Have you ever played a chess game before and wondered what you could have done instead? Perhaps if you had moved your pieces differently, you could have had a winning position? Come learn all about chess tactics in this class! We will explore and solve some puzzles together, going over some basic tactical ideas and themes. Students will then have the chance to work in groups to try to solve a few puzzles on their own!


Prerequisites
Students should have knowledge of how each chess piece moves and understand basic principles like checkmate and piece values.

Ever thought about running for political office? How about an officer in your student council?

In this class, we'll pretend you're running for Supreme Overlord of the Universe, and help you set up your campaign along the way! We'll cover important topics like your reasoning behind running, your platform, personal branding, marketing, and advertising.


Prerequisites
Students of all interests and backgrounds are welcome.

Are you interested in learning a new language? Are you interested in Japanese culture? Want to learn more about Japanese but don't know where to start? In this course, we'll cover basic Japanese and next steps in learning more!

Video games are one of the largest industries in the world. In this course, learn a bit about the theory and techniques that have come to define digital game music. No musical experience is required.

Have you ever wanted to design your own clothes? Or maybe you want to learn to use a sewing machine? Then come to Intro to Sewing! We'll be covering the basics of how to use sewing machines (plus some tips and tricks). We'll also cover some basic pattern drafting based off what patterns the class wants to draft. In the past we have done basic t-shirts, the basic bodice for dresses, and simple sleeves.

Students learn a step routine, that will allow them to use their bodies as an instrument and immerse themselves into Pan-African culture. This class will require the use of physical movements to form complex rhythms and sounds.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to knit? Now's your chance! Come and learn how to cast on, do the knit stitch, and bind off. Leave the class with a knit square and a foundation for future exploration! No prior experience required.

Introduction to the basics of the animation program Live2D. This course will focus on animating 2D models. Live2D works by warping an existing image rather than drawing new images. It is commonly used for creating v-tubers and animation loops.


Prerequisites
Download Live2D (free version) on laptop.

Calling all classical musicians! Do you play an instrument or sing? Are you currently working on a piece of music and are classically trained? This session will offer to each student a coaching and interactive learning session customized to each student and the piece they're learning, taught by a senior music major with experience in conducting and classical performance.


Prerequisites
At least several years of training on a (classical) musical instrument or voice; ability to read and perform music

The design process of how products come to be. This explores why some products are good and some are bad. It also explores why some products are more popular than others despite quality differences. This workshop will work with students to develop, prototype, and pitch a product. (Note: this is a 3-hour-long class.)

**This session is scheduled to be an hour and 50 minutes, however it will most likely only run for around 75 minutes!**

In this hands on and interactive course, students can expect to learn how they can reverse engineer battery-operated toys to make these toys more accessible for students with physical disabilities in the local Ithaca community. The session will involve students working in pairs and following a simple step-by-step presentation slideshow to reverse engineer, solder, and modify circuitry of simple battery-operated plush toys. Students interested in hands on learning and STEM are encouraged to attend! No experience needed!


Prerequisites
- Grades 10-12 Only - Interest/experience in STEM (especially engineering)

Synthetic biology is awesome, and no, it doesn’t just have to do with genetically modified organisms. If there’s a problem out there, synthetic biology has a solution! Come learn exactly what synthetic biology is while getting to know the major women scientists who have paved the way in the history of biotechnology! From the discovery of DNA structure to editing the genome, you will explore the plethora of unbelievable discoveries women in STEM have made! The class will be an active learning experience, with hands-on stations where members of the award-winning Cornell iGEM (Genetically Engineered Machines) team will teach you about these women who cultivated the field of synthetic biology. No prerequisites required.

When Nazi Germany launched an invasion against France and forced a surrender in just six weeks, the initial reaction was devastation and shock. A collection of underground networks and movements, later known as the French Resistance, soon emerged to counter the Nazi regime. In this course, we will examine the ways in which French society responded to the German occupation. How did people decide whether to resist or collaborate? We will explore the various elements of resistance, such as the clandestine press, espionage, sabotage, intelligence, and guerrilla warfare. At the same time, we will consider the role that women played in the Resistance. Why did women decide to join the Resistance? To what extent did the participation of women in the Resistance attenuate gender inequalities in French society? Topics include, but are not limited to, the reasons behind the initial French defeat; the various parties vying for power in France; the various underground networks of the Resistance; and the social and political legacy of the Resistance.


Prerequisites
Students should come prepared to ask questions and discuss their thoughts after the lecture. Prior knowledge of World War II and/or French history may be helpful but is not required.

In 1768, a tremor of unease ripped through the Yangtze River Delta. Rumors of nefarious soul-stealing sorcerers roaming through the land petrified local villagers and greatly alarmed the Qing emperor. Although previous studies have often focused on witchcraft trials in Europe and the Americas, this seminar examines witchcraft from a cross-cultural perspective. Although the defendants in European and American witchcraft trials were usually women, women in Qing China largely escaped the fates of their European and American counterparts. Why were soul-stealing accusations mainly leveraged against men? What did the communal and imperial responses to the 1768 soul-stealing incident reveal about notions of gender and law in Qing China? How does the 1768 soul-stealing incident improve current understandings of corruption in late imperial China? Topics include, but are not limited to, the social, political, and economic conditions prior to the 1768 soul-stealing incident; the various responses to the incident; the categories of people who were most vulnerable to soul-stealing accusations; and an analysis of the internal contradictions in the Great Qing Code, the legal code of Qing China.


Prerequisites
Students should come prepared to ask questions and discuss their thoughts after the lecture. Prior knowledge of Qing China and/or witchcraft trials in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas may be helpful but is not required.

This was a real analogy written by a high school student: “He was as tall as a 6’3” tree.”
Why was this analogy bad? What makes a metaphor “great”? In this workshop-style class, students will be exposed to a variety of “good” versus “bad” examples of figurative language in creative writing. We’ll then work together in groups to come up with our own unique similes and metaphors in response to various writing exercises.

Enjoy a break for lunch with your friends! Lunch will be in Plant Sciences 233.

Learn about computer science, its history, and its applications in the modern day, taught by Women in Computing at Cornell. In this workshop, we'll write our first program with Javascript, using some of the problem-solving skills that computer scientists use every day. No experience necessary!

This class will answer all of the questions you could possibly have or not have related to redistricting: the process in which political districts are drawn. These may include: What is redistricting? Why do we do it? What kinds of interests have to balanced during the process? What is a Gerrymander (and how do I make one)? How many people live in the US? Where do they live? Who is Dave? In this course we will meet Dave (or more accurately: his redistricting atlas) and draw a lot of congressional districts.


Prerequisites
Know how to use a computer.

Who did it? One day you walk into the Krusty Krab to grab a cheesy, juicy Krabby Patty. But, you see a wet sponge plopped on the floor... oh no! It is Spongebob! A spatula is stabbed right through his heart -- he does not have a pulse. You can't forgive whoever did this as the murderer killed your favorite burger maker. Was it cynical Squidward, crabby Mr. Krabs, sneaky little Plankton, Sandy Cheeks, or even seemingly-dense Patrick Star? You are determined to carry out an investigation. Who killed him? and how? Learn about DNA, fingerprint and blood type identifications, blood spatter analysis, and more.

In 1818, Mary Shelley demonstrated the issue of ethics in science with her text Frankenstein. A monster, created entirely by the hands of a scientist, develops his own emotions and life and yet he is held back by the grasps of his development. A metaphor for the overwhelming ethical dilemmas being proposed by the developing scientific technology, inventions, and observations, Shelley’s Frankenstein launched a much needed conversation about how and when ethics should be imposed on scientific communities. This course will explore the question: at what point does ethics become a barrier to scientific research, and how can ethics be applied to science without potentially limiting new discoveries?

The ground and soil outside is so commonplace that we rarely notice it anymore. Today we will take a trip down into the world of the undergrowth and learn about the strange creatures and events that happen there. You'll even be able to take home a mini terrarium! We will be working with soil and mealworms.

Learn more about the thing no one seem to want to talk about...CANCER. It's rarely discussed, and often comes off as this mysterious illness we know is bad but can't quite understand. This course will discuss the basics of what cancer is, the different ways its treated and why, along with the social & economic factors involved.


Prerequisites
1 course of Biology. Will be discussing topics such as Mitosis and the Immune System.

Ever had trouble keeping that Venus flytrap alive? Come learn about the diverse world of carnivorous plants and the key to growing them successfully! No prior experience required.

Students will be able to plant their own Venus flytrap seeds and also learn about the different trapping mechanisms employed by various carnivorous plants including pitfall, snap traps, suction and many more!

On our planet, a diverse group of creatures all around us have superpowers.... They can fly, lift hundreds of times their weight, travel at super-speeds, and even have UV-vision!

Although there are about 10 quintillion insects in the world, and millions of species, they are drastically understudied despite the tremendous role they play in ecosystems, in agriculture, and their impact on human and livestock health. Insects are important pollinators and decomposers with an immense array of beauty and diversity. Furthermore, their behaviors and interactions with both each other and their environments are undeniably fascinating. These real-life super heroes are all around us, and impact much of our daily lives. Come learn about bugs!!

Everyone strives for happiness. But how does one actually achieve it? In this class, we'll explore some simple ways that people can increase their psychological well-being in their daily life. We will also look at how to set and achieve goals.

Everyone knows that the US healthcare system is incredibly flawed, but why? This class will focus on the shortcomings of this multi-trillion dollar system and possible solutions from domestic theory as well as ideas from abroad. We will also discuss why we should care about healthcare as youth in the US, and what we may may experience if policy changes are made.

It is clear that our food system as it stands is not serving all people in an equitable way. Furthermore, as climate change effects grow increasingly severe, it is critical that we recognize areas of change to best increase the resiliency of communities. The concept of the circular economy presents a unique opportunity to not only utilize massive sources of disposed waste as nutrients, but can also serve to bolster the growth of small-scale agriculture efforts, with a valuable implication on improving food security and food sovereignty.