The Centre for Talented Youth, Ireland - Young Student Course Descriptions

Course Descriptions - Saturday Courses for 8-12 year olds

Art Design	This class aims to provide an introduction to modern/contemporary styles of art and design, through a range of practical techniques. Working with a variety of materials, the focus is on the idea that modern art disregards rules, and encourages play. Beginning with early twentieth century art the class progresses by looking at a different artist/movement every week. This provides a format for the practical work which varies from painting to model and collage making. Techniques covered include, collage, painting from life and creating from found materials. This is accompanied by designing and making objects from paper fashion to functional clay pieces.
Biotechnology	Have you heard of Dolly the Sheep? Did you know that some animals have now been cloned? Biotechnology is all around us, with our food being altered by science to taste nicer and look better, with our medicines and hospital procedures using biotechnology to save lives, as well as futuristic diagnostic kits to tell you whether you have a disease before you even get sick! This course will introduce students to biotechnology as well as getting them to debate the pros and cons of this new science. Students will also get a chance to carry out some experiments including growing microrganisms, looking at their own bacteria- from their skin - on agar plates and extracting DNA from fruit.
Body Parts	The human body is full of secrets, from the gory to the glorious. In this course, we will uncover some of those secrets like: why does it hurt when you fall? How do we hear? How do we speak? How do our muscles work? And most importantly, what happens when something goes wrong? We will be examining the human body as well as the brain to help understand why we are the way we are. Fun practical activities will be included.
Book vs. Film	You've read the book, you've watched the film....and they differ....dramatically. Libraries are like sweet-shops to film-makers! This course will look at the many books that have been rejuvenated in celluloid. Students will study the process of script writing, story editing, character building, film development - essentially how film makers take a piece of text and translate it into a workable, visual masterpiece. Students will also work backwards, taking films that began as scripts and develop written excerpts. Learn how books like Harry Potter or Charlie & the Chocolate Factory transformed to the silver screen. This course is not Film Studies. It's not Imaginative Writing. It's a very interesting mixture of the two! Parents should note that age appropriate excerpts from films rated G, PG and 12A, according to IFCO, will be show on this course.
Chemistry	This is a practical ¡°hands-on¡± course. Students will have the opportunity to explore a range of experimental elements of chemistry from basics such as solutions and mixtures to the speed of reactions and the structure of chemical bonds.
Codes and Ciphers	Everybody loves cracking codes to solve problems. This course will look at various secret codes that are used widely in society today. Students will get the chance to participate in code cracking games and also to develop their own codes to encrypt their own secret information. This course is a must for people who love solving puzzles and are interested in the magical secrets of numbers and codes.
Computer Gaming	Have you ever wondered how computer games are made and if you could make your own game? Come on this course and you will indeed get to make your own games as well as learning some of the basics of the technology behind the games. Platform, adventure and arcade games are just some of the types that will be made and discussed.
Computers and Animation	This course will teach the fundamentals of Computers focusing on Computer Programming through the creation of basic programs, games and animations. It will take advantage of two freely available education oriented tools; Scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu) and Alice (http://www.alice.org).
Create a Book	Have you ever thought about writing your own book? A new epic unlike anything the world has seen or just a simple story for your enjoyment? Have you ever thought that the stories, ideas and images in your head belong on paper for yourself or others to enjoy? Is the next great novel waiting inside you just itching to get out? Then this is the course for you, in this course you will learn the basics and methods of writing, such as the structure of stories, the ways a plot can develop, making your characters seem really, well, real. This is your chance to put your words to paper!
Cutting Edge Science	This exciting course explores the amazing world of futuristic science and biotechnology. Ever wondered what it would be like to be cloned? How to use stem cells to grow a new arm? How food is genetically modified and does it taste different? How we can use DNA to treat diseases? Ever thought about how infectious diseases are spread or how many different types of bacteria are on your shoe? If you are interested in finding out the answers to these questions this course will cover all these topics and many more. Students who have previously taken Science of Tomorrow should note that this course is very similar and will cover much of the same material.
Engineering	This course aims to introduce students to some of the core principles underlying the study of engineering. Engineers are important to many things that shape the world around us such as the design of computer chips, rocket science and advanced technology. There will be a practical element to this course, with students constructing their own bridges and examining engineering in everyday life.
Forensic Science	This exciting course will give students the chance to study forensics. Students will get the chance to solve a forensic mystery and also to explore various aspects of physical science.
Graphic Design	Do you create your own posters? Or dream of seeing your advertisement in a magazine? Then this course is for you! All around us in the world today graphic designers have created advertisements, logos, posters etc. through the use of words and pictures to spread messages to us. Through looking at its origins and seeing how it is changed over the years this exciting course will give students the opportunity to use both traditional and technological means in the highly interactive process of generating their very own graphic design!
Horrid Histories	Delve deep into the past in this gruesome, gory but highly fascinating course. Uncover the world¡¯s most historic events and era¡¯s in a way like you have never learnt them before! This course aims to explore the most ghastly times in history from the ¡®Unruly Romans¡¯ to the ¡®Wicked World War¡¯s¡¯ and beyond. Through using both book and interactive technologies students can expect to be brought back to those terrible times- history never has been so horrid!
Lasers, Lights, Illusions	This course will introduce our younger students to lasers, where through simple applications they will see how lasers function, and get some idea of their multiple uses in science and healthcare. It will also study light, and conduct numerous experiments and demonstrations to help explain it. As well as explaining how light enables us to see, the course will then look at optical illusions, and how they manage to confuse our eyes and brains!
Marine Biology	The exciting world under the sea! You'll get to learn about some interesting specimens such as sharks, dolphins and sea-turtles, and will get the chance to dissect fish to see how they differ from humans. You'll also get the chance to examine seaweeds, limpets and more and learn whey they're important to sea-life surviving.
Mechanical Engineering	Mechanical Engineering combines the principles of physics and material science. It includes design and manufacturing. On this course students are likely to encounter the use of computer-aided design in the development of different mechanical systems. Students will learn how this branch of engineering has brought about aircrafts, robotics, medical devices and transportation systems. This hands on course will be of interest to students who have an interest in engineering and design.
Medicine	This exciting course will bring the student on a fascinating journey of human health. It will cover both ways to keep you healthy such as nutrition, exercise and laughter! It will also explain how modern medicine can help people recover from illness - from first-aid to hospital care. The course will trace the evolution of medicine from ancient times (where electric eels were used to numb patients!) to the present day where high tech diagnostic equipment (MRI / X-rays) allow doctors to help even more people than before. Discover how your heart beats, how your muscles move, what headaches are and how Aspirin makes pain disappear.
Microbiology	Did you know that you have bacteria living inside and outside your body, and some of these microbes are good and bad for you. On this course you'll get to grow your own bacteria that was found on you on agar plates, as well as extracting DNA from fruit. You'll also learn about some exotic bacteria and viruses that hopefully you'll never get or you'll end up in quarantine!
Model United Nations	Famine, disaster, war, epidemic and the environment; at the Model United Nations you will learn much about world politics through real life situations. Learning the skills of debate and negotiation, you will put forward your case for your country. Discuss, confer, bargain, agree, collaborate and cooperate with other countries. This is real world politics and every decision will have immense consequences. This course will suit students who have an interest in debating and are concerned with world justice and fairness.
Multimedia	This computer science based course will introduce current technology found in the computer science industry with an emphasis on multimedia computing and web design. Each class will consist of theoretical and practical parts. The practical side of the class will see the students creating their own websites and manipulating multimedia in digital format. The theoretical side of the course will focus on technology and literature reviews of several domains of computer science, including: computer forensics, security, the Internet and network computing, computer gaming and digital entertainment and foundations of computer science.
Photography	Students will be taken through the most common settings on digital cameras and learn what is going on ¡®behind the scenes¡¯. In each class they will learn about different photographic techniques and put what they have learned into practice. They will then learn about some photo editing techniques, and utilise their new skills on their own pictures. A practical beginner¡¯s photography course covering concepts such as positioning, composition, aperture, shutter speed and sensitivity, with some basic digital editing. Students should bring their own digital camera with them to class.
Who do you think you are?	Uncover your ancestry on this new genealogy course. Here, students will be guided individually on how to source information from living relatives, national archives as well as other primary and secondary sources to piece together the story of those who went before them. As well as an ongoing individual project over the course of the 8 weeks, students will explore the heredity of notable individuals. Did you know that Britney Spears was related to former US presidential candidate John Edwards? Or that Brad Pitt and Barack Obama are 9th cousins? I bet you didn¡¯t know that actor Tom Hanks is a descendant of Abraham Lincoln. Learn about these and other fascinating connections. By the end of the course students should have a comprehensive family tree created and the research skills to further add to their own person history.
The World of Harry Potter	Calling all Muggles: Did you know that you too can play quidditch and perform feats of magic? As well as some fun practical activities, students will delve into the mythical world of Harry Potter and will deconstruct the books to find links between Harry's world and our own: examining topics such as whether snakes and owls really are mystical beasts; whether there is any proof of the existence of goblins and fairies; and if the so-called witches and wizards in our society have anything in common with the wizards and witches in Hogwarts.
Zoology	This course will look at the greatest scientific marvel of all - Life on Earth. We will explore the world of great beasts on earth (saber tooth tigers, woolly mammoths). The course will document the great diversity of life on modern earth - from the mighty blue whale in the seas to the animals of the great plains. We will also look at the wild world of Ireland and show the student that even at home, the more you know, the more you see.

 

Course Descriptions - Saturday Courses for 6-7 year olds

Body Parts	The human body is full of secrets, from the gory to the glorious. In this course, we will uncover some of those secrets like: why does it hurt when you fall? How do we hear? How do we speak? How do our muscles work? And most importantly, what happens when something goes wrong? We will be examining the human body as well as the brain to help understand why we are the way we are. Fun practical activities will be included.
Chemistry	This is a practical ¡°hands-on¡± course. Students will have the opportunity to explore a range of experimental elements of chemistry from basics such as solutions and mixtures to the speed of reactions and the structure of chemical bonds.
Computers	Who remembers a world without computers or can even imagine one without them? What do computers do for you day to day and what could you expect to do without them. Computers do more than just play games, they help us launch rockets to space, perform delicate surgery or help students in their studies of, well, pretty much anything. This course will give you the chance to put your computer skills to the test and learn some new ways of using one of the most important tools of the modern world including programming and solving problems you thought unsolvable!
Engineering	This course aims to introduce students to some of the core principles underlying the study of engineering. Engineers are important in many things that shape the world around us such as computer chips, rocket science and advanced technology. There will be a practical element to this course, with students constructing their own bridges and looking at engineering in everyday life.
Explorers	Do you think you have what it takes to be the next Tom Crean? If you want to canoe down the Amazon, ice skate in the Antarctic, trek through the great deserts and jungles then this is the course for you! This course will tell you more about the most exotic places in the world and how to survive in them, and also how important it is that we protect these amazing landscapes. Famous case studies and the stories behind famous explorers will be told and some fun activities on how to explore will be included.
Horrid Histories	Delve deep into the past in this gruesome, gory but highly fascinating course. Uncover the world¡¯s most historic events and era¡¯s in a way like you have never learnt them before! This course aims to explore the most ghastly times in history from the ¡®Unruly Romans¡¯ to the ¡®Wicked World War¡¯s¡¯ and beyond. Through using both book and interactive technologies students can expect to be brought back to those terrible times- history never has been so horrid!
Chemistry	This is a practical ¡°hands-on¡± course. Students will have the opportunity to explore a range of experimental elements of chemistry from basics such as solutions and mixtures to the speed of reactions and the structure of chemical bonds.
Veterinary Science	Are there snakes in Ireland? Does Funghi the dolphin really enjoy the company of humans? Come explore the creatures on our shore from marine life off the coast of Dublin to the creatures that lurk deep in our forests and high in the hills! Then take a safari to hear about more exotic animals and their habitats in other countries.