The Center for Gifted ~ Midwest Torrance Center for Creativity
2017 Summer with the Center!
Unique summer challenges for advanced learners!
Summer Wonders
Tinker-a-Thon
Project 17
Grades preK-12!
Barrington
Glenview
Buffalo Grove
Naperville
Chicago
Skokie
Crete
Wheaton
Elmhurst
‘
Worlds of Wisdom and Wonder
The Center for Gifted is a not-for-profit organization under IRC Section 501(c)(3)
Innovation and Imagination as a Way of Life
The greatest gift we can impart to children and young people is a creative life, with explorations in
music, art, film, performing arts, and any of the more innovative fields in math, science, technology, engineering,
or business. A creative life is a state of openness that applies to everything we do. Children tap into this creative
essence as they go about discovering the world around them with fresh eyes. They are scientists, mathematicians, poets, and artists, and they carry out their expeditions in a state of wonder. We love this quality in
children; through them, we re-discover our own creativity and how big and glorious the world can be.
2017 Summer Overview
Project 2017
July 17 - August 4
Grades 6-12
Elmhurst College
190 Prospect Ave.
Elmhurst
Tinker-A-Thon
A Makerspace for Younger
Students!
July 17 - August 4
Grades 1 - 5
Elmhurst College
190 S. Prospect Ave.
Elmhurst
Summer Wonders
Grades PreK-8
Meridian Middle School
2195 Brandywn
Buffalo Grove
Session I: June 7 - 16
Session II: June 19 - 23
Session III: June 26 - July 7
Session IV: July 10 - 14
Worlds of Wisdom and Wonder
Grades PreK-8
Barrington
Lines Elementary School
217 S. Eastern Ave.
Session I: July 10-14
Session II: July 17-21
Chicago
Audubon Elementary School
3500 N. Hoyne Ave.
Session I - August 7-11
Session II - August 14-18
Crete
Mother Teresa Catholic Academy
24201 S. Kings Rd.
July 24-28
Elmhurst
Bryan Middle School
111 W. Butterfield Rd.
Session I: June 19-23
Session II: June 26-30
Questions?? 847.901.0173
Glenview
The Center for Gifted
1926 Waukegan Rd.
Session I: July 17-21 (grades
1-3 only)
Session II: July 24-28
Session III: July 31-August 4
Session IV: August 7-11
Session V: August 14-18
Session VI: August 21-25
(individual days)
Naperville
Prairie Elementary School
500 S. Charles Ave.
June 12-23
Skokie
McCracken Middle School
8000 East Prairie Rd.
Session I: June 26-30
Session II: July 10-14
Wheaton
Madison Elementary School
1620 Mayo Ave.
Session I - July 17-21
Session II - July 24-28
Worlds of Wisdom and Wonder
Grades PreK-8
Chicago
Elmhurst
Audubon Elementary School
3500 N. Hoyne Ave., Chicago
Bryan Middle School
111 W. Butterfield Rd., Elmhurst
Session I - August 7-11
Session I: June 19-23
Lines Elementary School
217 S. Eastern Ave., Barrington
All About the Farm (PreK-K)
Science Explorers (PreK-K)
Architectural Engineering (4-8)
Art Is Ideas (K-8)
Chess, Math, and Finch Robots (K-2)
Conquer the Cube (3-8)
Creative Writing (1-8)
Digital Photography (4-8)
Electricity and Play Dough Circuits (K-5)
Grossology of Biology (1-4)
Makerspace (4-8)
Minecraft (3-8)
Science and Star Wars (3-8)
Things that Fly, Float, and Flee:
Mechanical and Animal (K-3)
Web Game Design with Scratch (3-6)
Session I: July 10-14
Session II - August 14-18
Science, Nature, and Wonderment (PreK-K)
World Class Explorers (PreK-K)
3-D Math (3-6)
Architectural Engineering (4-8)
Edible Chemistry (K-2)
Get Published! (5-8)
Human Biology (1-5)
Just Write! (1-4)
Lego Mindstorms Robotics (3-8)
Lego WeDo Robotics (K-3)
Mask Madness! (K-3)
Math Games Around the World (K-2)
Minecraft (3-8)
Monsters of the Microworld (3-8)
Optical Illusions and Other Ways to Trick
Your Brain (3-8)
Painter’s Studio (3-8)
Sweet Science: Chemistry of Candy (3-8)
All About the Farm (PreK-K)
Science Explorers (PreK-K)
Bubbles: Science and Art (K-4)
Chess, Math, and Finch Robots (K-2)
Conquer the Cube (3-8)
Create Your Own Country! (2-6)
Creative Writing (1-8)
Grossology of Biology (1-4)
Java Bootcamp (5-8)
Makerspace (4-8)
Makey Makey (3-8)
Slopes and Slides:
Math and Engineering (3-8)
Solder and Build: Electronics Lab (5-8)
Who’s in the Zoo? Amazing Animals and
Creative Creatures! (K-4)
Wonders and Blunders of Science (K-2)
African Safari (PreK-K)
It’s a Bug’s Life (PreK-K)
Balloonatics (3-8)
Dynamic Dramatics (K-8)
Lego Mindstorms Robotics (3-8)
Lego WeDo Robotics (K-3)
Makey Makey (3-8)
Mask Madness! (K-3)
Math Games Around the World (K-2)
Minecraft (3-8)
Painter’s Studio (3-8)
Solder and Build: Electronics Lab (5-8)
Tinker Space (1-4)
Wonders and Blunders of Science (K-2)
Session II: July 17-21
Mother Teresa Catholic Academy
24201 S. Kings Rd, Crete
Barrington
Rainforest Adventures (PreK-K)
Soaking Up Science (PreK-K)
Crazy Chemical Concoctions (K-5)
Harry Potter-Ology (3-8)
Handmade Happiness (3-8)
Lego Mindstorms Robotics (3-8)
Lego WeDo Robotics (K-3)
Math of Chance (1-5)
Mixed Media Masterpieces (K-5)
Science and Star Wars (3-8)
Science Experiments with Toys (K-3)
Skyscraper Design and Construction (3-8)
Solder and Build: Electronics Lab (5-8)
Stop-Motion Animation (3-8)
Tales Around the World (K-3)
Writing Short Stories (4-8)
Crete
July 24-28
Rainforest Adventures (PreK-K)
Soaking Up Science (PreK-K)
Electricity and Play Dough Circuits (K-5)
Lego Mindstorms Robotics (3-8)
Lego WeDo Robotics (K-3)
Makerspace (4-8)
Mathemagicians (K-2)
Outer Space Escapades (K-2)
Science and Star Wars (3-8)
Science Experiments with Toys (K-3)
Slopes and Slides:
Math and Engineering (3-8)
Web Game Design with Scratch (3-8)
Session II: June 26-30
Books Galore and More! (PreK-K)
Space Explorers (PreK-K)
Art Makes Music! (K-3)
Chemistry of the World (1-5)
Chess for Beginners (K-3)
Chess Games and Strategies (3-8)
Conquer the Cube (3-8)
Digital Photography (4-8)
Finch Robots and Math Explorations (K-2)
Makey Makey (3-8)
Mysterious Math (3-6)
Play with Your Food! Creativity, Science,
and Microwave Cooking (1-5)
Science and Star Wars (3-8)
Science Fiction Writing Workshop (4-8)
Solder and Build: Electronics Lab (5-8)
Who’s in the Zoo? Amazing Animals and Creative Creatures! (K-4)
Wonders and Blunders of Science (K-2)
Glenview
Naperville
Skokie
The Center for Gifted
1926 Waukegan Rd, Suite 2, Glenview
Prairie Elementary School
500 S. Charles Ave., Naperville
McCracken Middle School
8000 East Prairie Rd., Skokie
Session I: July 17-21 (grades 1-3 only)
June 12-23
AM:
Let’s Build a City!
PM:
Wonders and Blunders of Science
It’s a Bug’s Life (PreK-K)
Science, Nature, and Wonderment (PreK-K)
Chemistry Lab (3-8)
Chess for Beginners (K-3)
Chess Games and Strategies (3-8)
Digital Photography (4-8)
Grossology of Biology (1-4)
Lego Mindstorms Robotics (3-8)
Lego WeDo Robotics (K-3)
Makerspace (4-8)
Makey Makey (3-8)
Math and Science of Building (K-3)
Science and Star Wars (3-8)
Who’s in the Zoo? Amazing Animals and Creative Creatures! (K-4)
Wonders and Blunders of Science (K-2)
Zany Cube or Colorful Quilt? Fantastic
Fabric Creations! (3-8)
Session II: July 24-28 (grades 1-5)
AM:
Chess, Math, and Finch Robots
Who’s in the Zoo? Amazing
Animals and Creative Creatures!
PM:
Chemistry of the World
STEM with SteAm: Moto-Pets
Session III: July 31-August 4 (grades 1-5)
AM:
Create Slime, Flubber, and Other Fun Polymers!
Stop-Motion Animation
PM:
Lego WeDo and Mindstorms
Robotics
Science Experiments with Toys
Session IV: August 7-11 (grades 1-5)
AM:
Electricity and Play Dough Circuits
Things that Fly, Float, and Flee:
Mechanical and Animal
PM:Chocolate-Ology
Tech Wonders
Session V: August 14-18 (grades 1-5)
AM:
Stories and Art
Tinker Space
PM:
Grossology of Biology
Math of Chance
Session VI: August 21-25 (grades 1-5)
Grades 1-3
AM: Science Lab
PM: Technology and Art I
Grades 3-5
AM: Technology and Art II
PM: Science Lab
Science Lab Daily Focus:
Monday: Distraction Reactions
Tuesday: Physics of Wind
Wednesday: Biology in Nature (1-3)
DNA: The Blueprint for Life (3-5)
Thursday: Geological Forces of Nature
Friday: Engineering Egg-Stravaganza!
Session I: June 26-30
Books Galore and More! (PreK-K)
Space Explorers (PreK-K)
Animal Stories and Art:
From Peter Rabbit to the Pigeon (K-3)
Crazy Chemical Concoctions (K-5)
Design, Build, and Program
Robot Creatures (5-8)
Dynamic Dramatics (K-8)
Electricity and Play Dough Circuits (K-5)
Mathemagicians (K-2)
Mysterious Math (3-8)
Optical Illusions and Other Ways to Trick Your Brain (3-8)
Painter’s Studio (3-8)
Science and Star Wars (3-8)
SumoBots (3-8; PM only)
Tinker Space (1-4)
Web Game Design with Scratch (3-8)
Session II: July 10-14
Rainforest Adventures (PreK-K)
Soaking Up Science (PreK-K)
Algebra to Zero (1-4)
Art Is Ideas (K-8)
Chocolate-Ology (K-5)
Creative Writing (1-8)
Dinosaurs, Fossils, and Digs (K-3)
Flying Copter Drones Makerspace (3-8)
Lego Mindstorms Robotics (3-8)
Lego WeDo Robotics (K-3)
Makey Makey (3-8)
Math and Art (5-8)
Minecraft (3-8)
Monsters of the Microworld (3-8)
Science Experiments with Toys (K-3)
Worlds of Wisdom and Wonder
Full Day (9:00-3:00), AM (9:00-11:40), and PM (12:20-3:00)
Tuition per Session:
$420 Full Day
$210 Half Day
Glenview Session VI Only: (Individual Days)
$90 Full Day
$45 Half Day
Naperville Program: (10 days)
Full Day (8:30-11:10), AM (11:50 - 2:30), and PM (8:30-2:30)
$840 Full Day
$420 Half Day
Extended Care is available at all programs for $9/hour. See individual program
flyers or the summer overview on our website for specific details.
Summer Wonders - Buffalo Grove
Grades preK-8
Wheaton
Madison Elementary School
1620 Mayo Ave., Wheaton
Session I - July 17-21
Rainforest Adventures (PreK-K)
Soaking Up Science (PreK-K)
Animal Stories and Art:
From Peter Rabbit to the Pigeon (K-3)
Chemistry of the World (1-5)
Chess, Math, and Finch Robots (K-2)
Conquer the Cube (3-7)
Makerspace (4-7)
Monsters of the Microworld (3-7)
Mysterious Math (3-7)
Outer Space Escapades (K-2)
Play with Your Food! Creativity, Science,
and Microwave Cooking (1-5)
Science and Star Wars (3-7)
Solder and Build: Electronics Lab (5-7)
Things that Fly, Float, and Flee:
Mechanical and Animal (K-3)
Web Game Design with Scratch (3-7)
Writing, Art, and Calligraphy (4-7)
Session II - July 24-28
African Safari (PreK-K)
Stories and Art:
The Caldecott Winners (PreK-K)
Balloonatics (3-7)
Chess for Beginners (K-3)
Chess Games and Strategies (3-7)
Creative Creatures (3-7)
Human Biology (1-5)
Lego Mindstorms Robotics (3-7)
Lego WeDo Robotics (K-3)
Makey Makey (3-7)
Mask Madness! (K-3)
Mathemagicians (K-2)
Readers Theater (1-7)
Science Experiments with Toys (K-3)
Slopes and Slides:
Math and Engineering (3-7)
Stop-Motion Animation (3-7)
Full Day (9:00-3:00), AM (9:00-11:40), and PM (12:20-3:00)
I. June 7-16
Full Day $672; Half Day $336
II. June 19-23
Full Day $420; Half Day $210
Science, Nature, and Wonderment
(PreK-K)
World Class Explorers (PreK-K)
Architectural Engineering (4-8)
Artbotics (3-8)
Bermuda Triangle (4-8)
Come, Play with Clay! (K-3)
Create-A-Culture (4-6)
Fairy Tales Revisited (K-4)
Get Published! (5-8)
Java Bootcamp (5-8)
Just Write! (1-4)
Lego WeDo Robotics (K-3)
Mathemagicians (K-2)
Math Games and Strategies (3-8)
Painter’s Studio (3-8)
Snap! Crackle! Pop! (K-2)
Tinker Space (1-4)
Web Game Design with Scratch (3-6)
Books Galore and More! (PreK-K)
It’s a Bug’s Life (PreK-K)
3-D Math (3-8)
Ancient Egypt (1-5)
Chess for Beginners (K-3)
Chess Games and Strategies (3-8)
Digital Photography (4-8)
Fantastic Fermentation (3-8)
Geometry, Design, Construction (K-2)
Lego Mindstorms Robotics (3-8)
Lego WeDo Robotics (K-3)
Mask Madness! (K-3)
Minecraft (3-8)
Outer Space Escapades (K-2)
Readers Theater (1-8)
Science and Star Wars (3-8)
Science Fiction Writing Workshop (4-8)
Sculptor’s Studio (4-8)
The Amazing Brain (3-8)
III. June 26-July 7
Full Day $756; Half Day $378
IV. July 10-14
Full Day $420; Half Day $210
Space Explorers (PreK-K)
Tour the USA! (PreK-K)
Animal Stories and Art: From Peter
Rabbit to the Pigeon (K-3)
Archaeology (4-8)
Art Quilts (5-8)
Edible Chemistry (K-2)
Makey Makey (3-8)
Math Games Around the World (K-2)
Monsters of the Microworld (3-8)
Moon Base (3-8)
Musical Theater (1-8)
The Number Devil (3-6, AM only)
Things that Fly, Float, and Flee:
Mechanical and Animal (K-3)
Travel the Silk Road (2-6)
Uke Is Fun for Everyone! (1-5)
Vlog, Blog, and Podcast (4-8)
Wilderness Camping and Survival (3-8)
Writing, Art, and Calligraphy (4-8)
All About the Farm (PreK-K)
Science Explorers (PreK-K)
Art Makes Music! (K-3)
Balloonatics (3-8)
Be a Paleontologist! (K-5)
Chess, Math, and Finch Robots (K-2)
Conquer the Cube (3-8)
Creative Writing (1-8)
Digital Photography (4-8)
Grossology of Biology (1-4)
Handmade Happiness (3-8)
Introduction to Calculus (6-8)
Makerspace (4-8)
Minecraft (3-8)
Musical Theater (1-8)
Mysterious Math (3-5)
Optical Illusions and Other Ways to Trick
Your Brain (3-8)
The Fine Art of Drawing (4-8)
Wonders and Blunders of Science (K-2)
Meridian Middle School, 2195 Brandywyn
2017
Details and application available at:
www.centerforgifted.org/torrance.html
International Torrance Legacy Creativity Awards
Sponsored by:
National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
Creativity Network, NAGC
Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development, The University of Georgia
Future Problem Solving Program International
Great Plains Center for Gifted Studies, Emporia State University
Center for Creative Learning
and
Midwest Torrance Center for Creativity/The Center for Gifted
Creative Writing | Visual Arts | Music Composition | Inventions
Course Descriptions
Workshops for PreK - K
Students attend a single workshop each
morning and/or afternoon.
African Safari: Embark upon a simulated safari through savannas, jungles, and deserts!
Discover the rich diversity of African wildlife,
from herds of wildebeests to shy mountain
gorillas, from tall giraffes to small meerkats,
through creative, hands-on activities.
All About the Farm: Imagine that you lived
on a farm raising cows, horses, sheep, or llamas, or growing corn, soy beans, or apples.
Experience life on different kinds of farms
through stories, music, science, and creative,
hands-on activities.
Books Galore and More! Explore the wonders of books through art, drama, science,
and math! Use your vivid imagination and
original ideas to create your own stories.
It’s a Bug’s Life: Discover the amazing world
of insects! Investigate the lives of ants and
beetles, butterflies and dragonflies. Delight
in fictional characterizations such as The
Grouchy Ladybug, Chester Cricket, and
Crickwing.
Visual Arts: First Place 2016
Chasing Dreams ~ Rachael Huang
Rainforest Adventures: Create a simulated
rainforest with monkeys on vines, parrots in
treetops, and pink dolphins in the Amazon
River!
Science Explorers: Why? How? Bring your
curiosity and your questions! Investigate
amazing scientific phenomena in a hands-on
lab. Explore different branches of science
through creative, interdisciplinary activities.
Science, Nature, and Wonderment:
Experiment with chemical concoctions that
pop and squish. Investigate the habitats and
habits of different animals and birds. Wonder
and delight in the world around you!
Soaking Up Science: Swish, squish, and
splash as you experiment with everyday
items and explore the world around you.
Science is in your kitchen and on the playground, during a thunderstorm and at the
beach—the possibilities are endless!
Inventions - Science & Engineering: First Place 2016
“Enabling Situational Awareness of a Hat-Based Hands-Free
Navigational Aid for the Visually Impaired” ~ Shiloh S. Curtis
Space Explorers: Blast off, astronauts, to an
astronomically fun, factual, and fantastic exploration of the universe! Discover the wonders of outer space through simulations and
model constructions in this stellar course.
Unless otherwise noted, all courses are offered for both the morning
and afternoon sessions of their respective programs.
Stories and Art: The Caldecott Winners:
Why is a book a Caldecott winner? How
does the art express the story? How does
the story inspire the art? What do you think
of the stories and illustrations? Explore
artistic styles found in the superbly illustrated
winners of the Caldecott Medal and create
your own illustrations.
Tour the USA! Travel the United States from
mountain ranges to plains, Great Lakes to
seacoasts, and swamps to deserts. Discover America’s people, cultures, and history.
Explore the states through creative, interdisciplinary activities.
World Class Explorers: Climb a volcano,
stare down a kangaroo, cruise the Danube
River, go on an African safari, scale the Great
Wall of China, and ride the flow with penguins as you embark on an intercontinental
expedition!
Classes for K - 8
Students attend two classes each morning
and/or afternoon, selecting their favorites
among the course offerings. Note that for
courses spanning several grade levels, students are scheduled with their age peers.
3-D Math: Build a variety of 3-D figures, from
cubes to dodecahedra, as you develop your
spatial senses and imagination!
Algebra to Zero: Explore a variety of topics
such as Algebra, Base Two, Coordinate
Graphing, and more. Make a math dictionary or ABC book of your journey through
mathematics.
Ancient Egypt: Create microcosmic simulations of ancient Egypt! Explore its arts, architecture, and inventions. Discover its people,
places, politics, language – and food!
Animal Stories and Art: From Peter Rabbit
to the Pigeon: Do you like animal stories?
Especially stories with wonderful illustrations? Explore a rich diversity of stories and
artistic styles. Express your own creative
ideas through both writing and art.
Archaeology: Embark on a simulated dig
for ancient artifacts. Will you unearth enough
artifacts to reconstruct a lost civilization?
Architectural Engineering: Discover the art
of construction using straws, sticks, paper,
balloons, sponges, Styrofoam, and more!
Perform experiments to learn engineering
principles demonstrating how human
ingenuity brought us from cave to
skyscraper!
Art Is Ideas: Visual art is an expression of
individual creativity. In this class, a variety of
materials and media and a carefully crafted
sequence of instruction will unlock your
ideas onto the two-dimensional surface.
Whatever your artistic ability or age, your
ideas will shine through!
Art Makes Music! Express yourself and
make an original instrument which produces
interesting sounds! Select various materials
to make drums, shakers, percussion instruments, horns, and rain sticks. Paper tubes,
empty water bottles, plastic lids, tin pans,
and other materials will spark your imagination to create a new sounding instrument.
Art Quilts: It’s fun! It’s easy! Explore the textile art of fused quilts using batiks and fusible
webbing. Create an image or a design with
colorful fabric and an iron. Learn some basic
stitches to embellish your quilt, then put it all
together with batting and backing to hang on
your wall! ($15 lab fee)
Artbotics: Explore an imaginative approach
to robotics! Artbotics brings together art, robotics, and computer science to create interactive, kinetic sculptures. Enjoy robotics in a
setting that encourages a creative approach
to constructing and programming robots.
Balloonatics: They’re fun at parties, but you
can use them for much more! Use balloons
to learn about air pressure and Newton’s
Laws of Motion! Make a hot air balloon.
Be a Paleontologist! Would you like to
handle real dinosaur bones and teeth? Hold
plant and animal fossils that span millions
of years—from before the dinosaurs all the
way to mammoths—and meet Illinois' very
strange state fossil, the Tully Monster! Learn
excavating techniques and geological facts
in our Paleontology and Geology 101 course!
Bermuda Triangle: Have you ever wondered
what happened to the people who were
lost in the Bermuda Triangle? What kinds of
scientific anomalies are happening in that
section of the world on a daily basis? Let’s
discover together some of the mysteries
and legends of the area that has its points at
San Juan, Puerto Rico, Miami, Florida, and
Bermuda, as well as how the experts explain
the happenings in the region.
Biology in Nature: Investigate biology from
nature’s perspective. Discover ecosystems,
predator/prey relationships, and how all living
things depend upon each other to survive.
Recover the bones from an owl pellet and
reconstruct the food chain!
Bubbles: Science and Art: Explore principles of air, density, and surface tension.
Concoct various effervescent solutions and
test the results. Add color and experiment
with bubble art.
Chemistry Lab: Explore chemical properties
through hands-on experiments. Investigate
molecular structure. Experiment with solutions, solvents, and reactants, but don’t blow
up the lab!
Chemistry of the World: Experiment with
solutions, suspensions, acids, and bases as
you travel the world of exploring chemistry.
Chess for Beginners: Intrigued by the game
of chess? Learn how to play! Explore basic
openings and end games. Enjoy trying out
different strategies as you play chess with
your classmates.
Chess Games and Strategies: Designed
to challenge chess freaks of all calibers –
from basic rules and simple strategies, to
highly sophisticated schemes and end-game
tactics. Test your skills as you challenge your
peers!
Chess, Math, and Finch Robots: Interested
in pursuing a variety of topics? Play chess,
solve math puzzles, and program robotic
Finches in a flexible learning environment.
Chocolate-Ology: Discover chocolate,
from the humble cocoa bean to the world’s
favorite culinary delight, via history, mystery,
recipes, and taste tests.
Note that for courses spanning several grade levels, students are scheduled with their age peers.
Come, Play with Clay! From play dough
to air dry clay, learn to make pinch pots,
plaques, statues and other fun figures!
Shape, model, and mold your way into
creative configurations.
Conquer the Cube: Hone your STEM skills
utilizing the iconic Rubik’s Cube! Unlock the
secrets to solving this mysterious block with
tips and tricks direct from the experts. Use
multiple cubes to create detailed mosaics by
learning to think backwards, visualize pixels,
and make circles out of squares!
Crazy Chemical Concoctions: Experiment
with strange brews and observe the chemical
reactions. Sleuth mystery powders and secret ingredients in a hands-on chemistry lab.
Create-A-Culture: Discover all of the ways
a culture comes together through hard work
and time spent. Choose the time period for
your culture, how your people arrive in the
area you choose to settle, the family structure, living quarters, the language of your
people, system of government, modes of
transportation, and much more as you
create a new culture with your small group.
Create Slime, Flubber, and Other Fun
Polymers! Experiment with different ways of
making slime. Explore other slippery, stretchy
polymers in the “slime family.” Have fun
making and playing with polymers!
Create Your Own Country! Design a
model of an ideal country. Decide on the
topography and map it out. Who lives there?
Where are its cities and villages? How is it
governed? What are its flag, symbols, and
currency?
Creative Creatures: Whimsical? Majestic? Feisty? What kind of creatures will you
create? Draw inspiration from the amazing
animals that inhabit our planet or rely wholly
on your vivid imagination!
Creative Writing: Do you like to originate
ideas, design a plot, create a story or a
poem, and then write? Choose opportunities
wherein to write and share your creativity.
Stories, poems, fiction, and non-fiction avenues await you!
Design, Build, and Program Robot
Creatures: Have you played with robot
insects before? Let’s give them sensors
and brains! Teach our creatures to do tricks
on command, walk around obstacles, climb
hills, and race each other. Study circuits and
design as you build and program DIY
walking robot bugs.
Digital Photography: Don’t know the secret
to becoming insta-famous? Try out new tips
and tricks to the art of photography. Experiment with camera angles and macro lenses.
Manipulate images to create various artistic
effects. ($15 lab fee)
Dinosaurs, Fossils, and Digs: What can
fossils teach us? How were they preserved?
Explore the world of paleontology through
imaginative, hands-on activities. Discover
intriguing dinosaurs, from ankylosaurus to
zuniceratops.
Distraction Reactions: Be amazed and
amused but never again confused over
physical and chemical changes in matter!
DNA: The Blueprint for Life: Explore the
blueprint for all life and extract real DNA from
a strawberry! Then, collect a sample of your
own DNA for comparison! ($5 lab fee)
Dynamic Dramatics: Experience the world
of live theater! Older students will work
through a five-chapter story and its accompanying five-act play, while younger students
will read several versions of a folk tale and
then write their own. All classes will culminate in a performance for family and friends.
Edible Chemistry: Freeze, heat, dehydrate,
distill and decompose to discover chemical
properties and reactions of sundry edibles,
in a hands-on science lab.
Electricity and Play Dough Circuits: Create
your own circuits using conductive and insulating play dough to light LEDs, run motors,
and play sound. Use meters and an oscilloscope to study electric current flow. Design
and construct creatures incorporating LEDs
and sound. ($15 lab fee)
Engineering Egg-Stravaganza! Can your
engineering expertise and rapid prototyping
skills outwit the laws of physics? Challenge
your imagination and design skills to solve a
technical problem using common household
items! Build and test your creation....Will you
be the sole survivor?
Fairy Tales Revisited: Do you love fairy
tales? Ever wonder what happens after
Rapunzel lets down her hair? What if none of
the Three Little Pigs let the wolf blow
his house down? Compare traditional fairy
tales to more modern versions. Rewrite your
own endings to these magical stories.
Fantastic Fermentation: Learn about the
microorganisms that create much of the food
you eat. Did you ever wonder how cheese,
yogurt, sauerkraut, bread, kefir, kombucha,
and other fermented foods are made? Take
home your own sourdough starter to make
delicious homemade bread and pancakes.
Finch Robots and Math Explorations:
Interested in pursuing a variety of topics?
Program robotic Finches, solve math conundrums, and see how math and robotics work
together in a flexible learning environment.
Flying Copter Drones Makerspace: Can
you make things that walk or even fly?
Without relying on a kit? Apply physics and
engineering design to build walking and flying remote-controlled toys in a makerspace
setting. ($25 lab fee)
Geometry, Design, Construction: Use your
geometry skills to design your own city. As
the lead architect you will design and create
a city infrastructure with buildings, parks,
roads and more.
Geological Forces of Nature: Explore volcanoes and earthquakes through hands-on
experiments and engineering projects!
Discover lava, the Ring of Fire and how
volcanoes erupt. Build your own scale model
and watch it erupt! Design structures and
test their resilience in our homemade earthquake simulator! ($5 lab fee)
Get Published! Imagine, create, produce,
and edit. The purpose of this process is
to get published and to share your ideas
and creativity. Opportunities for publishing
abound!
Goo, Gak, Slime: Trek through Oobleck,
try your hand at creating Troll Boogers, and
make all sorts of slippery things! Explore
slimy, silly, occasionally delicious, but extremely scientific chemistry.
Grossology of Biology: Embark on an
in-depth investigation of the unmentionable
yet fascinating functions that keep us alive!
Gain an understanding of the science behind
human body systems while investigating the
importance of blood, phlegm, sweat, gas,
mucus, pus, and all things gross!
Handmade Happiness: In many countries,
handmade goods are highly valued. In addition, many people find it very relaxing to do
handwork. Whether you want to learn to knit
or to learn some new stitches, this class is
for you. Beginners are welcome.
Harry Potter-Ology: Enter a wizarding world.
Be sorted into a house, create your own
wand, formulate spells, and play Quidditch.
Try butter beer, wizard candy, and enjoy an
End of Term Feast!
Human Biology: Delve into the workings and
operations of human biology, including heart,
blood, and lungs.
Introduction to Calculus: What is calculus?
Learn basic ideas of calculus through the
careful study of sequences and their difference sequences.
Java Bootcamp: Java is the most popular
programming language in use. Java is a
general-purpose programming language
derived from C and C++ that is popular for
its code’s ability to run on multiple platforms
without being rewritten.
Just Write! Do you like to write? Heighten
your imagination and hone your skills as
you write stories and poems in response to
posters, books, and music. Come, share
your inspiration!
Lego Mindstorms Robotics: Explore
principles of engineering and programming!
Employ gears, sensors, and motors to
create robots. Work in engineering teams
to innovate and experiment in designing,
constructing, and programming your robots.
($15 lab fee)
Lego WeDo Robotics: Build robots such
as monkeys, alligators, and birds. Work from
our building plans or create your own robots.
Program actions and sounds. The possibilities are endless! ($15 lab fee)
Let’s Build a City! Explore different
cities and imagine the one you are creating.
Map out your city, design parks, shopping
districts, skyscrapers, and houses, and
build models. Combine math, engineering,
literature, and creativity!
Makerspace: Let your imagination come
to life in a space where trans-disciplinary
learning, inquiry, risk-taking, thinking, crafting, tinkering, and wondering can blossom.
($15 lab fee)
Makey Makey: Use this invention kit to turn
everyday objects into touch pads. Artists,
engineers, designers, and inventors all love
the possibilities! ($15 lab fee)
Mask Madness! Make masks that explode
with creativity. Use a variety of materials
such as plaster casting, recycled gallon
bottles, and paper grocery bag masks. Paint,
color, and embellish them with jewels, beads,
and feathers. Become the character you
have created!
Math and Art: Explore how artists like
Escher, Mondrian, and Calder created visual
arts based on mathematical theories. Create
your own collaborations with math and arts.
Math and Science of Building: Tackle construction projects in a makerspace setting.
Selecting from a wide variety of materials,
use your ingenuity to engineer towers,
buildings, and bridges.
Math Games and Strategies: Discover new
problem-solving fun. Probe the perplexities
of patterns and strategies. Explore clever
techniques with geo-boards and dice.
Create your own math games.
Math Games Around the World: Discover
different cultures through the math games
their children play. Embrace math through
games of chance and strategy. Play games
from Africa to China, from Native American
communities to the Hawaiian Islands!
Math of Chance: What are your chances
of ...? Explore problem-solving techniques
and discover principles of probability
through hands-on investigations.
Mathemagicians: From codes to magic
squares and number tricks discover secret
sequences, play math games, and investigate intriguing puzzles. Create your own
number tricks!
Minecraft: Explore the possibilities of
designing and creating with Minecraft.
Mixed Media Masterpieces: Create new
and exciting artwork using both traditional
and nontraditional materials. Deconstruct,
manipulate and reimagine your artwork.
Assemblage, drawing, and painting are
just a few of the ways you can create
your masterpieces!
Monsters of the Microworld: Explore the
amazing universe invisible to the naked
eye! ($10 lab fee)
Moon Base: What would it take to survive
on the moon? Look at the elements needed
for lunar survival and create a model moon
base using up-cycled materials.
Musical Theater: Participate in the process
and product of a live theater production for
friends and family. Younger students will
perform a children’s musical while older
students will stage a review of favorite
songs and scenes from popular musicals.
Mysterious Math: Explore mathematical
topics not generally found in your math textbook. Think outside the box and be creative
in your approach to math.
Outer Space Escapades: What is it like
to be a NASA astronaut? Explore planets,
moons, comets, galaxies, and constellations.
What will you discover in outer space?
Optical Illusions and Other Ways to Trick
Your Brain: Could you possibly not notice
a gorilla walking right in front of you? Can
something be both hot and cold at the same
time? Learn how to fool your brain!
Painter’s Studio: Mona Lisa, The Arnolfini
Portrait, The Starry Night, A Sunday on La
Grande Jatte, Water Lilies — what do all of
these famous paintings have in common?
Great minds with the right inspiration! Find
your muse and perfect your techniques in
this fun, colorful class.
Physics of Wind: Investigate the power of
wind as an energy source. Explore Bernoulli’s
principle as it applies to energy conservation.
Construct your own wind-powered candy
car!
Play with Your Food! Creativity, Science,
and Microwave Cooking: Make cars out
of vegetables and mold chocolate into fun
shapes. Investigate food dyes, explore microwave cooking, and even learn a bit
about nutrition!
Readers Theater: Literature comes alive
when you read it aloud. Include characters,
narration, and setting. Choose favorites in
reading and writing and see what happens
when you put stories on stage!
Science and Star Wars: Lightsabers, levitating cars, and faster-than-light travel. All these
things make Star Wars fun at the movies, but
can they happen in the real world? Investigate and try to recreate some of the fun
science from Star Wars.
Science Experiments with Toys: Discover
mystery eggs, feely balloons, burping bottles, and crushing cans. Explore the science
and wonder of toys via hands-on fun and
lab experiments.
Science Fiction Writing Workshop: Analyze
what makes a story science fiction, then create your own! Explore some of the best classic science fiction stories for inspiration, then
become science fiction authors yourselves!
Sculptor’s Studio: Shape, chisel, model,
or otherwise express your wildest ideas.
Experiment with both traditional and recycled
materials. Will you become the next Michelangelo or Michelle Reader?
Skyscraper Design and Construction:
What engineering challenges are involved in
building a skyscraper? Investigate skyscrapers in Chicago, New York, Dubai, and China.
How tall can you build your own skyscraper?
Slopes and Slides: Math and Engineering:
Draw, build, and measure the slopes of slides
and ramps. Engineer your own ramps course
as you investigate variables that affect how
objects move down various slopes.
Snap! Crackle! Pop! Mix, swish, and create
chemical concoctions that may pop, fizz, and
sometimes explode as you explore chemistry
via hands-on experiments.
Solder and Build: Electronics Lab: Construct a variety of electronic projects and
robots from water alarms to photophobic
micro-bugs to water alarms. ($30 lab fee)
STEM with SteAm: Moto-Pets: Design
and engineer your own battery-powered
motorized pets! Create vibrobots, bristlebots
and artbots in this creative class. Let your
ingenuity take shape! ($20 lab fee)
Stop-Motion Animation: From storyboarding to photographing each incremental step
to adding sound and special effects, use a
digital camera and movie software to create
your own unique stop-motion animation.
($15 lab fee)
SumoBots: Build and program the EV3
Mindstorms SumoBot your Bot mentor
guides you to. Make attachments, upgrade
programming and sensors, modify, and fine
tune. Test your robot in the Test Arena, and
then compete in the Main Arena. (SumoBots
and Arenas provided by Bot Spot Robots;
PM only)
Sweet Science: Chemistry of Candy: What
do chromatography, density, crystals, and
pH have in common? They are all scientific
principles that can be studied using candy!
Learn about these ideas and others using
candy in different ways.
Tales Around the World: Discover heroes
and heroines, clever thinkers and silly fools!
Why do stories change when told in different
cultures? How is the Gingerbread Boy told
in Mexico? Or Cinderella in Africa? Explore
our rich heritage of folktales, fairy tales, and
storytelling!
Technology and Art I: Welcome to the
wacky world where robots and Picasso
meet! Explore art through robots and robots
through art. What will you create? ($15 lab
fee for the week or $5 per day)
Technology and Art II: Explore the world
where digital technology and art collide.
Combine the two or study them separately.
Create your own masterpiece! ($15 lab fee
for the week or $5 per day)
Tech Wonders: Discover the wonders
of technology through constructing and
programming robots, exploring coding,
or creating and programming computer
games in Scratch. ($15 lab fee)
The Amazing Brain: Take an in-depth
journey deep inside the organ that makes
us who we are! From cerebrum to cerebellum and hippocampus to amygdala, explore
brain anatomy and physiology through tricks,
tests, experiments, and constructions. Build
your own plasticine brain and observe the
dissection of a real one!
The Fine Art of Drawing: Learn to view the
world in a new way, using line, shape form,
perspective, proportion, shading, and composition. Try your hand at still-life, gesture,
and contour drawings.
The Number Devil: Join Robert as he
discovers the fascinating world of numbers,
including infinite numbers, prime numbers,
and Fibonacci numbers. The Number Devil’s
visualizations of these high-level math concepts provide excellent starting points for
exploration. (AM only)
Things that Fly, Float, and Flee: Mechanical and Animal: Discover ways nature has
influenced the design of man-made flying
objects . Explore Bernoulli’s scientific principles of flight by experimenting with airplanes,
kites and rockets. Build a balloon hovercraft!
Tinker Space: Let your imagination run wild
in our Tinker Space, designed like a Makerspace. Choose your own materials and tinker
away to build robots, microbots, inventions,
machines, and anything you like!
Travel the Silk Road: Walk in the footsteps
of Marco Polo. Explore the wonders of
ancient China and the meeting of East and
West!
Uke Is Fun for Everyone! Discover the joys
of playing ukulele! Learn chords and simple
songs. Perform for your family. Bring your
own ukulele or purchase one the first day of
class.
Vlog, Blog, and Podcast: Have you ever
thought about becoming a YouTuber? Then
this class is for you! Learn skills that will help
you on your journey into the entertainment
industry.
Web Game Design with Scratch: Want
to know how flash games got their start?
Create your own version of “Five Nights
at Freddy’s” or try something new of your
choosing.
Who’s in the Zoo? Amazing Animals and
Creative Creatures! Discover unusual animals from around the globe, and design your
own fanciful creatures. How will you care for
them? What kind of habitats will they need?
Imagine, create, and innovate!
Wilderness Camping and Survival: Learn
how to survive in various life-threatening situations by following the priorities of survival.
Explore ways to use your natural surroundings to your advantage and test your skills
against all odds. Create your own survival kit!
Wonders and Blunders of Science: Invent
a concoction that’s actually good for something. Explore famous scientific bloopers
that worked out.
Writing, Art, and Calligraphy: Do you love
to paint pictures with words? Express your
creative ideas through free verse poetry and
haiku. Use watercolors on rice paper to paint
beautiful images to complement your poems.
Enhance your writing with italic calligraphy.
Writing Short Stories: Everyone loves stories! What are your favorites? Focus on the
writing of stories and the wide range of possibilities, such as adventure, fantasy, science
fiction, biographical fiction, and fan fiction.
Zany Cube or Colorful Quilt? Fantastic Fabric Creations! Create squish-able,
toss-able, fun cubes with fabric scraps and
imagination! Or turn those colorful scraps
into a beautiful little quilt. No prior sewing
experience needed! Come join the fun!
‘
Project 17
July 17 - August 4 for students entering grades 6-12
at Elmhurst College, 190 Prospect Ave, Elmhurst
Artist’s Studio
Fashion Design Studio: Designing Disney
Chemistry for Life
Computer Animation
Computer Graphic Design
Contemporary Theater
Energy Waves and Information Transfer
Geometry, Art, and Architecture
Historic Games of Strategy and Diplomacy
Improv and Sketch Comedy
OpenBuilds: (3 separate classes)
- 3D Printer
- CNC Machine
- Laser Cutter
Philosophy
Space Systems Exploration
STEM with SteAm: Rube’s Adventure
Survive Zombies and Other Emergencies
The Write Stuff
Web Design
World War II: Midway, Guadalcanal and
North Africa
Course descriptions and online application available at www.centerforgifted.org
Full Day (9:00-3:00),
AM (9:00-11:40), and
PM (12:20-3:00)
options
FREE
transportation
(from select locations)
New for 2017!
Cafeteria food service
Accomodations for
visiting students and
families
Tinker-a-Thon!
- Moto-Pets
- Robotic Petting Zoo
- Catapult
- Skyscrapers
- Household Chemistry
at Elmhurst College
for students entering grades 1-5
July 17 - August 4
- Makey Makey
- Robotic Finches
- LEGO Mindstorms
- WeDo Robotics
- Artbotics
Enroll for one, two, or all three weeks!
A makerspace for younger students!
Activities, builds and creations will be student led
in a self-contained student centered classroom.
Runs concurrently with Project ‘17...students
may ride the FREE bus.
Choose from Art, Science, Technology, Math
and Engineering.
3 weeks: Half day: $630; Full day: $1230
Individual Weeks: Half day: $215; Full day: $415
Apply online at www.centerforgifted.org
The Center for Gifted | 1926 Waukegan Road, Suite 2, Glenview, IL 60025 | 847.901.0173
The Center for Gifted is a not-for-profit organization under IRC Section 501(c)(3)
Now Enrolling!
Igniting Imaginations Since 1983!
My 4 children, ages 8, 10, 12 and 14 have been attending Center for Gifted programs for more than 8
years, and every year I hear the same thing: “It’s my favorite part of summer!” For many kids, swimming at
local pools or attending one of many local sports camps rule the summer. But for many others, options are
more limited. Kids with different interests find learning in an exciting, hands-on environment like Worlds of
Wisdom and Wonder (which then evolves into Project for the older kids) inspiring and engaging. I strongly
believe that a good part of my children’s confidence and strength comes from their Worlds of Wisdom
and Wonder and Project experiences. Beyond finding the experience fun, they also seem to have found a
place where they feel that they fit. One said to me once, “it’s my world, Mom. It’s where I belong.”
I hope more families will experience a program that becomes the best part of their summer, and a place
where they truly fit.
Deb C. ~ Elmhurst 2017
The Center for Gifted / Midwest Torrance Center
for Creativity was recognized for Excellence in
the category of Educational Institution, Entity,
or Program by the Daily Herald Business Ledger.
Ingenuity. Inspiration. Imagination. Innovation.