Classes (2004)

Satori students are given the option of choosing one each of a morning, midday, and afternoon class when they sign up. Classes are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so students are asked to have a 2nd and 3rd choice in mind in the event the class they choose is full. Different classes may have requirements or material fees. 

Interested in registering? Please check out this page.

SATN 011: Ethical Issues Facing Society
Should human cloning be allowed? Where should nuclear waste be stored? Should parents be able to pick the sex of their baby? Does the need for food and the farmland on which it grows outweigh the need to protect endangered species living in the streams which irrigate these crops? Decisions have to be made as technological and societal advancements lead us down roads no one has traveled before. Having an informed, open-minded populace is key to ensuring that our society makes the best decisions as we tread into these new areas. Be prepared to discuss very controversial topics in a safe, open atmosphere, and have your current paradigms regarding medical and environmental ethics challenged.

SATN 012: The Satori Harold v2.2
Join the staff of reporters, photographers, cartoonists, and featured writers as you help create and publish a record of Satori 2004. Experience all aspects of a modern media outlet, from story ideas and selection to editing and layout. In the last ten years, the Internet and other technologies have dramatically changed the nature of journalism and even the beloved Satori Harold isn't immune to those changes. The Harold be published simultaneously in both print and online versions and numerous other exciting changes are also in the works. No experience is necessary to join this class, just bring your pen and a "nose for news." Some out of class work may be required. Don't just get the scoop on the week at Satori; be on the staff that dishes it out.

SATN 013: The Paradox of Power
In the war on terrorism, the US confronts itself, an empire, Pax Americana. Like other empires in history, the US espouses a righteous manifest destiny- bestowing the benefits of democracy and capitalism- while being perceived by some subject to it’s hegemony as acquisitive and hypocritical. As the most aggrieved menace war and terror, the US militarizes, domestically to the detriment of civil liberties, thus undermining the rights it purports to defend. Explore present policy and decide what should be done.

SATN 014: Jewelry and Small Sculpture Fabrication
This course will give the students the opportunity to use polymer clay (FIMO, etc), wire, and found objects to make jewelry and sculptures. Techniques taught will include Millefiori, marbling, and Mokum é Gané. These are all types of mixing effects using the polymer clay. The participants will also have the chance to try out PMC (precious metal clay).
There is a $20 lab fee associated with this course.

SATN 015: How to Write Funny
We’ll explore the art and craft of humor writing. We’ll learn the difference between being merely silly and gross, as opposed to being truly clever and funny. Everyone will get the chance to write some humor pieces. We’ll also learn that making people laugh is very hard work! Come and see how hilarious writing can be!

SATN 016: Catch a Brain Wave
This class will be held in a psychophysiology laboratory that can be used to measure GSR (sweat gland activity in the palms), heart rate, vasodilatation and constriction of peripheral blood vessels (using a photo electric cell placed on a finger), brain waves, eye movements, and facial muscle activity during emotional responses. Students will be “hooked up” to the equipment and we will look at your own physiological activity. We will also lie detection (GSR), attraction (pupilar response), dreaming (rapid eye movement), stress (heart rate and vasomotor activity), and hypnosis (brain waves). Some of these phenomena will be demonstrated, including hypnosis!

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SATN 021: A Brief Introduction to a World of Languages
Come experience a taste of some of the languages of the world. We will explore the Japanese language, including some Kanji and calligraphy. Persian, French, and Spanish are some of the other languages on the menu. If you don't know how to say "hello" in at least two languages, this is the class for you.

SATN 022: Karate
Students will learn basic karate techniques and judo throws taught in the authentic martial arts atmosphere. The concepts of dignity and respect will be emphasized along with a strengthening of the spirit, which allows the student to push back the limits of their physical prowess.

SATN 023: Can You “Dig It?”
Explore the world of hands-on archaeology. You will be introduced to the concept of a dig site and the use of simple grids. Basic skills and general analysis are applied as you learn about field excavation and artifact identification. Students will also be taking a field trip to a local archaeological site.

SATN 024: Acting Like a Fool
Always wanted to try theatre, but afraid the academic rigor might hurt your GPA? Well, here’s your chance to experiment, and there will hardly be any homework! This class will explore the world of acting. Our main emphasis will be improvisation, in both comedic and “legitimate” settings, but we will add curriculum based on the interests of the class.

SATN 025: Gourmet Cooking
Learn to cook many things that are served in a 5 star restaurant from dinner to dessert. From fun to fancy, from bread to a pork loin, to crème brulé, you will be able to make them at home. The recipes are all used in the restaurant run by John Newman and his talented team at the Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach, Oregon- where the food delights the discriminating tastes of a demanding public. The recipes and methods taught in this class have even traveled to our nation’s capital. Come and have some fun and be surprised by how much you can learn at the same time.
There is a $20 lab fee associated with this course.

SATN 026: Willow Stick Lanterns and Sculptures
Willow stick (withies) and translucent papers will be used to construct Lanterns and other sculptural forms (animals, totems, etc.). This technique allows one to create highly personal pieces The resulting forms can have an elegant to primitive quality.
There is a $15 lab fee associated with this class.

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SATN 031: Mysteries of Biology
Water is one of the most unusual substances known to man, but it isn’t the only mystery of biology that has persisted. The modern intersection of biology and physics is starting to answer some of the great questions. We will talk about why water and oil don’t mix and what it has to do with you, how viruses might get into your cells, when quantum physics matters to your eyes, and how physics has affected modern medicine.

SATN 032: Ecology
Students will gain insights into the complexity of ecosystems through an investigation that includes a trip to the Turnbull Wildlife Refuge and to the Turnbull Laboratory. We will explore factors that impact populations of zooplankton. Students will learn ecological sampling techniques and identification of local zooplankton.

SATN 033: Ummm….Wanna Dance?!
As homes are networked, highways are deadlocked, long distance rates drop, etc., people are being drawn away from one another. In a bold step against this social trend, we are going to dance. We may Swing, Salsa, Mambo, Fox-Trot, Waltz, Rhumba, and Meringue. Learn the still-useful dances of a society past. This class is for everyone, no experience necessary. Boys and girls will dance together.

SATN 034: Colors: Pigments, Figments or Waves?
Imagine the world with no colors: no red apples, no blue sky, no green plastic ferns. Color plays a very important role in our lives and this class will study it from the points of view of many different disciplines, including art, chemistry, physics, psychology, neuroscience and philosophy. In particular, we'll look at questions like: "What is color, waves of light or something else entirely?", "How do our eyes and brains work when it comes to seeing colors?", "Why is there no such thing as brown light?" and "Why the heck do my clothes seem to match when I get ready for the morning but look like a train wreck by the time I get to the bus stop?" This class will be an interactive experience, as we will be running a wide variety of different experiments. Come join us.

SATN 035: Who Dunnit?
Are you a closet mystery buff? Here’s the chance to show your stuff! In this class, we will create the characters and develop our very own Satori Murder Mystery. Campers will write, cast, and direct the murder mystery. The class will focus on character development, plot, and of course, action! We will also be responsible for developing Satori’s 21st Top Ten List!

SATN 036: Bring in da’ Noise, Bring in Satori!
Experience the extraordinary world of African and Latin hand percussion. You will learn techniques for playing several different instruments in the four major families of African/Latin percussion: bells, shakers, mallets, and drums. We will take these techniques and learn to layer together drum grooves based on Duple and Triple time signatures, explore techniques for developing solos, and perform for other campers. We will also experiment with Organic (found) percussion by scrounging, salvaging, and building our own percussion instruments from the world around us. Remember, as a percussionist, the world is your instrument and the grooves are endless!

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Interested in receiving one of our brochures next year?

Email us at info@satoricamp.org with your mailing address.