Grades: 1 First Grade Project
In an effort to offer multiple choices to students completing first grade, multiple patterns and impressions strands are offered.
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2019 Registration
Please note:
Registration for Summer Academy 2019 will only be available online. Please be aware that registration may potentially close on day one due to high demand. Students will be able to select from any available course within your grade level, on the website. If your first choice is not available, you have the option to enroll in another course or sign up for the course waiting list. Students may only enroll in one course. Because courses fill up quickly, prior to registration, we encourage you to find 3-5 courses that could interest your student.
Registration will open at 6:00 AM CST on March 1st.
You may only register for one course at Summer Academy
XFilter by Grade (Current grade for 2018-2019).
Grades: 1 
Grades: 1- 2 Exploring Habitats through STEAM
Bubbles are not just for washing dishes anymore! Take a moment to look around and you might find bubbles everywhere. Bubbles in glass, bubbles in water, bubbles in concrete, bubbles in medicine and much more!
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Grades: 2- 3 Pay To The Order Of…
How many times have you been asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” In our class you will have the opportunity to become an expert on a career that you choose.
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Grades: 2- 3 El Mercado
Imagine going to flea markets of the Spanish-speaking world. Imagine being surrounded by the art, clothing, music, dances, families, food, folktales, history, games and beautiful buildings of Hispanic culture.
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Grades: 2- 3 From Story to Stage
Bring your imagination and your favorite story or book, and From Story to Stage will guide you through the process of changing your selection into a script for a play.
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Grades: 2- 3 Written & Illustrated By You!
HELP WANTED! The Summer Academy Publishing Company is looking for authors and illustrators. Love books? Can you read, write and draw? Great – you’re hired!
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Grades: 2- 3 Inventions & Engineering
Did you know that some of the world’s finest inventions like bubble gum, Coca-Cola, Band-Aids and Post-it notes were invented by chance? We think the next great inventor might be joining this class!
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Grades: 2- 3 Strategy Games of the World
In this exciting class, you will learn the history of some challenging games, the rules to play, and thinking strategies that will help develop your problem-solving abilities.
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Grades: 2- 3 International Detectives
Being an International Detective means having the opportunity to explore a variety of nations, while solving local riddles and mysteries.
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Grades: 2- 3 Ocean Adventures
Have a “whale” of a time fishing for exciting underwater facts and fun! Map the oceans, learn about waves, tides, and ocean critters through hands-on activities, experiments, computers, books, and videos. Go under the sea with your new friends to investigate various mammals, fish, invertebrates, and crustaceans! Do you like art projects? Each day we … Continue reading Ocean Adventures
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Grades: 2- 3 ArtCycle
In this class we will re-use and re-purpose everyday objects that we often overlook and combine them with some new art materials in order to create amazing artwork.
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Grades: 2- 3 I’m a Tech Ninja!
This summer you will become a tech ninja and have an App-Mazing time in this tech-novation class!
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Grades: 2- 3 Predators of the Sea and Sky
Sharks and raptors: terrifying or awe-inspiring? Join us as we search the skies and seas to discover the truth behind birds of prey and sharks. Through books, videos, hands-on activities, and online research we will learn how these predators hunt, how their physical traits make them unique, their importance to the ecosystem, and threats they … Continue reading Predators of the Sea and Sky
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Grades: 2- 3- 4- 5 Japan
Come learn about Japanese culture and life with us. We’ll look at foods, clothing, ceremonies, and festivals. We’ll try our hands at origami and other oriental arts.
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Grades: 3- 4 Rock World
On our journey we will grow a rock, drop and roll a rock, study a rock, wear a rock, and yes, even love a rock! You will be astounded and impressed at the many things we will learn and notice about rocks.
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Grades: 3- 4 Adventures In Art
Are you interested in learning new ways to create Art? In Adventures in Art you will work with a variety of art media as you create different styles and types of art. Famous Artists related to each area will be studied as well. Your three-dimensional experience will include hand-building clay pottery plus creating Hanging Mobiles … Continue reading Adventures In Art
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Grades: 3- 4 Common Ground: How Minnesota Eats
Minnesota is a delicious place! Thanks to the many different people in our state, we have a wonderful mix of ideas, stories, music, languages, clothes and best of all, food! Come learn about the many groups of people that call Minnesota home. Join us to cook delicious food from all over the world and explore … Continue reading Common Ground: How Minnesota Eats
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Grades: 3- 4 It’s Greek to Me
Explore ancient Greece by embarking on a B.C.E journey that promises to enthrall! Your travels will begin with the Minoans (5000 years ago) where you will create a labyrinth to test out on our class mouse, Achilles, design a fresco to enjoy for years to come, and make a toy used by children then and … Continue reading It’s Greek to Me
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Grades: 3- 4 The Power of Water
Have you noticed how much of your world is about water? In the hot days of summer, water is especially fun to explore. Get curious about how water affects us and can be used by us. Splash, pour, and manipulate water to figure out what it can move, how it behaves, and to develop a … Continue reading The Power of Water
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Grades: 3- 4 I Survived…
Have you read and enjoyed reading any of the I Survived series of books? Or have you been curious about how you might survive an unimaginable disaster, if so, come and join us for an exciting and breathtaking exploration of surviving an extreme weather event and an uncertain expedition to Mars. We will investigate and learn about extreme weather conditions … Continue reading I Survived…
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Grades: 3- 4- 5 To Be an Artist!
How do artists get ideas? Inspiration is all around us. Artists know how to look at the world through “artist eyes” noticing colors, patterns, textures, interesting lines and incorporating them into their artwork. The course is meant to guide kids through the creative process to inevitably unleash their creative potential. In this course students will … Continue reading To Be an Artist!
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Grades: 3- 4- 5 Go West Young Woman
Let’s step back over a hundred years ago as we visit Gibb’s Farm, Gammelgarden Musuem and Kelly Farm. We’ll learn how pioneers and Native Americans helped each other.
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Grades: 3- 4- 5 Cool Caves
Come to this class and understand what most people only see. Visit real caves. Create realistic caves. Challenge people’s knowledge of caves.
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Grades: 3- 4- 5 Are YOU a Mythbuster?
We will explore myths about the Moon, Pirates, Earthquakes, Cooking, Magic and much more!
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Grades: 3- 4- 5 Photo Academy – Learning to ‘Click’
In this class you will become more confident using the features of a digital camera and learn fundamental photography techniques.
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Grades: 3- 4- 5- 6 Design Studio
You will work in a group to come up with a logo for a fictitious sports team and, as the artist of your own business, you will be commissioned by a client in the Summer Academy to design a logo for their class.
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Grades: 3- 4- 5- 6 Clay The Architectural Way
If building with clay sounds like fun, then this combination will be a blast.
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Grades: 4- 5- 6 Graphic Novels: Stories in Words & Pictures
Come explore this increasingly popular style of literature…the graphic novel.
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Grades: 4- 5- 6 Improv-athon
Take a fantastic journey through your imagination in our improvisation acting class.
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Grades: 4- 5- 6 Lego Robotics Lab
What can build a car, diffuse a bomb, traverse the surface of Mars, climb sheer walls with ease, fly at high speed, and shoot lasers from its eyes? ROBOTS!
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Grades: 4- 5- 6 Castles, Kings & Other Things
This class will take you back to explore how battles were won or lost, how castles were built and learn the devastating facts about the Black Death.
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Grades: 4- 5- 6 Stop Motion Animation
Lights, Camera, ACTION! In this class we will become filmmakers using the amazing technology of Stop Motion Animation.
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Grades: 4- 5- 6 Physics, Physics, Physics!
Does a 310 metric ton hovercraft “floating” on air completely baffle you? It sounds like you are more interested in physics than you thought!
Full detailsGrades: 4- 5- 6- 7 Summer Academy Players Presents: Great Americans of the 20th Century
Join us this summer as we use photography, drawing, and 3-dimensional art to study the animal world.
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Grades: 5- 6 Architectural Design
Would you like to design your own dream house? Then construct a scale model of your design? In this course you will get to do both and much more.
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Grades: 5- 6 Chemistry: Fun with Matter
This class is not just for science geeks – it’s for anyone who wants to have fun and learn more about how the world works at the same time. Plus, you’ll get to wear some really stylish goggles!
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Grades: 5- 6- 7 Mathematical Investigations
Speculate, Collaborate, Articulate Do you enjoy tackling challenging math problems? Do you like observing patterns and making connections? If you do, then Mathematical Investigations is the course for you! Be warned, this is not your traditional math class. Here you will collaborate with fellow mathematicians to discover multiple solutions to challenging mathematical tasks. Each day … Continue reading Mathematical Investigations
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Grades: 5- 6- 7 Incredible Machines, Devices & Gizmos
You will learn how engineers and architects work by designing, then building a 21st century environment or even your own mechanical pinball machine.
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Grades: 5- 6- 7- 8 Video Games for Good!
In this class we will not only create video games, but also partner with local non-profit organizations.
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Grades: 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11 Simulation Games
If you enjoy exploring historical “what ifs” and replaying battles that changed history, this is the experience for you.
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Grades: 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11 Clay Studio
Come, play in the mud with us! Clay mud, that is. For three great weeks we will discover the joys of working in clay.
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Grades: 6- 7 Science in the Kitchen
Do you love to play around in the kitchen and try out new recipes? Do cooking and baking feel like magic to you? This course will teach you the secrets of successful recipes by exploring the science behind food safety, food preservation, baking, and cooking. You will harness the power of the sun as we … Continue reading Science in the Kitchen
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Grades: 6- 7- 8 Astronomy: Our World in Space
Have you ever observed the dark night sky from a location far from city lights? It is a sight that inspires wonder, fascination, and curiosity. It reminds us that we are a tiny part of a vast universe, a universe that becomes more wonderful and fascinating with each new discovery. Human curiosity combined with scientific … Continue reading Astronomy: Our World in Space
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Grades: 7- 8- 9 A Chemist’s #1 Tool – The Periodic Table of Elements
Have you ever wondered why cars rust? What makes the colors in fireworks? How dirty, smelly, and oily (all around gross) water is purified and cleaned?
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