Science

Listed below are the science courses offered in 2008, 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

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Session 1: June 26 - July 19, 2008
Session 2: July 19 - August 9, 2008

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

Site Key

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

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Biology

Through the Microscope

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Since the first microscope was created in the sixteenth century, scientists have been expanding the frontiers of the microscopic world. The idea that living things are made of cells arose when Robert Hooke studied a thin slice of cork under the microscope in 1665. Students in this class take a new look at their world through microscopy, and in doing so acquire an introduction to science.

This course begins with the history of microscopy and an overview of how microscopes work. Students examine individual cells of the human body and compare them to living one-celled organisms. Nature walks around the campus provide an endless source of creatures to collect and observe. The microscope also gives students a new appreciation for the intricacies of familiar things such as a feather, a human hair, or a blade of grass. 

Students learn about the atom and explore why we can’t see atoms with light microscopes. Additionally, they grow salt crystals in class as an introduction to molecules. Measuring through the lens allows students to appreciate the relative sizes of tiny objects, from millimeters to nanometers. Finally, students use the microscope to answer questions about how tiny things work, including velcro and wristwatch gears.

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 tags 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 handwriting left at the scene of a crime. Students also explore blood typing and splatter 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: Forensics, Platt.

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. Do you know why? 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, why fingertips are much more sensitive than knees, and why it is hard for passengers to perceive the motion of a cruising airplane.

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 information for a living organism, and invent new technologies to improve or repair the senses. Students also become comfortable with 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 examine the abnormal functions which occur in selected 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), biochemistry, and molecular biology. 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, their insidious spread, or their terrifying course, 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 AIDS.

Through reading, writing, and problem-based learning, students explore the effects of each disease on two levels: the biological (micro-biology, 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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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 fetal pigs. 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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Medical Sciences: Pharmacology & Toxicology

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When is a chemical a drug and when is it a toxin? The line between healing and poisoning can be a very fine one, and this course covers the fundamentals of two medical disciplines which are intricately linked: pharmacology and toxicology.

Students begin by learning the basic principles of pharmacology, including drug receptor interactions, structure activity relationships, and cellular control mechanisms. The course then turns its focus to applications of drugs and toxins for human use. Students research the testing and development history of aspirin, penicillin, and other common pharmaceuticals. They also evaluate the risks and benefits of new drugs and other chemicals and examine mechanisms by which chemical agents evoke toxicity.

Students consider recent biomedical research affecting the fields of pharmacology and toxicology. These medical issues include attention to alternative medicine, the differences in functioning and testing of natural vs. synthetic medicines, and pharmacological applications of information gathered from the Human Genome Project. Lab work includes studying principles of drug action.

Sample texts: Clinical Pharmacology Made Incredibly Easy, Springhouse Publishing Company; Silent Spring, Carson.

Lab Budget:
$780 — $1040 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 with restriction enzymes. Students also conduct gel electrophoresis, model the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and examine DNA vaccines.

Throughout the course, students present current research on various topics in molecular biology. Highlights of the course include visiting a genetics laboratory and/or hearing guest speakers from local medical centers discuss their work in human genetics. With their newly acquired scientific foundation in the field, students deliberate on the significance of genetics in society and on the future of genetic inquiry and technology.

Sample text: Biotechnology: Demystifying the Concepts, Bourgaize, et al.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1020 — $1360 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 cell reproduction, and then integrate these concepts in their studies of evolution, systems of living things, and reproduction.

Through readings, lectures, and lab work (including dissections), students finish the course with a sound foundation in biological concepts. On the first and last days of class, students take a comprehensive test in biology to help assess their learning.

Note: Students just completing 7th grade are urged to take CTY’s Introduction to the Biomedical Sciences before taking this course. This course is intended for students who have completed 8th grade or above and who plan to continue on to honors or AP Biology or to other advanced work in biology such as CTY’s Genetics or Neuroscience.

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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If there were a blood test that could tell you every disease in your future, would you take it? Such a test may seem like science fiction, but modern geneticists are decoding new genes every day, and simple blood tests already exist for some diseases. In this course, students build on their knowledge of biology to investigate the principles and methods used to study the genetic qualities and traits of humans.

This course covers concepts ordinarily taught in a one-semester college course. Topics span the biologic spectrum, from molecules of DNA to the evolution of populations, and include mitosis, meiosis, Mendelian inheritance, pedigree analysis, chromosomes and chromosomal aberrations, prenatal diagnosis, genes and cancer, inborn errors of metabolism, population genetics, genetic screening, and genetic counseling.

In the laboratory, students are introduced to the basic techniques of genetics, including the process which revolutionized modern genetics, E. coli transformation. Exercises also include electrophoresis and DNA fingerprinting. By the end of the course, students debate the most difficult bioethical questions facing the discipline: eugenics, cloning, and the consequences of biotechnology.

Sample text: Principles of Genetics, Snustad and Simmons.

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 an historical look at the field of genomics, including the first two approaches to the Human Genome Project, shotgun and contigs. They move on to study comparative genomics; the genetics of complex traits; genetic epidemiology; the genetics of common diseases (e.g., cancer genetics); modern chromosomal analysis; and computational genomics. In addition, students are introduced to the HapMap and ENCODE projects. Genomics relies heavily upon data analysis and computer technologies; the use of online databases and resources, both in the laboratory and 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 offered by CEGS faculty, 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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Not long ago, biology, chemistry, psychology, and physics were considered to be separate, barely overlapping disciplines. In recent years, however, the boundaries between these fields have begun to blur. Neuroscientists, among the first to take advantage of the breaking down of these walls, have used an interdisciplinary approach to study that most complex of all systems: the human brain.

In this course, students approach neuroanatomy from the gross and cellular levels and learn how nerve cells communicate with each other chemically. They explore the embryonic development of the nervous system, the sensory and motor systems, the effects of changes in brain chemistry, aspects of learning and memory, and disorders of the nervous system. 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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Medicine: East and West

In this course students explore the interplay between Chinese and western medicine. Topics include the use of acupuncture and its role in pain management; the role of spirituality in the healing arts; and the divergent systems’ basic approaches to disease and patient care. Throughout, students look at the history, philosophy, and science that determine the similarities and differences of the two approaches. In addition, students examine ongoing shifts in western medicine as physicians look to learn from the Chinese healing arts.

Sample texts: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Fadiman; The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine, Kaptchuk; Physical Examination and Health Assessment Pocket Companion, Jarvis.

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Epidemiology, Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, and Pandemics

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? For instance, how can the World Health Organization (WHO) reach its goal of halving the number of malaria cases by 2010?

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

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Chemistry

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, laboratory experiments, and a field trip to the USDA Beltsville research facility, 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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Have you ever wondered why cows can digest grass but humans can’t? Why some plastic containers melt in a microwave oven but others don’t? Why salt crystals are cubic but ice crystals are hexagonal? Chemical structure provides the key for answering these questions. Of the ninety naturally occurring elements, only four—carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen—comprise most of the thousands of materials we find in our daily lives. The only differences among these materials are the ways they connect to form tiny building blocks, and how those building blocks are arranged.

In this introductory chemistry course, students examine the structural features of gems and polymers to better understand their properties and behavior. Students learn about metals, ionic solids, and composite materials such as orthodontic memory metal. Sample projects include research on the characteristics of each student’s birth stone and building models of simple cubic unit cells. Students then investigate synthetic polymers and use three-dimensional replicas to help distinguish between polymers such as Teflon®, Styrofoam®, Saran Wrap®, and polyester. The course culminates with a study of biomolecules, also known as natural polymers. Students examine the structural differences between saturated and unsaturated fats, starch and cellulose carbohydrates, and hair and wool proteins. Geometric principles and spatial reasoning play important roles in this course.

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 a diet soft drink to Gore-Tex® in a windbreaker, applications of chemistry are integral to our everyday lives. This course, designed for those who have not yet taken a chemistry course, gives students an introduction to the field of chemistry and its uses in the world around us.

The course begins with an examination of fundamental concepts such as the periodic table, atomic structure, chemical bonding, and chemical reactions. Through discussions, hands-on activities, and lab exercises, students address more complex chemistry topics involving food, energy, pharmaceuticals, and technology. For instance, students may examine the sugar content of soft drinks through a hydrometer, carry out chromatographic separations, or analyze SPF 40 sunscreens to test whether they can live up to their claims.

Course activities emphasize learning concepts in a laboratory setting to understand how chemistry affects our surroundings and daily routines. Lab activities include identifying unknown substances, polymerizing styrene, isolating proteins, and examining the enzymatic breakdown of starch.

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 include the periodic table, the atom, chemical bonding, nomenclature, the mole concept, stoichiometry, acids and bases, organic chemistry, thermodynamics, kinetics, and equilibrium.

On the first and last days of class, students take a comprehensive test in chemistry to help assess their learning.

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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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 controlled in nuclear power plants to provide electricity to our communities. Radioactive atoms are used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, including cancer. Irradiating foods give 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 and radiation treatments for cancer, 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 fission and chain reactions, measuring background radiation, and observing vapor trails left by electrons.

Note: Students work with educational kits designed for student safety. Their exposure to radioactive material is equivalent to that of handling a household smoke detector.

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

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Chemical Process Engineering

New course for 2008!

Each year chemical plants manufacture over 70,000 different products ranging from fertilizer to pharmaceuticals to semiconductors. Students in this course explore key concepts in chemistry and physics as they take a practical-experimental approach to learn the basics of chemical process engineering—including how to operate process equipment and how to manufacture select chemical products.

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Physics

Inventions

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Did you know that the precursor to the modern computer was invented in 1843 by a woman named Ada Byron? She named her invention the “analytic engine,” and it provided the foundation for our technological society. From the analytic engine 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? Can a tower made of spaghetti, marshmallows, and tape support a can of soup? In this course, students dismantle gadgets to figure out how things work and use ordinary household items to create new inventions. Students apply for “patents,” collaborate with their fellow inventors, keep an inventions journal, and work in teams to create stronger bridges or more effective mousetraps. In addition, students research the lives and newfangled 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 join scientists and explorers, past and present, as they examine flight in both the natural and man-made worlds. Students turn first to topics including Newton’s laws; Bernoulli’s Principle; and the fundamental concepts of weight, lift, drag, and thrust. They then apply this knowledge as they consider birds, balloons, airplanes, and rockets. Students design, construct, and test model planes; investigate the aerodynamic capabilities of gliders and helicopters; and explore the challenges of space travel. Students complement their discussions and explorations with field trips to aviation facilities.

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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Students in this course explore various approaches to problem solving in the physical and mathematical sciences. Through hands-on activities demonstrating basic physics, students examine Newton’s laws and delve into other elements of engineering and mechanics.

Students learn to ask scientific questions and hypothesize. How do you predict and measure current in a complex circuit? How do you build the strongest bridge with the lightest building materials? How do pressure, temperature, and volume interact to enable hot air balloon travel? How do simple machines work, and what machines might the future bring us? In hands-on and group work, students examine the theory and limits of experimentation. They also correlate data and theories in order to interpret physical phenomena.

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).

Class lectures and demonstrations include Newtonian mechanics, thermal behavior of gases, wave motion, geometric and wave optics, electromagnetism and DC circuits, 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. On the first and last days of class, students take a comprehensive test in physics to help assess their learning.

Sample text: Physics: Principles and Problems, Zitzewitz.

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

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Principles of Engineering Design

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Students in this course explore key principles of engineering design by constructing working models. Through this hands-on learning process, students also gain exposure to fundamental topics in physics including Newton’s laws of motion, energy, electricity and magnetism, properties of materials, basic atomic structure, and fluid dynamics.

In small groups, students design and build working models of a number of devices. Examples include, but are not limited to, solar-powered cars, mousetrap-powered cars, electrical circuits, truss/suspension bridges, gliders, and tabletop roller coasters. In addition to these projects, students complete related experiments on topics such as linear and projectile motion, simple machines, electrical circuits, and photovoltaic cells.

As a part of the engineering design process, students document their procedures, data, and conclusions. In addition, students submit written reports for review. These reports are likely to be in the form of a bid proposal to a fictitious company in which the students must persuade the company’s CEO to select their group’s design for a lucrative contract.

Sample text: Materials compiled by the instructor.

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 the 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. It can be taken as a credit or non-credit course. Credit costs an additional $300 and must be arranged with JHU directly (not CTY). For more information, please visit: www.cty.jhu.edu/summer/ieng.html.

Sample texts: 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 impact of electrical engineering can be seen all around us. As electronic components continue to shrink in size, the future promises even more astounding progress in fields such as robotics, satellite communications, energy conservation, factory automation, oil and gas exploration, and electrical power generation and distribution. 

This course offers students an introduction to the field of electrical engineering. Students learn the basic physical science behind circuits and electronics, including electrical current, voltage, resistance, conductivity, work, energy, power, and magnetism. They apply these concepts to draw simple schematic series and parallel circuits, and they analyze the circuits using mathematical tools such as Kirchoff’s laws. In laboratory exercises, students build their own circuits using power supplies, resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, and transistors. They then measure the circuits’ properties to test their mathematical predictions. 

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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Engineering Design: Architecture in Spain

New course for 2008!

Taking advantage of the rich and varied history of Madrid, this course looks at architecture through the lens of an engineer. Combining the topics of materials science and civil engineering, students examine the physics and chemistry behind how buildings are constructed and why some remain standing far longer than others. During the course, students venture into the field to identify landmark buildings and learn how certain design choices—materials and elements—allowed for breakthroughs in the history of architecture.

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Physics in the Real World

New course for 2008!

This course examines the physics of everyday phenomena. Through hands-on experiments, students answer questions such as “Why does an ambulance approaching you sound different than one moving away from you?” as they explore topics ranging from Newton’s laws of motion to the principles of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics to electricity and magnetism.

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Rocket Science and Beyond

New course for 2008!

Students in this course take a hands-on approach as they combine aspects of physics, computer science, and aeronautics to design, construct, test, and launch a model rocket. Activities range from wind tunnel testing to robotics platform design to graphical computer programming.

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Field Sciences

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 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. Students leave 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

• sample syllabus 1
• sample syllabus 2

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 the San Andreas 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 Control of Nature, McPhee.

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

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Bay Ecology

• sample syllabus 1
• sample syllabus 2

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

• sample syllabus 1
• sample syllabus 2

Not since the seventeenth century, when Galileo first looked through lenses into the skies, has there been such an explosion of discovery and understanding of the universe as in the past 50 years. In this course, students are exposed to the physics and mathematical concepts which are part of the science of astronomy, including such topics as planetary science; solar physics; stellar evolution; general relativity; and exotic objects such as quasars, pulsars, and black holes. Students also investigate the history of this ancient discipline, from Stonehenge to the Hubble Space Telescope.

Students tackle many hands-on activities and labs: analyzing emission spectra, examining telescopic optics, plotting sunspots, determining Hubble’s constant, and calculating the distance and magnitude of stars. They have opportunities to visit local observatories, planetariums, or science centers. In class discussions, students use their new foundation in astronomy to consider its role in our lives on Earth, cosmology, and the search for extraterrestrial life.

Sample text: Horizons: Exploring the Universe, Seeds.

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

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Astronomy

• sample syllabus 1
• sample syllabus 2

Not since the seventeenth century, when Galileo first looked through lenses into the skies, has there been such an explosion of discovery and understanding of the universe as in the past fifty years. In this course, students are exposed to the physics and mathematical concepts which are part of the science of astronomy, including such topics as planetary science; solar physics; stellar evolution; general relativity; and exotic objects such as quasars, pulsars, and black holes. Students also investigate the history of this ancient discipline, from Stonehenge to the Hubble Space Telescope.

Students tackle many hands-on activities and labs: analyzing emission spectra, examining telescopic optics, plotting sunspots, determining Hubble’s constant, and calculating the distance and magnitude of stars. They have opportunities to visit local observatories, planetariums, or science centers. In class discussions, students use their new foundation in astronomy to consider its role in our lives on Earth, cosmology, and the search for extraterrestrial life.

Sample text: Horizons: Exploring the Universe, Seeds.

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

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Paleobiology

• sample syllabus 1
• sample syllabus 2

In this course, students integrate the study of the fossil record in its geological context with the principles of modern biology. For instance, students compare extinct and extant life by taking field trips to observe and collect fossils, dissecting present-day organisms in the lab, and then comparing the two. They learn quantitative analysis (measuring and graphing samples) and use present-day life forms to reconstruct the life habits of extinct organisms. Using these skills and data, students explore a range of topics crucial to our understanding of ancient life, including evolutionary theory, population genetics, and paleoecology. From plate tectonics to dinosaurs to the geometry of life forms, the topics of this course acquaint students with the history of life on Earth.

Sample text: Earth System History, Stanley.

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

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Archaeology

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• sample syllabus 2

Archaeologists search for hidden clues about our past. But how do archaeologists know where to dig and how to interpret what they find? The issues uncovered in archaeology range from geological to ethical, and in this introductory course students build the scientific foundation necessary to pursue the answers. Students learn to survey, map, and excavate sites; recover and record data; process and analyze artifacts; and create replicas of stone tools and pottery. Through these field and lab experiences they discover, discuss, and write about evidence of hominid evolution, human survival strategies, and religious and social rituals. They also consider pressing issues facing archaeologists, such as artifact looting and forgery, or the diverse interests of developers and indigenous peoples. Ultimately, students learn and analyze the scientific processes of archaeology as they unearth definitions of culture and history.

Sample texts: Archaeology: Theories, Methods, and Practice, Renfrew and Bahn; Motel of the Mysteries, Macaulay.

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

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Oceanography: The Hawaiian Pacific

• sample syllabus 1
• sample syllabus 2

In this course, modeled on first-year college oceanography courses, students explore the physical, chemical, geological, and biological features of the waters of the Hawaiian Islands.In this course, modeled on first-year college oceanography courses, students explore the physical, chemical, geological, and biological features of the waters of the Hawaiian Islands. 

Students learn the structure, formation, and features of the Pacific Ocean basin, and examine currents, tides, and waves. What, for example, accounts for the nearly mythical nalu that draws surfers from around the world to Hawaii’s shores? Students investigate the biochemical cycles that affect seawater, and discover the ocean-atmosphere interactions that account for Hawaii’s great variety of climates. They also explore the unique marine life and marine ecosystems of Hawaii, from the shorelines to the coral reefs to the deep ocean. Students consider the ocean as a natural resource, and learn how local people struggle to balance economic and environmental concerns.

Field trips to nearby research facilities, including the Oceanic Institute, and to coral reefs, such as Hanauma Bay, complement daily reading, lectures, and lab work.

Sample text: Oceanography: An Introduction to Marine Science, Garrison.

Lab and Field Trip Budget:
$1200 — $1800 per 3-week session (depending on enrollment)

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Volcanoes: Hawaii

New course for 2008!

Few things in nature are as awe inspiring as an erupting volcano. From the explosive gases to the molten lava, volcanoes have captured our imaginations and shaped and reshaped our world. Students in this course focus on the volcanoes that formed the Hawaiian Islands and they examine their geological history and cultural impact.

The course begins with a brief introduction to earth science, including a discussion of the geological layers of the earth, convection currents, and plate tectonics. Students then turn to the particulars of a volcan mantle plumes, magma flow, volcano pluming, and eruption. Throughout the course, students also link the geological characteristics of volcanoes to the particular environmental and cultural context of Hawaii. For instance, students might explore the flora and fauna of Hawaii as well as the foundation myth of Pele, the goddess of volcanoes, and her role in the creation of the Hawaiian Islands.

The course culminates in a trip to the Big Island where students visit Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park—home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes: Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Through hands-on work, research, and time in the field, students leave the course with a greater understanding of the forces that created the Hawaiian Islands.

Sample texts: New course.

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