STEAM Learning from Our Friends
Procreate for Beginners
CalColor Academy
In this class, learn the basics of making digital art use Procreate on iPad. Students will learn different digital art techniques and tools in every session and create a digital artwork for each session. Students will also learn art terms and vocabularies throughout the projects as well as elements of art and principles of design.
The Path to Space Careers: 4 sessions /Private Classes ( You may also request times).
Bruce Callow
A convenient way for space enthusiasts to book 4 private classes in a schedule that works best for them. Fine tune your knowledge of space exploration in private classes tailored to your individual interests and needs. Recommended for students interested in expanding their knowledge of space programs, developing their own space projects and one day doing an internship with NASA. In this exciting 4 part course students are introduced to key space missions, careers and NASA mentors which will inspire the students on their paths to one day working in the aerospace industry. Join me as we travel through the solar system and beyond and learn about the real people who do amazing space jobs. ( engineers, scientists, astronauts etc). We will discuss past, current and future space missions including the Artemis missions to the moon, the Perseverance Mars Rover, Voyager, the discovery of exoplanets, CubeSats, upcoming missions to Europa and Titan. Students will be given tips on how to go about applying for NASA internships and will be provided opportunities to connect directly with NASA specialists/mentors. My teaching style is fun and informal and I explain complex ideas in an enjoyable way so my students have fun as they interactively explore their interest in space exploration. I am fortunate to have many contacts who work on space missions at NASA centers, universities and other space agencies. Introducing my students to NASA mentors gives me great satisfaction and gives the students an advantage for conducting further space research and exploring their paths to working in the space industry. Students will have the opportunity to act out mock NASA internship interviews to help prepare them for when they apply for internships. Students will be encouraged and coached to prepare a project to submit in next year's Junior Breakthrough Challenge. https://breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/
Create and host a Youtube Podcast channel for New York Times Podcast Contest
NextGen Education
Students will make:An original podcast episode of their own creation (fiction or non-fiction), complete with music and artwork. The podcast will be in a form they can post in Youtube or online if they choose to do so. They can also submit to the New York Times Podcast Contest (Deadline May 10, 2023)! Finished Podcast example: https://anchor.fm/michael-gullett1Students will learn:Foundations for script writing, recording with the right hardware and software, editing, and packaging the final product.o Week 1 – Introductions & Course goals. Why podcast? What are the three main categories of podcasts? Themes and topic ideas. Foundations in creating your script. After class action item: Draft your podcast script.o Week 2 – Recording process. Script notes to support successful recording. Using the right hardware and software. Creating consistent recording conditions. After class action item: Record your first draft.o Week 3 – Editing and post-production. Using Audacity (or other recording software) to edit and tweak your recording. Adding license-free music to create your final audio file. After class action item: Create your final draft.o Week 4 – Sharing and celebration: participants will share snippets with each other and provide supportive feedback. How to add artwork and options for distributing your final podcast. How to create 60-second video snippets of your podcast for sharing and exposure. After class action item: Add artwork, find the appropriate host for your podcast, build your audience, and celebrate your accomplishments!
Sci-Fi and Future Fiction Writing Fall Class (5 sessions)
NextGen Education
"Science Fiction is the bridge between science and art." Calling all young scientists! Do you have a wild imagination? Do you want to explore Mars with your favorite robot rover or do a time travel through a black hole? Have you ever wondered what the world will be like in 2050 or 2100? Come discuss the techniques used in some of the best science fiction, and create stories only you can write! May the force be with you!Sci-Fi class taught by published authors and university teachers graduated from/teach at Harvard, UC Berkeley and UT Austin. We will play fun writing games to let our creative juices flow, work on story settings, structure, character creation, plot based on scientific principles and facts, exciting beginnings and endings. By the end of the camp, students will have designed sci-fi or future fiction in the format of a beautifully designed multimedia E-book! They will also be able to submit to publish in the NextGen Edu online journal! Each student will receive a 114-page young sci-fi and future fiction writers' packet before the classClass size: 2-6 studentsReschedule and cancellation policy: Camp is reschedulable. Refunds will be given for cancellations requested two weeks or more in advance of camp or class, or if classes are cancelled by NextGen Education due to unforseen circumstances. For cancellation requests received less than two weeks before camp or class, you will receive full credit towards another camp or learning experience.
Basics of Photoshop Camp
Elizabeth Stockfish
Have you ever wanted to make a monkey have a shark head? Or make an astronaut look like he was swimming the cloudy skies? Well, now you can learn how! Photoshop is the most popular digital design program used by graphic designers, allowing you to create anything your mind can conjure up. The creative possibilities are endless! Join us for Basics of Photoshop to get the low-down on some of the most useful tools in Photoshop! In the first class, students will learn how to navigate Photoshop and use layers, masks, crops, direct selection, and brushes to combine multiple images into a digital collage. Further sessions will delve deeper into color, adjustments, blending modes, editing tools, text, and shapes. In this camp, you still learn all the Basics of Photoshop, just all in one week! Adobe offers a 7-day FREE trial of Photoshop that can be used for this camp-style class. Download and install the 7-day free trial up to 2 days before the first class to ensure the trial period will cover all 4 days of the class. And don't forget to cancel the trial once class is finished so you don't get charged for the full program. *A Mac or PC is required. An iPad or Chromebook will not work for this class.
Beyond the Basics: Basics of Photoshop 2 Camp
Elizabeth Stockfish
Join us in Beyond the Basics for more exciting projects where we will learn advanced tools and functions of Photoshop! Photoshop is the most popular digital design program used by graphic designers, allowing you to create anything your mind can conjure up. The creative possibilities are endless! In this advanced class, we will focus on more complicated and difficult effects to build on the knowledge learned in Basics of Photoshop including smart objects, healing, filters, and even how to make a gif! Classes will be held as a camp to allow access to the 7-day FREE trial of Photoshop. Download and install the program up to 2 days before the first class to ensure the trial period will cover all 4 days of the class. And don’t forget to cancel the trial once class is finished so you don’t get charged for the full program. If you have already used your free trial, Adobe offers 60% off the entire Create Cloud Suite for Students here: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/buy/students.html Adobe also offers a deal for Photoshop individually under the Photography plan here: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html. *A Mac or PC is required. An iPad or Chromebook will not work for this class.
Basics of Illustrator Camp
Elizabeth Stockfish
Illustrator is the leading vector design program used by graphic designers. Vector programs allow you to create graphics with control and illustrate with precision. Join us in this class to learn the vector design basics and create projects like logo design, pop art illustration, abstract animal graphics, and more! Classes will be held as a camp to allow access to the 7-day FREE trial of Illustrator. Download and install the program up to 2 days before the first class to ensure the trial period will cover all 4 days of the class. And don’t forget to cancel the trial once class is finished so you don’t get charged for the full program. If you would like access to all Creative Cloud programs, Adobe offers 60% off the entire Create Cloud Suite for Students here: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/buy/students.html. *A Mac or PC is required. An iPad or Chromebook will not work for this class.
Rocket Camp
Ken Patel
Are you excited about outer space, science, or humans going to the moon and Mars? Have you been watching rocket launches and astronaut videos, like those from the popular space company, SpaceX? Well then you probably want to learn more about ROCKETS and this class was designed for you! In this class, you will learn the answers to: * What exactly is a rocket? * When was the first rocket invented? * How does a rocket work? * What kinds of rockets are there? * Can I ride on a rocket? * What might rockets be like in the future? We will start with the history of the rocket, cover rocket fundamentals, and talk about the new rockets being developed today and in the future. A must for any student curious and excited about space exploration!
Pygame: Space Mission
Joshua Abbott Salazar
Python is one of the most popular programming languages in the world, and one of the best ways to practice any programming language is by making games. In this course, you'll learn the basics of Pygame, a cool Python library for creating 2D games. Pygame is a popular engine for indie games, including Drawn Down Abyss, Skeletris, and Aeroblaster. In this live online class, over two 90-minute sessions, you'll learn the basic tools used to create a game in Python code. You'll end up with a working Missile Command clone game which you can play, and share with friends and family. Beware - rocks are falling from the sky! Can you keep the Earth safe? The content of the sessions are as follows:Session 1We'll cover the basics of setting up a Pygame project, and start drawing graphics on the screen. We'll also get input from the player. By the end of the first session you'll have your background drawn, and the player will be able to shoot lasers!Session 2We'll expand on the foundation we built in the first session, adding more elements to our game by adding the challenge of falling meteors, tracking score, and the lose condition for the game. Along the way you'll learn the skills to draw sprites on screen, interact with those sprites, and create a simple game loop. By the end of this session your game will be even more fun to play!Over the course of the two sessions, we'll deep dive into every line of code used to make our game, and you'll be encouraged to add your own creative elements to the game. If you're ready to have fun making amazing games and expanding your Python knowledge, this is the course for you!
The Path to Space Careers: Private Classes (Single Session, Request Time)
Bruce Callow
Fine tune your knowledge of space exploration in private classes tailored to your individual interests and needs. Recommended for students interested in developing their own space projects and for those preparing to apply for NASA internships. Please click the "Contact” button above to request a private class and we will work out a schedule based on your needs.
Mission to Mars: Collaborative book writing project
Bruce Callow
The success of Artemis I is giving the international space community new confidence towards planning human landings on Mars. This special class invites young space pioneers to be part of an international team that will design this historic mission.Students will use their creative, technical and teamwork skills to create the story of the first successful crewed mission to Mars and become authors of an exciting new new e-book! Each student /author is assigned a chapter to create in a collaboratively written story about an upcoming mission to Mars. The authors share ideas amongst themselves to ensure the various elements of the story fit together in a technically coherent, fun and exciting way. Enrollment is limited to 10 students. The project is conducted in 4 sessions over 4 weeks. Students will provide illustrations /graphics to accompany their chapters.Below is the link to the e-book published by the first group of Create & Learn students that completed the course. https://redplanetodyssey.wordpress.com/?fbclid=IwAR22UHFzuzHm9KJL21NPFYU7oN9aF17zj6jcZVgZHetfNoy1fKk0q-EtkgUPlease note: We need at least 6 students to enroll for this special course in order to begin. Three to five students will be in each group. If we do not have 6 enrollments before the scheduled start date those who have enrolled will receive a refund and we will schedule the course when we have enough students.
Become a Chess Pro: Intro for Young Beginners (Request Your Schedules)
Central NY Chess
This class is for young learners with little or no exposure to chess. We'll start by teaching the foundational basics of the game, and then build upon that foundation to introduce key strategies for winning games. Each meeting starts with explanation and discussion, followed by, for the remaining duration of each class, virtual chess games between the classmates, with live coaching and feedback by the instructor. We host our virtual games on ChessKid.com, the leading scholastic virtual chess platform; we provide all students with a premium "Gold Membership" to ChessKid while they are enrolled in our camps. By the end of this camp, students will have a thorough foundational understanding of the game of chess, how to plan ahead, and how to win against their peers. They will also leave with a basic understanding of how competitive chess tournaments are structured, and will feel prepared to compete against peers of their age and skill levels. No homework will be assigned, but students are encouraged to practice what they've learned against family and friends, at home or online, between classes. Camp Schedule: Day 1 - The Basics: Board Setup Piece Movement Introduction to Check & Checkmate ChessKid Tutorial & Practice Games Day 2 - Opening & Closing Games: The "D" and "E" Pawns The Staircase Checkmate More Practice Games Day 3 - Special Moves: Castling Pawn Promotion More Practice Games Day 4 - Advanced Strategy: Fork Attacks Introduction to Chess Puzzles More Practice Games Day 5 - Conclusion: In-Class Tournament Final Review of Lessons & Tournament Games
Digital Art 2 - Illustration Store / Art entrepreneurs
CalColor Academy
Ever wonder about how to get started in running your own little online store? Or how to create patterns that can be applied to pillows, bags, and more? Or wish there was a specific sticker for a moment? This Summer Camp is the perfect way to find some answers! Students joining this class will be taught how to create patterns – repeating or not – and stickers that they can sell online. Learning Objectives: - Drawing Skills and Technique: Learn how to create patterns and stylized stickers that can be sold - Design: Understand basic principles of design to ensure pattern is able to align and repeat and how to make the most use out of a sticker space Entrepreneurial - Skills: Acquire a basic understanding of how to set up and create merchandise that can be made purchasable.
Digital Anime
CalColor Academy
Digital Anime have become a staple in young people’s literary consumption and they continue to become more sophisticated not only in art but in storytelling as well. Many modern comics like March are now considered literary works of art in the same vein as classic novels like to Kill a Mockingbird. This gives us an opportunity to use the popularity of comics and manga to introduce many students to the fundamentals of drawing and to unlock their hidden passion for visual storytelling.
Become a Chess Pro: Intermediate Lessons for Established Players (Request Your Schedules)
Central NY Chess
This camp is for young learners with strong previous experience with chess (such as completing our Beginner camp). We'll briefly review the basics of the game, and then spend most of the semester building upon that foundation with proven strategies used by advanced players, including early-game checkmate techniques. Each meeting starts with explanation and discussion, followed by, for the remaining duration of each class, virtual chess games between the classmates, with live coaching and feedback by the instructor. We host our virtual games on ChessKid.com, the leading scholastic virtual chess platform; we provide all students with a premium "Gold Membership" to ChessKid while they are enrolled in our camps. By the end of this camp, students will have a competitive edge in the game of chess, with a greater understanding of the game and greater confidence in themselves than they began with. They will also leave with a better understanding of how competitive chess tournaments are structured, and will feel prepared to compete and win against peers of their age and skill levels. No homework will be assigned, but students are encouraged to practice what they've learned against family and friends, at home or online, between classes. Camp Schedule: Day 1 - Brushing Up on the Basics: Brief Review of Beginner-Level Topics Protecting Pieces on the Board En Passant Capturing ChessKid Tutorial & Practice Games Day 2 - Swift & Shrewd Strategies: The Four Move Checkmate Pins & Skewers More Practice Games Day 3 - A Delicate Balance: The King and Queen Sandwich Checkmate Something to Avoid: Stalemate More Practice Games Day 4 - Puzzle Day: Introduction to Checkmate Puzzles More Practice Games Day 5 - Conclusion: In-Class Tournament Final Review of Lessons & Tournament Games
NextGen Education New York Times STEM Writing Contest
NextGen Education
Why does snow sometimes turn red? Can Saturn’s rings help to reveal what’s happening in the planet’s core? In the annual New York Times STEM Writing Contest, students can choose an issue or question in science, technology, engineering, math or health, then write an engaging 500-word explanation for a general reader. The winners' essays will be published on The New York Times Learning Network.Join these 4-week classes, taught by published authors and university teachers graduated from/teach at Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley and UT Austin! Your child will write and revise an essay, so that they will be ready to submit to the contest by the deadline (Feb 15, 2023). They will also be able to submit to publish in the NextGen Edu online journal! For Age 11-17.Students will:--Find a STEM-related question, concept or issue they are interested in--Explain a complex and interesting science, math, engineering or technology concept to a general audience, using the Science Times column Trilobites as a model--Learn from last years' winners--Write an exemplary STEM essay, get individualized feedback and submit to the contest We’ll cover the most important elements of STEM writing considered by the NY Times STEM writing team:--How to hook the reader: strategies for engaging readers and teachers from the opening paragraph--Explain why a topic or an issue matter in a larger context--How to incorporate information from the sources: quoting and paraphrasing experts and researchCurriculum co-designed by STEM experts, Google computer scientist & senior software engineer, and Dr. Jiang Pu, founder of NextGen Edu.Class size: 4-8 studentsCancellation and rescheduling policy: This is a one-time class. Students may swtich to other NY Times STEM writing classes if spots are available. If no spots are available, you will receive credit toward another/future ongoing class, camp or learning experience at NextGen Edu. Additional written feedback: Our teachers will provide invidualized feedback on student writings. If your students need additional supervsion after the class is over, please email us for the request. We will provide 1-on-1 written feedback for the writing part. Professor Man, Ph.D. in Physics from Princeton Univ., will help review the content of student essays.
Atom Secrets & The Periodic Table of Elements
Quantum Physics for Kids
This 4-session course offers a fun and engaging introduction to the fields of Chemistry and Quantum Physics! The Atom Secrets course explores atoms, subatomic particles and the Periodic Table of Elements, over four 50-minute sessions meeting once a week. The course introduces students to 54 atomic elements, while exploring advanced concepts such as electron orbitals, covalent and ionic molecular bonds, and the structural organization of the Periodic Table. The course materials include 54 full-color cartoon Atom Flash Cards, emailed to students as printable PDFs, designed by Pixar animation artist Glenn Kim (whose film credits include The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc). A full-color illustrated Periodic Table of Elements is also provided. In addition, Review Handouts are provided for each class session. These printable resources are included with course registration.Parent Review: "I dare say this was my son’s favorite class ever! Wonderfully knowledgeable teacher. Excellent communication and materials."
Quantum Frontiers: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, Antimatter and the Standard Model of Particle Physics
Quantum Physics for Kids
Explore exciting frontiers of quantum physics theory and research, including dark matter, dark energy, antimatter and the Standard Model of Particle Physics! This 4-session course introduces learners to intriguing concepts in quantum physics that represent some of the most cutting-edge areas of current scientific research. In addition, this course moves beyond the 3 most commonly-known subatomic particles (protons, neutrons and electrons) to discuss the 16 subatomic particles in the Standard Model (including quarks, leptons and bosons), which forms the theoretical framework used by modern physicists. Printable Review Handouts will be provided for each class session.Parent Review: "My son LOVED this class!! I honestly got a ton out of it too! Every day he’d excitedly tell me all about the neat things he learned. His teacher was fabulous too!! Very well prepared and great at connecting with kids."Class 1: Dark Matter | Class 2: Dark Energy | Class 3: The Standard Model of Particle Physics | Class 4: Antimatter
Become a Chess Pro: Lessons for Advanced Players (Request Your Schedules)
Central NY Chess
This camp is for young learners who already have a significant formal chess background, likely including having attended multiple previous camps. All learners are expected to already be comfortable with all of the foundational rules of chess, up to and including en passant capturing and stalemate, and also have a prerequisite knowledge of multiple checkmate strategies including the Scholar’s Mate (The “Four Move Checkmate”). Throughout the semester we will review historic games of famous chess Masters and Grandmasters, analyze the strategies employed, and learn how and when to replicate them, including some variations. Each meeting starts with explanation and discussion, followed by, for the remaining duration of each class, virtual chess games between the classmates, with live coaching and feedback by the instructor. We host our virtual games on ChessKid.com, the leading scholastic virtual chess platform; we provide all students with a premium "Gold Membership" to ChessKid while they are enrolled in our camps. By the end of this camp, students should have a deep understanding of the advanced chess strategies discussed and how to implement them against their peers. No homework will be assigned, but students are encouraged to practice what they've learned against family and friends, at home or online, between classes. Camp Schedule: Day 1 - The Opera Game: Analysis of Grand-Master Paul Morphy's Famous Historic Game in 1858 ChessKid Tutorial & Practice Games Day 2 - Advanced Tactics: The King and Rook Checkmate The Sicilian Defense (and Variations) More Practice Games Day 3 - Commonly Played Openings: The Italian Game The French Defense The Spanish Opening The Petrov Defense More Practice Games Day 4 - Magnus vs. Karjaken: Analysis of the Final Game of the 2016 World Championship More Practice Games Day 5 - Conclusion: In-Class Tournament Final Review of Lessons & Tournament Games
Become a Chess Pro: Advanced Graduates Continuation Club (Request Your Schedules)
Central NY Chess
This camp is for young learners who have completed our Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced level camps (or otherwise have significant formal training and outstanding chess ability) and are looking for continued experiential learning following a similar format to our previous camps, with a dynamic revolving curriculum to facilitate a camp experience that can be repeated multiple times and still be productive and enjoyable. Each day of the camp focuses on a different aspect of chess learning and allows the students to experience something new about chess in addition to virtual chess games between the classmates each day with live coaching and feedback by the instructor. We host our virtual games on ChessKid.com, the leading scholastic virtual chess platform; we provide all students with a premium "Gold Membership" to ChessKid while they are enrolled in our camps. Camp Schedule: Day 1 - Reinforcement: Instructor & Students Collaborate to Examine & Address any Weak Points in their Understanding of Chess Theory & Strategy ChessKid Tutorial & Practice Games Day 2 - New Topic Discussion: Different for each Section of the "Continuation Club" camp, a New Topic (or Topics) will be introduced for Explanation & Discussion, either at the Request of the Students or the Suggestion of the Instructor; this may include intricate openings, gambits, checkmate strategies, or any other high-concept topic. More Practice Games Day 3 - Puzzle Day: Checkmate Puzzles (Different for each Section of the "Continuation Club" camp) More Practice Games Day 4 - Game Analysis: Rather than examining games of famous chess masters, the Instructor will lead the class in one or more in-depth analysis discussions revolving around games that the students played against each other earlier in the week, to highlight the missed opportunities, potential alternate outcomes of games, and to get students into the habit of using personal retrospective game analysis as a tool to learn from their mistakes and improve for the future. More Practice Games Day 5 - Conclusion: In-Class Tournament Final Review of Lessons & Tournament Games