CTD Hybrid: In-person and Online Courses


Hybrid courses combine in-person instruction with an online academic environment. These “blended” courses offer the flexibility to complete a course—some for high school credit and/or service-learning hours—by meeting face-to-face in addition to engaging with online course work.


Our Hybrid courses allow students to participate in meaningful hands-on work and in-person activities while continuing to engage with the topic along with their instructors and classmates online.


Think Like a Mathematician (Grades 6-8)


In this course, students will explore a vast universe of ideas, because mathematics is the study of patterns. Mathematicians are not human calculators. They are observers who learn to see what the untrained eye does not notice. Students will encounter challenging problems about number, symmetry, change, and infinity, and will develop innovative solution strategies and debate them with others. During this course, students will:


Connect geometric and algebraic representations of mathematical concepts Persist in solving/investigating highly challenging, open-ended problems


Think precisely and communicate clearly about complex mathematical ideas


CTD PATHWAY: This course is for students who love math and will extend students’ knowledge of middle-school arithmetic while making profound connections to deep math concepts from high school and beyond.


Smart Sensors: Engineering & Design (Grades 7-8)


What makes a sensor “smart?” We have already heard about driverless cars that will be able to navigate freeways and stoplights without human interaction, but can you imagine smart buildings that can sense earthquake vibrations and change the stiffness of their walls to withstand tremors? In this hands-on engineering course, students explore how many of our modern sensors work and investigate smart sensor materials that respond to heat and pressure. Using their knowledge of these properties, students design a prototype coin- counting device and invent a new smart sensor system of their own. Students will be able to:


Recognize the variety and complexity of commercial sensors in everyday life, and identify ways in which sensors are able to detect changes in the environment and signal a response


Construct a molecular model of PVDF piezoelectric polymer and describe the mechanism of how the piezoelectric film produces an electric signal in response to pressure or force


Create a human-centered, socially relevant, conceptual smart sensor solution to a social challenge


CTD PATHWAY: This course is for students with a passion for socially responsible design, electronics, and/or smart devices. It is great preparation for future study in electronics, design, and engineering.


Center for Talent Development


View all courses online at ctd.northwestern.edu/courses


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Community & Leadership: Be a Changemaker (Grades 7-8)


How do communities work together for change? Be part of a community with other inspiring young people, and explore Chicago to learn from local leaders and residents who are making change on critical issues their communities face. Develop leadership and teamwork skills by preparing and serving a meal to those in need or leading activities for neighborhood children. Learn what you can do to be a more active leader and advocate in your community and return home with a plan to make a difference! During this course, students will:


Gain knowledge about social issues affecting communities in Chicago Develop communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills Discover the motivation to make change in their communities


CTD PATHWAY: This course is for students who want to learn more about the issues facing their communities and develop leadership skills to be a Changemaker.


FOR 2019-2020: CTD offers a variety of Hybrid courses: stand-alone Hybrids, which consist of 9-week online courses with two weekends of in-person activities; Weekend Hybrids, which are credit-bearing, high school level honors courses that include several Saturday meet-ups over the year; and our Civic Education Project Hybrid, which combines online study and research with a 3-day, in-person service-learning opportunity. Below are a few sample Hybrid courses:


Pre-Med Honors (Hybrid) Algebra I Honors (Weekend Hybrid) Human Rights & Youth Advocacy (CEP Hybrid)


Please visit ctd.northwestern.edu/program/hybrid for more information on hybrid courses.


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