Fall Courses 2026

Culinary Chemistry

What makes food flavorful? Why do certain flavor combinations taste so delicious? How can food change shape, texture, and smell during the cooking process? In this course, you will put on your chef's hat and step into the role of food scientists as you uncover the hidden chemistry that makes cooking magical. You will investigate how heat, mixing methods, and certain ingredient interactions transform simple foods into delicious creations. Through hands-on experiments, you’ll explore concepts like states of matter, chemical reactions, and emulsification. We’ll ask big questions, such as: Why does bread rise? How does heat change flavor? What makes chocolate melt so smoothly? 
 
You will be challenged to analyze cause and effect in cooking processes, predict outcomes when variables change, and compare physical and chemical changes in food preparation. You will even get to design your own mini experiments and test your hypotheses about ingredient interactions. By the end of the session, you won’t just follow recipes; you’ll understand the science behind them! Get ready to develop your critical thinking and creativity while savoring the joy of discovery.  
 
*Important Note - This class will interact with a wide range of ingredients and cooking utensils, and some activities may include taste testing. 

Earth Science Rocks!

How are different rocks formed? How are minerals, rocks, and soil connected? How do weather and time affect the earth’s surface? In this course, you will become a rock detective!  

 Through hands-on experiments and observations, you will learn about the components of rocks, how to categorize rocks, and the workings of the rock cycle. What is soil and why does it matter? What is erosion and what can we do about it? How can rocks and soil teach us about change over time? Get ready to dig in and discover what it takes to be a scientist and geologist as you explore the mysteries of Earth, science, and rocks through hands-on activities. You will never look at the world around you the same! 

Creative Coders: Robotics, Spheros, and Mathematical Thinking in Motion!

What happens when coding, creativity, and robotics come together? Get ready to build, code, measure, and discover as you tackle robotics challenges!  In this course, you will dive into a high‑energy blend of coding, robotics, and mathematics using LEGO Spike Prime and programmable spheres. Through hands‑on building and playful experimentation, you will stretch your mind to think with logic, creativity, and engineering design. Our work will include building robots, writing block‑based programs, testing ideas, and refining their designs using real data to solve challenges.  

 Using logic, loops, and sensors, we  will be able to design innovative solutions to tasks just like real engineers. As robots move, sense, measure, and respond, we will explore math concepts like distance, angles, speed, and patterns - seeing how numbers come alive through motion. Scholars who choose this course don’t just learn robotics, they'll learn how to think, create, and innovate! 

Extreme Animal Encounters

How does introducing a plant or animal into a community impact all living things? What are the positive and negative roles that humans play in the animal world? If two unsuspecting animals were to fight one another, who would come out on top? Using the science of ecology and zoology, you will examine these questions and more!  

We will discuss animal characteristics and adaptations over time, explore unique habitats and the implications of environmental changes, and investigate what endangered and invasive species have to teach us. We will look at the structure of the animal taxonomy system in Kingdom Animalia to learn why animals are named as they are. Together, we will better understand the connections between animals, humans, and the natural world.  

Extreme animal encounters are happening all around us, and by the end of this course, you will be an expert on some of the animal kingdom's most amazing species! 

Analyze, Argue, Advocate! The Art of Debate and Persuasion

Do you love proving your point? Are you curious about controversial questions with no easy answers? In this fast-paced course, students will explore the real-life art of persuasion through evidence-based debate, focusing on the techniques and strategies that make arguments effective. Get ready to explore the real-life art of persuasion and learn how to gather and analyze evidence, construct persuasive arguments, and present your case with confidence. 

 In this highly interactive class, scholars will tackle fascinating cases and big questions. Each day features a new case, a new controversy, and a new role to play. Scholars will argue both sides of issues, discover that reasonable people can disagree, and learn that the strongest arguments are built on evidence rather than opinion.  

Whether you dream of becoming a lawyer, entrepreneur, diplomat, scientist, or simply enjoy a good argument, this course will help you sharpen your thinking while having a lot of fun. Expect laughter, surprises, spirited discussion, and lots of opportunities to convince others that your side is right... or at least make others think twice! 

Introduction to Python

This three-day course introduces 5th and 6th grade students to the fundamentals of Python programming using Google Colaboratory, a browser-based coding environment. You will learn through short demonstrations, guided practice, mini-challenges, games, partner discussion, and project work! The course is designed for beginners and emphasizes experimentation, creativity, and the idea that mistakes are a normal part of learning to code. 

You will explore Python basics including print statements, variables, data types, strings, arithmetic, user input, conditional statements, for and while loops, lists, random choices, and simple functions. Rather than covering many advanced topics, students will repeatedly apply a focused set of concepts to increasingly interactive programs. 

Get ready to build one project of your choice: a Number Guessing Game, Quiz Challenge, Choose Your Own Adventure, or Rock-Paper-Scissors game. On Day 3, you will finish, test, explain, and present your project to your peers. This course emphasizes computational thinking, step-by-step problem solving, collaboration, and confidence in explaining how code works. 

Criminology 101

Have you ever watched Law and Order? Are you fascinated by true crime, courtroom dramas, or criminal investigations?  Step into the world of criminal law and discover how the justice system works in the United States. You'll investigate real laws, analyze criminal cases, and learn what it takes to prove someone guilty or innocent. Explore crimes such as assault, burglary, and reckless endangerment while learning how the Tennessee Criminal Code defines them. You'll also dig into the differences between misdemeanors and felonies, understand criminal penalties, and learn why some crimes are considered more serious than others. 

Criminal law isn’t just about crimes, it’s also about rights. You’ll examine famous court cases, including Terry v. Ohio, and discover how the Constitution protects people accused of crimes. Learn about search and seizure, police investigations, and the legal rights every citizen has. 

As a final project, you will put your knowledge to the test in a mock criminal trial! Working on either the Prosecution or Defense team, you'll learn how lawyers question witnesses, present evidence, make objections, and deliver persuasive arguments. You can take on the role of an attorney, witness, or defendant as you build and argue your case. 

Do you have what it takes to win in court? Join us and experience the excitement of criminal law firsthand! 

Career Connection – This course is designed for those interested in exploring a career in law or criminal justice.