Summer Programs for Middle & Upper School

Off-Campus:  This course will run entirely off campus at bird watching locations.  Parents will be responsible for transporting students to the site - The instructor will drive a van back to campus in time for students to attend afternoon camps. Students younger than 6th grade must be accompanied by an adult. 
 
In this week-long course, enrolled students will be introduced to the amazing avian world of North County San Diego.  Students will learn to spot, identify, and record sightings in this outdoor class.  While out in the various habitats found near PRS, students will learn basic skills associated with ornithology in the best classroom: nature! Students will leave with a general understanding of how and where to find certain common species found in North County San Diego, how to interact with the natural world without disturbing it, and how to get involved in the citizen science world.  Leave campus for the morning and take flight on a tweet-worthy adventure!  

Join us for a week of hands-on oil painting! This class is designed for those with some prior painting experience, as we’ll explore advanced techniques like canvas stretching, color theory, and plein air painting. You’ll begin by stretching your own canvas and learning how to mix colors. Then, we’ll head outdoors to capture nature through plein air painting. Throughout the week, you’ll refine your brushwork, layering, and glazing skills, all while receiving personalized feedback to help you grow. By the end, you'll complete a finished painting and gain the confidence to continue your artistic journey. Get ready to learn, create, and be inspired!

Ever want to learn to play guitar or ukulele? Well, beginning with this simple four-stringed instrument is an excellent way to develop right and left-hand technique, learn basic chords, and start strumming. In this camp we will spend time learning the basics and building comfort listening and playing music in a group. We will progress toward learning some fun and easy pop songs students will gain confidence playing on their own. And we will definitely jam out and simply enjoy the thrill of playing music! This camp is facilitated by Michael Fisher, a new Pacific Ridge English teacher and long-time guitarist and ukulele player.

Come jam in our summer rock band camp! Join us for a week of creativity and fun as you learn to play guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards, and vocals. In this camp, we will spend our days exploring our instruments, rehearsing, songwriting, and more as we prepare for an amazing end of camp performance

Designed for musicians of all skill levels, this camp is perfect for anyone looking to dive into the world of music and find their own unique voice, all while making some great friends along the way. Sign up now and get ready for a rockin' summer! 

Want to start cooking like a chef? This class will start you on your way! You will be exploring the ins and outs of eating and cooking from garden to table! We will be starting with the basics: knife safety and cutting, then we will try our hand at making our own seasoning blend! Throughout the week we will be frying, sautéing and exploring flavors to unleash your creative side. "Playing with your food” is A-okay when creating and decorating your dishes! We will learn to make several courses, from quick breakfast and lunch to main dishes and desserts. Fresh Pasta and homemade ice cream are on our list...Yum!

Note: Due to drying times and clay firing processes, finished projects will be worked on until the final day of camp, glaze fired over the weekend, and be available for pick up during the following week.

What is a Rube Goldberg machine? It is a contraption that uses a chain reaction to carry out a simple task. It performs a very basic job in a complicated way.  The first 2 days of our camp, each camper will identify their own task to achieve, brainstorm a series of actions that will complete the task, gather their own materials, then build, test and perfect their machine. For the remaining time, campers will work collectively to build a marble run by taping cardboards, scraps, and recyclables on a wall, making different paths for a marble to follow. Come join us on this journey of exploring and experimenting with physical principles.

Participation in Summer Rock Band 1 is not required for enrollment in Summer Rock Band 2.  All campers are welcome to join this camp, too, and continue the journey to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!

Come jam in our summer rock band camp! Join us for a week of creativity and fun as you learn to play guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards, and vocals. In this camp, we will spend our days exploring our instruments, rehearsing, songwriting, and more as we prepare for an amazing end of camp performance

Designed for musicians of all skill levels, this camp is perfect for anyone looking to dive into the world of music and find their own unique voice, all while making some great friends along the way. Sign up now and get ready for a rockin' summer! 

This course will inspire your inner engineer! Students will design and build robots using Tetrix parts, foam, and cardboard in a fun but competitive environment. They will pair up in groups or go individually to play various mini competitions that require unique ideas on how to construct their robot. The course will cover how to control robots, then we will apply these concepts to real applications on our machines. Students will learn about the design process and utilize it to effectively plan out their robot designs. We will test, troubleshoot, and revise designs to improve robot performance as well as give students hands-on experience in robot control. Students of all levels of experience are invited to join, and anyone with previous robotics experience should consider enrolling in the Robotics 2: Level Up camps.

This course is the next step in your inner robotics journey. Students will build and design robots to compete in unique and difficult challenges. These robotic designs take days to make and will be a good simulation of what students can expect in future courses and clubs.  Students will be put in groups of 2 and given the materials to build a robot that they will operate together.  Students will compete for points in different contests, while trying to beat the other team with gracious professionalism. They will be forced to think out of the box to get the most points and win the competition. Students can register for both Level Up camps if they choose - the experience will be different in each one.

This week-long course is designed to help incoming 6th grade Pacific Ridge students develop the skills needed to be successful in middle school.  Students will improve classroom skills such as writing, note taking, active reading, collaborative learning, and Harkness discussion skills. They will also learn productivity strategies and tools such as organization, time management, goal setting, and habits of mind. By introducing and using the technological platforms required of them during the year, such as their Pacific Ridge email account, Schoology on-line learning platform, and Google Drive, students will be ready to hit the ground running on the first day of school. Students will also leave with a clear understanding of the various academic and student support services available on campus. The transition to a new school and into middle school is exciting and fun, but it can also be challenging for students. This course is designed to help new Firebirds with the transition and to help them fine-tune some of the skills they will need in middle school.

What makes countries allies or rivals? How do world leaders make decisions? And what role do YOU play in global affairs? This Introduction to International Affairs course will turn you into a young diplomat, exploring the exciting world of global politics. Through interactive simulations, real-world case studies, and hands-on activities, you’ll learn how countries negotiate treaties, resolve conflicts, and tackle global challenges like climate change and human rights.

By the end of this course, you’ll think like a diplomat, understand global decision-making, and see how international affairs shape your daily life. Whether you dream of working at the United Nations, leading a social movement, or just want to impress your friends with your global knowledge—this is the perfect place to start!

Note: Due to drying times and clay firing processes, projects will be worked on until the final day of camp, fired over the following week, and be available for pick up by the end of the following week.

This summer math camp is intended for students who feel like they need a little review of Middle School Math Concepts/Skills before they get back into the swing of a full year of math after the summer break.  At the same time, students who felt a little challenged with some middle school topics might find this course helpful as a means to review foundational skills found in a pre-algebra course.  Students will focus on the following  concepts and skills:

• Operations with Fractions
• Operations with Integers
• Order of Operations
• The Distributive Property
• Simplifying Expressions
• Solving Basic Equations and Inequalities