Imagine going to flea markets of the Spanish-speaking world.   Imagine being surrounded by the art, clothing, music, dances, families, food, folktales, history, games and beautiful buildings of Hispanic culture.  In El Mercardo, we will begin to learn to speak, read, write and understand Spanish.  We will break piñatas, dance and visit an authentic Spanish restaurant.  We will sing, visit local markets, play Spanish games, and make crafts for the Open House market.

Kerry Feirn returns for her eighth year teaching at Summer Academy.  Ms. Feirn has lived and taught English in both Mexico and Spain.  She has a BA in Spanish and Education from the College of St. Benedict. She teaches Spanish at White Bear High School where she also coaches girls’ soccer and track.

Class Video

How many times have you been asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  How do you usually answer?  Do you already have a pretty good idea of what job you would like to do, or are you still thinking about all the wonderful possibilities?  In our class you will have the opportunity to become an expert on a career that you choose.  You will design and build a visual of your job and create your own personal career portfolio. You will receive a mock paycheck and learn to maintain your own checkbook.  You will also have the opportunity to work with a small team of your classmates as entrepreneurs and come up with a product that could be sold at the Minnesota State Fair.  Your group will design a model of a display booth, make a prototype of your product and come up with a plan to persuade customers to purchase your product.  One of the many highlights of our class is running the two Summer Academy’s concession stands and seeing first-hand how a real business works.  You will take your turn to work in the concession stand making sales to Summer Academy students and staff.  Join us as we explore “real world” experiences that may help you to imagine your place in the future.

Teresa Peterson received her BA degree in elementary education and psychology from Hamline University and her Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of St. Thomas.  Ms. Peterson has taught second grade in Mahtomedi for 20 years.  For the past three years she has served as a teacher coach for the elementary and secondary schools in Mahtomedi.  This is her nineteenth year at the Academy.

Amber Neva received her BS degree in elementary education K-8 from St. Cloud State University.  She has worked with pre-school through 8^th grade students.  She is currently teaching 5^th grade in Minot, North Dakota.  This is her seventh year at Summer Academy.

           Note:  Mrs. Peterson & Mrs. Neva work closely to ensure that the two sections will be alike in content and activities.  Field trips will be taken together.

Did you know that some of the world’s finest inventions like bubble gum, Coca Cola, band-aids, and Post-It Notes were invented by chance?  We think the next great inventor might be joining this class!  This is your opportunity to enter the world of engineering and invent something new.

You are invited to solve everyday problems by creating solutions and thinking creatively while you do it.  We will learn about simple machines and put our new knowledge to use in building amusement park rides.  We will create catapults and learn how to engineer them to shoot the farthest and most accurate.  We will build and test structures, instruments, rockets, and cars.  Maybe you will invent a new kitchen gadget, a tasty food or a new toy or game.  You can look forward to this and so much more when you sign up for Inventions & Engineering.

Tracy Pluim is a third-grade teacher at Turtle Lake Elementary School in the Mounds View School District. He has taught after school programs and summer programs through his district. He has a Masters of Arts Curriculum Instruction and is currently pursuing a Masters in Administration.  This will be Mr. Pluim’s third year with the Academy.

Anna Pluim is a kindergarten teacher at Heritage Christian Academy in Maple Grove.  She has worked with elementary students of all levels.  She also works as a dance instructor and as a tutor.  She is looking forward to her second year with the Academy.

Note:  Mr. and Mrs. Pluim work closely to ensure that the two sections will be alike in content and activities.  Field trips will be taken together.

Class Video

Chess!  Mancala!  Nine Man Morris!  Go-Moku!  These strategy games from around the world were developed hundreds of years ago, yet are still played today.  In this exciting class you will learn the history of these challenging games, the rules to play, and thinking strategies that will help develop your problem-solving abilities.  We will analyze different games and discuss what makes them challenging, but fun.  As a final activity, you will design a new strategy game or modify an existing one.  Checkmate!

Tom Mathern has taught second and fourth grades and was a building technology coordinator.  He has a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from St. Cloud State University and is currently teaching second grade at Blue Heron Elementary in the Centennial School District.  This is Mr. Mathern’s tenth year at Summer Academy.

Class Video

Have a “whale” of a time fishing for exciting underwater facts and fun!  Map the oceans, learn about waves, tides and ocean critters through hands-on activities, experiments, computers, books, and videos.  Go under the sea with your new friends to investigate various mammals, fish invertebrates, and crustaceans!  Do you like art projects?  Each day has a craft activity sure to make you dance in your flippers!  Our extended days include a trip to the Sea Life Aquarium at the Mall of America (with a possibility of a Behind-The-Scenes Tour) and a second trip to visit Discovery Bay and the Tropics Aquarium at the Minnesota Zoo!

For the past ten years, Michelle has been a Talent Development teacher in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.  She was a fourth grade teacher for eight years before that.  During the summer, she loves to travel—especially to locations near the ocean.  She has developed a fascination with life “under the sea.”

Carrie Thoreson teaches 5th grade math and science at Sand Creek Elementary in the Anoka-Hennepin School District. She has been both a classroom teacher and a specialist working with high ability children in grades 1-6 for over 13 years. This will be Carrie’s 2nd year with Summer Academy.

Note:  Ms. Gilsrud & Ms. Thoreson work closely to ensure that the two sections will be alike in content and activities.  Field trips will be taken together.  If only one section fills, Ms. Gilsrud will teach it.

Konnichiwa!  Hello from Japan…the land of the rising sun.  Come, learn about Japanese culture and life with us.  We’ll look at foods, clothing, ceremonies, and festivals.  We’ll try our hands at origami and other artistic endeavors.  We’ll write Haiku poetry and make our own miniature Japanese Gardens after we visit several Japanese gardens for inspiration.  We’ll have lunch at a Japanese restaurant and visit the Japanese exhibit at the Minneapolis Art Institute.  We’ll observe and compare Japanese woodblock art and the French impressionists.  We’ll make our own kimonos and perform Japanese folk tale plays.  Sayonara!

Christine Tauer, currently first grade teacher at Cedar Creek Community School, has taught gifted education for seven years.  Besides her Master’s in Education, she has a degree in Vocal Music and two and a half years in graduate theatre.  She has directed, performed in, taught and written for many local school, private theatre, and community theatre productions.  Ms. Tauer has presented many state workshops for standards and brain-based arts-infused education.  She is a 2001-2002 Christa McAuliffe fellow and her project Eureka combined science and drama.  In October 2002, Ms. Tauer went to Japan for three weeks on the Fulbright Memorial Teacher Program and returns to Summer Academy for her twelfth year.

Class Video

Imagine going to flea markets of the Spanish-speaking world.   Imagine being surrounded by the art, clothing, music, dances, families, food, folktales, history, games and beautiful buildings of Hispanic culture.  In El Mercardo, we will begin to learn to speak, read, write and understand Spanish.  We will break piñatas, dance and visit an authentic Spanish restaurant.  We will sing, visit local markets, play Spanish games, and make crafts for the Open House market.

Kerry Feirn returns for her eighth year teaching at Summer Academy.  Ms. Feirn has lived and taught English in both Mexico and Spain.  She has a BA in Spanish and Education from the College of St. Benedict. She teaches Spanish at White Bear High School where she also coaches girls’ soccer and track.

Class Video

How many times have you been asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  How do you usually answer?  Do you already have a pretty good idea of what job you would like to do, or are you still thinking about all the wonderful possibilities?  In our class you will have the opportunity to become an expert on a career that you choose.  You will design and build a visual of your job and create your own personal career portfolio. You will receive a mock paycheck and learn to maintain your own checkbook.  You will also have the opportunity to work with a small team of your classmates as entrepreneurs and come up with a product that could be sold at the Minnesota State Fair.  Your group will design a model of a display booth, make a prototype of your product and come up with a plan to persuade customers to purchase your product.  One of the many highlights of our class is running the two Summer Academy’s concession stands and seeing first-hand how a real business works.  You will take your turn to work in the concession stand making sales to Summer Academy students and staff.  Join us as we explore “real world” experiences that may help you to imagine your place in the future.

Teresa Peterson received her BA degree in elementary education and psychology from Hamline University and her Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of St. Thomas.  Ms. Peterson has taught second grade in Mahtomedi for 20 years.  For the past three years she has served as a teacher coach for the elementary and secondary schools in Mahtomedi.  This is her nineteenth year at the Academy.

Amber Neva received her BS degree in elementary education K-8 from St. Cloud State University.  She has worked with pre-school through 8^th grade students.  She is currently teaching 5^th grade in Minot, North Dakota.  This is her seventh year at Summer Academy.

           Note:  Mrs. Peterson & Mrs. Neva work closely to ensure that the two sections will be alike in content and activities.  Field trips will be taken together.

Did you know that some of the world’s finest inventions like bubble gum, Coca Cola, band-aids, and Post-It Notes were invented by chance?  We think the next great inventor might be joining this class!  This is your opportunity to enter the world of engineering and invent something new.

You are invited to solve everyday problems by creating solutions and thinking creatively while you do it.  We will learn about simple machines and put our new knowledge to use in building amusement park rides.  We will create catapults and learn how to engineer them to shoot the farthest and most accurate.  We will build and test structures, instruments, rockets, and cars.  Maybe you will invent a new kitchen gadget, a tasty food or a new toy or game.  You can look forward to this and so much more when you sign up for Inventions & Engineering.

Tracy Pluim is a third-grade teacher at Turtle Lake Elementary School in the Mounds View School District. He has taught after school programs and summer programs through his district. He has a Masters of Arts Curriculum Instruction and is currently pursuing a Masters in Administration.  This will be Mr. Pluim’s third year with the Academy.

Anna Pluim is a kindergarten teacher at Heritage Christian Academy in Maple Grove.  She has worked with elementary students of all levels.  She also works as a dance instructor and as a tutor.  She is looking forward to her second year with the Academy.

Note:  Mr. and Mrs. Pluim work closely to ensure that the two sections will be alike in content and activities.  Field trips will be taken together.

Class Video

Chess!  Mancala!  Nine Man Morris!  Go-Moku!  These strategy games from around the world were developed hundreds of years ago, yet are still played today.  In this exciting class you will learn the history of these challenging games, the rules to play, and thinking strategies that will help develop your problem-solving abilities.  We will analyze different games and discuss what makes them challenging, but fun.  As a final activity, you will design a new strategy game or modify an existing one.  Checkmate!

Tom Mathern has taught second and fourth grades and was a building technology coordinator.  He has a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from St. Cloud State University and is currently teaching second grade at Blue Heron Elementary in the Centennial School District.  This is Mr. Mathern’s tenth year at Summer Academy.

Class Video

Have a “whale” of a time fishing for exciting underwater facts and fun!  Map the oceans, learn about waves, tides and ocean critters through hands-on activities, experiments, computers, books, and videos.  Go under the sea with your new friends to investigate various mammals, fish invertebrates, and crustaceans!  Do you like art projects?  Each day has a craft activity sure to make you dance in your flippers!  Our extended days include a trip to the Sea Life Aquarium at the Mall of America (with a possibility of a Behind-The-Scenes Tour) and a second trip to visit Discovery Bay and the Tropics Aquarium at the Minnesota Zoo!

For the past ten years, Michelle has been a Talent Development teacher in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.  She was a fourth grade teacher for eight years before that.  During the summer, she loves to travel—especially to locations near the ocean.  She has developed a fascination with life “under the sea.”

Carrie Thoreson teaches 5th grade math and science at Sand Creek Elementary in the Anoka-Hennepin School District. She has been both a classroom teacher and a specialist working with high ability children in grades 1-6 for over 13 years. This will be Carrie’s 2nd year with Summer Academy.

Note:  Ms. Gilsrud & Ms. Thoreson work closely to ensure that the two sections will be alike in content and activities.  Field trips will be taken together.  If only one section fills, Ms. Gilsrud will teach it.

Konnichiwa!  Hello from Japan…the land of the rising sun.  Come, learn about Japanese culture and life with us.  We’ll look at foods, clothing, ceremonies, and festivals.  We’ll try our hands at origami and other artistic endeavors.  We’ll write Haiku poetry and make our own miniature Japanese Gardens after we visit several Japanese gardens for inspiration.  We’ll have lunch at a Japanese restaurant and visit the Japanese exhibit at the Minneapolis Art Institute.  We’ll observe and compare Japanese woodblock art and the French impressionists.  We’ll make our own kimonos and perform Japanese folk tale plays.  Sayonara!

Christine Tauer, currently first grade teacher at Cedar Creek Community School, has taught gifted education for seven years.  Besides her Master’s in Education, she has a degree in Vocal Music and two and a half years in graduate theatre.  She has directed, performed in, taught and written for many local school, private theatre, and community theatre productions.  Ms. Tauer has presented many state workshops for standards and brain-based arts-infused education.  She is a 2001-2002 Christa McAuliffe fellow and her project Eureka combined science and drama.  In October 2002, Ms. Tauer went to Japan for three weeks on the Fulbright Memorial Teacher Program and returns to Summer Academy for her twelfth year.

Class Video

What was life like for an American girl growing up in 1904?  Take part in our turn-of-the-century hat factory to create a stylish hat which reflects the influences of this time. Through the real stories of the Alexander Ramsey family and servants, you will discover how Grandmary’s world of the late 1800’s shaped Samantha’s world in the early 1900’s. Try on all of the layers of period clothing and then stroll across the lawn in elegant dresses to take part in a photo shoot on the front steps of a great mansion. We will discover even more about life as an American girl in 1904 as each of you takes part in a play about Samantha which brings her daily adventures to life.  Assemble, build, and decorate a gingerbread house to enjoy one of Samantha’s important family traditions.  Learn how to sew a sachet heart and capture the scents of our splendid summer. From American girl pastimes and passions to the influence of the President and others, please join us in this hands-on class as we explore the changing world of an American girl.  Each activity will unfold a piece of history which becomes a part of the walking history tour students will share with family and friends at the Open House.

This class acknowledges the American Girl series books.

Nancy Roussin returns to Summer Academy for her 25^th summer.  She has taught in the Mounds View School District for 33 years where she teachers 7^th grade English Language Arts and 8^th grade Advanced English Language Arts at Chippewa Middle School.  During her years as a high potential resource teacher, Ms. Roussin discovered her passion for bringing history alive for her students.

If you are looking for something unique to do this summer, how about doing some magic?  In this class, you will learn some of the great secrets of the world of illusion.  Make objects appear and disappear.  Change color or shape.  Read minds.  You may not believe your own eyes!  By creating your own special performances, you will make the illusions unique.  You will work with your classmates to put on a magic show that will offer mystery and fun.  You will be making most of your own tricks to take with you at the end of Summer Academy.  We are also planning a field trip to a magic shop in the Twin Cities where students can watch a magician work, and we hope to have a magician visit our classroom.  What a great way to start the summer!

Tom Cloutier, a returning Academy teacher, retired from the elementary classroom after 33 years of teaching.  He has taught all grades, spending the past 15 years in a fifth-grade classroom.  He received his BA and Master’s degrees in Elementary Education from the University of Minnesota. Magic has been a hobby of his for 30 years.  He enjoys observing illusions in the world around us.

Class Video

Caves have mystified people for years – rocks that “grow,” animals stranger than science fiction, and shapes never imagined in nature.  It’s a world caused by the slow drip of water through the ground over millions of years.  Come to this class and understand what most people only see.  Visit real caves. Create realistic caves.  Challenge people’s knowledge of caves.  Explore and compare famous caves and experience life in caves! Students will travel to Crystal Cave in Spring Valley, Wisconsin, to see the largest cave in that state.

There also will be one long day as the class travels to see the largest caves in Minnesota – Mystery and Niagara Caves. On our long day we will be leaving at 6:00 a.m. and returning at 6:00 p.m.

Jeff Lynum, a returning Academy teacher, is in his 18^th year of teaching high school earth science in the North St. Paul/Maplewood/Oakdale School District.  Mr. Lynum is an advisor for the Astronomy Club and often hosts star parties for high school, public groups, and elementary-aged students.  His visit to Cosmic Caves in Arkansas led to his interest in caves.

Michelle Lynum is an elementary teacher in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.  She is a returning Academy teacher.  This is Ms. Lynum’s eleventh summer teaching Cool Caves.

Note:  Jeff and Michelle Lynum are working closely to ensure that the two sections will be alike in content and activities.  Field trips will be taken together.

Have you ever wanted to capture a tiger?  Do you know how to stop a sprinting gazelle?  Could you bring to life a sleeping bear?  Join us this summer as we use photography, drawing, and 3-dimensional art to study the animal world.  We will not only study examples of excellence in these Media, but get involved with the action ourselves through trips to the Minnesota Zoo and the Raptor Center, studio sessions with family pets, and practice with turning our own photography into beautiful sketches. We will also be putting our talents to good use as we volunteer our services in the community to advertise for local animal agencies through our art.  No experience is required, just a love for animals and an interest in various forms of artistic expression.  Come and discover Animals In Art!

Rachel Cathey has been teaching fifth grade at Fridley Middle School for twelve years.  Prior to Fridley, she worked at Tri-District Elementary School in Little Canada.  Ms. Cathey experienced Summer Academy for many years as a student and teacher’s aide, and later, taught a class about the Renaissance.  She now offers a class inspired by her life-long love for animals and art.  Experiences with animals include several years of working at a domestic pet veterinary clinic, volunteering for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota avian nursery, working with bald eagles and great horned owls at the Minnesota Raptor Center, and being the primary caretaker for cats, dogs, a ferret, a gecko, chickens and snakes.  She loves photographing animals in wild and domestic environments, and has filled many personal sketchbooks.

Do you love taking photos?  Do you enjoy taking pictures of your favorite people, places and things? Come join us in Photo Academy as we turn our class into a photo studio!  In this class you will become more confident using the features of a digital camera and learn fundamental photography techniques.  We will learn about photo composition including the rule of thirds, background, perspective, framing, and lines, as well as how to use different camera ‘modes’.  We’ll also learn and practice photo-editing techniques to improve the quality or add creativity to our photos.  We’ll have some fun by taking our cameras on a variety of photo safaris!  We’ll take pictures in a nearby garden, a local park, and at Summer Academy so we can take shots of events happening right around our studio!  Throughout the class we’ll share a collection of our favorite pictures in a web album and finish with an on-line photo gallery.  We’ll also create a CD to take home as well as a mini-book to show off our best shots!

Some other highlights of the class will include having a special guest photographer. We’ll have an opportunity to learn all about their job and day to day experiences as a professional.  We will also visit a photo exhibit at a museum and take a trip to a real photography studio!

Marie Burke has been teaching for the past twelve years and has experience teaching first through eighth grade.  She is currently a science specialist at Highland Elementary School in Columbia Heights and has taught third, fourth and fifth graders there for the past six years. She graduated from Bethel University with a BA in Elementary and Middle School education.  She also has a Masters of Arts degree in curriculum and instruction from St. Thomas University.  During her graduate program she focused on differentiated instruction and how to use it effectively in a content area.  When she’s not having fun in the classroom, she loves taking pictures and using photography to document the life and adventures of her family.

This PC-based course is designed for the young computer student who wants to learn new things and enhance what has been learned before.  Understanding the computer process now may be important for applying computers to our future needs.  Here is an opportunity for concentrated use of basic computer skills as well as an understanding of more advanced multimedia programming, with the flexibility to progress at your own rate. Projects are designed using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Publisher, and Excel.  These projects emphasize inventions and entrepreneurship.  We will also focus on digital imaging and website design with Adobe software like Photoshop and Dreamweaver.  Time will also be provided to explore additional graphics programs and problem-solving software.

*Activities may vary depending on the software available.  We will use the Internet as allowable.

Danny Johnsen has taught elementary school for 35 years and holds a Master’s of Arts degree in computer-based education.  This is Mr. Johnsen’s 28th year at the Academy.  He was a judge at the First Lego League robotics competition this year, as well as a test scorer for Data Recognition Corp. and Questar.

Have you ever thought how fun it would be to build a dream house? A place you can call your own. If building with clay sounds like fun, then this combination will be a blast. Our first step will be creating a blue print of your future house.  Next, we will be building clay walls and all the details.  Once the home is carefully constructed, and fired in the kiln, we will assemble our very own community.  A real estate brochure will complete our course.

My name is Maria Ahrndt.  I have been an art teacher at Spring Lake Park High school since 1993.  I taught at the Summer Academy from 1994-1998 just before my first son was born.  Now that he is 14 and my daughter is 12, I am excited to return and reconnect with the creative young minds at Summer Academy.     Although it is very rewarding to see high school graduates return with news about their exciting new art careers, I miss the early stages of creativity and enthusiasm of an elementary child. I enjoy teaching every aspect of art production like drawing, painting, crafts, and sculpting in clay and plaster.  My interests are reading, mural painting, camping, and going to museums.

Class Video

Hujambo, Karibu – welcome to a safari across Southern and Eastern Africa?  Have you ever heard of a kudu, genet, or bushbaby?  We will be exploring the wild animals of these beautiful countries.  During our travels we will explore the lands, homes, foods, and language of this region. We will read African stories and take a trip to the MN institute of Arts.  Africa is filled with wonderful crafts.  We will create our own African beadwork, rainsticks, talking sticks, and masks.  We will even make our own African clothing!  Experience life in a Swahili market place as you speak Swahili to barter for the food we cook.  Travel to a local African restaurant to taste the flavors of Africa.

Kirenza Swanson, a returning Academy teacher, is a graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.  She currently teaches at a STEM magnet school in Burnsville.  Ms. Swanson traveled to Tanzania and South Africa as a student and teacher.  While there, she lived with families from these areas and traveled extensively throughout the southern and eastern African region.  Ms. Swanson has a language certification in Kiswahili.

Class Video

Are you a rock hound?  When you see an interesting rock, do you pick it up and tuck it into your pocket?  Do you know what it is like to be surrounded by rocks nearly a mile below the surface of the earth? If you answered yes to any of these, then grab your hard hat and join our amazing journey as we “live and breathe” rocks!  On our journey we will grow a rock, drop and roll a rock, study a rock, wear a rock and yes, even love a rock!  You will be astounded and impressed at the many things we will learn and notice about rocks. Through this course, we will meet geologists, a gemologist, a landform expert, and a hydrogeologist.  You will gain experience in taking notes and will write, speak and act like a geologist!   

Our learning will also take us on a one-night overnight on Wednesday, June 19th – Thursday, June 20th. On the first day, we have an appointment at the Soudan Underground Mine and at Duluth’s Vertical Endeavors. The next day, we will travel to Gooseberry Falls State Park to explore its grand geology. Later, we will visit with a park naturalist at Jay Cooke State Park and learn about the area’s unique geology. Finally, we’ll go agate hunting at a gravel pit in the Moose Lake Area after a visit to Moose Lake State Park’s Agate Center. We will stay at the Comfort Inn in Duluth on Wednesday evening.

Sounds exciting?  Then come, join us as we immerse ourselves in Rock World!  Rock World – It Rocks!

          Tuition for this course is $450.

Lorna Plana, a returning Academy teacher, is a third grade teacher at Brimhall Elementary in the Roseville School District. She graduated from the College of St. Benedict and is receiving her Master of Arts in Teaching at Hamline University. Lorna has taught and studied abroad in both China and Thailand and enjoys teaching for the GEM (Girls Engaged in Math) Program at the University of Minnesota. In her classroom, she teaches with the Journeys and Destinations language arts curriculum for gifted children from the College of William and Mary.

Isaac Engel is a fourth grade teacher at Brimhall Elementary in the Roseville School District. He has taught fourth grade for the past four years and has previously taught third and fifth grade. Isaac has been a Future Problem Solver coach for the past four years and has taken teams to state and international competition. He has also been involved in after-school and summer programs in his district. He earned his Masters of Arts in Curriculum Instruction degree from Concordia University in March of 2012.

          Note:  Ms. Plana & Mr. Engel work closely to ensure that the two sections will be alike in content and activities.  Field trips will be taken together.  If only one section fills, Ms. Plana will teach it.

Are you interested in dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth? Have you ever wondered if a person could have outrun these prehistoric animals?  If so, join us as we become paleontologists and reconstruct creatures of the past.  Students will collect scientific information on dinosaurs using observations and investigations, including calculating the height and speed of a dinosaur from their footprints.

We will spend the morning at the Dinosaurs and Fossils Gallery at the Science Museum of Minnesota and head to the Brickyards of St. Paul to search for students’ own fossils of small marine organisms.  We will visit the new interactive dinosaur park at Valleyfair called Dinosaurs Alive!  Come to this class for a Dino-mite time.

Devon Brecke teaches Earth & Space Science and Meteorology at Forest Lake Area High School.  She has a Bachelor and Master of Science in Geology from UW-River Falls and UMD.  Devon has collected and analyzed rock samples from all over world, including Colorado and Antarctica.  She completed her teacher certification at UW-River Falls.

GIRLS AND BOYS – do bridges and skyscrapers fascinate you?  Join this class and be a civil engineer as you and a partner form a construction company that will design and build your own bridge and skyscraper.  Then, in a nail-biting competition, test your bridge for strength – literally to a breaking point. You will have a hands-on opportunity to learn and apply abstract concepts of stress, fulcrum, laws of gravity, and the strength of different geometric shapes.  You’ll also write checks, balance accounts, maintain a task schedule, and work with others to accomplish a common goal.  GIRLS AND BOYS, come, see how much fun it is to be a civil engineer as you investigate The Weight Of It All!

Bruce Pap graduated from Sioux Falls College with a BA degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s of Science degree from Mankato State University.  He has 32 years experience teaching elementary students.  Mr. Pap returns for his 26^th year at Summer Academy and currently teaches sixth-grade science in the Centennial School District.

Class Video

Girls and boys, do you ever wish you could have lived in the “Olden Days?”  Do you dream about being Laura or Almanzo in books like Farmer Boy, and Little House on the Prairie?  Well, let’s step back over a hundred years ago as we visit Gibb’s Farm, Gammelgarden Musuem and Kelly Farm and fulfill your dreams.  We’ll learn how pioneers and Native Americans helped each other.  Learn of the hardships and joys of the early Swedish settlers and make a typical Swedish craft after enjoying a Swedish lunch.  We’ll do chores just like the pioneers such as making hardtack, candles, butter, soap, feed farm animals and make our own pioneer town.

Rhonda Lajko is a first grade teacher in Columbia Heights and has taught in a talented and gifted cluster classroom and in a collaborative setting.  Having taught kindergarten through sixth grade, Mrs. Lajko enjoys the opportunity of teaching older students at Summer Academy.  She graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Mn. and has a masters of Arts degree in elementary education from the University of Minnesota. Mrs. Lajko grew up on a farm in West Central Minnesota, attended a country school and learned many pioneer skills from her family.  This is her tenth year of teaching Summer Academy.

Bubbleology: a scientific approach to the physics and chemistry of bubbles. Science, but fun science! Can you imagine the concept of anti-bubbles? Can there be square bubbles? How does a NASA scientist use bubbles in space exploration? Did they use bubbles on the Mars Mission? We will learn air bubbles importance to art by visiting artists at a glass blowing studio; we will visit the University of Minnesota Cavitation Research lab to learn about their work with the Navy, submarine propellers and the destructive power of air bubbles on bridges and dams.

Visiting scientists will guide us through bubble experiments, and testing various bubble formulas. We will learn about the importance of bubbles to scuba diving and heart transplant surgery. Come and study bubbles with us!

Sheila McCormick is a teacher in the Roseville School District. She recently received her Master’s degree from the University of Minnesota with an emphasis on teaching social studies and mathematics. Most of her post-graduate work has been focused on aligning math curriculum to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Did you ever wonder who designed the Golden Arches on the McDonald’s sign or the logo for your favorite sports team?  Well, join us in the Summer Academy Graphic Arts Studio and learn for yourself, while you work on a variety of challenging design projects.  You will work in a group to come up with a logo for a fictitious sports team and, as the artist of your own business, you will be commissioned by a client in the Summer Academy to design a logo for their class.  In the process, you will improve your drawing skills and experiment with new techniques and mediums.  A visit to a graphic design studio and the College of Visual Arts will introduce you to future options in the art world.  Have fun this summer sharing your enthusiasm, talent and creativity.

Ann Roman is a professional Artist and Storyteller.  Annie is retired after teaching art for 26 years with Centennial School District.  She is now focusing on her own endeavors, offering art residencies and workshops through her business, “Discovery & Creativity.”  Annie has been teaching for the Summer Academy for 17 years.

Class Video

Meet Harriet Tubman, the brave conductor of the under ground railroad as she leads her people to freedom.  We have the script and the score, but we need you to make the story and the music come to life!

Learn good singing technique (both solo and choral), design creative choreography and become a convincing actor.  Come, experience musical theater firsthand as we make our way to freedom!

Susan Huemann has eighteen years of elementary music teaching experience.  She obtained her Master’s of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota.  She currently teaches music at Dayton Elementary School in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.  Pit orchestra, chorus, leading roles and later directing musical plays for elementary, high school and community theatre are all a part of Ms. Huemann’s involvement in music theater.  This is Ms. Huemann’s 21^st year at the Academy.

Become an associate attorney in this rapidly expanding law firm.  All new associates will be assigned to defend or prosecute someone accused of breaking the law.  Explore your own sense of right and wrong and compare it to real laws.  If you are hired by this firm, you will be given the chance to draft wills, contracts and business agreements.  You will be a vital team member in this law firm and will be attend staff meetings, study laws that apply to your caseload, and prepare and present legal papers such as Summons and Petitions, Complaints, Briefs, and Proposed Judgments.  You will explore the most effective ways to resolve disputes considering procedure, result and cost.  You will be asked to negotiate settlements and mediate disagreements.  You will pursue the best course of action on your client’s behalf.  Your name will even be on the letterhead!

Part of your job in this firm will be to design your own office, and shop for your office furniture and supplies.  You will also be asked to design a business card for yourself to hand to prospective clients.  What works and what doesn’t to get business in the door?  You will decide on advertisements and yellow page ads to promote your services.

As part of the experience you will visit local law offices, a law school and a county courthouse.  After observing lawyers at work, you will put your knowledge to the test as you present your arguments to “the Court.”

If this sounds like the job for you, please fill out the ‘job application’ you will find in this catalogue.  (Others may refer to this as the Summer Academy admission application but I will know it’s your job application if you select this course.)

Jamie Kovacs, an attorney, graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1982 and went from there to Drake University Law School, graduating in 1985.  She was admitted to the Minnesota Bar in 1985 and practiced law until 2001.  Starting in 1997, Mrs. Kovacs took time off from her law practice to teach this Summer Academy course that provides elementary students the opportunity to see what it’s like to be a real attorney.  After her experiences teaching Summer Academy and, in her own children’s classrooms teaching Junior Achievement and other enrichment programs, Ms. Kovacs returned to school and got her teaching license in 2006.  She was hired by the White Bear Lake School District that very month and has been teaching at Oneka Elementary School ever since.  This will be her twelfth year at the Academy.

Prepare yourself for a historical trip to Great Britain!  Back to the magical age of King Arthur, Camelot, and the Mabinogion!  See how castles were built, learn how and why the battles were won or lost, dance the dances, eat the food, and learn the language of Welsh.  Design costumes, build castles, and participate in an Eisteddfod (celebration) as you experience the richness of early Great Britain.  We will also learn about falconry and have hands-on experience with fencing and archery. On the extended day we will visit the Sculpture Gardens, visit Arms and Armor, go lawn bowling and have lunch at an Irish restaurant.

Mair Owen, a native of Wales, Great Britain, is an elementary teacher in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.  She has a Master’s degree from Hamline University and also has a Gifted Certificate from Hamline.  This is Ms. Owen’s sixteenth year with the Academy.

Konnichiwa!  Hello from Japan…the land of the rising sun.  Come, learn about Japanese culture and life with us.  We’ll look at foods, clothing, ceremonies, and festivals.  We’ll try our hands at origami and other artistic endeavors.  We’ll write Haiku poetry and make our own miniature Japanese Gardens after we visit several Japanese gardens for inspiration.  We’ll have lunch at a Japanese restaurant and visit the Japanese exhibit at the Minneapolis Art Institute.  We’ll observe and compare Japanese woodblock art and the French impressionists.  We’ll make our own kimonos and perform Japanese folk tale plays.  Sayonara!

Christine Tauer, currently first grade teacher at Cedar Creek Community School, has taught gifted education for seven years.  Besides her Master’s in Education, she has a degree in Vocal Music and two and a half years in graduate theatre.  She has directed, performed in, taught and written for many local school, private theatre, and community theatre productions.  Ms. Tauer has presented many state workshops for standards and brain-based arts-infused education.  She is a 2001-2002 Christa McAuliffe fellow and her project Eureka combined science and drama.  In October 2002, Ms. Tauer went to Japan for three weeks on the Fulbright Memorial Teacher Program and returns to Summer Academy for her twelfth year.

Class Video

GIRLS AND BOYS – do bridges and skyscrapers fascinate you?  Join this class and be a civil engineer as you and a partner form a construction company that will design and build your own bridge and skyscraper.  Then, in a nail-biting competition, test your bridge for strength – literally to a breaking point. You will have a hands-on opportunity to learn and apply abstract concepts of stress, fulcrum, laws of gravity, and the strength of different geometric shapes.  You’ll also write checks, balance accounts, maintain a task schedule, and work with others to accomplish a common goal.  GIRLS AND BOYS, come, see how much fun it is to be a civil engineer as you investigate The Weight Of It All!

Bruce Pap graduated from Sioux Falls College with a BA degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s of Science degree from Mankato State University.  He has 32 years experience teaching elementary students.  Mr. Pap returns for his 26^th year at Summer Academy and currently teaches sixth-grade science in the Centennial School District.

Class Video

Girls and boys, do you ever wish you could have lived in the “Olden Days?”  Do you dream about being Laura or Almanzo in books like Farmer Boy, and Little House on the Prairie?  Well, let’s step back over a hundred years ago as we visit Gibb’s Farm, Gammelgarden Musuem and Kelly Farm and fulfill your dreams.  We’ll learn how pioneers and Native Americans helped each other.  Learn of the hardships and joys of the early Swedish settlers and make a typical Swedish craft after enjoying a Swedish lunch.  We’ll do chores just like the pioneers such as making hardtack, candles, butter, soap, feed farm animals and make our own pioneer town.

Rhonda Lajko is a first grade teacher in Columbia Heights and has taught in a talented and gifted cluster classroom and in a collaborative setting.  Having taught kindergarten through sixth grade, Mrs. Lajko enjoys the opportunity of teaching older students at Summer Academy.  She graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Mn. and has a masters of Arts degree in elementary education from the University of Minnesota. Mrs. Lajko grew up on a farm in West Central Minnesota, attended a country school and learned many pioneer skills from her family.  This is her tenth year of teaching Summer Academy.

Bubbleology: a scientific approach to the physics and chemistry of bubbles. Science, but fun science! Can you imagine the concept of anti-bubbles? Can there be square bubbles? How does a NASA scientist use bubbles in space exploration? Did they use bubbles on the Mars Mission? We will learn air bubbles importance to art by visiting artists at a glass blowing studio; we will visit the University of Minnesota Cavitation Research lab to learn about their work with the Navy, submarine propellers and the destructive power of air bubbles on bridges and dams.

Visiting scientists will guide us through bubble experiments, and testing various bubble formulas. We will learn about the importance of bubbles to scuba diving and heart transplant surgery. Come and study bubbles with us!

Sheila McCormick is a teacher in the Roseville School District. She recently received her Master’s degree from the University of Minnesota with an emphasis on teaching social studies and mathematics. Most of her post-graduate work has been focused on aligning math curriculum to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Did you ever wonder who designed the Golden Arches on the McDonald’s sign or the logo for your favorite sports team?  Well, join us in the Summer Academy Graphic Arts Studio and learn for yourself, while you work on a variety of challenging design projects.  You will work in a group to come up with a logo for a fictitious sports team and, as the artist of your own business, you will be commissioned by a client in the Summer Academy to design a logo for their class.  In the process, you will improve your drawing skills and experiment with new techniques and mediums.  A visit to a graphic design studio and the College of Visual Arts will introduce you to future options in the art world.  Have fun this summer sharing your enthusiasm, talent and creativity.

Ann Roman is a professional Artist and Storyteller.  Annie is retired after teaching art for 26 years with Centennial School District.  She is now focusing on her own endeavors, offering art residencies and workshops through her business, “Discovery & Creativity.”  Annie has been teaching for the Summer Academy for 17 years.

Class Video

Meet Harriet Tubman, the brave conductor of the under ground railroad as she leads her people to freedom.  We have the script and the score, but we need you to make the story and the music come to life!

Learn good singing technique (both solo and choral), design creative choreography and become a convincing actor.  Come, experience musical theater firsthand as we make our way to freedom!

Susan Huemann has eighteen years of elementary music teaching experience.  She obtained her Master’s of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota.  She currently teaches music at Dayton Elementary School in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.  Pit orchestra, chorus, leading roles and later directing musical plays for elementary, high school and community theatre are all a part of Ms. Huemann’s involvement in music theater.  This is Ms. Huemann’s 21^st year at the Academy.

Become an associate attorney in this rapidly expanding law firm.  All new associates will be assigned to defend or prosecute someone accused of breaking the law.  Explore your own sense of right and wrong and compare it to real laws.  If you are hired by this firm, you will be given the chance to draft wills, contracts and business agreements.  You will be a vital team member in this law firm and will be attend staff meetings, study laws that apply to your caseload, and prepare and present legal papers such as Summons and Petitions, Complaints, Briefs, and Proposed Judgments.  You will explore the most effective ways to resolve disputes considering procedure, result and cost.  You will be asked to negotiate settlements and mediate disagreements.  You will pursue the best course of action on your client’s behalf.  Your name will even be on the letterhead!

Part of your job in this firm will be to design your own office, and shop for your office furniture and supplies.  You will also be asked to design a business card for yourself to hand to prospective clients.  What works and what doesn’t to get business in the door?  You will decide on advertisements and yellow page ads to promote your services.

As part of the experience you will visit local law offices, a law school and a county courthouse.  After observing lawyers at work, you will put your knowledge to the test as you present your arguments to “the Court.”

If this sounds like the job for you, please fill out the ‘job application’ you will find in this catalogue.  (Others may refer to this as the Summer Academy admission application but I will know it’s your job application if you select this course.)

Jamie Kovacs, an attorney, graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1982 and went from there to Drake University Law School, graduating in 1985.  She was admitted to the Minnesota Bar in 1985 and practiced law until 2001.  Starting in 1997, Mrs. Kovacs took time off from her law practice to teach this Summer Academy course that provides elementary students the opportunity to see what it’s like to be a real attorney.  After her experiences teaching Summer Academy and, in her own children’s classrooms teaching Junior Achievement and other enrichment programs, Ms. Kovacs returned to school and got her teaching license in 2006.  She was hired by the White Bear Lake School District that very month and has been teaching at Oneka Elementary School ever since.  This will be her twelfth year at the Academy.

Prepare yourself for a historical trip to Great Britain!  Back to the magical age of King Arthur, Camelot, and the Mabinogion!  See how castles were built, learn how and why the battles were won or lost, dance the dances, eat the food, and learn the language of Welsh.  Design costumes, build castles, and participate in an Eisteddfod (celebration) as you experience the richness of early Great Britain.  We will also learn about falconry and have hands-on experience with fencing and archery. On the extended day we will visit the Sculpture Gardens, visit Arms and Armor, go lawn bowling and have lunch at an Irish restaurant.

Mair Owen, a native of Wales, Great Britain, is an elementary teacher in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.  She has a Master’s degree from Hamline University and also has a Gifted Certificate from Hamline.  This is Ms. Owen’s sixteenth year with the Academy.

Would you like to design your own dream house?  Then construct a scale model of your design? In this course you will get to do both and much more. We will study the world of architecture as it relates to todays society. Students will research famous architects of past and present and study some of their amazing work.  We will study shape, space and home design using several architectural websites in class. Each student will work independently on their own design with the instructors guidance. After the design and floor plans are complete, the student will build a ¼ scale model of their design.  They will also create a power point presentation of their project. They will use plans and pictures to describe the features of their house. They will also use Google earth to find an exact location for their home. Field trips have included model home tours and architectural firm tours, as well as in class guest architects.

Fred Feirn is an industrial tech teacher in the White Bear Lake School District where he teaches CAD (Computer Aided Drafting).    He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a BS in Technology Education with concentration in manufacturing engineering and drafting and design.  This is Mr. Feirn’s ninth year with Summer Academy.

Class Video

Do you enjoy looking at fashion, paging through fashion magazines, and designing clothing?  In this course, we will look at fashion designers, their influences and how fashion changes over time.  We will also take a field trip to experience fashion with people who work with it every day, learning how clothing is created and the process to get it into the store.  We will put on a fashion show at the open house and display the other work we’ve done during the Academy.

Stacy Welle has worked in the Roseville school district for the past eleven years and has taught fashion at a local community college.  She designed the fashion courses at both the high school and the community college.  Ms. Welle takes her high school students to New York City on a fashion trip during the school year to expand their knowledge and give them a real-life experience of what the fashion world is all about.  She enjoys the variety of ages she gets to work with by teaching younger students in Summer Academy and at the high school level during the year.

What if video games could actually help people?  In this class we will not only create video games, but also partner with local non-profit organizations.  Through the power of social media and marketing, students will design games to draw attention to the local organization and aid in their efforts.  You will use your creativity to design and program your own games that will be able to be played by others on the web!  This class will teach the programming skills needed to create the newest game sensation!

Kristen Nellis has been teaching technology for over ten years at Forest Lake High School.  She has a Marketing Education degree has her masters in Management and Leadership.  She has taught courses about Online Web Design, Web Design I and II, Video Game Design and was voted 2011 TIES Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

This PC-based course is designed for the young computer student who wants to learn new things and enhance what has been learned before.  Understanding the computer process now may be important for applying computers to our future needs.  Here is an opportunity for concentrated use of basic computer skills as well as an understanding of more advanced multimedia programming, with the flexibility to progress at your own rate. Projects are designed using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Publisher, and Excel.  These projects emphasize inventions and entrepreneurship.  We will also focus on digital imaging and website design with Adobe software like Photoshop and Dreamweaver.  Time will also be provided to explore additional graphics programs and problem-solving software.

*Activities may vary depending on the software available.  We will use the Internet as allowable.

Danny Johnsen has taught elementary school for 35 years and holds a Master’s of Arts degree in computer-based education.  This is Mr. Johnsen’s 28th year at the Academy.  He was a judge at the First Lego League robotics competition this year, as well as a test scorer for Data Recognition Corp. and Questar.

Have you ever thought how fun it would be to build a dream house? A place you can call your own. If building with clay sounds like fun, then this combination will be a blast. Our first step will be creating a blue print of your future house.  Next, we will be building clay walls and all the details.  Once the home is carefully constructed, and fired in the kiln, we will assemble our very own community.  A real estate brochure will complete our course.

My name is Maria Ahrndt.  I have been an art teacher at Spring Lake Park High school since 1993.  I taught at the Summer Academy from 1994-1998 just before my first son was born.  Now that he is 14 and my daughter is 12, I am excited to return and reconnect with the creative young minds at Summer Academy.     Although it is very rewarding to see high school graduates return with news about their exciting new art careers, I miss the early stages of creativity and enthusiasm of an elementary child. I enjoy teaching every aspect of art production like drawing, painting, crafts, and sculpting in clay and plaster.  My interests are reading, mural painting, camping, and going to museums.

Class Video

What can build a car, diffuse a bomb, traverse the surface of Mars, climb sheer walls with ease, fly at high speed and shoot lasers from its eyes?  ROBOTS!  What’s even cooler than robots?  LEGO ROBOTS! Join the Lego Robotics Lab and you’ll learn to design, build, and program your own robots.  Choose to tackle problem solving challenges we provide, or let your imagination run wild and create the next R2-D2!  We’ll use the Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 software to program our bots.  If you’re already a Mindstorms expert, we’ll challenge your skills. If you’ve never programmed before, we’ll teach you how.  No experience required, just imagination!

Andrew Rockenstein has been a fifth grade teacher at Sunnyside Elementary in New Brighton, MN for 5 years.  He is a graduate of the College of Wooster in Wooster, OH and holds a Masters degree in elementary education from the University of Minnesota.  He also spent two years in AmeriCorps tutoring and running afterschool programs at Andersen School in Minneapolis, MN and was granted a one year Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Hamburg, Germany.  More importantly he still gets Legos for Christmas every year, and was briefly employed as an actual Lego man.

Take a fantastic journey through your imagination in our improvisation acting class.  Learn to perform improv like you see on TV.  Using simple props and costumes, allow the right side of your brain to create your own commercials, characters and fairytales.  Play a variety of fun, thought-provoking games, which will challenge your creativity and exercise your brain muscles!  Discover your leadership abilities while directing others in an improv activity.  Join a group to create impromptu plays or work independently on your own storytelling skills.  We will show off our newfound talents at the annual SA Open House. Come, be part of our Improv-athon!

Scott Larson teaches improvisation and children’s theatre classes through the Twin Cities area.  Mr. Larson has taught in the Columbia Heights School District for 23 years.   This is his seventh year with Summer Academy.

Class Video

Do you like a good math challenge?  If so, have I got some problems for you!  In Take it to the Limit you will find trigonometry even in circles.  You will find Calculus topics such as limits, derivatives and integrals at amusement parks.  You will work in teams to complete challenges and you will construct roller coasters and other amusement park rides that use mathematics to thrill us!  We will study famous mathematicians and the concepts they recognized.  We will take a trip to Nickelodeon Universe and experience math firsthand while riding roller coasters and Ferris wheels.  We will see mathematics in many new and amazing places.  If you love math, join us as we Take it to the Limit!

Holly Ashton graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a degree in mathematics.  She has her Master’s degree in Applied Math from Iowa State University in Ames.  Ms. Ashton taught math in a middle school for several years in Florida and then began teaching at the community college level.  She currently resides with her family in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she teaches math at Pikes Peak Community College.  In addition to teaching college students, Ms. Ashton has spent years volunteering in her children’s elementary school classrooms working with high-achieving math students, challenging them to stretch their math skills to the limit.  This is Ms. Ashton’s eighth year with Summer Academy.

Do you ever wonder how rollercoasters make you feel the way they do?  Have you ever seen a pitcher throw a ridiculous curveball and say to yourself, “How did they do that?!!?”  Does a 310 metric ton hovercraft “floating” on air completely baffle you?  It sounds like you are more interested in physics than you thought!

Physics is an international language of its own, which you will learn to understand and speak by immersing yourself in it.  Observe, measure, and analyze how physics influences the world around you.  Become an expert in the motion of everyday objects like toys, racecars, rockets, and even your friends.

Understand how and what forces affect you while going about your daily life, like walking down the street, riding your bike, playing catch, or even twisting around turns on roller coasters!  Discover the different types of energy that influence our universe, such as mechanical and gravitational energy.  Build your own car, hover craft, roller coaster, and water rocket!  Excited yet?  Then come bolster your budding physist minds.

Abe Hanson, an elementary teacher in the Roseville School District, is a gifted and talented cluster teacher. He has coached Future Problem Solving (FPS) for nine years, qualifying countless teams for the MN state tournament, and sending two to the international competition in 2007 and 2011. Mr. Hanson is returning for his fourth year at Summer Academy.

Class Video

Lights, Camera, ACTION! In this class we will become filmmakers using the amazing technology of Stop Motion Animation. We will learn about different types of animation—from Wallace and Grommet clay-mation to Disney’s cartoon animation. Throughout the class you will make several mini-animations as well as a feature animation.  As a creative team, we will create an original animated movie from start to finish. You will be a screen writer when we write our own script, a director when we use video cameras and computers to capture our animations, and a video editor when we add special effects and music in post production. Finally, we will debut our animation to the public and release our very own DVD!  We will also visit a television studio and learn about what animation and video production looks like in the real world.

Amy Oelschlager is a Technology Integration Specialist in the Columbia Heights School District. She has a Masters of Education in Technology Integration and a minor in Multimedia and Video Production. She taught 4th grade and technology in Texas.  During that time she developed a “Commended Kids” program (Gifted and Talented Program) and created an interest driven podcast that was completely planned, written and produced by students.  She is now an elementary Technology Integration Specialist in Columbia Heights and works with teachers and students to integrate 21^st century skills and projects into the classroom.

Have you ever experienced something exploding, burning, glowing, changing color, fizzing or getting cold?  When this is happening, there is a change in the matter that makes up what you are seeing.  Changes in matter happen whether we are paying attention or not, but people who study these changes have a lot of fun exploring how the world works.  These people are called chemists and I’m inviting you to become one for a few weeks this summer.

Join us as we make matter change and measure some of the results.  Each day, we will perform a different experiment (or two or three) and see what we can learn from all the changes in color, temperature, size, texture and even taste.  That’s right – cooking is mostly chemistry, so some of our experiments will be edible!  We’ll also talk to some people who do chemistry for a living and get some idea of the cool things they do.  Perhaps you are thinking about becoming a scientist, a medical professional or an engineer.  Being a chemist for a week will introduce you to some things that will definitely be a part of your future in those careers.  But this class is not just for science geeks – it’s for anyone who wants to have fun and learn more about how the world works at the same time.  Plus, you’ll get to wear some really stylish goggles!

Dave Eckstrom has taught eleven classes at Summer Academy in radio, carpentry and physics.  In his regular life, he teaches chemistry in the Hayward High School in Hayward, Wisconsin.  He is a former engineer who has worked on projects ranging from designing chicken processing equipment to testing bomb parts to developing laser systems for medical equipment.

Class Video

Design, then build devices and contraptions that twist, turn, and even defy the laws of gravity.  Apply the forces of the universe to make your own, unique roller coaster and self-propelled gizmos.  No scientific background is necessary, but be prepared to “fire up” your creative, artistic, and logic skills. You will learn how engineers and architects work by designing, then building a 21^st century environment or even your own mechanical pinball machine.  GIRLS AND BOYS, if you enjoy problem-solving with both your hands and minds, this engineering course is for you.

          Note:  For girls and boys who are toying with the possibility of a career in an engineering field, this course offers a sound environment where one can tinker. Tinkering is something that all of us should know how to do, for it affects many fields of work and play.

John Stangl returns to the Academy for his 33^rd year.  He has designed and taught many successful engineering courses at the Science Museum of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas, Augsburg College, the University of North Dakota, and school districts throughout the upper Midwest.

Jim Shey returns to the Academy for his 17^th year.  In addition to teaching grades six through college for 40+ years, he is a master carpenter and certified welder.  Mr. Shey has built numerous homes and is self-employed as a “genuine handy man” who can fix just about anything, including electronics and networks.

Do you like creating one-of-a-kind images?  Is a sheep’s eye really like a camera? We will begin by taking apart different cameras to see how they work and actually dissecting a sheep’s eye to “see” the similarities between the eye and a camera.  Each student will also plan and conduct 4 photo shoots including Portrait, Nature, College Life (field trip to U of M campus and Weisman Art Museum) and Sports/Action.   Learn how to edit photos and apply special affects to pictures using picmonkey.com.  Students will leave class with a “professional” digital portfolio showcasing their work to show friends and family.  Come explore the art and science behind photography!

Darcy LaPanta has taught in the Mounds View district for 16 years.  She has worked in a variety of role such as English teacher for gifted learners, Destination Imagination coach, and STEAM curriculum development coordinator.  In her spare time, she loves to read and take pictures.  She is excited to share her passion and knowledge of photography with students!

Have you ever observed the night sky from a location far from city lights?  What did you see?  What did you wonder?  What did you think?  For at least 10,000 years our ancestors must have, no doubt, looked up at the night sky too.  What did they see?  What did they wonder?  What did they think?  Human curiosity combined with scientific inquiry has led to a fascinating, mind expanding, and changing view of the earth and its place in the universe.  Did you know that over 2200 years ago a Greek librarian measured the Earth.  After that the Greeks figured out the size of the moon and its distance from Earth.  And then they figured out how far away and how big the sun was!  We can too!

Each day we will use a telescope with a special filter that will allow us to view sunspots on the surface of the sun.  We will make daily observations of the moon and the path of the sun across the sky.  We will create earth models that will allow us to visualize the way our planet looks as viewed from space (locations receiving direct sunlight, night and day).  Imagine walking through our own scale model solar system (part of that journey will require a bus ride to a local planetarium).  We will look through different types of telescopes and figure out how (and how much) they magnify.  These telescopes can be taken home with parents in the evening for student star parties.  Optional field trips to Minnesota Astronomical Society star parties and evening Long Lake Park (dark) star parties will be offered for parents and students.

Join us as we imagine & investigate, compare & contrast, explore & explain the mysteries of our space environment.

Jeff Bullard, a returning Academy teacher, is from Enid, Oklahoma, where he taught Junior High Earth Science until 1993 when he moved to Minnesota.  Since then Jeff has been a chemistry, math, and earth and space systems teacher at Fridley High School.

Class Video

Do you enjoy looking at fashion, paging through fashion magazines, and designing clothing?  In this course, we will look at fashion designers, their influences and how fashion changes over time.  We will also take a field trip to experience fashion with people who work with it every day, learning how clothing is created and the process to get it into the store.  We will put on a fashion show at the open house and display the other work we’ve done during the Academy.

Stacy Welle has worked in the Roseville school district for the past eleven years and has taught fashion at a local community college.  She designed the fashion courses at both the high school and the community college.  Ms. Welle takes her high school students to New York City on a fashion trip during the school year to expand their knowledge and give them a real-life experience of what the fashion world is all about.  She enjoys the variety of ages she gets to work with by teaching younger students in Summer Academy and at the high school level during the year.

What if video games could actually help people?  In this class we will not only create video games, but also partner with local non-profit organizations.  Through the power of social media and marketing, students will design games to draw attention to the local organization and aid in their efforts.  You will use your creativity to design and program your own games that will be able to be played by others on the web!  This class will teach the programming skills needed to create the newest game sensation!

Kristen Nellis has been teaching technology for over ten years at Forest Lake High School.  She has a Marketing Education degree has her masters in Management and Leadership.  She has taught courses about Online Web Design, Web Design I and II, Video Game Design and was voted 2011 TIES Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

What if video games could actually help people?  In this class we will not only create video games, but also partner with local non-profit organizations.  Through the power of social media and marketing, students will design games to draw attention to the local organization and aid in their efforts.  You will use your creativity to design and program your own games that will be able to be played by others on the web!  This class will teach the programming skills needed to create the newest game sensation!

Kristen Nellis has been teaching technology for over ten years at Forest Lake High School.  She has a Marketing Education degree has her masters in Management and Leadership.  She has taught courses about Online Web Design, Web Design I and II, Video Game Design and was voted 2011 TIES Outstanding Teacher of the Year.