BC_Splash Spring 2020
Course Catalog

How is sound used to make music? Why do some songs make us feel happy, or sad, or excited? Come learn about the physics of sound and the basics of music theory, which we’ll use to understand modern pop music. We’ll also use these tools to learn and play a song using boomwhackers, so come ready to make some music!

Learn the basic moves of swing dancing. We’ll teach you some footwork and a few spins and dips so that you can learn how to social dance.

Learn to add elegance to your handwriting, take a break from stress, and try your hand at calligraphy! No experience is required and all types of handwriting—small, big, backwards, messy, neat—are welcome! Have fun with your artistic side in this beginners level class!

Ever wonder how to use a DSLR camera? Or how to start taking better photos on your phone?

If so, come and learn an introductory course to photography! We'll jump in to some basics to camera concepts as well as shooting guidelines that will improve your photography whether you shoot on a big camera or your phone. Lastly, we'll wrap up with some tips on upping your Insta game.


Prerequisites
an interest in storytelling or photography

Come learn to play the ukulele! We will go through a few basic chords, and then put them together to learn some popular songs. Ukulele not required. Come join for a fantastic time!

Are you scared of dancing? Good! Have you danced before? Good! Do you like having fun? Good! Join this simple class to have fun, do some light exercise, and get a chance to learn some new dance moves. Don't worry if you've never danced before or if you have lots of dance experience! If you've ever done Zumba, it will be a bit like that! Just come dance!

This is a class for students to learn how to release and cope with stress through artwork (namely drawing). It will also include meditation tips and tricks!

Fans of Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Dungeons and Dragons, and all fantasy come together to craft worlds of your own. We will explore how to build worlds, create rules to follow (and maybe break), think about characters, and tell exciting and meaningful stories together.

In this class, we will learn to strengthen bonds with our friends and make new ones along the way with the art of friendship bracelet making. Through this course students will learn the art of colorful handweaving and the act of creating a memory in conjunction with friendship. There will be many forms of bracelet making to learn throughout the duration of the class.

*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).


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*).

Whether you have a spot on a waitlist, a draft of a personal statement, or no idea at all about your plans for college, you are welcome here! This workshop-style course will cater to students' individual needs and help them move forward in the college admissions process.

Do you need help starting your resume, or want to learn some tips and trips to spruce it up for college and job applications? This presentation is guaranteed to help you get your resume in shape, and is tailored for high school students who may have limited work experience. Feel free to bring a copy of your resume if you have one or just take notes so you can work on yours later!

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!

Have you ever sat through a really boring presentation? Have you ever looked at a really dull power point slide deck? Have you ever been nervous to stand up in front of your peers and present?

This course will be a guide to the dos and don'ts of giving a presentation. Knowing how to whip up an interesting and informative power point is a key to college and beyond! This course will dive into the art of impressing your professors, peers and employers with a rockin' presentation!

This course will be a presentation and group discussion on what factors to consider when deciding on a college, and how to weigh out your expectations and priorities in order to make the best decision for you.

All students will participate in lunch from 12 pm to 12:50 pm.

Do you love playing poker games? Do you want to be a poker master that knows exactly the probability of you winning at every stage of the game? If you are interested, join this very brief introduction on probability theory in poker games! This class is for anyone who loves poker or mathematics and will cover some fundamentals of probability theory such as combinatorial analysis, the basic principle of counting, and sample space and events.

In this fast-paced exploration of integration techniques and their applications, students will develop the ability to solve creative and challenging integrals beyond the typical Calc II curriculum.

We'll cover: u-substitution, trigonometric substitution, partial fraction decomposition, integration by parts, Weierstrass substitution, and King's Rule.

If time: Inversion substitution, iterated integrals, Fubini's theorem, differentiation under the integral sign, and more.

If you have any integrals you would like to solve, feel free to bring them to class!


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of differential and integral calculus

Based off of the popular "Harry Potter and the Sacred Text" podcast, this course will look at the Harry Potter books through the lens of both Christian and Jewish reading practices. This course will expose students to a theological way of thinking through a fun and familiar text.


Prerequisites
Having read Harry Potter before is a plus but not required!

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 work collaboratively to create the foundation for a language.

What does food mean to us as a community, and what can it tell us about our cultural backgrounds? When we carry stories to the table, the way we understand ourselves and our cultures is directly related to the food we consume and make. The age-old saying of "you are what you eat" may be a cliché, but there is certainly truth in it.


Prerequisites
Students will need a computer enabled with either Garageband or Audacity, though Garageband is preferable. Familiarity with either software is not required, but advantageous.

Do you like to argue? Do you like to win when you argue? This course is perfect for just this pursuit. In this class, you will learn how to go beyond simply telling someone in an argument that they are wrong, you will learn several ways to point out flaws in your opponent's logic. There are few things more satisfying than declaring in an argument, "Not only are you wrong, but here is the error in your reasoning..."
After the course, students can expect to leave feeling more confident in their ability to reason, to have an understanding of the basic syllogism, And to be able to point out exactly where an argument starts to become fallacious.

We will discuss the biggest public health issues that our world faces today and the ways in which we can work to solve them.

As a class, we'll define what we believe is ethical, and if there is a definite formula for it. Then, we'll discuss whether or not feelings (and reason) have any role in our ethics and compare our conclusions to ancient and modern philosophers!

Have you ever wondered how we decide what is true? What makes us decide when something is scientific fact? Is science even real? In this class, we will explore the different viewpoints on what types of methods we should use when trying to learn things about the natural world. Afterward, you will have the opportunity to partake in a debate where we decide if we can even trust science as we know it today.

Students can expect to leave this class having a better understanding of the problem with human knowledge, and to develop an inspiration to question the ways in which we go about doing science.

From Richard Nixon to Bill Clinton, politics in the second half of the 20th century can only be properly understood by looking at race. But more than just a reaction to the Civil Rights movement the roots of racial politics of this era can be directly traced back to slavery and the racial attitudes and prejudices that developed out of that institution. This class will focus on the ways which slavery affected the politics of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton.

What is the importance of representation, and more importantly, how do we achieve ideal representation? How do we understand and analyze narratives of psychological perspectives beyond our own? In this class, we will explore how to write compelling narratives in abnormal psychology to represent perspectives beyond our own to explore new worlds of thought. You will need nothing other than a notebook and and a writing utensil.

Was Frankenstein a good guy? Was Mr. Hyde a little more human than we originally thought? Is the Babadook something not-so-scary? The most famous monsters have been adapted and re-adapted in movies, television shows, musicals, and board games. But what about their original counterparts? Looking at monstrous literature lets us see how over history we've seen ourselves in the most gruesome and terrible creations of the human imagination.
Together we'll explore some of the more famous monsters in their original form, some of their adaptations, and contemporary monsters that complicate our relationship to the horrifying.


Prerequisites
Having read any of the following: Frankenstein, Dracula, The Island of Doctor Moreau, or The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde helps, but is certainly not necessary!

The course will explore the poetic value of the lyrics of two of America's most-acclaimed artists: Kendrick Lamar and Bob Dylan. By exploring the influences of these two artists and comparing their lyrics to other works of poetry, students will learn how they encounter literature every day, as well as how they can apply skills like close reading to songs.

The history of the abolition movement tends to focus on white male abolitionists and on events that took place after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850.

However, female and male black abolitionists and escaped slaves engaged in both creative non-violent and violent resistance to the Slave Power in the decades before 1850. This class will focus on the actions of these men and woman.

Why do film adaptations of Shakespeare's plays exist? In the 21st century, why do filmmakers continue to produce adaptations and movies based off of Shakespeare's plays? Together we'll explore significant themes which appear in Shakespeare's plays, view clips from some film adaptations (including Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, 10 Things I Hate About You, and Netflix's recent film The King), and create a connection between early modern drama and present-day film.


Prerequisites
It is advantageous, but not required, to have read any of the following Shakespeare plays: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew. Or to have seen any of the following films: Romeo + Juliet, The Lion King, Gnomeo and Juliet, and Netflix's The King. 

What goes into that yellow, potassium filled fruit you have there? How does the banana industry size up in sustainability metrics? How are companies like Chiquita bananas related to South American terrorists and the drug trade?

All this and more will be covered, as this class is designed to uncover the veil that is held over one of the most secretive and corrupt industries on the planet.

Man, in his endless effort for power, seeks any means to achieve it—even supernatural. As is the plot of one too many famous books, a man decides to create or summon another being through which they hope to achieve power. However, there slowly develops a struggle with each trying to control the other, using them for their own means. In this class on a common literature trope, we will analyze this dynamic and figure out how man can win against beings infinitely superior to him.


Prerequisites
Just an interest in literature!

DNA is the heritable material of all living things, made up of units called genes. A certain kind of gene, called a transposon or “jumping gene.” can change its physical location within the genome. How does this work, and what can we learn about the evolution of complex, multi-cellular organisms from these strange DNA elements?

Making medicines, catching criminals, protecting the environment - these are just a few ways that chromatography is used in modern science. Come learn with us how to analyze inks and other materials by paper chromatography in order to solve a mystery! We’ll also talk about the chemistry of separations and other applications of chromatography in the real world.

Learn about how genes are passed from parent to offspring in this introduction to genetics.

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?"

Why are lemons sour? Why do you take TUMS® when your stomach is upset? Every day we come into contact with acids and bases. This class will use hands-on activities to explore which is which and what happens when we mix them together.

Interested in chemistry and/or pre-medical studies? This course will outline the fundamentals of organic synthesis. No background in chemistry is required, although we will move at a fast pace. There will also be some chemical demonstrations to showcase the theory discussed.

We have always been told that water is one of the critical ingredients necessary to sustain life, but why is that? This class explains life's "history" with water, discussing a range of topics from water's role in creating life on earth to water's role in a good skincare routine and in general physical health. Come learn why it is so important to stay hydrated!

This class will cover the basics of what entrepreneurship is, how it works, and what skills you need to succeed as an entrepreneur. We will spend time talking about how you can create a business, design a web sight, as well as have a brainstorming session for creating new products. We will watch clips from shark tank and look at what it takes to present your product.

Are you interested in studying or working in business in your future? Does the entertainment industry fascinate you? Or, do you simply love to binge-watch shows and movies on Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime?
Come learn what goes on behind the scenes at one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies, The Walt Disney Company, and how Disney+ sizes up against other streaming service giants like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime!
This course will be a fun, active discussion on business strategy and what it takes to be a successful CEO like Disney’s Bob Iger in today’s world!
Students of all backgrounds and education levels are welcome. No experience in business or entertainment necessary, but being a Disney fan is a plus!

Did you know Pop-Tarts have been around for more than 50 years? All this and more in this 50-minute class.

This course is an overview and introduction to thinking about self-care. We will talk about what all teenagers need to stay healthy and why it is important at your exact stage of development. We will then go into individualized self-care planning and discussion, where students can reflect and discover what your unique personal needs are in order to stay healthy and happy.

Thinking about planning your meals week-to-week? How do you stay on budget? Where can you buy healthy foods?
We'll look at effective tools and strategies that help you plan meals for your week that are healthy, quick, cost-effective, and tasty! Students will work together to set personal goals related to health and cooking, and create an example meal prep calendar of their own.

How did an "influencer" become a more sought after profession than an astronaut in the US this year? What even is an influencer? This class will examine why influencers became so popular, how influencing makes money, and whether this is a sustainable career. First, we'll take a look at business models to gain an understanding of the economics and finance behind social media. Then, we'll examine some of your favorite TikTok and YouTube stars as well as the history of these platforms to see how this world took off seemingly overnight.

In a world with growing problems and tasks, how can we collectively attempt to solve them? Especially when placed in front of adversity and dire circumstances, with no one to look to for where to go, how will you handle yourself? Through team building games and activities, this class has the goal of demonstrating how we can all be leaders in situations with no leaders.

Come build things, learn about incentives, and get creative! It'll be a fun class to learn about teamwork, why being young might be your greatest strength, and how to foster innovation. We will be doing hands-on activities that I would describe if it wouldn't ruin the whole point. So come check it out, I promise, you're not going to want to miss this! (Also, there may be prizes!)

Unfortunately, this class will not be exploring how to get on the popular page of tiktok. Rather, we will focus on the ethics of clickbait in the social media sphere. Should content creators be allowed to fool their viewers in order to increase their views on a video? What are the implications of using false advertisement to attract consumers? Does clickbait affect the bond between viewers and creators? And if so how? This course's title explores exactly how using clickbait could deceive the people involved.