Super Saturdays
Registration for Super Saturdays is open!
Looking for something exciting and educational to do on a Saturday this school year? Join us on campus or online for one of our amazing Super Saturdays! Students in grades 1-12 can make new friends while growing their skills and knowledge in Saturday classes hosted by Baylor TIP! All gifted students are welcome to enroll.
Course information can be found below.
Click here to register for online December classes.
Date and Time
December 9, 2023 (online)
Registration closes December 1!
Class Times
Students have two class options for each December Super Saturday session: a morning course (9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.) and an afternoon course (1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.).
Cost
$75 per 3-hour course
Students who take both a morning and afternoon class on the same date will receive a $25 discount (total cost of two classes is $125). Lunch is included for students who enroll in two in-person classes on the same day.
Need-based financial aid is available. Please email BaylorTIP@baylor.edu for an application.
December 9, 2023 (online)
Grades 4–5
A Christmas Comedy: How to Write a TV Script (AM)
This holiday classic has yet to be written, but by the end of the day, we will have a script. Students will learn introductory script writing for television and team up with other script writing students to craft a new holiday sitcom. In addition to the technical skills of script writing, students will explore the elements of classic sitcom humor and drama.
"Marley Was Dead": A Creative Reading of Dickens' A Christmas Carol (PM)
While many students are exposed to creative writing in school, in this class students will be introduced to creative reading. Creative reading utilizes skills like idea generation, conceptual combination, and alternative possibilities. Students will read Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol prior to attending the course. Once in class, students will engage in a Socratic Seminar to first tackle the analytical side of this literary masterpiece. Then the creative work will begin as students generate new ideas to shine new light on this story and on holiday stories in general.
Grades 6–7
DaVinci: Engineer and Artist (AM)
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was an Italian polymath, a man of wide-ranging abilities, interests, and learning. Often described first as an artist and an engineer, his other titles include scientist, theorist, philosopher, architect, inventor, physiognomist, urban planner, and visionary. Markedly curious, da Vinci recorded detailed observations of nature and his ideas in notebooks (in backwards handwriting for security). He conceived many modern inventions (e.g., the helicopter) centuries before there was technology to create them! Students in this class will explore the mind and creations of a man who was “before his time.”
New Expressions: Not Your Grandma's Poetry Class (PM)
While poetry can take many different forms, this course focuses on innovative and abstract poetry methods. Students will read and create a variety of poems, including Blackout Poetry and Found Poetry – two forms that allow the poet to express themselves through the creative use of words and phrases found in other written works, such as books, articles, memoirs, speeches, letters, scripts, song lyrics, documents, advertisements, and other poems.
Grades 8–12
Creative Problem Solving: The Art of Innovation (AM)
Innovation is critical to the success of any enterprise, whether the organization is a 100-year-old corporation or a start-up non-profit. In this course, students will practice the fundamental habits of the innovative mind as they apply the creative problem-solving process to different scenarios. Creative problem solving is an eight-step process that moves from an initial problem definition through idea generation and evaluation to implementation and solution monitoring. Students who know how to apply the creative problem-solving process are several steps closer to successful innovation.
The Science of Friendship in a Digital World (PM)
The science of friendship indicates that people who have friends and close confidants are more satisfied with their lives and less likely to suffer from depression, heart problems, and a range of chronic diseases in adulthood. However, the construct of friendship may be more complex than we expect. In this course, students will uncover what it means to be a friend and maintain friendships from the perspective of both humanities and science. Students will explore how social interactions and friendships differ in digital spaces as well, and they will conclude with an understanding of how social scientists study the complex details of common facets of life.
Click here to register for February in-person classes at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
Date and Time
February 3, 2024
Registration closes January 20!
Class Times
Students will be in one class from 8:30-2:30.
Cost
$100 per course, includes lunch
Families who register for the GT Parent Conference at Baylor on the same day will receive a discount code for $25 off the course cost when they complete their registration for the conference.
Need-based financial aid is available. Please email BaylorTIP@baylor.edu for an application.
February 3, 2024
Grades 1-3
Creative Problem Solving
Innovation is critical to the success of any enterprise. Learn about the creative problem-solving process and strengthen your own skills as you seek to find innovative solutions to problems across a variety of disciplines.
Grades 4-5
Math in Nature
Learn about the Fibonacci Sequence and how it is expressed throughout nature in fractals and the Golden Spiral. As part of this class, you will create your own fractal representations in both 2D and 3D.
Unearthing the Past: An Archaeological Adventure
Step into the shoes of archaeologists and explore fascinating new worlds in this engaging and hands-on class. Through interactive activities and discussions, you will discover how archaeologists uncover clues about the past, piece together ancient puzzles, and gain a deeper understanding of human history.
Grades 6-7
Color and Watercolor
Create original artworks through the application of multiple watercolor techniques. Together, we will experiment with color theory, and you will emerge with a better understanding of how watercolor artworks can be both vibrant and exciting.
The Future of Artificial Intelligence
Science fiction often becomes science fact. Artificial Intelligence has been predicted in literature and film as far back as 1926 and has become a part of our present reality. What kind of reality is it? Do we have a chance to shape it, or is the future inevitable? Let’s explore together the opportunities we have to imagine and predict the future of A.I. We will imagine the future together, and who knows, maybe you will even start on a path to making it come true!
Grades 8-12
A Scientist’s Guide to Talking to the Public: Introduction to Science Communication
Science communication or sci-comm refers to how we transmit ideas, methods, knowledge, and research to non-expert audiences in an accessible and understandable way. Engaging an audience, building a relationship and trust with them, and telling good stories can sometimes go so much further than just facts can. In order to do this, science communicators have to draw on multiple disciplines, from the social sciences to the humanities to the sciences to the arts. This course will help you begin your journey as a science communicator by introducing you to the field’s fundamental principles and methods. As you examine real-world examples of sci-comm in a variety of fields, you’ll learn how these pieces of media employ rhetorical tools to engage their ideal audiences, and you will utilize that knowledge to produce your own sci-comm proposal.
UIL Math
Sharpen your mathematical skills for Academic UIL competitions! Dive deep into the intricacies of math competitions as we unravel invaluable strategies, insider tips, and engaging activities designed to elevate your performance. Whether you're a seasoned competitor or a budding enthusiast, this course promises to make math competitions a thrilling challenge. Discover the joy of learning while honing your skills in a fun and supportive environment. Elevate your performance and embrace the thrill of academic competition with us!