Explore Courses

Cells are often described as “the building blocks of life.” In this introductory biology course, students use LEGO® bricks and other 3D construction tools to learn about the structure of various living cells and of DNA molecules. Students examine cell structures, observe virtual cell reproduction, and discuss the laws of genetic inheritance.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Cells are often described as “the building blocks of life.” In this introductory biology course, students use LEGO® bricks and other 3D construction tools to learn about the structure of various living cells and of DNA molecules. Students examine cell structures, observe virtual cell reproduction, and discuss the laws of genetic inheritance.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Cells are often described as “the building blocks of life.” In this introductory biology course, students use LEGO® bricks and other 3D construction tools to learn about the structure of various living cells and of DNA molecules. Students examine cell structures, observe virtual cell reproduction, and discuss the laws of genetic inheritance.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This course takes place on two consecutive days during the weekend of June 8-9.

How do you turn ideas into prototypes, and prototypes into reality? Using the principles of design, students apply digital modelling and desktop manufacturing skills to engineer their own 3D shapes and forms. In this hands-on course, students access cutting-edge 3D modelling and digital scanning tools to create drawings, computer renderings, and ultimately their own 3D printed design.

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page. The cost of the course is $265.

Participate in a unique approach to grammar instruction that culminates in greater depth and breadth of grammatical knowledge.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

• Understand that grammar is a way of thinking about language and a method of critical thinking.
• Understand the meaning of the parts of speech, parts of sentences, the meaning of clauses, phrases and the meaning of grammar.
• Use grammar concepts as the foundation of academic writing.

Note: A text for this course is Magic Lens-Based Grammar, Volume 1, Student Manual by Michael Clay Thompson. Order directly from www.rfwp.com or call 845-726-4444.

Eligibility: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/eligibility

A continuation of Advanced Grammar I (gr 6-8), this course builds upon what was previously taught and focuses on individuals' areas of strengths as well as weaknesses.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will: 

• Understand grammar is a method of critical thinking
• Know grammar is a way of thinking about language 
• Be able to understand the meaning of clauses and phrases, sentence structures, and other facets of writing

Note: A text for this course is Magic Lens-Based Grammar, Volume 1, Student Manual by Michael Clay Thompson. Order directly from www.rfwp.com or call 845-726-4444.

Eligibility: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/eligibility

Discover the thrill and power of grammar! Students are introduced to all four levels of traditional grammar, including parts of speech, parts of sentences, phrases and clauses. Using an array of strategies that make sophisticated material alive and fun, students learn to wield words and improve their writing skills in the process.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

• Know all four levels of traditional grammar - parts of speech, parts of sentences, phrases, and clauses
• Understand how parts of speech interact in a system and in a clause
• Identify all eight parts of speech, basic parts of a sentence, and prepositional phrases.

Note: A text for this course is Grammar Island Student Manual by Michael Clay Thompson. Order directly from www.rfwp.com or call 845-726-4444.

Eligibility: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/eligibility

More books about vampires and dystopian societies? What about real, authentic events and issues from history and today?

Informational text allows us to learn about the natural and social worlds. Viewing nonfiction materials from different perspectives with a variety of texts (not always books!) allows us to create deeper understanding of and appreciation for the world around us. Additionally, recognizing, using and citing reliable, respectable sources is more important than ever. In this course, students will practice researching, reading and thinking like scientists and historians while simultaneously analyzing vocabulary and text structure.

Different units within the course include analyzing scientific articles, scientific tables & graphs, historical primary and secondary sources, and current events.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

• Know current research strategies and tools 
• Understand the structure and purpose of research
• Create research presentations and essays 

Without details, Little Red Riding Hood would have just been a girl in a coat. Without plot, we may have never known what happened to the Three Little Pigs. Details and plot make the story and illustrate its theme, a theme which illuminates the point the author is sharing with the audience. In this course, students will master the importance of such details and plot, learning not only how to identify them, but to explain their significance to a story and its outcome. While students will meet these objectives, the most important goal of this course is to foster a love of reading that students will continue for their lifetime.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will know how to:

• Refer to details and examples in a text directly and indirectly
• Determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in a text
• Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the text

Eligibility: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/eligibility

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

How do the fundamental forces of flight work to get a giant machine off the ground? Apply the principles of aerodynamics to your own designs, including kites, hot air balloons, gliders, and rockets. Learn about the history of flight, and through hands-on experiments, create hypotheses, observe your flying machines, and compose lab reports to understand the physics principles behind the science. Apply the engineering process as you become an aeronautical engineer.

NOTES: Additional $100 materials fee required.This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio.
QUALIFYING SCORE: Math
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

As wildlife photographers on a safari trip to Kenya, students learn about African topography and the animals that are found in Kenyan game reserves. Students imagine and create their own fictional game reserve, map it, research the local Maasai culture, and create a safari guidebook. Along the way, the wildlife photographers encounter a variety of challenges that they discuss, research, and solve together.

SUBJECT AREA: English & Language Arts

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a three-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Algebra I Honors covers properties of real numbers; solving and graphing linear equations, functions, and linear inequalities; exponents and exponential functions; polynomials and factoring; quadratic equations and functions; radicals and geometry connections; and rational equations and functions. Algebra I Honors is a full-year course intended for students who have already studied the introductory ideas of algebra (Pre-Algebra) and plan to accelerate in their district’s math sequence.  

NOTE: This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
PREREQUISITE: Pre-Algebra
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• PSAT 8/9 M ≥450 OR  
• SAT M ≥550 OR  
• ACT M ≥22 OR  
• Admission Portfolio

QUALIFYING SCORE: Math
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH CTD: 2 Semesters
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a three-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Algebra I Honors covers properties of real numbers; solving and graphing linear equations, functions, and linear inequalities; exponents and exponential functions; polynomials and factoring; quadratic equations and functions; radicals and geometry connections; and rational equations and functions. Algebra I Honors is a full-year course intended for students who have already studied the introductory ideas of algebra (Pre-Algebra) and plan to accelerate in their district’s math sequence.  

NOTE: This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
PREREQUISITE: Pre-Algebra
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• PSAT 8/9 M ≥450 OR  
• SAT M ≥550 OR  
• ACT M ≥22 OR  
• Admission Portfolio

QUALIFYING SCORE: Math
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH CTD: 2 Semesters
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Topics include understanding expressions, equations and functions, solving inequalities and graphing equations and functions, including quadratics and exponentials. The course emphasizes problem-solving over computation.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

Topics include understanding expressions, equations and functions, solving inequalities and graphing equations and functions.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

·      Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT M ≥550 OR ACT M ≥22 

·      On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT M ≥740 OR ACT M ≥30 

·      If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio. 

·      All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

View a sample syllabus here.

This is a three-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running July 21 - August 9, 2019.

Algebra II & Trigonometry Honors covers systems, equations, polynomial arithmetic, complex numbers, solutions of quadratic equations, exponential and logarithmic functions, sequences, series, graphs of polynomial functions, conic sections, and concepts in trigonometry, including trigonometric identities. Algebra II & Trigonometry Honors is a full-year course in an accelerated format.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 2 semesters
NOTE: A graphing calculator is required. 
PREREQUISITES: Algebra I
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT M ≥550 OR ACT M ≥22
• On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT M ≥740 OR ACT M ≥30
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.

This is a three-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running June 30 - July 19, 2019.

Algebra II & Trigonometry Honors covers systems, equations, polynomial arithmetic, complex numbers, solutions of quadratic equations, exponential and logarithmic functions, sequences, series, graphs of polynomial functions, conic sections, and concepts in trigonometry, including trigonometric identities. Algebra II & Trigonometry Honors is a full-year course in an accelerated format.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 2 semesters
NOTE: A graphing calculator is required. 
PREREQUISITES: Algebra I
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT M ≥550 OR ACT M ≥22
• On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT M ≥740 OR ACT M ≥30
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.

This is a three-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Algebra II & Trigonometry Honors covers systems, equations, polynomial arithmetic, complex numbers, solutions of quadratic equations, exponential and logarithmic functions, sequences, series, graphs of polynomial functions, conic sections, and concepts in trigonometry. Algebra II & Trigonometry Honors is a full-year high school course intended for students who plan to accelerate in their district’s math sequence.  

NOTE: This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
PREREQUISITE: Algebra I
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• PSAT 8/9 M ≥450 OR  
• SAT M ≥550 OR  
• ACT M ≥22 OR  
• Admission Portfolio 

QUALIFYING SCORE: Math
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH CTD: 2 Semesters
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.

This is a three-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Algebra II & Trigonometry Honors covers systems, equations, polynomial arithmetic, complex numbers, solutions of quadratic equations, exponential and logarithmic functions, sequences, series, graphs of polynomial functions, conic sections, and concepts in trigonometry. Algebra II & Trigonometry Honors is a full-year high school course intended for students who plan to accelerate in their district’s math sequence.  

NOTE: This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
PREREQUISITE: Algebra I
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• PSAT 8/9 M ≥450 OR  
• SAT M ≥550 OR  
• ACT M ≥22 OR  
• Admission Portfolio 

QUALIFYING SCORE: Math
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH CTD: 2 Semesters
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This advanced algebra course focuses on inequalities, polynomial equations, rational expressions, complex numbers, exponents, logarithms, statistics, probability, matrices and an introduction to basic trigonometry.

Success in this course and Geometry Honors provides students with the foundation needed to take Pre-Calculus Honors. High school credit: 2 semesters

Prerequisites: Algebra I

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

Topics include inequalities, polynomial equations, rational expressions, complex numbers, exponents, logarithms, statistics, probability, matrices, and an introduction to basic trigonometry.

Prerequisites: Algebra I

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

·      Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT M ≥550 OR ACT M ≥22 

·      On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT M ≥740 OR ACT M ≥30 

·      If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio. 

·      All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

View a sample syllabus here.

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Learn the art of diplomacy in our study of the United Nations. While acting as a delegate of a nation, analyze how countries are shaped and how international relationships evolve as the world changes. Research and understand the UN’s organization and structure, and examine current challenges the UN faces. Serving as an ambassador at a mock Security Council session, advocate for your country’s positions, and sharpen your research, writing and speaking skills.

NOTES: A laptop or tablet with keyboard is required for this course.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank in verbal or reading on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

In this course, students look at biology from the perspective of animal body systems while being introduced to a range of biological concepts. Our focus will be on human body systems, but students will also learn about the body systems of invertebrate and vertebrate animals. During the course students will learn the correct vocabulary for body organs and organ systems, engage in moderated discussion topics, participate in learning activities, perform hands-on and virtual labs – including real and virtual dissections –  and develop their own project about how the body works.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

• Define and describe the major regions of the body
• List the major components and functions of each body system 
• Describe the relationship between the different systems.

Eligibility: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/eligibility

How do the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome reveal themselves to us? How do we know so much about cultures that existed almost 2,000 years ago?

The two Ancient History courses will focus on the use of primary and secondary sources to explore the successes and failures of Greece and Rome. For Greece, the Minoans and Myceneans, the Dark Ages, the rise of Athens and the Persian Wars, Sparta and the Peloponnesian Wars, and Alexander the Great.

For Rome, the mythic origins in Troy, Romulus and Remus and the birth of Rome, the Monarchy, the Republic, including the Punic Wars and the rise and death of Caesar, Augustus, and the rise and fall of the Empire.

*Also being offered this year: Ancient Archaeology: Greece and Ancient Archaeology: Rome.  These two courses will explore the material remains of ancient Greece and Rome, focusing on the primary sources, both literary and physical, that allow us to formulate some understanding of these distant cultures.

Create applications and games for Android-based devices while learning key concepts in computer programming.  Explore the world of mobile applications not as a user, but as a creator.  Using App Inventor, a programming language with a drag & drop interface similar to Scratch, develop your own original apps and mobile games and then test them on your Android phone.  This course is intended for students who have had previous experience with a programming language or are serious-minded programmers comfortable with understanding logic for reading and writing code.  This class will offer further opportunities to master those skills by applying them in the mobile applications environment.

IMPORTANT: Android phone is strongly recommended.   Android tablets are acceptable; however, they do not support certain features that will be covered in the class.

Eligibility: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/eligibility

This course takes place on two consecutive days during the weekend of May 18-19.

Can cows have twins? Can chickens actually fly? What does it really mean to be domesticated? In this hands-on animal science course, students learn about the various services humans use animals for and explore how we keep animals safe and healthy under our care. Using their newfound knowledge, students devise and build models of effective, humane animal dwellings, and design their own futuristic domestic species perfect for farm life.

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page. The cost of the course is $265.

This course takes place on two consecutive days during the weekend of June 8-9.

Can cows have twins? Can chickens actually fly? What does it really mean to be domesticated? In this hands-on animal science course, students learn about the various services humans use animals for and explore how we keep animals safe and healthy under our care. Using their newfound knowledge, students devise and build models of effective, humane animal dwellings, and design their own futuristic domestic species perfect for farm life.

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page. The cost of the course is $265.

This course takes place on two consecutive days during the weekend of May 4-5, at Madison Country Day School in Waunakee, WI.

Can cows have twins? Can chickens actually fly? What does it really mean to be domesticated? In this hands-on animal science course, students learn about the various services humans use animals for and explore how we keep animals safe and healthy under our care. Using their newfound knowledge, students devise and build models of effective, humane animal dwellings, and design their own futuristic domestic species perfect for farm life.

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page. The cost of the course is $265.

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

From Facebook to Angry Birds, mobile applications are used every day. In this project-based course, you'll participate in hands-on games and dev-shop team building exercises, as well as learn programming concepts and gain proficiency in drag-and-drop computer programming interfaces in order to develop, program, and test an android app.

NOTE: Students are encouraged to bring a personal Android device (such as a tablet or smart phone), but it is not required. Additional $100 lab and materials fee required.This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible, and for the Sandra Dennhardt Scholarship.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank in verbal/reading, in quantitative or math on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Develop both practical and analytical skills by investigating biological phenomena including evolution, cellular processes and genetics  by collecting and analyzing data and connecting concepts through hands-on and virtual lab activities.

Prerequisites: One year of high school Biology; Chemistry is recommended.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

Rocket scientist or brain surgeon, architect or engineer, the study of calculus provides the foundation for many professional endeavors. AP® Calculus AB includes analytic geometry, functions, limits, continuity, the derivative and its applications, and the integral and its applications. This college- level course prepares students to take the AP® Calculus AB exam.

Notes:

• A graphing calculator is required.

Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

This is a three-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running July 21 - August 9, 2019.

Rocket scientist or brain surgeon, architect or engineer, the study of calculus is foundational. This college-level course covers analytic geometry, functions, limits, continuity, derivatives, integrals, and their applications. It explores symbolic differentiation and integration utilities as students apply these skills to solve problems. AP® Calculus AB is a full-year high school course in an accelerated format and prepares students to take the AP® Calculus AB exam.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 2 semesters
NOTE: A graphing calculator is required. 
PREREQUISITES: Geometry, Algebra I & II with Trigonometry, AND Pre-Calculus
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT M ≥550 OR ACT M ≥22
• On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT M ≥740 OR ACT M ≥30
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

AP® Calculus AB includes analytic geometry, functions, limits, continuity, the derivative and its applications, and the integral and its applications.  A graphing calculator is required.

Notes:

• A graphing calculator is required.

Prerequisites: Pre-Calculus

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

ADMISSION CRITERIA:

·      Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT M ≥550 OR ACT M ≥22 

·      On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT M ≥740 OR ACT M ≥30 

·      If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio. 

·      All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

View a sample syllabus here.

AP® Calculus BC includes advanced applications of integration techniques, infinite series, conics, parametric equations, polar coordinates, and the calculus of vector-valued functions. A graphing calculator is required.  

Notes:

• A graphing calculator is required.

Prerequisites: AP® Calculus AB

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

This is a five-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running June 30 - August 2, 2019.

This course focuses on thermodynamics, thermochemistry, the physical behavior of gases, states and structure of matter, chemical equilibrium and kinetics, and various types of chemical reactions. Daily laboratory work emphasizes competency in solving chemical calculations and problems. In the accelerated format, this rigorous and lab-heavy course requires significant study and dedication. Upon successful completion, students are prepared to take the AP® Chemistry exam.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 2 semesters
NOTES: A graphing calculator is required.  Additional $250.00 lab fee required. This course runs for five weeks.  Attendance for all five weeks is required.
PREREQUISITES: Algebra I & II AND High School Chemistry
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT R ≥28 + SAT M ≥550 OR ACT R ≥22 + ACT M ≥22 OR ACT S ≥23
• On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW ≥700 + SAT M ≥740 OR ACT R ≥32 + ACT M ≥30 OR ACT S ≥30
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Topics include the structure of matter, kinetic theory of gases, chemical equilibriums, chemical kinetics, and the basic concepts of thermodynamics. A combination of hands-on and virtual labs builds understanding of concepts as students conduct both quantitative and qualitative analyses of data. Additional lab fee of $60 is required and non-refundable.

Notes:

• Additional lab fee of $60 is required

Prerequisites: One year of high school Chemistry; Algebra II

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

Topics include the structure of matter, kinetic theory of gases, chemical equilibriums, chemical kinetics, and the basic concepts of thermodynamics. A combination of hands-on and virtual labs builds understanding of concepts as students conduct both quantitative and qualitative analyses of data. Additional lab fee of $60 is required and non-refundable.

PREREQUISITES: One year of high school Chemistry and Algebra II

ADMISSION CRITERIA:

·      Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT R ≥28 + SAT M ≥550 OR ACT R ≥22 + ACT M ≥22 OR ACT S ≥23 

·      On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW ≥700 + SAT M ≥740 OR ACT R ≥32 + ACT M ≥30 OR ACT S ≥30 

·      If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio. 

·      All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

View a sample syllabus here.

Topics include object-oriented program design, the development and selection of algorithms and data structures to solve problems, and the AP® Java subset, including the standard Java library classes. Learn to apply proper algorithms that utilize Java and to use readable and efficient code to satisfy problem descriptions. Students need a Java compiler for this course. Information on free compilers available online is included in the course syllabus.

Notes:

• Students need a Java compiler for this course. Information on free compilers available online is included in the course syllabus.

Prerequisites: Algebra II and one year of high school Java or C++ programming

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAIABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

This is a three-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running June 30 - July 19, 2019.

Java is used in industries ranging from retail to finance and medicine. Learn to program in Java using keywords, operators and data types to develop solutions to problems, and subsequently to code and compile programs, as well as to compose command line programs, basic graphics and simple games. This course prepares students for the AP® Computer Science A exam.  This is a full year course compressed into a three-week accelerated format. 

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 2 semesters
NOTES: A laptop computer (not a tablet) is required for this course. This course is eligible for the Sandra Dennhardt Technology Scholarship.
PREREQUISITES: Algebra I & II AND demonstrated experience in one programming language
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT M ≥550 OR SAT R ≥28 OR ACT M ≥22 OR ACT R ≥22
• On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW  ≥700 OR SAT M ≥740 OR ACT M ≥30 OR ACT R ≥32
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a three-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running July 21 - August 9, 2019.

Java is used in industries ranging from retail to finance and medicine. Learn to program in Java using keywords, operators and data types to develop solutions to problems, and subsequently to code and compile programs, as well as to compose command line programs, basic graphics and simple games. This course prepares students for the AP® Computer Science A exam.  This is a full year course compressed into a three-week accelerated format. 

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 2 semesters
NOTES: A laptop computer (not a tablet) is required for this course. This course is eligible for the Sandra Dennhardt Technology Scholarship.
PREREQUISITES: Algebra I & II AND demonstrated experience in one programming language
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT M ≥550 OR SAT R ≥28 OR ACT M ≥22 OR ACT R ≥22
• On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW  ≥700 OR SAT M ≥740 ORACT M ≥30 OR ACT R ≥32
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

AP Computer Science Principles offers a multidisciplinary approach to teaching the underlying principles of computation. The course will introduce students to the creative aspects of programming, abstractions, algorithms, large data sets, the Internet, cybersecurity concerns, and computing impacts. AP Computer Science Principles also gives students the opportunity to use current technologies to create computational artifacts for both self-expression and problem solving. Together, these aspects of the course make up a rigorous and rich curriculum that aims to broaden participation in computer science.

Students will need to download various programs throughout the course. Further information will be available in the course.

Prerequisites: Algebra 1 

This course addresses the central topics of AP® Micro and Macro Economics. Microeconomics examines the behaviors of individuals and businesses, while macroeconomics analyzes the economy as a whole. Topics covered in this two credit course include supply and demand, the role of labor, and fiscal and monetary policy. Students examine government regulations and the impact they have on individual choice, standards of living, competition, and world trade patterns.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

This course addresses the central topics of AP® Macroeconomics including the role of government in the economy, measuring the national economy, fiscal and monetary policy, and international trade. Topics covered in this one semester course include national income accounting, the national income, output, and price level determination. This class explores fiscal actions used by the government to regulate the economy and how the banking system and monetary policy affect the economy. Students will examine the role of international economics in the American economic system.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 1 Semester

The purpose of the course is to give students a thorough understanding of the principals of economics that apply to the economics of individual decision makers, both consumers and producers, within the economic system. The primary emphasis is on the nature and function of product markets and includes the study of factor markets and the role of the government in promoting greater efficiency and equity in the economy.  This course prepares students to take the AP Economics: Microeconomics exam in May (students must register for the exam with a local school).

ADMISSION CRITERIA:

·      Above-grade-level Tests: (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT R ≥28 OR SAT EBRW  ≥550 OR ACT R ≥22 

·      On-level Tests: (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW ≥700 OR ACT R ≥32 

·      If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio. 

·      All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This course addresses the central topics of AP® Microeconomics including supply and demand, the theory of the firm, perfect and imperfect competition, and the role of the factors of production in free and mixed economies. Topics covered in this one semester course include basic economic concepts and the theory of the firm and various forms of imperfect competition. This class investigates the nature of the factor market and the role of government in the American economy.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 1 Semester

Read a wide array of fiction and non-fiction to strengthen your critical literacy skills. Expository, analytical, and argumentative writing skills that form the basis of effective communication are emphasized.

Prerequisites: Two years of high school English; graded writing sample

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters 

Sample syllabi available here

Increase awareness of how writers use language to evoke emotional response by reading examples from a variety of genres and historical periods and record your insights in writing. A choice of materials is available including readings with more of a STEM focus. Students should notify the instructor when they start the course should they prefer the alternative STEM readings.

Prerequisites: Two years of high school English; graded writing sample

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

Study the scientific principles, concepts and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world. Lab activities require fieldwork.

Notes:

• Lab activities require fieldwork.

Prerequisites: One year of a high school Physical Science course; one year of a Life Science course; Algebra I

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

"The study of history enables us to control, not society, but ourselves."- Carl Becker

Use primary sources and works of art and literature to develop and sharpen your skills to analyze, interpret, and evaluate historical materials from the western hemisphere.

Prerequisites: graded writing sample

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

This two credit course examines the sources of U.S. government authority and political power, the role of nationhood, civil rights, civil liberties, public policy and the court system. Learn about comparative politics by studying political frameworks of other nations.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

This course can also be taken separately, as AP Government: US (1 Semester) or AP Government: Comparative (1 Semester)

Sample syllabi available here

Explores comparative politics by studying political frameworks of other nations in this one credit course.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 1 Semester

Sample syllabi available here

Examine the sources of U.S. government authority and political power, the role of nationhood, civil rights, civil liberties, public policy and the court system in this one credit course.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 1 Semester

Sample syllabi available here

Geography generally focuses on the question of “Where?” Human geography tries to answer the question, “Why there?”

Human geography is the study of where humans and their activities and institutions such as ethnic groups, cities and industries are located and why they are there. Human geographers also study the interactions of humans with their environment and draw on some basic elements of physical geography. Examine the basics of cultural change, regionalism, and political organization in this multifaceted approach to understanding world geography.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

Translate Latin passages and discuss literary and grammatical features within the social, cultural, historical, and/or political context of the period. Read the entire Aeneid and pertinent passages from Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey in English.

Notes:

Prerequisites: Latin III: Wheelock or Latin III: Ecce Romani/Literature, or instructor’s permission

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Students will investigate topics such as Newton’s Laws of motion, energy, linear and angular momentum, electric and magnetic fields, circuits and electromagnetism. This two credit course uses complex mathematical problem solving techniques including calculus and is designed for students with prior physics experience and interested in majoring in a technical science in college.

Prerequisites: One year of high school Physics and previous or concurrent enrollment in Calculus

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

Explore electricstatics, magnetic fields, circuits and electromagnetism and formulating physical principles using calculus in this one credit course is designed for students with prior physics experience and interested in majoring in a technical science in college.

Prerequisites: One year of high school Physics and previous or concurrent enrollment in Calculus

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 1 Semester

Sample syllabi available here

This one credit course provides a detailed study of classical mechanics including Newton’s Laws of motion, energy, linear and angular momentum, motion and rotation, solving a variety of challenging problems and is designed for students with prior physics experience and interested in majoring in a technical science in college.

Prerequisites: One year of high school Physics and previous or concurrent enrollment in Calculus

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 1 Semester

Sample syllabi available here

This one credit course provides a detailed study of classical mechanics including Newton’s Laws of motion, energy, linear and angular momentum, motion and rotation, solving a variety of challenging problems and is designed for students with prior physics experience and interested in majoring in a technical science in college.

Prerequisites: One year of high school Physics and Calculus AB

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 1 Semester

View a sample syllabus here.

This college-level algebra-based physics course explores topics in dynamics, motion and simple circuits through complex problem-solving, lab investigations and learning projects and using the visualization of physical principles and practical applications.

Online credit-bearing courses are offered on a rolling enrollment basis - apply by the 1st of any month, start on the 15th.

Prerequisites: Algebra II/Trigonometry; 1 year of high school lab science

Eligibility: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/eligibility

Sample syllabi available here

Explore fluid mechanics, electricity, magnetism, optics and atomic and nuclear physics and their practical applications through complex problem-solving, and student centered laboratory investigations in this college-level algebra-based course.

Prerequisites: Algebra II/Trigonometry; 1 year of high school physics; AP Physics I is recommended

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

Understand various theories of behavior and cognition, participate in research exercises, and study the current practices of psychology in various contexts. The course culminates in an experiment that includes the collection, interpretation, and evaluation of data.

Prerequisites: a graded writing sample

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

Understand various theories of behavior and cognition, participate in research exercises, and study the current practices of psychology in various contexts. The course culminates in an experiment that includes the collection, interpretation, and evaluation of data.

Prerequisites: a graded writing sample

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Tests: (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT R ≥28 OR SAT EBRW  ≥550 OR ACT R ≥22 
• On-level Tests: (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW ≥700 OR ACT R ≥32 
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio. 
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

View a sample syllabus here.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.

This is a three-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running July 21 - August 9, 2019.

Understanding the relationship between the brain and behavior is crucial to medicine, marketing, learning science, economics, entertainment, and citizenship. AP® Psychology surveys the biological basis of behavior, sensation and perception, cognition, personality, social psychology, and abnormal psychology. Students review case studies, analyze experiment design, and prepare for the AP® Psychology exam.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 2 semesters
PREREQUISITES: Graded writing sample
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Tests: (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT R ≥28 OR SAT EBRW  ≥550 OR ACT R ≥22
• On-level Tests: (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW ≥700 OR ACT R ≥32
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This introductory, non-calculus based college-level course that emphasizes understanding and analysis of statistical studies, and the development of an intuitive sense of statistics and probability. A graphing calculator is required.

Notes:

• A graphing calculator is required.

Prerequisites: Algebra II

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 SEMESTERS

Sample syllabi available here

This is a three-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running June 30 - July 19, 2019.

Collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data are skills required in virtually every discipline. Explore theories of probability, descriptions of statistical measurements, probability distributions, and experimental and statistical inference. Develop research proposals, collect and analyze data, and complete a comprehensive statistical project. AP® Statistics is a full-year course taught in an accelerated format designed to prepare students for the AP® Statistics exam. It lays the foundation for advanced studies in data analytics, engineering, and the actuarial sciences.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 2 semesters
NOTE: A graphing calculator is required. 
PREREQUISITES: Algebra I & II
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT M ≥550 OR ACT M ≥22
• On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT M ≥740 OR ACT M ≥30
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

From the first European explorations of the Americas to current events and trends, this college-level course provides an opportunity to master analytical skills required to understand and assess American history.

Prerequisites: graded writing sample

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

Learn about the world’s history from multiple perspectives and historical analysis. Through the use of analytical skills, students discover the nature of historical and global processes. Primary and secondary sources, combined with rigorous online discussions and analytic essays are used to examine the impact of interactions among and within major societies. The relationship of change and continuity, systems of social structure, cultural, religious and intellectual developments, and the function and structures of states are interwoven throughout this course. Students learn to analyze data within a historical viewpoint in this college level course. This course prepares students to take the AP World History exam.

Prerequisites: graded writing sample

HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

This course takes place on two consecutive days during the weekend of May 18-19.

What skills are required to make scaled, miniature rooms and houses like the ones you can see at the Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago? By using architectural practices coupled with the engineering design process, students plan and construct scaled miniature rooms and houses. Incorporate measurement, ratio, diagrams, and floor plans, along with a range of modeling and building strategies to develop unique designs. Learn basic circuitry to incorporate lighting and/or movement into those designs.

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page. The cost of the course is $265.

This course takes place on two consecutive days during the weekend of May 18-19.

How do architects develop a sketch into a building? Why is it important for an architect to know the difference between an isosceles or equilateral triangle? In this project-based course, students are introduced to basic architectural drawing and model-making techniques. Using these foundations, they explore real design problems encountered by architects and engineers, and brainstorm the math and physics principles that can be used to solve them.

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page. The cost of the course is $265.

Freddy the Great is a great dane who stands over seven feet tall, weighs over 200 pounds and holds the title of world’s largest dog according to Guinness World Records.  His owner must love him very much. How much? We may not be able to find the answer to that question, but we canfind out a lot about our pets and other animals by asking How much?  Students and caregivers calculate and compare, building computation and data skills as they find the solutions to the mathematical problems of pet ownership.  

Freddy the Great is a great dane who stands over seven feet tall, weighs over 200 pounds and holds the title of world’s largest dog according to Guinness World Records.  His owner must love him very much. How much? We may not be able to find the answer to that question, but we canfind out a lot about our pets and other animals by asking How much?  Students and caregivers calculate and compare, building computation and data skills as they find the solutions to the mathematical problems of pet ownership.  

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

What goes into making and installing a successful sculpture like Chicago's beloved Bean? In what ways are artists engineers and engineers artists? Study the intersection between 3D design and the principles of engineering as you discover how masters of installations like Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Alexander Calder, and Claes Oldenburg work with the terrain to achieve their goals. Change the landscape of Northwestern with a three-dimensional object of your team's design.

NOTES: Additional $100 materials fee required. This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank in verbal/reading, in quantitative or math on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Physicists learn about matter by deliberately crashing particles into each other. What else can be learned from collisions and explosions? Hands-on science experiments allow students to bump, crash and jolt a wide variety of materials. Students learn how explosive phenomena such as impact craters, plate tectonics and particle acceleration reveal a wealth of scientific knowledge about our world.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Physicists learn about matter by deliberately crashing particles into each other. What else can be learned from collisions and explosions? Hands-on science experiments allow students to bump, crash and jolt a wide variety of materials. Students learn how explosive phenomena such as impact craters, plate tectonics and particle acceleration reveal a wealth of scientific knowledge about our world.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Why do bees build hives out of hexagon-shaped cells? How do bees communicate with other bees about nectar? Students discover the fascinating science behind the lives of bees, including the structure of a bee hive and the roles within a bee community. Through picture books, projects, and dramatic play, students learn about the queen bee, how bees make honey, and how bees communicate certain information through a special “dance.” Projects include building a model of a hive to deepen their understanding of how the shape and design of the hive make honey storage more efficient.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Why do bees build hives out of hexagon-shaped cells? How do bees communicate with other bees about nectar? Students discover the fascinating science behind the lives of bees, including the structure of a bee hive and the roles within a bee community. Through picture books, projects, and dramatic play, students learn about the queen bee, how bees make honey, and how bees communicate certain information through a special “dance.” Projects include building a model of a hive to deepen their understanding of how the shape and design of the hive make honey storage more efficient.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Why do bees build hives out of hexagon-shaped cells? How do bees communicate with other bees about nectar? Students discover the fascinating science behind the lives of bees, including the structure of a bee hive and the roles within a bee community. Through picture books, projects, and dramatic play, students learn about the queen bee, how bees make honey, and how bees communicate certain information through a special “dance.” Projects include building a model of a hive to deepen their understanding of how the shape and design of the hive make honey storage more efficient.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Why do bees build hives out of hexagon-shaped cells? How do bees communicate with other bees about nectar? Students discover the fascinating science behind the lives of bees, including the structure of a bee hive and the roles within a bee community. Through picture books, projects, and dramatic play, students learn about the queen bee, how bees make honey, and how bees communicate certain information through a special “dance.” Projects include building a model of a hive to deepen their understanding of how the shape and design of the hive make honey storage more efficient.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Running a successful sports team involves serious math. How do managers decide which players to start each game? How do sports fanatics use stats to draft fantasy leagues? In this data analytics class, students will learn how to use statistics to measure a player's performance over time and debate the merits of "scouts vs. stats" as they create their own dream team.

NOTE: This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank in quantitative or math on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Running a successful sports team involves serious math. How do managers decide which players to start each game? How do sports fanatics use stats to draft fantasy leagues? In this data analytics class, students will learn how to use statistics to measure a player's performance over time and debate the merits of "scouts vs. stats" as they create their own dream team.

NOTE: This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank in quantitative or math on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a three-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Biology comes alive in this fast-paced high school honors course, emphasizing the principles that apply to plants and animals through class discussion, text readings, demonstrations, and applying methods of scientific investigation in the lab. Biology Honors is a full-year course in an accelerated format designed for students who intend to accelerate in science, and prepares students for AP® Biology. Students who plan to take biology at their academic-year school are encouraged to enroll in Introduction to Biomedicine Honors or one of our Physics or Chemistry courses. 

NOTES: Additional $150 lab fee required. This course is restricted to current 7th and 8th graders. This course uses classroom and laboratory space at Roycemore School. This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
PREREQUISITE: Completion of a laboratory science course
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• PSAT 8/9 R≥24  
• SAT R ≥28 OR  
• ACT R ≥22 OR ACT S ≥23 OR  
• Admission Portfolio

QUALIFYING SCORE: Verbal or Science
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH CTD: 2 Semesters

This is a three-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Biology comes alive in this fast-paced high school honors course, emphasizing the principles that apply to plants and animals through class discussion, text readings, demonstrations, and applying methods of scientific investigation in the lab. Biology Honors is a full-year course in an accelerated format designed for students who intend to accelerate in science, and prepares students for AP® Biology. Students who plan to take biology at their academic-year school are encouraged to enroll in Introduction to Biomedicine Honors or one of our Physics or Chemistry courses. 

NOTES: Additional $150 lab fee required. This course is restricted to current 7th and 8th graders. This course uses classroom and laboratory space at Roycemore School. This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
PREREQUISITE: Completion of a laboratory science course
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• PSAT 8/9 R≥24  
• SAT R ≥28 OR  
• ACT R ≥22 OR ACT S ≥23 OR  
• Admission Portfolio

QUALIFYING SCORE: Verbal or Science
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH CTD: 2 Semesters

This class introduces students to the fundamental concepts upon which modern biology is built.  Student biologists learn about the nature of scientific inquiry, the limitations of science and the scientific method, the diversity and interrelations among organisms and environmental issues while exploring energy, matter, cells, and heredity.  Readings, problems and laboratory exercises facilitate this challenging course.  Among other things, students learn to identify major structures of plants and animals and how they work together to maintain life.  

Notes:

• May be used as a lab science for IMSA and other selective high school applications.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

Take an in-depth look at the fundamental characteristics of living organisms and learn about the nature of scientific inquiry and the scientific method. Experiment using hands-on and virtual laboratory experiences.

Notes:

• May be used as a lab science for IMSA and other selective high school applications.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

ADMISSION CRITERIA:

·      Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT R ≥28 + SAT M ≥550 OR ACT R ≥22 + ACT M ≥22 OR ACT S ≥23 

·      On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW ≥700 + SAT M ≥740 OR ACT R ≥32 + ACT M ≥30 OR ACT S ≥30 

·      If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio. 

·      All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

View a sample syllabus here.

Biomimicry occurs when people use ideas found in nature to create solutions. Scientists at CalTech noticed the way schools of fish forcefully moved water with their fins. Based on the movements of the water, these scientists created a system of air flow to build better wind farms. Student scientists, engineers, and designers identify an everyday problem and then take cues from nature to design a solution. Through research, low-tech prototyping, and a group-based review process, students learn to solve problems creatively while incorporating the design engineering process. 

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Biomimicry occurs when people use ideas found in nature to create solutions. Scientists at CalTech noticed the way schools of fish forcefully moved water with their fins. Based on the movements of the water, these scientists created a system of air flow to build better wind farms. Student scientists, engineers, and designers identify an everyday problem and then take cues from nature to design a solution. Through research, low-tech prototyping, and a group-based review process, students learn to solve problems creatively while incorporating the design engineering process. 

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Biomimicry occurs when people use ideas found in nature to create solutions. Scientists at CalTech noticed the way schools of fish forcefully moved water with their fins. Based on the movements of the water, these scientists created a system of air flow to build better wind farms. Student scientists, engineers, and designers identify an everyday problem and then take cues from nature to design a solution. Through research, low-tech prototyping, and a group-based review process, students learn to solve problems creatively while incorporating the design engineering process. 

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Biomimicry occurs when people use ideas found in nature to create solutions. Scientists at CalTech noticed the way schools of fish forcefully moved water with their fins. Based on the movements of the water, these scientists created a system of air flow to build better wind farms. Student scientists, engineers, and designers identify an everyday problem and then take cues from nature to design a solution. Through research, low-tech prototyping, and a group-based review process, students learn to solve problems creatively while incorporating the design engineering process. 

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.

This is a three-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running July 21 - August 9, 2019.

Using current techniques in biotechnology, scientists can identify and potentially eliminate genetic diseases and engineer microorganisms to do their bidding. Practice laboratory techniques used in research and commercial settings, including gene cloning, electrophoresis, chromatography, protein purification, enzyme and immunology assays, and bacterial cell incubation. Through case studies and individual research, discuss the complex ethical and social implications of biotechnology.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 1 semester
NOTES: Additional $175.00 lab fee required. This course uses classroom and laboratory space at Roycemore School.
PREREQUISITES: High School Biology AND additional full year of lab science (High School Chemistry preferred)
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT R ≥28 OR ACT R ≥22 OR ACT S ≥23
• On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW ≥700 OR ACT R ≥32 OR ACT S ≥30
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Young biologists investigate the systems of cells circulating within humans. With this systems approach as a lens, students take a closer look at how the human body functions through hands-on activities such as creating models of cells and organs and using inquiry skills to explore the effects of exercise on circulation.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.This is a three-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Learn exactly why people do what they do through study of the structures and functions of the brain and nervous system; the relationship between brain activity and action; and the role of biological, environmental, social, and individual factors in psychological experience. Examine key theories, experiments, and individuals in the field of psychology through dynamic lectures, group activities, debates, and hands-on projects to gain a better understanding of scientific research and psychological thought. This course is an excellent introduction to behavioral science or advanced-level psychology courses.  

ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• PSAT 8/9 R ≥24 OR EBRW ≥480 OR 
• SAT R ≥28 OR EBRW ≥550 OR 
• ACT R ≥22 OR  
• Admission Portfolio 

QUALIFYING SCORE: Verbal
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH CTD: 1 Semester
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.

This is a three-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Learn exactly why people do what they do through study of the structures and functions of the brain and nervous system; the relationship between brain activity and action; and the role of biological, environmental, social, and individual factors in psychological experience. Examine key theories, experiments, and individuals in the field of psychology through dynamic lectures, group activities, debates, and hands-on projects to gain a better understanding of scientific research and psychological thought. This course is an excellent introduction to behavioral science or advanced-level psychology courses.  

ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• PSAT 8/9 R ≥24 OR EBRW ≥480 OR 
• SAT R ≥28 OR EBRW ≥550 OR 
• ACT R ≥22 OR  
• Admission Portfolio 

QUALIFYING SCORE: Verbal
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH CTD: 1 Semester
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Discover the secrets of “the most complex thing in the universe”: your own brain, a three-pound mass of miles of nerve fibers that controls everything you do and how you react to the world. Learn how the brain impacts your decisions, controls how memory works, influences your mood, and more in this mind-blowing course!

NOTES: Additional $100 materials fee required. This course uses classroom and laboratory space at Roycemore School. This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio.
QUALIFYING SCORE: Verbal/Reading.
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Young neurologists go inside the brain to analyze its systems and understand its connection to the rest of the body. Among other activities, students map the brain, experiment with senses and the brain, and use interactive web tools to investigate this amazing and complex organ.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Young neurologists go inside the brain to analyze its systems and understand its connection to the rest of the body. Among other activities, students map the brain, experiment with senses and the brain, and use interactive web tools to investigate this amazing and complex organ.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Sometimes solving a math problem is like untangling a knot. You may need to try more than one approach to achieve success. In this class, students unravel multifaceted problems using fractions and multiplication to arrive at solutions.

SUBJECT AREA: Math

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This course takes place on two consecutive days during the weekend of May 18-19.

What are the different parts of the human brain and what are they used for? How do these parts communicate with the rest of the body? While the brain has been studied for centuries, neurologists continue to learn new things about how it functions every day. In this hands-on class, students learn how the brain works and how brain functioning relates to their daily lives and habits. Experiment with various brain functions. Diagnose a brain injury and design a supportive prototype to prevent future damage.

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page. The cost of the course is $265.

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Unleash your creative instincts in Branding You®, where you’ll learn the entrepreneurship skills to become a content creator of digital media. Through writing, photography and film projects, discover how to make media on issues that matter to you while developing your own personal brand and gaining followers. Discover how visual elements and hashtags make an impact on stories going viral, all while collaborating with your peers to propose, script, and develop your own Youtube series.? 

NOTES: A tablet with a keyboard and photo-taking capability, or laptop computer is required for this course. If a laptop is the student’s preferred technology, a smartphone with a built-in camera is required and video capability is required. 
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank in verbal or reading on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a three-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Can you spot a stock market bubble before it pops? How do decisions by governments, businesses, and individuals affect markets? Budding economists examine economic booms and busts of the past and present, focusing on concepts such as risk, supply and demand, marginal utility, and the fundamentals of investing. This course builds critical-thinking skills through discussion and writing experiences and is ideal for those interested in future study of economics, political science, international relations, or other advanced social sciences.  

ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• PSAT 8/9 R ≥24 OR EBRW ≥480 OR 
• SAT R ≥28 OR EBRW ≥550 OR 
• ACT R ≥22 OR  
• Admission Portfolio 

QUALIFYING SCORE: Verbal
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH CTD: 1 Semester
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

The recent explosion of augmented reality games and escape rooms demonstrate that humans crave the pleasure of solving a good mystery. In this class, study how storytellers and game masters build the "player one" experience for mysteries and escape room sequences. Interrogate the conventions of the genre by reading the greats like Arthur Conan Doyle and Blue Balliett. Become the puzzle master as you use your new skills to plot thrilling narratives and craft an interactive mystery experience.

NOTES: Additional $100 materials fee required.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank in verbal or reading on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Truss, arch, suspension, and more — young engineers learn about bridge structures and study famous examples from around the world. Students create their own bridge models based on the principles of physics. Using the process of scientific inquiry, they consider the factors that other bridge builders have addressed and imagine building bridges in the future.

SUBJECT AREA: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

What factors go into wanting to design your own modification in a computer game?

Learn Java by designing and programming your own items, armor, blocks, and creatures for your own Minecraft modification you can play and share. The central concepts of object oriented programming including inheritance, classes, methods, and instances will be explored while creating new virtual objects with Java code.
 

Technology requirements:

• On Mac, OS X 10.5 (Leopard) or newer
• On PC, Windows 7 or Windows 8
• At least 2GB of RAM and at least 2GB of hard disk space available for the software used for the course

Eligibility: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/eligibility

How can getting something for free cost you? Why do people always want to pay later, even when it means they will pay more? Behavioral economics reveals these and many other ways our choices as consumers are not always the result of rational calculations of dollars and cents. Students learn principles of behavioral economics, including those put forth by Nobel Prize winning thinkers, and apply them to business scenarios to find out how our “predictable irrationality” affects the way we choose to spend our money.

SUBJECT AREA: Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

How can getting something for free cost you? Why do people always want to pay later, even when it means they will pay more? Behavioral economics reveals these and many other ways our choices as consumers are not always the result of rational calculations of dollars and cents. Students learn principles of behavioral economics, including those put forth by Nobel Prize winning thinkers, and apply them to business scenarios to find out how our “predictable irrationality” affects the way we choose to spend our money.

SUBJECT AREA: Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

How can getting something for free cost you? Why do people always want to pay later, even when it means they will pay more? Behavioral economics reveals these and many other ways our choices as consumers are not always the result of rational calculations of dollars and cents. Students learn principles of behavioral economics, including those put forth by Nobel Prize winning thinkers, and apply them to business scenarios to find out how our “predictable irrationality” affects the way we choose to spend our money.

SUBJECT AREA: Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

How can getting something for free cost you? Why do people always want to pay later, even when it means they will pay more? Behavioral economics reveals these and many other ways our choices as consumers are not always the result of rational calculations of dollars and cents. Students learn principles of behavioral economics, including those put forth by Nobel Prize winning thinkers, and apply them to business scenarios to find out how our “predictable irrationality” affects the way we choose to spend our money.

SUBJECT AREA: Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

What does it take to turn a profit? To answer that question, students create a kid business and set up a budget for their new enterprise. They will consider supply and demand and calculate their costs. As business owners, students will need to be creative problem-solvers, learning business vocabulary and concepts and applying computation skills to build a business budget.

SUBJECT AREA: Math

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

What does it take to turn a profit? To answer that question, students create a kid business and set up a budget for their new enterprise. They will consider supply and demand and calculate their costs. As business owners, students will need to be creative problem-solvers, learning business vocabulary and concepts and applying computation skills to build a business budget.

SUBJECT AREA: Math

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a three-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Key concepts in C++ include problem solving, design strategies and methodologies, algorithms, inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, common data structures, and the class-object relationship. In addition to learning the language of C++ and writing original code, engage in discussion of the ethical and social implications of programming, from the hacker culture of the 1960s to today’s open source movement.  

NOTES: A laptop computer (not a tablet) is required for this course. This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible, and for the Sandra Dennhardt Technology Scholarship.
PREREQUISITES: Algebra I AND demonstrated experience in one programming language
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• PSAT 8/9 M ≥450 OR R ≥24 OR 
• SAT M ≥550 OR R ≥28 OR  
• ACT M ≥22 OR ACT R >22 OR 
• Admission Portfolio

QUALIFYING SCORE: Math or Verbal
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH CTD: 1 Semester
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Come explore legends that have persisted through generations to answer the question, “What makes a story timeless?” Follow the hero’s journey through classic and modern narratives and craft an original hero. Analyze and dissect themes that run through stories from Greek mythology to J.R.R. Tolkien to the Star Wars Universe and DC Comics™, as you come to understand the connections between ancient and current storytelling conventions.

NOTES: A laptop or tablet with keyboard is highly recommended or this course.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank in verbal or reading on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.

This is a three-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

Through a series of real-world exercises and hands-on studio sessions using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Adobe InDesign, build a foundation for print, online, and multi-platform visual communication, and explore the fundamental elements of visual communication from typography to branding. Complementing the technical portion of the course, daily sketchbook activities, readings on design history, contemporary design, and global brand awareness, field trips, films, and readings will illuminate the challenges faced by twenty-first-century designers.  

NOTES: Additional $125 lab fee required. A laptop computer (not a tablet) is required for this course. This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• PSAT 8/9 R ≥24 OR  
• SAT R ≥28 OR  
• ACT R ≥22 OR  
• Admission Portfolio 

QUALIFYING SCORE: Verbal
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH CTD: 1 Semester
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.

This is a three-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running June 30 - July 19, 2019.

The research of James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo, recipients of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Medicine, demonstrates the potential of the immune system to fight cancer. This course will explore treatments that target the immune system and use Hanahan and Weinberg’s “Hallmarks of Cancer” framework to recognize how cancer cell behavior differs from normal cells. Survey the literature on current clinical therapies and conduct wet lab experiments to better understand cancer biology and treatment.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 1 semester
NOTES: Additional $175.00 lab fee required. This course uses classroom and laboratory space at Roycemore School.
PREREQUISITES: High School Biology
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT R ≥28 OR ACT R ≥22 OR ACT S ≥23
• On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW ≥700 OR ACT R ≥32 OR ACT S ≥30
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

How does an electric circuit work and how do machines generate energy? Discover the principles of voltage, currents, and resistance in this electrifying new course. Using hands-on construction skills, learn how to open and close circuits in order to build an electronic device of your own design. Research how energy is produced and distributed, and consider the mechanics of alternate energy sources.

NOTES: Additional $100 materials fee required. This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank in verbal/reading, in quantitative or math on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Challenge Lab course: There are no eligibility requirements for this course. Any student in grade 1 – 5 as of January 1, 2019 may enroll in this course.

A “makerspace” is a learning workshop equipped with a variety of materials and tools for making things. Students explore and experiment as they acquire design, engineering, and problem-solving skills. Each project reflects the interests and ideas of each maker. The Challenge Lab space will be divided into work stations such as a woodworking station, a “loose parts” station with plastic and metal materials, and a research and inspiration station.

Challenge Lab Themes:  Build with Wood; Tools & Hardware; Things that Move; Form & Function; Teamwork & Collaboration

SUBJECT AREAS: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Challenge Lab course: There are no eligibility requirements for this course. Any student in grade 1 – 5 as of January 1, 2019 may enroll in this course.

A “makerspace” is a learning workshop equipped with a variety of materials and tools for making things. Students explore and experiment as they acquire design, engineering, and problem-solving skills. Each project reflects the interests and ideas of each maker. The Challenge Lab space will be divided into work stations such as a woodworking station, a “loose parts” station with plastic and metal materials, and a research and inspiration station.

Challenge Lab Themes:  Build with Wood; Tools & Hardware; Things that Move; Form & Function; Teamwork & Collaboration

SUBJECT AREAS: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Challenge Lab course: There are no eligibility requirements for this course. Any student in grade 1 – 5 as of January 1, 2019 may enroll in this course.

A “makerspace” is a learning workshop equipped with a variety of materials and tools for making things. Students explore and experiment as they acquire design, engineering, and problem-solving skills. Each project reflects the interests and ideas of each maker. The Challenge Lab space will be divided into work stations such as a woodworking station, a “loose parts” station with plastic and metal materials, and a research and inspiration station.

Challenge Lab Themes:  Build with Wood; Tools & Hardware; Things that Move; Form & Function; Teamwork & Collaboration

SUBJECT AREAS: Science

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

You may know what happens when you combine baking soda and vinegar, but have you ever seen a gummy bear dance with potassium chlorate? Discover how chemistry explains—and impacts—the world around us and learn about core subjects including atomic weight and structure, acids and bases, stoichiometry, and chemical bonding. Working in a laboratory setting, learn to design experiments, evaluate results, and construct lab reports.

NOTES: Additional $100 materials fee required.This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio.
QUALIFYING SCORE: Math
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.

This is a two-week, Monday-Friday course with a residential option.

You may know what happens when you combine baking soda and vinegar, but have you ever seen a gummy bear dance with potassium chlorate? Discover how chemistry explains—and impacts—the world around us and learn about core subjects including atomic weight and structure, acids and bases, stoichiometry, and chemical bonding. Working in a laboratory setting, learn to design experiments, evaluate results, and construct lab reports.

NOTES: Additional $100 materials fee required.This course is Coughlin STEM Scholars eligible.
ADMISSION CRITERIA: PSAT 8/9 OR ≥ 90th national percentile rank on standardized achievement test OR Admission Portfolio.
QUALIFYING SCORE: Math
All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Learning Links Chemistry Honors is an introductory course covering topics equivalent to a full year of high school chemistry at the honors level. The content within Chemistry Honors is organized into five units: Introductory Concepts in Chemistry, Chemical Compositions and Reactions, Energy and Bonding, States of Matter, Reactions and Electrochemistry, and Advanced Chemistry Applications.  

Using hands-on and virtual laboratory experiences, study key topics, analyze data, draw conclusions and report results. Scientific method, chemical foundations, compositions and reactions, modern atomic theory and electrochemistry are among the topics covered.

Notes:

• Additional lab fee of $60 is required and non-refundable
• May be used as a lab science for IMSA and other selective high school applications.

Prerequisites: Algebra I is recommended

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

Sample syllabi available here

This is a three-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running July 21 - August 9, 2019.

How does an atom account for the nature of matter? Prepare for AP® Chemistry by mastering the core concepts of chemistry, including atomic models, valence and ionization, bonding, nomenclature of formulas, moles, stoichiometry, gas laws, molecular forces, polarity, solutions, equilibrium, acids and bases, thermochemistry, and oxidation-reduction. Through experiments, learn to use proper lab technique, record and analyze data to produce scientific lab reports. Chemistry Honors is a full-year course in an accelerated format.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 2 semesters
NOTES: A graphing calculator is required.  Additional $175.00 lab fee required.
PREREQUISITES: Algebra I AND High School Biology OR Physics
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT R ≥28 + SAT M ≥550 OR ACT R ≥22 + ACT M ≥22 OR ACT S ≥23
• On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW ≥700 + SAT M ≥740 OR ACT R ≥32 + ACT M ≥30 OR ACT S ≥30
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Using hands-on and virtual laboratory experiences, study key topics, analyze data, draw conclusions and report results. Scientific method, chemical foundations, compositions and reactions, modern atomic theory and electrochemistry are among the topics covered.

Notes:

• Additional lab fee of $60 is required
• May be used as a lab science for IMSA and other selective high school applications.

Prerequisites: Algebra I

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AVAILABLE: 2 Semesters

ADMISSION CRITERIA:

·      Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT R ≥28 + SAT M ≥550 OR ACT R ≥22 + ACT M ≥22 OR ACT S ≥23 

·      On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW ≥700 + SAT M ≥740 OR ACT R ≥32 + ACT M ≥30 OR ACT S ≥30 

·      If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio. 

·      All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

View a sample syllabus here.

If you would like to add this course to an application in order to be placed on the waitlist, or to submit an application to be placed on the waitlist for this course only, please email ctd-admissions@northwestern.edu.  We can also assist in exploring alternative courses that may interest your student.

This is a three-week, full day M-F course with a residential option, running June 30 - July 19, 2019.

How does an atom account for the nature of matter? Prepare for AP® Chemistry by mastering the core concepts of chemistry, including atomic models, valence and ionization, bonding, nomenclature of formulas, moles, stoichiometry, gas laws, molecular forces, polarity, solutions, equilibrium, acids and bases, thermochemistry, and oxidation-reduction. Through experiments, learn to use proper lab technique, record and analyze data to produce scientific lab reports. Chemistry Honors is a full-year course in an accelerated format.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERED: 2 semesters
NOTES: A graphing calculator is required.  Additional $175.00 lab fee required.
PREREQUISITES: Algebra I AND High School Biology OR Physics
ADMISSION CRITERIA:

• Above-grade-level Test (taken in or before the 9th grade year): SAT R ≥28 + SAT M ≥550 OR ACT R ≥22 + ACT M ≥22 OR ACT S ≥23
• On-level Test (taken in the 10th or 11th grade year): SAT EBRW ≥700 + SAT M ≥740 OR ACT R ≥32 + ACT M ≥30 OR ACT S ≥30
• If test scores are not available, or do not meet the criteria, students are welcome to apply via Admission Portfolio.
• All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Young people often believe that they can’t make a difference. That they don’t have the knowledge, skills, or capacity? to influence issues like poverty, healthcare, education, or the environment. That they’re powerless to create change. Yet there are countless stories that prove this is not the case. Thousands of young people powered the peaceful protests that ended legal segregation in the U.S., and have been instrumental in movements for democracy and human rights around the world. Teenagers have started international campaigns against child labor and fought for the education of girls in the developing world. And those are just a few examples.

What power, passion, and resources do you possess? Begin your discovery at the Civic Leadership Institute!

CLI students explore the complex challenges that affect our communities and develop the knowledge, experience, and leadership skills they need to make a positive impact on the world.

The Civic Leadership Institute in Baltimore is a program of Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth.

Learn more about the Civic Leadership Institute and view a sample syllabus.

Young people often believe that they can’t make a difference. That they don’t have the knowledge, skills, or capacity ?to influence issues like poverty, healthcare, education, or the environment. That they’re powerless to create change. Yet there are countless stories that prove this is not the case. Thousands of young people powered the peaceful protests that ended legal segregation in the U.S., and have been instrumental in movements for democracy and human rights around the world. Teenagers have started international campaigns against child labor and fought for the education of girls in the developing world. And those are just a few examples.

What power, passion, and resources do you possess? Begin your discovery at the Civic Leadership Institute!

CLI students explore the complex challenges that affect our communities and develop the knowledge, experience, and leadership skills they need to make a positive impact on the world.

Learn more about the Civic Leadership Institute and view a sample syllabus.

Young people often believe that they can’t make a difference. That they don’t have the knowledge, skills, or capacity? to influence issues like poverty, healthcare, education, or the environment. That they’re powerless to create change. Yet there are countless stories that prove this is not the case. Thousands of young people powered the peaceful protests that ended legal segregation in the U.S., and have been instrumental in movements for democracy and human rights around the world. Teenagers have started international campaigns against child labor and fought for the education of girls in the developing world. And those are just a few examples.

What power, passion, and resources do you possess? Begin your discovery at the Civic Leadership Institute!

CLI students explore the complex challenges that affect our communities and develop the knowledge, experience, and leadership skills they need to make a positive impact on the world.

The Civic Leadership Institute in Berkeley is a program of Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth.

Learn more about the Civic Leadership Institute and view a sample syllabus.

In what ways do myths of the past exemplify the cultural values of yesterday and today?

In what ways do myths of the Ancient Greek and Roman world still teach us about worldviews and truths of the ancient and modern values? Mythology provides a window to the world—past and present. Become familiar with the world of gods, goddesses and other mystic beings through the legends of the ancient world from Greece and Rome. As you examine the literary elements, discover why these stories continue to fascinate readers and scholars today. Each week, we will focus on a different theme and complete short, open-note comprehension quizzes, discussion posts, and fun projects. The course will conclude with students writing their own myth or modernization of an ancient myth!

Eligibility: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/eligibility

A photograph doesn’t just capture a moment, it tells a story.  Photographs serve as both inspiration and illustration as students create original stories and poems. Students snap their own photos in class, and they may also collect photos from families, magazines, and other sources. Students learn how to identify important elements of visuals, such as mood and framing. They discuss the importance of descriptive language and word choice as they write their own photo essays.

SUBJECT AREA: English & Language Arts

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Climate Detectives: Exploring Energy and the Environment

Students will explore how our use of energy affects the earth, especially our climate and the role of greenhouse gases.  Plotting our carbon footprints and tracing the energy used to create and maintain our lifestyles will help us understand our relationship to our environment. Will scientists be able to predict what our future climate will be like by looking at the past? We will investigate how climate scientists study our world.

Eligibility: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/eligibility

An algorithm is a step-by-step process to complete a task. Students use coding apps like Scratch, Jr. and Cato’s Hike to program their own algorithms. Away from the screen, collaborative projects, such as pitching a tent, challenge students to create algorithms using many different symbolic languages.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science & Engineering

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

An algorithm is a step-by-step process to complete a task. Students use coding apps like Scratch, Jr. and Cato’s Hike to program their own algorithms. Away from the screen, collaborative projects, such as pitching a tent, challenge students to create algorithms using many different symbolic languages.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science & Engineering

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Computational thinking requires decomposition, the ability to take an idea and break it down into smaller parts for deeper understanding and analysis. In this course, students create coding projects using the Hopscotch app and then explain their thinking to other young programmers by taking apart their code. Tangible materials like 3D puzzles challenge students to demonstrate their learning using novel tools.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science & Engineering

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Computational thinking requires decomposition, the ability to take an idea and break it down into smaller parts for deeper understanding and analysis. In this course, students create coding projects using the Hopscotch app and then explain their thinking to other young programmers by taking apart their code. Tangible materials like 3D puzzles challenge students to demonstrate their learning using novel tools.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science & Engineering

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Students create patterns using tangible tools (such as beads on a string), audio tools (such as notes in a song), and virtual tools (such as coding apps on a touchscreen). Pattern play leads to a deeper understanding of both coding concepts and computational thinking.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science & Engineering

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Students create patterns using tangible tools (such as beads on a string), audio tools (such as notes in a song), and virtual tools (such as coding apps on a touchscreen). Pattern play leads to a deeper understanding of both coding concepts and computational thinking.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science & Engineering

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Robots can carry out amazing and complex tasks, but only with instructions they can “understand.” Students in this course are introduced to computer science and learn to “speak” to Finch robots in the visual programming languages Snap and Scratch. Coding challenges with sensors, lights, sound and motion call on computational thinking as new programming skills take flight.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science and Engineering

NOTE: Additional $25 lab fee is required.

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Robots can carry out amazing and complex tasks, but only with instructions they can “understand.” Students in this course are introduced to computer science and learn to “speak” to Finch robots in the visual programming languages Snap and Scratch. Coding challenges with sensors, lights, sound and motion call on computational thinking as new programming skills take flight.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science and Engineering

NOTE: Additional $25 lab fee is required.

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Robots can carry out amazing and complex tasks, but only with instructions they can “understand.” Students in this course are introduced to computer science and learn to “speak” to Finch robots in the visual programming languages Snap and Scratch. Coding challenges with sensors, lights, sound and motion call on computational thinking as new programming skills take flight.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science and Engineering

NOTE: Additional $25 lab fee is required.

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Every day we create sequences with our words and gestures. Computer programmers create sequences with code. In this course, students learn to code using apps such as Lightbot, Cargobot, and Spritebox, then extend their learning beyond the screen with sequencing games that reveal the structure of codes.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science & Engineering

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Every day we create sequences with our words and gestures. Computer programmers create sequences with code. In this course, students learn to code using apps such as Lightbot, Cargobot, and Spritebox, then extend their learning beyond the screen with sequencing games that reveal the structure of codes.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science & Engineering

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.

Every day we create sequences with our words and gestures. Computer programmers create sequences with code. In this course, students learn to code using apps such as Lightbot, Cargobot, and Spritebox, then extend their learning beyond the screen with sequencing games that reveal the structure of codes.

SUBJECT AREA: Technology, Computer Science & Engineering

All CTD Courses are assigned to an eligibility tier with designated admission criteria. For more information please visit the CTD Eligibility page.