IEA Academy provides students ages 6 to 14 with advanced enrichment classes that promote exploration and application of knowledge. Courses provide compelling content and appropriate challenges taught at a flexible pace with small classes by highly qualified, dedicated professionals
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR Spring 2025!
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SPRING 2025 SESSION – IN PERSON & ONLINE
SPRING 2025 DATES
FINANCIAL AID IS AVAILABLE!
Financial aid is awarded on a first-come-first-served basis to qualified applicants.
“WE DO UNIQUE, FUN EXPERIMENTS AND ACTIVITIES TO FURTHER OUR UNDERSTANDING OF DEMANDING CONCEPTS, SUCH AS CREATING A DIAGRAM OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM MADE OUT OF DIFFERENT FOOD ITEMS TO HELP DEMONSTRATE EACH PLANET’S QUALITIES.”
–– Academy Student
“THE CLASSES AT IEA ARE CONTENT RICH. THIS IS IMPORTANT WHEN YOU NEED TO FEED AN INTELLECTUALLY HUNGRY STUDENT WHO THRIVES ON LEARNING.”
–– Academy Student
SPRING 2025 SCHEDULE
Click a course block for details!
IN-PERSON CLASSES
Course Description
This course will allow students to draw conclusions about complex physics concepts by designing, building, and testing structures according to many different challenges. For example, students will learn about aerodynamics by comparing paper airplane designs, acceleration and air resistance by measuring the drop time for various parachute designs, and momentum by building a structure to protect an egg from a two-story fall. This course will allow students to not only hone their math and engineering skills, but also to channel their creativity and practice collaboration and teamwork.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $15 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Get ready to set off on a fantasy adventure! While playing this quintessential tabletop role-playing game, students will navigate complex scenarios and unravel the secrets of a mysterious new world, riddled with monsters and magic. The players will form a party to work together as they create and explore their own characters’ stories, delve into dungeons, and overcome great challenges. They will decide the ultimate outcome through social interaction, in-game conflicts, and rolling of the dice. While playing, students will also hone their storytelling and worldbuilding skills. Will you answer the call of the Dungeon Master?
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $10 materials fee is required.
Course Description
What makes Disney characters so appealing and Nickelodeon characters so funny? Character design is the physical expression of a character’s backstory, personality and physical traits. This course will focus on designing characters for both TV shows and Feature Animated Films through a series of warm up drawing exercises, design lectures and multi week projects. Students will learn about costume design, shape expression, and anatomical structure to design portfolio ready characters for the Animation Industry. The course will end with an art exhibit with invited industry professionals.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $10 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Step into a world of cryptographic mystery and mathematical magic! In this course, students will develop critical and creative thinking skills through unraveling the secrets of logic puzzles, playing brain games, and applying mathematical reasoning to solve complex mysteries. Through collaborative problem-solving activities and hands-on challenges, students will sharpen their analytical skills as they tackle a variety of delightful challenges. Together, we’ll embark on a thrilling adventure to decode patterns, solve enigmatic equations, and craft our own math mysteries for peers to unravel. Join us as we unlock the fascinating connections between math and mystery, and discover the joy of solving problems in imaginative ways!
Course Description
Every single thing a human can do is thanks to their brain. From something as simple as breathing to something as complex as, well, performing brain surgery, we have the capacity to do these things thanks to the wrinkly, squishy, and sometimes enigmatic organ that floats inside our skulls. What we do know about the brain and how it works is fascinating, and in this course, we will learn about brain structures and how they function. We’ll take a look at the cellular level, studying neurons and their electrical and chemical signals. We’ll also study the distinct parts of the brain and their specific functions, and how we process and respond to information, exploring how that manifests in our thoughts, perceptions, decisions, reactions, and movements.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $25 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Students in this course will have the opportunity to do a deep dive into the process of scientific experimentation. In first few weeks of this course, students will spend time conducting teacher-led experiments on topics such as thermal energy and seed germination. As the course progresses, students will select their own experiments to conduct. They will decide which variables to manipulate, how to measure and collect data, and formulate their own evidence-based conclusions.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $35 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Music and math may seem like an odd couple, but they actually have a lot in common! This course will allow students to explore the intersection of these two disciplines through creative, hands-on activities that enhance computation, spatial reasoning, and creative problem solving… as well as unleashing musical self-expression! Music topics will include note value, meter, tempo, scale, intervals, harmonics and more. Whether you are a budding musician, or simply interested in new ways to exercise your math chops, music and math will soon be your forte!
Course Description
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” Join us as we analyze the power and depth of Shakespeare’s words with creative interpretations and examinations of his poetry through multiple lenses. For example, students will do different exercises with movement, ranges of emotions, and varied cadences, revealing the layers and complexities of the words and verses in the process. Additionally, examining the parallels of Shakespearean poetry and Hip Hop will lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation for the meaning and subtext of both genres. Ultimately, through word play and various exercises, students will see the art of Shakespearean poetry in a whole new light and may even laugh themselves into stitches in the process.
Course Description
Do you believe everything you hear and see? Could your unconscious bias be influencing what you experience? The creators of the various forms of propaganda are relying on just that. In this course, students will explore the art and science of influence in today’s media. Through hands-on activities as well as class discussions, they’ll learn to recognize and analyze modern propaganda techniques across social media, advertising, news, and entertainment. We will also use critical thinking to develop techniques to analyze the content and media we see to understand its true intent.
Course Description
In this course, students will delve into the works of a different author each week, discovering the unique styles of Keven Henkes, David Shannon, Mo Willems, Chris Van Dusen, and more! As they read and learn about each author, they will compare and contrast the stories, gaining a deep understanding of each writer’s approach before channeling their insights into a creative project. Students will apply critical thinking and collaboration skills with projects like designing their own car, writing in the author’s style, completing an art piece, and much more!
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $10 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Technology changed the world very quickly in the second half of the 1800s. It was an era of larger commercial ventures and world-circling, fiercely competitive trade, heavily influenced by British “gunboat diplomacy.” The Age of Sail culminated in the speedy Clipper Ships, but steamships that were not as dependent on wind came on the scene. Railroad companies performed incredible feats of engineering in the American West, in part to get people to the California gold fields faster. The telegraph compressed the world in ways that presaged the internet of today. However, excesses abounded too, with many lives and fortunes lost along the way. Students will learn about these technologies by creating models in Tinkercad (for 3D printing) and craft materials. Then they will role-play advisors to actual industrialists and military leaders of the time, addressing issues like whether to convert fleets to new-fangled steam ships, where best to lay transcontinental railroad lines, and whether to convert their handcrafted goods factories to steam power. They will also have to consider the fallout of their actions in the context of the social upheavals of the Victorian and Gilded ages, and the US Civil War. Mastery will be demonstrated by being able to discuss and apply strategy and technology appropriate to the period.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $15 materials fee is required.
Course Description
We know that cells are the basic building blocks of life, but what do they do all day and how do they do it? In this class, learners will explore the inner workings of cells. We will learn about cell structures and functions and view cells under the microscope. Learners will perform laboratory experiments to investigate cells and their various processes such as photosynthesis, respiration/fermentation, cell division, and more. Learners will practice using the scientific method and record their experimental procedures, data, results, and conclusions in a laboratory notebook.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $35 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Join us as we learn about even more amazing animal architects in this sequel to the popular Bees and Other Builders course! Both newcomers and returning students will enjoy studying this new batch of animals who design and build impressive structures in nature, from pufferfish and their seabed ‘crop circles,’ to coral colonies, to the caddisfly larvae and their protective rock casings, even to the squirrels we see every day and their nests. Students will learn from, and about, these animal builders and will build their own structures inspired by the animal architect of the week. We’ll learn why and how these animals build these structures and how they interact with the rest of the natural world around them.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $25 materials fee is required.
Course Description
In this course, students will become modern-day Rube Goldbergs as they design and build machines named after the American cartoonist and inventor. We’ll first explore the man behind the machine (and some of his international counterparts) and the mechanics and physics behind these creations. Each week, students will incorporate new knowledge and skills to create their own complex, chain-reaction driven contraptions. This design-driven course combines engineering, science, math, and art that will culminate in a final project that demonstrates an understanding of simple and compound machines and kinetic and potential energy.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $15 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Solving physics problems has driven mathematical advances since at least the time of the ancient Greeks. This was particularly true of Isaac Newton, who developed a lot of modern physics and invented calculus to describe it. We will explore university-level mechanics concepts (kinematics, work, energy, etc) with a mix of 3D printed models and explorations with electronics, including a BBC micro:bit. Students will also create visualizations of concepts by writing text-based code in the open-source CAD program OpenSCAD. Prerequisites: students should have some algebra capabilities (example: being able to solve problems like 2x + 7 = 1). Students will need to have typing skills.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $40 materials fee is required.
Course Description
What if you knew that every time you played your favorite game, you would win? The game would be no fun! Probability is essential in game design—it can impact gameplay in powerful ways by keeping players on their toes and making each move more exciting than the last. In this course, students will learn about probability’s greatest role in game design through a combination of strategy, mathematical problem solving and spirited play using board games and other fun activities.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $25 materials fee is required.
Course Description
You don’t need an expensive laboratory to challenge your chemistry skills – look no further than your kitchen cabinet! By combining everyday ingredients, you can create exciting colors, weird sounds, creepy textures and sometimes – explosions! In this class, students will learn essential scientific equations and elements, conduct safe and fun experiments, and watch different materials react in surprising ways as they explore the exciting world of science. Students will demonstrate their understanding through a project using the processes of the Scientific Method: hypothesis, observations, experiment, analysis, results, conclusions, and discussion.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $25 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Do you want to learn how to combine LEGOs and Scratch programming to make robots? Students will learn to program LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robots with the widely-used Scratch visual programming language and assemble appropriate combinations of motors and mechanisms to complete different challenges. We will explore how robots work, and ways to use the mechanisms available to perform tasks. Students will be doing directed builds to create robots to compete in class challenges (like capturing a goal piece and moving it to a target). Initially the builds will be completely defined, and students will follow step-by-step directions, and as the class progresses there will be more opportunities to meet the challenges with the students’ own solutions. Some experience with visual programming will be helpful but is not required; however minimal keyboarding skills are necessary.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $15 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Students in this course will explore foundational philosophical concepts while learning how to question, reason, and debate in the tradition of philosophers through the ages and around the globe. Each class meeting will focus on a specific branch of philosophy (such as epistemology or metaphysics) and how a wide variety of influential thinkers approached this branch. We will compare and contrast how philosophies from different parts of the world shaped how we approach ethics, thought, and knowledge. This course will guide students to discover their own insights as they hone their verbal and listening skills in spirited dialogue.
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Musical Math10:00 am – 11:30 am
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Playing with Shakespeare10:00 am – 11:30 am
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Analyzing Contemporary Propaganda10:00 am – 11:30 am
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Author Spotlight: Exploring Style, Story, and Art12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
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Sail and Steam12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
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Cell Biology: From Structure to Function12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
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Squirrels and Other Architects2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
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Rube Goldberg: Creative Chain Reactions2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
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Make: Physics2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
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Probability and Strategy in Game Design2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
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Kitchen Chemistry4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
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Intro to LEGO Mindstorm Robotics4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
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Thinking Further Outside the Box: Concepts of Philosophy4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
IN-PERSON CLASSES
Course Description
This course will introduce students to the concepts of ecology and life science. Students will learn about the complexity of the interactions between organisms and the importance of biodiversity for the existence of robust ecosystems. Conservation and environmental science will be introduced along with basic ornithology, botany, as well as water, fire, soil, and human ecology. Students will also get the opportunity to experience ecological science through hands-on activities.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $15 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Aspiring creatives will embark on a journey through the colorful world of screen printing, resist dyeing, stamping, and ice dyeing to express their artistic visions. Through a series of hands-on projects, students will learn surface design techniques and skills while creating unique and vibrant textile pieces. Starting from 2D sketches, students will plan, execute, and evaluate each project to create a portfolio of work.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $20 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Can Cyclops’s vision melt steel beams? How fast would you need to go to reverse time like the Flash? How much energy could Iron Man’s Arc Reactor truly output? In this class, students will take on the role of comic book researcher, discovering what it would take for their favorite characters to show up in real life. Through investigative analysis and scientific exploration, they will expand their physics, chemistry, and scientific thinking, as well as general computational skills.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $25 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Time to rise to the challenge! Each week students will work within the given criteria and constraints to tackle a new engineering project. From wrecking balls to zip lines, students will be tasked with applying scientific concepts to create their unique contraptions. Some weeks the challenge will be more functional in nature and others will have aesthetic requirements. In either case, students work through the design process (Explore –> Plan –> Create –> Test –> Refine) to solve the challenge. Materials range from recycled materials to standard craft materials and occasionally fine art supplies.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $25 materials fee is required.
Course Description
From Kehinde Wiley, who painted the official portrait of President Barack Obama, and has a piece, entitled “A Portrait of a Young Gentleman” on display at the Huntington Library, to Corita Kent, a nun who used pop art techniques and screen printing to advocate for peace and justice during the 1960s and ’70s. Jackson Pollock, a leading force behind the abstract expressionist movement, and Emily Kame Kngwarreye, one of Australia’s most significant contemporary artists. In Maker Art History 2, students will learn about a new artist each week and how they responded to and shaped the social and cultural contexts of their times. Students will gain insight into diverse artistic approaches, and then, inspired by these masters, create their own artworks, blending stylistic elements of the artist with their own personal expression.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $25 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Students will study the Arroyo Seco through scientific, cultural, and historical lenses from the pre-Columbian era to present day to a future impacted by climate change. Topics will include indigenous knowledge, economic history, infrastructure and human impact, geography and cartography, and ecology. Students will also take a field trip to the Arroyo Seco.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $10 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Color holds a great deal of power both in how we interpret and convey information, and in this course, students will explore the fascinating science, psychology, and art of color. This hands-on journey delves into how colors impact perception, emotion, branding, and personal expression. Through creative projects and scientific experiments, students will learn about color theory, psychology, and design. How can you use the science of color to create secret messages? How can you tell stories using color as your primary tool? Come discover that there’s so much more to color than meets the eye!
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $20 materials fee is required.
Course Description
The course will explore social movements past and present, with an emphasis on movements and causes in which students and youth have played an instrumental role. As part of the course, students will explore their personal values and the causes they are passionate about. For the culminating project, each student will create a project in support of their chosen cause, such as a letter to a representative, a sign they can hang in their window, or a protest song.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $10 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Challenge accepted! In this course, students will hone their engineering skills through the Fluor Engineering Challenge. Together, we’ll take on the new 2025 competition while also exploring past challenges and even crafting our own unique engineering tasks. Each week, students will work within a set of design criteria and constraints to brainstorm, build, test, and refine their creations. This class emphasizes hands-on problem-solving and the design process (Explore –> Design –> Build –> Test –> Refine), fostering critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $45 materials fee is required, which will include a solar car kit for students to build and take home.
Course Description
There are so many beautiful and majestic natural wonders in the United States that are part of our amazing National Parks system. In this course, learners will explore United States geography and take an in-depth look at several National Parks. Along the way, we will explore the geography of each area, as well as gain knowledge about the geology, biomes, ecosystems, and history of each of the parks we study. Each week we will do an activity relating to the animal life, plant life, and/or geology of the region or National Park we are learning about, including activities like building a butterfly habitat and observing as the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly unfolds. By the end of the course, learners will have a deeper appreciation for the natural beauty, diverse ecosystems, and conservation efforts that make our National Parks true national treasures.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $30 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Mathematicians are pattern seekers, experimenters, describers, tinkerers, inventors, visualizers, conjecturers, and guessers (according to Cuoco et al. in their iconic paper “Habits of Mind: An Organizing Principle for Mathematics Curricula”). Math circles allow students to establish these habits of mind in a comfortable environment while tackling ‘low threshold, high ceiling’ problems that allow for exploration at many different levels. Math circles are a time to get together and discuss mathematics and circle around deep ideas, seeing them from different viewpoints.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $25 materials fee is required.
Course Description
When we’re immersed in a video game it’s often the worldbuilding and storytelling that make it such an enjoyable experience. This course will cover level design maps, translating those maps into perspective drawings and set dressing the environment. Students will learn to think in 3D while drawing on a 2D surface. Students will learn skills such as drafting, architecture, perspective and organic foliage design to create believable environment drawings that could be used in a Video Game Concept Art portfolio. The course will end with an art exhibit with invited industry professionals.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $10 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Life Skills Lab incorporates scientific concepts and social-emotional learning while nurturing an empowering and affirming relationship with one’s body and mind. Each class period will include a science lesson, and a hands-on activity designed to provide space for students to process or practice the content learned. Topics will include emotional excitability and belly breathing, personal bubbles and consent, skin tones and hair texture, Dr. Dan Siegel’s Hand Model of the Brain, and much more!
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $15 materials fee is required.
Course Description
In this course, students will build their own MakeBot robot and then tackle advanced robot challenges! They will learn engineering and coding methods while testing and building designs using multi-port Hub motors and actuators. In each class, students will learn a new coding sequence, from programming light sensors to object avoidance, and then take on a challenge that incorporates these skills. Will your robot succeed? Let’s find out!
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $100 materials fee is required. The materials fee for this class covers the cost of the MakeBot robot kit. Students will be able to take home their completed robot at the end of the course.
Course Description
Are you fired up to power the future? Students in this class will combine scientific study and hands-on learning to find innovative solutions for sustainable forms of energy. Students will investigate the ever-evolving challenges, costs and benefits of transitioning to safer, cleaner and more affordable energy by surveying widely used technologies such as solar, wind and hydro energy, as well as cutting-edge innovations still in the early stages of development. Students will develop their creativity and engineering skills as they collaborate to create their own green-energy prototypes.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $35 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Both new and returning Sphero robot programmers are welcome to join this course! As in the first Get Rolling course, students will use block-based coding to drive their Sphero Mini robots and tackle a variety of new challenges. Students who already have experience with coding will have the opportunity to hone their skills and move onto text coding with their Sphero Minis, if they’re ready to level up! Whether new or experienced, everyone will use their complex thinking, cooperation, and problem-solving skills to complete fun challenges with varying levels of difficulty.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $55 materials fee is required for the purchase of a Sphero Mini robot that students will take home at the end of the course. If students use their own Sphero Mini from a previous course, the materials fee will be waived.
Course Description
What is it like to plan a mission to Mars? In this class, students will delve into the world of interplanetary exploration as they investigate the Martian surface and plan their own missions to Mars. Students will learn to access and analyze data from NASA spacecraft and gain an understanding of the variety of techniques and data available to study planetary surfaces. With an understanding of relevant scientific techniques and current questions about the Martian surface, students will not only outline their own mission, but select a landing site and scientific instruments within engineering constraints. Students will demonstrate their understanding through a set of mission planning exercises that will lead to development of a mission plan that is scientifically viable and possible.
MATERIALS REQUIRED: A $25 materials fee is required.
Course Description
Geography skills could save us from a zombie apocalypse! In Zombie Based Geography, students learn and then apply their geography skills in a series of scenarios based on surviving a zombie attack. From finding and obtaining resources to analyzing zombie migration patterns and learning about zombie and human impacts on the environment, long-term survival depends on starting over somewhere safer, and that requires geographic planning. Let’s go forth to forge a new and better culture! This curriculum was developed by David Hunter and is based on the National Geography Standards.
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Creative Engineering11:00 am – 12:30 pm
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Maker Art History 211:00 am – 12:30 pm
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Arroyo Seco: Science and History11:00 am – 12:30 pm
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Color Curiosities1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
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Changemakers: Social Movements and Youth Activism1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
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2025 Fluor Engineering Challenge1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
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Natural Wonders in the United States3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
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Math Circle3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
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Worldbuilding for Video Games3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
ONLINE CLASSES
Course Description
Imagine aliens arriving on Earth, AI surpassing human intelligence, and humans gaining the ability to teleport. In the world of science fiction, writers often explore these possibilities by starting with the question, “What if…?” In this course, students will learn the craft of storytelling within the sci-fi framework. Through a fusion of various disciplines and writing techniques, they’ll craft imaginative yet scientifically plausible narratives. Worldbuilding and original sci-fi concepts will be influenced by history and the physical sciences. Psychology will aid in character development and writing compelling dialogue, while the study of literature and story arcs will lay the foundation for creative writing. The class will adopt a workshop-style approach, allowing students to write, share their stories, and receive feedback from peers, and will culminate with an anthology of all the students’ captivating stories, giving life to the “What if…” questions that ignited their imaginations and challenge the boundaries of possibility.
NOTE: All classes are held in Pacific Time.
Course Description
Get ready to embark on an exhilarating journey through the cosmos as we delve into the breathtaking wonders of the universe! From the dazzling dance of distant galaxies to the mysterious allure of black holes, this exploration will ignite your curiosity and expand your understanding of the vastness that surrounds us. We will uncover the secrets of stellar formations, witness the birth and death of stars, and marvel at the intricate beauty of nebulae. Each discovery not only reveals more about our universe, but also about our place within it. Join us as we unlock the mysteries of space and inspire a new generation of astronomers, scientists, and dreamers!
NOTE: All classes are held in Pacific Time.
Course Description
Students in this course will explore enigmatic ocean worlds, both on Earth and other planets…complete course description coming soon!
Course Description
Students in this course will explore enigmatic ocean worlds, both on Earth and other planets…complete course description coming soon!
Course Description
Students in this course will explore enigmatic ocean worlds, both on Earth and other planets…complete course description coming soon!
NOTE: All classes are held in Pacific Time.
Course Description
When it comes to prehistoric beasts, dinosaurs tend to hog the spotlight. For over 150 million years, they were the dominant animals on this planet. Then all of that changed and a new Age of Mammals began. Welcome to Cenozoic Life, where we will examine the animals that evolved after the dinosaurs went extinct. Prepare yourself for a paleontological journey featuring real fossils and animal artifacts where you will learn about everything from familiar Ice Age staples like mammoths and saber-toothed cats to megafauna species you may never have heard of, including a few that aren’t even mammals!
NOTE: All classes are held in Pacific Time.
Course Description
In science, many subjects end with the suffix “-ology.” Each “ology” is a study of something special. In this course, we will spend each week learning about a different “ology.” For example, we’ll look into geology and be geologists for a day as we study the Earth, including rocks, mountains, and fossils. When we study ecology, we’ll look at how living things interact with each other and their environment. When we dig into archaeology, we’ll study ancient human history through artifacts like tools, pottery, and buildings. Ultimately, students will learn how all these “ologies” help us understand the world around us!
NOTE: All classes are held in Pacific Time.
Course Description
Climate change means that the Earth’s weather is changing over time. This can happen because of natural reasons, but lately, people have been the main contributors to climate change through the excessive use of fossil fuels and cutting down too many trees. But how does physics help us understand climate change? Physics is the study of how things move and interact. It helps us understand climate change through energy transfer, the greenhouse effect, and weather patterns. Melting ice caps, extreme weather, and negative impacts on animals and plants are all concerning consequences of climate change, but by learning more about climate change through physics in this course, we can better understand our world and find ways to protect it!
NOTE: All classes are held in Pacific Time.
Course Description
Using the program called the Hochman Method from The Writing Revolution, participants will learn how to powerfully take a position. Through a variety of concrete activities, they will experience new ways to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and set forth an argument. Through considering both sides of an argument students will be introduced to new strategies for decision making and will be able to explain an argumentative position convincingly by presenting evidence and quotations in ways that buttress their position effectively!
NOTE: All classes are held in Pacific Time.
To download a PDF version of the Spring Academy schedule, click below.
To be notified when information about new Academy sessions becomes available, please sign up for our email list and indicate an interest in Academy.
SPRING 2025 TUITION
In-Person Course: $675 for twelve 90-minute class meetings
Online Course: $400 for twelve 60-minute class meetings
MATERIALS
SPRING 2025 DISCOUNTS
- Multiple course discount: $20 off for each additional course
- Early bird discount: $20 off total tuition for enrolling by December 2, 2024
- Sibling discount: $20 off each student’s total tuition for siblings enrolled in the same session
- Referral discount: $20 off total tuition for both referred and referring families
TUITION ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE!
We are pleased to be able to offer need-based tuition assistance. Families who would like to apply for tuition assistance must submit materials before each session in which they are enrolled. To make decisions in a fair and equitable manner, IEA Academy requires that new and returning families submit all of the following tuition assistance request materials to nendacott@educationaladvancement.org by Monday, January 6, 2025.
- A completed 2025 Financial Aid Request Form, including which classes your child will be taking. Please complete a Financial Aid Request Form for each child;
- A letter describing the circumstances that make tuition assistance necessary for your child(ren) to attend the Academy session to which they are applying;
- A copy of your most recent tax return. If parents/legal guardians file taxes separately, please include both tax returns.
PAYMENT AND REFUNDS
Tuition may be paid by Visa, MasterCard, or check (made payable to Institute for Educational Advancement).
Once your child’s courses are finalized, their enrollment deposit invoice of $75 per course will be emailed to you. Enrollment deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable should your child withdraw their enrollment prior to or after the first class meeting. The remaining tuition balance invoice, less the deposit amount and applied discounts, will be emailed to you after the first class meeting. There are no refunds for withdrawals after the second class meeting.
If you will be paying tuition in part or in full using charter school funds, please refer to the Charter Funds page for more information.
IEA is an approved vendor with many charter schools, including:
- Blue Ridge (part of Inspire Charter Schools)
- Golden Valley
- iLead
- Sage Oak
- Sky Mountain
- Granite Mountain
- Excel Academy
- Suncoast
“We couldn’t have imagined a more ideal learning environment: one that combines high level academics with instructors who are consistently interested and nurturing.”
– Academy Parent
Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges
533 Airport Blvd., Suite 200
Burlingame, CA 94010
Website: www.acswasc.org