Branson Immersives Catalog 2026 English

Immersive Course Catalog Spring 2026

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Immersive Courses at a Glance African Drumming: Developing Deeper Listening The Art of Knitting Best Buddies Biking in Marin Branson Survivor California State Parks: Conservation, Culture, and Connection Creative Writing A Deep Dive Into AI Design an Outdoor Learning Center!

Dungeons and Dragons Embracing the Complexity of a Complex World Financial Literacy, Investing, and Building Your Career Path Fusion Dance: Lineage, History, Performance Japan Through History, Culture, and Language Let's Sew! The Life-Changing Magic of Public Art in Architecture Mahjong Mindfulness, Meditation & Movement The Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Exploring the Journey from Script to Stage Photography Physics Puzzlepalooza Service Animals So You Want To Run A School?

Sociology of Housing / ADU Building and Why It's Impactful Sustainability & Stewardship at Slide Ranch Taiwan: Global Entrepreneurship – Igniting Ideas & Building Bridges Taste of Italy The "Ultimate" Immersive Woodworking World Cup Cultures

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Course Descriptions African Drumming: Developing Deeper Listening Instructors: Jaimeo Brown & JuanCarlos Arauz African Drumming: Developing Deeper Listening immerses you in the vibrant rhythmic traditions of West African percussion while intentionally strengthening your ability to listen with depth and awareness. Through call-and-response patterns, layered polyrhythms, and ensemble “conversation” games, students learn to track multiple rhythmic lines at once, anticipate cues, and respond sensitively to the group. As you drum, move, and vocalize rhythms, you will discover how focused listening enhances communication, builds trust, and transforms drumming into a powerful expressive tool for sharing thoughts, feelings, and ideas through sound.

The Art of Knitting Instructors: Gretchen Koles, Suzanne Fransen & Cécile Lelièvre Calling all crafters! If you’ve always wanted to learn how to knit, or if you already know and you want to devote some nice, relaxing time to knitting, please join us for this fun Immersive. We’ll start from the very beginning and learn how to knit and purl and read patterns, and beginning students will make a beanie hat. We’ll go shopping at our local yarn stores in San Rafael, and students will each select the yarn they want to work with. We’ll also travel up to Petaluma for a great field trip to a working farm, where the proprietor raises sheep and llamas and spins and dyes her own yarn, to learn about the whole process. When you finish your beanie, you can select a second project to get started on. For more experienced knitters, you may choose to work on whatever you’d like, and we’ll be here to help and support you for those challenging dropped stitches and other issues that come up. Knitting is so relaxing and fun, and for most people who learn, it becomes a life-long passion, so join us if you feel inspired to learn how to knit!

Best Buddies Instructors: Jenny Diaz & Sabrina Wilson Best Buddies is a community engagement program that was established 10 years ago at Branson. The goal is to foster friendships between Branson students and students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Currently, Branson students host weekly lunches with two schools: Oak Hill and Helix School.

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This Immersive is an opportunity to spend time at these schools and learn more about their communities. Branson students will work in the classrooms supporting the teachers – designing athletic opportunities, creating art projects, and enjoying each other’s company. We will also learn from experts about autism and we will discuss ways to meaningfully engage with other institutions. The Best Buddies immersive is a unique opportunity to genuinely engage in a two-way relationship with other local communities. In addition, you will earn community engagement hours.

Biking in Marin Instructors: Arturo Acevedo, Kelsey Acevedo-Soto & Tony Pound Do you have a passion for cycling? Or are you curious about bikes and want to learn more?

This immersive, open to all levels of cycling experience, will explore the different aspects of cycling in the birthplace of the mountain bike. We will learn how to fix and maintain bikes, construct trails, and take rides. Additionally, we will travel to the Cycling Hall of Fame in Fairfax to learn about the history of cycling in Marin.

Branson Survivor Instructors: Drew Mathieson & Zac Cox Nine days. Shifting alliances. One winner. You'll learn survival skills, compete for advantages, and battle for immunity, but the real game happens in between -- in the alliances you build, the trust you earn, and the votes you cast. Do you have what it takes to become Branson's first survivor?

California State Parks: Conservation, Culture, and Connection Instructors: Aaron Bardo, Noelle Anderson & Annabel LaBrecque How lucky are we to call California home? Renowned for its extraordinary biological diversity and rich cultural history, our state has preserved over 1.4 million acres of land through its extensive state park system. We will alternate between on-campus lessons and all-day field trips to explore California's state parks through historical, socio-political, environmental, and personal perspectives. Join us if you’re excited about spending meaningful time in the great outdoors while exploring ecological conservation, cultural preservation, public health, and California history.

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Creative Writing Instructors: Neha Kamdar & Maddie Lesser This is an immersive for rising juniors and seniors who are interested in pursuing a Creative Writing track. You will be assigned published fiction and poetry to read for discussion of craft mechanisms. In addition, you will generate your own writing through dedicated writing blocks in the morning, and workshop your material with one another during the afternoon session. The immersive will have time built in for learning strategies on submitting work for publication and how to think about your senior thesis in Creative Writing. Students may choose to work on a collection of poems, one or more works of short fiction, or both.

A Deep Dive Into AI Instructor: Dan Carroll Are you playing with AI? Ignoring it? Are you a fan? Are you fearful? Wherever you currently stand, it’s time to wrap our brains around AI, what it could mean for your learning and our school – and beyond. You will spend the immersive unit investigating AI, learning what makes it tick, how to unlock its current potential, and studying the larger questions that its presence and growth raises. Cut through the AI slop surrounding you, and get to something far more “real.”

Design an Outdoor Learning Center!

Instructors: Eric Oldmixon & Hilary Schmitt Dive in to help design an Outdoor Learning Lab partnership that connects Branson with a community partner in Nicasio. This off-campus property provides opportunities for outdoor education, retreats, classes, and other activities. You will dream and scheme future thinking about how nonprofits can partner to create short and long term programming with private and public constituencies. You might also play on tree nets, build an A-frame tent, and hike meandering trails! Along the way, you will become more comfortable with design thinking, cathedral thinking, and reflect on insights provided by experts in land management and native practices. The immersive will culminate in short pitches to community partners and Branson administrators. In short, you will co design Branson’s amazing new program and do it outside in nature!

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Dungeons and Dragons Instructors: Doug Wick, Scott Scharlach & Will Kennedy Ever dreamed of wielding magic, slaying monsters, and shaping the fate of the world with your friends? Forget stereotypes, Dungeons and Dragons is for everyone! This immersive dives headfirst into the thrilling realm of Role-Playing Games (RPGs), specifically Dungeons and Dragons. Here, your imagination is the ultimate weapon. We'll break down the core elements of RPGs and unleash your inner storyteller. Learn to improvise witty dialogue as a courageous knight, craft cunning spells as a sly sorceress, or even mastermind intricate plots as the enigmatic Game Master (GM).

RPGs celebrate diversity and foster inclusivity. These games are about stepping into new shoes, embracing different perspectives, and forging unforgettable memories with your fellow adventurers – not to mention the creativity and teamwork required to invent strange new worlds, author bizarre and compelling adventures, confront fiendish foes, and escape tricky traps! So, grab your dice… are you ready to roll for initiative?

Embracing the Complexity of a Complex World Instructors: Malik Ali & Jeff Symonds We live in complicated times defined by complicated concerns, and part of the struggle we all face is: a) prioritizing what to talk about and b) talking about it in the most productive way possible. This class will empower you to reject a growing desire from leaders and citizens to frame complex problems simply and to suggest that they have simple answers. This class will build on the work of our Humanities curriculum and our Civil Discourse group and give students the chance to free themselves from this “either/or” construct, live in the complexity of a few of the big questions facing all of us, and practice the art of coming together to forge synthesized responses. Once immersive rosters are set, students will help to identify the topics that we’ll study together.

Financial Literacy, Investing, and Building Your Career Path Instructors: Adam Elegant P’29 with Sarah Brewster & Todd Bickel This immersive course will introduce you to essential financial concepts such as the time value of money, interest rates, and the fundamentals of banking, loans, credit cards, and insurance.

Through real-world examples and hands-on assignments, you will explore investing and long-term financial planning. Industry professionals will provide insight into the world of investments, wealth management, and effective investment strategies. In addition, the course builds practical skills to help you stand out in interviews and succeed in job or internship applications. Get ready for two fun, interactive, and unforgettable weeks!

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Fusion Dance: Lineage, History, Performance Instructors: Mahtab Lak, Christine Cali & Michael Connors In this class, we aim to enrich your dance journey by exploring a variety of dance styles and the cultures they represent. From Breaking, House, Jazz, and Contemporary dance to Middle Eastern, Belly Dance, and Persian dance, you’ll have the opportunity to experience diverse movement styles while discovering the rich histories and traditions behind each one.

We’ll focus on enjoying movement and connecting through the universal language of dance.

Each day, we’ll spend time practicing different dance forms, followed by guided exploration of their cultural contexts. Together, we’ll watch inspiring videos and welcome incredible dance teachers from the Bay Area community, who will share their personal journeys and deepen our understanding of dance culture.

To conclude the class, students who are interested will have the opportunity to participate in a performance, showcasing what we’ve learned and celebrating the joy of dancing together.

Whether you’re new to dance or have prior experience, this immersive course is all about movement, connection, and discovery.

Japan Through History, Culture, and Language Instructors: Jill Mankoff & Julie Kuo Dive into Japan’s dynamic blend of traditions and pop culture in this interactive, two-week experience. From the basics of the Japanese language and writing systems to exploring the global “soft power,” from food to anime to kawaii goods, you’ll discover what makes this island nation a world leader in cool! We will embark on a trip to the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco and make delicious Japanese food together. You will also become a travel agent, working to design the ultimate 14-day adventure across Japan. Join us for an exhilarating journey on why Japan is one of the most influential cultures in the world!

Let's Sew! Instructor: Audrey Dickinson The textile arts are at once defined by their mundane functionality (clothing, napkins, bed linens) and by their extravagant frivolity (costume, tapestry, embroidery). Textiles encompass both a common arts and crafts practice, and also a medium for some of today’s most exciting fine art and avant-garde expression. In this immersive, we’ll explore both sides of this ancient artistic tradition. Together we will learn basic hand and machine sewing skills, designing with fabrics, techniques for following and personalizing sewing patterns, hand and machine quilting, and common mending stitches. We will introduce a few options for prototype projects and will guide beginners through the process of pattern and fabric selection, tracing and cutting, and sewing and alterations. Students are also welcome to envision their own textile project.

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The Life-Changing Magic of Public Art in Architecture Allyson Seal, Charlotte King & Kindra Scharich Shaped by culture, identity, and shared experience, public art and architecture show us who we are and what we value. They enliven spaces, animate curiosity, and invite us into moments of wonder and presence. In this immersive experience, we will explore four traditions of public art: mosaics, stained glass, plaster ornamentation, and murals. We will venture to three famous mosaic stairways in San Francisco, visit one of the largest stained glass collections in the United States (34,000 square feet), and study murals and architectural ornamentation throughout the Bay Area. We will complete our exploration by apprenticing with living masters and creating our own mosaics, stained glass, plaster ornaments, and a mural. Students are sure to leave this immersive with a more keen sense of observation and a deepened sense of wonder and appreciation for the beauty of art in our shared spaces.

Mahjong Instructors: Shujun (Jasmine) Xiang & Chris Chan Love games? Want to learn what it means to stop Chi with Peng? Want to enter a world subculture of enthusiasts? Then the FUN game of Mahjong is for you! You will develop the teamwork needed to reach the goal of everyone winning. You will develop the math, long-term and short-term memory, and introductory Chinese counting needed to enjoy the game (No need to speak or learn Chinese!). You will develop the ability to take risks and read minds.

Mindfulness, Meditation & Movement Instructors: Paul McCarthy, Arthur Lee & Sergio Ovalles In this immersive, we hope you will develop a deeper sense of awareness, introspection, curiosity, and openness through the millennia-old practices of meditation and mindfulness. You will learn foundational meditation techniques—breathwork, noting, body scans, visualization, skillful compassion, yoga, martial art, and more—while delving into the historical, scientific, and social underpinnings of the practice.This course will be expansive in practice as we learn directly from local and global experts regarding their distinctive methods. Envision yourself adventuring to magnificent meditation centers (including an overnight stay at the National Chavez Center, LaPaz California), training in Yoga and Qigong, fostering connective time with the natural world, and cultivating self-reflection without judgment. By the end of the 8-day immersive, you will be equipped with culturally-conscious and scientifically-backed mindfulness techniques to become more present in our world.

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The Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Exploring the Journey from Script to Stage Instructors: Louisa Conte & Maura Vaughn See firsthand what it takes to bring theatrical text to life in this immersive program. You will explore three powerful shows: A Raisin in the Sun, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Come From Away. After working together on campus reading each text, the group will spend four days in Ashland, Oregon, watching all three shows live and connecting with artists at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. You will return to Branson with the ability to explore important social issues artistically and inclusively. If you are excited to dive into new perspectives and worlds through theater, join us!

Photography Physics Instructor: Karl Schmidt The art of photography is founded in principles of light, optics, color, time and space. You can use these principles to make amazing art and to illuminate the physical principles around us. In this immersive, students of all levels will learn and practice the basics (and advanced principles) of photography while simultaneously exploring the physical principles they capture. You will do photography in a lab/studio session, in nature, and photo editing, and research. You will go on an outing, a field trip, an optional astrophotography night, and hear presentations from experts.

There will be many opportunities to follow your personal interests and aesthetic. Think motion blur, long exposure, multi-exposure, high-speed video, and more. Inspiration for this comes from the annual American Association of Physics Teachers student photo contest to which you will have the opportunity to submit your final photos next year.

Puzzlepalooza Instructors: Dave Reiter, Whitney Livermore, Matt Lane & Denisse Melgar Whether you are an experienced puzzler or a puzzling newbie, if you would like to dive into puzzlecraft, this Immersive is for you! We will learn about and solve all types of puzzles, including word puzzles, logic puzzles, physical puzzles, video game puzzles, riddles, and more.

We will meet with professionals who design puzzles for a living, and we will make our own puzzles that will entertain and confound our friends and classmates. Outings will include an Escape Room, a San Francisco Treasure Hunt, and Geocaching. Josh Wardle sold Wordle for $3 million...how much will your puzzle go for?

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Service Animals Instructors: Heather Duncan, Annie Morris & Gillian Kneass This course will look at the role of service animals in general by examining a variety of organizations and uses of their support animals. Field trips/guest visitors will include Search and Rescue, Dogs4Diabetics (D4D), CCI and Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB). Please note that as part of this immersive, students will be expected to attend a Guide Dog graduation ceremony at the Marin campus on Saturday, May 30, from 1:15–2:30 pm. We will then focus more specifically on Guide Dogs for the Blind and the training that their puppies receive. We will have hands-on practice with puppies as well as guest speakers who have trained service dogs or used them. Upon completion of this course students will be eligible to become part of a local guide dog puppy club and start either raising a guide dog puppy or becoming an official “puppy sitter” for GDB.

So You Want To Run A School?

Instructors: Branson Administration Are you one of those students who refers to Branson’s administration as "they," as in, "Why don't they fix (fill in the blank)?" Have you wanted to know what it takes to put all of the pieces of the Branson experience together? Well, then, this Immersive is your chance to find out! You and your cohort will spend two weeks with every member of the admin team peeking under the hood of all of the major departments at the school, have the chance to ask questions and help problem-solve current issues, and by the end, act as a focus group that makes a few major recommendations for the 2026-2027 school year. If you've ever wanted a chance to understand what goes on to keep the Branson machine humming, then this Immersive is for you!

Sociology of Housing / ADU Building and Why It's Impactful Instructors: Danielle Faulkner ‘17 & Marlin Quintanilla Want to dive into the work of constructing an "Accessory Dwelling Unit" (ADU) home? Curious about architecture, engineering, and the design/build process? Building codes and housing policy? Ever wonder why California is 3.5 million homes behind the need? Join us in finding the answers as you help complete the construction of two (ADU) homes. Along the way, we will explore the many various professions and public careers that play vital roles in shaping the scope of Bay Area housing. Each day will include both hands-on building with a team as well as discussion, expert insights, and project-based research on the complex history of housing in the United States and the Bay Area in particular.

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Sustainability & Stewardship at Slide Ranch Instructors: Katie Jan & Kate Smaby Do you love the California coast, regenerative agriculture, and baby farm animals?! Join us this spring in a new Immersive based at Slide Ranch, a 134-acre non-profit coastal farm and nature preserve in Marin. Slide Ranch’s farm-based environmental education programming includes animal science, bee keeping, sustainable gardening, tidepooling, exploring coastal trails, and more. We’ll divide our time between active days spent on the ranch – hiking, gardening, caring for sheep, goats, chickens and ducks, sketching and writing – and rest days spent on campus, where we will transform the materials we've harvested at the ranch into ferments and preserves, natural dyes, papers and essential oils. We will record our observations and adventures in handmade accordion artist books exploring techniques borrowed from artists, naturalists, and writers who’ve sustained deep relationships with the plant and animal communities of the Marin coast. We may also visit other agrarian landscapes in the North Bay, including Green Gulch Farm, Stanly Ranch, and Rancho Compasión. In addition, students will earn CE hours by caring for the animals, wild habitats, and cultivated lands of Slide Ranch.

Taiwan: Global Entrepreneurship – Igniting Ideas & Building Bridges Instructors: Peter Zdrojewski & Ashton Richards This immersive program, offered through Branson’s Global Education program, invites students to explore Taiwan through the lens of entrepreneurship, uncovering how creativity, resilience, and cultural heritage shape the island’s unique business landscape. From bustling night markets in Taipei to the coastal towns of Yilan and Jiufen, you will engage firsthand with young entrepreneurs, social innovators, and changemakers across a variety of sectors including tourism, sustainable agriculture, tech, marine conservation, and cultural preservation

Taste of Italy Instructors: Gisella Petrone, Donatella D’Aguanno & Marcus Trigg This class invites you on a two-week exploration of Italy’s rich heritage. You will delve into the unique flavors and traditions of a few Italian regions, uncovering the stories behind iconic dishes like Neapolitan pizza and homemade pasta. Through cultural discussions and engaging activities, you will gain insight into regional ingredients, historical influences, and local customs.

The course will culminate in the creation of a personalized travel guide/cookbook that incorporates your insights and discoveries, serving as a toolkit for future explorations of Italy.

Additionally, you will have the opportunity to engage with our own wonderful Chef Marcus Triggs to learn basic culinary techniques. You will enjoy a delicious lunch in North Beach, San Francisco's Italian neighborhood. This immersive course aims to create interest in Italian art, music, and history, offering a dynamic way to experience Italy’s vibrant culture. Perfect for curious learners, this journey promises to be a feast for both the mind and palate.

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The "Ultimate" Immersive Instructor: Carl Ma | Student TA: Christopher Mao ‘26 Ultimate frisbee is one of the fastest growing sports in the US with elements of soccer and football. In this immersive students will develop skills including throwing, catching, and cutting as well as understand strategic and cultural elements of the sport including an understanding of the rules and the Spirit of the Game. Highlights might include clinics run by current elite players; talks by coaches and executives from professional teams; attending a professional game; learning about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the sport; and not to mention, most importantly, spending time on the turf learning a sport one can play for a lifetime.

Woodworking Instructors: Neftaley Arceo, Talia Di Manno & Ryanne Chitjian Harten Have you always wondered how to build, design, and create with wood? Come on over to woodworking, where we will learn how to build small projects (cutting boards, bird houses, coat racks, turn table stands, etc.) and larger projects such as patio sets. No prior experience is needed! By the end of our two weeks together, your skills toolkit will include: how to budget and source wood and building supplies; how to use power tools (saws, drills, sanders); safety precautions; staining and painting; hammering, gluing, drilling; designing, measuring, engineering; and so much more. Woodworking promises a collaborative, fun, creative space for you to choose your own adventure assisted by experienced tinkerers. We'll see you there!

World Cup Cultures Instructors: Giles Scott & Alex Escalante The 2026 World Cup kicks off June 11, 2026 in Mexico City, with games going on for the next month in Mexico, the United States, and Canada, so we want to get on this bandwagon. We will spend a day on a particular country and its soccer culture: Mexico, Brazil, the U.S., England (likely winners), Italy, Argentina, Senegal, Ghana. But we also want to look at places like Curacao (the smallest nation to ever qualify), Uzbekistan, Jordan etc. – places not traditionally associated with soccer-mania. The plan is to take some field trips, talk to some pros, play a little bit on the field (mini World Cup, anyone?), eat some of the food associated with the game, practice our chants, and watch some famous moments from games gone by.

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Thank you and congratulations to the many Branson faculty and staff members bringing these classes to life.