Course Catalog
Small class sizes and Harkness pedagogy — along with the support of incredible teachers — encourage Scholars to take an active role in their learning, developing a mindset of critical thinking and collaborative leadership while gaining subject-matter knowledge.
Course Options by Period
View available courses for each class period. Scroll down to read course descriptions in the All Courses by Subject section.
Course Options for Grades 6 -7
Period 1
Humanities
Speech and Debate
3D Digital Animation
Storymaking
American Women's History: Remember the Ladies
Athletic Strategy and Leadership
Forensic Science: Foundations
Chemistry of Cooking
Algebra I Review
Manga
Paper Sculpture and Origami
Period 2
Humanities
Algebra I Review
Intro to Robotics
Field Studies in Environmental Science
BioEngineering
Shark Tank
World Religions
Digital Media Production
Creative Writing for Academic Success
Reading Deeper, Reading Smarter
SSAT Verbal and Reading
Literary Magazine
Sketching and Drawing
Period 3
Humanities
Logic Games
SSAT Math
Environmental Science and Policy at LVSS: An Experiential Journey
Storytelling in Music
Current Events and Contemporary History
Reading Deeper, Reading Smarter
Crafting the Personal Essay
Mixed Media Art
Watercolor
Board Game Mania
Period 4
Humanities
Mock Trial
Creative Writing for Academic Success
REDx
Public Reactions to Technological Revolutions
Shark Tank
Investing and Financial Literacy
Environmental Science and Policy at LVSS: An Experiential Journey
Logic Games
Painting
Portraits
Course Options for Grades 8-9
Period 1
Manga
Paper Sculpture and Origami
Humanities
SSAT Verbal and Reading
Reading Deeper, Reading Smarter
Psychology and Ethics: The Science of Wellbeing
Shark Tank
BioEngineering
Climate Science, Energy, and Cultural EcoSystems
Logic Games
Math and Sports
SSAT Math
Mock Trial
Period 2
Literary Magazine
Sketching and Drawing
Humanities
Speech and Debate
Crafting the Personal Essay
REDx
Public Reactions to Technological Revolutions
A World Redefined: Global Power and Conflict During the Cold War and Post-WWII Era
Investing and Financial Literacy
Athletic Strategy and Leadership
Forensic Science: Criminal Minds
Environmental Science and Policy at LVSS: An Experiential Journey
Geometry Proofs
Period 3
Mixed Media Art
Watercolor
Board Game Mania
Humanities
Mock Trial
Creative Writing for Academic Success
SSAT Verbal and Reading
3D Digital Animation
Human Rights and Current Events
Civil Liberties for Teens
Farm to Fork to Landfill
Advanced Robotics
Algebra Foundations
Period 4
Painting
Portraits
Creative Writing for Academic Success
Humanities
Digital Media Production
Current Events and Contemporary History
American Women's History: Remember the Ladies
Chemistry of Cooking
Field Studies in Environmental Science
Probability and Statistics
SSAT Math
Algebra Foundations
All Courses by Subject
Read descriptions of all our courses here.
View All Courses
Filter by Subject
3D Animation
Learn the basics of 3D animation, character development, and nonverbal communication; explore building in virtual space; and discover new ways of telling stories by creating an avatar using 3D-modeling software. Scholars will use open-source software to build, render, and edit animation, empowering them to develop a range of skills like production planning, storytelling, file management, and problem solving in digital spaces.
- Arts
- Science & Technology
Advanced Robotics
Explore the use of robots in industry, space exploration, and even entertainment. Scholars will study design, electronic sensors, components, energy transfer, and machine automation made possible by computer program-driven control systems. This hands-on, interactive course will enable students to develop prototypes for their own robots and use them in various challenges. Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of robotics.
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- Science & Technology
Algebra Foundations
Designed for students who have finished a challenging seventh-grade curriculum and who want to improve their skills, this course will help students understand the basic structure of algebra and acquire proficiency in applying algebraic concepts and skills in authentic situations. The course focuses on the development of problem-solving skills and the acquisition of mathematical vocabulary and symbols.Topics include variables and expressions; solving equations and inequalities; linear functions; and graphing and writing linear equations.
- Mathematics
American Women's History: Remember the Ladies
In 1776, Abigail Adams famously wrote a letter to her husband, John Adams, in which she implored him to “remember the ladies” in the law-making efforts that would certainly follow the American separation from Great Britain. In return, John Adams famously replied, “I cannot but laugh.” Ultimately, he went on to play a role in creating a government that would openly suppress the rights of women for another 143 years. The purpose of this course is to examine the role that women have played in the history of the United States from the Colonial Era to the present. We will look at the ways in which women have empowered themselves in the context of patriarchal oppression and assess the stumbling blocks they met in their quest for social, political, and economic equality. In so doing, we will elevate women to their rightful place in the larger study of history.
- History & Culture
Athletics Strategy and Leadership
Every term, Lawrenceville students are required to take part in a sport or activity, and Summer Scholars wants to introduce you to some options. So, hit the turf on Lawrenceville’s preeminent athletics facilities with members of our outstanding coaching staff. Students will become familiar with the rules and key strategies to several popular sports as they learn to think on their feet and react to changing situations. With classes that meet outside as often as possible, students will gain experience in solving problems through teamwork and taking a leadership role in overcoming obstacles. Students of all skill levels will have the opportunity to move their bodies, sharpen their minds, and build the skills that will make them a valuable teammate.
- Leadership & Teamwork
A World Redefined: Global Power and Conflict During the Cold War and Post-World-War-II Era
What makes an era or event global? Why do people experience history differently? Was the post-World-War-II era and Cold War a period of change? Or was it an era of continuity? In this course, you will explore what the world looked like in the mid- to late-20th century. The Cold War not only reshaped the American presidency and foreign policy, but brought about changes in societal values and pop culture. This was an era with wide-ranging effects that impacted politics, the economy, and the everyday lives of people in the United States and the world. Through this course, you will build a deeper understanding of the Cold War across the globe, the varied experiences of individuals throughout the period, and examine the legacies of the Cold War and post-World War II era in our world today. The course will use primary and secondary sources, research skills, writing, and Harkness methods to explore a variety of topics that are part of this period in history.
- History & Culture
Bioengineering
Ever wonder how Velcro was invented? Or how a prosthetic limb might be designed for speed or stability? Bioengineering brings together aspects of biology with engineering to solve common and less common problems in the natural world. This course will allow students to understand the range and depth of bioengineering, as well as more recent advancements in subfields, such as biomimetics, biorobotics, and environmental engineering. In a final project, students will investigate the contributions of biology and engineering to a given innovation.
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- Science & Technology
Charcoal Drawing
Sketch and draw your way into the wonderful world of charcoal. Explore this unique medium as you complete daily projects that tie into a showcase of creativity at the end of the program.
- Arts
Chemistry of Cooking
Science is all around us in our everyday lives, even in our kitchens! In this course, Scholars will learn about the basics of matter and its interactions through the lens of cooking. Through various forms of hands-on activities, Scholars will explore cooking techniques and learn about what is happening at the molecular level.
- Science & Technology
Civil Liberties for Teens
What rights do you have as a young person living in the United States? This course will teach you everything you need to know about the Bill of Rights and how it applies to you. We’ll start by developing a comprehensive understanding of the liberties enshrined within the Bill of Rights, and subsequently delve into many of the fascinating debates that have emerged surrounding the limits of those rights as interpreted in many landmark Supreme Court decisions. This fascinating topic will give you many opportunities to refine your capabilities for argumentative writing, critical thinking, Harkness-style discussions, and debates!
- History & Culture
Climate Science, Energy, and Cultural Exosystems
What is your local climate and how do the climate and energy systems of your local climate connect to the world? How do the people and culture of a climate interact with the natural environment surrounding them? What species, plants, and animals thrive in that ecosystem? How do scientists and others classify the ecosystem that YOU call home? Let hands-on-activities, collaboration, discussion, and more guide you in your answers to these questions and many more using the scientific method and related fieldwork.
- Science & Technology
Crafting the Personal Essay
This course is perfect for students who are starting to think about representing themselves and their experiences in the secondary school or college admissions process. Students will read published personal essays in order to expand the techniques that may serve them well in their own writing. Students will also use tools to help prevent writer's block while developing their ability to craft compelling personal writing for a public audience. All Lawrenceville English classes feature reading and writing in conjunction with each other.
- Reading & Writing
Creative Writing for Academic Success
Students will enhance their writing skills using multiple creative genres including poetry, fiction, and nonfiction / memoir to develop a basic subject-focused vocabulary and gain experience in a workshop environment that will promote participation, build confidence, and celebrate the revision process. Activities will likely include daily freewriting, discussions of successful creative works, guided prompts ("firestarters"), and workshops during which students will receive guidance in how to constructively discuss each other’s drafts. Students will acquire skills that translate to academic disciplines beyond the English classroom. There will be instruction of syntax, structure, and argumentation.
- Reading & Writing
Current Events
What's going on in the world today? Where is that happening and why? This course aims to lay the foundation for our students to become better global citizens by staying up to date with events that are of concern to many in our community. Learning where to start with sources and how to evaluate news media is an important step as we open up our exploration of the world through different news periodicals and the maps. Engage in shared topics for discussion and exploration, model how to approach news articles and how to pursue follow up questions to better understand the background issues, explore topics of interests, and focus on particular world regions through group work. Reading, summary writing, research skills, and Harkness pedagogy are active throughout the course and part of every day.
- History & Culture
Digital Media Production
Explore storytelling through digital media! Develop an understanding of how to build a story, how to produce video and supplementary digital content, and how to navigate historiography, ethics, and social issues by updating a canonical childhood story. Scholars will come away with the skills to create videos that are meaningful to them, work in a production team, and analyze contemporary media and historical accounts.
- Arts
- Science & Technology
Environmental Science and Policy at LVSS: An Experiential Journey
Are you seeking an application-based environmental science course? LVSS's Environmental Science & Studies (ESS) offers an experiential learning opportunity where students actively engage with foundational environmental science concepts. Throughout this immersive course, students delve into the intricate world of climate science while participating in hands-on experiences.Through trips to the Big Red Farm and interactive in-class modules, students will explore their interests in environmental science with their work culminating in a multi-day project where students act as policymakers, defending their choices for the benefit of the climate.
- Science & Technology
Farm to Fork to Landfill
Where does our food come from? Where does it go after we are finished with it? Scholars will explore each stage of the food system in the United States, and learn how food is grown, consumed, and sometimes wasted. Coursework will include hands-on activities, trips to the Big Red Farm, and case studies.
- History & Culture
- Science & Technology
Field Studies in Environmental Science
Delve into ecology and landscape-level environmental management by using the forests, streams, and The Big Red Farm on the Lawrenceville campus to investigate impacts on the environment. Scholars will focus on the science and policy of environmental management, with a focus on the local ecology of Lawrenceville, NJ. Expect to get outside, explore, and get excited about scientific fieldwork!
- Science & Technology
Forensic Science: Criminal Minds
What goes on inside the mind of a criminal? How do crime solvers merge a knowledge of forensics with psychology? In this interdisciplinary, hands-on course, you’ll find out. You will lead the process while learning how to investigate a crime scene, uncover clues, use technology and deductive reasoning, and incorporate the practice of profiling — just like the professionals!
- Science & Technology
Forensic Science: Foundations
Take on the role of a crime scene investigator and use lab equipment to analyze samples and study evidence to help solve a crime. In this interdisciplinary, hands-on course students will learn how to apply knowledge of science and the scientific method to legal problems. Students will lead the process while learning how to investigate a crime scene, uncover clues, and use technology and deductive reasoning.
- Science & Technology
Game Board Mania
Play various board games and interactive games to hone deductive reasoning skills and teamwork abilities. Scholars will learn the importance of strategy during a game. Refine your deductive reasoning strategies and other important game tactics.
- Leadership & Teamwork
Geometry Proofs
Wouldn't it be great to learn "how not to be wrong?" Employ your best Harkness skills to explore turning conjectures into valid conclusions through proofs and proof-writing. Develop strategies that will let each new idea build upon previous theorems or axioms to find the truth. Practice not only mathematical thinking, inductive/deductive reasoning, and problem solving, but also collaborative learning, presentation skills, and Harkness skills.
- Mathematics
Humanities
Each student in our summer scholars program will enroll in a Humanities class. Broken into grade specific sections — rising 6th and 7th graders, and rising 8th and 9th graders — you will engage in the Harkness method to understand, analyze, and create as you read short stories, poetry, vignettes, or other mediums and genres of texts. Each humanities class will explore a specific theme throughout the three weeks and ask you to compare and contrast different and engaging authors' works while improving your writing skills.
- Reading & Writing
Human Rights and Current Events
In 1948, following WW2, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which is regarded as a foundational text for the study and protection of basic human rights / dignity. In this course, students will explore the history of the declaration, examine all 30 of its articles, and apply this framework to an analysis of daily current events. As part of deepening an awareness of media literacy, students will consider the source of their news as well as come to understand how the perspective of both the writer and reader combine to shape an understanding of current events. Students conclude the course by focusing on a contemporary news story and presenting this story to the class with an emphasis on human rights.
- History & Culture
Introduction to Robotics
In this course you will work in teams to solve engineering challenges and develop real world skills while using LEGO® EV3 Base Set and Software. Combining the versatility of the LEGO® building system and the intuitive, drag-and-drop EV3 software, this course will have you and your team engineering sleek robots and learning visual programming from day one! You will maintain an engineering journal in which you will capture your initial efforts at orthographic drawing. Once you have mastered a basic design process (test-reflect-redesign-reflect) and designed your robot, you will engage it in a variety of challenges such as Robotics Soccer and SumoBots.
- Science & Technology
Investing and Financial Literacy
A collaborative atmosphere in class will cover topics such as management and business strategy, as well as financial terms, such as credit, interest, budgets, loans, and portfolios. Depending on the students' interests, businesses explored might include fashion, technology, and restaurants. Teamwork and leadership skills will be required and business theory will be explored. Students will learn the basics of what it takes to turn an idea into a profitable business, by answering questions such as "Who would buy this product?" and "How would I sell this product?"
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Literary Magazine!
In this fun, hands-on course, we will use our creativity, imagination, awesome art supplies, and our individuality to create our own zines. What is a zine, you might wonder? A zine (rhymes with teen and tween) is a handmade mini-magazine that can take many forms. Zines can feature original drawings, photography, poetry, collages, comic and/or narrative storytelling, to name just a handful of possibilities. In other words, a zine allows you to focus on your passion projects in an inventive form that dates back to the 1930's, but became popular in the 1980s and 1990s. In this course, students will create several individual zines using different formats, such as the eight-page folding mini zines, the perfect bound zine, stitch-bound zine, tiny accordion matchbox zines, and standard booklets made from folded printer paper. Students will have the opportunity to reproduce (duplicate) at least one of their zines to share and/or swap with friends. As a culminating project, we will collaborate on a class-determined zine with contributions from everyone in the class. This class will provide students with new skills and new ways to creatively express and connect with others!
- Arts
- Reading & Writing
Logic Games
Let the games begin! For students who like puzzles, games, and riddles and who understand that those skills help everyone improve their thinking and perseverance! Understanding and using logic is a key to success in school and in life. Through games, puzzles, projects, and teamwork, students will learn the skills necessary to solve complex math problems and write convincing arguments. Students will have fun while developing critical thinking abilities.
- Mathematics
- Reading & Writing
Manga
Scholars will explore the art of manga and anime. They will learn drawing techniques and drafting to create their characters and storylines.
- Arts
Math and Sports
Explore the applications of Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry readiness in a "hands-on" approach! Whether studying the parabolic arc of a basketball 3-pointer, the impact of the belaying angle on the force required on the ropes course, or discussing the length of the staggered start on the 400 meter track, you should be prepared to spend most of your time outside the classroom learning about math through real time practices. You might even have to break a (small) sweat!
- Mathematics
Mixed Media Art
Interested in learning about a variety of art techniques and styles? This class is for you! Scholars will explore multiple mediums; drawing, painting, collage, and more! Select a style to create a final project.
- Arts
Mock Trial
Put your law skills to the test as you and your peers walk through each step of a trial and prepare BOTH sides of a case. Let research be your guide and sound ethics be your grounding point.
- Leadership & Teamwork
- Reading & Writing
Painting
Explore the world of acrylic paints and color theory. Scholars will create a body of work based on a variety of color theory practices, including color mixing, complementary colors, subtractive colors, monochromatic, color families, and more. Utilize different styles of painting including impressionism, abstract painting, portrait painting, landscape painting and more.
- Arts
Paper Sculpture and Origami
This course will offer an in-depth look at the art form of origami and transforming flat sheets of paper into sturdy 3-dimensional art. Scholars will learn about the role of origami in modern day engineering and will work to create one-of-a-kind, handcrafted, innovative paper sculptures. Feeling inspired by a poem, a graphic novel, a feeling, or the world around you? Learn how art translates to characters and life, and how characters and life translate to art.
- Arts
Portraits
Learn how to create a self-portrait masterpiece! Scholars will explore shading techniques, utilize the grid system, and craft their own self-portrait all the while learning about proportions, technique, and more.
- Arts
Probability and Statistics
How do we measure the effectiveness of medicines? Is Craps a fair dice game? Is there an early-childhood correlation between crying and intelligence? What is this "standard normal distribution" everyone keeps talking about? We will explore these questions and more in our study of statistics and probability! Collect data, conduct surveys, and create appropriate displays for your data. Learn the rules of probability and numerical ways to describe distributions, play games like "Guess the Correlation!", solve mathematical puzzles, and model real data with simulations. As Scholars learn and tinker, they will engage with both theoretical concepts and real-world examples and datasets. Come get statistically literate with us!
- Mathematics
Psychology and Ethics: The Science of Wellbeing for Teens
This course was originally developed to teach Yale University students how the science of psychology can implore individuals to make wiser choices. Now adapted for teens, this class will use the same strategies to live a life that’s happier and more fulfilling. You’ll have the opportunity to enhance your own well-being by implementing a few simple research-based methods to your own life.
- History & Culture
- Science & Technology
Public Reactions to Technological Revolutions
We've seen tremendous technological innovation throughout modern history, and even in the past decade alone. The printing press, television, and smartphones are just some of the inventions that have shaped the ways in which we communicate and understand each other. In this course, we will analyze how these technologies have shaped the modern world, and see how the public has responded — both appreciatively and discontentedly. We will draw parallels and distinctions between 19th Century Luddite responses in England and contemporary anxieties, as demonstrated through works like "The Social Dilemma," "Her," and "Black Mirror."
- History & Culture
- Science & Technology
Reading Deeper, Reading Smarter
Today's texts, both digital and print, require critical reading skills – the ability to not only understand a writer’s meaning but to also question the assumptions upon which a text is based. Comprehending texts below the surface level also requires that you understand the nuances of words — not just what the dictionary says they mean but also their many connotations. In this course students will read and write about a variety of "texts," from political cartoons to product advertisements to newspaper editorials and even poetry, to examine what's behind the saying, "the pen is mightier than the sword." Students will develop vocabulary and the kinds of critical reading skills deemed key not just to pass most standardized tests, but to boost college and career readiness. All Lawrenceville English classes feature reading and writing in conjunction with each other.
- Reading & Writing
RedX Talks: Lawrenceville Innovation
In this interdisciplinary course students learn all about the art of composing and performing "TED"-style Talks. From research methodologies that produce persuasive arguments to the stagecraft involved in producing an engaging lecture, students will dig deep into this popular genre for promoting innovative ideas. The course culminates in a capstone project wherein students write and perform a RedX Talk of their own. What provocative questions are you excited to explore?
- Arts
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- Reading & Writing
Shark Tank
Combining innovation and business skills, students will learn how to develop their ideas into real plans of action and share those ideas with your peers. Scholars will engage in a collaborative environment and learn how to answer key questions, such as, Is this a product customers will buy? Are there companies that already sell this product successfully? True to the nature of seeking investors for an idea, the class will culminate with a competition between classroom teams to see who has developed the best plan of action. Students do not need to come to the class with a specific product idea, but they need to bring a willingness to collaborate and engage in out-of-the-box thinking.
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Sketching and Drawing
A great course for Scholars of all drawing abilities! Scholars will be introduced to working in pencil, charcoal, and other drawing mediums. The course will focus on drawing from life whenever possible. Scholars will have the opportunity to work indoors and outdoors as we draw inspiration from Lawrenceville’s beautiful campus.
- Arts
Speech & Debate
Students will begin by focusing on the theory of oral communication and the primary tenets of effective public speaking. Then, they will learn about debate theory, effective research, and debate strategies. Finally, of course, there will be debates.
- Reading & Writing
SSAT Math
This class will prepare for every aspect of the Quantitative portions of the exam. Designed to enhance knowledge of computations, geometry / algebra, and mathematical concepts, this course will “grow” skills through creative, interactive activities. Students will also engage in studying and practicing a variety of approaches to computation — developing a deep understanding of fundamental math concepts and vocabulary along the way. Although math skill development is the core of this course and students will be taking practice tests throughout the three-weeks, some time will also be devoted to math and logic games, fun applications of the math concepts covered in the class.
- Mathematics
SSAT Verbal and Reading
Students will prepare for every aspect of the verbal portion of the exam in a way that ensures students are not just learning how to pass the test but also how to be successful at school. Designed to enhance reading comprehension skills and verbal reasoning abilities, this course will "grow" vocabulary through creative, interactive activities. Students will also engage in reading and discussing a variety of texts — both fiction and non-fiction — developing close reading skills along the way. Although reading comprehension and vocabulary development are the core of this course, time will also be devoted to preparing for the un-scored essay that is part of the SSAT.
- Reading & Writing
Storymaking
Dream, draft, edit, illustrate, present, and bring your work of text to life. Refine your tone of voice, and showcase the grammar, syntax, and form of your work. Learn the basics of storymaking and create your masterpiece. Imaginations encouraged!
- Arts
- Reading & Writing
Storytelling in Music
A true exploration of applications of sound in the process of storytelling! Scholars will analyze the basic characteristics of different genres of music and compare and contrast their effects when paired with other forms of media (i.e. film, picture, literary, auditory, etc.). Scholars blend these different forms of media to create an original composition and tell their own stories.
- Arts
- Reading & Writing
Watercolor
This course will cover the basics of watercolor, watercolor pencils, and gouache, including working wet and dry, and mastering different watercolor techniques. Scholars will gain valuable insights into color theory and mixing. Scholars will have the opportunity to experience plein air painting on the beautiful Lawrenceville campus.
- Arts
World Religions
What are the basic teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam? What are the central practices in terms of holy days, rites of passage, and sacred rituals? Students in World Religions will draw upon the stories of young teens who practice the five religions listed above as a way to bring our study to life. Students will also explore their own faith traditions and/or secular philosophies in a concluding project that combines art, ritual, and music.
- History & Culture