Introduction to Biology

Instructor – Teresa Stanton

Grades 5-7
Wednesdays, 12:30-1:30
Fees: $125 / Session

Duration: Full Year (3 sessions)
Supply Fee: $20 for Session I (Microscope Adventures)
Text: The Usborne Complete Book of the Microscope

Session I - Microscope Adventures

Session II – Dissections
Session III - Human Anatomy

Intro. to Biology is a yearlong course that will introduce students to note-taking, researching, and writing lab reports while keeping them excited with activities

This class will focus on how to use a microscope and how to write lab reports.  We will study how a microscope works while investigating plants, animals, fungi and protozoa, as well as crystals and crystal formation.  One research report will be required.  $20 supply fee.

Study Skills and Learning Strategies

Instructor: Teresa Stanton

Grades 5-7
Wednesdays, 11:00-12:00

Fee: $100
Duration: 1 Session 

All students could use an organization and study skills program that presents the essential skills and motivates students to make use of them.  This class will improve your student's ability to learn.  We will cover effective learning strategies that develop critical thinking that students can apply to their everyday lessons.

Lego Robotics

Instructor – Owen Anderson

Age Group : Ages 9+
Thursdays, 4:00-5:30
Fees: $125
Duration: 1 Session
Class size--limited to 6 unless a student has their own robot. (Please contact class moderator ahead of time)

  
Using the Lego NXT robot and programming language, your child will learn engineering principles and basic programming in a very hands-on, visual approach. Children will work in pairs to build attachments to basic robots and then program them to meet a variety of challenges. This class is small enough to challenge beginning, intermediate and advanced students.

Electronic Creations

Instructor: Owen Anderson, Moderator: Julie Anderson
Ages 9+
Thursdays, 12:30-1:30
Fees: $100
Duration:

Supply Fee: $50 first session, $15 second session

 
Flashing lights and obnoxious sounds, what more could you ask for? Students will learn all about different electronic parts and how to read electronic diagrams while creating simple to more complex circuits. In the last two classes of every session, the students will use a soldering iron to make a useful or silly project, their choice. The goal of this class is that by the end of two sessions, students will be able to read basic electronics’ schematics, find projects online and bring their own ideas to life at home.

(Must register at least a week in advance so supplies can be ordered)
Students will be required to bring their own soldering iron and stand to later classes.

Writing Mastery II

Instructor - Cindy Rittenhouse
Grades 9-12
Mondays, 10:30-11:45  (10th class will be November 1st)
Fees: $188/Session
Duration: Full Year (3 Sessions, 32 weeks)
Materials fee: $35 due by August 9th ($45 if you do not have the MLA Handbook)

This course will include literary rhetoric and competency with the 5-paragraph essay as we immerse ourselves in a spectrum of genres. The first genre to tickle our creative fancy will be working on the storyline for a comic strip. The year-long project will be a term paper with an emphasis on the variety of research sources. Preparing for the SAT essay exam through critical thinking and writing skills will also be a part of our weekly in-class writing activities.

Ancient Literature

Instructor – Cindy Rittenhouse

Grades 9-12

Mondays, 9:00-10:15 (10th class will be Nov. 1st)

Fees: $188/Session
Duration: Full Year (3 Sessions, 32 weeks)
Materials Fee: $55 due by August 9th
 

The first 8 weeks on ancient literature dates from 5,000 B.C. and culminates next spring in 400 A.D. with Beowulf. This first 8 weeks focuses on the most ancient including cave paintings; the Dead Sea Scrolls; the "Song of Songs;" 4,00-year-old Egyptian hymns; the Egyptian Book of the Dead; the movie "The Mummy;" the story of Isis and Osiris based on 4,000-year-old sources; Persian stories of Inanna and Layla from 2,000 B.C. accounts; 1,001 Arabian Nights translated by Sir Richard Burton; African tales and plays featuring Anansi, the spider, and monkey, the trickster; Anansi Boys, a contemporary use of the Anansi myth by multi-award winning Neil Gaiman; Incan and Mayan myths and legends; and a contemporary-set Mayan-based murder mystery--Xibalba Murders by Lyn Hamilton.

Week 9-16 will be Greek and Roman writers from 2,00 B.C.-125 A.D.; weeks 17-24, Chinese, Japanese and Indian ancient sources; and weeks 25-32 will feature Norse, Celtic and Arthurian literature culminating with the youngest tale we read--Beowulf, from around 400 A.D.

All sessions will stress critical thinking and writing skills which will include in-class writing assignments weekly.

IEW Student Writing Intensive – Level A

Instructor: Kelley Tomkinson

Age Group: 3-5 grade
Thursdays, 9:00-10:00

Fees: $125 / Session
Duration: 3 Independent Sessions
Text Fees: $30.00

This Institute for Excellence in Writing class will provide structural models for teaching Essay and Creative Writing.  Note Making & Outlines, Summarizing from Notes, Summarizing Narrative Stories, Summarizing a Reference, Writing from Pictures and Library Research Reports will all be covered in this year-long course.

No writing experience necessary.

IEW Student Writing Intensive – Level B

Instructor: Kelley Tomkinson

Age Group: 5-8 grade
Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00

Fees: $125 / Session
Duration: 3 Independent Sessions
Text Fees: $30.00

This Institute for Excellence in Writing class will provide structural models for teaching Essay and Creative Writing.  Note Making & Outlines, Summarizing from Notes, Summarizing Narrative Stories, Summarizing a Reference, Writing from Pictures and Library Research Reports will all be covered in this year-long course.

No writing experience necessary.

Chess
Instructor Name : Joseph Couvillion
Age Group : 6 to 15
Thursdays, 11 to 12
Fees : $145 / Session 
Duration: 2 Sessions
Curriculum / Text (if available) : Chess Instruction

Principles of opening play, middle game puzzles and end game studies in relation to strategical, tactical, and combinational aspects of the game.

Literature Favorites
Instructor: Cindy Rittenhouse
Age Group : Grades 4-5
Wednesdays 1:30-2:30
Fees : $150/session
Duration: 10-week session
Materials Fee: $55 due by August 9

These are favorite titles and authors of my former and current students. Last year, the favorite of the class was National Book Award Honoree Deborah Wiles, so this Fall we will be reading her Aurora County All Starts involving the same family of characters; with 2-time Newbery Honors Winner Jennifer L. Holms, we will share Boston Jane and her semi-biographical story of her grandmother as a girl in Turtle Paradise--Ms. Holms is looking forward to sharing e-mails with the students. Stephanie Tolan, brings us a hysterical homeschooling experience in her Newbery Honors-winning Surviving the Applewhites; and by request of last year's class, we will be reading and discussing their favorite book of 2010...The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan.

Writing Mastery I

Instructor: Cindy Rittenhouse

Grades 6-8

Thursdays, 2:30-3:30

Fees: $150/Session
Duration: Full Year (3 sessions)
Materials Fee: $35 due by August 9th ($45 if you do not have the MLA Handbook)

The core goal of Writing I is competency with the 5-paragraph essay. We will approach this through a variety of writing genres to ensure that the students see that it is the skeleton on which essays of every type is formed. In the process, we will also be applying literary rhetoric to each of the assignments. We will begin the Fall session learning the art of the folk tale and how to storytell as they are the foundation of all literature. Critical thinking and writing skills will be the cornerstone of everything we do.

Elementary Spanish

Instructor: Monica Velez

Age Group : Grades 1-4

Mondays, 11:30-12:30

Fee: $95 / Session
Duration: Full Year (3 Sessions)
 

This course covers the introduction of the Spanish language that includes a lot of repetition and physical enactment that are the keys to learning at this age. We have created a fun and productive learning environment where the children have the opportunity to establish basic language and beginning conversation skills. We use vocabulary based curriculum which incorporates games, role play, music and various other activities to help build and maintain your child’s enthusiasm for learning a new language.

Each week lesson introduces vocabulary and includes several other activities. Using cooperative strategies for games and putting Spanish to use as many situations as possible. We use a lot of actions, visuals, and manipulative. All these become invaluable reinforcements in learning a language.

Overview of Topics:

* Numbers. Pronounce, sing and recognize numbers.

* Colors. Pronounce, sing and recognize colors.

* Greetings. Pronounce, sign and recognize some greetings.

* Parts of the body. Pronounce and recognize the parts of the body.

* Food. Pronounce, sign and recognize some foods.

* Clothing. Pronounce, sign and recognize.

* Animals. Pronounce, sign and recognize animals.

* Transportation. Pronounce, sign and recognize words of transportation.

* Family. Pronounce, sing and recognize members of the family.

* Classroom objects. Pronounce, sign and recognize classroom objects.

* Alphabet. Sing and recognize alphabet and vowels. Learn the 12 different consonants sounds.

* Basic expressions and greetings. The child will sing and recognize some Spanish greetings and introductions. Simply key questions/phrases, combined with learned vocabulary.

* Days of the week. Pronounce, sing and recognize the days of the week.

* Commands. Pronounce and recognize some commands.

IEW Student Writing Intensive – Level C

Instructor: Kelley Tomkinson

Age Group: 9-12 grade
Tuesday, 3:30
Fees: $125 / Session

Duration: 3 Independent Sessions
Text Fees: $30.00 
 

This Institute for Excellence in Writing class will provide structural models for teaching Essay and Creative Writing.  Note Making & Outlines, Summarizing from Notes, Summarizing Narrative Stories, Summarizing a Reference, Writing from Pictures and Library Research Reports will all be covered in this year-long course.

No writing experience necessary.

Yoga for Every Body

Instructor: Candace Gordijn

Age Group : 6 through adult
Fees: $90

Come stretch your body and strengthen your mind using Hatha Yoga postures, breathing with relaxing music and mat floor work. Core strengthening, spinal alignment, mind-body balance are some benefits of this ancient practice toward complete peace.  Mats provided.

Art with An

Instructor: An Aspen Roberts
Fees: $125
Duration:
Materials Fee: $25

Develop drawing and painting skills, emotional expression and composition through fun and challenging projects

Calligraphy

Instructor: An Aspen Roberts
Fees: $125
Duration:

Do you wish that your child’s handwriting were neater, more legible? Calligraphy can help. We will learn and practice the italic alphabet first then progress through other scripts as time permits. Materials list. Students should bring 2-#2 pencils (sharp), a Pink Pearl or plastic eraser and 2 rubber bands to the first class.

Philosophy 1 for Teens and Tweens

Instructor: An Aspen Roberts

Ages 12 +
Fees: $125 / Session

Duration: 3 independent sessions
 

What is YOUR philosophy of life? What is your child’s? What does your personal philosophy have to do with decision-making? We will read about the history of philosophy in The Story of Philosophy then discuss how thought has developed along with topics led by the exercises in Philosophy for Teens. Each student will be asked to identify their personal philosophy of life at the beginning of the session, then again at the end.Students will investigate and discuss the history of philosophical thought from Ancient Greece through modern times.  This class requires weekly reading assignments and 2 papers.  We will be reading two texts, The Story of Philosophy and Philosophy for Teens.

Philosophy for Kids

Instructor: An Aspen Roberts

Ages 8-11

Fees: $125 / Session
Duration: 3 independent sessions

Wish your children would THINK about what they are doing? We’ll read about what the great philosophers thought and then talk about what that has to do with our everyday lives.

Music History/Appreciation I: From Bach to the Beatles

Instructor: Carl Testa
Ages: 10 and up

Fees: $100
Duration: 1 Session

This class will give a broad overview of the history of early music and cover early music, the Baroque period, classical period, romantic period and modern music including 60’s music. Students will learn which instruments were used and invented in each time period and the composers of each time period. Students will be taught how to recognize music of each period through listening to select samples. This class will give an understanding of how music is composed and the way music fits into different cultures.

Creative Reading and Writing for Elementary
Instructor: Claire Gordijn

Age Group : 8 – 12 (grades 4 – 7)
Fee: $90 / Session
Duration: Full Year (3 Sessions)
(book fee TBD)

This course will have children read a book and identify what they like about the story or characters. They will go in depth about the specifics of what makes a book fun for them.  Then, they will be guided in how to write a story with similar elements.

Reading and Writing Strands workbooks will be used to show the joy of sharing stories with others. The goal is to help children in future schooling and careers to read books that don’t yet peak their interest.  Expressive reading and interactive discussion will be aided by story-related props and hands-on projects.

This workshop approach will assign ‘writing profiles’ as mini-lessons to aid the child in learning the steps to writing a story.

Books may include:  Magic Treehouse Series, The Beast Quest Series, and possibly longer or more intricate books.

Discovering King Arthur: Medieval Mystery and Meaning

Instructor: Teresa Stanton

Grades 6-8

Fees: $100 / Session
Duration: 2 Sessions
 

Long before J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings or J.K. Rowling wrote her Harry Potter novels, the legend of King Arthur, with its knights and ladies, good and evil, magic and mystery, captured the imaginations of young and old alike. Based on The Once and Future King, T.H. White's retelling of the Arthurian stories, Discovering King Arthur introduces the history and culture of the Middle Ages. In your study, you will explore the concepts of the hero, chivalry, and the quest, as well as the feudal system, monarchy, and the roles of women during the time period. Each lesson consists of a reading assignment from White's novel, reading questions focusing on key concepts, and a journal exercise. You will also complete four projects.  This is a 20-week course.

Public Speaking for Upper Grades
Instructor: Freya Fitzpatrick

Grades 7-12

Fees: $125 / Session
Duration: 3 independent Sessions

Prerequisites for sessions II-III: A) basic computer skills including: typing ability or familiarity with keyboard; finding, opening and saving files; copying, cutting and pasting. B) Students need to have access in class to a computer with a word processing program and Open Office presentation (PowerPoint look-alike). 

Each session is self-contained so students can join or leave the course during any session.

Learning to express yourself in public settings is an asset that will be valuable throughout life. The more professionally you can present your ideas, the greater will be the response by others and the more opportunities you will have to progress in areas that are important to you. Public speaking skills will build your self-confidence, can get you a job, get you into college, land a sales contract, help you build and share your convictions and influence other people’s opinions.

 
Session I – Elements of effective speaking & interviewing
Students will learn the basics of delivery: voice control and projection, articulation and diction, appropriate manner and body language, the use of physical actions, and how to manage note-cards as they present an already prepared age-appropriate selected text. For those students who have already taken session 1 before, more practice of these skills can always be beneficial, and these repeat students will work with a longer selection of text than first time students. Students will also learn how to speak in interview situations. They will prepare a set of short speeches in response to standard college and scholarship application questions and will learn to present these in a dynamic but natural manner in a one-on-one interview situation.

Session II – “How To” speech with emphasis on science fair
Students will present a speech about how to do something that has multiple steps. They will learn how to choose a topic, how to prepare their own note cards, and how to design and manage appropriate visual aids and to use these to illustrate their talk.
Homework: Students must spend time practicing at home what they learn in class.

Session III – Content area speaking
Students will learn proper research methods to ensure an adequate, accurate and properly documented presentation. They will learn about the composition of that material into a presentation with an effective introduction, appropriate choice of words, clear organization of ideas, adaptation of material to audience and occasion and an effective conclusion.
Homework: There will be regular homework to complete projects begun in class.

Public Speaking for Elementary Students

Instructor: Freya Fitzpatrick

Grades 1-6
Fees: $125 / Session
Duration: 3 independent sessions

Prerequisites for sessions 2-3: A) basic computer skills including: typing ability or familiarity with keyboard; finding, opening and saving files; copying, cutting and pasting. B) High 3rd grade level spelling abiltity. Students lacking these skills may still enroll if a parent attends each session. 

Each session is self-contained so students can join or leave the course during any session.

Learning to express yourself in public settings is an asset that will be valuable throughout life. The more professionally you can present your ideas, the greater will be the response by others and the more opportunities you will have to progress in areas that are important to you. Public speaking skills will build your self-confidence, can get you a job, get you into college, land a sales contract, help you build and share your convictions and influence other people’s opinions.

 
Session I – Elements of effective speaking
Students will learn the basics of delivery: voice control and projection, articulation and diction, appropriate manner and body language, the use of physical actions, and how to manage note-cards as they present an already prepared age-appropriate selected text. For those students who have already taken session 1 before, more practice of these skills can always be beneficial, and these repeat students will work with a longer selection of text than first time students.

Session II – “How To” speech with emphasis on science fair
Students will present a speech about how to do something that has multiple steps. They will learn how to choose a topic, how to prepare their own note cards, and how to design and manage appropriate visual aids and to use these to illustrate their talk.
Supplies: Students need to have access in class to a computer with a word processing program and Open Office presentation (PowerPoint look-alike).
Homework: Students must spend time practicing at home what they learn in class.

Session III – Content area speaking
Students will learn proper research methods to ensure an adequate, accurate and properly documented presentation. They will learn about the composition of that material into a presentation with an effective introduction, appropriate choice of words, clear organization of ideas, adaptation of material to audience and occasion and an effective conclusion.
Supplies: Students need to have access in class to a computer with a word processing program and Open Office presentation (PowerPoint look-alike).
Homework: There will be regular homework to complete projects begun in class.

Latin I

Instructor: Freya Fitzpatrick

Grades 7-12
Fees: $125 / Session
Duration: Full Year (3 Sessions)

Book Fees will apply (2 texts)
Texts: "Wheelock's Latin" 6th Ed. New York: Harper Collins, 2005, ISBN 978-0-06-078371-6

"Workbook for Wheelock's Latin" 3rd Ed. New York: Harper Collins, 2000. ISBN 978-0-06-095642-4

Give your student the gift of Latin! Latin is the basis of all Romance languages and forms the basis of a huge portion of our English vocabulary. Studies have shown that students who take Latin consistently score better on the verbal section (both vocabulary and grammar) of the SAT test than their non-Latin-taking peers. Latin is also an invaluable tool for developing analytical thinking.

This is a rigorous, academic course which pays huge educational dividends. The teacher has taught Latin for 7 years and is an editor and translator of Neo-Latin (from the 1400’s to today).

German 1

Instructor: Freya Fitzpatrick

Grades 7-12
Fees: $125 / Session
Duration: Full Year (3 Sessions)
Book Fees: $110 for text for full year

Curriculum / Text (if available) : Pingpong Neu 1 – textbook, textbook CD set, workbook.

Guten Tag! Start speaking German on the first day of class. Our text “Ping Pong” is used all over the world to foster fluency in German alongside of mastering grammar. This courseware is ideal for classes that meet only once a week because the books are accompanied by CDs so students can work at home listening to native German speakers.

Completion of book one of this course is equivalent to one year of high school German.

Homework: There will be regular homework with audio CD support.

Supplies: Our text will be “Pingpong Neu 1” published by Hueber publishing company in Germany.  The first year text consists of four parts: Pingpong Neu 1 – textbook, textbook CD set, workbook, workbook CD. The package of 4 items costs $100 + shipping. However, if there are two students in the same family or close neighbors who can share CDs, then the cost for just the text and workbook is $42 + shipping.

Ecology
Instructor: Freya Fitzpatrick

Grades 5-8
Fees: $125 / Session
Duration: 1 Session, Session III, Following Air and Space Science
Text: JASON Project, "Operation Resilient Planet"

A high-energy, hands-on course based on the JASON Project curriculum, “Operation: Resilient Planet,” developed in collaboration with National Geographic, NASA, and NOAA. The complete curriculum includes print, video, online games, labs and field work - plus an interactive Web site, the JASON Mission Center. The course consists of five inquiry-based Missions, each of which has multiple hands-on experiments which require students to apply knowledge and critical thinking skills. These Missions capture the energy and excitement of authentic exploration and discovery.
Students will study the relationship of living things to each other and to their environment including physical properties like climate and soil. This course will consider biomes, also known as ecosystems, and includes the interaction of living and non-living factors, characteristics of populations, the flow of energy, and the cycling of matter. Because of its focus on the organization of life on earth and the relationship between organisms and their environment, ecology draws on many other branches of science including, amongst others, biology, geology, meteorology, and chemistry.

Assignments are optional - you decide if you want this as enrichment or a full course.

Air & Space Science
Instructor: Freya Fitzpatrick

Grades 5-8
Fees: $125 / Session
Duration: 2 Sessions, followed by Ecology Session 3
Supplies: $12 per session

Space is fun and exciting. It stirs the imagination and inspires us to dream. This is a dynamic, hands-on introduction to physical and earth science through the medium of air and space science. Studies include physical forces, weather, environment and geology of planet earth as well as of space and its astronomical bodies. Students will learn the basic physics and technology of flight and rocketry. The course will cover the history and future of rocketry and space missions. See and touch a genuine space shuttle tile, meteorites and Martian soil (specially simulated for NASA). Each session is self-contained so students can join or leave the course during any session.

Assignments optional - you decide if you want this as enrichment or as a full course.