Android App Design: Android dominates the mobile device market, and Android app design skills are in high demand among tech industry employers. Learn to use MIT App Inventor to create a variety of simple Android apps. Students will learn the basics of Android app design and event-driven programming. Together we will create app background screens and then add elements such as pictures, drawing canvases and buttons. Students will get familiar with MIT App Inventor as they design a variety of simple games and utility apps. We will also learn how to incorporate events so app users can interact with different elements. For a final project, students will work in groups to design and test their own mobile apps. All equipment will be provided, and no prior computer experience is required.

Filmmaking: Filmmaking is a powerful vehicle for making sense of our lives and sharing the stories we want to tell. Learn the skills you need, from scripting and storyboarding to editing and audio, to express your point of view through creation of short films. We will start with an introduction to film theory and move on to the basics of video production, including composition, editing and audio. Students will consider the role stories play in our everyday lives and think about the stories they want to tell. Then, working in groups, students will storyboard, script, film and edit their own short films. Group members will switch roles throughout the week to gain exposure to various facets of filmmaking. We will watch rough cuts of each other’s work and offer constructive critiques. In addition to producing their own videos, students will watch and discuss a variety of short films.

Intro to Virtual Exploration & Design for a Sustainable World: Get a global introduction to sustainable design by using Google Maps and Google Earth as tools for virtual exploration. Analyze sites of past settlements and come up with your own design for a sustainable dwelling or community of the future. Students will gain a deeper understanding of geography, world history and sustainable design as they explore world regions. We will examine historical sites and consider why those sites were successful. After analyzing several case studies, students will learn basic concepts of sustainable design and then sketch a house of the future for a specific site using their new perspective. They will present their sustainable designs to classmates and explain their justifications for specific elements. The class is aimed at students interested in maps, geography, history, natural environments, and sustainable architecture and design.

Programming Using JavaScript: If you’re looking to prepare for the high-tech jobs of the future, JavaScript is a great way to start. This popular programming language is the backbone of web development. Learning JavaScript gives you the power to create and control dynamic website content. Students in this course will get a hands-on introduction to JavaScript through group problem-solving projects and daily individual coding practice. They will learn JavaScript syntax and use the developer tools of Mozilla Firefox to explore basic coding concepts such as variables, user input, loops and functions. The class is suitable for students with little or no coding experience. They will gain a base of knowledge to build on as they move ahead in their programming studies.

Python: Exploring the Web: A basic understanding of how the internet works is a valuable tool in many today’s high-tech careers. Explore the intricacies of the web and then use Python to program simple apps for internet communication. Students will examine the technology behind the World Wide Web. Then they will get an introduction to the syntax of the Python programming language and the basics of code documentation. Students will use Python to create a variety of small applications that utilize communications over the internet. In building these applications, they will discover how to use existing network systems to make powerful programs. The class is most suited for students with beginning to intermediate experience in a coding language.

Ready, Set, Create: A Maker Space Lab: A Maker Space is a place where people get together to tinker, ponder and create. In our Maker Space Lab, students will tackle a variety of engineering challenges and develop their own innovation or invention. Using a variety of everyday materials, students will take on challenges such as “create a fall-proof skateboard” or “create an all-weather hat.” Art, science and engineering will come into play as students develop innovative solutions. As a final project, students will come up with an innovation or invention of their own. They will gain experience in product design, technical writing and art design as they develop their creations. Then they will present their inventions to a panel of classmates in a format similar to the television show “Shark Tank.”

Wonderful Waves: Knowing how waves work is a key to understanding many aspects of the natural world. Dive into the fascinating world of water waves and light waves through hands-on experiments and fun craft projects. Students will explore the science of ocean waves, currents and tsunamis. We will investigate how sand is formed by waves and use microscopes to examine sand from beaches around the world. Students will learn how light waves travel and which color of light travels farthest. Class members will put their new knowledge to work in a variety of art projects, including creating wave paintings with watercolors and salt, and building a miniature surfboard from balsa wood. The class will give students a basis of knowledge for further studies in physics and oceanography.