Explore the structure and function of the human body in this overview course. Topics of study include cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems. You will perform a variety of physiology experiments and activities as part of the study of each system. On campus field trips and speakers may be used to supplement the course content.

Biology

Survey some of the important principles, philosophies, and phenomena of biology. Animal and plant groupings are investigated through daily hands-on laboratory activities. On-campus visitations of working labs are included.

Building Your Character While Being Gifted

The Inspiration 52 - 12 Principles of Success will add Purpose, Destiny and Focus to your giftedness. As you impact the world with your gift, your character will allow you to impact others with your life! This session will help you learn how the universal principles of Integrity, Respect, Honesty, Courage, Perseverance, Effort, etc. will enhance your giftedness and impact your life, home, school, community and ultimately the world!

Chemistry

Experiment daily with laboratory learning activities and demonstrate basic types of chemical reactions including exothermic, endothermic, single replacement, double replacement, decomposition and synthesis. The periodic table and factors involving rates of reactions are also emphasized in the learning environment of a university research laboratory.

Note: The UCI campus has safety regulations for the protection of students conducting experiments in laboratories. Students are required to wear long pants at all times. UCI Laboratories are air conditioned and well ventilated.

Note: A $75 Lab Fee is required for this class and will be collected first day of class.

Critical and Creative Productive Thinking

All of us, whether we know it or not, are quite logical and creative. If you do not believe this statement, just think of the manner in which you make hundreds of decisions each and every day. This course focuses on the study of logic and critical thinking. It is designed to assist you in developing skills for reasoning effectively and independently in real-life, practical situations. These skills are essential for our day-to-day functioning. Critical thinking is an actual process, and we learn to do it better by becoming aware of and practicing thought processes. You will discover that your thinking abilities will become sharper by becoming an active participant in the class lectures, discussions, and the numerous interactive class activities, and by applying these ideas to your own experiences. This class culminates in student-developed problem solving team projects, which focus on the freedom to explore.

Critical Reading and Literary Analysis

The focus of this course will be to help you better understand inductive and deductive thinking as it relates to reading comprehension. The class will not only help you to improve your reading comprehension and analytical thinking skills, but also enhance your enjoyment of the works of Shakespeare. This course will demystify the works of William Shakespeare through the study of vocabulary, motif, characterization, and universal truths. Students will learn about the form and structure of verse passages and how to use the 'action' works to discover the meaning and intentions of the text. By reading A Midsummer Nights Dream aloud in class, students will sharpen reading comprehension skills while discovering the humor, poetry, and contemporary relevance of this most influential playwright through Socratic discussions and independent research. This course is a valuable preparation for high school English classes.

Provides a current understanding of the gene based upon recent discoveries in genetics. The course begins with the fundamentals of cell division. It then traces the development of genetics from the pea plants of Mendel, through Watson and Crick's double-helix model of DNA. We will also explore DNA replication, transcription and translation, as well as current topics in DNA technology and gene cloning. Laboratory exercises include techniques of microscopy, probability, and biochemical genetics. Guest speakers may be used to supplement the course material.

The Historian's Craft

History will come alive in this summer course offering.  Students will be introduced to the investigative work of the historian’s craft.  By focusing on the topic of the Industrial Revolution, students will learn about the birth of our modern world.  Students will practice historian’s craft by examining documents relating to men, women, and children’s experiences of the changing technology, society, and culture that was a result of the changing economy during the late nineteenth century.  Each class will be interactive and will support students' ability to speak, read, and write about history.

Interpersonal Skills - The other half of the success equation

In the world today, what good is intelligence without the ability to get along well with others? To be the well-balanced leaders of tomorrow, gifted students need outstanding interpersonal skills, regardless of their chosen profession. Unfortunately, it’s rare that one ever finds courses like Listening 101 in any formal education curriculum. Interpersonal skills don’t come naturally for many of us, and fortunately they can be learned with instruction and practice. This class teaches students the fundamentals of active listening, empathy, conflict resolution, and speaking with clarity. It is a highly interactive class that presents students with a few simple communication models, and then takes them through guided practice sessions in groups and pairs. By the end of this class, each student will be well on their road to having the skills to complete the success equation.

Law, Ethics / Mock Trial Part I & II

(Session B Only, July 7 - July 11)

In this one-week course, students develop their own prosecutorial and defense strategies for a given criminal fact pattern. While doing so, you will get an overview of the judicial system in America, including the difference between civil and criminal law why "not guilty" does not equal "innocent", and how "ethics" differs by law for the Prosecution and Defense. The class will culminate in a one-day mock trial.

To enroll you must attend the morning and afternoon sessions, selecting this class as a "Morning" and "Afternoon" class. This course is offered in Session B only.

Note: A $25 Materials Fee is required for this class. ($25 is total fee for parts I & II and will be collected first day of class.)

Mathematics and Problem Solving

Musical Theater

Physics

From cars traveling on the freeway to planets flying through space, motion is a central feature of the world around us. In this class, you will study motion using a single, simple picture: the laws of physics. You will learn how to carefully describe the wide range of motions you encounter everyday in activities as diverse as sports, travel and observations of the natural world. The course will explain why the motion of the planets is no different than that of a thrown baseball. Students learn the techniques of laboratory investigation, qualitative reasoning and quantitative analysis in physics. Emphasis is also given to how physics relates to everyday life and to the historical, cultural and philosophical basis on which physics is constructed. No advanced math skills are required.

Psychology

Thinking and Writing

Develop reading, critical thinking and creative strategies necessary for academic success. Emphasis is on writing as a tool for learning that fosters critical thinking. Writing and thinking exercises will help sharpen your skills in observations, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Understanding Poetry

This course will provide students with the opportunity to explore a wide range of poetry. We will not only cover contemporary poets, but also read and discuss poetry dating back several hundred years. Since poetry began as an oral art form, many poems will be read aloud by participants. This allows for a much greater understanding of rhythm and cadence within the text.  We will also do extensive research at the UCI Library and study living poets who share one’s background and heritage. Upon completing this course, you will have found a broader, more compelling “voice” within yourself and also have fewer inhibitions when in front of a class or general audience.