If you'd like to learn more about what makes a great spoken word performance, this class is for you. We will be examining some of the more popular performers and working together on original pieces. We will also utilize peer feedback when presenting, so come ready to practice in front of an audience!

In this class, we will analyze how the literary devices used in various hip hop and trap songs convey meaning through lyrics or beats. Additionally, we will discuss how sampling has transformed both of these genres within the context of the modern music industry and draw parallels between an artist's influences and the music they make today.

So maybe you're more into Bob (Marley) than Beethoven. Music theory isn't just for all the classical junkies out there. Come listen to some great tunes and learn what makes them work. We are going to talk about swing and reggae rhythms and examine the structure of the 12-bar blues. The class will be mostly based on listening and does not require prior music reading experience.

Does art have to be hung up on a wall? Can art move? Can it FLY?

Get to know Alexander Calder's whimsical mobile art through this hands-on course. You will leave with a new eye for motion in art, as well as a Calderesque mobile of your own creation.

Everyone listens to music. Have you ever wondered what makes certain aspects of music appealing to our ears, while others sound less pleasing? In this class, we will listen to music samples across genres and discuss some of the theory behind the music we hear. No prior background in music theory necessary.

Ever seen those neatly drawn quotes on Pinterest or Instagram? Learn to make your own word art when you take this class! No experience needed, and when the class is finished you'll have your own piece of hand-lettered art (as well as a calligraphy pen for future use)!

New to the art of knitting? Want to make a snazzy striped potholder for the holidays? Like cookies and music? Come to Knitting for Knewbies, a two-hour course dedicated to introducing you to the art of knitting! We will teach you the basics - how to cast on stitches, knit and purl, change colors, and bind off - and you will leave with your very own pot holder and the knowledge to make anything you can imagine! No previous knitting experience required - just bring your two hands, a few song suggestions, and a positive attitude!


Prerequisites
Only students with no previous knitting experience may enroll in this course.

Members of Yale's Breakdance crew, Cerebral Adikts, will teach students the basics of Breakdancing such as footwork, freezes, and combinations, breaking all the moves down and working through them step by step with the students. Breakdancing can be very physically tiring, especially for beginners, so we ask that students come with water and dressed in athletic clothes


Prerequisites
No prerequisites but some dance experience, especially in hip-hop, will greatly help he students pick up the material faster.

Every wondered what goes into writing and drawing your favorite mangas? Come learn how Naruto, Fairy Tail, One Piece, and other mangas are created and learn how to write your own storyboard and sketch your first oneshot!

Course will feature an overview of the daily work of a mangaka and the process through which manga are written and serialized. Students will be invited to create their own story and sketch it.

A class requiring physical activity, if you ever have looked for a union of music and movement, Capoeira is a Brazilian Martial Art/Dance form, formed by the influence of African slaves brought to Bahia during Portugal's colonization of Brazil. This course will be an overview of some common movements, songs, and the history of the art form of Capoeira.

During this class we will examine the works of William Carlos Williams and Sylvia Plath through analysis and discussion. We will then engage in a short quiet writing session before gathering for a classroom poetry reading.


Prerequisites
Literacy

This class will explore using Adobe Suite programs to create up-worthy images. We'll explore facebombing, memes, and the magic eraser tool.

Why do people love setting Shakespeare's stories to music? How did Romeo and Juliet become the musical West Side Story? How did The Taming of the Shrew become the musical Kiss Me, Kate? Why are there dozens of musicals, operas, and ballets based on Shakespeare's plays? In this class we'll read scenes from Shakespeare and then watch/listen to the musical adaptation and discuss! Students will also have a chance to try their hand at some adaptation ideas of their own!

Do you ever get bored at restaurants waiting for food? Want to impress your date with a beautiful dinner set up? In this course you will learn how to use simple things, like napkins and chopstick wrappers to fold flowers, animals, and a few surprises!

Want to make a robot? Interested in robotics or how robots work?

Come make a bristlebot, a small vibrating robot that can be made from an electric toothbrush, and learn about robots!

This course may require students to share tools such as scissors and tape with other students. Please sign up for this course only if you are ok with sharing (sharing is caring!).


Prerequisites
Explicitly no programming or soldering experience is required.

Have you ever wondered what's really going on inside your computer? Take this class to find out! We'll start from circuit parts and build our way up to an entire processor.


Prerequisites
Know what "voltage" and "current" mean

How can bacteria successfully navigate towards food or away from toxins with only the most basic tools? What makes them go? And where does math come into it?
We'll answer these questions while taking a look at the fascinating chemical mechanisms and mathematical principles driving some of nature's simplest creatures!


Prerequisites
A basic understanding of probability and biology will be useful, but not strictly required.

This course will cover video games, from the traditional Pong to the reign of Mario and his friends, finishing with modern-day story telling games such as The Wolf Among Us, free-to-play online games, the rise of indie gaming and mobile gaming. We will discuss why Nintendo reigned supreme for years, the Playstation vs XBox battle, and the always-shifting definition of "gamer". We will also discuss character arcs, gender stereotypes, and the highs and lows of the gaming industry (with a focus on the hilarious failures of some games).

If ye be wantin' to learn what it was really like to sail the high seas under the black flag, and to hear the true and grisly tales of the world's most fearsome pirates, come aboard! See how ye'd do as a pirate captain in the 17th century!

Humankind has been inventing strange creatures for thousands of years. In this class, we'll discuss the reason why, while examining monsters from the hydra to King Kong. We'll find out what these monsters meant to the societies that created them, and why we're still making them today.


Prerequisites
None

A comprehensive survey of important political philosophers of modern Western thought, spanning the Enlightenment, the Anti-Enlightenment, the New Left, the Marxists, and others. Includes discussions of philosophers such as Locke, Hobbes, Marx, Rawls, Nozick, Arendt, Bentham, and Mill. For students who wish to gain a general overview of modern political thought, and who wish to explore political philosophy.

Come enjoy conversation with your fellow Splashmates on the books you are reading, have read, or want to read.

Come to get ideas on where to find books that you might enjoy reading.

Come with books you'd be looking to give away, too!

A trip into the wonderful world of Harry Potter as seen through the Latin language. Magic abounds as you take a closer look at the characters and spells you've come to know and love. No previous knowledge of Latin or Harry Potter required or expected.

English is a crazy, backward language; come find out some of the secrets of how it came to be!


Prerequisites
Fluent speaker of English

The course will cover Ancient Greece, Modern Greece, the arts, the battles, the language, and anything else students would be interested in. Being from Greece I could talk about topics from the Acropolis to how to say "Where is the best gyro place in town?" in either Ancient or Modern Greek!


Prerequisites
None.

It is often believed that the twentieth century was a time of unmatched violence and militarism in world history. While World War I, World War II, and many regional wars & genocides did represent a new epoch of large-scale technological warfare, these century-defining events weren't met only with patriotic support and fervor; in fact, the hawkish attitudes of the great world powers encountered at various points significant pacifistic resistance – from people in many corners of the globe and many walks of life. This class seeks to introduce students to these lesser-known peace movements and to assess their contribution to the conflicts and their aftermath. In essence, what is the legacy of the peace movements that emerged throughout the twentieth century? We will look at political documents, literature, art, and other forms of pacifism as a class to discuss their nuances and impacts.

Have you ever wondered what you parents are referring to when they talk about the Berlin Wall or Doris Day? If so, this class is for you. In the span of an hour, we will explore the main historical trends in the second half of the 20th century, through Billy Joel's pop song, "We Didn't Start the Fire". We will also look at issues of memory, interpretation, and perspective. At the end of the course, you may even get a chance to compose your own anthem for the early 21st century!

In her characters, J.K. Rowling presents an incredible spectrum of feminist and anti-feminist attitudes. By discussing different characters and perspectives on feminist theory, we can hope to gain a better understanding of what feminism is.

This class will focus on the book as a physical object--its uses, misuses, and transformations throughout history. How is a printed book different from a manuscript? What can we learn about texts when we confront the messy realities of printing and book-binding? Our objects of study will include fragments of Anglo-Saxon manuscripts, the Gutenberg Bible, and much more. (Note: this class includes a visit to the "Reading English" exhibition at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library.)

A study of the psychological components at work in political advertisements and other psychological effects explored by the field of political psychology.

An overview of the causes of difficulties faced by many African nations to develop their governments and economies since independence with a focus on how colonialism and other international interference has affected those countries.

Students will learn a brief history of constructed (consciously made and artificial) languages such as Esperanto, Volapuk, Lojban, and Toki Pona. Students will learn what goes into creating a language and then begin to construct their own.

Ever since an Ethiopian goatherd saw his flock jittering after tasting a strange fruit, coffee has captured our tastebuds and invigorated our imagination. Coffee today is a $100 billion dollar industry employing 25 million people from impoverished harvesters to hipster baristas. Throughout history, it has been an incredible driving force, and serves as a fascinating case study for global economics and cultural diffusion.

Learn about how coffee may have accelerated the enlightenment, propelled global trade, and shaped the world since antiquity! And learn how to make specialty brew for yourself!

Beans will be provided, as will mugs. Students entering with Starbucks venti mochaccinos will be politely asked to leave.

What makes America the most violent developed country in the world? What role is played by the ease of access to guns? Why have certain gun policy proposals gained the support of over 90% of Americans, but failed to pass in Congress?

This is a crash course that will touch on topics in public health, history, sociology, media studies, and political science -- and the opportunities and challenges that come with getting involved in a single-issue political campaign.

An introduction to the language and rich culture of Ancient Greece, this class will focus on the basic grammar and vocabulary of Attic Greek and how it is reflected in the English we speak today. The class will also briefly survey some great works of classical literature, including the poetry of Homer and the great Greek tragedies, and cover the basics of Greek religious beliefs and mythology.

A survey of some of the most well-known and influential Pre-Socratic philosophers. Discussion of physics and ethics. In what sense were they philosophers? How do they influence us today? How do we know about them?

Why did Heraclitus think fire was the most basic element? Why did Thales think magnets had souls? Why did Zeno think motion was impossible? Why did Parmenides think that there was no such thing as nothing?


Prerequisites
Interest in philosophy, especially classical

In this class, you CREATE YOUR OWN LANGUAGE!! Linguists call made-up languages 'conlangs', short for constructed languages. Arguably the most famous con-langer is J. R. R. Tolkein, author of the Lord of the Rings series. L. L. Zamenhof created Esperanto, the worlds most widely-learnt con-lang, which he hoped would become the language of international communication. It even has native speakers!

Our goal is to start creating a unique, fun, but also realistic language. 'Realistic' really means that the language needs to follow some basic linguistic principles and have the necessary structure of real human languages; you should be able to teach it to your children and have them become native speakers. To achieve this, we'll need to learn some main concepts in linguistics. We'll go over important ideas from phonology, morphology and syntax, as well as study multiple examples of real spoken languages to guide us in the creation of our own languages.


Prerequisites
Some knowledge of a foreign language

Have you ever met a real Native American? Have you wondered why the Washington football team's name is surrounded in controversy? This course will break down stereotypes, and provide a glimpse into the reality of what it means to be Native American. More specifically, this course will explore the history and culture of the Navajo Nation, the largest federally recognized Native American tribe in the United States. Topics will include historical relations between the Navajo Nation and the federal government (including the forced relocation of the Navajo people to Bosque Redondo, and the use of Code Talkers in World War Two), Navajo origin stories/religion, and contemporary issues related to Navajo politics, economy, and culture.


Prerequisites
N/A

Delve into the world of Ancient Rome! Not only the age of gladiators, chariot races, and laurel leaves, but also the age of slavery, political corruption, and death! We will explore the world of Ancient Rome and aspects of how the Romans lived their lives on a day-to-day basis. If you have always wanted to learn about where our modern societal ideas originated, then this is the course for you!

William Blake is one of the most influential and widely-read poets in the English language. His words reveal questions we experience but cannot always articulate. Explore with us as we tackle his poetry, constantly asking ourselves what lessons we might glean from his work. The class will focus primarily on Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience.


Prerequisites
Strong background in English classes, preferably with exposure to literary analysis

Come join me in learning and dicussing the most influential figures in philosophy from Plato, Aristotle, and Sextus Empiricus to Hume, Kant, and Mill.

Read, learn, and explore poetry from across societies, perspectives, and times focused on the theme of beauty. What makes something beautiful? Where does beauty lie? And how is beauty relevant to the modern world?


Prerequisites
A functioning brain with ample grey matter

We will explore how both heterosexual and homosexual portrayals in media have evolved and changed throughout time. We'll start with photographs of different couples in the late 1800s to 1920s, dive into the film industry in the 1930s and post-World War II era, and discuss the ever-changing landscape of reality television and the programming we see today. We will explore the differences between straight and non-straight couples, as well as the differences between gay and lesbian portrayal. Please note that if you are not willing to openly discuss sexuality in depth, this may not be the class for you.

From Snow White to Princess Anna, this course analyzes our favorite Disney princesses in the movies that made them famous, while taking a look at the overall evolution of the Disney heroine.

Ever wanted to impress some friends with magic? Well now's your chance! In this class, we will go over some easy yet amazing self-working card tricks and the math and algorithms behind how they work. Since these tricks are self-working, no knowledge of sleight of hand is required. Cards will be provided.


Prerequisites
Knowlege of basic algebra (Pre-algebra, Algebra I)

Topology studies properties of objects preserved by "stretching" without tearing; hence, the famous joke that topologists cannot tell the difference between their coffee cups and doughnuts. This course will introduce the fundamental concepts of topology including open and closed sets, topological spaces, and continuous maps. A purely topological proof of the infinitude of primes will also be presented.


Prerequisites
2 years of high school algebra and 1 year of high school geometry. An interest in pure mathematics would be helpful.

In high school, you learned to do geometric constructions using the traditional compass and straightedge. But there's nothing really special about those tools; they just happened to be the ones Euclid described in his axioms. Let's try using a different tool: folding paper! In this class, we will develop a set of "axioms for origami," and then challenge ourselves to solve various construction problems using paper folding-- and some of their solutions might surprise you!


Prerequisites
High school geometry, including experience with compass-and-straightedge constructions, strongly preferred

Ever played Sprout? Nim? Hackenbush? Chomp? We'll play a few games and go over, without proof, number addition and strategies for impartial games.

What is math? Have we invented math or is math a product of our natural world? Can infinity be grasped?

A brief philosophical and historical inquiry into topics of math, namely its ontology (how it can be represented as objects).


Prerequisites
Familiarity with algebra.

You use the internet every day, come learn how it works! We will go through a simple overview of how a website is rendered on your computer, trace packets as they go through the network, and discuss privacy and security issues related to the internet, and some related current events. Topics include routing, rendering, encryption, IP addresses, and domains.


Prerequisites
Only that you have used the internet before. No technical experience required.

You use the internet every day, but have you ever thought about how powerful a tool it is? Come learn how it works and how to learn even more from it! We will examine conventional and unconventional ways in which to learn or teach oneself from freely available websites. Topics include routing, domain hosting, open courseware, data and trend sites, and live webcams. There will be plenty of web surfing, and students are asked to come with their favorite website in mind to share with the class (we will email you a few days before asking for submissions).

Note: if you are interested in learning more about the technical aspects of how the internet works, see James Batchelder's other class on the internet.

What are the ways of approaching algorithmic problems? How do we model real-life problems to be solvable with known programming techniques? What are some of the problems we have no viable solution for? How does Google handle your searches? How does Facebook find your friends? We are going to be learning some of the techniques that underlie these solutions, and more.


Prerequisites
High School Math

At first Math is adding numbers.
Then we generalize and begin letting letters stand in for numbers. This is algebra.
What happens when we begin to try to generalize operations?
Which brings us to the question: where did we got numbers from in the first place anyway?


Prerequisites
High school math. You should be familiar with the idea of a square root and the idea that the $$\sqrt 2$$ is irrational. If you have heard of i, $$\sqrt -1$$, that helps too.

We use numbers all the time: to count and measure things, to solve math problems, and to play games. But what exactly IS a number? Is it a point on a line? A sequence of digits? Or is the answer much more complicated than that? In this class we'll explore some possible answers to these questions, challenging our intuitions and getting a deeper understanding of the building blocks of mathematics in the process.

In this class we see how calculus arises naturally from thinking carefully about the real world. Through concrete examples in physics we introduce the Limit, Derivative, Integral and Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Our primary goal is to gain a vivid intuition for calculus.


Prerequisites
Comfortability with elementary functions such as polynomials, exponentials, cosines and sines. Basic knowledge of physics may help, but is not required.

Algebra is more than solving equations -- it's about making abstract observations in a rigorous way. We'll explore some basic ways that abstract algebra unifies numbers, geometry, and other aspects of math. By the end of the course, you will have a better understanding of what algebra really means to a mathematician.


Prerequisites
No number theory, group theory, or advanced geometry will be assumed. In other words, we'll start from scratch.

Do you know the Prisoner's Dilemma? Have you thought about how gas stations should set prices in competition, or about how cooperation does or does not occur "spontaneously" in markets? This will be a mostly basic introduction to game theory, although there will be one calculation in the last part of the class.


Prerequisites
Knowing how to sum a geometric series (optional, but the end of the class will use it without comment)

When you visit a website, what is actually happening? Learn about how websites are created, what goes on in the background, and how they ultimately end up on your computer.


Prerequisites
Must have used a web browser.

On the one hand, mathematics is a very old field of study, and so it can seem like many of its questions have been answered. On the other hand, mathematics is still (and always will be!) full of interesting unsolved problems. Many of these problems require a deeper knowledge of higher mathematics to be able to approach, but what's remarkable is that there are many unanswered questions that don't require any deep knowledge to understand! In class, we'll take a look at some of these open problems, and then we'll get our hands dirty and play around with them some. See you there!


Prerequisites
None, besides a willingness to participate during class.

Generally speaking, dynamics is the study of how systems change and evolve over time. The theory of dynamical systems is applied in many different fields---physics, biology, economics, and sociology, to name a few---but it is also a captivating study in its own right. Here, we'll look at several examples of mathematical dynamical systems, and in the process we'll develop some language and explore some tools mathematicians use to study and describe this vast and beautiful theory. See you there!


Prerequisites
None, besides a willingness to participate during class.

Can there be different sizes of infinity?

"Of course not!" says a friend. "Infinity is infinity. It means something goes on without end. There can't be different sizes of that."

"Sure!" says another. "Say that you take the integers. They're infinite. Now take the positive integers. There must be more integers, because they have all the negatives!"

You might think that it makes no sense to talk about different sizes of infinity. But mathematics has found a precise way to understand infinity and to measure its size. Come find out who above is right --- if anyone --- and to discover the power of a good mathematical definition.


Prerequisites
You should be comfortable with mathematical abstraction and be prepared to work together in groups to untangle difficult questions.

We will introduce the basics of representation theory, and run through some cool applications in particle physics, quantum mechanics, and some other areas!


Prerequisites
You should know a little group theory, and basic mathematical notation.

Is there such a thing as an unbreakable cipher? How did the ancients protect secret messages? How did the British crack the German Enigma cipher in WWII? What does

AUJOM UWTOT GZWCO AKLUG PTELK HLGWA ZTYYG BKWZU DKMHP AUPHW PR

mean? Find out the answers to these questions and more!

Fractals…you know what they look like, but do you have any idea what they really are? We'll break fractals down into their simplest (self-similar) parts in order to understand how a coastline could be of infinite length, why it makes sense for a shape to be log(3) dimensional, what any of this has to do with snowflakes.
And then we'll build our own!


Prerequisites
A little bit of algebra (exponents and logarithms) and a lot of excitement about cool shapes!

Scientists currently know more what the surface of Mars looks like than what the depths of our planet's oceans look like. So...what do we know? What kind of creatures live down there? What are the efforts being made to learn more about it? The class will explain what we know about the darkest depths of the largest bodies of water on Earth.

Do you enjoy your phone? Your car radio? Your electricity in your house? Well, there is one man to thank: Nikola Tesla. The Serbian-American inventor, whose advancements in the field of electrical engineering and wireless communication are still in use today, was relatively unknown in his life and didn't gain any of the recognition he deserved until after his death. This class will pay homage to the man whose inventions help power the world today.

You've heard of ants, crabs and spiders... but how about mantis shrimp, springtails and vinegaroons? This course will explore the strangest members of the arthropod family tree, and will examine their unique adaptations to nature's challenges.

Ever wonder how the numerous drugs we take actually work? This class will take you through some of the best-selling and most utilized drugs in history, examining not only what they look like on a molecular level, but also how they interact with our bodies. We will see how these small compounds can have massive and lasting effects on us despite very simple, minute, and short-lived chemical interactions.


Prerequisites
Some experience in basic (or acidic) chemistry would be helpful but not necessary

Does health affect wealth or wealth affect health? If we had $100, how should we spend it to get the best return on health? Will Ebola kill us all?? Overview on the health of the poor in low and middle income countries. We will discuss the determinants of health, the Millennium Development Goals, who is most negatively affected by disasters and epidemics, and the ethical dilemmas in health distribution from the viewpoint of a humanitarian.

Wanna get SWOLE? Love the chalky taste of protein shakes? Do amino acids excite you? What about alpha helices and beta sheets? Cellular metabolism? Molecular interactions?

If you're looking to get ripped, this class probably won't help you. But we promise to strengthen your mind, if not your biceps. Come learn about proteins and how incredibly important they are in the cell.

We will take an in depth look at how enzymes work and some of the theory behind modeling complex systems such as cellular signaling networks.

There are many different ways to study psychology, but one of the most clinically useful is to look at the brain when it is not functioning properly. We will start with a brief overview of the different categories of psychological disorders and then focus on the genetics, phenomenology, and treatment of schizophrenia.


Prerequisites
Some background knowledge of biology might be helpful, but is not required.

Did you know that in about 25,000 years, Polaris will no longer be our North Star? The phenomenon responsible for this is called precession. This course will teach you about how precession works, along with examples of precession using gyroscopes, and information about what role gyroscopes play in every day life.

Ever wonder how birds find their way south in the winter? Or why salmon return to the streams they were born in to lay eggs? Join us to discover the answers and learn about the world’s most amazing migrations. We’ll cover how and why animals migrate, discussing everything from dragonflies to humpback whales.

The term "social engineering" as an act of psychological manipulation is associated with the social sciences, but its usage has caught on among computer and information security professionals and is one of the growing fields of study today.
This course will briefly cover the basics and principles of social engineering as well as some of the easy tactics one can use in persuasion and compliance.

This course will introduce the wonderful world of physics by investigating the properties of the atom to show how they explain a number of things such as heat and gravity. No previous experience is required, but even if you've already taken physics you'll get new perspectives on the things you already know. If you want to understand more about the world around, this is the course for you.


Prerequisites
Elementary algebra

While the population of the world is increasing at rapid rates, the land available to live on is only getting smaller. What are we to do about accommodating our growing population with the limited resources on earth? More importantly, what are we to do about all the trash that we throw away? Where is it going? And will we have enough room for more landfills? More importantly, what can you do right now to help this pressing issue? It's not too late to change your habits and make an impact on our environment. Come find out how.

We rely on memory for a lot more than just reliving good times from the past! By conducting a series of in-class experiments, learn how memory plays an important role in everything we do and find ways to improve your memory in real-life situations.


Prerequisites
A background in psychology is useful but not necessary!

"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" From wave propagation in the air to complex sound processing in the brain, the noises we hear on a daily basis embark on a remarkable journey of energy transduction before we hear them. Learn about sound waves, ear anatomy, and neuroscience in the context of our sense of hearing.


Prerequisites
None

This class will explore the underlying mechanisms of cellular motility during endocytosis and cytokinesis, two metabolic processes crucial for cell survival. Emphasis will be placed on biochemical interactions and signaling pathways.

Love cooking? Love science? Take this class to learn more about both and how they fit together! In this class, we'll watch cooking videos starring some of the world's top chefs, learn some of their favorite recipes, and discuss the science that underlies their methods.

Every day scientists are discovering more and more about our most powerful muscle: the brain!

Throughout this course, various significant course studies in the field of neuroscience will be discussed, with the occasional optical illusions.


Prerequisites
None!

Shakespeare wrote concerning love:
"Love is merely a madness: and, I tell you, deserves ... a whip, as madmen do"

Madness or not, love is a complex cascade of chemicals in the brain. And, in this course we’ll consider some key compounds, study their associated effects, and sample two common natural sources of a few of these molecules–chocolate and honey.

No prior knowledge of chemistry will be assumed.

Why are astronauts in space weightless? How does NASA test the effects of zero gravity without going to space? This class is about the science of zero gravity: its explanation, effects on humans, and the ways in which we work with it.


Prerequisites
None

How strong willed are you? How unique are you? Independent? Immutable? How likely are you to follow the crowd? The field of psychology has shown us that maybe we're not who we think we are. Come see how you are influenced day-in, day-out by the people that surround you. Personality tests are also administered; Come learn a little about yourself.

Have you ever tried to wash your hands without soap? It’s nearly impossible to get the oily dirt off your hands using just water, if you don’t use a soap. So how do they work? Answering this question will take us on a fun journey zooming in on the soap molecules, all the way down to the level of quantum mechanics!

During this discussion we will learn about:
– basic electrostatic interactions (like charges repel, opposites attract) and polarity of molecules.
– basic molecular chemistry (H2O for water, ionic/covalent bonds) and concept of hydrophobic, hydrophilic chemical functional groups
– introduction to quantum mechanics (Pauli Exclusion principle)

Proteins perform a vast number of roles from providing structural support to cells to catalyzing the biochemical reactions in our body. Thanks to modern science, we can visualize the intricate structures of proteins to better understand their function. In this course, you will learn about the different levels of protein structure and fold a zinc finger protein!


Prerequisites
Biology recommended

This class provides a relatively brief overview of conversational French, France and Paris. It is geared towards providing some useful skills and knowledge for a potential trip to Paris/France.
The first part of the class is designed to teach you basic conversational French: from greetings and introductions to some frequent basic questions.
The second part of the class will provide some basic knowledge about France, including geographical, historical, economical and cultural information.
The last part of the class will focus on Paris -- its history, global significance, monuments and culture.
It will include games, the use of clips of movies and songs, and provide you with a summary handout.

What kinds of techniques do marketers use to encourage you to think you're getting a "deal"? Why do people love their Apple products but think their reliable Samsung or Sony products are just ok? We'll explore these questions and possibly more in our hour together!

A fun, interactive introduction to the methods behind the art of cup stacking. Never heard of cup stacking before? Check out this video -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sa9cXHGZHc -- for a preview of what we'll be practicing in class. All levels of expertise are welcome, but this class will be geared towards those with minimal experience.

From illegal drug testing, to secret chemical weapons development, to psychological torture, scientific research has long been marred by unethical practices. This course will cover the details of several infamous experiments on human subjects, what made them unethical, and how that unethicality was concealed from the general public.

Note: Contains some mildly graphic content.

How does your attitude affect your actions? Learn all about the benefits of positivity with this fun and engaging class!

What did "gaming" entail before the era of video games? And why are educators and doctors starting to take play seriously? Come explore the principles of game design from before the era of computers, and learn why play is of paramount importance for the physical and mental wellness of people of all ages. Based on the work of game designer Bernie DeKoven and play leader Dr. Kwame Brown. The class will include a presentation and discussion, with demos if time permits!

Dear Splash participant, Unplug and spend some time writing your friend or family a letter. Be reminded of the days before text message speak. Write “LOL” out in full words. In this class, we will preserve the epistolary form with fun stationery and learn about the intimacy of written communication. Join me on November 8, 2014. Yours truly, Letter Enthusiast

Do you ever wonder what a class would be like if it combined math, art, science, history, psychology, global affairs, and more? We don't. Because we just made that class. That's this class. Come to it.
Join us as we journey through the big bang and evolution, the T-rex and love and happiness, the Renaissance and culture, the Model-T and technology, climate change, globalization and much more. And if you hate any of those topics, don't worry. We'll move to the next one in seconds.

"Acting is reacting". When on stage, a character is not a "character", but a living, breathing person. This "character" has dreams, friends, family, and a history. In this course, we will be exploring the logistics of being a living, breathing person on stage. We will participate in various exercises as well as monologue work; therefore, students are encouraged to bring in a monologue or scene--preferably from a play, but movies are acceptable--to conduct developmental work. Please wear clothes that you can move easily in. Also bring a monologue in with you!


Prerequisites
**NO PRIOR ACTING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED! Wear clothes you can move in comfortably.Bring in a ball (e.g. basketball, baseball, soccerball, tennisball, hackeysack, etc.) Bring in a printed out monologue or monologues, preferably from a play but a movie is acceptable.

This seminar will critically investigate competing concepts and approaches to historical experiences of development. It will then look at theories of development in the context of contemporary issues, such as trade, hunger and sustainability.

Do you want to know how to write in secret? Do you want to work for the CIA or the NSA? Do you want to explore how famous figures such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson communicated without revealing their secrets? What do you think of today's spies? Codes and ciphers have been around for thousands of years, throughout nearly every language and culture. These vital tools of secrecy helped America win independence from Britain and the Allies win WWII. American spies used ciphers during the Cold War; criminals like the Zodiac used them to taunt the police and newspapers. In fact, one 19th century man named Thomas J. Beale wrote a cipher that gives coordinates to a $63 million treasure he buried in Virginia (to this day, no one has been able to solve the cipher and find the treasure!). These are just a few examples of how codes and ciphers have affected the course of human history. We will learn the basics of how to write and decode secret messages and discuss the role of spying in our society. By the end of the class, you'll be able to encode your writing and keep your secrets safe, just like the most well-trained spies!


Prerequisites
None

This course goes over some of the techniques and practices that help performers of all kinds focus and do better under pressure.

When was the last time you received a letter in the mail? When was the last time you've written a letter to a friend? How about the last time you sent a text? Letter writing is becoming a lost art, yet it has been shown to have therapeutic benefits such as increased happiness. In this class we'll discuss the art of writing letters and then spend time crafting letters to some special pen pals!

Why is it when we date someone, we suddenly see them through rose colored glasses? We tend to see positive traits in our partners that others just do not see. We feel like we won't face problems other couples face. We feel like we will be with this person forever. Come explore the world of relationship science and learn why we think this way and how it is actually good for our romantic relationships.

Want to know more about an overlooked gem in America? Come learn about Georgia's traditions, culture, food, and glorious getaways, and you'll see why we love this state! Pecan pie will be served.

There are over 6,000 languages in the world. How do these languages communicate the same information in wildly different ways? What patterns exist across all languages? How do computers encode the structure of language? Learn the answers to these questions and more by solving fun language puzzles. In the process, discover surprising truths about unfamiliar languages and even about English itself.

No previous experience with linguistics or computer science is required!

In this interactive class, we'll talk about what goes into a good speech and try out our own speaking skills!

Have you ever wondered what soldiers do all day? Do they just march around, salute, and shoot? Or have you ever thought about getting out of New Haven, joining the Army, and getting stationed somewhere new...like Hawaii, Germany, Florida, or Japan?

In this class, real Army officers who have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan as infantry officers, helicopter pilots, and intelligence officers (and are also Yale graduate students) will talk about life in the Army--the good, bad, ugly, and hilarious. If you're interested in joining the Army--or even if you just want to understand a little more about it--this is the class for you.

This is a fun class that would give students a chance to explore their ability to express themselves. It involves activities that help them explore their creativity by using certain pointers to weave stories and then writing and enacting them using movement and vocal expression.

Estimate show that over 30% of adults in the US are obese and over 60% are overweight. Unfortunately, these figures are only rising. What is it about the US that is so "unhealthy"? More importantly, what can we do about it? This course will provide a brief introduction to some of the major problems which plague in the American food system and discuss ways we can help rescue our nation's food landscape.

The molluscan class of cephalopods includes some of nature's strangest and most interesting organisms. Come along as we learn about the cuttlefish, octopus, nautilus, and squid through science, literature, and film. In addition to the course material, you will have a chance to dissect a squid, explicate great poetry, and enjoy classic movies. No background in any of these fields is required.