Summer Academy
During the Summer of 2020, when many summer camps and programs were cancelled, MTS was proud to offer engaging online courses to students in rising grades 3-9. These courses were offered to the greater Marin community. Browse the course descriptions below to see what we did.
New Class Announcement!
CURRENT EVENTS IN CONTEXT
Instructor: Ally Svirsky
Rising Grades: 7-9
Days: Monday-Friday, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Weeks 6: July 20-24
Cost: $200
Course Description: In this course dedicated to social justice issues, we will look at different forms of activism and the ways changemakers fight against systems of oppression. During our time, we’ll investigate current systems of oppression and how/why they came about. Why did it take George Floyd’s death to spark a national movement? What do the confederate statues throughout the South really represent, and why are they coming down now? What can we learn about activists from the past to make a difference in the future?
About the Teacher: A native Virginian, Ally originally moved to San Francisco to work for IDEO.org, but soon realized her favorite part of the day was volunteering at 826 Valencia. Since then, for the past five years, Ally has been teaching humanities to middle schoolers. When not in the classroom, Ally can be found reading, listening to podcasts, hiking, and socializing in parks.
CUCINA ITALIANA - CLASS FULL
Instructor: Barbara Guarriello & Maria Pevzner
Rising Grades: 7-9
Days: Monday-Friday, 3:00-5:00 PM
Weeks 1: June 15-19
Cost: $250 + simple shopping lists
Course Description: Join Barbara and Maria in a delicious journey through Italian cuisine. During our gastronomic tour of Italy, we will create and savor famous dishes like risotto, lasagna, bolognese sauce, meatballs, tiramisú...and much more. Chefs Barbara and Maria will guide you through ingredients, skills, and techniques to create delicious homemade meals.
About the Teacher: Barbara and Maria both grew up in families where cooking delicious meals at home was a priority. We love to cook traditional classics that have been favorites for many years, as well as new dishes from a variety of cultures. We look forward to sharing the flavors of Italy with you this summer!
STORYTELLING WITH A TWIST: USING AUDIO AND VISUAL ART - CLASS FULL
Instructor: Ally Svirsky
Rising Grades: 6-9
Days: Monday-Friday, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Week 1: June 15-19
Cost: $200
Course Description: Tired of being limited to just the written word?! In this class, we will study mentor podcasts, TED Talks, and visual storytelling to gain tools to create original works using audio and visual techniques. If you have ever listened to a podcast/audio book, read a comic strip, or seen a narrative art piece, this is your chance to create your own!
About the Teacher: A native Virginian, Ally originally moved to San Francisco to work for IDEO.org, but soon realized her favorite part of the day was volunteering at 826 Valencia. Since then, for the past five years, Ally has been teaching humanities to middle schoolers. When not in the classroom, Ally can be found reading, listening to podcasts, hiking, and socializing in parks.
INTRO TO COMEDY WRITING: COMMERCIAL PARODIES
Instructor: Molly Cahen
Rising Grades: 6-9
Days: Monday-Friday, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Weeks 2-3: June 22 - July 2
Cost: $300
Course Description: Ever watch a comedy sketch on YouTube, TikTok, or TV and think, 'I could do that!'? Well, now you can! Join a seasoned comedy writer for a crash course in the basics of improv and sketch comedy. We'll learn how to generate ideas, how to 'follow the funny,' how to create a joke-filled script, and how to develop a hilarious character. We'll focus on the classic format of commercial parodies and conclude with performances of our scripts. All students will be expected to engage in the idea development and writing portions of the class, but if you're not interested in acting -- no problem!
About the Teacher: Molly is an educator and a comedian. She loves to combine both these strengths, but it’ll be easier if she tells you about these two backgrounds separately. Molly the Educator has spent 15 years in summer camps, after school programs, and arts education classes. In 2014, she obtained her Masters in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Currently, Molly is a Camp Director with Camp Galileo. Molly the Comedian has spent 12 years studying and performing improv and sketch comedy at the best programs in the country including The Second City in Chicago and the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) in New York. She wrote, performed in, and directed several sketch shows at the UCB, and her work has been featured on Refinery 29, Vulture, and various commercials. Molly’s passions truly collided in her work as a teaching artist, performer, and director with The Story Pirates, an organization that helps kids write stories and then brings those stories to life with sketches and musical numbers from professional actors.
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Instructor: Kelsey Taylor
Rising Grades: 6-9
Days: Monday-Friday, 1:00-2:00 PM + Instructional Video
Weeks 2-3: June 22 - July 2
Cost: $330 (keepsake photo book included)
Course Description: Do you enjoy going on mini photo shoots with your phone or camera? Have any interest in learning how to make better portraits or landscape images? Find yourself drawn to the advertising images in magazines? Interested in learning about different career opportunities for a photographer? In this course we will learn the fundamentals of creating an image, tricks of the trade for improving your art, and the history of photography. We will discuss the various careers that incorporate photography and what it takes to achieve those careers. We will browse different photographers and critique their work. Over the course of two weeks students will build their own photography portfolio and have the opportunity to get feedback on their work. No photography experience or gear is required to participate.
About the Teacher: As a high schooler, Kelsey basically lived in her school’s photography darkroom. An avid hiker, sailor, and skier, she was always taking photos of beautiful places she explored. She also loved taking family portraits and photographed a wedding for the first time at age 18! She went on to study Advertising Photography in college. Some of her favorite photographers include Cindy Sherman, Imogen Cunningham, Richard Avedon, and Frans Lanting. When she’s not snapping photos, Kelsey can be found exploring the outdoors and hanging around a campfire with her friends.
FUNCONOMICS!
Instructor: Naveen Kanithi
Rising Grades: 7-9
Days: Monday-Friday, 2:00-3:00 PM
Weeks 2-3: June 22 - July 2
Cost: $200
Course Description: Economics is the study of the production, consumption, and exchange of goods and services. At its core, it is a social science examining human behavior and interactions. In this course, students will learn basic fundamentals of macro and microeconomics, with topics including supply & demand, competition, cost/benefit analysis, budgeting, financial policy, decision making and game theory in a hands-on, interactive and fun environment. We will look at local, national and global real world scenarios to explore and understand concepts through mini-projects and games. We will also take a look at various career paths within the vast field of economics.
About the Teacher: Naveen received his undergraduate degree in Economics from New York University and his Masters Degree in Social Planning, Policy & Management from the University of Cape Town. He has a lifelong fascination with how individuals, groups and organizations make decisions and interact with each other and how this impacts our daily lives. Naveen has worked in a variety of capacities in his career, primarily in the fields of nonprofit & government education, community health, and microfinance. He also believes that the best learning happens when things are fun and imaginative, yet practical and relatable to the world around us.
DESIGN THINKING - WAITING LIST
Instructor: Trisha Cahill
Rising Grades: 5-8
Days: Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:30 AM
Weeks 2-3: June 22 - July 2
Cost: $200
Course Description: Unlock your creativity and build your problem solving skills in this 2 week course in which you will be given design challenges and maker projects that will lead you through the engineering design process.
About the Teacher: I am the 5th and 6th Grade STEM teacher at MTS. I am a huge advocate of the maker movement and believe that with passion and hard work we all have the ability to make things happen and solve problems anywhere, anytime. I believe that we should celebrate the process of design, making and overcoming challenges, and aim to allow students to believe that they can solve any problem.
GET IN THE MUSIC MOOD: INTRO TO MUSIC COMPOSITION
Instructor: Alex Taylor
Rising Grades: 4-6
Days: Monday-Friday, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM
Weeks 2: June 22 - 26
Cost: $150
Course Description: Are you always humming songs to yourself? Do you love music and want to try writing your own? In this two week introductory class, we will become familiar with how composers use important concepts like melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, and structure to create their own unique sound. Each day we will listen to and learn from popular artists and famous composers, and apply these concepts, writing call and response melodies, creating a beat with household items, writing lyric rhyming patterns, and more. Over the course of the class, students will create a number of short compositions, from a ringtone to a lullaby, to express different moods. While some experience playing an instrument or singing is encouraged, all ability levels are welcome!
About the Teacher: Whether it be a heartfelt a'cappella performance, a funk band dance party, or an over-the-top costumed skit, Alex has always been drawn to creative performance. He is a singer, saxophonist and educator by trade, with a B.A. in Music from Dartmouth College and an M.A. in Teaching from the University of the Pacific. He has spent the last decade in education incorporating music and performance into his classes with students from ages 4-18. He enjoys singing to his lovely wife Anastassia and seems to always be learning how to play a new instrument.
LOWER SCHOOL BOOK CLUB
Instructor: Elliot Hayne
Rising Grades: 3-4
Days: Monday-Friday, 2:00 - 3:00 PM
Weeks 2-3: June 22 - July 2
Cost: $200 + book costs
Course Description: Finally, time to curl up with a good book! We will be taking a deep dive into some 3rd and 4th grade classics, which will be specially chosen based on the students who sign up. Different activities like Readers' Theater will help enrich both the text and group experience of enjoying great literature.
About the Teacher: I have been enjoying good books since I first learned to read. Having taught for more than twenty-five years, I have learned that there are many great books for each student. The trick is to match the right book with each young reader.
HARRY POTTER 1 & 2 BOOK CLUB
Instructor: Michael Sullivan
Rising Grades: 6-9
Days: Mondays & Thursdays, 4:30-5:45 PM
Weeks 2-5: June 22 - July 17
Cost: $200 + book costs
Course Description: Calling all witches, wizards, and muggles! With the 25th anniversary of J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter approaching, it’s a great time to rediscover the magical world and characters from this classic series. In this four week course (meeting Mondays and Thursdays), we will read the first two books in the series: The Philosopher’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets. We’ll also explore all things Pottermania -- the films, podcasts, trivia, recipes, costumes, and more. This class is meant for all readers -- those who have never read Harry Potter or seen the movies, all-out “Potterheads,” and everyone in between. Come prepared for an exciting imaginative journey. “Riddikulus!”
About the Teacher: Michael first realized he was a wizard when he read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2006, the same year he became a teacher. Now teaching 7th and 8th grade English at MTS, he enjoys sharing all kinds of literature with his students. The magic of the Harry Potter universe, though, holds a special place in his heart, and this year he finally dressed as Harry Potter for Halloween for the first time.
KITCHEN CHEMISTRY - WAITING LIST
Instructor: Dr. Toni Brand
Rising Grades: 7-9
Days: Tuesday-Friday, 2:00-4:00 PM
Weeks 4-5: July 7 - 17
Cost: $320
Course Description: Do you want to get some extra prep for an introductory chemistry course? This two-week class will examine foundational concepts related to properties of matter, chemical reactions, and measurements used in chemistry. We will also practice how to write a hypothesis, design an experiment, and analyze data. A list of common household materials will be sent to participants before the course begins so that students can perform hands-on experiments in their kitchen. If we can’t do experiments together in the lab, the next best place is in our kitchen! Hope to see you there!
About the Teacher: Toni Brand has been teaching science to students of all grade levels since 2009. After earning her Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she worked as a researcher in the field of cancer biology at the University of California, San Francisco. Toni has a passion for making science fun, engaging, and approachable for all students. In addition to teaching, Toni is an avid dog lover and spends time volunteering at the animal shelter and walking her pup Otis. She also enjoys spending time outdoors with Otis by her side.
ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHY
Instructor: Kelsey Taylor
Rising Grades: 6-9
Days: Monday-Friday, 1:00-2:00 PM + Instructional Video
Weeks 4-5: July 6 - 17
Cost: $340 (keepsake photo book included)
Course Description: Do you enjoy making photographs and want to take your interest to the next level? In this advanced photography course we will dive deeper into the study of photography, begin to introduce the editing process, and learn more challenging photographic techniques. You will have the opportunity to create artwork that you are passionate about, receive feedback from myself and your classmates, and create a printed portfolio of your own work by the end of the course!
About the Teacher: As a High Schooler Kelsey basically lived in her school’s photography darkroom. As an avid hiker, sailor, and skier, she was always taking photos of beautiful places she explored. She also loved taking family portraits and photographed a wedding for the first time at age 18! She went on to study Advertising Photography in college. Some of her favorite photographers include Cindy Sherman, Imogen Cunningham, Richard Avedon, and Frans Lanting. When she’s not snapping photos, Kelsey can be found exploring the outdoors and hanging around a campfire with her friends!
GARDEN-TO-TABLE COOKING FOR TEENS
Instructor: Anastassia Radeva
Rising Grades: 7-9
Days: Monday-Friday, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Weeks 4-5: July 6 - 17
Cost: $350 (materials/ingredients pack included)
Course Description: Do you like to cook -- or to eat? Come plant, chop, bake, and cook your way to delicious food! In this two-week course, you are going to be empowered to make healthy and interesting meals for yourself -- and others around you! We will start our time together by planting our own herb gardens and learning about farm-to-table cooking (with an optional Farmer's Market extension). Every day, we will cook a different snack, dessert, or main entree using some common ingredients from your home as well as specialty ingredients I will provide for you. Some recipes on our menu include focaccia bread, tomato and feta dip, guacamole, fig and almond cake, salsa verde and chicken tacos, and bacon cheddar chive scones. You are also going to learn some cooking/baking basics and be challenged to come up with your own recipe for inclusion in our "Class Cookbook". My goal is for you to feel confident and creative as you learn how to make good food using fresh ingredients, and to have fun while doing so.
About the Teacher: Anastassia is a backyard gardener, primarily of herbs, salad greens, tomatoes, and pollinator-friendly flowers, and a lover of most foods. Anastassia's favorite food author is Alison Roman, and she loves to experiment with new recipes. She strongly believes that the world's main food groups are lemons, olives, and mushrooms, but can be flexible to include bread and cheese when needed. While it took her 27 years to figure out how to use summer squash and how crock-pots work, Anastassia hasn't looked back since. The last new recipes she made at home were coconut-miso salmon curry and lemon cardamom sweet rolls.
OUT OF THIS WORLD: AN OUTER SPACE STEM ADVENTURE!
Instructor: Anastassia Radeva
Rising Grades: 3-5
Days: Monday-Friday, 1:00-2:00 PM & 2:30-3:30 PM
Week 5: July 13 - July 17
Cost: $240 (materials pack included)
Course Description: What's really out there...way, way out there? What stories can the Sun, Moon, and stars tell us? Can you safely land an alien spaceship on the moon? During this one-week course, we will explore outer space, our night sky, and our own planet's path through space with hands-on projects and space-tacular investigations. Each day, we will learn about a specific topic -- such as space travel, gravity, our spinning earth, constellations, mythology, Mars Rovers, and more. We will do so through video content, high-quality science background reading, and hands-on building projects. I will provide you with a kit of materials for the week, and you will get the chance to be creative, determined, and flexible as you use materials from your house as well. Come build with me this summer as we blast off to infinity...and beyond!
About the Teacher: Anastassia is simultaneously terrified of and mesmerized by outer space. She has spent many camping trips looking up at the night sky and thinking about what's really out there. She is a builder and tinkerer at heart and loves to create prototypes and models that bring science and data to life. As MTS's engineering teacher for grades K-4, Anastassia is excited to offer a way to keep STEM learning going throughout the summer!