Come learn about the great artists of this time period, key terms, notable works of art, types of paintings, and more!


Prerequisites
None! Just bring yourself :)

By the end of this class, we as a group will have written a lead sheet for a cabaret song. We'll start by playing clips of a diverse array of standalone musical theatre songs and discussing what makes them work well for the format. After that, we'll brainstorm a character and the story their song will tell. This will inform us of the musical language the song will utilize, and from there we'll write the lyrics, pairing that with a melody and chords for a finished song all our own.


Prerequisites
Ideally, you should have some background in rudimentary music theory terminology and musical theatre. If you don't have a music background, that's okay, but expect to be a lost when we start talking about harmony and such, and try to really jump into the lyrics side of things.

How exactly do filmmakers leverage our own psychology against us and induce feelings of deep terror just by showing us a projection of 2D images in the cinema? In this class, through the works of renowned film directors such as Guillermo del Toro, Stanley Kubrick, and Jordan Peele, we'll breakdown how camera movement and framing create horror and analyzing some terrifying techniques used by cinematographers to create deep psychological dread on classics such as Pan's Labyrinth, Get Out, and The Shining.


Prerequisites
None beyond a love for horror films.

Psycho, Vertigo, The Birds, North by Northwest and Rope---all Hitchcock's movies---represent the paramount of suspense-thriller movies during the Golden Age of Hollywood. They include a mixture of comedy, stylistic suspense, technical renovations that produce long-lasting influences into modern day Hollywood and filmmaking. We will watch movie clips, read script segments, and explore why Hitchcockian style can create anticipation, fear, or joy.


Prerequisites
Students need to have watched at least one (1) movie in their lifetimes.

For our class, we will start with a 15 minute lecture on the Impressionist movement in the early 20th century. We will go through the rise of the movement and focus on some of the important artists who defined the era ie. Monet, Mary Casssat, etc. We will talk especially about the importance of color, concentrating on Monet’s painting “Impression, Sunrise.” We will also discuss the voices, artists, and subjects that were silenced or subjugated during the artistic movement, discussing Manet’s “Olympia.”

One of the art projects that we would like to introduce is one in which students will be encouraged to use their imagination. For this project, we will provide watercolor supplies and begin the project by painting a blank canvas with abstract shapes. Following this, students will take a pen and focus on drawing an image of what they see in the “blob”. We hope to encourage students to visualize images through the abstract watercolor and apply their imagination in creating their own drawings. We will end this project with a show and tell around the class to show how everyone's imaginations are different and how we all see the world through different perspectives. This show and tell will be concluded with a supportive round of critique where we will evaluate and admire the works of other students.


Prerequisites
None.

Are you a musician? Are you interested in band, chorus, or orchestra? Do you want to learn how to conduct different musical styles and time signatures? This class is for you! I'm an experienced band conductor and this class will give you the basics of conducting technique (as well as some cool tricks to spice up your performance!). Come see why conducting is a superpower!


Prerequisites
A background in basic music fundamentals (rhythm, style, tempo) will certainly help, but is not required!

Explore the fundamentals of speech and debate! In this course, you'll learn how to write and deliver a speech on any topic you want—climate change, your favorite baseball team, Ariana Grande, you name it. You'll also participate in spirited debates with your classmates—like, which is better, hot dogs or hamburgers? We'll use crafts and games to learn how to win an argument and speak like a president.

Are you interested in picking up a new hobby to kill time on long car trips? Have you ever wanted a way to feel productive while watching hours of tv on end? Well, look no further than this beginner's crochet class! This class will cover the fundamentals of crocheting for people who have never held a crochet hook before! We will be covering making a slip knot, the chain stitch, working in the chain, and eventually building up to single and double crochet. Experienced crocheters are also welcome to work independently on a project of their choice. Project patterns will be provided.

In this course we will go over the basic mechanics of heat transfer using conduction, convection, and radiation.


Prerequisites
I would recommend a basic knowledge of derivatives, but it is not necessary as we will review this.

We'll use logic and philosophy to probe at a challenging question: does God exist?

I want to discuss how representative democracy, which many claim is a pinnacle of human achievement in government, is actually put into function in the United States. We will look at the political philosophy behind the system of representative democracy that has taken over the world as the standard system of governance. We will also look at how elections shed doubt on the ability to equally participate in government and examine alternatives to our current system.

How do we know what is "true" and "untrue," "real" and "fake?" Can we trust our senses? Is there such a thing as an independent reality? In this class, we will explore some basic questions of epistemology (the study of knowledge) and metaphysics (the study of reality), considering the ideas of Descartes, Kant, Heidegger, and other trailblazing philosophers. Prepare to come away with more questions than answers.


Prerequisites
None

"This Land Is Your Land" is one of the staples of American Folk music. During President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Jennifer Lopez performed some verses alongside “America the Beautiful” and a Spanish translation of the Pledge of Allegiance. American folk music holds history and meaning, not just to the writers but to the workers that sang these songs and fought. In this class, we will look at the revival of the American folk genre and its root in the socialist and anti-fascist movements of the early and mid-20th century. We will also analyze some lyrics in conjunction with history and politics to understand what were the motivations behind the folk music sung today.

Your middle school library? Or your local library? What about the Yale Research libraries? Libraries and archives occupy a space in our lives around us. But let’s be honest, do you even know where your local library is (I didn’t for a long time)? In this class, we will examine what is a library and what is an archive? What purposes do they hold and what can we use them for? How did they come into existence? Should you ditch the internet for a library and archives?

Social construction has surfaced American political discourse in recent years. The notion of gender and race for instance received praise and scrutiny among intellectuals, politicians, and the general public. But gender and race are not the only ways social constructionism is applied. In this class, we will learn of different thinkers who influenced and commented on social construction theory. By learning of what social constructionism is from the theorists themselves, we will examine and critique these ideas and consider the following questions. How do these ideas relate to our lives? What do these theories exclude? Are these theories even worth considering?

This course will focus on two subjects: the US Constitution's 25th Amendment (which provides regulations for succeeding presidents in the middle of their terms) and gaps in the UK's schemes for replacing a Prime Minister before a general election. I will first provide background on the two areas, then discuss my research on applying the 25th Amendment to the UK. Then, I hope to have a class discussion on the merits of the existing succession schemes and potential improvements.


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of American politics and governmental structures.

What makes a story good? How can we best tell our own stories? In this workshop, we’ll focus on putting together the building blocks of a story: setting, character, and plot. We’ll read some excerpts from popular literature and incorporate what we observe into our own creative writing, which will be in response to different prompts that will give you ideas to get started. Hopefully by the end of our time together, you will have a newfound appreciation for some of your favorite stories and the foundation for masterpieces of your own!


Prerequisites
An open mind and willingness to participate!

What makes a story good? How can we best tell our own stories? In this workshop, we’ll focus on putting together the building blocks of a story: setting, character, and plot. We’ll read some excerpts from popular literature and incorporate what we observe into our own creative writing, which will be in response to different prompts that will give you ideas to get started. Hopefully by the end of our time together, you will have a newfound appreciation for some of your favorite stories and the foundation for masterpieces of your own!


Prerequisites
An open mind and willingness to participate!

From paintings to songs to Instagram feeds—how do we know when something is beautiful? How can we put that beauty into language?
In this class, we will examine how different poets write about art and interrogate how the text and image interact. Then, we will work through a generative writing exercise and create our own ekphrastic poems! Poets we read may include W.H. Auden, Victoria Chang, Steven Duong, and Frank O'Hara.

Students will get an overview of famous case studies, key players in psychology, learn about parts of the brain, and more.


Prerequisites
None! Just bring yourself :)

This is a class about ancient philosophy! Just kidding. But the topic we’ll explore together—verbal pranking on April Fools’ Day and what makes a prank successful—intersects in many ways with the art of rhetoric that Aristotle most famously theorized: it involves convincing, influencing into belief or disbelief. We’ll look at several April Fools’ Day pranks and the factors that contribute to their rhetorical success or failure. We’ll look at the motivation of pranksters, the techniques they use, and what these pranks, whether well crafted or less so, can tell us about the art of convincing.

As women musicians have long been steered toward the role of frontwomen, a disproportionate number are vocalists rather than instrumentalists. Due to gendered notions about acceptable musical performance, all-female bands have occupied a miniscule place in dominant music historiographies, usually regarded as novelty acts. This class seeks to introduce you to a wide array of all-women musical acts throughout the 20th century and beyond. We will start our tour in the 1920s with The Ingenues, then move to the 1930s and 40s which saw all-female bands rising to prominence during World War 2. The 1960s saw an influx of pioneering all-female guitar groups who never got their dues except for a few nods from Riotgrrrl acts decades later. Finally, we will move into the 21st century and consider the place all-female acts occupy in today's musical landscape. All the while, we'll bear in mind the role that race plays on notions of femininity and the consequences this has had for female musicians. I hope you'll join me on this musical journey through time highlighting pioneering women musicians!

Have you ever wondered what crazy stories were hiding in history books? The way history is usually taught in high school, most kids find themselves falling asleep. Who wants to memorize dates? That's not where the magic of history is - the magic is in the stories! This class will take a look at some interesting historical figures (and maybe some animals!) that students are not likely to have heard of, and the stories that make them so interesting.


Prerequisites
Just an interest in history!

The combination of an atrocious mass incarceration rate and deteriorating prison conditions is unacceptable. We know this. But should the U.S. focus on prison abolition or reform? That is for you to decide. This course is going to look at the history of punishment as well as the U.S. prison system, then will conduct a close look at primarily the arguments of Angela Davis and Tommie Shelby, two prominent philosophers for their time. If time permits, an in depth look at the philosophy of punishment will be conducted.


Prerequisites
None!

Students will get an overview of famous case studies, key players in psychology, learn about parts of the brain, and more.


Prerequisites
None! Just bring yourself :)

Students will get an overview of famous studies, the founders of anthropology, learn about the four field approach, and more. Come learn about the best field! (Coming from a *totally* unbiased anthropology major).


Prerequisites
None! Just bring yourself :)

Interested in learning about modern issues in bioethics? This class focuses on informed consent, end of life care, and the principles of bioethics through the lens of real cases and class discussion.

How does a carpenter from Nazareth that lived 2,000 years ago become the most famous person to ever live? What was it about his life and death that drew the masses and revolutionized history? In this class we will explore the moments leading up to Jesus' birth, the events that defined his life, and his death that shook the world.
Everyone from all backgrounds is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Human rights language and frameworks are referenced widely in the media and popular discussion, but where did they originate? What do contemporary human rights debates and critiques look like? How have universal human rights been adapted to local contexts and what are ways in which young people engage with human rights? Explore these questions in this introductory class.

Why is a playwright who died hundreds of years ago still so celebrated today? Why should we make the journey through his difficult language? In short, what makes Shakespeare so meaningful? This course aims to answer these questions. It introduces students to the enduring impact Shakespeare has on the modern world and can have on each of us. We will go through a quick presentation on who Shakespeare was, go over a sonnet or two, and perform a scene together!

What is the meaning of life? This is a question that has puzzled philosophers, scientists, theologians, and ordinary people for centuries. In this course, we will explore various philosophical, scientific, and religious perspectives on the meaning of life. We will examine the different ways in which people have tried to find meaning in life and the various theories that have been proposed to explain our existence.


Prerequisites
None

Learn how Asians are portrayed in media!

Have you ever wondered how a carpenter from Nazareth from 2,000 years ago managed to change the entire world?

Are you interested in learning more about what more than 2 billion people profess to believe?

This class will explore how the Bible tells the story of humanity, from beginning to end, centered around one person, Jesus Christ. We will explore the images, symbols, metaphors that point to Jesus hundreds and thousands of years before his birth.

This class is for you if A) you're interested in Christianity and want to get a big picture view of what it's about, what is the Gospel, and how the Bible comes together to present this claim.

or B) You're a Christian looking to learn more about your faith and explore some amazing connections you probably never thought about.

I'm excited to see you there!


Prerequisites
None!

In this course we will together learn how to make a good first impression in French. Conversation is a language learning model that is invaluable in retaining and adapting to new langauges. Through speaking and listening to each other, we will create a solid foundation in French while learning about why the French language is so great. I hope to see you all at Splash!


Prerequisites
Intended for students completely or partially new to the French language

We will learn about poetry and destigmatize a genre that can intimidate or seem inaccessible. This course will focus on ways of being—by oneself, alongside others—and the beauties and dangers of both.

An introduction to various interesting, real-life applicable probability and statistics concepts and questions.

This is a tale of three mountain measures: elevation, prominence, and jut.

Let us journey back in time to ancient Greece, where the brilliant minds of the day pondered a question that had inspired adventurers for centuries: "how high is this mountain?" And so, they invented elevation, allowing them to measure the height of these majestic peaks.

Fast forward a few centuries to the early 20th century, and we find ourselves in the midst of an exploration boom. But as explorers ventured into uncharted territories, they encountered a new challenge: "is this a mountain?" And so, the measure of prominence was born, allowing us to distinguish true mountains from mere hills.

But the story doesn't end there. In the year 2021, a new measure was born - jut. Now, we could answer the question that had always lingered in the back of our minds: "how impressive is this mountain?" With jut, we can finally quantify the awe-inspiring beauty and magnificence of these towering giants, not only on Earth, but even on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Learn about why erosion is like the hand of a sculptor, turning flat mountaintops into razor edges and spires. Learn about mountains on Earth and other planets that dwarf Everest in size. And learn about why there is no right way to measure a mountain, and no wrong way either.


Prerequisites
Knowledge of geometry is useful, but not required. Most important is a passion for creative problem-solving.

Cryptography has been in use for thousands of years, from ancient Greece until today. Codes (and codebreaking!) is the backbone of our modern society, powering everything from credit cards and cryptocurrency to the websites you use every day - including Zoom. In this class, you'll learn how to make and break your own codes to send secret messages to your friends!

We all know how to use calculators to solve arithmetic problems. But have you ever wanted a calculator that can solve algebra problems? Or calculus problems? Or visually depict them in an easy-to-understand format?

Wolfram Language is a symbolic programming language, deliberately designed with the breadth and unity needed to easily solve challenging problems. It has support for any abstract math problem you might have, as well as a vast set of information on real world entities, from chemicals to cities (for more information, check out https://www.wolfram.com/language/?source=nav). In this course you will learn the basics of Wolfram Language: how to create variables and functions, evaluate mathematical expressions, and create beautiful visualizations of mathematical objects. This course will also teach you how to effectively use documentation to solve programming challenges.

Note that while calculus is not a requirement for this course, it is super interesting! The course may therefore digress into calculus and more advanced topics depending on the interests of students.


Prerequisites
Precalculus (graphing functions, exponents/logarithms, trigonometry). Make sure to have an email account beforehand, as you will use this to create a free Wolfram Cloud Account.

What is the geometry behind the incredible mosaic patterns in mosques? How do you fit an infinite plane inside a circle? What is the role of symmetry in art, math, and n-dimensional mobius strips?

Explore these questions and more by delving into the life of renowned artist (and secretly mathematician) Escher. The class includes optical illusion paintings, some unusual math, and a few hands on projects to make your own Escher inspired work. No art or math skills required!

Leaf patterns, crystal lattices, population sizes, and meandering rivers. What do these, and pretty much everything in nature, have in common? They hide numerical patterns that offer fascinating insights into the workings of the nature. Nature to numbers means quantifying the ordinary objects and baffling behaviors that you and I come upon everyday. I hope to explore how great scientists of the past have recognized these patterns and used them to advance our scientific understanding. Then, we're going to make our own observations on less studied phenomena, design simulations, and see if we can discover any hidden designs in nature.

Today, human technology is advancing faster than ever before. Is ethics keeping up? In this lecture-seminar we dissect our role, if any, in modifying ourselves, other life, and the environments we share. We will explore human genome editing, CRISPR gene drives, and therapeutic interfering particles. In addition to introducing you to these cutting-edge yet controversial technologies, we will critically discuss the social and political dynamics of modern scientific advancement.

Black holes suck...like a vacuum. They're some of the weirdest and coolest objects in the universe. Far from the theoretical quirk of mathematics they started out as, we can actually take images of them now! How do black holes work, where do we find them, and what do we still want to learn? Come and find out!

This course will give an overview of all things plant! Instead of going over the mundane details biology of plants, however, we will dive into different phenomena of plants and the biology underlying them. Topics include how plants are able to attract pollinators, what triggers the Venus flytrap, and more!

Explore some current ideas of policy and action plans to mitigate climate change, regulate environmental standards, and reduce emissions


Prerequisites
Excited about stopping climate change

Learning the basics of land navigation, which involves map reading, knowing terrain features, understanding and plotting coordinates, planning routes, pace counting, compass familiarization.

We will discuss the molecule at the basis of our existence: DNA. We will delve into its structure, function, and properties to figure out how this seemingly simple compound helps lay the blueprint for our creation. We will also explore methods to study DNA and even conduct our own mini lab to extract real DNA from fruit!

Have you ever looked at Einstein's work and thought, "big deal!" This course explores what, really, the big deal is with relativity. From correcting Newton's mistakes to predicting the progression of the universe, Einstein's theories of relativity redirected the course of physics into exciting new directions. There will be some math, but not at a more advanced level than algebra, and it will all be explained in detail. Building on a few key principles, we will develop an intuitive understanding of relativity, and hopefully change the way you look at the universe.


Prerequisites
Algebra is helpful, but not required; the math involved will be explained in detail.

Interested in medicine or becoming an EMT? Do you ever wonder what kind of treatments are performed in the field when EMTs arrive at scenes of motor vehicle accidents, shootings, falls, etc.? This class is about how EMTs perform rapid trauma assessments and what kind of treatments can be performed in the field. You may learn how to take vitals, use a tourniquet, make and tie a sling and swathe, splint broken bones and more!


Prerequisites
N/A

Given the current controversy surrounding immunizations, this course centers around the science and the history of vaccines. By the end of this course, students will have a basic understanding of the types of vaccines, their functionality, and the background of vaccine development. In addition, students will explore methods of navigating media coverage on vaccines to better discern between fact and fiction.

This course will provide a brief background on historical disparities surrounding mental healthcare and equip you with the tools to help yourself and others around you who may be struggling. We will define some common mental health terms and discuss the different types of resources that exist for finding support. We will also work to unpack the ways that technology is contributing to the mental illness crisis facing teenagers today and brainstorm ideas together for using social media in ways that are less likely to harm your mental health.

This course will review the fundamental concepts that underlie early batteries (based on separation of static charges) and modern batteries (based on chemical reactions) along with their applications in other areas. This class will have two fun demos and will be hands-on.

Have you ever wondered how the food you eat can play a role in your health and immune system? In this class we will be exploring the science behind the gut microbiome by understanding what the gut microbiome is, how the bacteria in our digestive system impact our overall health, and diseases found to be linked to gut health.


Prerequisites
Some understanding of biology will be helpful in this class!

Have you ever wondered how aircraft are able to take flight? How are such large machines able to stay in the air? This class will begin with teaching you the basics of the parts of an airplane, and dive deeper into the principles of flight including Newton’s laws, Bernouilli’s principle, and relative airflow.


Prerequisites
High school science courses may help with understanding concepts, but are not required!

Despite being all around us, light is very mysterious. Physicists have struggled for centuries to say exactly what light even is and have devoted a whole field to studying it called optics. In this class, we are going to take a look at some surprising behaviors arising from light-matter interactions and try to explain why they happen. If illusory experiences are "seeing as it is not", why does physics make them our reality?

This class will introduce you to the wondrous world of prions, or, as I like to call them, "funky proteins". Learn how prions are formed and how they cause degenerative disease in patients. Class will then end with group discussions on different case studies featuring prion diseases.

In times characterized by an explosion of awareness and language to describe our experiences, there can be a sense of catching up to do, both with the current times and the history informing the changes we’re seeing today. This seminar focuses on the language used to discuss gender and sexuality, the discourses and theory surrounding experiences and how we discuss them, and how we come to understand ourselves in the context of all of this.


Prerequisites
None

In just three years of her debut, the Japanese virtual singer Hatsune Miku was featured in over 100,000 songs. Domino’s Pizza and Lady Gaga have both made use of Miku’s brand and vocals. Voice synthesis software in the last 15 years have changed the course of music in popular and niche ways. Ever heard of the Donald Trump and Barack Obama cover of “We Don’t Talk anymore”? In this course, we will have a brief introduction to vocal synthesis programs through the freeware program UTAU. What processes and problems are faced when one tries to make a computer program sing their songs? What are the benefits and uniqueness of programs like these? By the end of this class, you would know the steps needed to produce your own UTAUloid vocals. No knowledge of music is required.

Learn all about sustainable/reusable menstrual products here! We will talk about menstrual cups and discs, reusable period underwear, reusable pads, and more! We will demonstrate how to use various products, as well as talk about the health, environmental, and monetary benefits of using these products. Our hope is to make knowledge about sustainable menstrual products more accessible!

Through this course, students will learn about the emergence, patterns, and history of drugs and alcohol in the United States. By looking at key drug policies and the politicization of drugs in the 20th & 21st Century, we will take a closer look at how certain communities are disproportionately affected. Additionally, we will take a bio-psychological approach on the addictive nature of drugs and alcohol. Students will walk away with harm reduction strategies along with a clearer historical, social, and biological context of drug and alcohol use in the US.

We sometimes take base-10 number systems for granted: we've been told since middle school that the second-last digit in a number represents "tens" because humans have ten fingers for counting. However, languages around the world display an amazing variety in how they count. This class will decrypt the number systems of several languages through some interesting linguistics competition problems. You will decipher what "àádota" means in Yoruba (a language in West Africa), do basic arithmetic in Khmer (a language in Cambodia), and see how Pame (a language in Ecuador) speakers use "people" as a counting unit!


Prerequisites
Familiarity with the four basic arithmetic operations, with good intuitions. For example, if the product of x and 7 ends in 1, what do you know about x? (Answer: it must end in 3)

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a broadcaster? In this class, we will learn the basics of sportscasting and take a look at the most famous calls in modern history.

YaleBleeds would like to teach a class about menstrual equity and health. We will discuss topics ranging from how to put in a tampon, why we bleed, managing periods, methods of birth control, and the worldwide inaccessibility of hygiene products. Menstrual health is a taboo topic. However, if not addressed, it can cause serious physical and mental health consequences. Statistics show that 25% of women have missed a class because they get their periods and don’t have access to menstrual products. Further, miseducation can lead to fatal illnesses such as toxic shock syndrome and undiagnosed hormone-induced depression. Raising awareness for menstrual health is essential for the safety for all menstruators. This would be our fourth year teaching this class!

In this class, I want to share a handful of the most useful knots I've learned through years of backpacking, camping, commercial fishing, and boating. These are highly practical and relatively simple knots that will be useful for anyone!

Curious about coding? Enjoy cool plots? Like baseball? Come to learn all of the above! Baseball is becoming ruled by Sabermetrics, the statistical analysis of baseball. Through looking at some fun baseball statistics, we'll learn the principles of data science through the Python programming language.


Prerequisites
None!!

Ever wanted to kick, learn, and explore the world (and art) of Taekwondo? This course will introduce absolutely beginner Taekwondo concepts and moves to students, with more emphasis on letting loose and having fun with the Korean martial arts!


Prerequisites
Have not learned Taekwondo ever before, this class is for beginners.

In this class you'll gain the ability to help those in need through learning the basics of First Aid. We'll be covering content such as emergency scene management, recognizing signs and symptoms of various medical conditions, and tying slings and tubulars.


Prerequisites
Please note that this class has a hands-on portion where students will need to partner with other classmates to perform first aid procedures.