Summer Academy Program

Summer Academy programs provide students with the opportunity to have fun, address elements of the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC), utilize technology, and build social skills. Nearly all the courses for this summer will be held in-person and on-campus at California School or the Blind (CSB). Students can attend only one course per week but frequently participate in more than one week.

To express interest in any of the courses, please complete the brief Summer Academy Interest Form .

Please contact Erica Hogle, our Short-Term Programs Coordinator at ehogle@csb-cde.ca.gov or 510-951-1889 with questions about Summer Academy Programs.

Information about all courses can be provided in different languages via telephone interpreters. Please contact Erica Hogle for any language support.

See the Summer Academies Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Visit our Facebook Group Page to see the current news about Summer Academies and Short Courses. Here, we feature pictures of the adventures the students are experiencing while on our campus.

 

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Week 1: June 12-16, Ages 13+

Registration deadline: May 8, 2023

Cane to Canine: Is a Guide Dog Right for You? (Ages 15+)

CSB is excited to partner with Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) to offer an Orientation & Mobility (O&M) Immersion Program! Students will work on O&M skills important for guide dog mobility such as the use of non-tactile feedback, auditory information, and time-distance estimation for indoor and outdoor travel. They will also experience Juno (simulated guide dog) routes and take a trip to the GDB campus! Students will participate in daily hands-on activities with dogs and learn about the responsibilities of dog ownership. Get ready for a tail-wagging good week, and find out if a guide dog is right for you.

Activities in this course will support developing orientation and mobility, independent living skills, self-determination, sensory efficiency, and social interaction skills.

Pre-requisites: To ensure that your student is a good fit for the program, please fill out the Cane to Canine Pre-Requisite Form .

Eat Your Way Around the World

What better way is there to enjoy eating foods than to travel around the world and explore them? In this cooking course, we will visit different countries and experience their cultures. Geography, History, and Music will be laced throughout the course while cooking yummy foods. We will walk away learning to say typical phrases such as, "Ciao, mi chiamo Maria." or "Que rica comida!"
We will listen to cultural music and learn the Tarantella, a traditional Italian dance. Oh, but wait! There's more! Skills such as planning a menu, listing ingredients, and going shopping all will be introduced. While cooking, sharpen your math skills while pouring, measuring, and weighing ingredients.

Discovering STEM Through Astronomy and 3D Printing

The Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Career Exploration Lab uses 3-Dimension (3D) printing technologies and astronomy to help students with visual impairments explore STEM skills and STEM careers. Students will be introduced to 3D printing; including building 3D printers and participating in a wide variety of hands-on astronomy activities that use 3D printed tactile models. Students will learn about constellations, stars, the moon, light and energy, galaxies, and more. Students will also connect with blind STEM professionals, including a blind engineer who works at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), about how to pursue an education and career in STEM.

Camp Abilities

Come be a part of the first ever Camp Abilities California! This is a week-long recreation and sports camp for children and young adults who are blind, visually impaired, and deafblind. The camp will provide individualized instruction to assist campers in building skills and gaining confidence during physical activity. Come explore recreational activities in goalball, beep kickball, hiking, swimming, biking, rock climbing, and strength training. Let's get active!

SAW: Science Around the World

Come join us at CSB for a world of adventure. In this summer academy, you will sharpen your science, geography, and measuring skills while participating in hands-on science experiments and cartography (map making). An experiment representing each continent will be conducted and logged. And each student will create a puzzle map of the 7 continents. Have fun, get messy, and make new discoveries and friends. At the end of the week, you will even get to take home your puzzle maps and lab books.

Swim and Games

Last year, our pool was out of service and we had to cancel our swimming courses. BUT good news- Our pool is up and running again and we are excited to bring back summer swimming courses! Summertime = Swimming, right?! Would you like to brush up on your swimming skills? Join us for a week of swim practice at any level. We will review water safety while playing games in the pool! While you are not swimming, we will play games out of the water. Be prepared to make friends and waves at CSB!

Week 1 ONLINE COURSES

Dungeons and Dragons anyone? An Introduction to Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Take part in a Grand Adventure! Students will participate in a one-week online course. During this time the students will receive instruction on how to play Tabletop Role-Playing Games using Swords and Wizardry Light as the example rule set. Students will participate in one long adventure which will play out over several sessions. They will learn about telling stories, teamwork, and creative problem-solving: all while making use of their mathematics, social interaction, and organization skills. At the end of the course, students will also be instructed on how to create an encounter and be shown the similarities and differences between Swords and Wizardry Light and the most popular Tabletop Role Playing Game, Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. Students will each receive a braille twenty-sided die and three braille six-sided dice as well as a copy of the Swords and Wizardry Light rules as a PDF. Versions more appropriate for screen reader programs can also be provided. Core Curriculum skills addressed in this course are mathematical ratios, basic statistics, writing, and history. Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) skills addressed in this course are social interaction, self-determination, as well as recreation and leisure. Students should be of high school age or older and bring an open creative mind.

Note:

• Students must have their own means to write notes and record their character sheet (i.e. a braille note, Perkins Brailler, or a laptop) - online and in-person.
• The online hours will be the same as the in person course. Including a break and lunch time at the same time.
• The families won't need to purchase anything. The books needed will be sent out.

The Amazing Life of You (10 day course; 2 hours per day)

Do you love listening to tales of harrowing adventures, silly mishaps, and challenging life experiences? Do you love telling them about yourself as well? Learn how to create and share your own true personal stories. Together we will build a safe and supportive space and community for crafting your stories. Get ready to be inspired not only by your new friends, but yourself, as well!

Modeled after the internationally acclaimed NPR's The Moth Radio Hour, this Summer Academy will create a fun and supportive space in which you can listen to stories, perform and record personal narratives, and make your mark as a storyteller. You will have an opportunity to learn and strengthen the elements of storytelling through improv games, story craft, and performance techniques. The class will also offer opportunities for story sharing with an audience of peers (and beyond).

Wait a minute, what if I'm not "dramatic" or a "poet?" No problem! The great thing about storytelling is that there's no wrong way to be or perform - it's just about being yourself!
Join Tamar Solomon, Speech and Language Pathologist and Allison Mello, Teacher of the Visually Impaired for an exciting, creative, unique, and fun summer experience!

Note: This is a 10 day online course. Each session goes for 2 hours.

 

Week 2: June 19-23, Ages 9-13

Registration deadline: May 15, 2023

Sit, Stay, Go Play!

Do you love dogs? Do you have a dog? Do you really want a dog but are not sure what it takes to care for one? Sit, Stay, Go Play is a week of experiencing the ins and outs of dog ownership and training. Learn about many jobs that dogs have assisting people, and visit a local service dog organization. Refine your O&M skills while walking a dog and practicing dog training techniques like agility. Take the bus to shop for ingredients to then make tasty dog treats to bring home for the canine buddy in your life. Dog care topics to include: mental and physical stimulation, feeding, grooming, veterinary care, and budgeting for a dog. Throughout the week, there will be time to get the wiggles out and explore playgrounds. Come ready for a dog-gone good time.

Activities in this course will support developing assistive technology, orientation and mobility, independent living, self determination, sensory efficiency, and social interaction skills.

Eat Your Way Around the World

What better way is there to enjoy eating foods than to travel around the world and explore them? In this cooking course, we will visit different countries and experience their cultures. Geography, History, and Music will be laced throughout the course while cooking yummy foods. We will walk away learning to say typical phrases such as, "Ciao, mi chiamo Maria." or "Que rica comida!"
We will listen to cultural music and learn the Tarantella, a traditional Italian dance. Oh, but wait! There's more! Skills such as planning a menu, listing ingredients, and going shopping all will be introduced. While cooking, sharpen your math skills while pouring, measuring, and weighing ingredients.

Dungeons and Dragons anyone? An Introduction to Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Take part in a Grand Adventure! Students will participate in a one-week in-person course. During this time the students will receive instruction on how to play Tabletop Role-Playing Games using Swords and Wizardry Light as the example rule set. Students will participate in one long adventure which will play out over several sessions. They will learn about telling stories, teamwork, and creative problem-solving: all while making use of their mathematics, social interaction, and organization skills. At the end of the course, students will also be instructed on how to create an encounter and be shown the similarities and differences between Swords and Wizardry Light and the most popular Tabletop Role Playing Game, Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. Students will each receive a braille twenty-sided die and three braille six-sided dice as well as a copy of the Swords and Wizardry Light rules as a PDF. Versions more appropriate for screen reader programs can also be provided. Core Curriculum skills addressed in this course are mathematical ratios, basic statistics, writing, and history. Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) skills addressed in this course are social interaction, self-determination, as well as recreation and leisure. Students should be of high school age or older and bring an open creative mind.

Note:

• Students must have their own means to write notes and record their character sheet (i.e. a braille note, Perkins Brailler, or a laptop) - online and in-person.
• The families won't need to purchase anything. The books will be given when students arrive on campus.

Camp Abilities

Come be a part of the first ever Camp Abilities California! This is a week-long recreation and sports camp for children and young adults who are blind, visually impaired, and deafblind. The camp will provide individualized instruction to assist campers in building skills and gaining confidence during physical activity. Come explore recreational activities in goalball, beep kickball, hiking, swimming, biking, rock climbing, and strength training. Let's get active!

SAW: Science Around the World

Come join us at CSB for a world of adventure. In this summer academy, you will sharpen your science, geography, and measuring skills while participating in hands-on science experiments and cartography (map making). An experiment representing each continent will be conducted and logged. And each student will create a puzzle map of the 7 continents. Have fun, get messy, and make new discoveries and friends. At the end of the week, you will even get to take home your puzzle maps and lab books.

 

Week 3: June 26-30, Ages 13+

Registration deadline: May 22, 2023

Future Coders!

Calling all coders, web surfers, and creative minds alike! Have you ever wondered how and why the internet does what it does, looks the way it looks, or if you can create, change, or shape it yourself? Prepare to have your questions answered in the California School for the Blind's coding summer academy running this upcoming June!
If you are in middle school or high school and want to explore the power of coding, come join in the fun! Students will learn the basics skills and principles of computer science. The day will be spent learning Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), participating in hands-on logic activities, and building friendships. We will use computers, screen readers, and magnification applications to access the curriculum and create our website using Google Drive, Notepad, and a lot of creativity.

Pre-Requisites

• Navigating, accessing, and uploading or creating documents to Google Drive
• Editing in a Google Doc
• Switching between 3 open programs (Drive, Zoom, Notepad)
  
• Saving documents (Notepad/Word)
• Proficient with a QWERTY keyboard
  
• You do not need a background in coding!

California Adventure

Come join us for a California adventure! Enjoy a hike and a picnic in our unique and beautiful bay area surroundings. Experience the art, history, and natural sciences of our fantastic state at the Oakland Museum of California (featuring a special exhibit containing works created by artists with disabilities!). Take a trip to San Francisco and explore its many treasures! During these fun-filled trips, we will take advantage of the many types of transportation available! But wait, there's more! What's the best thing about California? CSB of course!! You will also spend time getting to know our campus by taking a splash in the pool, playing games, and making friends!

Dungeons and Dragons anyone? An Introduction to Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Take part in a Grand Adventure! Students will participate in a one-week in-person course. During this time the students will receive instruction on how to play Tabletop Role-Playing Games using Swords and Wizardry Light as the example rule set Students will participate in one long adventure which will play out over several sessions. They will learn about telling stories, teamwork, and creative problem-solving: all while making use of their mathematics, social interaction, and organization skills. At the end of the course, students will also be instructed on how to create an encounter and be shown the similarities and differences between Swords and Wizardry Light and the most popular Tabletop Role Playing Game, Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. Students will each receive a braille twenty-sided die and three braille six-sided dice as well as a copy of the Swords and Wizardry Light rules as a PDF. Versions more appropriate for screen reader programs can also be provided. Core Curriculum skills addressed in this course are mathematical ratios, basic statistics, writing, and history. Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) skills addressed in this course are social interaction, self-determination, as well as recreation and leisure. Students should be of high school age or older and bring an open creative mind.

Note:

• Students must have their own means to write notes and record their character sheet (i.e. a braille note, Perkins Brailler, or a laptop) - online and in-person.
• The families won't need to purchase anything. The books will be given when students arrive on campus.

Tactile Physical Maps

Did someone say: snacks, treasure hunts, field trips, and cartography? All these activities will be part of learning about tactile physical maps. Daily, we will head off to explore the actual physical features of maps, such as a forest, a mountain, a river, a coastline, or a lake. When on campus, we will make a "map" snack, hunt for a treasure, and create and interpret real world tactile physical maps. Come to explore, make friends, learn all about tactile physical maps, and have FUN!

Tech and Rec

Amp up your TECH skills while pumping up with your REC muscles! Learn tools for your tech tool kit by learning navigation, shortcuts, using different assistive tech devices, learning about collaborative documents, and participating in team-building activities! Come join us to expand your skills in assistive technology, recreation and leisure, team building, and compensatory access!

Sail and Braille (Ages: 15+)

Join us as we partner with BlindSail San Francisco Bay and Treasure Island Sailing Center to sail the week away on the San Francisco Bay. Through classroom and hands-on learning, practice the basic skills of sailing and seamanship. After exploring the San Francisco Bay's tides and currents, learn boat safety skills then climb aboard a sailboat to practice rigging, being at the helm, and trimming the sails. Come learn how to harness the power of the wind and enjoy all of the fun there is with sailing!

Activities in this course will support developing compensatory, orientation and mobility, recreation and leisure, self-determination, sensory efficiency, team building and social interaction skills.

Requirements: Must be physically mobile (able to climb on/off a boat with support)