Course Offerings

Explore the world of robotics in a hands-on, minds-on program that fosters collaborative problem-solving. Build, program, and test robots. Think about (and discuss) what makes a machine a robot, what functions robots serve, what structures and components are required to accomplish different functions, and what's next in robotics. Using VEX-IQ, students learn the fundamentals of sound building techniques and a graphical programming language while applying principles of the engineering design cycle. 

Please note: This course requires the use of a laptop or similar device. The Robinson Center can provide a device if your child does not have access.

Canoes have an honored place in coastal native societies. From selecting the appropriate tree to the building process, through the numerous journeys, and until the last voyage, canoes command respect. In the past, canoes were the primary source of transportation for coastal tribes, but they were not limited to these tribes. This course will combine reading, writing, science, and social studies learning components to amplify, promote, and make visible the revival, knowledge, and use of tribal canoes in the Pacific Northwest.

Instructor: Keven Alvarez Lopez

This class offers an in-depth exploration of the fascinating worlds of 3D Design and 3D Printing! You'll learn to use TinkerCAD to create your own designs, operate a 3D printer to bring your creations to life, and engage in various projects that cover all aspects of 3D design—from social awareness and problem-solving to post-processing. With five 3D printers running, you'll get to take home many of your creations over the three weeks.

If you're interested in designing, engineering, or creating socially conscious projects, this course is perfect for you. Watch your ideas come to life right before your eyes!

Please note: This course requires the use of a laptop (not a tablet). The Robinson Center can provide a device if your child does not have access.

Instructors: Wendy Labarre & Brian Jaffe

In this camp players will learn how to play and design TTRPG's (Table Top Roleplaying Games). They will create characters, work in groups to create settings for adventures, then take turns being the game master leading parties through harrowing adventures. We'll start off in the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition and use that as our foundation for understanding role playing games before we go adventuring in other worlds and systems. We'll have guest speakers, take field trips, explore fantasy and sci-fi literature, creative writing, mathematical modeling & probability, game design, ethics, world mythologies, civics and history, all to make the ultimate role playing experiences! After 2 weeks of playing TTRPG's we'll try our hand at inventing our own! No experience, dice, books, etc. required. Just bring your imagination and a thirst for adventure!

Instructor: John Benner & Jordan-Michael Whidbey

This course bridges literature and history to provide students with a rich understanding of how historical events shape and are reflected in the art of storytelling. Through The Rock and The River, students will explore the American Civil Rights Movement, analyzing the interplay between historical events and the characters, conflicts, and themes of the novel. Using interdisciplinary tools—including primary and secondary sources, documentaries, field trips, and class discussions—students will develop skills in literary analysis, critical thinking, and historical research.

Instructors: Whitney Cohoon & Nikki Bowder

In this course we will devote ourselves to the work and pleasure of creative writing and close reading in a supportive community of writers. Each week we'll focus on a different genre of writing, including fiction, poetry, and the wide world of creative nonfiction. During class we'll read and discuss other writers, engage in creative writing exercises, and encounter a variety of other modes of learning & art—from collage & dance to history & brain science. We'll find empowerment in others' perspectives, explore how each piece writing widens our sense of possibility and belonging, and find confidence in our own point of view. We'll also give each other thoughtful and constructive feedback on our writing during college-style workshop sessions. The course will culminate in a final literary reading in which we will present our work to our classmates.

Please note: This course requires the use of a laptop or similar device. The Robinson Center can provide a device if your child does not have access.

Instructors: Kate Cook

This course explores the art of storytelling, guiding students through the process of crafting compelling fiction from start to finish. Participants will delve into essential elements such as character, setting, plot, conflict, point of view, and theme, which are the building blocks of any fictional story or book. Additionally, students will be introduced to the narrative triangle, an ancient literary structure that serves as a roadmap for readers, aiding them in navigating a story's progression. This foundational framework has been employed in both fiction and nonfiction, as well as in the creation of films and TV dramas, for centuries. Through a combination of theoretical discussion and practical exercises, students will develop a deeper understanding of storytelling as a craft, enabling them to apply their newfound knowledge to their own writing endeavors.

Instructor: Corey Olds

Imagine a peaceful, happy society where there are enough resources for everyone. Could such a community actually exist? What might we have to give up to achieve it? Each week we will read compelling, kid-tested dystopian fiction that specifically touches on issues in human genetics. We'll wrestle with tough questions: How much should we tinker with nature? Who's "fit" enough (and who decides)? How should we balance the needs of individuals and communities? At the same time, we'll dig deep into the science behind the stories, building  models, playing games, and performing experiments and computer simulations that make complex biological systems easy to grasp (or taste). Finally, you'll imagine and share your own ideal society. This course is for anyone who's curious about how DNA works, wonders about how our society should use our scientific knowledge, likes to make connections between subjects--or just loves a good story!

Please note: This course requires the use of a laptop or similar device. The Robinson Center can provide a device if your child does not have access.

Instructors: Jennifer Thomas and Erica Strauss

In this class, an experienced graphic novelist will guide you in the basics of comics creation, including character design, facial expressions, character poses, creating a sense of place, story planning, generating dialogue, page composition, inking, shading, and coloring! By the end of the course, students will contribute their finished comics to an in-class publication. Drawing experience is not necessary, but students should show desire to communicate clearly with words and pictures.

Instructors: David Lasky & Lin Lucas

Get ready to dive into the amazing world of the living beings all around us! In this exciting biology course, we'll investigate plants, animals, and even tiny cells to discover what makes them grow, change, and survive. Through hands-on activities, fun experiments, and real-world explorations, you'll learn how life all around us is connected. Are you ready to think like a scientist and explore the wonders of biology? Let's go! 

Please note: This course requires the use of a laptop or similar device. The Robinson Center can provide a device if your child does not have access.

Instructor: Linda Barragan

In a rapidly changing world, the field of urban planning is becoming more important than ever. In this course, students will use the urban environment of Seattle as a jumping off point into the world of architecture and urban design. Class activities will include field trips to key Seattle sites; traversing the architectural design process from inception to peer review; and analyzing how the design of the buildings and communities affects us every day. The class culminates in a final project where students will collaboratively design and build their own model city incorporating all that they have learned. Students will leave this course with a thorough understanding of the fields of architecture and urban planning today, a strong grounding in the principles of design thinking and community-led design processes, and a deeper appreciation of the built environment that they move through in their daily lives.

Instructors: Keisha Bharath & Michelle Tobey

In a rapidly changing world, the field of urban planning is becoming more important than ever. In this course, students will use the urban environment of Seattle as a jumping off point into the world of architecture and urban design. Class activities will include field trips to key Seattle sites; traversing the architectural design process from inception to peer review; and analyzing how the design of the buildings and communities affects us every day. The class culminates in a final project where students will collaboratively design and build their own model city incorporating all that they have learned. Students will leave this course with a thorough understanding of the fields of architecture and urban planning today, a strong grounding in the principles of design thinking and community-led design processes, and a deeper appreciation of the built environment that they move through in their daily lives.

Instructors: Charlie Mahoney & Michelle Tobey

If given the opportunity, would you plug into a machine that simulates the perfect life or choose to live real life with unpredictable experiences? Can a machine ever really be human-like without genuine human experiences? If you had the power to get away with anything, would you still have a reason to do what's right? Through this course, students will engage with a variety of philosophical subjects, from social philosophy, to ethical philosophy, as well as philosophical understandings of the world. Considering these questions and others will allow students to practice their critical thinking, critical analysis, and reading comprehension skills. Using collaborative inquiry to analyze thought experiments and stories, our goal is to elevate our confidence in communication and dialogue.

Please note: This course requires the use of a laptop or similar device. The Robinson Center can provide a device if your child does not have access.

Instructor: Nicole Acosta

Almost everyone loves riding a roller coaster. Amusement parks are building them higher, faster, longer, and much more thrilling. The physics underlying the design and building of a roller coaster are amazingly simple. In this course, we will be learning when potential and kinetic energy trade places, how forces work to move us around and keep us in our seats, what happens when we accelerate, why we feel weightless during the dips, plus a whole lot more. Each student will design, build, and test their own model roller coaster using engineering techniques pioneered by the coaster experts. The class will include field trips to local city parks and Wild Waves Theme and Water Park.

Instructors: Jeff Armentrout & Burton Barrager

Students in this course will explore the City of Seattle and find inspiration from a variety of places: the Seattle Art Museum, the Central Library, the Woodland Park Zoo, the Seattle Japanese Garden, and many other locations both on campus and off. These field trips will serve as inspiration for writing assignments in all genres, including essays, poems, stories, and graphic novels. We will read and discuss authors and artists, contemporary and historical, from around the world who have drawn inspiration from their environment. The class will emphasize improving the quality of our writing, taking creative risks, and sharing an open and artistic community with other writers. Our work will culminate in the production of a class literary journal composed of work created during our time together.

Please note: This course requires the use of a laptop or similar device. The Robinson Center can provide a device if your child does not have access.

Instructor: Bill Carty