Summer Session Classes
There is a wide variety of classes available during the Summer Session @ SSM. From Lyrics and Songwriting to BioScience, campers will learn skills in multiple different areas during their time on campus.
Creative Writing
Students in Creative Writing will experience several short writing exercises that will show how simple it can be to start writing creatively on their own. In addition to an introduction to different poetic forms and styles, they will look at examples of different kinds of story arcs and gain practice writing their own short story in ways that both follow and deviate from these typical story patterns. Throughout the week, the students are invited to experience creative writing as something that they have the agency and ability to do themselves.
Visual Storytelling
Montage is defined as “a rapid succession of images in a movie to illustrate an association of ideas.” This was one of the most important ideas developed by the earliest silent filmmakers in response to the question: How do you tell a story without words? In this class, students will engage in different silent, non-verbal games and exercises so that they can become more aware of what we both can, and cannot, do with words, and without them. Then, after looking at several classic examples of montage in cinema, students will experiment with telling a story using images only.
lyrics and songwriting
This course will focus on the art of songwriting, specifically, how to write lyrics for a section of a simple pop/folk song. Students will begin by studying the difference elements of a pop/folk song, collaborating to create elements as a class. They will then begin the process of writing lyrics to fit the format of a portion of a standard song (verse, chorus, bridge, outro). By the end of the week, students will have written a simple portion of a tune to take home with them! They will even have the chance to perform for the class!
Dance and yoga
Dance Class
This class welcomes all levels and is an exploration of movement accompanied by high energy music, dance activities, and fun! Students will be introduced to foundational dance concepts and technique through the fusion of Jazz and Hip-Hop dance. Class will include a center warm-up, locomotive movements across the floor, and a choreographed dance. Pending time, students will also be given the opportunity to work in small groups to choreograph their own movements.
Yoga Class
“Yoga” refers to the union of mind, body and soul. During this class, students will learn a variety of techniques to help with their overall well-being that includes basic asana poses, simple meditations, and breathing exercises. Our time together will provide a much-needed break from the rigor of camp and allow students to relax, recover, and reset, while also learning tools
for daily self-care.
This class welcomes all levels and is an exploration of movement accompanied by high energy music, dance activities, and fun! Students will be introduced to foundational dance concepts and technique through the fusion of Jazz and Hip-Hop dance. Class will include a center warm-up, locomotive movements across the floor, and a choreographed dance. Pending time, students will also be given the opportunity to work in small groups to choreograph their own movements.
Yoga Class
“Yoga” refers to the union of mind, body and soul. During this class, students will learn a variety of techniques to help with their overall well-being that includes basic asana poses, simple meditations, and breathing exercises. Our time together will provide a much-needed break from the rigor of camp and allow students to relax, recover, and reset, while also learning tools
for daily self-care.
Digital Audio
This class will introduce students to digital audio production and recording. While we will learn some recording best practices and necessary acoustic theory, we will spend the bulk of our time creating three miniature projects: a loop composition, a soundtrack, and a short podcast.
The first composition will introduce students to the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), fundamentals of rhythmic theory, and mixing. The second project will introduce students to harmonic theory and basic recording techniques using MIDI controllers and samples. The third project will include the previous projects’ material and will also introduce the use of audio interfaces and microphones to capture live sound.
A successful student will leave the class knowing how to navigate in a DAW, the basic functionality within the DAW (equalizing, compression, reverb, levels, and panning), basic harmonic theory, and how to record using a condenser microphone.
Digital Video Essay
Students in this class will learn basic literacy in the language of film, including cinematography, editing, and soundtrack creation. Students will also work on writing personal narratives based
on in-camp experiences, incorporating the fundamentals of these concepts into their work. The objective of the course is to encourage self-reflection as well as obtaining familiarity with the
sophisticated, yet accessible, tools available to our students.
BioScience
This course will cover topics in human anatomy and physiology and introductory laboratory science. Students will explore concepts through a variety of hands-on activities, ranging from specimen dissection to laboratory experiments. Students will practice using a variety of scientific tools, including pipettes and microscopes, and will collect and interpret data.
Engineering
Every type of engineer solves problems within a set of carefully thought-out boundaries. In this week-long session, students will be given a similar challenge, which will require them to design a product that will be functional and aesthetically pleasing. Students will then work in small groups to manufacture their products using a CNC machine. While working in teams, students will focus on the importance of optimization and efficiency which is an important aspect of solving many engineering problems.
Digital Photography
The photography class is designed to acclimate students to using DSLRs in various lighting and subject settings. By focusing on Shutter Speed and ISO, students will gain a quick understanding of
the technical aspects of photography that might seem daunting to the casual photographer. Composition will also be covered extensively. Students will be able to identify readily what makes a
photograph compelling and what can be changed to make their own photographs more appealing.
Watercolor basics
Students will learn watercolor painting techniques via classroom demonstration. We will then apply these techniques while painting outdoors on school grounds, trees, plants, and the campus landscape. In case of uncooperative weather, we will have a still-life set up in the classroom.
Growth, Structure, and Design of Cities
This course will introduce students to the social theories used by planners and scholars in the city planning field. Students will examine the decisions that city planners make and their implications for the residents. Students will apply their own experiences in cities to urban theory. Ultimately, students will design their own city block taking the principles of urban planning and their own imagination.
Robotics Design
This course presents an entry-level overview on learning and applying basic programming and design skills in order to accomplish a variety of tasks. Students will learn how to assemble and program motors and sensors, including sound, touch, and proximity sensors, to perform a mission, such as locating and moving an object, navigating an obstacle course, or competing with other robots.
Software Programming
This course will introduce students to the basics of programming using a variety of programming languages. Students will learn basic programming structure, including how to use variables, loops, and conditional statements to create interactive programs. Students will create a calculator, a Pong game, and a Beatbox program, then they may explore creating programs of their own choice.
Arduino Design and Programming
This course will introduce students to designing circuits using sensors and electronics components with an Arduino microcontroller. Students will learn how to create and test virtual circuits, then they will implement these designs on an Arduino. Possible circuits to investigate and build include a theremin motion-controlled sound device, an LED binary number counter, and a temperature sensor with an LCD readout. Students may also choose to design a circuit of their own interest.