What does it mean to "prove" something? What is the difference between proof and evidence? Can you ever be 100% certain that something is true or false? Is everything true or false? This class will cover philosophy of proofs, identifying valid and invalid proofs, and some techniques of making mathematical and logical arguments.


Prerequisites
None

I can't predict much about your future, but I predict you will at some point sit for an interview. That's the bad news.

The good news is that interviewing well is a skill you can learn, and one of the best ways to learn is by practicing in front of your peers and receiving feedback on your performance.

This session is targeted towards students who will be facing college and internship interviews in the coming months.

In this course, we'll explore the massive question of how artists, using nothing more than paint and a canvas, can influence the way we feel. And after we consider how artists can make us feel a certain way, we will attempt to mimic those feelings through our own art and writing.

This course will be part discussion, part "lab time" for arts and writing.


Prerequisites
If you have a sketchbook and pencils/markers or a favorite writers' notebook, please bring it! Please do not bring paint or anything that would require cleanup.

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!

This course will be a brief synopsis and discussion of psychologist Jonathan Haidt's research into how our views on morality shape our political beliefs.

This class will offer a basic introduction to commonly used Japanese words and phrases. Come ready to learn and practice simple Japanese conversations!


Prerequisites
NO prior knowledge of Japanese!

Ever heard of Maxwell's equations? You know, that set of iconic physics equations that describes all of electromagnetism in just a few symbols?

Figure out what's behind those triangles and fancy calculus symbols through the lens of Pokemon examples! A conceptually smooth way to delve into the physics of electromagnetism.


Prerequisites
None. Basic understanding of math beyond Algebra 2 is helpful, but not required.

A seminar that will cover a brief history of hip-hop and pop music, and the role that race, ethnicity, and culture play within these popular music genres. How have people of color recorded their experiences in these forms of music? What are some of the debates taking place in discussions about music? We will discuss debates regarding music and race. Are artists like Macklemore, Lorde, Lily Allen, and Katy Perry racist or not? Come discuss and decide for yourself!

There are people who argue that the music industry sexualizes women and is anti-feminism. But do they really? How valid is this argument? Can women be feminist while displaying their sexuality openly and showing a lot of skin? In this seminar, we will discuss these different points of view and how they relate to issues such as race, gender, and sexuality studies.


Prerequisites
You must be comfortable and mature about discussing sex/sexuality.

The periodic table of elements is a common fixture in any science classroom. But what secrets and stories do these letters and numbers hold? Why is the table shaped so funny? Why is the chemical symbol for lead Pb? Why is cobalt scarier than uranium? Is Mendeleev a unique genius or a jerk? This class will cover both the science and history surrounding this famous table.


Prerequisites
Basic chemistry

In this class, we will explain some basic elements of cooking along with the scientific basis for their function as we prepare a dish with the class.

What if I told you that some things are neither true, nor false? Paradoxes are found everywhere from the stories of ancient Greece to the lyrics of One Direction. Learn about impossible things, such as the turtle that Usain Bolt could never catch, the lightbulb that's neither on nor off, and how to kill Hitler.

Designed for actors and Shakespeare enthusiasts alike, this class will examine the practical features of theatrical performance in Elizabethan England. How did Shakespeare’s actors learn their lines? How often did they rehearse? What was it like to work backstage at the Globe Theater? The answers to these and other questions will be revealed in this discussion based seminar, culminating in a staged reading of a scene using authentic Elizabethan performance techniques.

What is the probability that life exists elsewhere in the universe? What evidence do we currently have, and why should we care? In this class, we will explore recent findings that point to a high prevalence of exoplanet Earth analogs, and the implications for the scientific community and general population.

Did you know that there is a supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center of our galaxy? In fact, we now have evidence that they are at the center of most galaxies in the universe. This class will be focused on a subclass of SMBH, specifically active galactic nuclei (AGN) that possess bright accretion disks. We will discuss the fascinating types of AGN, and some of the most interesting AGN research currently being conducted.

Is the word "GIF" pronounced with a hard "g" (as in "golf") or a soft "g" (as in "gentle"), and why? Is the song "ring around the rosie" really about the bubonic plague? Why do we pronounce Bret Favre’s name the way we do? If any of these questions is of interest to you, you should come experience the wonderful world of etymology! We will discuss where various words in English come from, and how they have changed (in surprising ways) overtime. No prior experience necessary!


Prerequisites
Fluent speaker of English.

The Spartans earned their reputation as the world's fiercest warriors; from birth, their entire upbringing was geared towards forging soldiers out of men. This lecture will take students through the life and death of a Spartan male, while giving due attention to their mastery of phalanx warfare.

Have you ever wondered how optical illusions work? If so, sign up! In this class, we'll go over the underlying neuroscience that explains several illusions.

Learn how to play games as an economist and solve world peace at the same time! Topics include backward induction, Nash equilibria, and many more!

The founders of the United States' republican government drew their inspiration from the Roman Republic, and Rome is still frequently spoken about on Capitol Hill today. This class is a non-partisan examination of how today's political leaders use the history of Rome to advance their arguments on the floor of Congress. No knowledge of Roman History is required.

What do the International Space Station, the Large Hadron Collider, the National Ignition Facility, the Human Genome and the Manhattan Project all have in common?

They are all massive science projects, costing well in excess of one billion dollars. Come discuss the science and politics of big science and learn about some of the most exciting projects of the upcoming decade.


Prerequisites
Interest in science!

Calculus is a crucial tool to understand the world around us. Quite simply, it is the study of change.

In this course I will go over functions, differentiation, series, and integration in lightning speed. It is meant to give you some basic tools without much "formal" (i.e. difficult) mathematics.


Prerequisites
You should've taken at least Algebra I. You should also know how to plot a parabola (y=x^2).

An overview and discussion of Japanese American Internment in the United States during World War II. How would you have reacted if you were a Japanese American during that time? How did many Japanese Americans actually respond? What can we learn from their experiences?


Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of WWII

This class will begin with a brief overview of medical device development and will then cover implantable heart devices (pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, ventricular assist devices, and artificial hearts) and areas in which the technology may be improved in the future.


Prerequisites
An interest in medical devices.

Ever wanted to learn how to fold origami flowers? We'll start off simple, so even if you have no experience with origami, come to this class to learn how!

In this class students will be introduced to the growing sensation and wondrous labor of love that is genealogy and family history. Accessible internet tools for beginning basic genealogical research will be presented and discussed. Interesting case studies will show how simple detective skills permit everyone and anyone to mine the current mountain of public documents to uncover the mysteries of who we are, where we came from and why we are here.


Prerequisites
A desire for goodness

For various reasons, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are also known as Mormons, has recently received much public attention. This class will focus on the Book of Mormon, one of the key religious texts of this religion. The historical context leading to its publication will be summarized, and the book's contents will be explained briefly through artistic works of the events it describes and related key quotations. A question-and-answer session will follow. This class is open to students of all religious beliefs and backgrounds, including those who have none. It will be assumed that participants have no prior knowledge of this religion. It is our hope that those who take this class will leave edified and informed about the religious diversity of our nation.

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

Over 450 million copies of J.K. Rowling’s books were sold, and the series has been translated into 67 languages. The books have deeply affected our generation, and although many literary critics claim that the Harry Potter series is nothing more than popular fiction, I believe that we can learn about friendship, love, racism, elitism, religion, sexuality, the fight between good and evil, feminism, and many other themes by examining the works. In this course, we will discuss how feminist theory is manifested in different characters in the series.


Prerequisites
Students should have read all the books in the Harry Potter series (preferably won't just have seen the films)

Everyone's probably heard a "Confucius says..." joke or two, and most people are familiar with fortune cookies and their wacky wisdom. But what did Confucius actually say, and what are the main ideas and symbols in the philosophy of the world's most populous country? Come find out what thinkers like Laozi (author of the saying "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"), Confucius, and Mencius had to say about how we should live our lives!

Have you ever tried to invent a game before?
We will try out some games: acting games, talking games, thinking games. Games where people work together and games where people work against each other. We will discuss which games worked well and why.

Come learn to step with Yale's one and only step team, Steppin' Out. We'll teach you one of our steps, and perform it together at the end of the class!

This is a 50 minute survey class and we will not have the time to go into depth on many of the regional politics of the Middle East. This class serves to introduce you to the most circulated words relating to the Middle East today. Although relevant historical language will be touched upon, the lecture’s focus is exposure over any sort of expertise. Based on student preference (determined by a random vote in class), one of a multitude of conflicts in the Middle East will be used as a case study for understanding how historical events came together to create complex ethical, religious, political, humanitarian issues of worldwide consequence.

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.

Be prepared to boggle your brain.


Prerequisites
None!

In this seminar, we will explore some of philosophy's most notoriously challenging ethical puzzles and try to make sense of them together. For many of these hypothetical predicaments, pinpointing a right answer is impossible, but the search for one will make you both a more astute thinker and a more sensitive observer of the world around you.

In this class we'll examine the different explanations for Motown's collapse and consider possible ways forward for the city.


Prerequisites
NA

Do you love music and movies? If so, this course is for you. In "Music in the Movies," we will be examining musical scores and their relationship to the success of motion pictures. We will discuss the evolution of music in the movies throughout the past 60 years, and will make comparisons to the ways music is used in movies today. Be prepared to watch some great movie clips (think "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter," for starters), listen to fantastic music, and have an awesome time. No prior musical experience is required.

Linear algebra is one of the more useful and applicable subjects within math. Join me for a quick introductory session where we will cover how to use vectors and matrices to solve systems of linear equations!


Prerequisites
Algebra I and enthusiasm.

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.

Metafiction, simply put, is writing about writing--for example, a book that talks about reading a book! In this class, we'll look at two classic examples of metafictional literature, Don Quixote and Madame Bovary, and see how they portray reading--and its consequences--as seductive, dangerous, and powerful.

From the Ancient Greeks to Mike Tyson, one-person shows have been around for centuries. Every performer has their own approaches to the art, and each performance is unique for one aspect: the performer is alone, capturing the audience with his or her words alone. We will examine the vast spectrum of one-person shows, watching examples from all different genres and artistic styles.

This class will provide a historical background for the Pacific War, an important but less commonly discussed aspect of World War II. Not only will we delve into the key occurrences of the Pacific War with a particular focus on U.S.-Japanese relations (e.g., Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima & Nagasaki), but we will also attempt to understand and situate the events that transpired in this geographic region within the larger context of WWII. Prior knowledge of the time period will be helpful, but certainly is not required.

From Lord of the Rings, to The Matrix, to Inception, Hollywood movies are jam-packed with special effects that you may not even be aware of as you watch! Come to "Behind the Scenes" to learn about some exciting new advances in technology that keep blockbuster films on the cutting edge, from the computer programming that went into making those hordes of angry Orcs, to the amazing rotating box that allowed Joseph Gordon Levitt to defy gravity in the hotel room scene from Inception. Prior knowledge of films not necessary - we will be showing plenty of clips to illustrate our lesson.

How do we translate? How do we account for the gaps and cracks between various languages? And how do we evaluate different translations?

In this class, we'll discuss and analyze a few questions essential to translation theory. We'll cover the sacred and the profane, the comic and the tragic. Excerpted readings will include Benjamin, Schleiermacher, and Nabokov.


Prerequisites
Fluency (or proficiency) in another, non-English language required.

From illegal drug testing, to secret chemical weapons development, to psychological torture, scientific research has long been marred by unethical practices. Join us as we reveal the secrets of unethical medical experimentation across the globe. We present the details of numerous undercover government operations, including the South African Aversion Project and the Willowbrook hepatitis studies.

Note: Contains some mildly graphic content.

Your high school offers chemistry, physics, and biology... where does cognitive science fit into the picture? (answer: EVERYWHERE!) Come learn about this emerging interdisciplinary approach to understanding the human mind! May cover some sports science (motor learning / neural adaptation to strength training) if time permits.

An introduction to the aesthetics of the built environment using examples from history and Yale's campus and including some model building.

We'll dabble a bit in graph theory, game theory, and probability theory. This class will be primarily designed so that you get a very basic idea of the problems you can solve with these areas of math. We'll outline some fundamental principles in each area through interesting examples (we will actually play a few games when we get to game theory).

This is not your grandmother's typography. Join us to find out what makes fonts so unreasonably important, why you should care about "serifs" or "kerning", and how to harness the power of illusion to convert a variety of little squiggles into real, live words!
We will then use some of the principles we've learned to create word-art illusions inspired by the work of illustrious lettering ninja Scott Kim.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with the alphabet.

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? How much information should agencies like the NSA be able to gather? 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

In this course, we'll approach questions about "god," "religion," and "belief." We'll read a little bit of what dead males had to say on these topics, and then you'll decided whether you agree or disagree with those dead males.

This class will offer an introduction to basic Japanese words, phrases, and conversations. Roughly half of the class time will be devoted to speaking practice and the other half will be devoted to writing practice. Students will be asked to complete brief review exercises outside of class.

Understanding how money is created and manipulated is key to understanding modern society.
How did the recession happen? Why are there so many financial scandals? Why do companies or governments go bankrupt? What does the stock market do? Why do bankers make so much money? How do they help society?


Prerequisites
Students should be familiar with basic financial concepts like stocks and bank interest rates.

A brief overview of topics including ethics, belief, identity, free will and determinism, and more. We will discuss a number of thought experiments in order to clarify and poke holes in our arguments. All levels welcome. For questions email zachary.fishman@yale.edu

Come learn about a part of American history that is not covered adequately in your high school history courses! How did the terms gay, lesbian, and transgender develop and evolve throughout the history of the United States? Who are some of the most important and prominent figures in gay history? How have queer people grappled with their identities, and what movements have they created to overcome discrimination and hardship? We will explore all of these questions in this 3 week class. This class will be fun and interactive, so come with any questions and be ready to discuss LGBT history/issues in a safe, welcoming space.

1st class: Late 1800s - early 1900s
2nd class: World War II (~1930s) - 1960s
3rd : 1970s - Now


Prerequisites
Must be comfortable talking about sexuality/homosexuality.

This class will be hosted at the Yale University Art Gallery where I will guide the class on a tour of the many art works and pieces on display at the YUAG. Through three lessons we will attempt to engage three distinct time periods, eras, and subjects. In the first week the emphasis will be primarily on the art found on the first floor of the YUAG: Roman, Greek, Byzantine, Islamic, and Pre-Columbian. The second week will take us up to the third floor where a collection of Asian and European Art is found. The third and final week will continue with what I left of European art and take us to the upper floor where pop art, modernist works, and abstraction explode onto the enormous white walls of the upper stories. The goal of the class is to familiarize you with some of the works at the YUAG and give you enough information to get a well-rounded understanding of what Yale and one of the most extensive art history departments in the United States has to offer.


Prerequisites
None.

An in-depth look at the stereotypes, tropes, and other commonalities set forth in horror films and how they affect our viewing. All horror fans welcome!
*Special note: Please be aware that we will be viewing clips from some of the films we'll be discussing.

A look at poetry, short stories, and novels. What makes them great? What should authors put into them? How can you improve your own writing? Be prepared to share short samples of your own work.

When we are little, we have a pretty basic understanding of infinity, how we can count and count and never end. But when we do more complicated work with infinity, it suddenly isn't so intuitive. How do we deal with that concept when it is applied to different theoretical scenarios? What can we learn from using infinitude in fractals?


Prerequisites
Basic algebra (understand addition, multiplication, exponents)

Go (also known as weiqi or baduk) is an ancient far eastern board game somewhat like chess but much more fun. In this course, we will go over the (very few) rules and play a few games. Go is easy to learn but very difficult to master.

This series of courses will introduce the wonderful world of physics from a perspective quite different from that of an ordinary textbook. We will begin by investigating the properties of the atom, and eventually see how these properties explain a number of things such as heat and gravity. Most of the topics are part of a regular high school physics course and no previous experience is required. Even if you've already taken physics you'll get new perspectives on the things you already know. This is the course for anybody who wishes to understand more about the world around you at a fundamental level.


Prerequisites
Basic algebra

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 class is designed to teach you basic conversational French: from greetings and introductions to some frequent basic questions.
The second class will provide some basic knowledge about France, including geographical, historical, economical and cultural information.
The last class will focus on Paris -- its history, global significance, monuments and culture.
All of the classes will include games, the use of clips of movies and songs, and provide you with a summary handout.

This course will talk about programmed cell death and how it contributes to both the causes and treatments of many diseases. We will start with classic cell death, a process called apoptosis. In the second week we will explore more rare forms of cell death, like the fiery "explosions" of cells undergoing pyroptosis. This class will come to an exciting finish by applying cell death principles to the treatment and causes of diseases, in particular cancer and HIV/AIDS. There will be fun cell props and drawings.


Prerequisites
A willingness to learn! Basic knowledge of cells won't hurt.

Can money buy happiness? Do happy people do better in school? How much is happiness determined by our genes? In this class we will focus on cutting-edge research in the growing field of human happiness. Week one will focus on who is happy, week two on how people change their happiness, and week three on negative aspects of happiness and other positive emotions.

Prepare to be surprised with an assortment of random cool topics! Taught by an ensemble of admins.

Potential topics include - but are NOT limited to - Calvin and Hobbes trivia, organic chemistry, modern Poetry, Pokemon, and knot theory.

There are Facebook groups, Tumblr pages, t-shirts, and coffee mugs all emblazoned with the phrase "I hate Organic Chemistry!". But orgo doesn't have to be terrible. In this class we'll first explore how to approach an organic chemistry class and then dive into some important concepts. The goal is to build a basic understanding and appreciation of the subject.

Some general chemistry knowledge will be assumed.

Paper footballs? Been there. Cranes? Done that.
Come take your origami skills to a new level - learn modular origami! Each week, we will learn to fold a basic unit, and from that unit we will construct amazing paper polyhedra.
Because the units are simple and the finished models are fascinating, this class is appropriate for all levels of origami experience.


Prerequisites
Two hands, a little patience, and an interest in making awesome things out of squares of paper.

This class is about seeing through drawing. Each week we'll explore a different drawing technique inspired by art at the YUAG. For example, we might learn about geometry and texture in African Art one week and color through Impressionist painting in another.

Classes start with some storytelling and inspiration followed by drawing time in the galleries. We'll end each meeting by sharing and talking about our work.


Prerequisites
No drawing or art history experience necessary. I'll come around to answer any questions or chit-chat if you need a break from drawing. If possible, please bring a sketch book and pencils, but I'll also have some extra drawing materials available. Reminder: no charcoal or wet media allowed in the museum!

A look at how the topic of "love" has been portrayed and defined in mainstream music from the past few decades. This class will explore how our tastes and preferences, as listeners of popular music, have changed over time and how that change is reflected in the progression of recent music history. Have we abandoned candlelit evenings by the fire in favor of nightclubs? Is Ke$ha the new Whitney Houston? These and more interesting, profound, and hilarious questions await us in this class!

Hone your writing and public speaking skills while exploring the multifaceted and diverse nature of contemporary American identities. This course will use students' own experiences as an introduction to the sociology of race, class, and linguistics, while also challenging students to conceptualize and communicate their own vision for America. Students will be expected to complete writing and peer editing assignments, but can expect extensive critical feedback and guidance from the instructor.

From the Sons of Liberty dumping tea into Boston Harbor to Nas releasing a diss record against Fox News, Americans are no strangers to acts of protest. Its music industry is certainly no exception. This class will explore how our nation's music artists have found countless ways to speak out against nearly everything - government power, racism, strict parents, you name it. We'll talk about some songs from the past few decades that have resonated most deeply with this spirit.

Come learn about how political campaigns work! Campaign vets Fish & Sergio have worked on local, state, and congressional campaigns. They'll teach you about how to draw up a strategic plan, build a coalition, convince undecided voters, and guide your candidate or cause to victory! We'll have a campaign simulation where you run your own campaign, and give you advice on how to get involved and make a difference in your community.


Prerequisites
Enthusiasm!

We all know that many species on earth are going extinct--but why do we care? What species are most threatened? What are the consequences of losing these plants, animals, and other organisms, and, most importantly, what can we do to prevent it?

Through a series of case studies on successful and unsuccessful conservation efforts, this class will explore the science behind endangered species and what conservation biologists can do to help them survive.

Everyone learned certain lessons about how to deal with others when they were growing up: Share, play nice, be a good sport, listen to others, etc. Those bits of received wisdom aren't just useful on the playground though. They are timeless concepts which lend themselves just as well to the arts of diplomacy and statecraft as they do anywhere else. The class will cover case studies from diplomatic history every week and discuss how they are relevant to today and how they might be relevant in the future.


Prerequisites
This course starts from a low baseline and moves ahead rapidly. Any prior knowledge of world history will definitely be an asset to the class participants. However the only prerequisite is a desire to be there.

This course will explore the history and practice of R&B music. Students will learn 2-3 songs, in addition to practicing techniques like riffing, belting and scooping. Students who took the summer sprout course "R&B basics" might like to take this to continue what we started learning. Students who are interested in taking this course should be unafraid and ready to sing in front of others!


Prerequisites
A love of singing! And a good attitude!

What connects peacock feathers, beetles' exoskeletons, and cathedral stained glass? In this class, we will explore structural color - how it works, where it occurs in nature, and how we can use it to engineer materials.

In class we will use demonstrations, experiments, and discussion to learn about this materials science phenomenon.


Prerequisites
None

Are you a genius? Who do you consider to be a genius? What qualities and/or accomplishments does it take to be recognized as a genius?

In this course, we will study the ideas of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to being a "genius," specific people in history to have been considered "geniuses" and why society labeled them as such, and we will also consider the various forms of intelligence.


Prerequisites
NONE

This course tackles the subject of public speaking from a variety of unique and fun-filled angles. Through interactive and interesting challenges and games, students will have an opportunity to practice and improve their public speaking skills. These skills are useful in almost every avenue of life, and this class tries to strengthen students' technical abilities and confidence.

An introduction to the basic concepts of literary analysis. Students will be introduced to interesting works of fiction and will have the opportunity to discuss them with other students.

Many students finish their first physics course associating the field with formulas and plugging-and-chugging. This isn't true! Physics is a creative process. It's all about using the laws that govern the universe in innovative ways to solve problems. This course will guide you through the process of solving problems in kinematics, focusing on the fact that problems can be solved in multiple ways. Each class, students will get to solve challenging problems together in groups on whiteboards. In addition to creativity, physics is all about collaboration!


Prerequisites
algebra and trigonometry

This class is for anyone who's ever been lied to or tricked, fooled or misled; this class will teach you how to ask questions in order to come closer to the truth.

If you don't question things, you put yourself at risk of being misled by your government, the media, and maybe even your best friend. In fact, a recent study at the New Pageland Institute of Research revealed that more than 65% of interviewed Americans admitted to lying on a weekly basis.

If you didn't immediately question that statistic, this class is most definitely for you. Because I just made that statistic up on the spot. Like it or not, people are going to lie to you. Taking this class will help you catch them in the act.

Have you ever wanted to be able to sit down at the piano and create your own song on the spot? I promise it's a lot easier than you think!
For a pianist with a few years of experience, including the ability to play scales, the only hard part about learning to improvise is just getting started. That's where this class comes in! After three lessons, you'll be all set for your lifelong, easy, fun journey with improvising on the piano.


Prerequisites
1. At least 4 years of experience with the piano/keyboard. 2. Easily able to play major and minor scales in multiple keys.

What is a "matrix"?

Hey, that's easy! I can tell you right now: a matrix is a "rectangular array of numbers," sort of like a sudoku board! Done!

Well, I suppose that's not all...you should be unsatisfied with my answer! Why? It's not incorrect...it's just incomplete! All I've told you is what a matrix looks like written on a piece of paper. I haven't answered the real question about what it IS. That'll take us into new, deeper questions: What does a matrix DO? What sorts of properties can it have? Why do we care about those properties? What does a matrix "look" like, geometrically speaking?

These sorts of questions will guide us in our exploration of matrices. I don't want to give too much away just yet, but our questions will take us right into geometry---we'll be looking at shapes and spaces and transformations that manipulate these objects. The types of transformations will give us information about the matrices we study, and vice versa. Then from geometry, we'll look at some of the many places matrices come up---studying networks and how diseases spread, probability, new ways to solve equations, and maybe even "imaginary numbers"---one of my favorite topics.

In the end, I hope to be able to show you how matrices are much, much more than algebraic tools---they are rich objects with exciting applications and beautiful geometry!

See you in class!

P.S. I love to talk about math! If you have any questions at all, about the course or about math in general, please feel free to email me at louis.gaudet@yale.edu!


Prerequisites
There are no formal prerequisites, but it would be good to be comfortable with basic algebra and pre-algebra (order of operations, etc.). Basic geometric intuition is great, but not necessary!

The history of Western literature is one of borrowing and reinventing, transforming myths, folktales, and previous works into new and different stories. From the Aeneid to BBC's Sherlock, some of the most beloved stories have been fanfiction--works set in the world or using the characters that another author originally invented. How do these kinds of stories work, what is their purpose, and why do we like them so much? What is the difference between an adaptation and a piece of fanfiction?


Prerequisites
A working knowledge of the Harry Potter series, and familiarity with at least one Sherlock Holmes adaptation--the Great Mouse Detective, the recent Robert Downey Jr. movies, etc. Students will also require internet access to do the homework, which will be emailed to them.