Splash! Spring 2012
Course Catalog

Learn about the core ethical ideas that govern all scientific and medical research. Discover the criteria that must be met for medical research and clinical trials. Explore the level of adherence of various forms of scientific research to these core principles and the means of oversight setup to ensure research is conducted in an ethical manner.

Come to this class to learn more about stem cells, cancer, the reasoning behind some of the ways we currently treat cancer, and some new discoveries in the cancer and stem cell fields!

DNA is a long molecule that carries the blueprints that build all living organisms including humans, plants and bacteria. You will learn what it looks like and how it works through Lego building and game playing.

This second course will explore specific topics, examples, and cases; where the ethics of research are non-trivial to evaluate and often accompanied with social controversy. This class focuses on applying the core principles learned in part 1 to actively debated areas of scientific and medical research.


Prerequisites
Recommended: Ethics of Scientific and Medical Research - Part 1

Remember all those animals you weren't supposed to pick up because they were gross? Turns out they're actually really cool. Come learn about reptiles and amphibians with two grad students who are just wild about them. We'll tell you a bit about what makes them so amazing, what you can find around your house and what you really shouldn't touch (aka those pesky rattlers).


Prerequisites
A love of reptiles, amphibians and/or a desire to learn more about them.

This class will be about different types of blood cells and how they are made in humans. We will also talk about what goes wrong with them that leads to different types of leukemia.

Interested in learning about an a vaccine-preventable chronic infection that is lifelong? Intrigued by an illness that afflicts 1 in 12 Asian Americans? Want to be in the forefront of the one the world's largest public health issues? Presented by Stanford Team HBV, this experience will involve the biology and epidemiology behind Hep. B, inform you about ways to get screened and vaccinated, and present ways you can get involved in promoting liver health in the community.

You are arrested with a conspirator for commiting a crime. The police tell you
that if you rat your partner out, you can go free, but your partner will have to serve the full sentence of 5 years. They make your partner the same offer. What do you do? This classic game theory problem has been used by evolutionary biologists for decades to study the evolution of
cooperation, or how behavior that helps others at the expense of the person doing the helping could evolve by natural selection. We will explore these ideas by playing games and through mathematical models of how behavioral strategies can evolve.


Prerequisites
Algebra I

Did you know that stem cells are widely used in Bone Marrow Transplantation? These stem cells are called Hematopoietic stem cells that reside in the bone marrow. These cells are obtained from a healthy donor to cure cancers of the immune system(leukemia and lymphoma) in patients. In this class you will learn how bone marrow transplantation is done and what are the challenges faced by patients and clinicians.


Prerequisites
Some background in biology

The focus of this class is to provide students with a thorough understanding of the pathology of the influenza infection. The class will begin with a history of the flu and the basic biology of the virus and its infectious agents. The other half of the class will transition to the secondary infections of the flu which complicate the affected individual's condition and cause of terminal illness and mortality.


Prerequisites
Interest in biology, the flu, health, and disease.

Seeing the world around us feels effortless, but our visual system is actually incredibly complicated. We automatically use assumptions about the natural world to influence the way we see objects, and our brain has specialized areas to process different types of visual information. In this class, we’ll use optical illusions to investigate the surprisingly complex tricks that our brains use to help us understand the world. We’ll learn that all of us are partially blind, that colors are not what they seem, why faces are so important, and much more!

Microbes cover every surface of our planet - soil, forests, oceans, and even inside you and me! We are outnumbered. Some microbes are capable of mind control, fuel production, or survival at extreme temperatures. This course will cover what microbes are, where they live, how they survive, and, most importantly, why we care!


Prerequisites
None

Learn how to be a field scientist - identify plants and animals in a local ecosystem! This year Stanford's SEEDS chapter, Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability, is hosting the third annual BioBlitz. (http://www.stanford.edu/group/seeds/bioblitz.html). On April 21st, join school students and community members from all around the Bay Area, who will be out in Lake Lagunita on Stanford campus all day, documenting the life that is found there. Look under logs for the elusive and endangered California Tiger Salamander, and keep a sharp eye out for circling vultures! The data that you collect on bird species, insects, plants, reptiles and amphibians will be used to keep track of how Lake Lag is changing over time. We'll spend an hour or so in the field, and then come together to talk about what we found and how it ties into local ecology.

Organic chemistry is the source of many compounds we rely on from day to day--drugs (both medicinal and recreational!), pigments, polymers, fuels, etc. O-chem is also considered one of the most intimidating subjects that students heading into biomedical or chemical professions have to take in college. This class will provide an entirely non-intimidating introduction to organic chemistry synthesis (a.k.a. the making of awesome molecules!) by explaining how a complicated transformation can be broken down into simple steps that give you amazing control over the world of carbon-based molecules. We'll also use games and puzzles to test our learning.


Prerequisites
A basic understanding of atoms, electrons, chemical bond formation, the periodic table, etc. is very helpful but not entirely necessary. You do NOT have to know anything about organic chemistry.

In this section, students will get a basic introduction about the molecule that is the blueprint of life: DNA. After learning about some of its physical and biological properties, we will isolate DNA from strawberries, which you can then take home!

Ever wondered what evolutionary biology is about? This course will provide a brief overview of the field, with a particular focus on major historical developments as the knowledge of the subject advanced. We will begin in pre-Darwinian times, discuss the impact of Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, and then race through the rise of Mendelian genetics, the modern evolutionary synthesis, and finish with a discussion on molecular evolution and the implications of new technology, such as next generation sequencing, on current research.


Prerequisites
No prerequisites necessary! A basic understanding of DNA, inheritance, and natural selection will be helpful, but no previous background knowledge will be assumed.

Sleep is a behavioral state that is a natural part of every individual’s life. We spend about one-third of our lives asleep. However, people (especially teenagers) generally know little about the importance of this essential activity and the biology behind this complex state. In this class, you will learn about the following:
(1) why sleep is important
(2) the basic neurobiology
(3) teenage sleep biology
(4) good sleep hygiene
(5) sleep research

Students will be required to track their sleep patterns for the entire week before class. We will discuss these during class. Come to class alert!

Ever think that plants are boring? Think again. In this class, we'll explore the crazy plants on this planet and explain how evolution made them so aweome. We'll first talk about how plants made the jump from land to water, then about how they diversified into the giant sequoias, Venus flytraps, and tomatoes we see today. We'll also get a chance to examine some crazy real-life plants! You'll never look at a green thing again.

This class will address the today's relevance of the basic postulate of molecular biology "From DNA to RNA to protein" and will further focus on exceptions from this rule like mechanisms of reverse transcription. If we have time, we'll also talk about miRNAs, non- coding RNAs, ribosomal RNAs.


Prerequisites
Students should be familiar with the following terms: DNA, RNA, protein

The ocean is in some serious trouble with climate change and rising greenhouse gas emissions, so it's really important that we do everything we can to keep the ocean healthy -- not just for the ocean's sake, but for our own! Without a healthy ocean, we are also going to be in some serious trouble. Ocean ecosystems, like coral reefs and mangrove forests, do a lot of important things. They provide food and livelihoods to people all over the world, and help protect coastal communities from storms and erosion.

In this class, we will talk about the natural and anthropogenic threats to coral reefs including storm damage, disease outbreaks, tourism, pollution, coastal development, overfishing, ocean acidification and rising sea surface temperatures. We will also discuss possible strategies for addressing these issues.


Prerequisites
Some introductory biology and chemistry helpful, but not required.

Have you ever seen a monarch butterfly fly past and wonder where it’s going? Each fall, millions of monarchs undertake a spectacular, months-long journey to reach their overwintering grounds, where the monarchs aggregate together. We will discuss the science behind this amazing migration (including bits from the instructor’s own research on the topic), and also highlight some other case studies in butterfly ecology and evolution, such as mimicry and speciation in Heliconius butterflies. Basically, it’ll be a smattering of lepidopteran ecology and evolution!

The human genome is comprised of three billion base pairs, of which, surprisingly, 99% is identical across the entire human population. Only a very small fraction of the genome harbors any variation. It is this small, variable fraction that plays an important role in natural selection, and, can inform us about events such as demography.

With genomic sequencing technology becoming increasingly cheap and accessible to the public, we are now entering an exciting era of personalized genomics and medicine. In this course, we will learn about the signatures of genetic variation that can help us understand our susceptibility to diseases and our human demographic history.

Learn about the emerging field of neural prosthetics: electronic systems that interface with and connect to the brain and nervous system. This first course will contain a brief introduction to neuroscience as well as set up some of the guiding principles used in the field, transitioning to real-world examples as time permits.


Prerequisites
Recommended: "Welcome to your Brain" Course

How do we taste? Why is sweet 'sweet' and sour, well, 'sour'? In this class we'll delve into the science of taste - how taste buds work and how chemical reactions going on in our mouth get sent to the brain. Along the way we'll eat things, eat things blindfolded, and consume 'miracle berries', which turn your tastebuds upside down and turn sweet to sour, sour to sweet.

Conservation biologists work to understand why some species are “endangered” while other species living in the same area are thriving. This class will explore what being endangered means, what we know makes a species more likely to be endangered and the kinds of ideas that conservation biologists are using to protect species from becoming extinct.

This second course will pick up where the previous one left off and continue with descriptions of neural prosthetic systems that are commercially available or under active development. Systems discussed will include retinal prostheses, cochlear implants, and cortical communication and motor prosthetics.


Prerequisites
Recommended: Introduction to Neuroprosthetics: Part 1

Are you or someone you know lactose intolerant? Does lactose intolerance run in your family? Ever wonder how your body processes lactose in milk? Lactose intolerance can arise later in life and 75% of adults in the world lose ability to process lactose! In this class we will cover how lactose is processed in our bodies (or not processed in lactose intolerance individuals), touch on the culture of milk around the world, and conclude with making yummy milkshakes or smoothies with lactose free milk!


Prerequisites
Loves milkshakes and/or smoothies!

Covers the basics of cancer biology, and includes a discussion of current work being done to combat cancer.


Prerequisites
Biology

A fun presentation in PPT on chocolate - its biology, chemistry , biochemistry, health benefits, trivia and some unusual connections.
You will never look at a chocolate bar in the same way again. Samples of chocolate are provided for comparison. Stay to the "bitter" end for a planned free drawing for "bittersweet" chocolate and other chocolate-related items.

We will be learning about the cutting-edge research in drug discovery of natural products. Techniques ranging from drug isolation to high-throughput screening will be addressed. The research methods are all those used in the Chemical Screening Center and the Linington Lab at UC Santa Cruz. There will be many colorful graphs and videos of screening robots! The main purpose of this class is to introduce interested middle/high school students to the world of academic research.


Prerequisites
Though there are no explicit prerequisites or minimum grade levels, the better your understanding of biology and chemistry, the more you will understand. I will however make the class as understandable to all experience levels as possible.

We'll cover the the basics of nutrition including the six classes of nutrients, components of a healthy diet, body composition, diseases of malnutrition, and food trends.

If you could find out whether you will develop a disease with no known cure, would you want to know?

This course will provide an introduction to the science behind Huntington's Disease, which is a genetically inherited disease that affects both the mind and the body. After an overview of cool topics like DNA and genetics, we will talk about genetic testing -- what that is, and how it applies to parents or children who may have Huntington’s Disease. You will then use this knowledge to debate the ethical concerns that arise when screening for inherited diseases.

If your parents have Huntington’s Disease, would you get tested? If you were going to have children but did not know if you had the disease, would you get tested? Would you have kids if you tested positive?


Prerequisites
Some basic biology might be helpful, but we'll provide a quick intro at the beginning of the course too!

A brief history of the mishaps, illnesses, and straight up stupidity that put holes in people's heads and taught us something about how our brains work. Landmark psychology and neuroscience studies using a variety of scientific methods (ranging from cutting-edge neuroimaging to "let's cut this bit out and hope nothing bad happens") will be presented. "Holey" topics may include aphasias, amnesia, personality, decision making, face blindness, loss of fear, and object perception.

Cancer kills more people than anything else in the developed world. Ironically, this deadly disease usually comes not from an external invader, but from our own cells' betrayal. We will discuss the elegant principles behind cancer: how it develops, how it kills, and how it might be cured. We will also practice being cancer researchers, interpreting results of real experiments.


Prerequisites
High school biology class

Dairy contributes to our health by providing calcium for bone strength and protein for overall growth. Due to varied calcium, fat, and caloric content among dairy products, there are some dairy products that are preferable to others. In this class, the general objectives are:
1. Identify foods in the dairy group.
2. Understand why dairy is important.
3. Learn to make healthy dairy choices.
Student will get to cook in this class, and then enjoy their creations!


Prerequisites
Comfortable cooking (without stove, etc) 4th grade biology

Ever wondered what your own DNA looked like? Can you use it to predict how long you will live, how healthy you will be, or what you will choose to eat for lunch tomorrow? A brief introduction into personal genomics and a discussion about the possibilities and limitations for the future.

How do memories form? How do optical illusions work? What in the world is a homonculus? The brain is by far the most complicated but at the same time the most amazing organ in the body! Come take this course to learn the answers to these and other fascinating questions. Plus you will get to examine real human and animal brains!


Prerequisites
Basic biology

I will overview the mechanisms of cancer development, and specifically, the body’s defense and detection mechanisms against neoplastic transformation and tumor growth. We will talk about the nature of the disease, predisposing factors, conventional treatments, and the role of a “healthy lifestyle” in preventing and fighting the disease.

An introduction to what stem cells are, how they are unique, and how they can be important in both causing and curing human diseases.


Prerequisites
Very basic cell biology (i.e. you should know what a cell and what DNA are).

After some background information about recent developments in stem cell technology, therapy, research is provided, students will get to roleplay and debate and discuss the ethical implications behind these advancements and about the future of stem cell research. Get ready to "roll"-play!

This curriculum seeks to elucidate how social, economic, and political factors, or community influences, affect health outcomes. Students are encouraged to look past individual health behaviors, such as unhealthy eating, and towards community influences, such as lack of access to healthy food, as the root causes of public health problems, such as obesity.

The course will introduce students to basic concepts that are used in the design of earthquake resistant buildings.


Prerequisites
None

Energy - Why do we need it ? How much does Oil & Gas Industry contribute to your daily life?

Oil & Gas - Where they are found and how they are produced?

Technologies used in Petroleum Industry

Life of a Petroleum Engineer; Benefits of being a Petroleum Engineer.

How can you become a Petroleum Engineer?


Prerequisites
None

Interested in green materials? This class will cover current application of cradle to cradle methods in composite materials, the use of life cycle modeling to understand environmental impacts of materials, and some experiments to test material strength!

Ever played with a Weeble® toy? How is it that Weebles wobble but don't fall down? Learn the basic physics/engineering principles behind balancing toys by making a balancing toy of your own!

Do you believe that you can build a canoe that floats...out of concrete? Believe it or not, you can, and you will learn how in this class. Play with concrete, build your own form, and see how it works while understanding why.

In this course we will try to understand why it's easier to balance a broomstick instead of a pencil.
We will then show a simple simulation which introduces the concept of feedback controls and try to come up with intuitive explanation to concepts of stability, bandwidth and damping

If you love building stuff and you love camping, then you should build a camping stove!

This class will teach you how to make a functional camping stove out of two aluminum soda cans—a popular design sometimes called the Penny Stove.

Each student will get to make their own stove and see it working by the end of the session. The course will also cover the basics of how a camping stove works.

Plastics are involved in our everyday lives from our cups to our cars. Come learn more about their properties through some fun demonstrations!

Have you ever wanted to be an inventor like Thomas Edison or Steve Jobs? Have you ever had a problem that you wanted to fix but could not think of a solution to like waking up for school on time or always losing your cellphone? Good inventors think outside the box and come up with cool, unique ways solve these everyday problems. Come and learn how to think like a designer, work creatively in teams and even walk away from class with an invention of your own!

What do garden hoses and Boeing 747s have in common?

This class will teach you about Bernoulli's principle- one of the fundamental aspects of fluid mechanics. To understand the theory, we will build water bottle rockets and test the effects of changing the shape and weight of the rocket. Students will compete in teams to build the most aerodynamic rocket.

We will do an experimental lab exercise with some real robots to program, build, and have some fun! Students will gain an introduction to electrical engineering and computer science as well as discuss briefly advanced computing, robotics, and AI. Teamwork will be required.

Have you ever wondered how cars really work? How an gasoline engine works? a diesel engine? a transmission? How breaks work? How a turbocharger or NOS give the car a performance boost? How electric cars work, and what makes a car fuel efficient? How cars are made?

If so this class is for you!


Prerequisites
Basic chemistry, basic physics.

This class will investigate how it is possible to capture sun rays and convert them into electricity. We will briefly study light as an electromagnetic wave, semiconductor materials, atoms, and electrons.

We will follow a light ray as it travels from the sun, into the Earth's atmosphere, and into a solar panel. Within the solar panel, we will investigate what happens when light enters the material, why electrons begin to flow, and how we use the flow of electrons as electricity.


Prerequisites
No prerequisites!

Courtroom Trial designed for the legal begal. Case law analysis and legalize.
Intro to Law.


Prerequisites
Legal Beagle Mind

An overview of these major projects coming to the South Bay, and an explanation of all the factors related to them. The class materials are visual, and do not require technical background. The purpose is to enable class participants to become articulate and understanding about these stadiums, and to see the actual and residual benefits that can accompany them.


Prerequisites
A genuine interest in the present and future of the South Bay communities

We will explore the basics of energy-efficient "green" buildings and discuss how students can improve their own homes to be more resource sensitive.

How many street lights are in Palo Alto? How much data does a 747 filled with DVDs carry? Learn how to make quick, educated approximations to these and other problems through guessing, lying, cross-checking, and other "Street-Fighting" mathematical methods.


Prerequisites
Basic Algebra

Cells have evolved over millions of years to highly specialized functions, but all cells require external resources to use as the building blocks for their growth and survival. Using the cells’ own machinery, i.e. metabolic pathways, we can now engineer cells to not only grow better, but to grow better and make specialized chemical and biological products. This course will cover the mechanisms of cell growth and maintenance, methods for synthetic biology, methods for engineering new metabolic pathways, and real-world applications. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to run an in class experiment testing the effects of various metabolic engineering and synthetic biology methods on production of novel compounds.


Prerequisites
Previous exposure to cell biology; students should understand the process by which DNA → protein (transcription, translation), as well as the glycolysis pathway and TCA (Kreb’s) cycle.

This course is an introduction to the working principles of chains and gears, based on ME112 Mechanical System Design offered at Stanford. Examples covered include bike chain drives, simple gear trains, and other relevant applications. Concepts such as the fundamental law of gearing, pitch, involute, and meshing will be discussed. Lego Technic parts will be used for demonstrations.


Prerequisites
Topics in angular velocity/rotational motion from high school mechanics and basic geometry are strongly recommended.

We will learn about the basics of thermal protection for reentry into the Earth's atmosphere and explore properties of materials hands-on in an experiment!

This class will cover the basics of radio communication, with an emphasis on space based radio communication. Learn about:

-Radio theory
-Antennas
-Time domain vs Frequency Domain
-Digital communication
-How to track and communicate with satellites
-Communication with the International Space Station


Students will get a chance to make their own amateur radio satellite contact!


Prerequisites
-Completion of beginning Algebra -Motivation to learn

Serves to introduce advanced high school students to cutting-edge research in the field of biophysics and how to perform calculations needed to study biology from a physical standpoint. Some topics that will be covered: Protein composition and structure and the role of protein structure to function Enzymes: basic concepts and kinetics Effect of force on chemical reaction kinetics Polymer dynamics and its role in biological function Will refer to recent publications from the field.


Prerequisites
General Chemistry, General Physics

This class explains why this project is necessary and how the project is fulfilling its design intent. It will give to students an ability to comprehend, and then articulate, the mechanics involved in this project.It will also explain CalTrans goals.

This class has been very successful the past few years at Splash.


Prerequisites
A sincere interest in the subject --this is not a math class, but it does cover in basic language, seismic and structural concepts.

The basics of various alternative energy sources, their respective merits and downfalls, and why we should consider using some of them to fuel our needs.


Prerequisites
For section on biofuels, knowledge of high school chemistry is recommended but not required.

Ever wonder how an ipod works? What about what it means to turn up the bass or treble? Come join this lab class and get hands on experience processing audio signals digitally (using a PC). We will talk about other topics like reverb, synthesizers, and auto-tune.

We will conceptually look at how these algorithms work and what it means to process a signal using hands on examples with a PC. To actually work with audio signals, we will use programs (called patches) written with a freely available audio software called Pure Data (PD).

Bring your headphones!


Prerequisites
Exposure to sine and cosine functions (waves, tones). Basic knowledge of music. Ability to work with a Windows PC.

Every year, more objects are integrated with electronics. Crafters have realized this and begun to use electronic components and engineering techniques to add another dimension to their work. Understanding electronics can be useful in craft, and traditional crafts can lend tools for making amazing electronics. In this class, we will be creating our own soft electronics. We will introduce basic sewing, basic electronics, and give you a chance to design and create your own project using LEDs, snap-switches, home-made soft buttons, and batteries wired together with conductive thread. Feel free to bring your own components and scraps, too!


Prerequisites
Can you thread a needle? Then you can take this class!

Arduino has become increasingly popular among scientists and DIYers as it bridges programing and actualization in one compact, budget priced package. Check out www.sparkfun.com to watch video tutorials and get an idea of what it can do and come to the class to get your hands on one!


Prerequisites
any kind of programming experience

Come learn about creating 3D computer models of buildings. We'll teach you the basics of software used by industry professionals in the architecture, construction, and engineering professions. We'll spend the first half of the class learning techniques and the second half of the designing and modeling a house.


Prerequisites
None

Tie and dye is a technique that you can use to create your own print on any t-shirt, scarf or other clothing.

Bridge is a popular and exciting card game which tests your ability to communicate with other players, strategize, and keep track of probabilities. We will teach you the rules of bridge and give you a chance to practice playing the game with experienced Stanford students.

Ever wanted to learn the game of cricket? Then come along!


Prerequisites
None!

Ever wanted to make mouth-watering gajar ka halwa, kheer or aate ka halwa. This is your chance to learn some easy tricks to make these yourself.

This class will introduce you to some of the fundamentals of Shotokan karate: blocks, punches, kicks, and stances. No prior experience is required! Please wear loose clothing.

Learn the historical context of coffee, its significance in the economy in Latin America, and the United States' role in its regulation

Objective: to examine and question where the simplest of things come from and its impacts

ALSO: coffee will be served

KenKen is the new, more intelligent Sudoku. I highly enjoy this game, and I would like to teach those interested how to play, and reveal some of my own strategies.

Free puzzles are available online everyday at kenken.com, so check it out if you're interested!

This class will be short and laid back, a nice break to relax and enjoy some puzzles before you rush off to your next class.


Prerequisites
An attention span of at least 30 minutes

Learn and play some of the world's oldest games, including Egyptian Senet, a precursor to backgammon. If you have a Mancala board bring it along, and if you have a Tarot deck, you can learn to use it for more than fortune telling.


Prerequisites
None

Learn how to tie basic fishing knots, cast your line, and when to use different lures. This course will cover the basics of freshwater fishing so that you can try it on your own!

You’ll learn how to crochet here. We will teach you the basics of crochet and how to read a simple pattern. We will try making a granny square, a scarf or a cowl. More possible projects depending on how quickly each student progresses. Feel free to get crochet hooks and yarn for any project that you may have in mind.

Learn basic knitting skills!

Experience the vast and interesting cultures of our world through the sweet taste of sugar. From the sweet-gooey gulab jamun of India, to the richness of Brazilian brigadeiro; we will be exploring the cultures and histories of various parts of this sweet world. Come to hear the differences, but taste the similarities of our world. We promise you'll leave with a sweet taste in your mouth.

Nutrition Label reading + Introduction to chi Quong exercise
Come and learn what you are eating!!
We will explore label reading on packaged foods - fresh, frozen, canned, as a meal, desserts, cereals and more.
There will be samples and hands on practise. At the end, let’s have some fun and strength a little. There will be a short but fun session on introduction to Chi Quong for health and everyday exercise. It is simple and easy to do.

Delight your family, friends, (and yourselves) with decorated cakes! This class will teach you the basics of cake decorating, from making fondant to frosting and learning how to pipe. You will get to take decorate and take home a mini-cake.


Prerequisites
none

Dear Student,

Congratulations! You've been accepted into Hogwarts Day Class of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Come ready to learn and play Quidditch, participate in Harry Potter trivia and charades, and make your very own wand.

PS: We apologize that this letter could not be delivered by owl.


Prerequisites
Love of Harry Potter preferred.

India is a country of numerous faiths and culture and is known for its diverse festivals. In the class we'll be talking about the different festivals widely celebrated in India and the history as well as the tradition behind the festival.

Mice suck, so let's not use them. Keyboards are awesome, so let's let our keyboard do all the work. Pixels are valuable, so let's maximize our pixel efficiency.

I will walk you through a keyboard-centric window manager called "xmonad". Think "Alt-Tab" on steroids. By the end of the class you should feel comfortable moving windows faster and with less thought than before.


This course will consist of two parts.
1) Exercises. These will serve to demonstrate the various capabilities of xmonad. They will also familiarize you with the xmonad's "unwritten" keyboard commands.
2) Configurations. You will learn how to use other tools in linux to create a computer configuration capable of doing anything you can do in a regular window manager.
At any point, feel free to ask questions about anything linux-y or configuration related.


Before you come to class please do the following.


You will need to install some software on your computer. You may email me with questions. Note if you do something wrong, you can lose your data. So please back it up. I am not responsible for anything that goes wrong, so if you're nervous I recommend another course.

0) MAKE BACKUPS MAKE BACKUPS MAKE BACKUPS. If you only back up your important files, make sure you know you where your OS installation disks are.
1) Install Linux Mint 12 (http://linuxmint.com/) ALONG SIDE your current OS (mac or Windows). You'll need a CD-R or DVD-R If you already use ubuntu this will suffice. If you use another flavor of linux, you'll be on your own for the most part, I'm not familiar with anything other than ubuntu and linux mint. Please follow all instructions and proceed with caution. Chances are nothing will go wrong, it never has for me, but it's better to be safe.
2) Ensure you can surf the internet in linux mint via wireless. Most computers should work right out of the box. You will need to have internet access during class.
3) We need to install a bunch of programs.
Run the following command line command,

sudo apt-get install xmonad xmobar dmenu xtightvncviewer xterm screen irssi bitlbee xinput


After doing this, make sure you can do run the following command line commands (if you can't, google it or ask me):
xmodmap
amixer sset Master toggle (it should turn on/off your audio)
xmobar
xrandr
xterm
screen
irssi
bitlbee
vncserver
xtightvncviewer
xinput

Then type "xfce4-" and press tab twice (don't press enter). If you get a bunch of options like xfce4-about, xfce4-mixer, etc. If this works and you can run all of the commands above, then you're good

If it says this command cannot be found but can be installed, please install it. If it gives you a bunch of garbage that you don't understand, that's fine, as long as it doesn't say "command not found," it will work


Prerequisites
Bring to class a laptop and general computer know-how (Unix know-how is recommended, but not required). At home you will need a blank DVD-R if you have to install linux on your computer. Note you do not need to bring the DVD-R to class.

In this fun, relaxing class we’ll go over the basics of making balloon animals and then you’ll spend the rest of the time making whatever you want out of balloons! Come with ideas of what you’d like to make— no matter what it is, you can try to make it!

Did you know that the vast majority of land in a National Park like Yosemite can't be explored in a day hike? Some of the most beautiful scenery and geological formations on earth can only be seen by walking dozens of miles from the nearest road (if you don't have your own personal helicopter). So how do people get to these places then? In this class we'll introduce the basics of backcountry hiking and camping that are necessary to really get yourself out into the wilderness. We'll cover things like camping gear, route planning, weather prediction, navigation, first-aid, and finding water. And we'll also talk about some of the basic survival skills that will come in handy in almost any emergency situation.

Mafia is a pretty popular party game. Players are secretly assigned roles: either mafia or townspeople. Mafia know each other, and try to 'murder' a townsperson in the 'night'. In the 'day' phase, all of the surviving players debate the identities of mafia and vote to eliminate the suspect. Mafia wins if they outnumber the townspeople while town wins if they eliminate all the mafia.

This class is about learning to create strategies for this game! Yes, I think that you think that I think that ... ad infinitum.

We'll introduce you to the different variations of the game as well as some new roles. We'll play multiple rounds of the game and deliberate after each round as to what would have been the optimal strategy. We'll also learn about commonly used terms like lylo, mylo and wifom which come immensely handy while playing with a group of pros!

Come, learn while you have fun!


Prerequisites
No prerequisites. However, someone who knows how to play Mafia / has played before preferred.

If you have a good feeling for balance and you are looking for a new challenge, the Slackline is the right choice for you.

Slacklining is the art of balancing on a very shaky rope that is attached between two fixed polls or trees.

In this class I want to show you the basics on how to master the Slackline. It's very hard at the beginning, but once you commit, it gets very addictive.


Prerequisites
No prerequisites.

Learn to slackline!


Prerequisites
A sense of adventure and a willingness to try something new and challenging.

A crash course in horses covering anatomy, basic care and grooming, introduction to specialized equipment, and various disciplines of riding (hunt seat, dressage, western, et. al.). There will be no riding by students in this class, but with a waiver signed by a parent or guardian, you can cuddle, pet, brush and give treats to the horses as much as your heart desires! We'll provide carrots, but feel free to bring apples or bananas as well!

Interested in the environment? Want to learn how National Geographic photographers capture their images so perfectly? Then this course is for you! Join Conservation Photography to learn the basics of using a camera, framing a shot, and how to put together a photoessay that will move your audience.

Learn everything you've always wanted to know about doughnuts and other pastries.


Prerequisites
A love of doughnuts

Once we step into the theatre, most of us get lost in the world of movie reality. We are so focused on the lives of the characters that we forget we are watching a staged story unfold. This is goal of all filmmakers, to make the audience forget that movies aren't real.

In The Secrets of Filmmaking we will explore different techniques filmmakers use to trick us into forgetting reality. We will also analyze subtle methods of communication used to express the opinions of the filmmaker.

Have you ever found the games you get at Target to be a little... boring? Board games shouldn't leave you bored! Join this class to learn about the games that your parents never knew about!

Have you ever had this great idea for a game and wanted to make it into a video game, but don't know how to program? Well, you don't always need a computer to make a good game. Many professional game developers make physical prototypes of their games before coding them up!

This 4-hour class will teach you take you through a overview of non-standard board games, teaching you the various gameplay elements that make up different games.

After some history, we will split into groups and start brainstorming! Each person will present their idea, and together we will pick a subset (4-5) to make into a full board game!

Once the games are made, you should sign up for the "Board Games Workshop Playtesting" class, where you will teach other students how to play your game!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Disclaimer: All Games developed during this workshop will have the Creative Commons license:

Attribution-ShareAlike
CC BY-SA

This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work even for commercial purposes, as long as they credit you and license their new creations under the identical terms. This license is often compared to “copyleft” free and open source software licenses. All new works based on yours will carry the same license, so any derivatives will also allow commercial use. This is the license used by Wikipedia, and is recommended for materials that would benefit from incorporating content from Wikipedia and similarly licensed projects.


Prerequisites
None. Except to go to boardgamegeek.com and find your favorite board game. Print out the first page.

Have you ever wondered what goes into productions such as SportsCenter, Sports Illustrated, or even the sports page of your local newspaper? Sports journalists, anchors, and broadcasters are responsible for bringing fans all their sports news, but these prominent figures also rely on teams of professional researchers, editors, graphic designers, and producers, just to name a few. This course has two purposes: to give you a behind-the-scenes look at this exciting field, and tell you about some of the hands-on opportunities for high school students who are interested in sports journalism as a hobby or potential career. You'll also get an introduction to this form of writing, and have a chance to write a brief article of your own.


Prerequisites
Is is recommended that you bring a notebook or a laptop if you have one, so you can work on writing your own article.

DId you always want to learn how to juggle?

I want to show you how everyone can learn how to do it in just 30 minutes.

To add to the variety I will also teach diabolo and how to ride a unicycle.


Prerequisites
No prerequisites.

Learn to do some close-up magic with cards, coins, and every day objects. You’ll be able to impress your friends!

Have you ever wanted to grow your own food? Are you intrigued by homesteaders in The Little House books, by victory gardens planted by Americans in the 40’s, or by the organic produce at local farmers’ markets? If so, then you might enjoy vegetable gardening! Gardening is a fun and rewarding hobby that has increased in popularity in recent years.

This course will cover the basics of vegetable gardening, and will also include a discussion of our own personal gardening experiences. Both newcomers and more experienced gardeners are welcome!

Sign up for this if you want to play the games that we developed in the Board Game Prototyping/Design Workshop!

We will be playing various games made by students like you!

If you've taken the Design class, you HAVE to sign up for this as well!


Prerequisites
To be a developer, you need to have taken the Board Game Design class. To be a player, you just need to come and have fun!

Strategy and mathematical theories of the game of Go! No experience necessary!


Prerequisites
No experience yesterday! Only prerequisite is for fun people with a lot of curiosity.

Much of historical European politics would have made more sense if you were there at the time. This class will give you a chance to recreate those politics. Take command of countries in a simple war game and learn about the balance of power by seeing it play out in action.

Do you like to bake? Have you watched shows like Ace of Cakes and wanted to know how to make your own cake masterpieces?

This class will teach basic techniques of cake decorating, including how to make and color icing, how to evenly cover a cake, and how to make designs like stars, ribbons, and flowers. All supplies will be provided, and each student will decorate a small cake to take home at the end of the class. No previous knowledge of baking or cake decorating is required.

Stanford Quidditch and the Silicon Valley Skrewts want you! We'll go over the basics of quidditch as it is played by high schools and colleges throughout the world, and play some scrimmages. We'll provide the brooms!

Icebox cakes are impressive but easy to make. We'll make a couple different kinds of icebox cakes (including a chocolate cake that looks complicated & a snickers cake) and come up with some ideas for other cakes! (If you have food allergies to things likely to be in cakes (nuts, dairy, chocolate, gluten) this isn't a class for you, sorry)

Using free, found, or recycled wood, we'll make and old school style, simple tool box, like the kind carpenters used to use in the old days. The goal of this class is to introduce students to basic woodworking skills, hand tool use and safety, and the use of recycled materials that are widely available and free.

We'll talk about how to find and obtain materials, basic woodworking safety, the proper use of basic hand tools, basic layout and design for a project, and essential hands-on skills such as cutting, drilling, gluing, clamping, fastening, and sanding.

You'll leave the mini-course with your own old school tool box!


Prerequisites
No previous woodworking or shop skills needed, but students must be willing to get a little bit dusty!

Are you a chess enthusiast looking to further your game? If so, you could do worse than to come to this class, where we will look at various aspects of the game, with the view toward practical improvement.

Through demonstrative games and interactive problem solving, we will help you sharpen your strategic and tactical skills. The course will help you understand positional play including careful piece maneuvering, as well as how to deal a winning blow with that well-timed sacrifice. We will also cover often understudied endgame techniques, emphasizing their importance in winning games.

Please register if this interests you!


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of chess rules.

Learn a brief history of Mehandi, known as Henna - a traditional body art. Explore traditional and modern uses and designs, the science of henna, then practice designing your own henna tattoo and adorn yourself!


Prerequisites
No prior experience necessary

Learn the basics of playing the newest and fastest-growing sport on the West Coast - lacrosse!

This is just a short (45 minute) class that gives students to opportunity to play with Rubik's cubes and other puzzles.

I can teach anyone interested how to solve a Rubik's cube (it's mostly comes down to some boring memorization, but it is really impressive!) However, there's no pressure if you'd rather just play around instead.

I will also have other puzzles, both in toy form and pen/paper form.

A survey of the additional puzzles provided includes: snake cubes, metal interlocking puzzles, KENKEN (see my other class), sudoku, kakuro, and whatever else I can get my hands on.

Let's brainstorm to design a satisfying and sustainable life. We will have group discussion of values, choices and results.

Learn how to create a professional resume either for college or an after-school job/internship that you are seeking. This course will cover resume structure, formatting, and samples. You will get the opportunity to build or revise your very own resume! If you already have a resume (not required), please bring it to class.

This is an introduction to the art of communication. The idea of this short class is to learn how to project an image of oneself not just as a powerful speaker, but also as someone with a natural aura of confidence that can arouse admiration in others. The skills introduced transcend into the world of professionalism and personal day-to-day life. You will find value in these skills in interviews, discussions with your friends, on Facebook, and approaching someone you might want to ask out for a date, and perhaps your college application.

Learn how to start your own social business- a business which is awesome because you lead it and because it helps solve a problem.
An awesome way for you to develop business skills, learn more about social justice and causes.

An overview of considerations generated by social media's impact on job interviewing.

Ever wondered what the stock market is all about? Even though it may seem like it has nothing to do with most people, everyone has a stake in the stock market, and this class will teach you the basics of how to invest your savings and make your money work hard for you. We'll start with core money management concepts, especially how to open and use a bank account. From there, we'll explain the stock market in simple terms. We'll go over the benefits of the stock market and how you can participate in it!

An introductory class on using hand tools for people who have never turned a screw or hammered a nail!

What's the difference between a "plus" and a "minus" screw? What's that weird claw thing on the back of a hammer?

If you've never built anything before, come learn how to use basic hand tools like screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, and saws. We will get a chance to play with all these different tools and learn about how they work.


Prerequisites
No or very little experience with hand tools

In this class, you'll challenge your notion of what "success" is. You'll begin to create a new vision and action plan to increase your clarity, motivation, and balance in all areas of your life. Lastly, you'll develop a toolbox of skills you can use to reframe what matters to you, act on it, and achieve your own form of "success."


Prerequisites
An open mind.

Ever wonder how some people become wealthy by investing in income producing properties? Where are the best properties, what type of properties are the simplest to own, how much money do I need to get started, what type of returns can I expect, the difference between cash flow and appreciation are some of the topics that will be discussed. This class will teach you the basics of formulating a winning strategy how to get started and plan for your future. The teacher has been investing for of 20 years and has several real life experiences that will be of benefit.

It's the economy! You've been hearing the talk about our struggling economy, but how does that impact you? Learn how to manage your money for a lifetime of financial success. In this engaging and interactive class will create a spending plan, set financial goals and learn money management basics.

Ever wanted to start your own business? Learn how entrepreneurs start with an idea, test their ideas with customers, and turn their ideas into real businesses. In this class, you will work with a team to conceive, test, and develop a go-to-market strategy for a business idea... all in less than two hours! This interactive course will be taught by two very well respected seed stage venture capitalists David Rogier (Harrison Metal) and Steph Pameri (SoftTech VC), who will also share what investors look for when they invest in early stage start-ups.

In this series of courses we will be discussing various thinkers of the Western philosophical canon who dealt with many of the perennial intellectual problems that have perplexed thinkers for centuries and continue to do so to this day. These topics include questions such as: Does God exist? Why is there evil in the world? Is my mind just a part of my body or something distinct and separable from it? Some of the philosophical problems that we will deal with might initially seem silly to question at all, for example: Is it ever possible to satisfactorily distinguish between my dreaming and waking states? Does my experience of the real world actually correspond to anything existing outside of my own mind? Or even: How is the acquisition of true knowledge possible? And if this knowledge is in fact possible, does it come from reason or from experience?
Along the way we will acquire an understanding of some of the specific concepts that philosophers use to articulate their experience and the world we live in.
In this first course we will discuss the various philosophical viewpoints of the two founders of the Western philosophical tradition - the ancient Greek thinkers Plato and Aristotle - and gain an understanding of how these influential philosophers ended up having such a profound effect on Western civilization.


Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course. However, because I will try to spend the last 15 minutes or so discussing with the class the philosophical issues covered during the lecture, the student is encouraged to come ready to ask any questions that he or she might have.

In my experience, there are crucial aspects of how to get what you want out of life in the contemporary world that aren't taught in school, aren't discussed by parents, and aren't presented in the media or elsewhere in the culture. In this class I will share a few of these lessons and perspectives that I think I have learned - things I wish someone could have just told me when I was younger.

This is a casual class centered around discussion of girls' body image, the science behind it, and building confidence and developing your talents as a girl.

This class will cover some of the basic information that will help young women understand how to communicate their sexual needs and desires, the mechanics of female orgasm and ejaculation, and exercises that will help them have a lifetime of sexual pleasure and health. Young men who participate will learn about women's needs and how to be sensitive to the reasons why female sexuality continues to be such a problematic subject for public discussion. We will also have an open question and answer session.

We're going to go through some order of magnitude calculations on how much it costs to go to college, where the money comes from, and the benefits and downsides involved.

The goal of this class isn't to tell you to go to college, or not to go to college, but to better enable you to analyze the situation which you may otherwise take for granted.


Prerequisites
We'll introduce a small amount of investment math. Being pretty comfortable with exponents is probably a good idea.

What is the most common theme in movies, songs and books? Do you know the secret to ultimate peace and happiness in life? Well, the answer to both questions is simple - love. Loving is the most important thing we do in life. In this class, we will learn how to love well. Specifically, we will learn how to love those who are mysterious to us - the opposite gender, whether it is your female/male friends or boyfriend/girlfriend. We will practice the essence of love with discussion, reflection, games and fun!


Prerequisites
Bring your open heart and open mind, that's all!

How many blades of grass are on a typical suburban lawn? How much water do you use over a lifetime? How much does the U.S. population spend on gas each year?

Do these questions seem impossible to answer, or nearly so? You can’t count every blade of grass or keep track of every drop of water (well, you can try, but I bet you have better things to do). In this class, we’ll learn how to get quick and dirty answers to these types of problems, using what are called “back of the envelope” estimates. In doing so, we’ll learn about more than just simple estimation. We’ll figure out how to solve problems with very little information, just by drawing on what you already know. We’ll get a real feel for incredibly big and small numbers. And, even for unfamiliar problems we don’t know the answers to, we’ll pick up the tools to tell the difference between what is reasonable, and what is totally ridiculous.


Prerequisites
Exposure to exponents and the metric system. We’ll review! You don't have to be an expert, but it will help to have seen these things before.

In this series of courses we will be discussing various thinkers of the Western philosophical canon who dealt with many of the perennial intellectual problems that have perplexed thinkers for centuries and continue to do so to this day. These topics include questions such as: Does God exist? Why is there evil in the world? Is my mind just a part of my body or something distinct and separable from it? Some of the philosophical problems that we will deal with might initially seem silly to question at all, for example: Is it ever possible to satisfactorily distinguish between my dreaming and waking states? Does my experience of the real world actually correspond to anything existing outside of my own mind? Or even: How is the acquisition of true knowledge possible? And if this knowledge is in fact possible, does it come from reason or from experience?
Along the way we will acquire an understanding of some of the specific concepts that philosophers use to articulate their experience and the world we live in.
In this second course in our "Introduction to Philosophy" series, we will compare and contrast the ideas of two very different, but equally influential, philosophers of the early modern period (c. 1600 - 1700): the French rationalist Rene Descartes and the British empiricist John Locke. Both of these thinkers exhibited a profound influence on the budding science of the time, while also innovating the ways in which we understand the role of religion in human affairs.


Prerequisites
Although this is the second installment in a four-part lecture series, there are no prerequisites for this course. However, because I will try to spend the last 15 minutes or so discussing with the class the philosophical issues covered during the lecture, the student is encouraged to come ready to ask any questions that he or she might have.

Do job interviews make you nervous? Have you ever been caught off-guard by a question? Has a hiring manager ever made you second guess what you said. Do you know how to properly answer the top 20 interview questions? Well you have come to the right place. As a current Electronic Arts advertising writer, as well as a former Google, eBay, VeriSign, and Thompson Reuters employee, I have experienced countless interviews with people of all cultures and personalities. Not only will I show you how to prepare for an interview, how to use your life experiences and skills to properly answer a question, but most importantly - how you yourself can lead the interview and ask for the job at the end. If you think it beats sitting at home without money in your bank account, then sign up today.

Ever wonder how these activities are carried out? What are the state of the art techniques?

The focus of this class will be on common hustles and scams, though other security issues will be briefly covered too. Most of the time will be devoted to multiple video clips and demonstrations to keep the lessons memorable. Due to the breadth of this topic, expect the class to be exceedingly fast-paced. I promise that you will leave this class better prepared to avoid these problems.

Why do you care so much what other people think? Get out there and be silly and spontaneous; you'll have a lot of fun, and gain more confidence for other situations as well! It's definitely something Stanford kids are good at!

Using the design thinking process to create meaningful companies that make the world a better place.


Prerequisites
Passion for solving problems

Introductory course on Financial Markets and use online tools to analyze stocks.


Prerequisites
None

Learn psychological tricks that will enhance your memory, creativity, and self-awareness. There are gems trapped inside of each of us that we have yet to unlock. Engage in a series of activities, both individual and collaborative, both analytical and empathetic, that will begin to equip you for a lifelong journey of active introspection.

Crêpes are delicious, thin pancakes that are often served with savory or sweet fillings. Come and learn how to make the basic crêpe recipe, as well as cheese, spinach, and dessert fillings. Recipes will be suitable for vegetarians who consume dairy and eggs.

This class is not specifically about *teaching*, per se, but rather about learning how to impart knowledge in a meaningful and lasting way - whether that way is via lecturing, demonstration, discussion, tutoring, etc. We will cover basic teaching techniques, student management, what constitutes a "good" teacher, and how to develop the skills you need to do what you do!


Prerequisites
This is an interactive class (i.e., you're not just going to be sitting on your derriere and listening!). Be prepared to participate!

This life coaching course is about YOU. Through this class we will give you the tools to find your inner leader who reminds you of your strengths, helps you to feel better about yourself and gives you valuable feedback on your thoughts and behavior to support you in moving forward. The focus is on positive change: stating this is where I am now, what do I want next?

In this class you will stretch yourself and you will also have fun! We will guide you in developing your self-awareness, change any limiting beliefs and create new, productive habits. You will be accountable for the actions that you set which will help you to reach the goals that you have created. All of this will have a happy and fulfilling impact on your life.

Scientists have proven that 80% of the world loves Indian food. No, not really, but it is quite popular! Ever had those moments where you walk into an Indian restaurant but have little idea about what the dishes mean? This class will give you an insight into Indian food, their food habits, and how their culture plays a role in it. It's gonna get spicy! Added bonus: actual Indian food! :D


Prerequisites
Love for food

We are all Katniss Everdeen or Peeta Mellark at some point in our lives- lost, confused and alone in the Arena. Just like their goal was surviving The Hunger Games, we have our own - be it to become fit, get better grades or go to the best college. But what does it take to achieve them?

It’s easy to set goals. But working towards them and achieving them is the challenge. In this class, we will tap into our inner Katniss’s and Peeta’s, and learn useful skills that will help us overcome distractions and achieve our dreams.

Are you game?

—
* In this class, everyone survives in the end. And goes home alive.

School is so boring. Classes, grades, homework, tests, it’s all so useless, right?

As true as it seems, it all has a purpose. In this class, you’ll talk to students from underrepresented backgrounds who made it to Stanford and are thriving as leaders today. These students thought the same things as you when they were in school and fought hard to get through it. They’ll tell their stories and provide their thoughts on the key elements to success as an student from an underserved or underrepresented area. They will also discuss how to make the most out of your education and programs like Splash!

Stanford Splash is part of a growing movement of Splash programs at universities around the country, including Chicago, Duke, Boston College, and the original at MIT. Come learn about the present and future of all those Splash programs, how Splash fits into the national education picture, and how you can make your mark on it.

You should absolutely take this class if you've ever entertained the thought of starting your own Splash when you get to college. That level of ambition isn't necessary, of course--this class is not just about how to start new Splash programs.

Bring your bike. We will adjust it together. We diagnose problems and make adjustments. We can even adjust the bike to fit you better.

In this series of courses we will be discussing various thinkers of the Western philosophical canon who dealt with many of the perennial intellectual problems that have perplexed thinkers for centuries and continue to do so to this day. These topics include questions such as: Does God exist? Why is there evil in the world? Is my mind just a part of my body or something distinct and separable from it? Some of the philosophical problems that we will deal with might initially seem silly to question at all, for example: Is it ever possible to satisfactorily distinguish between my dreaming and waking states? Does my experience of the real world actually correspond to anything existing outside of my own mind? Or even: How is the acquisition of true knowledge possible? And if this knowledge is in fact possible, does it come from reason or from experience?
Along the way we will acquire an understanding of some of the specific concepts that philosophers use to articulate their experience and the world we live in.
In this lecture we will discuss two important philosophers - namely, the Scotsman David Hume (1711 - 1776) and the German thinker Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804) - on the topic of why, on the one hand, skepticism is important in our everyday thinking and, on the other hand, why it is important to have belief or faith in certain aspects of life as well. As we will see, while Hume and Kant both agree that both skepticism and belief are important, their respective approaches to this issue are quite different.


Prerequisites
Although this is the second installment in a four-part lecture series, there are no prerequisites for this course. However, because I will try to spend the last 15 minutes or so discussing with the class the philosophical issues covered during the lecture, the student is encouraged to come ready to ask any questions that he or she might have.

Everyone wants to love and be loved. Yet intimate relationships, though incredibly rewarding, can be very difficult as well! We will talk about love and friendship in your life now and in the future, explore common myths and problems, and practice ways of thinking and acting that allow us to form, maintain and enhance our relationships with others. Whether you have been in zero romantic relationships or many, currently single or have a partner, straight or LGBTTQ, all are welcome to join the discussion.


Prerequisites
Willingness to talk about your thoughts and feelings, and ability to be respectful of others.

"What should I do?" may sound like a simple question, but embedded within it is all of ethical philosophy. The corollary to this is that if you truly understand your place in the world and what you should do, then most other questions are easy to answer.

This course will connect the decisions that we make every day to ethical philosophy and explore the broader implications of it. There are no prerequisites, and anyone who is interested in living their life intentionally is encouraged to attend.

Do you like pickles, sauerkraut, and kimchee? Want to know what the deal is with kombucha? Come to this workshop to make pickles out of assorted vegetables. We'll talk about what is happening on a molecular level while we chop veggies and fill our jars. Students can take home what they make, and wait for it to "finish" at home!

Excited about college? Can't wait to pursue higher education? Think twice--Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum recently called President Obama a "snob" for wanting more Americans to attend college. Who knew that "know-it-all" isn't a label you left behind in elementary school? This discussion course will attempt to define intellectual elitism, discuss how it affects a person's reputation, and explore ways to be an intellectual without being labeled an elitist.


Prerequisites
Understanding of basic round-table discussion etiquette (i.e., respect others' opinions) and an interest in the subject.

Credit cards, interest rates, loans, FICO scores, credit history. What are they, how do they work and why do they matter? This course will explain it thoroughly and concisely.

"Should I ask him/her out for a date?" "Should I apply to Stanford?" "I am facing a decision situation - what should I do?"

We face decisions all the time in our life, and often make them without realizing that we have choices. How should we think clearly about our decisions?

This class introduces students to decision analysis, the best story we have on approaching decisions thoughtfully. Developed largely at Stanford, Decision Analysis is inspired by the Buddha's approach of combining a warm heart with a cool head. A cool head protects us from the trap of losing our balance with emotion, while a warm heart protects us from indifference.

We will learn how to dissect our decisions into their components and look at them in a manner that gives us insights. This class will be taught in an experiential manner (and not theoretical lecturing), with students grappling with decisions and learning in the context of class simulations.


Prerequisites
Committed students - please show up with a great desire to learn how to make good decisions in your life. If you put in the right effort, you will come away with great questions to ask when you face tough decisions.

Have you ever seen a bad movie?? Do you know anybody who has ever seen a bad movie? Have you ever wondered why people tend to keep watching the bad movie, instead of walking out of the movie theater or turning the movie off?

If so, this course is for you! We'll discuss some of the shortcuts our brain uses for us, such as loss-aversion, sunk cost, diminishing gains, anchoring, and consistency-- in making daily decisions.

Kissing: what is it? Why do people do it? How ought it be done? We will examine these and other profound questions in a 45 minute class studying the history and development of the kiss, the top 10 kisses in cinema and literature, and good kissing technique.

Got Happiness? Let's face it, we all want it. To pursue it, be it, see it in people we love. But the real question is: what is it and how do we get it?

Through a ridiculously fun mixture of Positive Psychology, Improv Acting, and Creative Expression, we're going on a mini-safari to the heart of what makes life that much more fantastic.

A friend once said that the most important decision you make is what you eat -- because what you eat affects so many people and other creatures (including yourself!!), and because you make this decision at least THREE TIMES A DAY. That's a lot. In this course, we will discuss the basics of EATING -- eating in a way that is healthy for you and for the planet too. And what would a class about eating be without some eating involved? We will create a number of snacks -- and enjoy them on the spot!

Why are mediterranean foods now considered the best diet for longevity? What is in them? How do you make them easily? Where did they come from?

Improvisation, a skill that we use on an everyday basis, is a great tool for freeing up the mind and getting into a creative frame of mind. You'll be moving around, talking, and laughing!

Don't prepare, just show up!

Taught by graduate students in the Stanford Design Program. The Stanford Design Program is a 2 years masters programme that explores innovation at the intersection of business, technology, and design. (Note: Added last minute by popular demand. Highly recommended by the Splash team!)

Imagine a building. It has a foundation, frame, and roof. Now imagine a number. Are you imagining less than with the building? What if you try to imagine an idea?

There is structure everywhere around us. The difference between the building and the number is that the building is much less abstract than the number, but they still share the existence of structure. In this class, we are going to learn how to find the structure behind ideas and apply it to activities like solving real-world problems, learning faster, constructing a building, and even improving overall quality of life.

The goal of this class is to demonstrate and then teach how to use this way of thinking...and have fun while doing it, which is why the class will use a variety of small and fun activities to test different ways of thinking.

In this series of courses we will be discussing various thinkers of the Western philosophical canon who dealt with many of the perennial intellectual problems that have perplexed thinkers for centuries and continue to do so to this day. These topics include questions such as: Does God exist? Why is there evil in the world? Is my mind just a part of my body or something distinct and separable from it? Some of the philosophical problems that we will deal with might initially seem silly to question at all, for example: Is it ever possible to satisfactorily distinguish between my dreaming and waking states? Does my experience of the real world actually correspond to anything existing outside of my own mind? Or even: How is the acquisition of true knowledge possible? And if this knowledge is in fact possible, does it come from reason or from experience?
Along the way we will acquire an understanding of some of the specific concepts that philosophers use to articulate their experience and the world we live in.
In this fourth and final installment of the "Introduction to Philosophy" series we will discuss the ideas of two extremely important and influential 19th Century German philosophers: Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 - 1860) and Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900). It is hard to think of two philosophers with more opposing worldviews. While Schopenhauer is a darkly pessimistic thinker who considers this to be the "worst of all possible worlds," Nietzsche, on the other hand, is a life-affirming philosopher who believes that our lives can take on the semblance of a work of art if it is lived properly. We will attempt to tease out the details of each of these fascinating, albeit opposing, viewpoints.


Prerequisites
Although this is the fourth installment in a four-part lecture series, there are no prerequisites for this course. However, because I will try to spend the last 15 minutes or so discussing with the class the philosophical issues covered during the lecture, the student is encouraged to come ready to ask any questions that he or she might have.

Ever wondered where you'll be when you are 20, 30, 40, 50? How do you connect all the dots between those ages to live a full and complete life?

This course might give you some key insights that will help guide you all the way. Think of it as a toolbox to build your life.

If you're about to go off to college and want to take Splash with you, this is the class for you. Meet with long-time Stanford Splash veterans, find out what are common obstacles to new programs and how you can avoid them and get connected to a national network of people who mentor and support Splash programs.


Prerequisites
Desire to start a Splash program at your college

Did you know that gratitude and self-compassion can rewire your brain and behavior for the better? Did you also know that they can help you deal with stress in school, improve your physical health, and transform your social life? In this class, you'll learn about the power of gratitude and self-compassion to change your life and increase your happiness! We'll look at scientific research from positive psychology and neurobiology, discuss all things happiness, and engage in a few fun exercises that will be useful in your everyday life.


Prerequisites
An open mind and desire to learn!

You've been looking forward to it for years - college!! But how can you make sure it's really going to be all it's supposed to be -- fun, educational, life-changing, and worth all that effort and money? We will talk about common mistakes, myths and fears, and do interactive activities to help you prepare for the next big stage of your life. Topics (depending on student interest) may include academics, social life, extracurricular activities, romantic relationships, career planning, and stress management.

Positive Psychology is a new field within psychology and it studies the good aspects about life. Things like positive emotions, character strengths, and how the body and mind can integrate to make real positive changes in your life. ... This class will offer different steps - things YOU can DO to become happier, more peaceful, and get along better with other people... all based on scientific research! How cool is that??


Prerequisites
None

Ever wondered why some people wind you up, or others just don't seem to be able to do exactly what you've asked them to do, in the way you wanted them to do it? Ever felt really excited or daunted by a task but not sure why? Ever been beside yourself with rage or unable to cope with a stressful situation?

Myers-Briggs Personality Type is the world renowned, psychological tool we use to help you understand yourself and others, in order to bring about improved performance. Learning about your personality type will help you to understand yourself better and find out about specific areas you should pay attention to. It will also help you understand why other people behave the way they do and how you can "speak their language" and collaborate successfully.

Each participant will take the MBTI assessment and receive a personalized report.

What are the benefits of Myers-Briggs?

Previous participants in our Myers-Briggs courses have discovered the following benefits:

Team unity
Higher ability to influence or manage others
Increased self awareness
New tools to manage conflict
Key to coping with stress

Why do some people give up meat, eggs, and fish - and even cheese - forever? Were they born without taste buds? No folks (I promise!). Rather, many people have adopted a plant based diet to support a healthy lifestyle.

In this class we'll give you a brief run-through of the health findings on vegetarianism. Then we'll make some delicious vegetarian food together.

Part 1: Seminar on the health benefits of a plant based diet: 30 minutes
Part 2: Cooking workshop: 45 minutes to an hour

We will try to ensure that there is delicious cake too....


Prerequisites
Be hungry :)

Has a friend ever come to you in a time of need? Have you ever felt like you didn't know what to say? Come practice with Stanford Peer Counselors who will help you become a better listener and a more supportive friend!

Enjoy a break for lunch with your friends! Please register for at least one lunch period on each day of the program.

Enjoy a break for lunch with your friends! Please register for at least one lunch period on each day of the program.

What is data analysis ? Mean vs Median , standard deviation, normal distribution ..
If I have 1 million people and I want to make an experiment what should I do ? what are good graphs, what are bad graphs ?

Traditional set dancing has inherently geometric and mathematical underpinnings. Each dance consists of
a group of people moving predetermined patterns such that each person ends up at a designated place at a
designated time. Typically, each dancer in a dance will have a designated “home” position that they return
to several times throughout the dance.

This class will seek to make the mathematical underpinnings of dance more immediately obvious. Students will gain a stronger understanding of group theory by collaboratively
dancing and “un-dancing” various braids.

Always wondered how that one guy in your class rattled out the square of 98 or multiplication of two huge numbers within fraction of seconds? This class is your answer!

Vedic Mathematics is a system of mathematics that was presented by an Indian mathematician Bharati Krishna Tirtha. The calculation strategies provided by Vedic mathematics are said to be creative and useful, most notably within the education system. It's a system similar to Trachtenberg system, known as system of rapid mental calculation.

We won't go about formally stating or proving any corollaries (sutras), but just focus on interesting examples to show how Vedic Maths can make your life lot simpler!


Prerequisites
Love for maths.

***NOTE: Two versions of this class are offered. This version is more mathematically challenging, and will require prerequisites in probability theory. If you are more interested in a "lighter" version of the class, please sign up for the other version. Expected grade level: 10-12***

Game theory isn’t about chess or checkers. Many world problems, from splitting up household chores to nuclear disarmament to segregation, can be seen as the interactions of “selfish agents”: people acting to benefit themselves and not necessarily the common good.
This course introduces some of the fundamental concepts and games of game theory and some of the real-world situations they relate to. We will play out the games interactively and focus on discussing them mathematically—then talk about when and why game theorists get it wrong and real-life behavior doesn’t reflect the models. Topics may include Nash equilibria, solving for Nash Equilibria in two-player zero-sum games, Braes' Paradox, prisoner’s dilemma, ultimatum game, tragedy of the commons, and more. Depending on class interest, topics can include segregation models, rationality paradoxes, and network contagion.


Prerequisites
A working familiarity with probability and expectation. A basic tutorial/review of the necessary concepts will be posted closer to the event. We will not review these concepts during the class and they will be required for the analysis. No knowledge of game theory is assumed.

The Banach-Tarski Paradox is the consummate example of mathematics behaving badly. It states that, given a perfect sphere, it's possible to cut it up into 5 pieces, rearrange those pieces rigidly (no stretching, twisting, etc.), and end up with 2 copies of the sphere you started with.

We will prove the Banach-Tarski Paradox. The proof is long, intricate, and often fascinating, which means we'll have to skip some boring parts to save room for digesting the main ideas. Along the way we'll see rudiments of abstract algebra, talk about some very deep set theory, and come out with an understanding of why cutting up perfect spheres is not the same as cutting up apples.

This class is the first of two parts; make sure to catch the second as well if you want the whole proof!


Prerequisites
Algebra II should be enough, strictly speaking, but make sure to also bring an appetite for abstraction.

Ever wanted to learn statistics while trying to be a chocolate snob? Here's your opportunity! In this class, we'll gather data on your expert opinions on a variety of chocolates, and then perform statistical analyses on the data. We'll see if you and your classmates agree or disagree in your tastes, and determine how meaningful our results are! We'll also briefly go over some of the other ways that researchers use these statistics. Finally, we'll discuss ways to create a statistical model based on existing data.

***NOTE: Two versions of this class are offered. This version is more focused on intuitive and conceptual understanding than rigorous mathematics, and has less prerequisites than the other version. If you are more interested in a more mathematically rigorous version of the class, please sign up for the other version. Expected grade level: 7-9***

Game theory isn’t about chess or checkers. Many world problems, from splitting up household chores to nuclear disarmament to segregation, can be seen as the interactions of “selfish agents”: people acting to benefit themselves and not necessarily the common good.
This course introduces some of the fundamental concepts and games of game theory and some of the real-world situations they relate to. We will play out the games interactively and discuss them mathematically—then talk about when and why game theorists get it wrong and real-life behavior doesn’t reflect the models. Topics may include Nash equilibria, prisoner’s dilemma, ultimatum game, tragedy of the commons, and more. Depending on class interest, topics can include segregation models, rationality paradoxes, and network contagion.


Prerequisites
Some mathematical knowledge including basic probability. (The mathematical models we use require probability to reason about what an opponent might do) No knowledge of game theory is assumed. (If you have seen game theory before, consider signing up for the other version of the class, which will be more rigorous and move faster.)

Learn the basics of Xcode and Cocoa that will enable you to develop simple iPhone or iPad app prototypes by the end of class. We'll give tutorials on how to use Xcode Storyboard (Create navigation flow without writing any code!), simple UI Elements (Buttons, Switches, etc.), and view animation. This will be an interactive workshop.


Prerequisites
Exposure to basic programming concepts

You may have heard the phrase "machine learning" used in a lot of contexts—this is your opportunity to discover what it's all about! We'll go over some of the techniques used in machine learning, show many examples of its wide range of applications, and perform a brief demo. Come prepared to explore and learn about this exciting field!

We'll act out the basic computer science algorithms including binary search, sorting and a solution to the stable marriage problem. No programming experience required.

Every wanted to make websites live? tired of javascript AJAX calls? Well, this is the class for you! In this class we will explore Node.js, a server side web server that is fast & efficient. Node.js is in javaScript so if you are familiar with client side javaScript programming in browsers then you will find learning Node.js to be a breeze. We will also use the Nowjs & Epxress framework. More info at http://nodejs.org/, http://nowjs.com/ & http://expressjs.com/


Prerequisites
Prior programming experience recommended.

What is counting?
Are there things that one cannot count?
Can you make a list of rational numbers?
Can you make a list of real numbers?
How big can infinity get?

These are some of the very interesting questions we will be answering during the class. We will explore some very beautiful ideas in math in trying to understand the simplest mathematical experience: counting.

We we will begin with a discussion of what constitutes AI and its capabilities and limitations. Then we will learn about a paradigm of AI called reinforcement learning before diving into a classic reinforcement learning algorithm. Finally we will take a problem and fit it to work with the algorithm.


Prerequisites
A strong math background is important in order to fully understand the second part of the class

The Banach-Tarski Paradox is the consummate example of mathematics behaving badly. It states that, given a perfect sphere, it's possible to cut it up into 5 pieces, rearrange those pieces rigidly (no stretching, twisting, etc.), and end up with 2 copies of the sphere you started with. Disturbing? Well, it's supposed to be.

NOTE: This is the second part of a class that sets out to prove the Banach-Tarski Paradox. For more info, see Part I.


Prerequisites
The Banach-Tarski Paradox, Part I

Smartphones are everywhere! Do you have an Android phone and wondered how to make your own app for it? Well if so then this is the class for you! In this class we will go over the fundamentals of android development and learn how to create your own android app! It is recommended to have prior java programming experience.


Prerequisites
Java programming experience recommended.

Let's learn Python!

We'll examine the Python programming language at a conceptual and practical level. By the end of this class, you'll have the knowledge and tools to continue playing with Python on your own!

Things we'll talk about:

0) The Interpreter
1) Variables, expressions, assignments, operators
2) Loops and control flow
3) Exceptions
4) The object model
5) Functions
6) User-defined classes
7) Libraries/APIs
8) Example Python programs

Ever wanted to add Facebook onto your own website? Or ever wanted to use Facebook data to make your own app? Well this is the class for you. In this class we will learn the basics of facebook APIs and how to authenticate a user with OpenAuth. Prior experience in web programming recommended, code will be in PHP.


Prerequisites
web programming experience recommended

Ever wonder how to solve an equation like $$\sin(x)=\log(x)$$? Maybe you want to take the area under a crazy curve. Sure your graphing calculator can do it... but somebody must have programmed that! Computers have completely changed the way a lot of math is done in practice. This course will give a introduction to numerical methods. We'll talk about how some of these methods work, and we'll do some programming together on a TI-89 calculator to solve equations that would be impossible if we only had high school algebra and calculus.


Prerequisites
Precalculus recommended as a corequisite, though all eager students are welcome! Some programming background will also be helpful. Love of math required. Bring a graphing calculator if you have one, I will use a TI-89.

In this class, we're going to go on a little journey. From humble beginnings, covering checkerboards with dominoes, we're going to move on to bigger, brighter, more /triangular/ worlds. By the end of the hour, with any luck, we'll see what this all has to do with... physics?

This talk will feature fundamental proof techniques, bizarre numbers which have no right to be whole numbers (but which are anyway), and some very, very pretty mathematics.

An impartial combinatorial game is a game where both players choose from the same set of moves (unlike most games such as chess or checkers, where the players can only move their own pieces). Furthermore, the winner is the player who makes the last move. Impartial games are different from other games because there is no concept of score; the players are fighting over who gets the last move.

We'll begin by studying the game of nim, which is the most fundamental impartial game. We will present a complete strategy for playing nim. Then we'll look at other impartial games and see how understanding nim can help us play them too.

Video games are probably the most fun and creative projects in the world of computer programming. It is not hard to get into computer programming with very little math background--lots of people pick up programming as a hobby before taking high school math--and many games (Tetris, chess, even Mario or Pokémon) can be programmed with only basic math skills.

However, a lot of the most successful games take place in three-dimensional worlds. If you want to make a game like Halo, World of Warcraft, or Skyrim (to name a few), there's one bit of math that can incredibly useful to know: vectors. This is a topic that is frequently glossed over in high school math, but shows up in a suprising variety of subjects. I plan to talk in depth about the intuitions and applications of vectors for video games, and along the way discuss the video game industry and computer science in general.

Due to equipment and time constraints, we won't be able to do individual, "hands-on" programming during class, but I promise to show bits of realistic code and give some cool demos. I'll put any code I write online so students can look at it after the class is over.


Prerequisites
First-year algebra and geometry. Some exposure to computer programming is recommended.

There are some problems that no computer program can solve. Not just problems like "compose a great symphony" or “print the meaning of life" -- specific, well-defined, and surprisingly natural computational problems for which we can prove mathematically that no program can solve them. In this course, we will see some of these problems; along the way, we will also discover precisely what we mean by "program", and we will explore some wacky and probably counter-intuitive facts about infinity.


Prerequisites
Some notion of what computer programs look like and what it's like to write one.

Ever heard of HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography? It's just one example of the exciting work being done in the field of computational photography. "Computational photography" is all about extending the power of normal cameras using sophisticated algorithms and a lot of clever ideas. While we don't have the time to go into details about the algorithms, I'd like to show you what sort of things are possible using a camera plus a computer. I expect you will be surprised!

Always wondered what this whole open-source thing is all about? Heard of Linux but never tried it? Never heard of Linux? This class is for you! In less than two hours we'll fly through the basics of Linux, why it matters, and how you can try it or get involved. Then, because that's not enough, we'll jump into a quick technical overview of how Linux/GNU actually works, several common programs/use cases, and an introduction to the terminal. Also, there will be penguins.

Come learn to count cards and win in one of the most popular games in the world.

Knowing how to solve a Rubik's Cube may sound impressive, but it's not very hard to learn a basic solution.

We will be going through a basic beginner's method (layer-by-layer) which should allow you to solve cubes in a few minutes.

BRING YOUR OWN CUBE:
If possible, you should bring your own Rubik's Cube, so you can learn and practice on it after the lesson.
(If you don't bring a cube, you can borrow one, though.)

In this class we will cover everything you need to know to make a website! This is always a splash favorite class based on past survey results. We will learn the fundamentals of HTML, then learn CSS to style the website and finally add in some JavaScript make the website dynamic.


Prerequisites
None

The course will describe the overall process of solving mathematical problems. The process consists of four phases:(1) Understanding the problem (2) Choosing a specific approach to solve the problem
(3) Examining the insights gained through that approach
(4) Repeat Steps 2-3 recursively to get closer to the solution.
Multiple illustrative examples will be picked to demonstrate the various heuristic approaches used to solve arithmetic puzzles, problems in geometry, algebra and probability.
The course will be loosely based on " How to Solve it: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method" by George Polya http://www.amazon.com/How-Solve-Mathematical-Princeton-Science/dp/069111966X, which is a highly recommended preliminary book for students aspiring to be good problem solvers.


Prerequisites
Basic algebra and geometry.

6.01 crammed into <2 hours! At MIT, 6.01 is known as Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Computer Science I and the first step to being a Course 6 (EECS) major. 6.01T is simply 6.01(Tim’s Edition). We’ll be covering basic programming, signals and systems, feedback, control, circuits, op-amps, probability, search algorithms and more!