SPARK: Life on Campus
SPARK - Science for Middle School Students
Supervision
SPARK students are supervised throughout the program by a team of carefully selected and trained Residential Advisors (RAs) who live in residence halls with SPARK students and chaperone students in class throughout the entire day. An average student/RA ratio of 12:1 guarantees that students will receive the personal attention they need. A professional live-in staff member who oversees student supervision is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
During his or her stay at Brown University, each SPARK student will get to know two or three RAs more personally. The idea is that the SPARK students connect with the RAs while socializing with their own peers. The RAs will help with community building and will be present during the meals and evening activities. They will be there to answer any questions concerning high school and college life. Generally, the RAs will be friendly with the SPARK students, though they will not be their best friends. In short, the RAs will be a resource to the SPARK students and act as role models for them.
Housing
Students live in Brown’s residence halls within walking distance of classrooms and dining halls. Students are randomly assigned to single or double occupancy rooms on single-sex floors with single-sex shared bathrooms.We will attempt to honor roommate and single-room requests for SPARK students.Rooms provide typical college furniture, and do not have central air conditioning.Students must abide by a 10pm curfew - after 10:00pm, students must be in their own rooms for the remainder of the evening.Lights are out in rooms after 11:00pm.
Extended housing is not available for SPARK students.
Meals
SPARK students eat together in one of Brown’s dining halls, under the supervision of Residential Advisors.
A Typical Day at SPARK
See the SPARK 2012 Activities Calendar
Breakfast - 7:30am – 9:00am
Breakfast is served in one of Brown’s dining halls
Residential staff will escort students to the dining hall and to their class.
Commuter Student Drop off - 8:30am
Classes in Session - 9:00am - 12:00 noon
Classes meet every morning for 3 hours. A residential staff member is assigned to escort students to and from class. Students are advised to bring their water bottles. Snacks will be provided during the class break.
Lunch - 12 noon - 1:00pm
Lunch is served in one of Brown’s dining halls. Students are supervised by residential staff.
Field Trips or Laboratories - 1:30pm - 4pm
Classes are in session on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Some classes conduct laboratories during this time, others go on field trips - location varies by class. Instructors and Residential Advisors chaperone field trips.
Inquiry Activities - 1:30pm – 3:00pm
On Monday and Wednesday students participate in science-related inquiry-based activities. These activities are led by different instructors specially trained for these activities. Students get the opportunity to mix with students from other courses.
Recreational Lectures – 3:15pm – 4:15pm
On Monday and Wednesday students will learn about other contemporary science topics like Space-Time Travel, Neuroscience, or Artificial Intelligence. Snacks will be provided before the lectures.
Commuter Student Pick up - 4:30pm
Dinner 5:00pm to 6:00pm
Dinner is served in one of Brown’s dining halls. Students are supervised by residential staff members.
Evening Activities
After dinner, students participate in popular supervised social events such as bowling, laser tag, movies, and a talent show. Before participating in the bowling or laser tag event, students attend short presentations on the physics of bowling and on lasers.
Please note that SPARK classes that take place off-campus may have an earlier start time to allow transportation to off-site location.
Friday Afternoon Closing Event
On Fridays at 2:00pm at the close of each session, parents and students are invited to join instructors and staff for a closing event highlighting the work of SPARK students. The closing activity consists of a 20 minute presentation of highlights of the SPARK program. This will be followed by light refreshments. At 2:30pm parents will join the class of their student to hear what students actually learned. In fact, the students themselves will present their newly acquired skills and knowledge to their parents and share with them the fun they have had.
Commuter Students
Parents should plan to drop off their student on campus at 8:30am and pick them up at 4:30pm.
Commuter students cannot participate in any of the activities after 4:30pm; these are reserved only to residential students. If students do want to participate in evening activities they should consider changing to our residential program. Changing to our residential program is still possible after the first day on campus. If uncertain about whether or not to apply for the residential program please contact our staff at summer@brown.edu. We would be happy to advise you.
The drop off and pick up location will be confirmed when students and parents check in on Sunday. Commuter students are directly supervised by highly selected and trained Residential Advisors and will receive the personal attention they need when they are on campus. Students will be chaperoned form the pick-up location to their classrooms.
Please note that the commuter student meal plan includes lunch only.