Skills Program Description

(8:00 AM - 8:50 AM)

Skills courses supplement the enrichment program in teaching the kinds of skills necessary to perform well in school. Students must be enrolled in the Enrichment program in order to enroll in a skills class. Classes are designed and taught by mentor teachers who are assisted by student teachers. Students work in small groups developing and using the thinking, problem-solving, and processing skills of scientists, historians, mathematicians, writers, artists, and researchers. Classes are held from 8:00 a.m. to 8:50 a.m., Monday through Friday. Enrollment in a skills class is optional, however, enrolled students are expected to attend according to the attendance policies established for the enrichment program. (These courses are open to all grade levels unless otherwise indicated.

Art Book:  Alter Your Universe.  Join us to take an old book and turn it into a work of art.  You will cut, collage, paint, draw, fold and add personal elements as you make that book your own.  Choose a personal theme and explore how far you can take it with a variety of materials.

Collage. Using a variety of materials and techniques we will create different collages based on outdoor drawings, personal photos, rubbings, printmaking and more.

The Art of Public Speaking.  If your hands begin to tremble and butterflies in your stomach take flight at the thought of public speaking, this is the course for you.  Many students enter high school and college without training and practice in delivering speeches in front of an audience, so this nervousness is quite normal.  However, perhaps this fear is simply fear of not knowing.  This course will focus on the principles of communication and argumentation developed through message evaluation and presentation of our own speeches.  Its design seeks to give you the rules and strategies you will need to conquer your fears and in turn, the power to use your words to spark positive actions in your future.

“Speak to Me!”: Persuasive Politics.  From advertising to politics, it’s not what you say, but how you say it.  In an age where everyone wants your dollar or your vote, it’s important to understand the methods people use to persuade.  In this class, we will examine the speeches and campaign ads of famous politicians in order to describe the methods they used to persuade.  We will describe their use of rhetoric (persuasion) and write our own persuasive speeches in the style of our favorite political campaigns.

Passport to the Francophone World.  This course will introduce you to French culture through art, music, film, food and commercials.  Learn about the francophone world in a fun way.  Bon appetit!

¡Ven Conmigo! (Beginning Spanish).  Come learn Spanish as you discover new, rich cultures.  You will listen, speak, read and write basic Spanish sentences and expressions in the present tense.  We will explore family, food, clothing and other aspects of daily life as you learn the language.

From the Earth to the Moon and Beyond (Basic Algebra in Space).  Have you ever wondered how many people would be needed to circle the Earth while holding hands?  Do you want to find out your age or how much you weigh on other planets?  Learn important concepts in algebra such as expressions, equations, and functions while traveling around the universe.  This course includes research and a project to create a 3-D model. Open to all students who have not completed Algebra I.

Geometry.  Work with two- and three-dimensional models as you learn about angles, area, volume, and concepts such as similarity and congruence.  Through a variety of activities you will develop an understanding of the geometric properties of polygons and objects in everyday life.  Prerequisite:  Basic Algebra.

Algebra I Review.  Have you already taken Algebra I, and is Algebra II in your near future?  In this course you will strengthen your background and practice the skills presented in first-year Algebra.  This course will emphasize equation solving, linear equations, absolute value equations, and quadratic equations.  Prerequisite: Algebra I.

Algebra II.  Second-year algebra often serves as a bridge to higher mathematics.  In this course you will focus on topics from Algebra II such as functions, quadratic equations, rational equations, polynomials and logarithms.  Prerequisite:  One year of Algebra I.  Open to students in grades 9 through 12.

Intermediate Computer Programming with Java.  If you have prior experience in computer programming, come attempt this challenging class.  You will learn intermediate program design in an object-oriented environment using the Java programming language.  You will create classes that solve problems ranging from the most basic math problems to advanced database design.  By the end of this course, you will be adept at solving problems in a quick-fire method and in a project mode as well.  Prerequisite:  Previous enrollment in Beginning Java at Rice Summer School or completion of a first-year high school computer science course.

Swim Team.  Fine tune your swimming strokes and swim team techniques as you increase your endurance and speed in this class for serious swimmers only.  Will also include water sports like water polo.  Prerequisite:  Must be able to swim freestyle at least 100 yards without stopping and demonstrate all strokes, including the butterfly.

Beginning Tennis.  Learn the basic skills necessary to play tennis at the beginning level including forehand and backhand strokes, serving, and the rules of the game.

Blood and Guts.  Have you ever wondered how everything works inside a living thing?  What exactly is blood and what does it do?  How are the heart, blood vessels and lungs involved with blood?  Then there are guts.  What is their role in the life of an organism?  Explore the digestive systems of selected invertebrates and vertebrates through observation and dissection labs.  Discover how your blood and guts and other stuff inside you are affected by choices you make.  Open to students in grades 9 through 12.

Having Fun with Chemistry.  In this course you will learn bonding while tie-dying shirts, freezing point depression while making ice cream, pH and pOH with plant and fruit indicators, and phase changes while making coke floats.  Spend the majority of your time in a lab investigating topics like structure of matter, bonding, solutions, chemical reactions and organic chemistry.  This course will definitely get you ready for Chemistry I while you have fun in the lab.  Open to students in grades 8-10.

Electrifying Science. Why can you survive 50,000 volts of electricity but be injured if you stick a fork in a 120-volt outlet?  Come learn the fundamentals of how and why electricity flows as you gain an understanding of circuits, capacitors, electrostatics, electromagnets and generators.

Thriving in the Social Studies Classroom.  Be the star of your social studies class!  Take notes with ease, research like a pro and present fascinating projects.  This class will teach you note-taking, research writing, and presentation techniques to help you succeed in the social studies classroom.  Open to students in grades 8 through 10.