Summer Institute Upper School

All Students: Grades 9-12

Prerequisites: Completion of Algebra 2 and Geometry

June 17-July 5 or July 8-July 26 | 8:30-11 a.m.

Fee: $650

This course is designed to help students strengthen their existing algebra and geometry skills prior to entering pre-calculus in the fall. Mastery of concepts related to functions and trigonometry often eludes students as they progress through two years of algebra and a year of geometry. Providing students with a focused review of these topics provides them with the best opportunity to feel confident and prepared as they enter pre-calculus. Note: This course is not designed to provide a head-start on the topics covered in a pre-calculus class.

All Students: Grades 9-12

Prerequisites: Completion of Algebra 1

June 17-July 5 | 8:30-11 a.m.

Fee: $650

This survey course is designed to help students solidify the concepts and skills learned in Algebra 1 and look ahead to their upcoming Algebra 2 class. Students will practice and review their understanding of past skills and be introduced to important new topics and problems that await them in the fall. Getting Ready for Algebra 2 covers a variety of topics including: graphs, systems of equations, powers and roots, quadratic and logarithmic functions, complex numbers, probability, coordinate geometry, and matrices. Some trigonometry concepts will also be covered towards the end of the session. Lessons, activities and explorations will support deeper understanding of important math concepts and improved math confidence.

All Students: Grades 9-10

Prerequisites: None

June 24-July 5 | 8:30-11 a.m.

Fee: $510

This course is for those who delight in solving challenging math problems and who would like to further develop both their problem-solving and their logical-reasoning skills. Problem-solving is the activity of the mathematician, and logical reasoning will frame our activities. Though we will examine how formal math can be used directly to help solve certain mathematical problems, we will find that logical reasoning is not all there is to problem-solving. Good problem-solving skills include ingenuity, creativity, and the ability to apply a variety of strategies and techniques. In this course, students will practice using fundamental tools and standard techniques for problem-solving, and they will be given the opportunity to develop their mathematical ingenuity through practice on problems in a wide range of difficulty. The mathematical subject areas that the problems are drawn from will be varied … but there are no prerequisites for this course. All you need is curiosity and willingness to use your imagination and intuition!

All Students: Grades 9-10

Prerequisites: None

July 8-July 19 | 8:30-11 a.m.

Fee: $510

This course is a continuation of Logic and Problem-solving. There is no need to attend both sessions of this course as each course stands alone. And remember, the mathematical subject areas from which the course’s problems are drawn will be varied … but there are no prerequisites for this course. All you need is curiosity and willingness to use your imagination and intuition!

All Students: Grades 9-10

Prerequisites: English 1 or department approval

June 17-July 5 or July 8-July 26 | 8 -11 a.m.

Fee: $680

The Creative Writers Workshop is for students who are eager to spend three intensive weeks stretching their talents in writing fiction and poetry. In these weeks, students will become better at reflecting on the world around them, and will learn strategies for bringing these reflections brightly to life on the page. Students will feed their imaginations by exploring several prompts each day and developing poetry, short stories, scenes and drama. Students will also read and discuss a range of writers and types of writing. The class is run in a supportive, workshop atmosphere, with students sharing and critiquing one another's drafts along with the instructor. By the end of the session, students will be more confident and knowledgeable writers – and will probably have built some meaningful friendships as well! Note: Textbook required.

All Students: Grades 9-10

Prerequisites: None

June 17-July 5 or July 8-July 26 | 8:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Fee: $1,025

This course will introduce students to basic rhetorical modes. Using model essays, students will learn to identify effective patterns of writing and to apply those patterns in their own writing. Students will practice paragraph composition using narrative, descriptive and comparative structures. Writing and revision will be emphasized. The course will cover the following grammatical topics: parts of speech, types of clauses, verb forms, verb tense consistency, active and passive voice, subject and verb agreement, pronoun case and agreement, phrases and verbals, dangling and misplaced modifiers, subordination and coordination, punctuation usage. This course will prepare students for the grade 9 English course at Harker's upper school.

Prerequisites: Minimum age is 15

June 10-June 13 (Monday-Thursday) | 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Fee: $250

Driver's Education, the state-required course for students to obtain their instruction permit, will be taught by Economic Driving School instructors this summer at The Harker School. The classroom course is four days in length and covers all the material needed for students to pass the written test. All instructors are credentialed school teachers and they have been serving Santa Clara County since 1978.

All Students: Grades 9-10

Prerequisites: None

July 1-July 12 | 8:30-11 a.m.

Fee: $510

This course is designed for students who feel like they have learned a lot about the distant past, but don’t know much about the recent past. This course gives life to an entire world of popular music, movies, fashion, consumer culture, and television that aren't in the 'old history' books. Students take a step toward being culturally literate in this course that will have them exploring these topics using a variety of media. Come dig into the pop culture of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, one decade per week: from Chuck Berry and the Beatles to Michael Jackson and Madonna; from Alfred Hitchcock to Steven Spielberg; from Pet Rocks to Furbies; and from “I Love Lucy” to “Friends.”

All Students: Grades 9-10

Prerequisites: None

July 15-July 26 | 8:30-11 a.m.

Fee: $510

This course is designed for students who feel like they have learned a lot about the distant past, but don’t know much about the recent past. This course gives life to an entire world of popular music, movies, fashion, consumer culture, and television that aren't in the 'old history' books. Students take a step toward being culturally literate in this course that will have them exploring these topics using a variety of media. Come dig into the pop culture of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, one decade per week: from Chuck Berry and the Beatles to Michael Jackson and Madonna; from Alfred Hitchcock to Steven Spielberg; from Pet Rocks to Furbies; and from “I Love Lucy” to “Friends.”

All Students: Grade 9

Prerequisites: None

July 8-July 26 | 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Fee: $1,025

Do you want to be prepared for the challenges of World History next year? World History in semester one of freshman year covers the first civilizations in ancient Egypt, the Indus valley, and the Mayans. It goes on to explore the first classical empires in Persia, China, India, Greece and Rome. In this summer preparation course, students will be exposed to a whole new skill set to prepare them for World History. Students will be guided in the best methods for: approaching document-based multiple-choice questions and document-based essay questions; organizing homework notes; and finding the chapter thesis and key ideas in a textbook. Students will also learn how to research figures in history using the best possible sources and citing these sources in Chicago style.

All Students: Grades 6-12

Prerequisites: Must be enrolled in a morning class.

By Session option (Monday-Friday) | 1-4:30 p.m.

Parents, enjoy a worry-free environment to keep your child engaged and supervised with our new Afternoon Club Café. Students are encouraged to work on homework, get social with a board game, head outside to get some air, and still have the freedom to relax and self-select what they would like to do. A light snack will be offered, and Club Café doors open at 12:30 p.m., with attendance being taken at 1 p.m. Dismissal is at 4:30 p.m., with campus pickup by 5 p.m.