STEAM Academy | Saturday Academy

Camps for students receiving free/reduced lunch!

Join Saturday Academy for a summer of tutoring and hands-on, in-depth classes in science, technology, engineering, arts and math! STEAM Academy is offered for five weeks at the University of Portland (UP) and for two weeks at Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC). It is designed for low-income students receiving free and reduced lunch who would benefit from additional assistance in math and reading and are entering grades 4-9 in the fall. Each day you:

attend morning tutoring classes in math and reading to help you prepare for the next school year;
participate in a Saturday Academy class in the afternoon.

Due to generous donations from the Hoover Family Foundation, Oregon Community Foundation, PGE and the Spirit Mountain Community Fund, we are able to offer this opportunity to qualified students for $25. Space is limited. Lunch is included.

To find out more about the program and to register, contact Heidi Venneri, School-Based Program Coordinator.

UP: July 5 - Aug. 3 (9:30AM-3:30PM)

Select from the following:

Saturday Academy classes include:

Animated Math

Make inanimate objects move. How do artists use ratio and proportion to create animations? How can knowledge of perspective and vanishing points make students better mathematicians? Students examine the interconnection between art and mathematics by constructing early models of animation, like zoetropes and flip books, and explore how stop-motion techniques can be used to illustrate mathematical concepts such as pattern iteration, geometric transformations or trigonometry of shadows. They learn how to use video cameras and HUE animation software to design a Kahn Academy®-style educational video to share with family and friends.

Engineering: Rube Goldberg

Make a simple task complex and set off a chain reaction. Engineer a machine using an intricate series of imaginative steps. Work in small teams to design and build your contraption using everyday materials. Apply physics concepts such as energy conservation, inertia and forces to refine your machine.

Finding Fibonacci

What is the Golden Ratio? Students find the hidden order behind pine cones, sea shells, tree branches, rabbits, and the Egyptian Pyramids encapsulated in a single number sequence. Through investigations into statistics, Platonic solids, bee genealogy, plant growth and architecture, students will discover ways to generate and uncover Fibonacci numbers. They delve into the fascinating and beautiful world of Penrose tilings, creating some unique and gorgeous works of art with mathematical meaning.

Geology: Rock Your World!

Blast off—it is rocket science! From the mighty Cascade range to the Axial Seamount (a sub-marine volcano in the Pacific), discover what makes the Pacific Northwest rock! In a fascinating exploration of the area’s geology, learn how this region was shaped by amazing forces and how to identify the rocks, minerals and substances that form our environment. Build a composite volcano and create earthquakes by igniting a three-staged volcanic eruption. Pan for gold using black sand samples, use a polarizing microscope to watch cooling “lava” crystals form in multi-color patterns and investigate the hidden beauty locked in undersea basalt and in “ordinary” black rock.

WeDo Robotics 2.0

How can you bring inanimate objects to life? Using LEGO WeDo 2.0 students will discover how to make science come to life through hands-on projects. Students’ skills will be enhanced across science, engineering, technology, and coding as they use a combination of the LEGO bricks, kid-friendly software, and inspiring projects. Students will discover how to ask the right questions, define problems, and design their own solutions as they take scientific discovery into their hands.

Saturday Academy classes include:

Chemistry of Color

Explore the science behind what you see.
Explore the colorful side of chemistry and learn about light, color, chromatography and pH.
Investigate how our eyes perceive different colors by examining light rays through a spectroscope. Observe color changes triggered by chemical reactions and discover what produces bright and colorful fireworks. Create your own colorful reaction as you determine the acidity of substances using pH indicators.

Digital Photography

Discover the power of photography.
Photography is a wonderful way to discover the world around us. Beginning students learn the basic controls on digital cameras and tips to enhance pictures using different functions such as ISO, aperture and shutter speed. They discuss composition, lighting and perspective and learn how to best capture an image regardless of the lighting or weather conditions. In addition to improving camera skills, students learn how to save, edit and print their photographs. At the end of the course, students are presented with some of the finished prints of their favorite images.

Finding Fibonacci

What is the Golden Ratio?
Students find the hidden order behind pine cones, sea shells, tree branches, rabbits, and the Egyptian Pyramids encapsulated in a single number sequence. Through investigations into statistics, Platonic solids, bee genealogy, plant growth and architecture, students will discover ways to generate and uncover Fibonacci numbers. They delve into the fascinating and beautiful world of Penrose tilings, creating some unique and gorgeous works of art with mathematical meaning.

LEGO® Physics

Build a bigger, better LEGO machine.
How tall can a tower rise? How far can a bridge span? Can students build a tower three times taller by using three times the amount of materials? Students answer these questions and others as they learn how to apply physics principles to solve real world problems. Using LEGO building components, students investigate structural designs and employ gears, cams and pendulums to explore kinetic and potential energy. Working individually and in teams, they build towers and Ping-Pong launchers.

Programming for Beginners

Program interactive stories and games.
During this class students acquire the building blocks of programming languages, computer animation and video-game design. They code games, control digital characters and create 3D worlds. Students use their skills to develop an idea into a video game or digital animation short in the program of their choice.

Saturday Academy classes include:

3D Sculpture: Natural Fibers

Explore nature through art.
Through this hands-on class, students will use natural materials to make weavings and headdresses. They will create three-dimensional sculptures using foraged fibers. Students will discover the art of sculpture while exploring the topics of nature and sustainability.

Cartography

Where in the world am I?
By investigating maps throughout history, students will asses the types of information that can be presented with a map. They will examine the use of grids in maps and gather data about locations with similar latitudes and logitudes. By working with various units of measurement they will discover the difference between the US Standard and Metric measurement systems. As a final project, they will create a map for a treasure hunt; the clues will be mathematical and they will use a GPS to find the treasure.

Computer Animation

Supercharge your programming skills.
Students will create their own short animated cartoons while experimenting with Adobe® Flash software. They will learn “tricks of the trade” from a professional animator as they apply principles of animation such as staging, timing and squash & stretch to make their character’s movements more.

Marine Biology

Learn about marine animals inside and out.
Students explore the behavior and biology of the Northwest’s marine animals. They dissect a squid and examine intertidal invertebrates to study their anatomy and physiology. Preserved specimens of animals found in tide pools are examined in class, enabling students to identify them on their next trip to the coast. In-class activities teach them about whales and other marine mammals.

Solar Car Challenge

Capture the power of the sun!
The greatest energy source in our solar system is the catalyst for groundbreaking innovation. Students discover the unique ways in which solar energy is gathered and transferred into fuel. Working in engineering teams, students engage in the hands-on design and implementation of a solar-fueled vehicle. They employ their imaginations to see what it takes to be a true pioneer in solar engineering. The class ends with a friendly class competition.
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Select from the following:

Saturday Academy classes include:

Finding Fibonacci

What is the Golden Ratio?
Students find the hidden order behind pine cones, sea shells, tree branches, rabbits, and the Egyptian Pyramids encapsulated in a single number sequence. Through investigations into statistics, Platonic solids, bee genealogy, plant growth and architecture, students will discover ways to generate and uncover Fibonacci numbers. They delve into the fascinating and beautiful world of Penrose tilings, creating some unique and gorgeous works of art with mathematical meaning.

WeDo Robotics 2.0

How can you bring inanimate objects to life?
Using LEGO WeDo 2.0 students will discover how to make science come to life through hands-on projects. Students’ skills will be enhanced across science, engineering, technology, and coding as they use a combination of the LEGO bricks, kid-friendly software, and inspiring projects. Students will discover how to ask the right questions, define problems, and design their own solutions as they take scientific discovery into their hands.
www.

Saturday Academy classes include:

Chemistry of Color

Explore the science behind what you see.
Explore the colorful side of chemistry and learn about light, color, chromatography and pH. Investigate how our eyes perceive different colors by examining light rays through a spectroscope. Observe color changes triggered by chemical reactions and discover what produces bright and colorful fireworks. Create your own colorful reaction as you determine the acidity of substances using pH indicators.

LEGO® Physics