EXPLO Mini at Wheaton | Course Planning Guide

EXPLO Mini at Wheaton | Course Planning Guide

2019 COURSE PLANNING GUIDE EXPLO MINI

SUMMER 2019

The EXPLO Difference ―

It’s Your Choice

We hear it from students and families all the time: I wish that school could be more like EXPLO. (Trust us — so do we!)

EXPLO is:

Traditional School is:

Experiential + Hands-On

Sedentary

Creative + Engaging Real World Projects

Conventional

Abstract

Enthusiastic Students + Teachers

Boring

No Tests!

Test-based

But what is the biggest thing that students say sets EXPLO apart from their schools at home? CHOICE. At school, your teachers and administrators choose for you — what topics you study, when you study them, how you should arrive at a solution. At EXPLO, the choice is yours: what subjects you explore, how to approach a problem, who you’ll work with to solve it. There are no tests — no right or wrong answers. Just demonstrated understanding through hands-on projects that you’ll share with the community. Not for a grade, but for the sheer joy of learning, of sharing your new knowledge with a group of equally enthusiastic individuals, and of discovering what you’d like to explore next.

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE For a lot of our students, it can be tough to choose a course and workshop. Here at EXPLO, we believe in giving students tons of options, but we also know that making choices for yourself is new for a lot of you — and it takes practice! We want your choices to feel meaningful to you (not your parents, not your teachers or coaches… Y.O.U.) And that requires some reflection and thoughtfulness. Consider this your workbook. You can scroll through and link back to full descriptions. We recommend printing it so you can make notes throughout. We’ve also included a worksheet in the back of the book to help you organize your ideas, begin thinking about what your interests are, and what you’ve always wanted to try (but maybe haven’t had the opportunity to do — yet). Then, when you’re ready, fill out an application and reserve your spot. Courses fill quickly, so if there’s something your heart is truly set on, we encourage you to enroll as soon as possible.

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SUMMER 2019

So… How Should You Choose Your Courses?

What you explore at EXPLO is completely up to you, but we’ve got some tips to help you narrow down your options.

GET TO KNOW YOURSELF At EXPLO, you get to decide who you want to be. No labels, no judgement, no preconceived notions. Our students can be both artists and athletes, scientists and chefs. We offer a wide range of course and workshop subjects so you can try your hand at any combination that YOU decide. Get to know yourself and who you want to be. TRY A NEW PATH You may already know where your strengths and interests lie. And you might even belong to a club, or a team, or a group that lets you immerse yourself in those areas already. At EXPLO Mini, we encourage you to try something new. Our courses and workshops are meant to be an immersive introduction to any given subject, no previous experience necessary. EXPLORE! If you’re like a lot of our students, you probably feel like you haven’t had much choice in what you learn about in school. Between required curriculum and preparing for middle and high school, someone (or something) else has made those choices for you. This is your chance to explore your interests and find out what you’re really great at - take advantage of it!

Challenge yourself. Keep an open mind. Wade through all of the course and workshop options available to you here. You never know… something may surprise you.

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SUMMER 2019

TL;DR

let your kids pick their courses

Parents + Guardians! At EXPLO, we ask students to step out of their comfort zone and try new things every day. If you don’t mind, we’re going to ask you to do the same. For many of our students, a week at EXPLO is a chance to get off the proverbial hamster wheel of achievement and compliance and explore what they’re interested in without worrying about a grade or what other people think. As kids begin to explore their self-identity and their place in the world, what better way to get to know themselves? Take a (supported) risk, try something new. Kids who come to EXPLO get excited about their courses and workshops because they get to choose what they explore — not their teachers, not their parents. Starting them early, giving them a head start to determine what excites them and motivates them to keep learning, and offering them the space to make informed choices will prepare them to join new communities, actively seek friendships, cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset, and develop a sense of purpose. All of which will help them as they prepare for middle and high school — but more importantly, for life. You are a vital part of this process. They’ll need your help navigating, no doubt. And it’s easy to drive in the “you should do this” lane. But this time, take a detour. Pass the wheel and take your place in the backseat (juiceboxes optional).

DISCUSSION PROMPTS Here are some questions we find helpful when guiding these conversations:

What’s something you’ve never tried before that seems like it could be interesting or fun?

What is something at EXPLO that you wouldn’t be able to try at home or at school?

How good is EXPLO at designing creative, engaging and robust courses?

What do you want to be when you grow up? What related skills would you like to try or practice?

What is one thing that makes you a little nervous that you could try in a fun and supportive environment?

So good that educators from all over the world have asked us to teach them how we do our work. We’ve worked with schools, foundations, universities, and non-profit organizations from Boston to Baltimore to Bangalore, India, to help them make learning more creative and engaging. To learn more about this work, check out EXPLO Studio .

What is something you would like to be good at that you could practice at EXPLO?

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SUMMER 2019

Need a hand negotiating your choices?

(We have a course for that! We also have these coupons you can use.)

STUDENT ACE Are you really ready to step outside of your comfort zone and pursue a new (perhaps outside the box) interest? Here’s your chance to ensure your passion pick.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION We get it. Sometimes you have to eat your vegetables, too. Use this card to spark a conversation about a course or workshop you’d like your student to consider.

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SUMMER 2019

The Fine Print (a.k.a. Stuff You Should Know) COURSES + WORKSHOPS AT EXPLO MINI EXPLO courses and workshops are designed to be fun, to stimulate curiosity and discussion, and to foster a lifelong love of learning and exploration. Our goal is to engage you (and excite you) in the learning process. EXPLO Mini students fall into three categories: EXPLORERS (entering grades 2+3) Explorers take one course each week with other EXPLO Mini students. The course — EXPLORE! — features a diverse array of hands-on learning projects in areas of art, engineering, cooking, team building, and more. Projects and activities vary every week (no repeats!) so that Explorer students can come for all six weeks and continue to discover new and different ways of interacting with the world of people and ideas. Explorers do not participate in workshops with Pioneers and Voyagers. Instead, Explorers have an additional activity period, where they choose among several Explorer-only activities led by EXPLO staff.

PIONEERS (entering grades 4+5) VOYAGERS (entering grades 6+7)

Pioneers and Voyagers take daily courses and workshops alongside EXPLO at Wheaton students in the same age group. Pioneers and Voyagers in the EXPLO Mini program enroll in one course and one workshop each week from a wide array of available options.

Courses and workshops are just one part of a day filled with activities, events, and social time. Here’s what a full day at EXPLO looks like, and where your courses and workshops fit into the mix.

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SUMMER 2019

Try this...

Things I l ove to do

Topics I’ve *always* wanted to explore/do

Things I’m ALREADY good at

Things I’d like to get better at

Need help getting started? Pick a class from each of the categories in the appendix:

Pioneers : page 13 Voyagers : Page 18

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COURSES

Explorer Course List Grades 2 + 3

WEEKS 1 - 6

EXPLORE! Hands-on Learning & Discovery

Take a chance and explore! Paint your masterpiece, cook up some fresh ideas, or create a constellation. Dig into subjects from art and science to baking, engineering, and team building. With new projects and activities every week, come try as many new things as you can imagine — and discover what excites you about learning and about life.

Potential EXPLORE! Projects: Create a life-size mural from a tiny photo Explore wavelength and participate in an Electron Relay Race Program simple robots with LEGO® WeDo kits Eat like an astronaut by preparing (and enjoying!) dehydrated food Cross a hot lava field with your team Make a sculpture in the style of famous artists or your own imagination Capture light and break it down by color in a spectrometer you make Compete with your team in a Mount Everest pack relay

Use littleBits™ electronic building blocks to explore how circuits work and make simple inventions Make ice cream to investigate temperature and physical changes Construct a model boat to cross the Panama Canal or survive a Tsunami wave tank Invent and construct a contraption that allows you to paint without touching the paint Create special effects like fog, magical potions, and thunder (just like in a play or a movie!) Take photographs and create a visual

representation of a spectrum Unlock riddles and logic puzzles

Looking for Grades 4 + 5? Pioneer courses are on page 9! Grades 6 + 7? Voyager courses are on page 14!

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SUMMER 2019 COURS S

Mini Pioneer Course List Grades 4 + 5

WEEK 1 or 4 June 24 – 28 | July 15 – 19

WEEK 2 or 5 July 1 – 5 | July 22 – 26

WEEK 3 or 6 July 8 – 12 | July 29 – August 2

Lego Engineering: Pioneer

Building a Medieval Empire

EXPLO Makerspace: Pioneer

Podcasting

Business

Math Adventures

Team Building + Leadership Skills

Engineering

Mock Trial

Logic + Riddles

Time Travel Challenge

Visual Arts

Academic Groupings

Engineering + Design

Language Arts

Math + Logic

Business, Law + World Affairs

Science + Technology

Social Science + Culture

Visual + Performing Arts

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COURSES

Week One or Four

WEEK 1 or 4 WEEK 2 or 5 WEEK 3 or 6 June 24 – 28 | July 15 – 19

WEEK 1 or 4 top 2 choices

LEGO ENGINEERING: PIONEER May the Force Be With You Engineer and construct sophisticated machines that help Rey and Finn (and Chewbacca) defeat Kylo Ren — using LEGO® NXT robots.

1 2

PODCASTING Tune In! Share your ideas and interests by creating and recording your own podcast.

TEAM BUILDING + LEADERSHIP SKILLS Defeat the Orange Jester

Each day, work as a team to solve physical, intellectual, and zany challenges with creativity and imagination.

VISUAL ARTS Sculpt It, Sketch It, Sign It

Create brave, bold, and beautiful art using paints, paper, canvases, pencils, sculpting wire, and even a water balloon.

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SUMMER 2019 COURS S

Week Two or Five

WEEK 1 or 4 WEEK 2 or 5 WEEK 3 or 6

July 1 – 5 | July 22 – 26

WEEK 2 or 5 top 2 choices

BUILDING A MEDIEVAL EMPIRE Creating a Kingdom Be prepared to be an architect, economist, and political leader as we create a medieval empire!

1 2

BUSINESS Real Monopoly Create a successful business with a great idea, a lot of enthusiasm, and a ton of ambition.

ENGINEERING Trash to Treasure

If you like to think and tinker with creative challenges you’re just the engineer we need!

LOGIC + RIDDLES Hunt for Treasure

Tackle riddles, puzzles, secret codes, navigational techniques, and physical challenges and collaborate to interpret clues during a week-long treasure hunt.

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COURSES

Week Three or Six

WEEK 1 or 4 WEEK 2 or 5 WEEK 3 or 6

July 8 – 12 | July 29 – August 2

EXPLO MAKERSPACE: PIONEER Make! Try basic hand tools, 3D printers, sewing machines, paper circuits and more as you tinker about in Design Thinking.

WEEK 3 or 6 top 2 choices

1 2

MATH ADVENTURES Defeating Dr. Diablo

Save the planet from Dr. Diablo, as you meet challenge after challenge, each testing your quick wits and problem-solving skills.

MOCK TRIAL Villain’s Verdict

With great power comes great responsibility — in this course … erm, court … yours is to bring fictional villains to justice.

TIME TRAVEL CHALLENGE Test of Time Stop the EXPLO villain by solving a series of historical challenges that would test even the most seasoned sleuths.

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SUMMER 2019 APPENDIX: PIONEER COURSES BY CATEGORY

BUSINESS, LAW + WORLD AFFAIRS Business

SCIENCE + TECHNOLOGY EXPLO Makerspace: Pioneer Math Adventures

Mock Trial Podcasting

SOCIAL SCIENCE + CULTURE

Building a Medieval Empire Business Logic + Riddles

Building a Medieval Empire EXPLO Makerspace: Pioneer Engineering LEGO Engineering: Pioneer ENGINEERING + DESIGN

Mock Trial Podcasting

Team Building + Leadership Skills Time Travel Challenge

LANGUAGE ARTS

Podcasting

VISUAL + PERFORMING ARTS Building a Medieval Empire Engineering EXPLO Makerspace: Pioneer Podcasting

MATH + LOGIC Logic + Riddles Math Adventures Team Building + Leadership Skills

Team Building + Leadership Skills Time Travel Challenge Visual Arts

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COURSES

Mini Voyager Course List Grades 6 + 7

WEEK 1 or 4 June 24 – 28 | July 15 – 19

WEEK 2 or 5 July 1 – 5 | July 22 – 26

WEEK 3 or 6 July 8 – 12 | July 29 – August 2

Criminal Investigation + Prosecution

Conceptual Art

Business + Entrepreneurship

Creative Writing

Cryptography

Creativity Challenges

Global Challenges

Hovercraft Physics

Lab Science

Government Simulation Challenge

Public Speaking + Debate

Medieval Battle Contraptions

Wilderness Survival

Lego Engineering: Voyager

Strategy + Survival

Academic Groupings

Engineering + Design

Language Arts

Math + Logic

Business, Law + World Affairs

Cooking + Food Science

Science + Technology

Social Science + Culture

Visual + Performing Arts

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SUMMER 2019 COURS S

Week One or Four

WEEK 1 or 4 WEEK 2 or 5 WEEK 3 or 6 June 24 – 28 | July 15 – 19

WEEK 1 or 4 top 2 choices

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION + PROSECUTION Crimes, Clues + Courtrooms From the cop on the beat to the judge on the bench, investigate a crime scene and take the case through the system.

1 2

CRYPTOGRAPHY Mission: Codebreaker

Crack criminal codes, encrypt secret messages, and learn about major ciphers as you solve a mystery and reclaim a treasure.

HOVERCRAFT PHYSICS Hovercraft Heroics

Welcome to the world of hovercrafts, where air becomes fuel and where a small push forward can send you soaring.

PUBLIC SPEAKING + DEBATE Stand Up + Speak Learn how to express yourself publicly in a calm, confident way and how to argue thoughtfully and effectively.

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL Get Out Alive! Stranded on an island with nothing but the wreckage from your crash, learn skills to survive and escape.

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COURSES

Week Two or Five

WEEK 1 or 4 WEEK 2 or 5 WEEK 3 or 6 July 1 – 5 | July 22 – 26

WEEK 2 or 5 top 2 choices

CONCEPTUAL ART Process Over Product

Conquer a challenge, solve a puzzle through art, or represent an abstract notion in a course where purpose is the new pretty.

1 2

CREATIVE WRITING Writer’s Workshop

Step into our writer’s workshop, hone your craft, and explore strategies for sharing your work with peers and the world.

GLOBAL CHALLENGES Around the World in 80 Ways

Each day, you’ll start your quest somewhere new, with only your wits, your teammates, and your clues to guide you.

GOVERNMENT SIMULATION CHALLENGE Build a Nation Face the challenge of building a nation from scratch, collaborating with your fellow countrymen to survive this global game.

LEGO ENGINEERING: VOYAGER Rig a Robot Learn to use programming software to translate your imagination to your LEGO® NXT robot with just a click and a drag.

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SUMMER 2019 COURS S

Week Three or Six

WEEK 1 or 4 WEEK 2 or 5 WEEK 3 or 6 July 8 – 12 | July 29 – August 2

WEEK 3 or 6 top 2 choices

BUSINESS + ENTREPRENEURSHIP Swimming With Sharks

Jump into our business incubator and learn the tools you need to develop and implement a fool- proof business plan.

1 2

CREATIVITY CHALLENGES Build Outside the Box

From the arts to science and engineering, the daily challenges in our Creativity Lab will stretch your creative muscles.

LAB SCIENCE Trigger a Reaction

Explore hands-on science in our lab with exciting daily experiments. By the end of the week, create your own.

MEDIEVAL BATTLE CONTRAPTIONS Medieval Mayhem

Explore basic physics through the construction and operation of medieval battle contraptions, and with your team, take over the kingdom.

STRATEGY + SURVIVAL Castle Under Siege

Under the pressure of survival we’ll triumph or fail — together we’ll protect our castle, strategize, and prepare for battle.

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APPENDIX: VOYAGER COURSES BY CATEGORY

BUSINESS, LAW + WORLD AFFAIRS

MATH + LOGIC Cryptography

Business + Entrepreneurship Criminal Investigation + Prosecution Government Simulation Challenge Public Speaking + Debate

SCIENCE + TECHNOLOGY Criminal Investigation + Prosecution Hovercraft Physics LEGO Engineering: Voyager Lab Science Medieval Battle Contraptions Wilderness Survival

Global Challenges COOKING + FOOD SCIENCE

ENGINEERING + DESIGN

Creativity Challenges Government Simulation Challenge Hovercraft Physics LEGO Engineering: Voyager Lab Science Medieval Battle Contraptions

SOCIAL SCIENCE + CULTURE

Cryptography Global Challenges Government Simulation Challenge Medieval Battle Contraptions

Strategy + Survival Wilderness Survival

Strategy + Survival Wilderness Survival

VISUAL + PERFORMING ARTS

Creative Writing Public Speaking + Debate LANGUAGE ARTS

Creativity Challenges Conceptual Art Government Simulation Challenge Public Speaking + Debate Strategy + Survival

Many EXPLO courses are multidisciplinary, so some courses appear in multiple categories.

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SUMMER 2019

Try this...

Things I l ove to do

Topics I’ve *always* wanted to explore/do

Things I’m

ALREADY good at

Things I’d like to get better at

Need help getting started? Pick a workshop from each of the categories in the appendix: page 23

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WORKSHOPS A-Z

Visual + Performing Arts

Engineering + Design

Athletics

Science + Technology

Skill Development

Cooking + Food Science

Pioneer + Voyager Grades 4 - 7

Pioneer Grades 4 + 5

Voyager Grades 6 + 7

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE

ARCHERY

BASKETBALL

CAKE DECORATING

CAPTURE THE FLAG

CHESS

DISSECTION

EMT + FIRST AID

FENCING

FIELD HOCKEY

INTRO TO ELECTRIC GUITAR

KAYAKING

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SUMMER 2019 0 9 WORKSHOPS A-Z

KNITTING

LACROSSE

MAKER

MODEL ROCKETRY

MURDER MYSTERY

NO-SEW FASHION DESIGN

RE-WORKED ART

REAL LIFE SKILLS

RUGBY

SECRET AGENT

SOCCER

STREET HOCKEY

STREET LUGE

SUMMER SPA

SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING

SWIM LESSONS

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WORKSHOPS A-Z

TEAM CHALLENGE

TENNIS

THEATER SPECIAL EFFECTS

TRIATHLON

WOODWORKING

WORLD COOKING

WORKSH0PS 1 2 3

4 5 6 top 6 choices

But wait — how does EXPLO plan so many incredible courses and workshops?! Unlike most other summer programs, EXPLO has a year-round army of curriculum developers that spend 10 months creating the best learning experiences they can imagine, just for you. As part of our commitment to bringing you courses and workshops that you can’t find anywhere else — and that are always future-looking — we also work with advisors from different fields and professionals all over the globe. That includes CERN physicists, roller coaster engineers, bestselling authors, Pulitzer Prize-winners, Forbes 30-Under-30 entrepreneurs, former FBI and CIA agents, National Security analysts, and award- winning screenwriters, architects, journalists… the list goes on and on.

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SUMMER 2019 APPENDIX: WORKSHOPS BY CATEGORY

ATHLETICS Archery Basketball Capture the Flag Fencing Field Hockey Rugby Soccer Street Hockey Street Luge Swim Lessons Tennis Triathlon Kayaking Lacrosse

SKILL DEVELOPMENT American Sign Language Chess EMT + First Aid Knitting Murder Mystery Real Life Skills

Secret Agent Summer Spa Team Challenge Woodworking

SCIENCE + TECHNOLOGY Dissection

Cake Decorating World Cooking COOKING + FOOD SCIENCE

VISUAL + PERFORMING ARTS Intro to Electric Guitar No-Sew Fashion Design Re-worked Art Theater Special Effects

Maker Model Rocketry Sustainable Engineering ENGINEERING + DESIGN

Many EXPLO courses are multidisciplinary, so some courses appear in multiple categories.

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Courses Fill Quickly — Register Today Love what you’ve put together? We can’t wait to see it! Courses fill quickly, so we encourage you to register today.

Apply Now

Have Questions? We’d Love to Answer Them!

Our Admission Team can’t wait to hear from you. All of our admission officers have lived and worked at our summer programs and can answer any questions you have about specific courses, the enrollment process, student life — you name it. They can even put you in touch with a reference family that can share their EXPLO experience with you.

Call: 781.762.7400 Email: [email protected] Schedule a call

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