• We've never met a kid who didn't love the Tide Pools (or an adult for that matter.) We've also never met a kid who could name every species in them, how they interrelate, and all of their amazing adaptions... until now! This course is super fun, but also teaches the principles of biology & ecology through the crazy critters found in the Tide Pools of Monterey Bay, Ca. Enjoy this one!

    Recommended Ages: 14 and Up

    Recommended Number of Credits: ​5 Units

  • 1. What are tide pools?

    1.1 Where do they form?

    1.2 How the Tides Work

    1.3 Types of Tide Pools

    1.4 Conditions in the Pools

    ​1.5 Taxonomy: Phylum, Class, Order, Genus, Species

    2. Crustaceans, Echinoderms, & Annelids

    2.1 Crabs

    2.2 Barnacles

    ​2.3 Starfish

    2.4 Sea Urchins

    2.5 Sandcastle Worms

    3. Cnidarians & Molluscs

    3.1 Anemones

    3.2 Mussels

    3.3 Sea Snails

    3.4 Limpets

    3.5 Abalone

    3.6 Nudibranchs

    3.7 Chiton

    4. Tide Pool Plants & Algae

    4.1 Sea Grasses

    4.2 Seaweed

    ​4.3 Green Algae

    4.4 Brown Algae

    4.5 Red Algae

    5. Tide Pool Visitors

    5.1 Octopus

    5.2 Tide Pool Sculpin

    5.3 Copepods

    5.4 Birds

    5.5 Humans

  • The word “virus” is one of the most common words in the English language, yet it is likely that few people (especially kids) could actually give a passing definition for what they are. This course was prompted by the current outbreak of Covid 19, as understanding is often a remedy for fear, and because kids often seek education/information when it is relevant to their lives. What better time to teach the biological principles of what viruses are, and how they affect the human body, than now?! A “short course,” this class focuses on just viruses, as they interact with humans, and is super interesting. The behaviors of viruses are nothing short of bizarre and this class is a great introduction to how they behave.

    Recommended Ages: 12 and Up

    Recommended Number of Credits: 2.5 - (equivalent to 1/2 semester)

  • 1. What are Viruses

    1.1 Are Viruses Alive?

    1.2 The Anatomy of a Virus

    1.3 How Viruses Multiply

    1.4 The Life Cycle of a Virus

    1.5 How Humans Use Viruses

    2. Examples of Viruses

    2.1 Categories of Viruses

    2.2 Famous Viruses

    2.3 Where Viruses Thrive

    2.4 How Viruses are Transmitted

    3. The War Against Viruses

    3.1 No Cure for a Virus

    3.2 Our Body's Defense Against a Virus

    3.3 What is a Vaccination?

    3.4 Preventative Measures

  • One way to learn biology is to take a course like Life Science, or Biology 101... but a much more exciting way to  learn the same concepts is through the far narrower lens of a group of animals that you already love and are excited about.  That is exactly what we have done with this course! By learning about the weirdest and coolest creatures on the planet (Reptiles & Amphibians,) students will accidentally become fluent in all concepts biology, and more importantly, will fall in love with the subject!

    Recommended Ages: 12 and Up

    Recommended Number of Credits: ​5 Units

  • 1. Intro to Reptiles & Amphibians

    1.1 Taxonomy of Amphibians and Reptiles

    1.2 What are Amphibians?

    1.3 What are Caecilians?

    1.4 What are Reptiles?

    1.5 What are Tuatara?

    1.6 Dinosaurs & Birds

    2. Salamanders

    2.1 What are Salamanders?

    2.2 Mole Salamanders

    2.3 Newts & True Salamanders

    2.4 Lungless Salamanders and Mudpuppies & Waterdogs

    2.5 Giant Salamanders

    2.6 Amphiumas & Sirens

    3. Frogs & Toads

    3.1 What are Frogs & Toads?

    3.2 True Frogs and Tree Frogs

    3.3 True Toads and Narrow-Mouthed Frogs

    3.4 Poison Dart Frogs and Mantellids

    3.5 Shrub Frogs or Bush Frogs

    3.6 Crazy Frog Facts

    4. Turtles & Tortoises

    4.1 What are Turtles & Tortoises?

    4.2 Sea Turtles (Family Cheloniidae)

    4.3 Freshwater Turtles and Snapping Turtles

    4.4 Giant Tortoises and Desert Tortoises

    4.5 Forest Tortoises and Hingeback Tortoises

    5. Lizards

    5.1 What are Lizards?

    5.2 Geckos & Agamas

    5.3 Iguanas & Skinks

    5.4 Monitor Lizards & Whiptails & Tegus

    5.5 Chameleons & Wall Lizards

    5.6 Crazy Lizards Facts

    6. Snakes

    6.1 What are Snakes

    6.2 Colubrids & Vipers

    6.3 Elapids & Atractaspididae

    6.4 Boas & Pythons

    6.5 Lamprophiidae and Blind Snakes

    6.6 Crazy Snake Facts

    7. Crocodiles & Alligators

    7.1 What are Crocodiles & Alligators?

    7.2 Alligators & Caiman

    7.3 Crocodiles and Dwarf Crocodiles

    7.4 African Slender snouted Crocodiles, Gharials, & Tomistoma

    7.5 Crazy Crocodile/Alligator Facts

  • In the search for perfect waves, most life-long surfers develop a deep understanding of the sciences around surfing, and its lifestyle.  From meteorology and oceanography, to physics and physical geography, 90% of surfing is exactly that... a knowledge of the sciences that make it such a beautiful sport and way of life.

    Recommended Ages: 5-12th Grade

    Recommended Number of Credits: 5 credits

  • 1. Ocean Conditions
           1.1 Swell
           1.2 What you Love
           1.3 Ocean Currents
           1.4 Seasonal Patterns
           1.5 Forecasting with Technology: Surfline, Tide Apps, etc.
    2. Weather
           2.1 Wind
           2.2 The Water Cycle
           2.3 Cloud Types
           2.4 Natural Air Conditioning - Beach Towns
    3. Beaches & Coastlines
           3.1 Coastal Landforms
           3.2 Reefs ad Sandbars
           3.3 Sand Drift
           3.4 Sheltered Beaches
           3.5 River Mouths (Bacteria Count)
    4. Waves
           4.1 Lefts, Rights, & A-Frames
           4.2 Beach Breaks & Reef Breaks
           4.3 Closeouts and Channels
           4.4 Longboard Waves
           4.5 Shortboard Waves
           4.6 Big Waves
    5. Surfboard Design & Physics
           5.1 Length & Volume
           5.2 Rails & Tails
           5.3 Fins and Noses
           5.4 Rocker & Bottom Countours
           5.5 Friction
    6. Surfing
           6.1 Function vs. Show
           6.2 The Bottom Turn
           6.3 Cutbacks & Roundhouses
           6.4 Airs & Floaters
           6.5 Hitting the Lip & Getting Barreled