The LREI Institute is a unique place for students ages 10-14 to engage in creative, in-depth inquiry. During the Institute, students embark on an in-depth study of a "major" such as robotics, the science of invention, creative writing, filmmaking, fine art, or math and logic. Two and a half hours each morning are devoted to the major concentration in and outside of the classroom with LREI teachers and specialists. Each Friday is reserved for a full day of major-related field trips, guest speakers, and forums. Students may also choose an afternoon "minor" from a selection of sports and arts clinics, including basketball, photography, theater, karate, art and dance workshops.

LREI Institute takes place from June 23 - August 1. Students may register in two-week sessions, each with different major and minor offerings.   Please click here for LREI Institute Registration Infomation, or contact us by calling 212-477-5316 ext. 506.

The core of the Institute consists of major and minor workshops. Students select one major and one minor per session of attendance.

Major courses are rooted in academics including Science, English and Social Studies. Over the course of two-week workshops, students investigate the city in a completely new way as urban ecologists, become moviemakers, meet technology with imagination as robotics scientists, hone their logic and cunning through chess, or craft words and stories as poets or folklorists. Students attend their major workshops for two and a half hours in the morning on Monday through Thursday and for the full Institute day on Fridays for projects, special guests, and field trips.

Minor courses are focused on artistic or athletic disciplines. They take place for two hours in the afternoon on Monday through Thursday. Minor workshops offer students the opportunity to grow both in their technical skills and in their ability to articulate their own creative vision. Topics include Karate, gymnastics, moviemaking, basketball, theatre, multi-sports, sewing skills, and drawing & painting.

All Institute students gather together for Home Group, regardless of major and minor registration, to give them the opportunity to socialize and relax in a less structured setting. Home Group includes meeting times to process and share what students are working on in their workshops as well as recreational activities and student-driven projects.

The weekly Institute schedule is as follows:

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MAJOR COURSES

Robotics - Sherezada Acosta

Overview: Join the fun and exciting world of robotics!  You’ve seen them in movies, read about them in books, and encountered them in your life.  Join this session to learn how to design, program and construct your very own robots!

The Workshop: Using a robotic toolkit and a computerized controller (the Handy Cricket), participants will work individually and in groups to solve exciting challenges such as navigating an obstacle course, following a trail, and mimicking a pet or wild animal.  Participants may also create more artistic projects such as robots that dance or robotic sculptures that interact with people, each other and the environment around them.  Each child will get a chance to create something that excites them depending on their interests.  By the end of the session participants will have learned fundamental principles of programming through the use of the Logo Blocks programming language.

In addition to robotic design and programming, participants will learn aspects of structural engineering like the effect of weight on a structure and design changes that can improve a structure’s sturdiness.  Through the use of wheels, pulleys and gears participants will also touch upon several mechanical engineering principles that will improve the performance of their robots.

Students of all skill levels are welcomed.  The individualized and project-based approach makes it possible for participants of diverse levels of experience or number of years taking this workshop to share and learn from each other while working side-by-side to solve a challenge.

At the end of the session participants will be able to take home one of several robotic models created by them (including the programmable brick—Handy Cricket). 

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Engineering Flight - Steve Volkmann

Overview: In this engineering workshop, students will explore the science and beauty of flight through hands-on projects and experiments.

The Workshop: Together, we will investigate why machines and other contraptions fly. The course will begin with a brief history of flight and then explore the science behind it. Each student will have the opportunity to design and construct a number of flying inventions. We will start with basic paper models, the move to more complex designs and machines. Ultimately, we will build powered contraptions and gliders.

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Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice ages 10-12 - Jennifer Edwards

Overview: Our world is meant to be experienced, and the experiences we have are meant to be shared.  In this workshop we will cultivate ways to communicate your life-journey in your distinct voice.

The Workshop: This writing workshop is an experiential Journey into Written and Spoken Word.  Where do great poems, short stories, monologues or dialogues come from?  The ether?  The body?  The world?  We will explore our surroundings and ourselves through off site trips, quiet introspective and observational exercises and moving, running and playing in our environment(s).  Using the media of written and spoken words we will craft authentic ways of communicating.  Our focus will be trained on learning through the body, heart and mind and writing so that audience members feel, see and hear our experiences.  Each student will work in the forms of: poem, story, monologue and dialogue, however these structures will take on a shape and life of their own.  All will be encouraged to ‘think outside of the box’ and step into her/his true voice.  This course will culminate in the creation of a chapbook of the students’ work and images collected from our various explorations.

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MINOR COURSES

Digital Art - Carin Cohen

Throughout this workshop, students will explore Art in the Digital Age. We will begin by learning about outdoor and indoor digital photography through taking photo walks around the neighborhood and setting up a photo shoot to take portraits. With the photographs that the students capture, we will explore the intricacies of photo editing and the computer program Adobe Photoshop. Some concepts discussed will be composition, combining photos, dealing with color and Photoshop effects. With the original photos as a jumping off point, students will be taken through a process which will allow them to create unique pieces of digital art.

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Summer in the City - Megan Dunphy

A class which focuses on exploring summer in New York City through outdoor adventures! We will use our time together to discover the best of what New York City has to offer in the summertime… walk across the Brooklyn Bridge? Taste-testing fruit ices to determine the perfect hot weather flavor? Water Balloon games at the Hudson Water Park? Developing a walking tour of LREI’s neighborhood? Volunteering at a food bank? The sky is the limit! Bring your sense of adventure and curiosity, and we’ll get out and explore the city.

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Basketball - TBA

This course is designed to teach comprehensive fundamentals of basketball. Students will learn everything from how to shoot, dribble, pass, and play zone defense to more advanced moves such as screening, trapping, and person-to-person defense. 

We will begin by learning the basics of rebounding and boxing-out. There will be three-on-three tournaments each session as well as five-on-five play every day. All players are guaranteed equal playing time in games. We will also be training our bodies with calisthenics, running, and stretching.  In addition to creating a basic framework for understanding basketball, this course will serve as a great way to get in good physical condition for any sport.

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MAJOR COURSES

Moviemaking: Sound and Image - Vinay Chowdhry

Overview: In this moviemaking course, we will examine the role that sound plays in the ways that movies are structured and how we interpret them.

The Workshop: Over the course of the two weeks, our moviemaking projects will mirror the timeline of developments in motion picture production. After a brief exploration of film history, we will begin by making silent films. Silent films were the earliest format, in which the images were often accompanied by live performance.  Slowly, we will add “whistles and bells” to make extremely dynamic works of art. We will experiment with ways that sound may underline the action, add new information, or function more subtly as a story-telling mechanism. We will talk about what sound design is, and work on the skills to incorporate it into our moviemaking. Through this process we will see evolution of the world's most talked about art form.

The foundation of this workshop will also include the basics of creating a narrative, using the camera, and video editing.

The only pre-requisite for this workshop is a passion for movies.

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Machines - Steve Volkmann

Overview: In this machines class, students will investigate and learn how and why a variety of machines do what they do. Students will apply these principles of mechanics in inventing their own machines.

The Workshop: We will take apart some common everyday machines to understand the mechanical elements that make them work. We will study the design of simple machines and use them as inspiration to dream up machines of our own that can carry out specific tasks. Then, we will build and test them, problem-solving together along the way. Projects will include making a crane that really works and building a Rube Goldberg type machine.

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Creative Writing: The Visual Word - Jennifer Edwards

Overview: How can words and images collaborate to bring depth to our experience?  How can we make visual work using text?  Through exploration of collage art, the graphic novel and advertising we will dive into how images and text work together creatively.

The Workshop: Students will write, journal, craft and create visual works using a range of structured exercises.  We will view and critique exhibits of visual work; creating work based on what we observe.  We will form natural images from post-consumer (paper) waist, i.e. periodicals, drafts of our own writing, and objects collected from home and school.  We will learn to translate visual experiences into writing and writing experiences into visual art.  Participants will be encouraged to open their minds, notebooks and eyes to new ways of expressing themselves and experiencing their world.  This session will end with the creation of a ‘zine of student work.

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MINOR COURSES

Karate - Vincent Barile

Experience the real thing! Karate in LREI Institute will be an eight-day plunge, allowing students to encounter what this martial art is truly about. 

This Karate class will be taught in the Okinawa style of Go Ju Ryu. The Monday through Thursday, two-hour format will provide a rare opportunity for students to be immersed in the form. Each session will be geared toward a specific field in the style of Go Ju Ryu. Each week, Monday and Tuesday will be devoted to the basics: stretching, conditioning, and all-out preparation of the body for the martial art. On Wednesday, students will concentrate on Kata.  Kata are physical forms that utilize the mind, body, and spirit; they are the heart of Go Ju Ryu. Thursday will be a day of applying what was learned over the other three days through sparring and self-defense techniques. The workshop will challenge students both mentally and physically.

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Adventure Bound - Micah Dov Gottlieb

Learn the basics of Wilderness Survival right here in NYC!  If you were dropped into the wilderness how would you orient yourself and find or make the things you need to survive? Could you make it home safely? Would you know how to help rescuers find you?  You will learn how to build different types of shelters using knot tying and lashing.  Learn how to use the sun, a compass, or the stars to make your way through the wilderness, called orienteering.  We will play survivor games and have an orienteering obstacle course.

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Physical Theatre - Nora Woolley

Actors will explore the physical approach to theatre in this lively and exploratory acting course.  With the aid of basic Grotowski sound and movement exercises and essential clowning warm-ups, students will discover how to prepare the actor body/voice and create and sustain physical-based characters.  In addition, students will have the opportunity to explore “found sound” and create choreography in order to produce original theatre pieces within the supportive and challenging environment of an ensemble.

In the first half of the Session, students will create individual characters from head to toe (or rather, from mullet to stiletto) and write/perform an accompanying monologue.  The second half of the session will focus on the physical and rhythmic explorations of Stomp!  Actors will use “found sound” (brooms, pots, pans, shoes, chairs, newspapers, etc.) to create dynamic sound and movement choreography.  The course will conclude with one informal showing of our Session’s work.  This workshop is recommended for students with some prior theatre and/or movement experience, though not required.

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MAJOR COURSES

Urban Ecology - Megan Dunphy

Ecology is the study of the interaction between organisms and the environment in which they live.  These interactions include the relationships between plants, animals and humans, and relationships with factors that define an environment, such as climate, habitat, and physical geography. Urban Ecology is about nature in the city – specifically, urban biodiversity. Students in the LREI Summer Institute’s Urban Ecology class will gain a deep understanding of and appreciation for the ecology of our city’s landscape and the ways that it has been and is influenced by human activity. We will view not only the city as whole, but also as many distinct habitats, each of which exist independently yet together, making up our city as a whole.

The two week Institute will be divided into two week-long themes: water and land.  As such, students will consider topics including population dynamics, sampling techniques, adaptation, and change over time, among others. We will explore these topics as they apply to both aquatic and terrestrial spheres.  Daily explorations will include activities such as comparing soil and water from different areas of the city, taking plant and animal surveys of different parks, rivers, ponds, and streets, and conducting lab investigations to simulate the ways in which our urban environmental factors (for example, acid rain, street salt, or exhaust) impact plant and animal life. We will also consider global warming themes, and investigate how the actions and choices of people can impact an environment both negatively and positively by looking at garbage and recycling, sustainability and alternative energy sources among other topics.

Field trips and/or guest speakers will serve as extensions to put our daily learning and investigations into larger, meaningful, and diverse contexts. According to student interest, trips to and speakers from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Prospect Park Wildlife Center, the SolarOne solar-powered classroom, the Department of Sanitation, the Museum of Natural History, or the Hudson River Estuary will occur. Students will leave the course with a sense of agency and a new perspective on the ways in which their choices and actions impact the world around them.

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Think for Yourself: Math for Adventurers - Ben Blum-Smith

Overview: Math is alive and mysterious. It grows and breathes as people make new connections, create new tools, and even ask new questions! This workshop gives you the opportunity to experience the joy of participating in this living process.

The Workshop: The class focuses on the joy and excitement of relating to math the way people who have devoted their lives to it relate to it – as an unknown territory to be explored. It is a place where what is valuable is not to get the right answers but to ask interesting questions, imagine new forms, and think for yourself.  Students will become a community of original researchers.  As you grow acquainted with the topics, you will come up with your own questions, investigate these questions yourself, and the other students the class will become your supporters, sounding board, and audience.

We will play with a variety of intriguing, curious topics (graphs, symmetry, infinity...).  Some questions we might look at are:

* What do numbers, wallpaper patterns, and Rubik's cubes have in common?

* Is it possible to take an infinite number of steps without going infinitely far?

* Is it possible to go on a trip that starts and ends at Grand Central and crosses every bridge in New York City exactly once?

* If you have a random stack of books, is it possible to put them in alphabetical order by title if the only move you can make is to put the top book on the bottom?  How about if you're also allowed to switch the top two books?

* What's the maximum number of train routes that can be built connecting Boston, New York, DC, Chicago, San Francisco, LA and Miami before two of the routes have to cross each other?

However, our focus will be on the process of mathematical exploration, not on the specific content.  You will quickly find your own questions to ask, and these will guide our work together.

As we work, you will formulate questions, come up with guesses, and make discoveries. All these things will be put into the class' "research journal." At the end of the session, you will receive a copy of the research journal including both your own contributions and those of your classmates.

It is not necessary to like the math you do in school! The workshop does not rely on any school math knowledge besides a basic knowledge of arithmetic. A sense of curiosity and a willingness to use your mind are the only things you need. If you have ever enjoyed a brainteaser, a crossword, a puzzle, a mystery book or movie, a maze, a sudoku puzzle, a checkers, connect four or chess game, or anything else where you had to figure stuff out, you will have a great time.

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Writing for Performance - Jennifer Edwards

Overview: This workshop is an exploration of spoken word poetry, story telling and monologue.  Writing for performance differs considerably from writing ‘for the page’. 

Workshop: In this session we will examine both writing and performance styles.  All participants will learn to craft and deliver original spoken word/ slam poetry, monologues and personal stories.  We will learn through experiencing ‘real-life-theater’ in our environment and through examination of others’ work.  We will also explore the body as an instrument, investigate how sound travels inside and outside of ourselves and learn how to give and receive constructive feedback on our work.  The final presentation will be a performance of original work, open to peers and parents.

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MINOR COURSES

Mixed Media Studio Art - Carin Cohen

In this studio art workshop, students will explore a variety of fine art ideas and techniques and develop their on facility in using them.

We will look at the work of numerous master artists and discover how they handled the materials they worked with. Using this as a starting point, students will cultivate their own hands-on knowledge of a range of materials and techniques through exercises including quick drafts and sketchbook entries to more finished pieces. Toward the end of the workshop, students will create a mixed media piece combining several of their favorite techniques. They will be encouraged to consider the creative possibilities of combing materials and finding ways to express their ideas or aspects of their personality. Some of the processes that may be used are drawing, painting, printmaking and collage. We will also discuss the idea of incorporating recycled materials into our artwork.

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Comedy Performance - Christine Witmer

Get ready to tweak your funny bone!!

In this minor we will look at all aspects of side-splitting comedy by asking ourselves the question "What makes something funny?" We will experiment in the genres of Stand-up-comedy, improvisation (using the Spolin technique), and popular television comedy like sitcoms.~ Our playing will culminate with improvising, writing and performing our own comedy from our own experiences.~ All senses of humor welcome!!!

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Multi-Sports - TBA

This course is designed for students who want to learn and practice skills in a range of sports and physical activities. Sports will include basketball, soccer, and perhaps volleyball and softball depending on student interest. The class will occasionally go off-site to take advantage of other opportunities for recreation in the city, such as bowling and the Chelsea Piers sports complex.

The goal of this workshop is to build the foundation for a lasting relationship with sports and fitness. The focus will be on building self-confidence and a sense of personal achievement, as well as reinforcing the principles of fair play and teamwork.

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