public health? This course will be presented by Boston College MEDLIFE, a public health-club on campus! We want to educate about global public health disparities surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us to learn more :)

S2002: Pre-Dental Info Session

Pre-Dental Info Session will provide fundamental details on the experience of a pre-dental student, including prerequisite courses and volunteer opportunities. This course is perfect for anyone interested in pursuing a dental career!

S2003: Intro to Psychology
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Teagan Hosbein

This course will provide a basic intro to the field of psychology. Learn about the history of psychology from ancient times to the present, main theories about how the brain works, and more! If you want to know more about how and why we think the way we do, this is the course for you.

S1968: Cellular Biology 101
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Nikhil Neelagaru

Welcome to the fundamentals of cell biology! In this class, we will explore the famed Central Dogma of biology, DNA and RNA (the blueprint of all life on earth), animal and plant cells (and how they work, what they are made of, etc), basic genetics, and the many organelles within the cell that come together to create life!


Miscellaneous

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X1983: Thinking Lighter of Yourself and Deeper of the World:Creative Writing Workshop
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Olivia Krause

"Thinking Lighter of Yourself and Deeper of the World" is a writing workshop that will introduce students to the world of creative writing. Explore meditative prompts, sensory writing exercises and other writing tips.

X1990: Marvel Cinematic Universe Crash Course!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Faith Payson

Are you a huge Marvel fan and know Iron Man and Captain America like the back of your hand? Or have you never seen any of the superhero movies that people always talk about? Either way, this is the class for you! In this intro class, we will do a Crash Course on all the beloved Marvel Characters and the overall story arc of the Endgame Saga!
WARNING *SPOILERS*!!!
We will focus solely on the Marvel movies so if you are a huge comics fan your knowledge is welcomed, but will probably serve you better for the Marvel creativity class that follows this one!

X1984: The ‘Magic’ and Manipulation of Social Networking
Difficulty: ***

In this class, we will discuss the Netflix film "Social Dilemma." We will think about the role technology plays in our lives and uncover hidden truths of our role within the technology industry as discussed by experts in the film. We will take a look at how social media has sold user data to advertising industries and has curated systems that are getting users addicted. Lastly, we will consider how social media should change for the better.


Prerequisites
Watch the Social Dilemma on Netflix and think about how technology is present in your life

X1987: Beginner’s Guide to D&D
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Noel De Leon

Get to know easy ways to understand D&D 5th Edition as a Game Master and/or Player. Learn how create a character, the differences between classes and races, and what the numbers mean (looks complicated but I promise it’s easy).


Prerequisites
Basic Algebra

X1988: The Power of Positive Affirmations
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Kristen Cinquino

Living your dream life is only one conversation in the mirror away from reality. Telling ourselves positive affirmations throughout the day, multiple times a day has the power to change our perspective about ourselves and how we view the world. In this class, we will go over the psychological explanation of why positive affirmations work and how we can incorporate them into our everyday. I will be giving specific techniques and activities for you guys to try out.

X1992: Marvel Cinematic Universe Creativity/Discussion!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Faith Payson

This class is a continuation from the Marvel Cinematic Universe Crash Course (although attendance of the last class is not required)! What parts of the Marvel movies did you enjoy the most? Who are your favorite characters and why? Did you think that Endgame or any other earlier/later movie should have ended differently? These are just a few questions we will discuss in this class! This is a place to brainstorm and bounce off ideas regarding what Marvel did well and what you think they could have done better.
WARNING *SPOILERS*!!!


Prerequisites
Some prior knowledge of Marvel movies, or attendance of the Crash Course.

X1997: Lasers, Leaves, and Land
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ilan Valencius

I'm sure you have all seen the movies where a robot comes in a room and scans it with a laser. News flash -- that totally exists! Lasers are not just cool movie tech, they are critical part of remote sensing, a field of environmental science.

This class will delve into the basics of remote sensing -- lasers, satellites, imagery -- with a focus on forestry here in the Northeast!

If you are interested in the environment and tech this class is for you!

X1991: Ocean Conservation: Sharks—Why They Matter
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Erin Walsh

Come join us to learn all about sharks and how they are misrepresented yet critically important—but often overlooked—part of ocean conservation. Sharks are important for our oceans to remain healthy, and therefore for humanity to thrive. In order to protect ourselves and our oceans, we must protect and respect sharks. Come learn why sharks are so awesome!

X1999: Mindfulness 101
Difficulty: **

Ever really wondered what mindfulness is and how you can easily use it in your life?

X1989: Intro to Baking
Difficulty: *

Learn how to bake delicious chocolate chip cookies!


Prerequisites
Ingredients needed (serving size: 12 cookies): 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, a dash of salt, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup chocolate chips

X1981: Startups and Entrepreneurship 101
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jimmy McDermott

Ever wondered how to create your own business? Have a great idea but not sure where to start? Trying to figure out how to convince a Co-Founder to join you? This class will teach you all of that and more!

We will talk about what skills you need as an entrepreneur, how to take an idea and turn it into a product, and the startup environment/culture.