Splash Spring 2022
Course Catalog

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Arts Humanities & Social Science
Lunch Math & Computer Science
Science Walk-in Activity
Miscellaneous


Our teachers are still hard at work creating their courses — please check back soon to choose your courses!




Arts

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A226: Anime Glass Painting 101
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Marina Zeng

Ever stumbled across those insanely cool videos on TikTok where someone flips over a scuffed looking painting only for it to look clean and polished on the other side? Well, now you can learn how that's possible - and how to do it yourself! This class will go over the process of glass painting and give you an opportunity to try it out and take home your own piece. No art experience necessary!

A237: creative expression and being bad at art
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Helia Woo

a class for those interested in art (any form of it--visual, written, etc) but are bad at it. learn about expressing yourself and being creative without knowing any technique, and unlearn the idea that we have to be good at art to create it in the first place. we'll end the class by making our own postcards :)

A264: zine making; an introduction
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Gabriela Acosta

Come and learn how to create your own zine! No experience necessary, just come ready to create and bring an open mind.

A235: Introduction to Music Production
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Stafford Williams

In 2022, anyone can be a musician. This class will cover how 99% of modern music is made so that by the end of the class you'll be able to go home and produce a hit song. (Trust me, it's easier than it sounds)


Humanities & Social Science

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H229: The Souls of Words: Translating Poetry
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jordin Wang

How does language shape our world? In this course, you will join your fellow students to translate a poem from Spanish to English. Through this process, you will dissect the history of words, the assumptions we carry with them, and the problems of communicating between cultures.


Prerequisites
At least 1 year of Spanish: fluency is a plus

H232: Understanding Yourself: Diving into Attachment Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ana Berman

Do you ever feel like you show more love to your friends or partners than they do? Do you ever feel like your friends or partners suffocate you with how clingy they are?

In this course, we'll talk about how our attachment styles and how our love languages influence our relationships.

H233: Crazy Experiments: Ethics in Psychology Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ana Berman

Have you heard of the Stanford Prison Experiment where students acted as guards and prisoners in a makeshift prison in the basement of Stanford? Have you heard of the Milgram Experiment where participants thought they were potentially shocking people to death?

In this course, we'll learn about unethical experiments conducted in Psychology and talk about the importance of ethics.

H243: Science Fiction and Philosophy: Manipulating Metaphysics
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Quinton Wood

Have you ever wondered if science fiction stories like those you see in movies, books, and comic books are actually possible? What sort of lessons can we learn about the real world from fantastic and magical tales like Star Wars and The Matrix? In this course, we will break down what’s going on behind the scenes in science fiction and view how philosophers use science fiction in what they call ‘thought experiments.’ This will show us how to enhance our science fiction using philosophy and how to enhance our philosophy using science fiction.

H249: Tarot Readings: A Psychological Approach
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Josh Chou

The Sun, the Moon, the Lovers, and the Ace of Cups. You might have seen these tarot cards before, but what do they mean? More importantly, are tarot readings real? Learn more about the origins and basics to tarot, its presence in Jungian psychology, and its psychotherapeutic implications!

H251: Philosophy 101: Beyond the Instagram bio's
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Maanek Sehgal

What does it mean to be moral? Who cares about morality? Do we even exist?

Welcome to my philosophy sampler plate! This class is meant to be an introduction to philosophy, and is open to anyone - regardless of experience level. We will have a lively discussion of various ethical theories, political theories, existentialists, and more*. I look forward to meeting you all on Saturday!

*To be more specific, we will learn about utilitarianism, deontology, care ethics, Plato, Rawlsian justice, Descartes, and more.

H254: Hidden Conditioning in Comedy
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Zehua Xu

In this class, we will focus on Pavlovian (Classical) and Instrumental (Operant) Conditioning examples in comedy. Conditioning is hidden, but omnipotently everywhere! It is in Pavlov’s dogs when they salivate upon hearing the bell rings, predicting meat (Pavlovian). It is when Plankton salivates whenever he sees the Crabby burger (Pavlovian) and comes up with a million ways to steal the recipe (Instrumental). It is when Mr. Bean sees that specific pastel blue car that he decides to crash it or run over it (specific PIT). It is when walking to get veggie grill, I saw in-n-our and decided to get shakes and burgers instead (general PIT)… and much more! We will dive into the specifics of what conditioning is and how to recognize conditioning’s subtle yet powerful presence in everyday life and in the meantime crack some giggles by mastering it for our advantage!


Prerequisites
None — all are welcome! :)

H256: Critical Race Theory: Legal & Historical Perspectives
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Blue Flood

Introduction to Critical Race Theory (CRT) as an academic field. History of CRT, controversies and myths explained, and current popular discourse. Deep dive into legal construction of race in America from the Constitution to present day.


Prerequisites
Will be discussing highly controversial issues of race and identity.

H261: For Their Own Good: Exploring the Morality of Euthanasia
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: Hung-Yi Chen

Is it ever permissible to end a person's life for their own good? If so, under what circumstances?

These questions form the core of the euthanasia debate in applied ethics, and we will explore their potential answers in this course by examining the different circumstances under which euthanasia might take place and whether euthanasia is permissible under each circumstance. This course will take the form of a discussion, and students will be encouraged to contribute your own opinions and perspectives to the discussion. I look forward to exploring this fascinating subject with you!

H262: How to Ace your Way Through Writing Essays
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Angelynn Nguyen

Have you ever been stumped by an essay prompt? Experience writing block? Confused with how to take your essay from the first to final draft? WELL NO WORRIES!! This class is a crash course to learn essay fundamentals in order to develop your writing skills.

H240: Candy Auction: Understanding the 2020 Nobel Prize in Economics
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Justin Monk, Julie Tran

If you’re looking for an unforgettable hour of applied game theory economics and free food, you’ve come to the right place!

In this class, you will learn about how Robert Wilson and Paul Milgrom’s ingenious design for spectrum auctioning revolutionized global telecommunications in a fun-filled exercise using imaginary money and real candy. Each participant guaranteed a sweet treat and a good time.


Prerequisites
Bring a device you can access the internet with!

H255: Autism 101
Difficulty: **

An overview of the history of autism, the current diagnostic criteria and treatments, research directions, and social and cultural movements related to the autistic community.


Lunch

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L227: Lunch Period
Difficulty: None
Teachers:

Enjoy a break for lunch with your friends! Please register for at least one lunch period on each day of the program.


Math & Computer Science

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M230: What the Heck is Linux?
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Benson Liu, Ming Zhu

What does putting the first man on the moon, a penguin, and Linus Torvalds all have in common? They use Linux! Join us for a brief introductory exploration of one of the world’s most influential operating systems which influences everyone’s lives! From hackers trying to break into some of the world’s most secure computer systems to Amazon Web Services hosting Netflix! By the end of this quick class, you will not only be able to brag to all of your friends about knowing what Linux is but also be able to use it as well! All levels of experience with computer science are welcome! There will be tons of fun games


Prerequisites
Have a working computer with an operating system!

M246: Hands-On, Applied Machine Learning
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Rishov Chatterjee

This is a hands-on applied class which will explore one or more of the following applications:

1. Music Recommendation
2. Natural Language Understanding on Voice Assistants
3. Emotion Detection from Faces

- Students are encouraged to bring their own computers.


Prerequisites
Software Set Up Practical tutorial guide will be given as a document

M250: How do Computers Computer? An Introduction to How Computers Work
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Maanek Sehgal

Have you ever wondered what the computer did with the code on your screen? How the computer converted a bunch of text into the applications we love? This is where you can find out! We'll take a look out how computers manage memory, store human constructs like strings and integers, stack frames, x86 instructions, and much more*.

This course is designed to be an introduction to computer organization. If you already have some experience in this subject area, you may not find this interesting.

In more technical terms, we will cover binary, binary representations of data, caching memory models, and virtual memory.


Prerequisites
Students should be familiar with the following terms: - arrays (or lists) - integers - doubles - functions Students may find the class more rewarding if they have written programs involving these concepts, but even students who haven't programmed will be able to follow along (and have fun!) if they are familiar with those terms. Students should also have a rough/vague idea of what the following terms refer to: - CPU - RAM - Disk

M263: Machine Learning Applications
Difficulty: ***
Teachers: David Morley

In this course students will get a hands on introduction to machine learning and learn how to train computer vision models to classify different objects and distinguish between the meaning of different words. No experience is required and students should bring laptops as they will be developing python code in Google Colab.


Science

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S228: The Science of Flavor
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Jordin Wang

Chocolate and orange? Apple and dill? This course will teach you how to combine unlikely flavors to create stunning and unique dishes. By examining the basis of taste in human physiology and organic chemistry, you will learn how different ingredients can share compounds that make them taste great together. By the end of this seminar, you will have the tools to move away from the cookbook and start on your own culinary journey.


Prerequisites
Cooking experience preferred.

S236: Neuroscience Behind Vision and Optical Illusions
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Gil Torten

Every wondered how the eye works, and how visual input is processed in the brain? Curious about the neuroscience and synaptic processing behind Optical Illusions? Here, UCLA Ph.D student Gil Torten will walk through the basics of vision science including eye anatomy, synaptic circuitry of vision, visual processing in the brain, the neural basis behind optical illusions and more!


Prerequisites
None! Just come ready to learn :)

S238: The Role of Gender and Sex in Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Alexia Armstrong

With discussions about mental health on the rise, you may have heard a thing or two about anxiety. But what if I told you that gender and sex actually play a role in how anxiety can be experienced? And what if I also told you that by evaluating this relationship, we could improve the lives of patients with generalized anxiety disorder? In this course, we will evaluate how gender and sex affect the experience of patients with generalized anxiety disorder and explore why this interaction occurs and why it all matters.

S241: Remember This! An Introduction to Memory Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Dana Bosch

Have you ever wondered why you remember certain events? Curious about memory studies in the field of Psychology? Want to learn some cool facts about the brain?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this class is for you! Join us as we learn about our brains, discuss different types of memory, and even participate in some experiments!

S245: Brain Organoids: Stem Cell Models for Your Thinker
Difficulty: **

Our brains are the core of who we are - from our sense of self to how we interact with the world. But how does something so complex come into existence? In this course we will learn about how the human brain develops from a bunch of cells into a powerful organ with the ability to think, feel and learn.
Traditionally, the study of the brain has relied on multiple models such as the rat or the fruit fly. However, as scientists have attempted to understand the human brain such models have lacked the specificity required to answer questions about human brain development. In this course we will cover how scientists are using "mini brains", or organoids to understand the function and development of the human brain.
Together, we will learn how brains are built and how we can use brain models experimentally in order to understand basic neuroscience questions. Students will have the opportunity to design experiments and understand the building blocks of the human brain.


Prerequisites
No prerequisites, but having a background in biology from previous classes would be helpful

S265: The Building Blocks of our Brains - Crafting Neurons!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Mia Kim

Do you enjoy playing fun Kahoots and crafting with pipe cleaners? Have you ever wondered what allows us to think, move, and feel? Are you interested in the amazing little cells that make up our nervous systems? Join this course for an exciting dive into the building blocks of the brain - what we call neurons! (And to take home your very own pipe-cleaner neuron!)


Walk-in Activity

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W270: Write a Letter to Your Future Self!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Erika Nguyen

Taking a break from classes? Drop in and write a letter to your future self! You can choose any future time period to write to, whether it's yourself in one week, when you graduate high school, or in ten years! Who knows, maybe you'll end up attending UCLA and you'll be able to open a letter from when you attended Splash @ UCLA in 2022. Hope to see you (or your future self) there!

W271: Learn and Play Card Games!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ray Huang

Come play card games with us during your break or gap!


Miscellaneous

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X224: Chinese Chess (xiangqi)
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Louis Gosart

Come learn and play Chinese chess! This is a wonderful game and an interesting variation to regular western chess. The game dynamic is the same, but piece movement and some rules are slightly different. Sign-up if you want to play or learn how to play. I will explain and demonstrate different aspects of the game in class. Hope to see you there!


Prerequisites
It is highly suggested that you know how to play regular chess to understand basic piece movement and capturing.

X225: Avalon! A social deduction game
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Louis Gosart

Avalon is a social deduction game, with a dynamic very similar to mafia, in which you try to deduce who's who based on certain clues. It is easy to learn once you've play one round, and it can be incredibly fun and thrilling to play.


Prerequisites
None, however if you've played mafia before or any game like it, that is a big advantage because you'll be quite familiar with how the game's strategy works.

X231: Tackling the Big question: Who are you? - PIQs and the Common application essay Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Hripsime Dumanyan

When it comes to writing the college essays, high school students frequently struggle with the questions on the PIQS and the Common Application. They tend to overthink and dread the subject in order to contrive the "ideal" image of what college admissions officials are looking for. In this section students will discover that what college admissions officers really want to see is who they are. Students will also learn how to deal with the terrifying big question that arises on the college applications time and time again.

X234: HOW TO GET MONEY: managing your money and getting raises $ Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Daryn Nguyen

What your high school economics class did not teach you... I'm Daryn, I'm a real college graduate with a real job now.

Let me tell you everything I know about money and what I wish I had known at your age, from credit cards to stocks to retirement to asking for and getting raises. After this class, I expect all of y'all to be making bank.

This isn't a boring finance class. Yawn. We will dive deep into psychology and how to use it to your advantage to get money from your bosses. We will also be learning how to go against everything your Baby Boomer parents taught you about money, so that you can set yourself up for success!

X247: Entrepreneurship
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Rishov Chatterjee

In this course, students will learn about important concepts in entrepreneurship that will help them become more informed about what it takes to start a business. Concepts that will be explored:

- Minimal Viable Product
- Valuation
- Business Models
- Funding
- Scaling
- Teams

X248: Adulting 101- Information, real life skills and practical knowledge Full!
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Erika Villaruel

In this section we will discuss what most, if not, every adult will eventually come across and need to know. These are all topics/ real life skills many people I’ve talked to wish had been taught to them, and many adults I know are still working on/dealing with.
-How to build your credit- what’s a credit/FICO score and why is it important
-How to prepare and apply for an apartment/living space
-How to set up utilities
-How to fill out employment paperwork- signing up for a 401K and FSA (flexible spending account), etc

X252: Get Into the College of Your Dreams with the Best College Essays!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Neira Ibrahimovic

Are you wondering what it takes to get into the school of your dreams? Well look no further- this class will teach you all about how to write the perfect college essay that will make you a strong candidate for any school! Come learn about the steps to writing your essays and tips to make them better! I'll also show you all my college essays that got me into UCLA, and we can work together from there... this class is a MUST!

Disclaimer: Taking this class does not guarantee acceptance into any schools!

X253: Become Your Highest Self Today - Intro to Spirituality and Meditation
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Neira Ibrahimovic

This past few years, we have all been living through turbulent times as the world climate changes every day. However, WE have the power to be the light that this world needs. WE have so much love within us and all we need to do is learn how to access it so we could unlock our Highest Selves and become conscious leaders on Earth.

If you are interested in learning about meditation and beginning or expanding your spiritual journey, then this is the class for you. We will be practicing breath work and meditation, engaging in many powerful group activities that will shift the way you experience life, and exploring topics like self love, releasing fear of judgment and MORE.

This is the perfect class for you to tune into your inner self and illuminate the light that you all carry within. I hope to see you there!

X257: A Guide to Being Pre-med Full!
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Leslie Avilez

General information on what it means to be premed in high school and college.

X259: Networking and Building Professional Relationships
Difficulty: *

Do you want to learn how to build professional relationships? Join this class to learn how to create your LinkedIn profile and expand your network, so you’re equipped with the right tools to navigate your professional life!

X260: Test Taking 101
Difficulty: *
Teachers: Ray Huang

Want tips on studying strategies and how to survive college? Join today and learn from a professional crammer! We'll learn the best ways to study for and approach standardized tests.

X223: The California Community College System
Difficulty: **
Teachers: Ani Sahakyan

Community Colleges are often the last resort when it comes to college choices. However, they can be an excellent choice in some circumstances. In this section, we will talk and learn more about the California Community College system and its advantages, how to navigate around it, tips and tricks, and will hear success transfer stories from various people. Come with any questions you have!


Prerequisites
General understanding of the college system will be very useful!

X258: Dog Training: A Hands On Lesson Full!
Difficulty: **

Have a puppy at home? Or want one someday? Knowing how to train dogs is a useful skill that will wow your friends and family, and make your life much easier. Dog training draws on the fields of zoology, psychology, biology, genetics, and even sociology! Learn about behaviorism, Pavlov, and Skinner. Practice the right approach to training a dog (or any conscious being really) using positive reinforcement!


Prerequisites
Feels safe and comfortable seeing, touching, and handling medium/large sized dogs.