Lakeside School

Students discover the creative process of designing and coding their very own apps with App Lab. No programming experience needed to learn this block based coding platform. Students will quickly learn how to code with JavaScript to create small applications that live on the web. Through the creation of an original app, students will explore fundamental computer science concepts such as conditional statements, event handling, and effective user interface and design principles. Don’t just use an app, create one!

Have you ever wondered how Amazon figures out what products to show you on their web page? Or how Netflix recommends movies they believe you are likely to see? These questions and many more can be answered by analyzing data. The more data you analyze, the better your answers will be. In this introductory course you will learn the science of interpreting large quantities of data and extracting useful information from it.

Where do diseases come from? How does the first person get them? How do they spread? Get ready to dive into the mysteries of biology and explore some big questions. From molecules to worldwide populations, be prepared to investigate the big-picture and microscopic aspects of biology in a completely hands-on and interactive way.

Spend some time playing with equipment from the Lakeside Makerspace!  You will use building materials such as craft sticks, corks, cardboard, dowels, hot glue and duct tape to engineer structures for friendly competitions. You will also learn to use our laser cutter and and learn basic coding through projects like designing a robot.

From microscopic copepods to underwater forests and massive sharks, the marine environment is teeming with impressive organisms, ecosystems, and phenomena to investigate. During this introductory marine biology course, we will learn about the diversity of marine ecosystems on Earth before we conduct a more in-depth examination of our local Puget Sound. We’ll use microscopes to take a close look at live plankton samples and then learn about the mollusks, crustaceans, worms, algae, cnidarians, birds, mammals, and echinoderms we’re most likely to encounter here on our beaches. We will also address some of the conservation issues that most impact our waters and, at the end of the week (COVID-safety permitting), we will visit the intertidal to observe and actually meet some of our favorite local marine species!

Enjoy math? Do you like to play with numbers?  In this class, you will explore many areas of mathematics by solving puzzles and playing games.  Some of these puzzles will be activities you can do on your own – great amusements to keep you enthralled for hours on a rainy day. Most, however, will be interactive, hands-on games that you and your classmates will play together.  Build your math and logic skills while you explore great math puzzles and games, some which have stumped people for generations and others which are completely new inventions.  Join us for some puzzle-solving fun!

Are you interested in health, medicine, or physiology?  If so, this is the class for you!  Throughout the week, you will do hands-on investigations focusing on different body systems.  Each day you get to explore different organs, conduct labs to see how they work, attempt to build working models, and put your problem-solving skills to the test to diagnose patients with mystery ailments.  Get ready to grab your clipboard and put on your doctor's coat! 

Take your learning to new heights by exploring the science behind flight. Learn the elementary principles of flight such as lift, weight, thrust, drag, and Bernoulli’s Principle. Then apply your knowledge to hands-on experiments involving rocketry and drones. The week culminates in designing and building your own flying machine!

Create unique animations and video games with Python, a widely used general-purpose programming language! You'll start off with drag and drop lines of code, then get into editing individual lines as you learn to make projects your own. Each class introduces a new skill or concept with a new program to create. At the end of the class, you'll create a final program of your own design!

Did you ever wonder if “warp speed” or “hyperdrive” is really possible? Or whether there might be intelligent life on other planets? In this class, you will explore the actual physics, astronomy, and engineering concepts that inspired scenes from Star Trek, Star Wars, and even Harry Potter! The week will culminate in designing your own space ship (or other modes of transportation) based on the principles you have learned.

Have you ever wondered what type of tree is in your backyard? Or which bird is waking you up before your alarm every morning? Although it’s not what often comes to mind when we think of 'nature,' the urban environment of Seattle is indeed a robust ecosystem full of diverse critters that live among us. In this course, we will explore the Lakeside campus and nearby parks and neighborhoods to learn about native plants, birds, mammals, amphibians, invertebrates, and fungi. Throughout the course, you will be able to design and conduct your own ecological investigations of how these organisms interact with each other, the environment, and humans. We will develop our species identification and natural observation skills to help us better understand the living systems we belong to so we can ensure our coexistence with the other species that call Seattle home.  

Explore the design and structure of web pages with an introduction to HTML, the internet’s fundamental programming language! You'll learn how to arrange content and insert text, images, and links into web pages. As you advance, you'll incorporate CSS to change fonts, add borders and colors, and much more. By the end of the course, you’ll create a web page of your own design as a final project!

This class is a fun and interactive introduction to stagecraft. Every day, we will focus on a different aspect of acting: voice, movement, characterization, and ensemble building. We will also play lots of theater games! The week will culminate in a Friday scene performance so students can showcase all they have learned.

Students in this class will learn to present hot-button issues in a concise, clear, persuasive way through mock debates. They will learn how to organize ideas, write speeches, and present a line of reasoning. Have fun getting into friendly yet lively arguments about real-life issues!

Ever want to be a DJ? Do you find yourself dreaming up tunes and beats? In this class, you will learn the basics of music production and editing using Audacity, a digital audio workstation. Our week will culminate with a class party (dancing optional), in which we share our musical creations.

Drawing is the foundation of all art. During this action-packed week students will learn various techniques and complete a series of drawings and sketches. Skills covered will include drawing from life, value study, and incorporating the elements of design. Students will use a range of media, including pencil, ink, and charcoal. All levels of experience are welcome.

Through chef demonstrations and hands-on cooking, you’ll learn a variety of cooking skills. We will discuss basic cooking methods and tips, ingredient selection, and plating techniques. Around the world you will go, having fun while learning to cook the fresh, exciting flavors of Asia; iconic cuisines of the Americas; and the aromatic flavors found throughout the Mediterranean. Our cooking boot camp will culminate in a friendly group “top chef” competition on the final day of our journey!

Color is such an exciting way to explore one’s creativity! Over the course of this week, students will learn the concepts of color mixing, color theory, and brush techniques. Painting both from observation and from their imaginations, students will explore multiple forms of media and complete a variety of fun projects. All levels of experience are welcome.

Have you ever wanted to make your own greeting cards or wall art? Have fun exploring the many ways to create art through printmaking!  Students will learn a variety of printmaking methods, including: stencils, reductive, additive, draw-through, and linocut.

If you can dream it, you can make it! Students will explore the world of sculpture through clay, paper, wire and felt. Students will have fun while learning different sculpture techniques and mediums. They will create a variety of 3D art projects such as reliefs, animals, food, vessels, and more!

Neil Gaiman wrote that short stories are “journeys you can make to the far side of the universe and still be back in time for dinner.” In this class, learn how to write an impactful short story using techniques established by well-known authors. Over the course of the week, you will read several short stories and write one of your own!