Science

Listed below are the science courses offered in 2012, and at which site and session each course is offered. If you are unfamiliar with our site codes, please see the site key below. The course title links will take you to the appropriate catalog course description and links to sample syllabi for the course.

If you would like to read about writing, humanities, or math and computer science courses, select the appropriate discipline in the following drop down menu.

Science Course Offerings

* = day site (no room or board provided)
** = international site (dates vary)

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Site Key

* = day site (no room or board provided)
** = international site

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Biology Course Descriptions and Sample Syllabi

Through the Microscope

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In 1665, Robert Hooke used a microscope to examine cork, providing the first clues that living things are made of cells. Today, the microscope remains a crucial tool for scientific investigation. In this course, students use microscopy to discover the living and non-living world around them, acquiring an introduction to science in the process. 

This course begins with an overview of scale and size and an introduction to the history and proper use of microscopes. Students then examine and compare living one-celled and multi-cellular organisms such as algae, elodea, rotifers, and paramecium as they differentiate between bacterial, animal, and plant cells. Emphasis is placed on cell structure, nutrient needs, and growth. Students also gain a new appreciation for the intricacies of familiar things such as newsprint, fibers, or blades of grass. They develop laboratory skills including staining, preparing wet mounts, DNA extraction, and inoculation.

After their introduction to the microscope and cell biology, students consider atoms and compounds, learning why atoms can’t be seen with light microscopes. Students then grow and examine salt crystals. They also explore the various ways microscopes are used in the field as they investigate forensic science and pathology. Through laboratory work, model building, drawing, writing, and research, students leave the course with an understanding of microscopy and its role in science.

Sample text: Usborne Complete Book of the Microscope, Rogers.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020 — $1190 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Examining the Evidence

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How can an abandoned car, devoid of license plates or other identifying marks, help detectives solve a jewelry heist? How can a single hair keep a man from going to jail for a murder he did not commit? In this course, students discover the answers to these types of questions as they explore the science behind forensic investigation.

After reviewing the basic scientific skills of observation and deduction, students learn how to properly process a crime scene. In lab exercises, students draw upon techniques employed by forensic scientists to analyze fingerprints, hair, fibers, impressions, and documents left at the scene of a crime. Students also explore blood typing and spatter patterns, toxicology, and DNA analysis. Through the study of notorious cases, such as the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and the assassination of John F. Kennedy, students become familiar with the history and advances of forensic science.

Finally, in mock investigations students use the scientific method and their newly acquired analytical techniques to uncover clues, examine evidence, and draw conclusions to help them crack the cases.

Note: In this course, students learn about forensic techniques used to solve crimes. Instructors gear their treatment of the material to the age of the students, but some violent crimes are considered.

Sample text: Forensic Science, Bertino.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020 — $1190 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Sensation and Perception

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You may know that our skin helps us decide whether or not the bath water is too hot and that our nose helps us tell fresh from spoiled milk. But do you know how? In this course, students are introduced to the science behind these everyday observations. In the laboratory, students dissect sensory organs and investigate sensory perceptions. They learn what cell types make up a sensory system, how those cells communicate with the brain, and how the brain can be fooled by illusions and expectations. Students learn how cats can “see in the dark,” how people can point to the source of a sound with their eyes closed, and why fingertips are much more sensitive than knees. 

Students also learn about sensory abilities alien to our own, such as sonar navigation and electric organs. In group exercises, students brainstorm all the possible sources of sensory input for a living organism and invent new technologies to improve or repair the senses. Students employ the scientific method by creating hypotheses, collecting data from their classmates, and formulating their own answers to questions about sensation, perception, and the brain.

Sample texts: The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Sacks; Anatomy and Physiology Coloring Book, Marieb.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $910 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Introduction to Biomedical Sciences

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This course is an introduction to human biology and the science of medicine. Drawing upon basic biological and chemical concepts, students explore the intricate anatomical and physiological mechanisms underlying normal human function. Students then investigate homeostatic imbalances that cause diseases. In learning about diabetes, for example, students gain an in-depth understanding of the endocrine system, the pancreas, the metabolism of sugar, and the biochemical effects of glucose. Lab work covers techniques in histology, anatomy and physiology (including dissections), and biochemistry. Additionally, students learn to read critically and respond to articles in scientific journals and the popular media.

Sample text: The Human Body in Health and Disease, Thibodeau and Patton.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1170 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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The History of Disease

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Throughout history, humans have been burdened with countless infectious diseases. Some of these, due to their lethality or their insidious spread, have become legendary. In this course, students examine the societal impact of, and science’s response to, history’s most significant diseases, including plague, leprosy, influenza, tuberculosis, smallpox, polio, cholera, malaria, syphilis, and HIV/AIDS.

Through reading, writing, and problem-based learning, students explore the effects of each disease on two levels: the biological (microbiology, pharmacology, and immunology) and the societal (epidemiology, psychology, and sociology). Students attempt to understand the biology of each disease while also learning its historical framework. A wide variety of sources, such as medical literature, ancient Greek texts, religious writings, opera and theater, and articles from the modern media, places each scourge in the context of the society it traumatized. The ethics of infectious disease monitoring and control, including quarantines, mandatory health department notification, and the use of experimental drugs, are the focus of classroom debates.

Reviewing the attempts to cure each disease, from primitive superstitions to cutting-edge designer drugs, provides an introduction to pharmacology. Students critically analyze the never-ending war between humans and microbes, contrasting modern perceptions of our victory over “germs” with the growing reality of microbial resistance.

Sample texts: Man and Microbes, Karlen; A Brief History of Disease, Science, and Medicine, Kennedy.

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Anatomy and Physiology

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One need only view DaVinci’s classic anatomical sketches to recognize the wonders of the human body. Works such as Vitruvian Man, the result of DaVinci’s meticulous observations of dissected cadavers, reflect a natural human interest not only in the body as a whole, but in the workings of its individual parts. Today’s doctors and scientists continue to discover new information about how the various systems of the body function and interact to form an amazing machine.

In this course, students survey the organ systems of the human body: the immune, integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, excretory, and reproductive. Students begin by exploring the levels of biological organization, paying special attention to cells and tissues before delving into each body system. Keeping with the theme that structure dictates function, students not only examine the systems individually, but also investigate their interconnectedness. Students perform a number of labs culminating in the dissection of a fetal pig.

As they develop an understanding of the intricacies of the human body, students also learn scientific techniques employed in the health sciences.

Sample text: Mader’s Understanding Human Anatomy & Physiology, Longenbaker.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1170 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Zoology

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From microscopic investigation to the basics of veterinary medicine, Zoology covers principles of comparative animal anatomy, physiology, and genetics.

This course begins with an overview of key concepts in zoology as students examine the characteristics of the animal cell and discuss heredity and issues of evolution, including natural selection. They then turn to taxonomy, as they study increasingly complex types of animals. Students gain a solid foundation in comparative anatomy through laboratory dissections of animals ranging from perch to rats. They become familiar with the different systems—digestive, nervous, immune, endocrine, reproductive, and circulatory—in each species they examine.

As students progress through the course, they research and discuss topics including animal behavior, environmental adaptation, husbandry and domestication, and the human impact on animal life—including environmental degradation and species extinction.

In lab work and in the field, students put science into practice: they learn to formulate research questions, gather and analyze data, and interpret results. On field trips to nearby zoos or veterinary facilities, students observe animals and meet with scientists to discuss current medical research and animal care.

Sample text: Zoology, Miller and Harley.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020 — $1360 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Biotechnology

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The Human Genome Project has already sequenced all of the approximately 20,000 genes in human DNA. How did scientists gather this information? What opportunities does it provide for curing congenital diseases or cancer? What ethical questions does it pose in terms of privacy rights or reproduction? This course introduces students to the biology, technology, and potential of genetics.

Students first explore some fundamental principles of genetics, including mitosis, meiosis, and Mendelian inheritance, as they establish the necessary base for studying more advanced concepts. Next they turn to the structure and function of DNA and RNA, sources and types of mutations, and genetic biotechnology. Lab work gives students hands-on experience as they isolate the DNA molecule from common bacteria and split genes using restriction enzymes. Students also conduct gel electrophoresis, model polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and examine DNA vaccines.

Throughout the course, students present current research on various topics in molecular biology. With their newly acquired scientific foundation in the field, students deliberate on the significance of genetics in society and the future of genetic inquiry and technology.

Sample text: Human Heredity: Principles and Issues, Cummings.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1170 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Fast-Paced High School Biology

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This course covers the material ordinarily included in a year-long introductory course in high school biology (the usual prerequisite for honors or AP Biology). Students begin with the smallest unit, the atom, and build towards the final discussions of ecology and the environment. Along the way they sample biochemistry, move through genetics and cellular processes, and then integrate these concepts into their studies of evolution and systems of living things, such as respiration and reproduction. 

Through readings, lectures, and lab work (including dissections), students finish the course with a sound foundation in biological concepts. Lab time comprises at least twenty hours of the course contact time.

Sample text: Biology, Campbell and Reece.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1170 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Genetics

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Could a single genetic mutation be the key to eradicating coronary heart disease or be instrumental in developing new ways to treat hypertension? In this course, students learn the principles and methods that geneticists use to explore these possibilities.

Students in this course briefly review basic concepts of heredity, then delve into more complex concepts such as polygenic inheritance and sex-linked traits. They study the genetics of relatively simple organisms, such as bacteria, learning how these prokaryotic organisms are used as tools in current genetic research. Students then consider the genetics of more complex organisms, including humans. They gain insights into both the negative and positive effects of mutations as they investigate the genetic basis of cancer and inherited disorders and explore how mutations increase variation within a population by changing the allelic frequency. In the laboratory, students go beyond the basic techniques of DNA extraction, digestion, and amplification. They perform bacterial cloning and dihybrid crosses, observing inherited phenotypes in a descendent generation. Throughout the course, students debate controversial topics in the field, such as stem cell research and genetically modified foods.

By the end of the course, students have covered concepts ordinarily taught in an introductory college genetics course.

Sample text: Introduction to Genetic Analysis, Griffiths.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1170 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Genomics

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The mapping of the human genome—hailed by some as the first scientific milestone in the twenty-first century—gave rise to the new field of genomics. Where genetics has traditionally examined single genes, genome science considers all of the genetic information in an organism as a dynamic system: the genes, the function and organization of the genes, and regulatory elements.

Building on knowledge they acquired in CTY’s Genetics, students in this course begin with a historical look at the field of genomics, including methods that were used to complete the Human Genome Project. They move on to study comparative genomics, the genetics of complex traits, genetic epidemiology, the genetics of common diseases (e.g., cancer), modern chromosomal analysis, and computational genomics. In addition, students are introduced to the HapMap and ENCODE projects used to identify both the functional portions and regions of variation within our genes. Genomics relies heavily upon data analysis and computer technologies; the use of online databases and resources, both in the laboratory and for research projects, is a central feature of the course.

In addition to their classroom studies, students are introduced to the Johns Hopkins Center of Excellence in Genome Sciences (CEGS), which focuses on the new area of epigenetics, the study of inheritance other than the DNA sequence itself. Students visit the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), participate in a lab tour and demonstration, and attend a CEGS faculty lecture focusing on epigenetics and human disease.

Sample text: Discovering Genomics, Proteomics & Bioinformatics, Campbell and Heyer.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020— $1530 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Neuroscience

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Where do memories get stored, and why do Alzheimer’s patients have difficulties making new ones? What causes our inner clock to slow down as we are about to have an automobile accident? Why was Phineas Gage able to talk, walk, and be free of pain just minutes after a three-foot-long metal rod pierced through his head, destroying most of the left front side of his brain? Neuroscientists use an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology to unlock the answers to these and other questions about that most complex of all systems, the human brain and nervous system.

In this course, students investigate the development, evolution, and structure of the brain and nervous system. They approach neuroanatomy from the gross and microscopic levels and learn how neurons communicate with each other biochemically. They explore the functional integration of areas of the brain and neuroplasticity, neuropharmacology, diseases and disorders of the nervous system, and the nature of consciousness. Students also examine the neuronal basis of perception, learning and memory, sleep and dreaming, and language acquisition and use. In addition to lecture and discussion sessions, students participate in dissection, model building, and laboratory activities that use principles from various scientific disciplines.

Sample text: Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain, Bear and Connors.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1170 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Epidemiology, Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, and Pandemics

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Since 2004, there have been over 200 confirmed cases of avian flu in ten countries. In 2003 over 1,185,000 persons in the United States were living with HIV, and in 2005 over 350 million people contracted malaria. Despite almost daily scientific breakthroughs, infectious diseases remain one of the leading causes of death worldwide. How are these statistics compiled, and how are they used to combat these diseases?

Students in this course investigate the science and politics of disease. From examining the role that epidemiologists play in unlocking the points of origin of pandemics to dissecting the behavior of policymakers as they address AIDS or avian flu, students gain insight into the cause and spread of global diseases, the role of scientists in identifying, controlling, and/or preventing diseases, and the political and ethical implications therein. Moreover, students build a foundation in cell, bacterial, and viral biology as they explore topics including evolutionary biology and pathogenic resistance to drugs.

While this is a science-based course, it also explores the interplay between society and disease by examining the roles of the arts and the media in highlighting not only issues of global health but also issues of human rights and the stigma associated with infectious diseases. Combining the societal lens with an understanding of the tools scientists use—from statistical analysis to computer modeling to biomedical research—students leave the course with a more complete understanding of how epidemiologists combat diseases in the present and prepare for diseases in the future.

Sample texts: Mountains Beyond Mountains, Kidder; The Coming Plague, Garrett; The Medical Detectives, Roueché.

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Chemistry Course Descriptions and Sample Syllabi

The Edible World

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Have you ever wondered about the strange smell of vinegar, the purple stain left by grape juice, or the ingredients in a sports drink? Why do canned foods last for years without refrigeration? How do you make ice cream creamier? In this course, students take a closer look at the common products on grocery shelves, and use these items as a springboard to learn about chemistry and biotechnology.

The three basic components of food—proteins, carbohydrates, and fats—are the building blocks of all life as we know it. They are also the fuel the body burns to provide the necessary energy for everything from taking a breath to reading a book to running a marathon. By researching and writing about foods from different cultures, students discover how the need for proteins, carbohydrates, and fats is met by different people around the world.

Through class discussions and laboratory experiments, students look more closely at the composition of familiar foods, consider the chemical reactions necessary to make certain foods, and explore the role that food plays in health and disease throughout the world. Activities might include determining the fat content of cheeses, separating the pigments in plants, or measuring the caloric content of a peanut. Students may keep a food journal and conduct nutritional analyses of their own diets, or prepare a poster presentation on how seaweed can be changed into salad dressing.

Sample texts: Food Rules!, Haduch; It’s Disgusting and We Ate It: True Food Facts from Around the World and Throughout History, Solheim.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020 — $1190 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Crystals and Polymers

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Why do some plastic containers melt in a microwave oven while others don’t? What makes Silly Putty® stretchy? How are packing peanuts made? Chemical structure provides the key for answering these questions. In this introductory chemistry course, students examine how the many different possible arrangements of a small number of basic building blocks determine the properties and behaviors of gems and polymers. 

Students begin by investigating the building blocks: atoms. As they learn about ions and the three-dimensional structure of compounds, students construct models and grow crystals such as salt or rock candy in the lab. They discover how small changes in the structures of different gems lead to dramatic changes in their shapes and colors. Moving on to polymers, students synthesize slime or silly putty to investigate concepts such as molecular chain length and cross-linking. They then explore commercial applications, experimenting with super-absorbing molecules like those used in diapers. Students also research how different plastics are synthesized and how that affects their properties, including recyclability and malleability. Finally students engage in activities such as isolating strawberry DNA and denaturing proteins to study biopolymers.

Throughout the course, students apply their new-found knowledge of chemical bonding and structure to develop a more thorough understanding of the materials in their everyday lives.

Sample texts: Eyewitness: Crystal & Gem, Symes; Polymers All Around You, Sarquis, ed.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $910 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Chemistry in Society

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From artificial sweeteners in diet soft drinks to batteries in electric cars, applications of chemistry are integral to our everyday lives. In this course, students investigate topics in chemistry as a means to solving simulated real-world problems.

Students begin the course with an exploration of water pollution as they determine the cause of a fishkill in a local river. This introduces them to the periodic table, atomic structure, and chemical bonding. In the laboratory, students investigate solubility and test water samples to identify potential toxins. They end by simulating a town hall meeting to debate how to preserve their water source.

Similarly, students examine alternative fuels, the biochemistry of food, and pharmaceuticals using real-life scenarios simulated in the classroom. For instance, students may conduct calorimetric experiments and prepare biodiesel in their investigation of alternative fuels or prepare aspirin during their exploration of the healing and toxic properties of pharmaceuticals.

This course emphasizes learning concepts in a laboratory setting to demonstrate how chemistry affects our everyday lives. Students leave the course better prepared for high school chemistry and with a greater understanding of how chemistry is used to improve the world around them.

Sample text: Chemistry in the Community, American Chemical Society.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1040 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Fast-Paced High School Chemistry

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This course covers material ordinarily included in a year-long introductory course in high school chemistry (the usual prerequisite for honors or AP Chemistry). Topics covered in the course include physical and chemical properties, the periodic table, the atom and atomic theory, chemical bonding, nomenclature, the concept of the mole, chemical reactions and stoichiometry, solutions, thermodynamics, acids and bases, kinetics, equilibrium, and a brief introduction to organic chemistry.

Students conduct many traditional laboratory experiments to reinforce the content presented in the course. Typical experiments include determining the percent composition of a compound; comparing theoretical and percent yield in a chemical reaction; measuring the molar mass of a gaseous compound; exploring factors which affect the rate of a reaction; and conducting acid-base titrations. Lab time comprises at least twenty hours of the course contact time.

Sample texts: Prentice Hall Chemistry, Wilbraham; an accompanying lab manual.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1170 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Physics Course Descriptions and Sample Syllabi

Inventions

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Did you know that the idea for the microwave oven was set in motion by a melted chocolate bar? While standing in front of a magnetron, inventor Percy Spencer noticed that his treat had begun melting in his pocket. To further test the potential of the magnetron, Spencer held a bag of corn kernels next to it and watched them pop. From this simple experiment that led to the microwave oven to students’ own creations, this course is about inventors, inventions, and their impact on our world.

How does a toaster work, and what might make it work better? How can a package be designed to mail a potato chip so that it doesn’t break? In this course, students dismantle gadgets to figure out how things work and use ordinary household items to create new inventions. Students apply for mock patents, collaborate with their fellow inventors, keep an inventions journal, and work in teams to create hovercrafts or design more effective burglar alarms. In addition, students research the lives and innovative ideas of inventors past and present.

Throughout this process of inquiry, discovery, and problem solving, students explore not only the how and why of various discoveries and inventions, but also the impact they have had across the centuries. This integrated examination of inventions in our world offers young inventors a fuller understanding of the implications and promise of their creative imaginings.

Sample text: Inventing Stuff, Sobey.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020 — $1190 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Flight Science

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From the sketches of Leonardo da Vinci to the expeditions of Amelia Earhart, humans have long struggled to unlock the mysteries of flight. In this course, students study the work of scientists, engineers, and explorers past and present as they examine flight in both the natural and man-made worlds.

Students learn about the science behind the flight of balloons, birds, airplanes, helicopters, and rockets. Topics include buoyancy, kinematics, fluid flow and the Coanda effect, Newton’s laws, and the four forces of aerodynamics: lift, weight, thrust, and drag. Students pay particular attention to how the wing of an airplane generates lift, and why the common explanation based on Bernoulli’s Principle is really a myth. They design, construct, and test model aircraft. Students investigate the engineering process and how aerospace engineers make choices to meet the design goals for a particular aircraft, such as finding the best wing plan to achieve high speed for a fighter plane or large lifting capacity for a cargo plane. They also explore rocket science, orbital motion, and the challenges of space travel. Field trips to aviation facilities complement the students’ discussions and explorations. Students leave the course with an understanding of the science that makes flight possible.

Sample texts: Understanding Flight, Anderson; The Cartoon Guide to Physics, Gonick.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020 — $1190 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Science and Engineering

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How do simple machines work? How can a concrete boat float? How do you build the strongest bridge with the lightest building materials? Physics, the science of matter and its motion, helps answer these questions and more. In this course, students explore basic physics and engineering concepts such as principles of mechanics; electricity and magnetism; waves and optics; and thermodynamics. They learn through hands-on activities and projects reinforced by lectures, class discussions, and practice exercises.
Students might participate in a catapult design challenge to learn about projectile motion or take part in an egg-drop container contest to investigate impulse. To study potential and kinetic energy, they might design and build roller coasters, and they could learn about current and voltage by using a lemon to light a bulb. Students carefully analyze data they collect and write reports about the projects.

Students learn how to ask scientific questions, hypothesize, and experiment in order to interpret physical phenomena. By the end of the course, students acquire an understanding of major concepts in physics and an enhanced ability to work in groups and individually to solve problems in the physical sciences.

Note: Students in this class should have a strong background in pre-algebra or have completed CTY’s Inductive and Deductive Reasoning or Data and Chance.

Sample texts: The Cartoon Guide to Physics, Gonick; The Art of Construction, Salvadori.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $910 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Fast-Paced High School Physics

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This course covers material ordinarily included in a year-long, algebra-based introductory course in high school physics (the usual prerequisite for honors or AP Physics). 

Topics covered include Newtonian mechanics, wave motion, geometric and wave optics, electricity and magnetism, circuits, thermodynamics, and elementary modern physics. In labs, students learn to measure and analyze error; determine gravitational acceleration; and experiment with refraction and diffraction of light, waves, simple circuit analysis, and the magnetic deflection of electrons. Lab time comprises at least twenty hours of the course contact time.

Sample text: Physics: Principles and Problems, Zitzewitz.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1170 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Advanced Topics in Physics: Special Relativity

New course for 2012!

If a woman leaves Earth for a journey to a nearby star system and travels close to the speed of light, she will return much younger than her twin sister who has remained home. This is just one of the amazing, counterintuitive discoveries revealed by Albert Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity, which revolutionized physics. With perhaps the most famous equation in all of science, E = mc², Einstein’s theory revealed that matter and energy are actually equivalent, setting the stage for atomic bombs and nuclear power plants. His theory also showed that time is a fourth dimension rather than distinct from space; that the length of an object depends on how fast it’s moving relative to an observer; and that even the passage of time depends on relative motion, making time travel theoretically possible.

Building upon concepts from introductory physics, students begin by studying the tension between Newtonian mechanics and the theory of electricity and magnetism in classical physics. They then shift their focus to Einstein’s groundbreaking solution, the Special Theory of Relativity. Topics covered include the principle of relativity and the light postulate, simultaneity, Lorentz transformations, relativistic kinematics and dynamics, light cones and the causal structure of spacetime, and Minkowski spacetime. Students also explore the basic concepts underlying Einstein’s later General Theory of Relativity. Students leave with an understanding of crucial modern developments in physics and the skills to analyze and understand the surprising universe in which we live.

Sample text: New course.

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Principles of Engineering Design

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Students in this course work primarily in teams to solve real-world and simulated problems in the field of engineering. Case studies of actual engineering projects are used to demonstrate principles of design. For example, students may analyze the failure of the O-ring on the space shuttle Challenger to investigate how components in a system function together and the significance of manufacturing tolerances. Alternatively, they may review the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse to understand how inadequate knowledge of materials and insufficient testing can lead to failure.

Student teams construct and test their own working models and prototypes, such as suspension or truss bridges, solar-powered cars, electrical circuits, or gliders. They learn the physics behind their designs, covering aspects of mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and fluids.

As a part of the engineering design process, students create decision matrices that help them weigh economic and ethical considerations along with technological ones. Students submit written reports for review. They leave the class with a broader view of the field of engineering and a deeper understanding of the day-to-day work of engineers. Moreover, they leave with skills and knowledge they can apply to developing innovative solutions to real-world engineering challenges in their own lives and communities.

Sample text: Engineering Design: An Introduction, Karsnitz et al.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1040 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Investigations in Engineering

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Engineering is an art that requires ingenuity, the ability to understand the components of a problem, facility in design, and the capacity to find creative solutions. This course exposes students to the excitement and challenges of scientific investigation. 

This class asks students to do more than calculate solutions to well-posed, simplified problems. Rather, they are asked to translate problems often encountered by engineers (with no obvious solutions) into ones which can be tackled and resolved. These open-ended assignments require hands-on exploration. Some of the exploration uses a virtual environment with a set of laboratory experiments developed in HTML and Java. These exercises require students to develop a broad understanding of how to solve engineering problems. The virtual laboratory includes exercises such as drilling for oil, remote measurement, electronic circuit design, logical circuit design, and building a robotic arm.

Investigations in Engineering is a first-year college course developed by Professor Michael Karweit, a faculty member of the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. For more information, please visit: http://cty.jhu.edu/summer/ieng.html.

Sample text: Engineering and the Mind’s Eye, Ferguson.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1170 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Electrical Engineering

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The first transistor, created at Bell Laboratories in 1947, was about 4 cm in size. Today millions of transistors fit on a single computer processor chip about the size of a postage stamp. Innovations, such as the miniaturization of the transistor, are a hallmark of the exciting and challenging field of electrical engineering.

In this course, students begin by learning the basics of current, voltage, resistance, energy, and magnetism. For instance, they map the electric field lines generated by an electric charge. They apply their conceptual understanding as they draw and construct series and parallel circuits, working with resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, and transistors. 

Students study electromagnetism—one of the most important physical principles in modern electronics—and examine its applications to practical, everyday devices such as motors, lifting magnets, and stereo speakers. They construct breadboard models of similar devices using mathematical tools such as Ohm’s Law and Kirchoff’s Laws to guide their circuit designs.

Finally, students are exposed to cutting edge topics in the field, including the physics behind solar cells and solid state electronics. Students leave the course with a better understanding of electrical engineering and its many applications to everyday life.

Sample text: Materials compiled by the instructor.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020 — $1530 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Nuclear Science

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By the turn of the twentieth century, scientists had observed radioactivity. Soon after, they used Einstein’s famous equation, E=mc², to posit that the tiny amounts of mass lost during the radioactive decay of an atom could be harnessed to generate an enormous amount of energy. During World War II, Einstein, among others, alerted President Roosevelt that this energy, stored in the unimaginably small nucleus of an atom, could possibly be used to create a terrifying new weapon. Thus began the secretive work that produced the atomic bomb and initiated the peacetime field of nuclear science.

Today, nuclear science permeates our lives. The uncontrolled fission reaction of an atomic bomb is now harnessed in nuclear power plants to provide electricity to our communities. Radioactive isotopes are used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, including cancer. Irradiating foods gives them longer shelf lives.

Through hands-on work and an examination of the history of nuclear science, students learn the principles of natural and artificial radioactivity, nuclear reactions, half-life, and isotopes. They investigate nuclear technologies such as carbon-14 dating, as well as safety standards and the effects of radiation exposure. In addition to lecture and discussion sessions, students participate in activities such as simulating chain reactions, measuring background radiation, and observing electrons in a cloud chamber.

Sample texts: The Making of the Atomic Bomb, Rhodes; materials compiled by the instructor.

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Astrophysics

sample syllabus

When the sun runs out of fuel, will it explode in a giant supernova or fade out into a white dwarf? Does every galaxy revolve around a super-massive black hole? Will the universe continue to expand, or will it eventually collapse back upon itself in a reversal of the Big Bang? Astrophysics—the branch of astronomy that studies the physical laws governing astronomical objects and the universe itself—is the key tool for determining how the universe works, how it started, and where it’s headed.

Students explore the structure of the universe by first learning about scale and distances of important astronomical objects such as planets, stars, and galaxies. Next, students focus on stellar evolution. They study the birth, life, and death of stars by examining the inner workings of stars and properties such as size, temperature, color, and luminosity. They also consider how objects such as neutron stars and black holes are formed.

Students investigate galaxies, including the Milky Way, comparing their shapes, compositions, and rotational speeds. They calculate distances to other galaxies using Hubble’s Law. Lastly, students explore topics in modern cosmology, such as the Big Bang and inflationary universe hypotheses, and consider the ultimate fate of the universe.

Sample text: Astronomy Today: Stars and Galaxies, Volume II, Chaisson and McMillan.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1170 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Field Sciences Course Descriptions and Sample Syllabi

Be a Scientist!

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What do scientists actually do? How do they ask and answer questions? What tools do they use for finding their answers? In this course, students are introduced to the methods scientists use to answer questions about the world around us. They build skills essential to scientific inquiry by engaging in hands-on investigations in a range of areas, such as botany, genetics, and chemistry.

Students examine strategies and techniques used by scientists and put them into practice. For example, students may design and build a terrarium or create a field guide for the unique environment at their site. They also might observe firsthand the behavior of worms, recording notes and drawings in a scientific log; research what others have learned about worms; and share their findings with classmates.

Students learn to question and hypothesize; identify and manipulate variables; observe, measure, and record data; and analyze and interpret results. Throughout the course students discuss their challenges and successes in regular class forums and then incorporate that feedback into further study. As a culminating project, students work in teams or individually to design and carry out their own original investigations. Each student leaves the course better prepared to be a scientist.

Sample text: Materials compiled by the instructor.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $910 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Dynamic Earth

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What is happening miles beneath your feet right now? How did Earth become a habitable place for us, and how does it continue to change? In this course, students explore the long and complex history of Earth. 

Students begin by examining the universe in which our sun is only one of billions of stars and our planet is a tiny speck. Students then zoom in on Earth—its climate, geologic structures, and plate tectonics. From this perspective students look at cataclysmic events, including volcanic eruptions, avalanches, and earthquakes. Students also focus on gradual alterations of Earth’s surface through erosion, weathering, and other forces. In labs and field work, students differentiate among Earth’s movements using seismographs, test multiple factors affecting rates of erosion, and simulate sediment transport and deposition.

The class concludes by focusing on basic matter, studying the atom in terms of structure, periodicity, and reactivity, and exploring acid/base characteristics of elements. Field trips include a journey to a fault zone. By understanding Earth from its place in the universe to its molecular makeup, students gain a greater appreciation of the constant motion that makes ours a living, changing planet.

Sample text: The Field Guide to Geology, Lambert.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020 — $1190 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Bay Ecology

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This course gives students a comprehensive view of the Chesapeake Bay, one of the largest estuaries in the world. Students examine the relationships among the land, the rivers, and the Bay, and the human impact on this system. They address the greatest problems affecting the Bay—excess nutrients and sediment—and learn how these pollutants reach its waters. Students consider different viewpoints on issues—political, economic, social, and scientific—affecting the health of the Bay, and they speculate about the Bay’s future. In the field, where they strengthen their skills in recording and interpreting data, students collect biological samples, test water quality, pull fishing nets, dredge for oysters, evaluate land usage, and observe wildlife.

Sample texts: Chesapeake Bay: Nature of the Estuary, White; Life in the Chesapeake Bay, Lippson and Lippson.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1200 — $1400 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)
(Due to the intensive field component of this course, the lab and field trip budget is higher than for other science courses.)

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Introduction to Astronomy

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In the seventeenth century, Galileo looked into the sky with a simple pair of lenses and saw the moons of Jupiter—a discovery that had a profound effect on astronomy. As in Galileo’s time, the past eighty years have been filled with far-reaching discoveries, enabling a deeper understanding of the universe in which we live.

In this course, students investigate light, optics, and other areas of physics employed in the study of modern astronomy. They start their tour of the universe learning about the planets in the solar system, examining their physical, chemical, and geological properties, as well as the mathematics of orbiting bodies.

Students then use the visual and calculated stellar brightness scales to calculate distances to stars. They investigate the lifecycle of stars, including the Sun, by plotting sunspots and distinguishing solar types based on temperature, color, and luminosity. Additionally, students learn about the evolution of galaxies and use data from drifting galaxies to approximate the Hubble Constant. Finally, they discuss exotic objects such as quasars and black holes.

To reinforce concepts learned in class, students visit a local observatory, planetarium, or science center, combining theory with practical applications of astronomy.

Sample text: The Essential Cosmic Perspective, Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, and Voit.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020 — $1360 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Paleobiology

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Scientists estimate from the fossil record that life on Earth began over three and a half billion years ago. What types of life forms have existed throughout history? How have mass extinction events shaped our planet? Paleobiologists combine elements of paleontology, geology, and biology as they answer these and other questions by using snapshots of the past to uncover the narrative of Earth’s living history.

Students begin this course by examining the many modes of fossilization, investigating key geological concepts, and classifying the major phyla of animal and plant life in ancient and modern form. Grounded with this basic understanding, students turn more fully to the fossil record by examining specimens they collect in the field alongside preexisting collections. Students learn how keen observation skills and critical thinking allow scientists to formulate working hypotheses about topics ranging from why dinosaurs became extinct to how human life came into existence. They dissect and identify adaptations of present-day organisms in order to make comparisons with extinct life forms to explain changes that have occurred over time. Along the way, students explore a range of topics including evolutionary theory, historical geology, and paleoecology as they acquaint themselves with the history of life on Earth.

Sample text: Introduction to Paleobiology and the Fossil Record, Benton and Harper.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020 — $1530 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Volcanoes

New course for 2012!

The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa propelled ash 50 miles into the atmosphere, triggered tsunamis 100 feet high, and was heard 2,200 miles away. The shock wave circled the earth seven times. The eruption not only reshaped the geography of the area, but also lowered average global temperatures by 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit over the next year. In this course, students investigate the volcanoes that shape our planet, examining their geological history and environmental impact.

The course begins with a brief introduction to earth science, including geological layers, plate tectonics, and convection currents. Students then turn to the properties of volcanoes: lava composition, eruption types and their products, and resulting volcanic landforms. Laboratory exercises include magma flow tests, viscosity determination, and prediction of volcanic hazard. Students explore the essential role of volcanism in the evolution of the earth and the moderation of terrestrial climate. For instance, students may study the impact of India’s Deccan Traps on dinosaur extinctions, the continued growth of the Hawaiian Islands, or the geothermal power utilized by Iceland. They also examine the ways in which volcanoes have impacted human society from the devastation in Pompeii to the rich volcanic soil of Sicily. Additionally, students learn about extra-terrestrial volcanoes.

The course features a field trip to the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Through research, laboratory exercise, and field work, students leave the course with a greater understanding of the science behind the awesome power of volcanoes.

Sample text: New course.

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The Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay, which has over 11,000 miles of shoreline, is both a national treasure and a regional economic engine. How then should we respond to the precipitous decline in blue crabs that has led Maryland crab houses to serve Texas crabs? What is the role of oysters in the Bay’s health, and should we introduce heartier Asian varieties? Is urban or agricultural runoff more responsible for the declining health of the Bay? Students wrestle with these and other critical questions affecting this complex ecosystem.

During the field component, students travel on board historic vessels—the 50-foot skipjack Sigsbee or the 58-foot buy boat Mildred Belle—to various sites on the Chesapeake. While on board, students employ scientific equipment to analyze water and marine life. As they meet and learn from scientists, watermen, government officials, and natives of the area, students apply their new knowledge in real-world settings. Each day students and staff share the responsibility of setting up and striking camp, cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the ship.

In the land component, students perform lab work and investigations to explore topics such as crab anatomy, physiology, and behavior; estuarine interactions; predator-prey relationships; and the ecological role of the oyster beds. They learn about the watershed, water parameters, and water quality of the Chesapeake Bay. Students leave with a better understanding of the interplay among man, economics, science, and the environment in both the Chesapeake Bay and the world more broadly.

Note: No previous sailing experience is necessary, but this is a physically demanding course that requires a certain level of fitness.

Sample text: Life in the Chesapeake Bay, Lippson and Lippson.

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Whales and Estuary Systems

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In this course, students learn about the whales at Stellwagen Bank near Boston, Massachusetts, and compare and contrast estuary systems along the northeast coast. During their eight-day field component, students sail and sleep aboard the Lady Maryland, a 104-foot schooner, and may travel through portions of the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, Hudson River, Long Island Sound, Peconic Bay, and the North Atlantic Ocean. Throughout their voyage, students employ scientific equipment, such as plankton and neuston nets and video microscopes, to analyze water and marine life in these estuarine environments. At the Stellwagen Bank, students attempt to survey and monitor the whale population through observation, photo identification, and historical analysis.

During the land component, students investigate whale anatomy, physiology, adaptation, and behavior. They use gel electrophoresis as a technique in whale identification and continue their studies in estuarine dynamics.

Participants are involved in all aspects of the Lady Maryland’s operation, including raising sail, navigating, taking the helm, and performing daily ship maintenance. Teamwork is essential for everyone to live aboard this vessel. By the end of the session, students gain firsthand knowledge of the world’s largest mammals and a clearer understanding of their role in the marine ecosystem.

Note: No previous sailing experience is necessary, but this is a physically demanding course that requires a certain level of fitness. While the crew aboard the Lady Maryland will do its best to assure that students encounter whales during the field component, there is no guarantee of success.

Sample texts: Life in the Chesapeake Bay, Lippson and Lippson; Stellwagen Bank, Ward.

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