Three weeks. Five courses. Countless opportunities.
At DECATS, we believe education and entertainment go hand-in-hand. Our qualitatively differentiated program focuses on leadership and responsibility education for gifted children, providing challenging and enriching coursework, nurturing the whole learner and fostering the leaders of tomorrow. Originally conceived and architected on Dr. Joseph Renzulli’s conceptions and models of giftedness, DECATS is a safe learning environment for students who demonstrate high intellectual ability, a strong commitment to learning and exceptional creativity.
All Scholars participate in Manners to Morals during first period, an intense exploration of the joys and responsibilities of being a gifted leader. There is a different curriculum for each year that Scholars participate, determined by grade level.
Perspectives takes place during second period and provides a forum for reflection, support and direction for gifted Scholars. Topics include the privileges and responsibilities of being gifted, with special emphasis on leadership, followership, peer relationships and faith development. We also explore stereotypes of the gifted, dispelling myths and celebrating uniqueness. The primary goal of this four-year curriculum is to instill in Scholars a sense of service to others in a spirit of gratitude, learning that “better at” does not mean “better than.” Scholars are encouraged to think critically and be reflective regarding their own experiences.
Explore themes discussed in Perspectives
We gather course requests as part of an easy, online process, where you have plenty of advance time to review our offerings for the summer and map out those you wish to request. Final schedules are provided at the very start of the program, not in advance.
For more more about the course request process, check out our FAQ section.
DECATS 2021 Courses
A Game of Kings
Want to join the Knights of the Square Table, or maybe the Bishop Brigade? Do you want to Rook & Roll? Don’t be intimidated by the challenge of chess! Whether you’re a novice or an accomplished chess player, come sharpen your critical thinking skills, learn to outwit your opponents and experience the thrill of victory. Come on in and take a seat. “A Game of Kings” is beginning—and it’s your move!
A Thousand Flowers
Experience the traditional Italian polymer clay art of millefiori, which translates to “a thousand flowers.” The beauty of this technique is revealed through long, colorful coils wrapped strategically with polymer clay to construct elaborate designs. Create beads, sculptures, caterpillars and other beautiful insects using magnificent millefiori!
A-maze-ing
Marble mazes may appear simplistic, but look again! Slope, angles and other mathematical concepts are what keep things rolling. Collaborate with a team to design, test, and tweak your very own marble runs. With a little patience and a lot of planning, you’ll be amazed at what you can create.
Abracadabra
You won’t believe your eyes! Come explore the secrets of magic tricks, from simple street magic to big stage performances, and practice performing for an audience of your own. Develop your stage presence as you explore the science behind each sleight of hand.
Adventure Awaits
Calling all those who seek adventure into parts unknown! Dragons are wreaking havoc, monsters are lurking and the people of the land need your help! You and your fellow Scholars will take fate into your hands as you form teams and make decisions that impact the outcome of your game. A simple roll of the die can change your circumstances completely! Be prepared to think two steps ahead because adventure awaits!
Angry Birds: Next Level
Ready . . . Aim . . . FIRE! We don’t need devices to play with THESE Angry Birds. In this course, we will build different kinds of catapults, assemble different kinds of “birds” for ammunition and construct various levels to knock down. Don’t let an evil piggy steal your spot. Slingshot your way into fun in Angry Birds: Next Level!
Animania
You are a scientist deep in the Amazon hoping to learn more about an animal you’ve been researching when suddenly you discover a new species! Believe it or not, this continues to happen every year, as the world is full of areas left to explore and animals left to discover. In Animania, you’ll journey into the unknown to examine some of the wildest creatures ever seen. Take the most interesting aspects of each and build a model of your own unique species. What does it eat? Where will it live? And, most importantly, what else might be out there?
Back to the Future
Take time-trusted tales and propel them into 2021! Take the themes and plot lines that make familiar tales eternally popular and see what happens when modern day elements are added into the mix in a play that you create, write and produce. Is the setting your school? Is the heroine the homecoming queen? See what happens when two worlds collide on stage!
Behind the Scenes
Are you curious about the design and technical aspects of a show? Behind the scenes of a production, the stage crew is hard at work designing, crafting, and creating the scenery, props and costuming needed for a production. Experience the thrill of theater from backstage, as you put together the pieces that will help our “Give My Regards to Broadway” show take shape. We can’t do it without you!
Bigger Than Before
Do you enjoy drawing but wish you could improve your artistic talents? Wish you could draw fabulous pictures but find yourself having to trace them to get the look you want? Learn how to draw smaller objects on a larger scale with a technique that will allow you to unleash your inner artist. Embrace a simple technique that will allow you to enlarge any picture to the size you want and still have it look like the original. Join us and amaze your family and friends.
Blood & Guts
Our planet is a marvelous place where creatures of all shapes and sizes coexist. Don your protective equipment and join us as we get a closer look at Earth’s creatures, both inside and out. Our journey will involve hands-on exploration and dissection of aquatic and terrestrial specimens as we examine their internal and external anatomy and learn more about the human body in the process. Allergy Warning: This course involves potential exposure to uncooked seafood, latex, and specimen preservatives.
Brainteasers
Stretch your brain and prepare to attack problems in unconventional ways! This course is full of puzzles, riddles and challenging problems. It requires someone who wants to be challenged to think “outside the box!” Open your mind to logic and strategy as you participate in eye-opening activities, such as life-size Sudoku and human knots!
Cool Beats
Combine percussion skills with summer fun in the only course that lets you create a captivating show with only drums and pool noodles! Recreate your favorite music and produce new rhythms to put on a one-of-a-kind act. Come drum up some fun in Cool Beats!
CSI: DECATS
Get ready to delve into the world of forensics. A crime has been committed, and we’ve been called upon to collect the evidence. Analyze fingerprints, hair samples, fibers and imprints to piece the picture together. Grab your magnifying glass and critical thinking cap and let’s solve the mystery!
DECATS Digest
Join DECATS Digest by becoming a reporter or photographer for our newspaper. We will publish an entire edition during our three weeks together. Find out what it takes to write for and create a newspaper as you develop the confidence to seek out interviews with your peers and Mentors. Put your research, interviewing, photography and writing skills to work for the entire community to enjoy. Don’t miss this opportunity to spread the news!
DECATS DIY
Why buy what you can make yourself? Get ready to construct and create! Get a little messy and have a whole lot of fun as we make our own bouncy balls, silly putty, soap, sidewalk chalk and more. If you are ready to take projects into your own hands, this is the course for you!
DECATS Olympics
The Olympics have arrived in Houston! After we divide into countries, create flags and logos, and participate in Opening Ceremonies, it’s time for the games to begin. We’ll participate in a variety of sports and challenges modeled after those seen in the Olympics, such as scooter-kayaking and build-your-own badminton. Go for the gold in DECATS Olympics!
Denim Designs
What’s the best kind of fabric? Denim! Jeans are stylish, trendy, useful and versatile. But instead of wearing them, let’s deconstruct them and design something new! Be ready to look at this fashion material in a new way as we construct bean bag games, personalize coasters and apply intricate weaving patterns using this timeless textile.
From the Page to the Stage
From the movies that fill the big screen to the plays that fill our hearts and minds with wonder, each grand production first begins with the filling of a page. Come decide the characters and plot that will come to life in a production of your own. We will create the screenplays and scripts, design the storyboards, and make the casting decisions that will have your ideas ready to go from the page to the stage!
Game On
Are you quick to solve puzzles during Wheel of Fortune? Do you wish you could buzz in with answers during Jeopardy? You are no longer just a contestant at home. Use your creativity to create your very own game show. Become a producer as you create the concept, craft the rules and bring the game show to life.
Get Growing
Learn how to care for the earth by putting your green thumbs to work! Grow plants and herbs that can be used for everything from beautifying a space at our campus to adding flavor to our favorite drinks. Learn how to cultivate and care for plants, as well as the significant ways they have been used to promote healing for generations. Allergy Warning: This course involves direct exposure to live plants and potential exposure to insects.
Give My Regards to Broadway
Lights, camera, action! Join in the excitement and magic of being part of a Broadway show. Share your love of theater as you act, sing, and dance to make a musical come to life. Everyone performs and everyone is cast in a part. Scholars learn the fundamentals of acting, create a costume, develop their character, memorize lines and sing and dance in a fast paced, hands-on production. Get ready to shine as the curtain goes up and the show goes on.
Gotta Catch ‘Em All
Pokémon cards can be found in the hands of people all over the country. While many enjoy the game, few have stopped to think about the math at work behind it! We will learn how to apply math probability techniques to tip the odds in our favor. Come build the strongest hand (and mind) and defeat your opponents! What are you waiting for? We “Gotta Catch ‘Em All!”
Hello, Hogwarts
Calling all wizards! From the moment you arrive, you will cease to be a Muggle and take on the role of a Scholar at the Hogwarts School in the wizarding world of Harry Potter! Explore extraordinary classes like Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration and Potions. Try your hand at making your own wand, creating a golden snitch and designing your own Hogwarts floor plan. You can wear your Hogwarts robes or choose to dress in the Muggle manner. Come begin the journey of a lifetime into the wonderful world of Harry Potter!
I Survived
The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. The sinking of the Titanic. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Imagine you were there and lived to tell the tale! Get ready to travel back in time and explore some epic moments in history with a literary spin. Discover the details surrounding the event and use iPads and video editing applications to bring them to life as you craft your own harrowing tale of survival.
If You Build It
Can you design a chair that will improve learning? What about an airplane seat that will allow for a more comfortable flight or a bookshelf that’s functional, yet fun? Use upcycled materials to design and construct full-size furniture that meets all your needs. Be ready to measure, cut and craft your designs to bring them to scale. From small ideas we’ll produce some grand furniture!
Into the Unknown
What would happen if you were stranded in the wilderness? Would you be able to thrive on your own? Let’s get outside and learn what it takes to conquer the great outdoors. We’ll learn about trail safety and food sources (including bugs!) and apply our newly-acquired knowledge to different survival scenarios. You’ll learn to be prepared for anything as we venture into the unknown.
It Actually is Rocket Science
Rockets flying, gravity defying; this is a course you will not be denying! Blast off into learning the physics of building your own rocket and then launch it to see just how far it can go! This may not be NASA, but there is no doubt that we will master different ways to overpower the gravitational force. Exploration awaits!
It’s All in the Cards
It’s time to shuffle the deck and suit up! Put your strategies to the test as you face your opponent in this card frenzy course! Get ready to try your hand at a variety of card games—both the familiar and the unexpected. Take a crack at Jacks or use tricks to gain the upper hand in “Oh No!” By the end of the course, you’ll have your own game designed that you can teach your peers. Fun is surely in the cards this summer!
LEGO Robotics
Enter the world of robotics engineering! Using LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 kits, your team will build and program robots to use multiple sensors and successfully accomplish challenges. Want to make your robot follow a shape drawn out in tape on the floor? Maybe have it throw a ball? Or perhaps your robot will be voice activated? Come to LEGO Robotics and learn how to do all of that and more!
Marvel vs. DC Showdown
When it comes to the world of comic books, which side are you on? Explore the Marvel and DC Universes to decide which reigns supreme. Design and build a story for a character of your own design that even Stan Lee would be proud of creating.
Masters of Mahjong
Pung! Chow! Kong! Work together to put your new Chinese calligraphy skills to use as you build a life-size set of Mahjong tiles and learn the most popular game in China. Combine your calculations with a little bit of luck and level up your game as you run, swipe, kick, and strategize your way to becoming a magnificent master of Mahjong.
Mathemagic
Come perform mystifying, mathematical feats that might seem impossible at first glance. Create curves using only straight lines and multiply using pebbles and holes in the ground. Do you believe you can cut a hole in an 8½ by 11 piece of paper large enough to walk through? Discover how to dazzle others with Mathemagic!
Mind Over Matter
Picture a locked box in the center of the room. You and your team must figure out the code to the box to receive the reward, but first you must determine the answer to a series of difficult clues. When faced with the ultimate challenge, will your team be able to combine their talents and knowledge to beat the clock? Use your abductive, inductive and deductive reasoning skills to find and decipher a series of clues that will lead you and your team to victory in this ultimate race against time.
Mission to Mars
Begin your exciting journey to the Red Planet! Come explore how past and present missions to Mars are paving the way for future explorations. Research amazing facts about the Martian atmosphere, terrain and harsh environment and use your knowledge to create your own space mission. Design and build a Mars Rover and let it take you where you need to go. What will you explore on your Mission to Mars?
On That Note
We need you to help us find that perfect pitch! All voices and levels of experience are welcome, as we recreate top hits and perfect ensemble versions of songs we know and love. We’ll use technology to sync digital recordings of our individual performances, so that we can safely create memorable mash-ups to enjoy for years to come.
Once Upon a Crime
What if the witch that captured Hansel and Gretel was arrested instead of killed? What if the Big Bad Wolf was sued by the pigs and had to pay to rebuild their homes? You’ll script out and participate in the mock courtroom trials of these and other fairytale villains. Were they found guilty of their crimes? Or were they able to successfully defend themselves and keep their freedom? Get your creative ideas ready!
Painting’s Possible
Create, invent and explore! It doesn’t matter if you are a painting master or if you think of yourself as a painting disaster, this course is for you! With your creativity running wild, develop paintings that break all the rules. Take a risk! The rewards are grand for dreamers who dare to color outside the lines, travel to new artistic places and create freely with no comments and critiques! Come experience your creative freedom. Lead the way!
Passing the Torch
Welcome to the Olympic committee! Be prepared to gasp at the gaffes and marvel at the facilities, as we explore the pitfalls and successes of previous Olympic host cities. After we learn from the mistakes of the past, you’ll get a chance to plead your case to bring the Olympics to a city of your choosing. Everything from the design of the stadiums and mascots, to the gold medal moments will be yours to plan and create. The future of the Games starts with you!
See it in 3D
Enter the world of three-dimensional art! Through molding, constructing, and sculpting, we will create one of a kind pieces of artwork. To create our sculptures, we’ll use conventional materials like clay, but we’ll also mix it up with some different things we find along the way, such as sand and tape. Sculptures aren’t bound to rules: creations of all shapes sizes, textures, and forms are welcome!
Shark Tank
The tycoons of the business world are always looking for the next budding entrepreneur, so let’s see what you’ve got. With the right idea and planning, you could be on the next season of Shark Tank, where you’ll see if your idea has what it takes to earn the backing of investors! Come explore real world problems, brainstorm profitable solutions, create prototypes, budget finances and perfect your sales pitch. Does your idea have what it takes to survive The Shark Tank?
Short Circuit
Electronic circuits run the world! From the doorbell to the computer, they are at the center of any modern electronic device. Let’s discover this exciting world by learning the basic principles and laws of electronics and by building electronic circuits. Work with real components like resistors, diodes, transistors, LEDs and speakers. Build a working burglar alarm, audio generator, wake-up alarm and other devices. Use special software to plan and test your devices.
Skits & Spoofs
Laughter will ring out as we create spoofs of our favorite TV shows, produce music video parodies, perform hilarious skits, and much more! Create, share and laugh your way through performances. Come showcase your talents with a humorous twist!
Slime Time
Get ready for a summer of sticky goodness and slimy satisfaction! In this course, if we’re making a mess, then we know that we’re on the right track. We’ll make several different kinds of slime and use the scientific process to document our findings as we work to create slime of the perfect consistency. It’s always the right time for Slime Time!
Sportsplex
The clock is ticking. All morning long you have been looking forward to going outside to play your favorite sport at recess. Just as that time of day nears, you hear the dreaded news, “Outside activities are cancelled due to rain (or the dreaded ozone alert!)”. That’s no obstacle for the Scholars in Sportsplex! We will learn to adapt some favorite games to be played indoors. No more rainy days ruining the fun!
Star Wars Zoology
May the force be with you as you study the behaviors, habitats, and anatomies of creatures from “a galaxy far, far away.” From the lush forest moon of Endor to the sands of Tatooine, we will examine and classify Ewoks, Wookies, Jawas, and so much more! Make sure to grab your data log and prepare for a voyage comparable to Darwin’s expedition to the Galapagos Islands!
Sticky, Icky, Eewy, Gooey
Create unique works of art by using some of the stickiest, messiest mediums imaginable. Be prepared to get your hands dirty as we explore glue-based paint, salt mixtures, and other unconventional methods and mediums. One thing is certain- the messier the process, the more beautiful the art!
Survivor
Put your survival skills to the test and head out into the wild! We’ll study animal adaptations to figure out how they manage to survive in some of the harshest environments and see what works for us. Use what you learn to build a shelter that can withstand whatever Mother Nature has in store. Work with your team to employ survival skills and techniques that allow you to outlast the elements.
The Sky’s the Limit
From the Coliseum to the Empire State Building, architectural design has allowed us to create long-lasting structures that have changed the landscape of our world. Come explore the wonders of architecture as you draft blueprints to build your own dream house, design skyscrapers, and plan out your own city using a variety of materials, such as LEGOS and STEM kits. We’ll also put our engineering and architectural skills to the test as we work to keep Venice from sinking!
Through a Different Lens
Experience the world of digital photography through a different lens! By encountering a different theme each day, learn and practice different styles of photography, ranging from landscape to bird’s eye and worm’s eye view. Experience what it’s like to edit your photographs to enhance the beauty that you have captured in your photos. Show off your amazing still shots to others in the DECATS Gallery.
Uncommon Threads
You won’t believe what we can thread together when we combine the ordinary and the uncommon! From kumihomo, an ancient braiding technique used by the Samurai, to the more modern-day style of macramé, we’ll create drawstring pouches that tuck away your playing cards and sleeves to personalize your water bottles.
Under Siege
Hear ye! Hear ye! You have been given the task to build a medieval castle to protect the Baron of Wales! The vision has been set forth, so come and learn how to bring his architectural dream to reality. While there are many challenges and requirements for this castle, most importantly, it must be strong enough to withstand an attack. Let’s see which designer has the creativity and ingenuity to use recyclable materials to build a castle that’s fortified and functional enough to please the Baron.
Video Games: History in the Making
When Atari released the very first video game, Pong, in 1972, no one could have predicted that video games would evolve into a billion-dollar industry. Let’s take a look at how it all happened as we walk through the history of video games. We’ll start by playing video games of the past and taking a look at what captivated the masses. Finally, we’ll get our creative juices flowing as we design mock games of the future.
Watercolor World
Art and science come together to create brilliant works of art! There’s much more to watercolor than meets the eye. Learn several tips and techniques unique to this medium, including how to paint secret images that won’t be revealed until you’re ready. Experiment with intensity and wash to create a frame-worthy masterpiece!
Webmasters
Is the World Wide Web ready for your webpage? Have an interest in being a web designer? If so, this course is for you! You will learn how to program and become a webmaster. Come and take this webpage journey from beginning to end, going from a blank page to a web page!
What Would You Do
Welcome to “What Would You Do?”- a game show centered around science! Step into the world of psychology as you work together in teams to design and carry out experiments in human behavior. Let’s see what we can learn about our peers when they are faced with moments of choice and decision. What age group is more likely to help a friend in need? Will everyone come sit in a silent circle during recess if they see several of their fellow Scholars doing so? Record your experiments to show to the studio audience. Can they predict what might happen next? Or will the test subject surprise us all?
Where in the World
See the wonders of the world without ever leaving DECATS! Use your geography skills to find clues and solve riddles that will help you track down the elusive spy, Carmen Sandiego. Put your knowledge of landmarks, cartography and trivia to the test as you explore the Amazon Rainforest, the pyramids, and other exotic destinations in search of her next hideaway. Explore the arts, culture, and music of each stop on the journey. Together, we can track her down!
Zentangle Untangled
Come test, experiment, and invent a new way to draw! Learn to craft step-by-step, line-by-line patterns that turn into brilliant illusions with the zentangle method. Prepare to see patterns everywhere and translate them into zentangles on surfaces ranging from paper and clothing to small furniture all your own!