DragonWeek

Using laboratory, online, and classroom activities, students attempt to solve a real crime committed in the 1800s. You learn basic forensic laboratory procedures such as fingerprinting, blood typing, DNA analysis, etc. The results of these tests help your team identify the suspects and narrow  the investigation. The class includes a visit to a local crime laboratory.

Over the course of the week, students learn a variety of practical, hands-on life skills, from basic car maintenance to glass blowing to wood working with power tools. 

Students travel to Athens, Greece, to explore the history, music, and literature of the Classical Period. Activities include walking tours, museum visits, theatrical excursions, and more. In preparation for the trip, you read a classical Greek drama together and are expected to be active participants in the planning of the trip. 

Sample new technology and explore your artistic talents by using the Oculus Medium program to learn the basic tools and features that professionals use to create movie magic and beautiful 3D art. You also learn to export and render your files for virtual gallery showings and to use a 3D printer to bring your creations to life. 

Visit local ecosystems to explore and document the biodiversity of life in the Bay Area using the iNaturalist app. Students read about local ecology and keep a nature journal with writings, drawings, maps, and other documents capturing your interactions with the natural world. You can expect to walk 2-5 miles a day rain or shine and need a good pair of hiking shoes and and a backpack.

In this session, you explore the global development of mathematics, with a focus on non-European roots and a diverse cast of mathematicians and cultures. Study the Ishango bone (found in central Africa), perform calculations using the quipu (knots in strings developed by the Inca), and investigate the development of trigonometry and the concept of infinity in China during the Song and Yuan dynasties. You also learn about more recent mathematicians, including the Japanese mathematicians Shimura and Taniyama, who worked on Fermat's Last Theorem; the first great American mathematician (and son of a slave) Benjamin Banneker; and the late Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani.

Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes at companies like Facebook and Google? In this class, you visit local tech headquarters for a close, interactive look at some of the work these companies do every day. Take a tour, participate in demos, and speak with employees to find out what work in a big tech company is really like. 

Learn how to build a bike from the frame up, as well as the ins and outs of bike maintenance and repair, using the book Zen and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance as a guide. In addition, during the second half of the class you have the chance to do several half-day rides in the local area. 

Explore science and technology through facilitated, interactive workshops and guided tours at four local science and technology museums, including the  Computer History Museum in Mountain View, the Tech Interactive in San Jose, and the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Learn how to translate music and poems in American Sign Language. Through music and poetry, you learn vocabulary, descriptions, variations, facial expressions, and repetitive phrases necessary to draw young listeners into the world of ASL music translation.

Discover effective songwriting techniques by exploring song forms, melody, rhythm, harmony, and lyrics. Present original material and receive feedback from both the instructor and your peers. By the end of the course, you'll  have at least one complete, original song.