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.

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.

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.

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.)

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.

STEP Law courses are an introduction to the law and the legal system in contemporary American society. Using the case study method, we'll analyze individual rights as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and as interpreted by the courts. We examine the criminal and civil branches of the law.

Collect and analyze evidence from crime scenes and use logical thought processes and scientific inquiry skills to interpret evidence and explain crimes. Learn to interpret evidence such as fingerprinting, hair and fiber analysis, impression analysis, forensic entomology and anthropology.

This course explores theater and writing in order to help develop your skills as a writer and an effective member of an ensemble. After exploring new acting techniques, the class will culminate in a virtual presentation using different topics and skills learned in the course.

In Across Time and Space: Exploring History, you will explore different historical societies and how different cultural patterns and perspectives affected well known and some lesser known historical events. You will consider how these different societies are similar or different and how that impacts the future.

Learn about modern veterinary science through in-class presentations and demonstrations, field trips, and hands-on activities. If you love science, enjoy working with or being around animals, or are interested in knowing more about the field of veterinary science, this is the course for you!