Summer Workshops

Explore the world of algebra, learn pattern-based thinking, tackle real world problems, and solve "real" algebraic equations in picture and numerical format like x + 4 = 2x + 3.

Yes, algebra is for early elementary-age kids when using powerful picture-based problems and innovative methods! Your child will tackle fun pattern-based thinking challenges, learn about variables, put their knowledge of addition and subtraction to use creatively, and even solve algebraic equations in picture and numerical format using the Hands-On Equations Learning System. Any child who can do basic addition and subtraction can succeed in this workshop. In fact, it often helps kids embrace other math concepts. In this workshop, your child will explore:

This is a four-day program.

This lab intensive is for high school students who have recently completed (or are about to begin) a lecture-only Chemistry course or those from a traditional school setting where laboratory work is limited. This 3-day workshop is designed to provide the "Best of Chemistry" lab experience. The class will perform lab experiments exploring the concepts of chromatography, distillation, flame tests, electrical conductivity, the Tyndall effect, gas laws, reaction rates, single-displacement, double-displacement, synthesis, decomposition, and combustion reactions, colligative properties, oxidation-reduction, pH indicators, acid-base titration, battery chemistry, and polymer science.

Prior to beginning the workshop, students will receive a list of labs, principle topics, and corresponding videos to serve as a review or a pre-lab refresher. For safety reasons, Chemistry Lab has a dress code more restrictive than the general Compass dress code: (1) Long hair must be tied back (male or female); (2) Shirts must have at least short sleeves (such as a t-shirt). Tank tops and sleeveless shirts are not permitted. (3) Students must wear long pants. Shorts are not permitted. (4) Students must wear closed-toe shoes. Open toe sandals, slides, and flip-flops are not permitted. All supply/lab fees are included.

This is a three-day program

Builders will use LEGO construction components in this hands-on engineering class. Students will build complete several projects from the LEGO Education 9686 curriculum which progress from simple machines to complex machines to motorized apparatus with projects such as a clock, a car with fly wheel, and a fan. Using the engineering design process, students will build a basic mechanism, test it, gather data, and then modify their design to improve performance. Students will gain experience in taking measurements such as distance traveled, using the stopwatch, and recording their findings on paper. Students will work with ordinary LEGO bricks, beams, and plates along with specialized components such as gears, toothed elements, wheels and axles, pulleys, and motors. Note: lessons and activities may duplicate those taught in the 14-week Compass class of a similar name in the fall of 2022.

This is a two-day program.

Compass chefs will practice math, measurements, and more as their culinary tour introduces them to regional flavors and comfort foods inspired by favorites from cook-outs and pot-lucks across America. Daily menus feature an entree, a side dish, and a dessert that use a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Discover the joy of cooking while practicing skills that range from math (volume, weight, unit conversion, fractions, decimals), reading (instructions, ingredients), geography (menu inspiration, food sources), and science (nutrition, food chemistry), and life skills. This workshop's menu includes:

Compass chefs will practice math, measurements, and more as their culinary tour introduces them to regional flavors and comfort foods inspired by favorites from cook-outs and pot-lucks across America. Daily menus feature an entree, a side dish, and a dessert that use a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Discover the joy of cooking while practicing skills that range from math (volume, weight, unit conversion, fractions, decimals), reading (instructions, ingredients), geography (menu inspiration, food sources), and science (nutrition, food chemistry), and life skills. This workshop's menu includes:

Students will bring home a container of what they have made each session and receive the recipes. These engaging workshops will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade.

Notes:
(1) Registration is for one, 3-hour workshop. Register for as many or as few as works with your summer schedule.
(2) Supply fee is included.
(3) Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

This is a one-day program.

Compass chefs will practice math, measurements, and more as their culinary tour introduces them to regional flavors and comfort foods inspired by favorites from cook-outs and pot-lucks across America. Daily menus feature an entree, a side dish, and a dessert that use a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Discover the joy of cooking while practicing skills that range from math (volume, weight, unit conversion, fractions, decimals), reading (instructions, ingredients), geography (menu inspiration, food sources), and science (nutrition, food chemistry), and life skills. This workshop's menu includes:

Students will bring home a container of what they have made each session and receive the recipes. These engaging workshops will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade.

Notes:
(1) Registration is for one, 3-hour workshop. Register for as many or as few as works with your summer schedule.
(2) Supply fee is included.
(3) Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

This is a one-day program.

Compass chefs will practice math, measurements, and more as their culinary tour introduces them to regional flavors and comfort foods inspired by favorites from cook-outs and pot-lucks across America. Daily menus feature an entree, a side dish, and a dessert that use a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Discover the joy of cooking while practicing skills that range from math (volume, weight, unit conversion, fractions, decimals), reading (instructions, ingredients), geography (menu inspiration, food sources), and science (nutrition, food chemistry), and life skills. This workshop's menu includes:

Students will bring home a container of what they have made each session and receive the recipes. These engaging workshops will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade.

Notes:
(1) Registration is for one, 3-hour workshop. Register for as many or as few as works with your summer schedule.
(2) Supply fee is included.
(3) Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

This is a one-day program.

Compass chefs will practice math, measurements, and more as their culinary tour introduces them to regional flavors and comfort foods inspired by favorites from cook-outs and pot-lucks across America. Daily menus feature an entree, a side dish, and a dessert that use a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Discover the joy of cooking while practicing skills that range from math (volume, weight, unit conversion, fractions, decimals), reading (instructions, ingredients), geography (menu inspiration, food sources), and science (nutrition, food chemistry), and life skills. This workshop's menu includes:

Students will bring home a container of what they have made each session and receive the recipes. These engaging workshops will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade.

Notes:
(1) Registration is for one, 3-hour workshop. Register for as many or as few as works with your summer schedule.
(2) Supply fee is included.
(3) Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

This is a one-day program.

Student engineers will be challenged to design, build, and program a robot to explore a simulated Martian challenge. Each rover will have to fit in a mock Mars lander and be able to drive out the lander door, down a ramp, and onto the Mars surface. Once in the Compass Mars environment, each lander must be able to maintain a course while driving over a bumpy terrain and pick up and collect red rocks while ignoring Martian rocks of other colors

Students will use the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students may incorporate touch, sound, color, gyro, ultrasonic, and/or infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop EV3 programming menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.

This workshop integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two hours assembling, two hours programming, and two hours testing and re-designing.

This is a two-day program.

Can your child sit in a circle for story time? Line up for lunch? Take turns talking to the teacher? This half-day, drop-off program is for 5- and 6-year-olds who will be starting school in the fall. Whether your child will be heading off to kindergarten or first grade in a public school, private school, or homeschool co-op setting, there are some fundamental "school readiness" skills they should be prepared for. If your child missed a year of preschool, pre-K, kindergarten, or has just had a long, unstructured summer, consider giving him a head start with a Summer Bridge to School program. Children will work in a small group with an experienced early elementary educator and reading specialist to get ready to go to school!

This fun, activity-based program will incorporate key social skills and introduce school readiness so young children arrive more prepared and better adjusted in the fall. Academic basics such as the ABCs, days of the week, colors, shapes, and number sense with simple counting will be included and serve as an introduction to students who have never covered the topics before and a refresher for those who haven't done them in a while. Students will practice spelling and recognizing their names- even if they are not yet reading- and will learn their parents'/guardians' names in case of an emergency away from home.

In this program, children will get ready for school by practicing classroom routines, transitions between activities, sitting for activities, and lining up. Through games and activities, they will also practice key childhood skills such as sharing, taking turns, and entering play with others. Each day will include some simple structure such as a daily arrival song/greeting, morning "meeting" with the teacher to review the plan for the day, snack time, story time, and closing/goodbyes. Children will also complete daily crafts and simple worksheets related to the week's theme and the day's featured topic.

The theme for the June session is "Furry Tales", and the second session is "Backyard Safari." Children are welcome to take one week or both weeks of Bridge to School. Children can be dropped-off for this program (different than Compass's school-year policies for 55 minute classes.) The supply fee is included.

This is a five-day program.

In April 1861, just after the chaotic first shots of the Civil War at Fort Sumter, the commander of the US Navy Yard in Portsmouth was forced to destroy his ships to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Among these was the USS Merrimack, the newest warship of the Union Navy: she had been burned to the waterline, but her engines survived. In July, Confederate forces raised her from the bed of the Elizabeth River, and from her remains the built their first ironclad warship, the CSS Virginia. On March 8-9 1862, the new Virginia would clash with the USS Monitor in Hampton Roads, Virginia, marking the start of the era of the ironclads.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama with landscape elements (islands, shoreline, etc) to represent the ironclad battle in the waters around Hampton Roads. Students will each receive scale miniature naval ships to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate the larger battlefield terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the session learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Axis and Allies War at Sea gaming rule system for moving ships and equipment. Along with their classmates, students will see how this battle progressed and test different outcome scenarios that might have occurred with different battlefield choices.

Course documents, such as period maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. The material fee is included for this summer workshop.

This is a three-day program

Learn about the art and science of criminology in this 2-day workshop! Each workshop will examine two real cases: one that was solved and one that remains unsolved.

Each session will take students through the life of a case in the criminal justice system, starting with the crime, moving through the collection of evidence, forensic testing, taking the case to trial, receiving a verdict and a possible sentence if found guilty. How does this process change when a case 'goes cold?' How long can evidence sit in storage? How long can a witness's memory last? How long can victims wait for justice? The class will take cues from the solved case, brainstorm, and formulate recommendations or different approaches that could be applied to the unsolved case. Prior to the start of the workshop, students will receive a poll to vote on which case to review first- solved or unsolved.

This course is taught by a PhD candidate and adjunct professor in Criminology, Tayler Shreve. It is an introduction to criminology for teens who are interested in becoming practitioners or professionals in this vast criminal justice system or those who enjoy true crime books, blogs, or movies. This workshop is a preview for students who are considering the fall semester course, "Law and Order."

Note: This workshop meets on two days: a consecutive Wednesday and Thursday.

Rating/Advisory: For sensitive students, please note that in the examination of actual crimes, violence such as assault and murder will be discussed. References may be made to illicit substances and weapons used in the commission of crimes. Course content will be filtered to be age-appropriate for high school students in the instructor's judgement. For example, real crime scene photos may be shown with evidentiary details, but not victims or body parts. Students may read autopsy reports, but they will not be shown autopsy photos, and cases of rape will be referred to as sexual assault with no intimate details.

This is a two-day program.

When the New World was being explored, Europe was in a state of near-constant warfare. This brought the wars of Europe to the shores of the New World where large, expensive navies sailed the seas and took the spoils of war. When these wars ended, so too did the European crowns' willingness to pay for all these trained fighting sailors, who were left far from home, with only one valuable skill: fighting at sea, this time for themselves... as pirates!

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will create a 10 X 16 diorama board of a pirate hideout or other Caribbean port, and populate it with 1:72 scale invading armies and their adversaries for historical re-enactments. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate a larger pirate terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the workshop learning about the tactics and outcomes of the conquest while playing a table-top strategy game.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical influences on and of the literary work. The material fee is included for this summer workshop.

This is a three-day program.

Young artists will enjoy a multi-media tour of the great masters in the history of art. In each workshop, students will learn about a different artist or artistic style features in the book, "Discovering Great Artists." Students will learn a few fun facts about a type of art or artist, view sample works, and then will create a project in the style of the artist using a wide variety of materials and representative colors, patterns, textures, and embellishments. Young artists will have the opportunity to work with a different media each week such as tempera paint, various papers, color pencils, markers, tissue paper, translucent tracing paper, cray pas, oil pastels, charcoals, and watercolors.

Featured master artists will be selected from: Warhol, Lichtenstein, Christo, Pollock, Lange, Wyeth, O'Keefe, Rockwell, Kahlo, Grandma Moses, Dali, Chagall, Picasso, Escher, Matisse, Kandinsky, Klee, Mondrian, Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin, Rodin, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Renoir, Cassatt, Monet, Degas, Manet, Rembrandt, Botticelli, Van Eyck, and others. Representative art movements/styles may include abstract, baroque, cubism, expressionism, gothic, impressionism, modern, naturalism, op and pop art, photojournalism, post impressionism, realism, renaissance, romanticism, and more. All supply fees are included.

This is a two-day program

Why is my tooth loose? Why do I get motion sickness in the car? Why do bitter and sour taste bad? Kids have lots of questions about their own bodies and development. Little Doctor Academy answers these questions and more in the context of fun, age-appropriate health lessons and in-class activities which will introduce children to themes in science, medicine, anatomy, and biology.

In this workshop, Kids will learn the science behind taste, smell, and hearing and conduct experiments testing these senses. Like an ENT, they will learn how the ear works, what causes dizziness and what is motion sickness. The class will discover how hearing aids and cochlear implants can help people. Putting their dentist hats on, kids will also learn all about teeth including brushing and flossing. Students will perform a plaque test in class to complete their study of dental hygiene.

Supply fee is included. Note: lessons and activities may duplicate those taught in the 8-week Compass class of the same name in the spring of 2023.

This is a one-day program.

Why do I have to get shots? What is an appendix? Why do I get a fevers? Kids have lots of questions about their own bodies and development. Little Doctor Academy answers these questions and more in the context of fun, age-appropriate medical lessons and in-class activities which will introduce children to themes in science, medicine, anatomy, and biology.

In this workshop, kids will practice conducting a basic medical examination using the correct tools: stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, otoscope, and thermometer. The class will overview human anatomy by learning several major organ systems of the human body- circulatory, respiratory, and musculoskeletal.

Supply fee is included. Note: lessons and activities may duplicate those taught in the 7-week Compass class of the same name in the fall of 2022.

This is a one-day program.

Students are invited to "Come Together" (1969) to learn about the "Long and Winding Road" (1970) of the 1960s, a turbulent and transformative decade of "Yesterday" (1965). Join professor, Beatles buff, and music aficionado, Dr. John Kornacki in an exploration of the music and impact of the Beatles. Students will discover a decade of modern history and music as only the Beatles can tell it. The group will explore the changes in culture, class, and causes in the 1960s through the diverse songbook of the "Fab Four." The class will listen to Beatles' music and examine the band's impact on music, culture, fashion, and attitudes in the decade which included a growing civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and antiwar protests, countercultural movements, prominent assassinations, and a growing "generation gap." Musicianship is not required, but anyone who plays guitar is welcome to bring their instruments to play along.

This is a two-day program.

Kids can become strong spellers without lengthy lists or tedious tests. In Super Spellers, young kids will play games and puzzles featuring spelling, word roots, word origins, and word families. Through engaging activities, students will learn tips and tricks for spelling, improve confidence, and practice in class with group games such as mini spelling bees.
**Note: New word groups are introduced each week. Students may take multiple Super Spellers workshops to continue to build their spelling skills.**

This is a one-day program.

Kids can become strong spellers without lengthy lists or tedious tests. In Super Spellers, young kids will play games and puzzles featuring spelling, word roots, word origins, and word families. Through engaging activities, students will learn tips and tricks for spelling, improve confidence, and practice in class with group games such as mini spelling bees.
**Note: New word groups are introduced each week. Students may take multiple Super Spellers workshops to continue to build their spelling skills.**

This is a one-day program.

Kids can become strong spellers without lengthy lists or tedious tests. In Super Spellers, young kids will play games and puzzles featuring spelling, word roots, word origins, and word families. Through engaging activities, students will learn tips and tricks for spelling, improve confidence, and practice in class with group games such as mini spelling bees.
**Note: New word groups are introduced each week. Students may take multiple Super Spellers workshops to continue to build their spelling skills.**

This is a one-day program.

Kids can become strong spellers without lengthy lists or tedious tests. In Super Spellers, young kids will play games and puzzles featuring spelling, word roots, word origins, and word families. Through engaging activities, students will learn tips and tricks for spelling, improve confidence, and practice in class with group games such as mini spelling bees.
**Note: New word groups are introduced each week. Students may take multiple Super Spellers workshops to continue to build their spelling skills.**

This is a one-day program.

A radiograph for a roly-poly rabbit, a healthy habitat for a hedgehog, or fortified food for a ferret. Sometimes even our pocket pets need medical care! Lots of kids love animals, and some even think about becoming veterinarians and animal specialists. There is a lot of science in the care and keeping of animals.

In this workshop, future veterinarians will learn all about the small mammals we sometimes keep as "pocket pets" such as hamsters and gerbils, rats and mice, hedgehogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, and sugar gliders. Each of these different species has different needs in terms of diets, exercise, and habitats. Discover which will run all night long (nocturnal) and which will be daytime pals. Students will learn to perform steps of a well-pet check-up and identify some common medical care and preventatives recommended for pocket pets. Kids will discover some of fun and fascinating facts, similarities, and differences in pocket pets.

Each class meeting will include hands-on and interactive demonstrations, simulations, role-playing, activities, games, stories, or short video clips to convey the information. Supply fee is included. Note: lessons and activities may duplicate those taught in the 7-week Compass class of the same name in the fall of 2022.

This is a one-day program.

Ornery, orphaned opossums, chipmunks in the chimney, or a rambunctious raccoon that ran into the road. Sometimes even our local wildlife needs medical care! Lots of kids love animals, and some even think about becoming veterinarians and animal specialists. There is a lot of science in the care, keeping, and rescue of animals.

In this workshop, future rehabilitators and veterinarians will learn all about the common illnesses or injuries that we might witness in local wildlife such as deer, opossums, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, foxes, bats, birds, and the occasional bear. The class will learn what some threats and dangers to local wildlife are and what they can do to make surroundings safer and backyard habitats more friendly. Students will learn what they should do if they find an abandoned or hurt animal, and why bringing them in their own homes is almost never the right answer. Kids will discover some of fun and fascinating facts, similarities, and differences in species of native wildlife.

Each class meeting will include hands-on and interactive demonstrations, simulations, role-playing, activities, games, stories, or short video clips to convey the information. Supply fee is included. Note: lessons and activities may duplicate those taught in the 8-week Compass class of the same name in the spring of 2023.

This is a one-day program.

Word Masters is a language challenge for students who enjoy word games, spelling, building their vocabulary, and verbal adventures. Why study lists of words if you can make a game of it? The best way to learn new words is to use them! This class is inspired by the annual Word Masters Challenge and the National Spelling Bee. Each week students will tackle new vocabulary words and practice them through analogies and critical thinking challenges. Students will examine word meanings, relationships, synonyms and antonyms with in-class activities and games such as Pictionary, Scategories, Charades, and Apples-to-Apples. Word Masters will improve a student's reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, logic skills, and the ability to think analytically and metaphorically.

**Note: A new word list is introduced each week. Students may take multiple Word Masters workshops to continue to build their vocabulary.**

This is a one-day program.

Word Masters is a language challenge for students who enjoy word games, spelling, building their vocabulary, and verbal adventures. Why study lists of words if you can make a game of it? The best way to learn new words is to use them! This class is inspired by the annual Word Masters Challenge and the National Spelling Bee. Each week students will tackle new vocabulary words and practice them through analogies and critical thinking challenges. Students will examine word meanings, relationships, synonyms and antonyms with in-class activities and games such as Pictionary, Scategories, Charades, and Apples-to-Apples. Word Masters will improve a student's reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, logic skills, and the ability to think analytically and metaphorically.

**Note: A new word list is introduced each week. Students may take multiple Word Masters workshops to continue to build their vocabulary.**

This is a one-day program.

Word Masters is a language challenge for students who enjoy word games, spelling, building their vocabulary, and verbal adventures. Why study lists of words if you can make a game of it? The best way to learn new words is to use them! This class is inspired by the annual Word Masters Challenge and the National Spelling Bee. Each week students will tackle new vocabulary words and practice them through analogies and critical thinking challenges. Students will examine word meanings, relationships, synonyms and antonyms with in-class activities and games such as Pictionary, Scategories, Charades, and Apples-to-Apples. Word Masters will improve a student's reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, logic skills, and the ability to think analytically and metaphorically.

**Note: A new word list is introduced each week. Students may take multiple Word Masters workshops to continue to build their vocabulary.**

This is a one-day program.

Young readers and writers will tackle a classic tale three ways in this one-day workshop. Pulling from classic children's literature including fairy tales, fables, and favorites, such as Newberry Award medalists, the group will explore one story each session. First, the instructor will share a lively read-aloud of the story. Second, the class will watch a clip of an animated, televised, or stage version of the same story. Then students will discuss what was the same and what was different between the two tellings. Was a character added or omitted? Was the performed version true to the original? Finally, students will write their re-telling of the story by changing characters, setting, or even crafting a surprise, new ending. New Twists on Old Tales introduces some basic literary elements and rudimentary literary analysis skills to encourage children to think more deeply about what they read.
**Note: A new story is introduced each week. Students may take multiple New Twists on Old Tales workshops to continue to build their reading and analytical skills.**

This is a one-day program.

Young readers and writers will tackle a classic tale three ways in this one-day workshop. Pulling from classic children's literature including fairy tales, fables, and favorites, such as Newberry Award medalists, the group will explore one story each session. First, the instructor will share a lively read-aloud of the story. Second, the class will watch a clip of an animated, televised, or stage version of the same story. Then students will discuss what was the same and what was different between the two tellings. Was a character added or omitted? Was the performed version true to the original? Finally, students will write their re-telling of the story by changing characters, setting, or even crafting a surprise, new ending. New Twists on Old Tales introduces some basic literary elements and rudimentary literary analysis skills to encourage children to think more deeply about what they read.
**Note: A new story is introduced each week. Students may take multiple New Twists on Old Tales workshops to continue to build their reading and analytical skills.**

This is a one-day program.

Young readers and writers will tackle a classic tale three ways in this one-day workshop. Pulling from classic children's literature including fairy tales, fables, and favorites, such as Newberry Award medalists, the group will explore one story each session. First, the instructor will share a lively read-aloud of the story. Second, the class will watch a clip of an animated, televised, or stage version of the same story. Then students will discuss what was the same and what was different between the two tellings. Was a character added or omitted? Was the performed version true to the original? Finally, students will write their re-telling of the story by changing characters, setting, or even crafting a surprise, new ending. New Twists on Old Tales introduces some basic literary elements and rudimentary literary analysis skills to encourage children to think more deeply about what they read.
**Note: A new story is introduced each week. Students may take multiple New Twists on Old Tales workshops to continue to build their reading and analytical skills.**

This is a one-day program.

Why did Daedalus build the Labyrinth? What happened to Pan? This is an introductory literary analysis workshop focusing on the mythology in Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" adventure series. Students will explore, discuss, and connect the stories of Percy Jackson to the original Greek and Roman myths. They will evaluate where Percy deviates from the source myth and evaluate why the author might have taken liberties. They will discuss and analyze the hero's journey and the morals and values of the Greeks and Romans. The class will learn to recognize allusions from the Greek and Roman myths in modern day works.

Students should have read the Percy Jackson book before the first meeting of the workshop. During the first meeting, the instructor will provide a handout of an authentic telling(s) of the original myth which the class will begin to read together, and the students should finish at home.

This is a two-day program.

Could Percy's father actually be Poseidon? Who really killed the Minotaur? This is an introductory literary analysis workshop focusing on the mythology in Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" adventure series. Students will explore, discuss, and connect the stories of Percy Jackson to the original Greek and Roman myths. They will evaluate where Percy deviates from the source myth and evaluate why the author might have taken liberties. They will discuss and analyze the hero's journey and the morals and values of the Greeks and Romans. The class will learn to recognize allusions from the Greek and Roman myths in modern day works.

Students should have read the Percy Jackson book before the first meeting of the workshop. During the first meeting, the instructor will provide a handout of an authentic telling(s) of the original myth which the class will begin to read together, and the students should finish at home.

This is a two-day program.

Where did Cyclopses come from? How can you escape the enchantress Circe? This is an introductory literary analysis workshop focusing on the mythology in Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" adventure series. Students will explore, discuss, and connect the stories of Percy Jackson to the original Greek and Roman myths. They will evaluate where Percy deviates from the source myth and evaluate why the author might have taken liberties. They will discuss and analyze the hero's journey and the morals and values of the Greeks and Romans. The class will learn to recognize allusions from the Greek and Roman myths in modern day works.

Students should have read the Percy Jackson book before the first meeting of the workshop. During the first meeting, the instructor will provide a handout of an authentic telling(s) of the original myth which the class will begin to read together, and the students should finish at home.

This is a two-day program.

Who are Artemis's hunters? Who is the Titan Atlas? This is an introductory literary analysis workshop focusing on the mythology in Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" adventure series. Students will explore, discuss, and connect the stories of Percy Jackson to the original Greek and Roman myths. They will evaluate where Percy deviates from the source myth and evaluate why the author might have taken liberties. They will discuss and analyze the hero's journey and the morals and values of the Greeks and Romans. The class will learn to recognize allusions from the Greek and Roman myths in modern day works.

Students should have read the Percy Jackson book before the first meeting of the workshop. During the first meeting, the instructor will provide a handout of an authentic telling(s) of the original myth which the class will begin to read together, and the students should finish at home.

This is a two-day program.

Elementary artists get in on the action as they meet the great masters in the history of art. In each workshop, students will learn about a different artist or artistic style features in the book, "Discovering Great Artists." Students will learn a few fun facts about a type of art or artist, view sample works, and then will create a project in the style of the artist using a wide variety of materials and representative colors, patterns, textures, and embellishments. Young artists will have the opportunity to work with a different media each week such as tempera paint, various papers, color pencils, markers, tissue paper, translucent tracing paper, cray pas, oil pastels, charcoals, and watercolors.

Featured master artists will be selected from: Warhol, Lichtenstein, Christo, Pollock, Lange, Wyeth, O'Keefe, Rockwell, Kahlo, Grandma Moses, Dali, Chagall, Picasso, Escher, Matisse, Kandinsky, Klee, Mondrian, Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin, Rodin, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Renoir, Cassatt, Monet, Degas, Manet, Rembrandt, Botticelli, Van Eyck, and others. Representative art movements/styles may include abstract, baroque, cubism, expressionism, gothic, impressionism, modern, naturalism, op and pop art, photojournalism, post impressionism, realism, renaissance, romanticism, and more. All supply fees are included.

This is a two-day program

Kids will build their geography know-how in this fun, focused workshop. Each workshop will introduce a different region of the world. The class will begin by locating the region on a map, identifying what countries are in that region, and examining what principal physical geographical features define the region such as oceans, seas, key rivers, mountain ranges, and deserts. The class will then take a fun tour through the region looking at aspects of human and cultural geography such as languages, religions, ethnic groups, major agricultural or industrial products, animal species, and more. Students will brainstorm how the similarities and differences from one country to the next might have occurred given the physical geography in the region. The group may watch short video clips of "a day in the life of" interviews or cultural festivals and incorporate several fun activities selected from each region. The workshop wrap-up will include an interactive review such as geography trivia or questions taken from past national geography bees.

This is a one-day program.

Kids will build their geography know-how in this fun, focused workshop. Each workshop will introduce a different region of the world. The class will begin by locating the region on a map, identifying what countries are in that region, and examining what principal physical geographical features define the region such as oceans, seas, key rivers, mountain ranges, and deserts. The class will then take a fun tour through the region looking at aspects of human and cultural geography such as languages, religions, ethnic groups, major agricultural or industrial products, animal species, and more. Students will brainstorm how the similarities and differences from one country to the next might have occurred given the physical geography in the region. The group may watch short video clips of "a day in the life of" interviews or cultural festivals and incorporate several fun activities selected from each region. The workshop wrap-up will include an interactive review such as geography trivia or questions taken from past national geography bees.

This is a one-day program.

Kids will build their geography know-how in this fun, focused workshop. Each workshop will introduce a different region of the world. The class will begin by locating the region on a map, identifying what countries are in that region, and examining what principal physical geographical features define the region such as oceans, seas, key rivers, mountain ranges, and deserts. The class will then take a fun tour through the region looking at aspects of human and cultural geography such as languages, religions, ethnic groups, major agricultural or industrial products, animal species, and more. Students will brainstorm how the similarities and differences from one country to the next might have occurred given the physical geography in the region. The group may watch short video clips of "a day in the life of" interviews or cultural festivals and incorporate several fun activities selected from each region. The workshop wrap-up will include an interactive review such as geography trivia or questions taken from past national geography bees.

This is a one-day program.

Discover some of the phenomena of the physical and chemical structure of the Earth and the forces shaping our planet. Learn about rock formation, the rock cycle and processes such as weathering and metamorphism. Students will explore volcanoes and intrusive versus extrusive igneous rocks. They will conduct experiments to examine sedimentary rock formation and fossils and study the forces and conditions for metamorphism and the processes of the rock cycle. Students will also perform laboratory experiments and collect data on crystal growth and relate it to igneous rock formation. Students will complete several hands-on labs and in-class activities to model these concepts. The supply fee is included.

This is a two-day program.

Discover some of the mysteries of the weather and water cycles on earth. Students will learn about the atmosphere, oceans, and currents and their relationship to weather conditions, weather patterns, the water cycle, and phenomena such as fronts, storm systems, cloud formation, and more. The class will learn about the physics behind air and water circulation, and how they combine to form wacky weather phenomena such as hurricanes, tornados, hail, fog, and even regular old rain showers. The class will see how air and water systems on earth govern global climate systems as well as local and regional weather patterns. Students will be introduced to the technologies and instruments used in monitoring, forecasting, and mapping weather including measuring wind speed, rainfall, and humidity.
They will learn how meteorologists and climatologists examine data from a variety of sources, such as ice cores, sediment cores, the fossil record, and historic records to trace large-scale changes in climate and sea level over geologic time. Students will complete several hands-on labs and in-class activities to model these concepts. The supply fee is included.

This is a two-day program.

In this hands-on, 2-day lab workshop, students will recreate the "greatest hits" and experiments of the scientists and scholars who changed the course of history through their signficant scientific discoveries. From Van Leeuwenhoek, Mendel, Linnaeus, and Darwin, students will mimmick their labs in microsopy, biolog,y and chemistry. Supply fee is included.

This is a two-day program.

The US capture of the Mariana Islands in 1944 allowed American bombers to reach Japan's home islands. The US sought a halfway point, both to allow damaged bombers a life raft and to allow the shorter-range escort fighter planes a base to launch from. The island of Iwo Jima was an obvious choice as it was already serving as an air base for the Japanese military. Allied intelligence estimated that the island's defenses were weak enough to fall in as little as one week. In reality, it took five weeks of some of the most hellish fighting in WWII for "victory" to be declared, with thousands of Japanese soldiers holding out all the way until 1949! Iwo Jima has the dubious distinction of being one of the few battles in WWII where US forces suffered more casualties than the Japanese. 20,000 men of the Japanese 109th division and a handful of tanks, artillery, and Kamikaze suicide planes put up a difficult defense against Allied forces which consisted of an armada of 500+ ships and nearly 100,000 men.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama with landscape elements (hills, vegetation, shoreline, etc) to represent the major battle sites of the Iwo Jima Campaign in dioramas of the beaches, the airfield, or to the site of the famous flag-raising on Mt. Surabachi. Once the dioramas are completed, students will stage 1/72 scale Japanese troops, US Marines, and equipment to refight the battles in miniature. This will allow the class to examine the tactics of the later Pacific battles of WWII and see the challenges of this type of warfare. The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle.

Course documents, such as period maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. The material fee is included for this summer workshop.

This is a two-day program

A 1975 Science News article revealed educators' fears that students who embraced the newest technology would cease learning how to do the work themselves. The technology that worried teachers was the hand-held calculator! Like their predecessors, many of today's teachers worry that AI will eliminate students' need to learn to write.

We have all heard the dire predictions that AI will "take over" and that the newest chatbot technology is enabling students to cheat, but ChatGPT and its counterparts are probably here to stay. While some educators are threatening, "do not dare touch that", others are strategizing how and when it can be used appropriately in education. This workshop allows students to peek into the world of ChatGPT and debate whether we should eliminate or embrace it as an educational tool.

An English teacher in California teacher has incorporated ChatGPT as a learning tool and told her students, "It's fine to use this, but how will you know if it's actually doing a good job unless you know how to do a good job?" She allowed her students use ChatGPT to quickly generate sentences, paragraphs, and papers, but she also made sure that they had to know exactly what they were doing by making them refine or explain Chat GPT's work.

In this workshop, students will evaluate ChatGPT as a support tool to assist in research and writing. They will evaluate its output and look at its limitations, including how slight variations of the question posed can yield very different results.

http://hackeducation.com/2015/03/12/calculators

Compass chefs will practice math, measurements, and more as their culinary tour introduces them to regional flavors and comfort foods inspired by favorites from cook-outs and pot-lucks across America. Daily menus feature an entree, a side dish, and a dessert that use a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Discover the joy of cooking while practicing skills that range from math (volume, weight, unit conversion, fractions, decimals), reading (instructions, ingredients), geography (menu inspiration, food sources), and science (nutrition, food chemistry), and life skills. This workshop's menu includes:

Compass chefs will practice math, measurements, and more as their culinary tour introduces them to regional flavors and comfort foods inspired by favorites from cook-outs and pot-lucks across America. Daily menus feature an entree, a side dish, and a dessert that use a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Discover the joy of cooking while practicing skills that range from math (volume, weight, unit conversion, fractions, decimals), reading (instructions, ingredients), geography (menu inspiration, food sources), and science (nutrition, food chemistry), and life skills. This workshop's menu includes:

Compass chefs will practice math, measurements, and more as their culinary tour introduces them to regional flavors and comfort foods inspired by favorites from cook-outs and pot-lucks across America. Daily menus feature an entree, a side dish, and a dessert that use a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Discover the joy of cooking while practicing skills that range from math (volume, weight, unit conversion, fractions, decimals), reading (instructions, ingredients), geography (menu inspiration, food sources), and science (nutrition, food chemistry), and life skills. This workshop's menu includes:

Compass chefs will practice math, measurements, and more as their culinary tour introduces them to regional flavors and comfort foods inspired by favorites from cook-outs and pot-lucks across America. Daily menus feature an entree, a side dish, and a dessert that use a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Discover the joy of cooking while practicing skills that range from math (volume, weight, unit conversion, fractions, decimals), reading (instructions, ingredients), geography (menu inspiration, food sources), and science (nutrition, food chemistry), and life skills. This workshop's menu includes:

Compass chefs will practice math, measurements, and more as their culinary tour introduces them to regional flavors and comfort foods inspired by favorites from cook-outs and pot-lucks across America. Daily menus feature an entree, a side dish, and a dessert that use a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Discover the joy of cooking while practicing skills that range from math (volume, weight, unit conversion, fractions, decimals), reading (instructions, ingredients), geography (menu inspiration, food sources), and science (nutrition, food chemistry), and life skills. This workshop's menu includes:

Students will bring home a container of what they have made each session and receive the recipes. These engaging workshops will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade.

Notes:
(1) Registration is for one, 3-hour workshop. Register for as many or as few as works with your summer schedule.
(2) Supply fee is included.
(3) Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

This is a one-day program.

Students will discover the fun of board games and card game. . .for practicing math! Games such as "Can't Stop", "Zeus on the Loose", "Llama", and "Dinosaur Tea Party" can help kids practice addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts, and deductive reasoning.

This workshop is an innovative, reading-based approach to learning beginning Latin for building vocabulary. From the first day, students will use contextual clues and deductive reasoning to decipher simple themed passages written in Latin. Students will draw from familiar words to decode Latin in context as they learn root words and make vocabulary connections. In each class meeting, a key piece of grammar will be introduced, but this is not a classical, grammar-intensive course. Instead, kids learn Latin as they are using it!

Students will learn Latin roots so they are equipped to decipher new words and build a robust vocabulary necessary to succeed in advanced coursework. Knowledge of Latin origins will aid students in future exploration of the sciences, medicine, or law as well as those who go on to study romance languages such as French or Spanish. Each week students will receive the printed Latin passage and a handout with the week's Latin vocabulary words and related English derivatives. This course will serve as a good preview for students who may be interested in taking Latin I.

This is a one day per week X 4 weeks program.

Does your child lack confidence in his or her mathematical ability? It might be because your child has not mastered basic math facts! Students who know their math facts can move confidently through other, higher levels of math. Basic math facts are to arithmetic as phonics are to reading! Math facts are the building blocks needed to be successful in multi-digit multiplication, long division, fractions, decimals, pre-algebra, and beyond! Fluent math facts help a student keep up in math and reduce frequent arithmetic errors.

Learning division facts for life does not have to be tedious drudgery! Flash cards and repetitive worksheets don't work for everyone, and a student won't always be able to use a calculator. This class will focus on strategies and introduce games that improve a student's number sense and fact fluency. This class will provide an engaging, low-pressure environment and focus on individual skill development.

This is a two-day program.

Does your child lack confidence in his or her mathematical ability? It might be because your child has not mastered basic math facts! Students who know their math facts can move confidently through other, higher levels of math. Basic math facts are to arithmetic as phonics are to reading! Math facts are the building blocks needed to be successful in multi-digit multiplication, long division, fractions, decimals, pre-algebra, and beyond! Fluent math facts help a student keep up in math and reduce frequent arithmetic errors.

Learning subtraction facts for life does not have to be tedious drudgery! Flash cards and repetitive worksheets don't work for everyone, and a student won't always be able to use a calculator. This class will focus on strategies and introduce games that improve a student's number sense and fact fluency. This class will provide an engaging, low-pressure environment and focus on individual skill development.

This is a two-day program.