Badger Precollege Classes

Explore your creativity and discover what it takes to be a compelling writer. This class is designed for avid readers and writers who read well above grade level and are serious about improving their skills and preparing for high school writing.

Mythology means more than just Mount Olympus. In this course, you'll expand your horizons beyond Greece to explore the mythology of cultures from around the world. Join us as we travel from continent to continent to compare different types of mythologies and their influence on history, society and culture. Part literature and part geography, you'll be sure to enjoy this literary tour of the world!

Madison often ranks at the top of best places to live, but what makes a city thrive? In this class, we will consider zoning, green space, traffic, walkability, technology and other variables critical to a city’s success. Students will brainstorm solutions to real-world constraints, using the great UW Campus as an example to explore. This course will boost your data analysis, design, and presentation skills as you present your proposal on how to make our campus an even better place to live, work, and learn. 

Do you enjoy rhymes, alliteration, beautiful words, and picturesque language? In this creative writing class, we'll focus on the elements that make people fall in love with poetry. Students will respond to prompts and explore a variety of poetry forms, including how words and music interact in lyrics. 

Explore plant anatomy, ecology, and their vital roles in the environment. Plan to explore campus gardens and consider the role of agriculture, landscape architecture and other ways human and plant life interact. Gain skills to observe and understand the natural world.

Hear ye, hear ye! Court is now in session!  In this course, students will take on the roles of lawyers, witnesses, and jurors as they explore the basics of law and courtroom procedures through an introductory-level mock trial. Students will learn to think quickly and critically, build persuasive arguments, and gain a deeper understanding of the structure of our justice system. Along the way, they’ll build confidence and teamwork skills while bringing a lively courtroom drama to life.

Did you know that in 30 minutes, the human body gives off enough heat to boil a gallon of water? The human body is a complex machine made up of systems that keep us active and alive. In this class, you will take a closer look at the main systems of the human body and their important functions.

In this class, you will have the opportunity to build a character from scratch as well as code brand-new interactions with an environment. You will learn about essential processes in game development and experiment with coding to generate characters with unique powers.

Learn about object-oriented programming, and how to write and execute code using the Java programming language, via the Greenfoot programming environment. Students will learn programming fundamentals while participating in authentic coding activities that place an emphasis on problem-solving and creativity. Explore coding by examining a set of interesting scenarios, solving coding problems and competing in a fun coding challenge. Then begin to design your own game or simulation!

This class will ponder the question, "What's next in the field of space exploration?", and will explore the evolution of space exploration, from rockets and satellites to animal explorers and the manned space missions of today. This discussion-based class will utilize space imagery and study recent developments in the field as we continue to ask, "How much farther, and further, can we go?"

In this class, you will dive into the blueprints of structural engineering and design. You will be asked to design and create models based on creative parameters and specifications. As a team, you will take on and propose solutions to real-world design challenges.

Ever wonder why you don’t fly off a spinning ride? Or how a skateboard trick seems to defy gravity? In this course, you’ll explore the amazing forces, energy, and motion that shape our world—from roller coasters and rockets to sports and everyday gadgets. This course is packed with exciting experiments, real-world challenges, and creative builds that will get you thinking like a scientist and designing like an engineer. 

If you've ever wondered why your brain does what it does, this class is for you! We'll cover topics like motivation and emotions, learning and forgetting, intelligence and personality, and social behavior. You'll have the opportunity to apply it to your own life through a final research project.

Can a work of art change the way people think? In this hands-on visual arts course, we will explore how contemporary artists respond to social issues, challenge traditions, and inspire new ways of thinking about the world around us. We'll consider what makes art contemporary and how it connects to other subjects, ideas, and perspectives. Students will visit studios and galleries, including the Chazen Museum of Art, where they will encounter the work of sculptor Louise Nevelson and reflect on her observation that “Art is everywhere, except it has to pass through a creative mind.” As a final project, students will propose a creative work for an existing site or museum. So bring your creative mind and be ready to see today's world through the eyes of an artist. (All creative minds welcome. No art experience required.)

Spend each day discovering one of the many art areas on the UW–Madison campus, like theatre, visual art, dance, music or creative writing. Part of our day will be spent delving into the creation of pieces, and the other part of the day will include visits to campus arts hubs.

From ski resorts under a dome in the middle of the desert to rotating skyscrapers, nothing is impossible for contemporary designers. This class will help you start thinking like an engineer and engage you in a series of increasingly complex competitive design challenges.

What does it take to make a great leader? In this interactive course, students will develop critical-thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills through engaging games, case studies, and real-world challenges. Explore how leaders analyze complex situations, consider different perspectives, and make choices that impact their teams, communities, and beyond. Along the way, students will build confidence, practice collaboration, and learn to lead with integrity, empathy, and purpose. Designed as a challenging enrichment opportunity for students completing grades 6-8, this course equips young leaders with skills they can use both in and out of the classroom.

Did you know that the way we move can change how we learn and solve problems? In this course, students will explore the exciting connection between body and mind through hands-on psychology activities. Using movement, gesture, and interactive experiments, we will uncover how our bodies help us remember, imagine and understand abstract ideas. Instead of just reading or listening, students will actively use their bodies to experience psychological concepts in action. By the end, they will gain both a deeper understanding of themselves and fun strategies they can apply to learning in school and beyond.

Grab your goggles! In this introductory course we will explore foundational concepts in chemistry such as molecular structure, change, energy, and pH. We’ll discover how all these principles work together in daily life: in food, fireworks, fabric, and more! Students will have an opportunity to engage in hands-on experiments and learn about some of the fascinating Chemistry studies and research happening on the UW Campus. 

Have you heard the latest buzz? Insects are fascinating creatures that play an important role in the world around us! In this class, we'll explore the challenges with the bee population, monarch migration, insect defense mechanisms (ouch!) and the interdependence of all living things.