Badger Precollege Classes

This course explores topics such as ecosystems, environmental challenges and sustainability. Through hands-on activities in nature and engaging projects and labs, students will explore how natural systems function, how human activities impact the planet and how to create a sustainable future.

What makes a decision "good" or "bad," and how do we measure the success of our choices over time? Step into the world of leadership and strategic decision-making with Board of Directors: The Art of Decision-Making for Young Leaders. In this interactive course, students will learn how to approach complex challenges, make impactful choices, and understand the responsibilities of leadership. Modeled after real-life boardroom scenarios, students will act as board members, working through group exercises, simulations, and case studies to practice balancing competing interests, managing risks and finding solutions that benefit all stakeholders. From ethical dilemmas to high-stakes decisions, this course empowers young leaders with the confidence, strategic thinking skills, and sense of accountability needed to navigate today's interconnected world and to prepare for future roles in business, community and beyond.

How does AI "learn" about art styles, and what does it mean for AI to "understand" artistic principles? AI is becoming increasingly important as technology plays a larger role in our daily lives, especially in matters involving art. This course empowers you to understand, create, and critique art generated by AI, delving into how technology reshapes traditional and digital artistic expressions. Students will learn foundational AI concepts, experiment with tools like image generation, text-based art and algorithmic design and explore ethical and philosophical questions surrounding AI in creative fields. Whether you're just curious about art in the age of AI or an aspiring young artist with a passion for creativity, this course offers a hands-on, thought-provoking journey into the future of art.

The Green Team: Introduction to Environmental Science offers a multi-disciplinary approach to learning about environmental issues by increasing knowledge and building critical-thinking skills that will help our students make informed and responsible decisions in an age-appropriate format.

Are you interested in finding out more about how forensic science helps us solve mysteries? Intro to Forensic Science is an interdisciplinary class that builds upon the skills explored in our Secret Agents class. We introduce forensic science techniques used in the field.

Do you love the hustle and bustle of a big city?  Maybe you dream of skyscrapers, light rails, sprawling parks, and impressive museums?  If so then join us in a quest to become a visionary urban planner shaping the future of civilization!  We will learn about all the decisions that go into making a city, especially the important design elements that make it liveable. We’ll consider the needs of citizens and search for innovative solutions to meet them.  We’ll examine cities from around the world, as well as the urban space right here in Madison, to think critically about what it takes to make a city successful.  By the end of the course, you’ll put your knowledge to work designing a city of your own! This course is designed as a challenging enrichment opportunity for students completing grades 2-3.

This class will spark your curiosity about the objects in the world around you. Did you know that everything is basically made of the same three ingredients? Participate in hands-on experiments, make observations and learn how to communicate your findings like a scientist.

Creative Writing will explore many of the ways that words can express our imaginations and our ideas. Through exercises, reading, feedback from classmates and instructors and other exploratory activities, we will grow as writers together in this class.

A Walk Through History will transport students to a living history museum! Students will choose a historical figure, research them and write a speech as if they were that person. During family visiting day, students will dress up and stay in character, give their speeches and answer questions.

This three-week, immersive program invites all international students seeking a higher education experiential learning opportunity. Students will experience college life as a student on UW–Madison's extensive campus. The program offers interactive workshops and presentations in sustainability, college preparation, admissions, financial aid, leadership and development. Students will participate in excursions and community outreach activities that sample the culture, traditions and values of the Midwest. After completing this program, participants will have finished an exceptional educational program with all the benefits of studying abroad that will prepare them for their future endeavors in higher education learning.

This course provides a foundational introduction to programming in Python. Learn essential programming concepts, including data structures, control flow, and visualization techniques, while developing an understanding of computational methods used in physics.

Summer Music Clinic offers the opportunity to: learn from experienced educators from around the country, develop new music skills and enhance existing ones, meet and collaborate with those who share your interests, develop and express your unique, creative style, and enjoy new experiences in a welcoming, supportive community.

This course will investigate the impact that chemical products have on consumers' daily lives. Major topics may include food additives, prescription and non-prescription drugs, fuels, pesticides, detergents, synthetic fibers and plastics.

With the explosion of innovative technologies and new knowledge about the brain, the neuroscience field remains on the frontier of contemporary science. We will look into the rapid advances in the field as well as unresolved mysteries that future generations of neuroscientists will be tackling.

Did you know there are an estimated 1 billion different species of microorganisms on Earth? Microorganisms play a role in every aspect of the world we live in. As an applied biological science, microbiology deals with many important practical problems in medicine, agriculture and industry. Microbial physiology and genetics will be emphasized along with a survey of applied microbiology in the fields of medicine, agriculture, food safety and ecology. This lab-intensive course will focus on laboratory techniques and procedures used in research and industry including cultivation, identification, enumeration, genetic engineering and aseptic technique. The effect of microorganisms on human health, specifically epidemiology and the microbiome will be explored. The manipulation of microorganisms in ecological bioremediation, food production and preservation, and pharmaceutical development will be investigated. This course is intended to satisfy any curriculum that requires introductory-level microbiology. It will challenge you to use scientific inquiry skills to investigate and analyze data and will allow you to examine the diversity of microbes on Earth and their importance in the biosphere.

Learn how to identify and evaluate arguments with the skills of logicians, lawyers and debaters. Examining arguments from popular media and the great philosophers, you will learn to distinguish between deductive and inductive arguments and how to identify and avoid specific fallacies in reasoning.

Exploring the legal frameworks that govern the relationships between states and various entities. Investigate global issues and develop tools to assess international legal issues and understand the forces that shape policy decisions.

Diseases challenge scientists to unlock the most complex puzzles of illness, disability and the body's response. Beginning with an overview of human anatomy and physiology, students will probe the nature of disease with new understandings of genetics, pathology and epidemiology.

You will learn to collect, analyze and interpret physical and biological trace evidence such as fingerprints, hair, fibers and DNA. This laboratory-based course will allow you to use logical thought processes and scientific inquiry skills to interpret evidence and analyze criminal psychology.

Environmental Studies is interdisciplinary, embracing several unifying themes, including The Living World, Global Change and Sustainability. Our focus will be on assessing and promoting the Natural Capital of local ecosystems (deciduous forests, prairies and lakes). We will explore different social science approaches to interpreting the relationship between the environment and society at various scales, from the local to the global. This course will trace the social origins of environmental concerns, their social impacts and the different responses they engender. Students will have an opportunity to interact with UW researchers, educators and campus leaders. In the end, students will grasp the values of the natural world and the tools for protecting it.