in order of age level

Sensory Play for the Holidays, ages 1 and up, instructor Jennifer Garcia

Join us for this "Mommy and/or Daddy and Me" workshop as we enjoy holiday themed sensory bins, explore snow paint and snow dough, decorate, un-decorate and re-decorate a felt Christmas tree, play a game of snowball toss or send a snowball through funnels and tunnels, sort the colors of the season and make simple art like a shredded paper snowman. 

The Wonders of Water, ages 2-5, instructor Luanne Sener

In this hour-and-a-half, hands-on exploration of water, we’ll make bubbles, experiment in the water table, discover how an ice cube can change our chalk drawings, talk about colors, and create a lasting work of art with a spray bottle full of water. When there's time, we'll read stories and measure Zack's alligator as he grows. Curiosity and play clothes are required.

Creative Play to End the Day, ages 2-5, instructor Luanne Sener

As we wind down from our busy days, children will direct their own play and choose from a variety of centers that provoke investigations, including a sensory table, dough and block center, and sock puppet center. They will be encouraged to pursue their ideas, collaborate, or to change centers and participate in all. We'll close each class with a meeting together and with a story, perhaps one inspired by the students' playing that day.

We Heart Yoga, ages 2-5, instructor Emily Rodriguez

This class is all about showing love to our minds and bodies through our yoga practice. We’ll be focusing on a new heart opener each week, as well as playing a fun game to further bring a sense of love and joy to our class! PLEASE NOTE: Two-year-olds are welcome to join the class along with a parent who stays on the mat with them.

Yoga Balancing Acts, ages 2-6, instructor Emily Rodriguez

Help your little ones start their week on the right foot (or hand!) with a class that brings stillness, strength, and stability to both their minds and bodies. In this class, our smallest yogis will work on a different balancing pose each week, designed to help strengthen their muscles while promoting focus and mindfulness.

The Color of Yoga, ages 2-6, instructor Emily Rodriguez

In this short class, the younger yogis will learn a little more about yoga, and how each color of the rainbow represents a different part of our yoga practice! We’ll start class with a fun game, learn a little yoga sequence, and finish up with a small art project centered around each week’s color.

Stories & More, ages 3-5, instructor Luanne Sener

Join us for a new story every week, a discussion about the book, and an art activity inspired by it. Children in this workshop will use their thinking skills and imaginations as they make choices, become a part of the story, work independently & as a team, and create art. All will be encouraged to create, so PLAY CLOTHES ARE REQUIRED! The stories are as follows: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, There’s Something There, Leaf Man, The Carrot Seed, and The Big Hungry Bear. 

Shh, Shake It, Make It, Listen!, ages 3 - 6, instructor Luanne Sener

Through books and experiences we'll learn what makes sound, how certain sounds make us feel, and even how to communicate without sound, using sign language. In this cross-curricular exploration of sound, we’ll play listening games, learn a poem full of unique sounds, and enjoy making music and a musical instrument. We will read and discuss the following books:  Sound,  Loud, Soft, High and Low, and Sounds All Around.

Intro to Sewing with Fabric Yo-yos, ages 4 and up, instructor Jennifer Garcia

Fabric yoyos, also known as Suffolk Puffs, are a great introduction to sewing and a great use for small bits of leftover fabric. Join us as we learn to make these versatile fabric circles and turn them into holiday ornaments. 

Twisty Turny Bugs: A Yoga & Clay Workshop, ages 2-5, instructors Emily Rodriguez & Luanne Sener

Can you stretch like a stick bug, or crawl like a caterpillar? How can acting like bugs help us make them in clay? Team taught by Emily Rodriguez & Luanne Sener, this workshop will get students moving and creating as they explore the world of insects. In each class, Emily will lead students in a fun, engaging yoga practice that exercises their bodies and minds. Luanne will read a story and facilitate clay work about a new insect every week. Get ready to find some new favorite bugs in this whole body, creative adventure!

Just Imagine, ages 3-5, instructor Luanne Sener

Join the magic of early childhood and watch imaginations and the desire to learn flourish. In this intersection of pretend play and literacy learning, we’ll meet a new puppet friend and communicate with him by placing our hand-written notes and pictures in his mailbox. In turn the children will receive mail. To make our friend feel like he's home, we'll paint a landscape and create costumes for imaginary play.

Dino Delight, ages 3-5, instructor Luanne Sener

What if dinosaurs returned, but this time as our friends? We’ll rely on research and creativity to imagine just that. Using artistic skills through drawing, painting, and glueing, each student will then design and create a puzzle of their new friend. Play clothes needed. We'll enjoy four of the “How Do Dinosaurs” books by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague, as well as Patrick's Dinosaurs, by Carol Carrick.

Gardening & Light, ages 3 & up, instructor Cathleen Drake Nelson

Help us get our garden growing! We’re breaking ground this summer on the new “Garden of Eatin’,” a garden that College Heights United Methodist Church has charged us with starting and put in our care. Join us in this workshop as we learn about photosynthesis, soil preparation, irrigation, companion planting, pollinators and more. We’ll read stories & poems, learn from guest gardening experts, and get our hands dirty as we plant the garden’s first seeds & seedlings! We’ll compare our outdoor garden to an indoor hydroponic garden we’ll start as well, and learn about both natural & artificial light. The course fee includes a gardening journal we’ll work in throughout the workshop.

Conquering the Kitchen, ages 3-6, instructor Megan Samadi

Learn how to make delicious snacks for you and your family. Each week, students will listen to a food-related story, experience ingredients in a sensory activity, and learn how to handle & prepare food. They will tend & harvest food from the garden, practice dull knife skills, and even make ice cream in a bag. Students will bring home recipes that will allow them to develop their new skills in your home kitchen.

Just Read the Pictures: A Book Making Workshop, ages 3-6, instructor Luanne Sener

What could be more exciting than creating your own story just using pictures? No words needed, just the creative minds and active imaginations that enable children to change the story line each time it's read. The children will also be encouraged to create a way to shine a little light on their stories. We’ll discuss the parts of a story, learn about authors and illustrators, encourage individual creativity, and explore reading aloud for our peers and parents.

Online Nature Journaling, all ages, instructor Cathleen Drake Nelson

How can we connect with the worlds outside our windows: the plants, insects, and animals who also call our yards and neighborhoods their homes? And how can observing them allow us to make sense of this strange, separate moment in our lives? Together, let’s use our nature journals to carve out moments of wonder, make observations, ask questions, and create art. All you need is paper, a pencil, and a view. We’ll look out our windows, use artifacts we collect from walks, cozy up to our houseplants if we have any, and sit outside if we can. I’ll email you journal prompts every day, and you’ll get to share your work on our private Facebook page. Twice during the week, you’ll also get to join a Zoom meeting if you’d like, to do an activity and share ideas with other nature explorers. In just 10-30 minutes a day, we’ll help each other to unlock some of the mysteries of our natural environments, and create an artful record of this particular time in our lives.

Plants Real & Imaginary: A Clay Workshop, ages 3-6, instructor Kimberly Wyant

Lets grow our imaginations together! This workshop is designed to complement the "Gardening & Light" workshop as we use what we learn about plants to create our own from clay. Each week we’ll read a picture book to learn about the parts of a plant and their stages of growth. Our main focus will be on edible flowers. Each child will receive a journal in which to draw their ideas for the plants, flowers, fruits and seeds they’ll create in polymer clay, and to record the plant life they see throughout the week. I am so excited to grow our imaginations together! Enrollment in "Gardening & Light" is not required. 

Patterns Big & Small, ages 3-6, instructor Cathleen Drake Nelson

In this fun, hands-on workshop, we’ll read picture books, play games, and create art about patterns, numbers, and mathematical concepts. From the tessellations of MC Escher and honeycombs to the spirals of cauliflower and snails, we'll look for math in unexpected places and create our own art about the math we find. Students will expand their understanding of one-to-one correspondence, counting, sorting, grouping and more math concepts as they engage in group activities and independent art projects.

Masters of Flight: What Birds Can Teach Us About Taking Wing, ages 3-6, instructors Cathleen Drake Nelson and Colleen Vann

Before humans could design functional flying machines, they had to learn from the flight masters — the birds. We’ll learn about wind, feathers, wing span, and air pressure as we, like the first flight inventors before us, study the birds who make flight look easy. Each week, we’ll read a picture book and do a project to experiment with and experience the principles of flying. We’ll make our own wings, make simple kites, create air foils and bird models, and more. Weather permitting, our workshop will culminate with a walk to Lake Morton to observe our bird teachers in action. This workshop was designed to complement Feathered Friends: Using Biology & Anatomy to Design Our Own Birds from Clay. An optional bird watching hike is scheduled for Friday, April 7 at 10 am, at Circle B Bar Reserve. 

Multi-Media Storytelling: A Hot Air Ballon Adventure, ages 3-6, instructor Kimberly Wyant

What adventures will your characters experience as they embark on a voyage in a hot air balloon? By the end of this workshop, students will have a story to tell and all the props they need to enact it. We'll make colorful paper maché hot air balloons, design characters, paint a backdrop, make a landing zone and create whatever adventures we can imagine. We'll use repurposed items for our projects to inspire out of the box thinking on great ways to upcycle things that may normally go to the landfill. 

Feathered Friends: Using Biology & Anatomy to Design Our Own Birds from Clay, ages 3-6, instructor Kimberly Wyant, 

Let your imagination take flight! This workshop is designed to complement Masters of Flight: What Birds Can Teach Us About Taking Wing, as we’ll use what we learn about birds to create our own. Each week, we’ll read a picture book to learn about bird anatomy, behavior, and habitat. Each child will receive a bird journal in which to draw ideas for their birds and to plan the work they do in polymer clay. The class will culminate with a storytelling session about the birds, nests, and eggs they create. I can't wait to soar with your child into the world of birds!

Simple Machines, ages 3-6, instructors Kathryn Adeney and Cathleen Drake Nelson

Explore how things work in this hands-on workshop about some of the most important inventions from the history of machine-making. Every week, we’ll read a book about another of the six simple machines (the wedge, wheel & axle, lever, inclined plane, pulley, and screw), and students will build and examine their own real-life versions of that machine. We’ll see how our work can be made easier with the help of our own creations. At the end of the workshop, each student will receive a book-form portfolio of their work so they can showcase their inventions and revisit their learning.

Exploring Great Artists, ages 3-6, instructors Cathleen Drake Nelson & Mike Barickman

Get ready to try lots of new techniques! Every week we’ll learn about a new artist and create art inspired by that artist’s work. We’ll explore Cut-outs with Matisse, Mobiles with Calder, Pointillist Painting with Seurat, Straight Line Designs with Mondrian, and more. We’ll learn about art history, experiment with a variety of methods for making art, and celebrate each other’s work in this fun, hands-on workshop.  

Spanish Immersion, ages 3-6, instructor Carmen Martinez

This workshop will engage students in fun, developmentally appropriate activities while they learn to communicate effectively with practical Spanish. The time-tested Sonrisas curriculum uses a combination of music, games, Spanish literature, art, and drama. Students converse with the instructor from the first day of class, and work with other children in partner and group activities to practice, reinforce, and build on new vocabulary and concepts. A student portfolio for at-home practice will be available upon request for more advanced students, at an additional cost of $5. 

Spanish Immersion & Movement, ages 4-6, instructors Carmen Martinez & Suzanne (Hayashi) Lovely

Team-taught by Carmen Martinez & Suzanne (Hayashi) Lovely, this workshop will engage students in fun, developmentally appropriate activities while they learn to communicate effectively with practical Spanish. For one half of each class, Carmen will use the time-tested Sonrisas curriculum’s combination of music, games, Spanish literature, art, and drama to help students build and practice new vocabulary and concepts. In the other half, dance instructor Suzanne Hayashi Lovely will lead students in a combination of music, dance, and choreographies including sign language. Using the Sticky Spanish curriculum, this active, whole-body approach will complement Carmen’s instruction to reinforce language learning. Children will learn songs and movements that they can teach their families at home! 

Stories & So Much More, ages 4-6, instructor Luanne Sener

In this session of Stories & More, we’ll explore the worlds of A Big Fat Enormous Lie by Margorie Weinman Sharmat, and Franklin Fibs by Paulette Bourgeois. Both books will prompt discussion of how a lie makes us feel, how to get rid of it, and what a lie might look like in three dimensions. Children will then challenge their imaginations to help create their own big, ugly lie out of papier maché and paint. Play clothes definitely needed.

Stories & MUCH More, ages 4-7, instructor Luanne Sener

In this session of Stories & More, we’ll explore the world of “The Three Little Pigs,” acquainting ourselves with the story and then making it our own. We’ll use our imaginations, dough, paint, glue, tape and more to design and create the wolf, the pigs, and the houses. These creations will help us to reenact and present our own version of the story. Children in this workshop will use their thinking skills as they make choices, become a part of the story, work independently & as a team, and create art. All will be encouraged to create, so please wear play clothes!

The Magic of Metamorphosis, ages 4 - 7, instructor Luanne Sener

This multi-disciplinary workshop will investigate metamorphosis through hands-on science, story, collaboration, theater, and art. Together, we’ll learn what metamorphosis is and see the magic before us. Using props we make ourselves, we’ll share that magic with our families at home. And we’ll use our creations to help us act out the magic by becoming milkweed plants, eggs, caterpillars, and beautiful butterflies. Come join the magic!

Discovering Music & Rhythm, ages 5-7, instructor Kim Grieves

Explore music by listening, singing, moving, playing rhythm instruments, and playing musical games. Student will learn to maintain a steady beat; read and play simple rhythm patterns; play rhythm instruments; and create their own ostinato compositions. Through exploring music, students will build a foundation for important skills such as teamwork, respect, and responsibility. 

Stories & Much, Much More, ages 5 - 7, instructor Luanne Sener

In this session of Stories & More, we’ll explore the world of Doris Burn’s lovely picture book, Andrew Henry’s Meadow. To most everyone Andrew Henry's enthusiasm for building things was a nuisance. Even the helicopter in the kitchen and the merry-go-round hitched to the sewing machine seemed to get in the way. So, one day, Andrew Henry quietly packed and moved to a meadow. Others quickly followed. We'll discuss the story and challenge our imaginations to create and build a special place we've longed to experience. Each child will sketch a picture of their special place, prepare a supply list of needs, and work to build what they’ve imagined.

Writing Workshop: Fracturing Fairy Tales, ages 5-8, instructor Cathleen Drake Nelson

All writers get ideas from other writers, and in this workshop, we’ll be learning from classic tales from long ago, as well as more recent adaptations or “fractured” tales that challenge the form and play with our expectations. Can Little Red Riding Hood be a ninja? You bet! How about a Gingerbread Man cowboy? Sure. What if the wolf wrote his own version of The Three Little Pigs?  How would that change the story? We’ll read and discuss picture books, and talk about writing techniques and literary devices. Students will have time in class to work on their own writing in an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and risk taking. Instead of mechanics like spelling or grammar, our focus will be on putting ideas down on paper, whether transcribed by an adult, spelled inventively, or composed entirely of images. Students will be encouraged to work at home and will have an opportunity to share their work at the beginning and end of every class.

Taste the Rainbow: Nutrition & Cooking, ages 5-8, instructor Katherine Bates

Why do we need to eat fruits & vegetables of all colors? We’ll learn about balanced eating as we create delicious foods like fruit salads, homemade white bean hummus, Maui slaw, black bean salsa, popsicles and more. Students will gain skills to help in the kitchen as they practice following recipes, basic kitchen & food safety, cutting, mixing, blending and cleaning up. (No heat involved.) We’ll even think about how to tell when you’re full, and more. Students will bring home recipes & activities that will allow them to develop their new skills and build on them at home.

What Makes a Great Plate?: Cooking & Nutrition, ages 5-8, and ages 9 & up, instructor Katherine Bates

Why do we need to eat fruits, vegetables, grains and protein? Students will learn to identify the five food categories, assemble a balanced meal, and examine personal eating habits. We will make a food group at each class (including nut-free fall trail mix, Asian sugar snap peas, apple oat squares, salmon, infused water, and cupcakes & icing for the Showcase), as we learn about nutritional content and how the body uses it. We will consider the influence of family, peers, and media on health behaviors; and dissect labels and advertising. Students will gain skills to help in the kitchen as they practice cleaning, cutting, mixing, blending, baking, roasting, and cleaning up. We’ll even think about how to tell when you’re full, and more. Students will bring home recipes & activities, including food trackers, that will allow them to develop their new skills and build on them at home.

Cooking Around the World, Part 1, ages 5-9 and ages 10 & up, instructor Katherine Bates

Explore foods from around the world! Each class, we’ll make a main dish and either a beverage or dessert from one of these countries: Italy, Mexico, Australia, Jamaica, Norway, and China. Students will gain skills to help in the kitchen as they practice kitchen safety, cleaning, cutting, mixing, blending, assembly, baking, stove top cooking, presentation, following recipes, how to tell when you’re full, and more. They will bring home recipes & activities that will allow them to build on their new skills at home. Research shows that kids who spend more time in the kitchen choose a wider range of foods and turn towards healthier choices. The first of a two-part series, the second session of this workshop will be in the spring.

Cooking & Nutrition, ages 5-9, instructor Katherine Bates

Whipping up healthy recipes may be easier than you think! We’ll learn how simple ingredient substitutions can make family recipes more nutritious, without sacrificing taste & enjoyment. We’ll learn some of the science of cooking, taking into account moisture content, texture, weight, and sweetening & thickening power. We’ll cut, mix, blend, bake, roast, use the stovetop, and clean up after ourselves as we make avocado breakfast bowls, sweet potato fries with dips, spaghetti squash with marinara sauce, veggie meatloaf, loaded rice pilaf, and black bean brownies. Students will bring home recipes & activities that will allow them to develop their new skills and build on them at home.

Cooking & Nutrition: Solve the Mystery — Snack or Appetizer?!, ages 5-9, instructor Katherine Bates

Why do foods fit into different categories, and why are they typically eaten at particular times of day? As we make and enjoy Clue Granola Balls, Tower O’ Sandwich Kabobs, Twisted Cucumber Cups, Sleuth Spinach Puffs, Top Secret Veggie & Fruit chips, and Magic Muffins of Zucchini, we’ll solve food category mysteries each class. By engaging students in preparation and presentation, this class will help them to practice culinary creativity and discovery. We’ll learn how keeping our meals and snacks interesting helps us explore more recipes and choose a wider range of foods. Students will learn kitchen safety, and develop their new skills at home with recipes and activities. This session will focus on cutting, mixing, blending, baking, roasting, stovetop cooking, and cleaning up.

When I Am Quiet in the Garden ages 6 - 8, instructor Luanne Sener

Using picture books for inspiration, we’ll see what secrets we can discover in the garden right outside our classrooms. Each session will consist of quiet time in the garden to better experience how its occupants and the elements affect our senses. Journal time will follow, and our thesauruses will help us to fully describe and log our garden experiences, thus increasing vocabulary and writing skills. A child’s thesaurus is required. This workshop is inspired by, and is an extension of, the work done by the children in the first session of this workshop, but children who did not participate in that workshop are also welcome!

Beginning Drama, ages 6-9, instructor Debi Morgan

This workshop will develop the growth of young actors, introducing them to the basics of drama. Students will learn improv work, movement & space, and more, through creative play in a very non-threatening setting. They will role-play and re-tell stories based on children's literature, while learning the fundamentals of structured storytelling, sequencing events into beginning, middle, and end. Students will develop & explore their senses using the five Ws (who, what, when, where, and why) as a means of expression, during dramatic play. Beginning students will also develop life skills that will help them function in and as a group, such as listening while others speak, responding, taking turns, and problem-solving.

Taekwondo, ages 6-12, instructor Jessi Rodriguez

Build confidence, practice respect, and have fun while expanding your knowledge of Taekwondo techniques. In this second session, we’ll begin to form combinations with the basic techniques we learned in the first session, and learn more advanced movements. If this is your first time in this class, don't worry! Newcomers will learn the basic techniques while last session’s students get a refresher. Wearing comfortable, unrestrictive clothing is required, and bringing water and a small towel is recommended. Students will be barefoot as this helps keep everyone safe while conditioning your feet and developing natural balance.

Yoga: Better Balance for a Better Day, ages 6 - 12, instructor Emily Rodriguez

In yoga, balancing poses are very beneficial, both mentally and physically. They improve our strength, elongate our muscles, and improve our equilibrium as we learn to align our bodies. Mentally, balancing poses improve our focus and help us to stay calm and find our center. This session will be centered around beginner balances, with sequences building up to a new pose each week. We’ll also learn breathing practices (pranayamas) that can help us stay balanced and better focused, on and off the mat.

Yoga for the Grateful Heart, ages 6 - 12, instructor Emily Rodriguez

In yoga philosophy, opening through the chest and spine helps us get in touch with and opening the heart center. And when our hearts are open, we grow in compassion and connection to others (as well as ourselves.) This also helps us find gratitude for our bodies and minds, and everything they help us accomplish on a daily basis. And with the holiday season fast approaching, what better way to welcome the excitement than with a warm and grateful heart? In this class, the students will flow through a yoga sequence centered around a different heart opener each week. I’ll also offer modified and alternate poses so that each student can work at their own individual levels. We’ll discuss what we’re grateful for, and the different ways we can show thanks to those who matter most to us!

Yoga: Mindful Movement, ages 6 - 12, instructor Emily Rodriguez

During this session, we’ll quiet our minds and develop a stronger connection to our bodies through yoga. Practicing yoga with this added awareness can help increase focus, develop physical coordination, and reset the nervous system. We’ll learn breathing techniques to calm the mind and body, then flow through a yoga sequence, using our inhales and exhales to guide us through each pose. At the end of each class, we’ll practice what we learned with a fun game!

Dream Draw Build: Foundations of Sculpture, ages 7-14, instructor Mike Barickman

In this class I’ll introduce some of the basic principles of three dimensional sculpture as we play with weighty topics using modest materials and manageable techniques. We will build small scale sculptures with a variety of paper products and adhesives including paper mache. Homework will consist of research, writing and drawing, so that we can build in class.

DIY’S, ages 7 & up, instructor Izzy Plaza

Hello DIYers, get ready to start creating. In this kid-led workshop we will create fun DIY’s each week.  Some examples are pom-pom critters, washi and duct tape creations, personalized note books, and even slime! We will have lots of fun creating together.

Conquering the Kitchen, ages 6-10  instructor Megan Samadi

Learn recipes, skills and secrets from a professional chef! Each week, students will learn new culinary techniques, including knife skills and how to create their own recipes. They will make butter, ice cream, pretzels, dips, and spreads, using fresh ingredients that, as our garden grows, they may even harvest themselves. Students will bring home recipes that will allow them to develop their new skills in your home kitchen. This workshop is designed for well behaved young chefs who are ready to learn how to follow a recipe on their own.

Theater History in Ad Lib, ages 6-10 & ages 10-14, instructor Drew Arnold

Do you like to act out scenes from your favorite stories, or pretend to be a character from a book you've read or a movie you've seen? Learn how your play fits in with art of theatre -- from the ancient to the modern -- and what the masters of theatre can teach us. We'll explore notable historical plays and theatrical forms while honing our skills in movement and improvisation. Be ready to take your pretending to new levels as we do exercises in class to help you incorporate new techniques. This workshop will be part of a series of theatre workshops offered this year.

Junior Robotics Club, ages 6-10, instructor Kathryn Adeney, team leaders Jaime Lamar, Kelly Lyle & Cathleen Drake Nelson

Teams of four students guided by an adult coach will participate in the international FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. Challenge by exploring a real-world theme, working together to design and build a practical solution, and sharing their results with the community. This season’s challenge is called AQUA ADVENTURE, and our teams will be guided through a 12-week exploration of water, its importance, its journey to our homes and communities, and how we might improve a part of this journey. Students will research and use basic engineering concepts to design and build programmable LEGO® models and posters describing their process. FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. Core Values such as teamwork, gracious professionalism, and independent problem-solving will be emphasized. Optionally, teammates are invited to present their projects at the FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. Expo at LEGOLAND on Saturday, May 12 (an additional fee of $34 per person will cover admission to the theme park for the day for those without annual passes). Previous participation in our Elementary Robotics classes is not required. More information about FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. may be found here. 

Yoga: Better Balance for a Better Day, ages 6 - 12 and ages 13 & up, instructor Emily Rodriguez

In yoga, balancing poses are very beneficial, both mentally and physically. They improve our strength, elongate our muscles, and improve our equilibrium as we learn to align our bodies. Mentally, balancing poses improve our focus, and help us to stay calm and to find our center. This session will be centered around beginner balances, with sequences building up to a new pose each week. We’ll also learn breathing practices (pranayamas) that can help us stay balanced and better focused, on and off the mat.

Yoga for Happy Hips, ages 6 -12, instructor Emily Rodriguez

This session, our yoga practice will focus on opening up the hips and the lower back. According to ancient yogic tradition, the hips are where we hold our emotions and our creativity; the more open our hips, the more easily we can express ourselves! Each class will be centered around a different hip-opening peak pose. We’ll warm up the muscles needed to achieve the pose, practice it, and then balance back out with some counter stretches. We’ll also incorporate a different yoga game each week to further develop a sense of creativity and community.

Fiber Arts: The Science of Sheep, ages 6 and up, instructor Jennifer Garcia

Let's explore wool fiber from sheep to scarf and everything in between. In this class, we’ll compare fibers and discover the varied usefulness of this unique material. Your student will have the opportunity to wash, comb and card wool as well as explore finger knitting, felting (2D and 3D) and weaving. The $10 supply fee will be paid directly to the instructor the first day, and will provide each student with 2 oz. of roving and a skein of 100% wool yarn for dying, finger knitting, and felting projects. 

Voice, ages 7 & up, instructor Jesica Gasser of Lakeland School of Music

This course is designed to be a fun way for students to learn the basic fundamentals of good singing technique, while giving each child the experience of rehearsing and performing with their peers. The vocal repertoire covered in this class will be a variety of traditional and modern Americana music.

Spanish Immersion, ages 7-10, instructor Carmen Martinez

Building on the Sonrisas curriculum, this workshop uses a combination of music, games, Spanish literature, art, and drama to allow students to learn & practice conversational Spanish. Students converse with the instructor from the first day of class, and work with other children in partner and group activities to practice, reinforce, and build on new vocabulary and concepts. Student portfolios contain activities to complete at home.

Save the World Club, ages 7-13, leaders Sophia Nelson & Izzy Plaza

Believe it or not, the earth needs your help. Are you ready to help her? In this kid-designed and kid-led club, we will learn about the problems the world is facing like climate change and pollution. We will also learn how to help the environment, by turning off lights, setting up a recycling center at MSHA, composting leftovers, and supporting organizations, for example. We will discuss and divide up topics on the first day of the workshop, and at each meeting, teams of students will present on one of the topics. The course fee will go in part to an environmental organization we research and choose as a club. We will raise additional money by selling notecards we illustrate throughout the workshop. An adult will be there to help. So grab your recyclables and get ready for an environmentally sustainable journey!

Creative Movement, ages 7 & up, instructor Suzanne (Hayashi) Lovely

This combination of imaginative dance and physical expression provides students with an opportunity to exercise both their bodies and minds as they strengthen all learning modalities: visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic. Designed in collaboration with "Capturing the Like-ness Monster: Drawing Portraits," this fun, artistic workshop will allow students to express color, emotions, and gesture as they learn to appreciate their personal qualities of movement.

Keyboard Lab, ages 7 & up, instructor Kim Grieves

This course is designed to be a fun social environment for students who wish to develop basic piano playing skills. Time in group lessons will be spent learning musical notation, playing theory games, practicing individually and with the teacher’s help, and performing in front of peers. The piano is a great springboard for any other instrument a student may want to learn, and is a good place for a beginner to start. The aim of this class is to create a love for music and a desire to keep learning more. Required equipment: a medium-sized keyboard and headphones.

Keyboard Lab 2, ages 7 & up, instructor Kim Grieves

This course is a continuation of Keyboard Lab 1. It is designed for students who already have a basic knowledge of rhythm and notes and can play simple songs independently on the keyboard. Time in group lessons will be spent learning musical notation, playing theory games, practicing individually and with the teacher’s help, and performing in front of peers. The aim of this class is to foster a love for music and to enhance their desire to keep learning more. Required equipment: a medium-sized keyboard to bring to class each week.

Still Life Drawing Studio, ages 7-10 & ages 10-14 instructor Michael Barickman

Drawing can be hard. Seeing objects for what they are, is a different kind of difficult. Both take practice, and like most things, shining a bright light on the subject really helps. We will construct still lifes, light them, and draw them, creating scenes to draw together and individually. Students will be motivated to work between classes to share their efforts in studio critiques. Weekly exposure to history and trends of still life art will compliment the experience. There will be a supply cost of approximately $10 per child, to be paid to the instructor on the first day of class, for drawing materials they will keep. 

Capturing the Like-Ness Monster: Drawing Portraits, ages 7-10 &10-14, instructor Mike Barickman

We will focus on the portrait: drawing from pictures, life, masters and our own reflection. This drawing workshop will include discussion, exercises, exposure to the work of other artists, and the assurance that perfection, like the existence of Nessie, is up for interpretation. All materials for in-class assignments will be provided. Homework will require a sketchbook for drawing and journalling. Plan to spend at least thirty minutes on homework outside of class, more if you’re having fun. It is hoped that you will have more fun than you expect.

Capturing the Like-Ness Monster: Drawing on Experience, ages 7-14, instructor Mike Barickman

We've spent six weeks exploring faces with the elements of drawing… Now what? Scaffolded studio practice. Goal setting. Accountability. Challenges tailored to individuals’ drawing goals. Each class will begin with a group check-in and walk-about gallery requiring participants to draw between classes to demonstrate progress toward their self-set goals. This workshop is designed for students who were a part of Capturing the Like-Ness Monster last session. If you would like to sign up someone who wasn’t a part of that workshop, please contact us. 

Projectiles and Parabolas, ages 7-11, instructors Colleen Vann, Jaime Lamar & Cathleen Drake Nelson

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's -- a projectile! In this workshop, we'll learn about Newton's Laws of Motion, the scientific method, some good mathematics, and creative problem solving as we build, test and analyze a variety of projectile launchers. Students will work in teams and as a larger group to create machines, record their findings, and compare results. Together, we'll keep building on what we know to create better launchers, make new connections about the physics of flinging, and send our projectiles all over the skies of Lakeland. 

Magnetism: Lodestone to Levitation, ages 7 and up, instructors Jaime Lamar and Colleen Vann

Magnets were originally thought to be magical, and today they are used in advanced technology. In this hands-on, inter-disciplinary study of magnetism, we’ll work together to explore the mystery and science of magnets and discover the many fun ways in which we can use them. We'll use magnets to levitate objects and move things without touching them. We'll experiment with electromagnets, make a Faraday train, take a bunch of things apart, and have lots of opportunity to talk and share and work together. Each student will take home at least 4 rare-earth magnets and some ferrofluid.

Up, Up & Away: Experiencing Flight through Kites, ages 7 and up, instructors Jaime Lamar, Colleen Vann, and Cathleen Drake Nelson

People have always been fascinated by the idea of soaring into the sky.  How does something fly?  When is it flying & not falling? Today, science can readily answer these questions, and we will investigate the answers to learn the principles of flight. Then, we will delve into humans’ first and longest experience with flight--kites.  Our cross-cultural exploration will take us around the world and through history to discover the many forms and uses of kites, and we will deepen our understanding and experience flight ourselves by making and flying some of these beautiful, tethered wings.   Of course, our class would not be complete until we use our new knowledge to create kites of our own!

Elementary Robotics, ages 7-10, instructors Kathryn Adeney and Jaime Lamar

See your LEGO creations come to life! In this workshop, we will introduce the fundamentals of robotics, including programming, troubleshooting, and teamwork, using the LEGO WeDo 2.0 system. We will cover the definition of a robot, the history of robotics, and modern examples of robots and the problems they address. Each week we will present a new challenge, and students will team up (3 students with one instructor) to design, build, and program a LEGO machine to execute the objective. Students will also keep a design journal to record and share their robotic inspirations, which may be incorporated into future class challenges!  

Elementary Robotics II: Mechanisms & Movement, ages 7-10, instructors Kathryn Adeney,  Jaime Lamar, and Megan Samadi

In the second session of Elementary Robotics, we will delve deeper into some basic mechanical systems that will allow students to design and build more complex LEGO® robots. We will build and explore mechanisms like pulleys, belts, rotors, and crankshafts; work as teams to program their automatic function with the LEGO® WeDo kit; and imagine what fantastic functions they might serve. Each student will also receive a basic kit of LEGO® Technic pieces to continue adding mechanics and movement to their at-home creations, and we will encourage them to share their creative contraptions in class. Participation in Elementary Robotics I is not required.  

Comic Book Writing & Drawing, ages 7 & up, instructors Michael Barickman and Cathleen Drake Nelson

In this study of one of the oldest forms of communication, students will learn storytelling devices and artistic techniques as they gain inspiration from the comics they love, the comics we write together, and the work of their peers. Using a writing workshop format, this class will integrate ninety minutes of writing and drawing as we read and discuss exemplary comics, work individually and with partners, and share together what we've created. We'll explore character, story progression, inference, climax, resolution and more, and take our drawings from rough sketch to reproduction.

Comic Book Writing & Drawing II, ages 7 & up, instructors Michael Barickman and Cathleen Drake Nelson

In this continuation of our first session, students will extend their repertoire of storytelling devices and artistic techniques as they gain inspiration from the comics they love, the comics we write together, and the work of their peers. Using a writing workshop format, this class integrates ninety minutes of writing and drawing. It will allow students to develop new story lines, experiment with more panel layouts, and increase variety and visual interest in their comics. Each student will take at least one story idea from rough draft to reproduction. Participation in the first session of Comics Writing & Drawing is not required. 

Dream, Draw, Build, ages 7-16, instructor Mike Barickman

Do you have ideas that you want to make real? Are there inventions or art projects you dream of, but haven't figured out how to create? Do you have a design problem you want to solve? Every week we'll gain inspiration and advice from inventors and artists throughout history, and coax the ideas in your head out into the world. Each participant will share ideas, make designs, draw plans, and build something magnificent of their own design. We’ll develop critical thinking and problem solving through action and discussion, with an emphasis in art and art history. No ideas? We’ll solve that too! 

Spanish Immersion, ages 7-10, instructor Carmen Martinez

This workshop will engage students in fun, developmentally appropriate activities while they learn to communicate effectively with practical Spanish. The time-tested Sonrisas curriculum uses a combination of music, games, Spanish literature, art, and drama. Students converse with the instructor from the first day of class, and work with other children in partner and group activities to practice, reinforce, and build on new vocabulary and concepts. Students receive a Student Portfolio with exercises to complete during the workshop and at home. 

Drawing & Other Forms of Representation: Capturing the Like-ness Monster, ages 4-9 and 8-13, instructor Mike Barickman

This workshop on drawing and other forms of representation will include discussion, exercises, and assurance that perfection is up for interpretation. We will be a multi-headed, multi-abled, creature of our own invention, striving together to improve the whole. For planning, practicing and generally figuring stuff out, I like time, paper and something to make a mark. Arm yourself with a three-ring binder, 40 sheets of bond paper, a quiver of pens and pencils, and an eraser if you wish. Think of a thing you particularly want to capture—critter, creature or character—, gather pictures and bring those too. Additional materials will be required to take our plans to a finished state. Individuals may choose to explore drawing scale and substrate, including three dimensional rendering in paper mache. 

Intro to the World of Political Campaigns: Every Vote Counts!, ages 7-12, instructor Colleen Vann

This comprehensive unit, combining social studies, language arts, and math, is designed to teach children the steps a person must take to make it all the way to the White House. Each child will choose a favorite fictional character who they believe has the qualities necessary to become a great leader. Students then campaign for their character, spending their fundraising dollars wisely along the way. They will design advertisements, write a persuasive speech, take part in a debate, and learn that all votes are not counted equally with the Electoral College. The course will culminate with an Inauguration Day celebration as the children unite around the newly elected president. 

Keyboard Lab, ages 7 & up, instructor Jesica Gasser of Lakeland School of Music

This course is designed to be a fun social experience for students who wish to develop basic piano playing skills. Time in group lessons will be spent learning musical notation, playing theory games, practicing individually and with the teacher’s help, and performing in front of peers. The aim of this class will be to create an appreciation of the instrument, and a desire to keep learning more. Required equipment: a medium-sized keyboard and headphones.

Digital Movie-Making, ages 7-10 and 9-14, instructor Nancye Blair Black

Lights! Camera! Action! Throughout this class, we'll explore various applications for making short films, both in animation and live action. We'll learn the basics of scripting, editing, and publishing. And we'll look at how our purposes for movie-making - from entertainment to public service announcements - change the films we make. In the process, students will complete at least one short movie to share with family and friends. A cross-platform software list will be provided, and parents will need to download or register their student on certain free apps/websites throughout the course. 

Drawing Together, ages 8 & up, taught by Mike Barickman

Many of us are looking for ways to feel connection with others while maintaining physical distance. I propose we draw together, not drift apart: Exploring the environment in person and capturing it in our minds and sketchbooks with words and pictures. Every session, we will meet and gather outdoors in a place that offers some level of visual interest, inspiration, and allows us to control our distance. There will be a brief check-in for participants and context from the facilitator. We’ll draw on topic for a short while, share what we’ve made and what we’re thinking. For part two, participants are intellectually freed to safely explore the space together or alone with their sketchbooks. The opportunity is offered to identify one’s unique connection to the space and express it in words and pictures. At the end of the session, we will regather to share our findings and feelings. This adventure is for children and their caregivers. Caregivers are welcome to participate, including as bridge for the participation of younger siblings.

Minecraft Survival, ages 8-14, taught by Emery Waring

Welcome, noobs and pros, to the MSHA Minecraft Survival Class. In this class, you will be learning how to survive your first night, battle mobs, craft, build, and so much more. There will be some interesting and helpful tips along the way. If you have already been playing for a good while, NEVER FEAR, there’s something in this class for everyone—daring battles, fun decoration tips for your house, how to make cutting-edge (quite literally) defenses for your Minecraft base, and a few creative-mode build challenges. For this class, you are going to need Minecraft Windows 10 edition, PE, or Nintendo Switch. You will also need to be able to go online with a Microsoft account in order to come to class on the private server I am running. We will meet via Zoom (mostly without our cameras on) and be in Minecraft during class.

Storycrafters’ Corner, ages 8 & up, instructor Celeste Mannerud

Everyone has had a crazy idea or fantastical scenario or awesome world they’ve imagined, and the ways we share our creative musings are as endless as our imagination. In this class, we will seek to bring to life our ideas through a variety of media: LEGO, Minecraft, photos, video, modeling, paper-crafting, etc. Students will have the option to work on individual and/or team projects, and we will also explore different tricks and traps and devices used to surprise our audience and how those can be interpreted in their desired medium. 

Ukulele, ages 8 & up, instructor Jesica Gasser of Lakeland School of Music

This class will teach beginning ukulele students to play simple chords and strum in time to music. More advanced students will have the opportunity to study fingerpicking, strumming patterns, and alternate chord voicings. In addition, some of our class time will be spent learning music theory and playing percussion instruments. We will practice songs together as a group as well as learn rhythmic notation and play musical games. Students need to provide their own ukulele.

Acting 1: Scene Work & Character Development, ages 8-11, and ages 12 & up, instructor Drew Arnold

Put into practice essential acting techniques as we explore the imaginative, physical, and analytical art of acting. Students in our workshop will support each other as we learn how actors use the following tools to hone their skills: experiential exercises, improvisations, character analysis, script analysis, and scene study. Get ready to express feelings and thoughts with movement, make bold choices, investigate what makes a character real to an audience, discover what makes a script flow, and more. Finally, work with other students to incorporate all you’ve learned as you practice and perform a scene.

Freestyle Elementary LEGO Robotics, ages 8-12, instructor Jaime Lamar

What sort of robotic or mechanical device do you want to make with LEGO? In this student-driven class, we will work in pairs and use LEGO WeDo 2.0 to develop our understanding of mechanisms and programming while constructing our own robotic creations. We will learn from and teach each other as we share our ideas, goals, challenges, and solutions in each class. Our primary purpose is to provide students with a dedicated time to work together, an opportunity to set their own goals, and sufficient time to patiently work through challenges and devise solutions—guidance and assistance in mechanics and robotics will be readily provided, but explicit instruction is not the focus of the class.

LEGO Robotics, ages 8-12, instructor Celeste Mannerud

Do you enjoy building with LEGO and want to learn more about putting your creations in motion? In this class, we will work in pairs with LEGO WeDo 2.0 kits to develop our understanding of mechanisms and programming while constructing our own robotic creations. We will learn from and teach each other as we share our ideas, goals, challenges, and solutions in each class, with dedicated time to work together, opportunities to set their own goals, and sufficient time to patiently work through challenges and devise solutions.

Minecraft STEM Lab 2, ages 8-12, instructors Celeste Mannerud & Cobyn Mannerud

This term’s Minecraft STEM Lab class will continue to explore and build on STEM concepts with Minecraft creation through a series of hands-on and in-game Quests and Labs. Each week will consist of two parts: a hands-on exploration activity and an in-game building/crafting activity. Note: Due to the nature of the Minecraft building/crafting activities, it is a MUST that each student in the class have their own laptop or other Minecraft-capable device both in class and to finish their projects between class times since awesome builds take lots of time.

Creative Movement, ages 8 - 12, instructor Suzanne (Hayashi) Lovely

This combination of imaginative dance and physical expression provides students with an opportunity to exercise both their bodies and minds as they strengthen all learning modalities: visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic. This fun, artistic workshop will allow students to express emotions and gesture as they learn to appreciate their personal qualities of movement.  

The Shape of Sound: Silence to Sonority, ages 8-12, instructor Jaime Lamar

So much of our understanding of and interaction with our world depends on sound, but what do we actually know about sound itself?  What is it?  What creates it?  How can we use it?  In this class, we will explore the answer to these questions while expanding our sound experiences and practicing a greater awareness of sound.  After we investigate "sound" without our hearing, we will experiment with the properties of sound.  And with this understanding, we will investigate the nature of music and work on manipulating sound ourselves. 

The Magic of Light: Illuminating the Behavior of the Illusive Photon, ages 8-12, instructor Jaime Lamar

Light is all around us, but what is it?  How does it work?  And most interestingly, what can we do with it?  Through exploration and experimentation, we will discover the behaviors of light, such as refraction and reflection; consider and reveal invisible light; work with visible light and color; and investigate light sources, including lasers.  As we learn how to add, subtract, bend, bounce, and manipulate light, we will apply our understanding of light’s behavior to create illusions and art, and we will share these with one another to create a light art gallery.

The Water Course: Observing the Aquatic from Drops to Oceans, ages 8-12, instructors Jaime Lamar, Cathleen Drake Nelson, and Colleen Vann

What if you could understand the language of water? And what if you could use that knowledge to predict weather from looking at a shoreline, locate an island too far and short to see, or decipher wave patterns on beaches? We’ll learn how water observers throughout history have achieved feats such as these, and start to apply what we learn about surface tension, capillary action, reflection and more to a deeper awareness of bodies of water molecular to immense. This cross-curricular investigation of the art, science and history of water will culminate with a lakeshore experience.

Intro to Ukulele & More, ages 8 & up, instructor Kim Grieves

This introductory class will teach beginning ukulele students to play simple chords and strum in time to music. They will practice songs together as a group as well as learn rhythmic notation and play musical games. Students will also have the opportunity to play boomwhackers and other percussion instruments to reinforce their rhythm skills. All students will need to provide their own ukulele.

Ukulele 2, ages 8 & up, instructor Kim Grieves

This class is a continuation from session 1. All students should have a basic knowledge of the chords C, F, G, G7 and Am and be able to change between the chords. In this class we will continue to learn new chords and practice playing songs in different keys. We will also study fingerpicking and strumming patterns. In addition, some of our class time will be spent learning music theory and playing percussion instruments. Required equipment: a ukulele.

Improv 2, ages 8 & up, instructor Drew Arnold

Improv 2 is an outgrowth of the principles of improvisational acting learned in Improv 1: the “yes and…”, sensory work, partner focus, characters, and circumstances. In Improv 2 we will raise the stakes from Improv 1 by learning “games” that are meant for an audience in every class. We will take the aforementioned improvisational exercises and the “who, what, where, why and when” tenets covered in Improv 1 and apply them to a new game a week. Although Improv 1 or other improv work is recommended, any student with a keen mind and ready spirit will be able to engage in this class and develop their comedy. Key skills learned are: communication, problem-solving, creative thinking, collaboration, and rallying. This class is for students who enjoy high-energy activity, social connection, play, creativity, and, for sure, laughing!

Capturing the Likeness Monster: Caring to Write Clearly, ages 8 & up, instructor Mike Barickman

... also known as handwriting-for-invisible-ninja-spies-at-the-speed-of-light, will be a workshop that compares big, physical actions to subtle, little, motor skills through games and (dare I say it) writing practice. We will will look closely at a small part of a wide range of the written word: codes, fonts, non-English alphabets, hand writing analysis, and there will definitely be kung fu. 

Capturing the Like-Ness Monster: Drawing, Designing, Divining, Devising, ages 8 & up and ages 11 & up, instructor Mike Barickman

Capturing a likeness is all about getting our drawings of things to look like the things we see. Success involves a lot of moving parts. We will be a multi-headed, multi-abled, creature of our own invention, striving together to improve the whole. This drawing workshop will include discussion, exercises, exposure to the work of other artists, and the assurance that perfection, like the existence of Nessie, is up for interpretation. We’ll develop critical thinking and problem solving through action and discussion, with an emphasis on art and art history. Students will share their efforts (on assigned tasks and their self-set goals) in studio critiques. All materials for in-class challenges will be provided. Homework will require a sketchbook (or looseleaf paper) for drawing and journalling. Plan to spend about sixty minutes on home study between classes, more if you’re having fun.

Exploring Music With the Recorder, ages 8 & up, instructor Kim Grieves

In this class, students will learn to read rhythms and notes, and to apply this knowledge to playing the recorder. We will use the “Recorder Karate” method, effective for teaching basic techniques for wind instruments through nine folk songs. Students will have the opportunity to work at their own pace to “pass off” each song and earn a “belt” to add to their recorder. They will also learn the importance of teamwork and how to be a contributing member of an instrumental ensemble. 

Exploring Music With the Recorder, Part 2, ages 8 & up, instructor Kim Grieves

In this class, students will continue to study rhythm and notes, and apply this knowledge to playing the recorder. Using the motivating recorder method entitled “Recorder Karate,” students will have the opportunity to work at their own pace to “pass off” each song and earn a “belt” to add to their recorder. They will also write their own musical compositions and perform them for the class. Students who are taking this class should already have a basic understanding of the recorder and be able to identify the notes on the staff.

Improv: Truth & Connection in Play, ages 8 & up, instructor Drew Arnold

Improvisational acting emphasizes focus, connection, and heightened imaginative processes. Actors work to convey a believable story within imaginary circumstances. This process is unscripted, though parameters are given. Through exercises and games, the actors learn to push their own boundaries and have fun while doing it.

Seasonal Eating: Nutrition & Cooking, ages 9 & up, instructor Katherine Bates

Why eat fruits & vegetables in the season they grow? We’ll learn how seasonal eating benefits the body, supports local farmers, tastes better, is less expensive, leads to less spoiled food waste, and gives the body variety year round. Students will broaden their palates by exploring new dishes and ingredients as we prepare foods like blueberry muffins, quinoa tabbouleh, bacon brussel sprouts, pear tartlets, mango salsa, and more. Students will gain kitchen skills as they practice following recipes. We’ll discuss basic kitchen & food safety, what makes for a balanced diet, how to tell when you’re full, and more. Students will bring home recipes & activities that will allow them to further develop their new skills at home.

Stop Motion Animation & More, ages 9 & up, instructor, Celeste Mannerud

Do you like telling stories through LEGOs or action figures or photo artistry? In this class we will explore and create stories through stop motion animation and other creative investigations. You are limited only by your imagination -- okay, and maybe technology and budget and time…. But who needs those when we have visions to bring to life, right?

Model United Nations: Part 1, ages 9 - 15, instructor Cathleen Drake Nelson

What are the challenges and rights of people around the world? How can countries work together to find solutions to global problems? We’ll ask the same questions that delegates to the United Nations have been asking since it was founded, and, like those delegates, we’ll research, debate, negotiate, and prepare resolutions to mobilize international cooperation. In this first part of a three-session workshop cycle, students will begin their preparation for attendance at the NYC Montessori Model United Nations conference in March. We’ll learn about the United Nations, its history, and the challenges facing global peace. We’ll research our assigned countries and the issues our committees will address, and — with a deeper understanding of our country’s culture, political views, and belief systems — we’ll start formulating positions on those issues. Enrollment is limited to families who attended the information meeting and have permission from the instructor.

Model United Nations: Part 2, ages 9 - 15, instructor Cathleen Drake Nelson

It’s time to put our minds to the business of finding international solutions to global problems. In this second part of our three-session workshop cycle, students will continue to research their assigned topics, analyze the information they gather, think critically, brainstorm innovative solutions, and draft their position papers. Students will peer edit the drafts and make revisions to their own papers, in preparation for submitting them to their MMUN committee bureaus. Delegates will then write their opening speeches, which will form the substance of their negotiations at the conference. They will practice delivering them, learning techniques for effective public speaking and gaining comfort at it. Throughout the workshop, students will learn and practice committee language and procedures. Enrollment is limited to students who have participated in Part 1.

Model United Nations: Part 3, ages 9 - 15, instructor Cathleen Drake Nelson

Like our UN counterparts, we need to learn the language and procedures of UN committee sessions, so that we can best work toward consensus among member states. In this third part of a three-session workshop cycle, students will prepare for the MMUN committee experience by running committee simulations, practicing Rules of Procedure, and learning how to draft and revise resolutions on a variety of low-stakes questions. We’ll have fun debating topics and getting familiar with the code of conduct and decorum by which delegates must abide. After returning from the conference, we’ll spend our final class reflecting on our experiences, celebrating our successes, and looking forward to our next moves as members of our global community. Enrollment is limited to students who have participated in Parts 1 & 2.

Magazine Maker, ages 10 & up, taught by Cathleen Drake Nelson & Jaime Lamar

Welcome to the editorial staff of the still-to-be-named magazine soon-to-be-published by Main Street Homeschool Auxiliary. Your decisions will determine the magazine’s shape and scope, theme, title, layout, and submission guidelines. We have general ideas for it: that it be digital at first, that it be trustworthy and interesting, that it include a variety of genres (journalism? art? comic strips? recipes? poetry? gardening tips? science experiments?…), that the content be created by students, and that it be run, as much as possible, by you. We’ll learn what goes into the development of a magazine as we gain inspiration from magazines we enjoy. After we announce our first call for submissions, you’ll get to submit your own work and to stay on board as an editor. You’ll help to choose and edit the content included in our first issue, and to see that issue through to publication. We’re glad to have you on the team!

Adventuring Club, ages 10 & up, kid-led

Join us to design characters, imagine new worlds, seek adventure, and role play our way through a Dungeons & Dragons campaign! Students will lead the way as Dungeon Master/s and character & story developers. No D&D experience necessary — just a willingness for adventure and collaboration. We’ll work together to make this a fun club for everyone.

So You Want to Be an Actor, ages 10 & up, instructor Debi Morgan

This workshop is designed for students with little or no theatre experience, and promotes enjoyment of and appreciation for all aspects of theatre. The foundational lessons they learn about drama will help students to develop the actor's craft. Students will practice creating an ensemble, movement & space, focus & concentration, utilizing voice, listening & reacting, stage direction & blocking, monologues, scene work, improv work, and more. They will begin to fine-tune their skills by using creativity, imagination, voice, teamwork, listening, and trust. By using physical, emotional & creative exercises, students will learn to create characters under imaginary circumstances.

Spanish Immersion, ages 10-14, instructor Carmen Martinez

Building on the Sonrisas curriculum, this workshop uses a combination of grammar lessons, written exercises, partner practice, and a whole group storytelling component to help students learn vocabulary and language structures as they speak conversational Spanish. Students compose their own story in Spanish, with support from the instructor, over the course of the workshop. They add to the story every week, allowing for the repetition that leads to language mastery.  Student portfolios contain activities to complete at home. 

Conquering the Kitchen, ages 10-16, instructor Megan Samadi

Learn recipes, skills and secrets from a professional chef! Each week, students will learn new culinary techniques to develop independence in the kitchen, including sharp knife skills, bread making and fruit & vegetable carving. They will use fresh ingredients that, as our garden grows, they may even harvest themselves, and will culminate the course with a cooking challenge. Students will bring home recipes and activities that will allow them to develop their new skills in your home kitchen. Designed for young chefs who know basic kitchen safety and can use a stove with supervision.

Dream, Draw, Build: Character Development ages 10 and up, instructor Michael Barickman

This is a step-by-step workshop for making paper maché creatures. The course is designed to teach technique through progressively complex creations. Taking lessons from popular fiction, modern psychology and the art studio, we will create a character, build character, and become so proficient in the technique (and clean up) of paper maché that, after this course, participants might be permitted to do this at home, even at the kitchen table.

Cosplay MakerSpace, ages 10 & up, instructors Jaime Lamar, Cathleen Drake Nelson, Colleen Vann, Mike Barickman, student instructor Mattie Vann — and more

Join us in this MakerSpace to learn new crafting techniques and create your own cosplay. During this double time slot, we’ll draw from our combined know-how and stick-to-it-ness, and support each other as we problem solve the design and creation of the costumes we envision in our imaginations. Participants must provide their own materials and come with a basic design to the first day of class. Parents are required to be available to provide assistance during class. Crafting techniques that will be supported include: fabric craft (basic sewing and adhesives), painting, sheet material (such as cardboard and foam board), cutting & assembly, hot glue, paper mâché, and possibly more (non-power-tool-involved) techniques.

Ekphrasis Et Cetera, ages 10 & up, instructor Amber Grubb

How does public art change the experience of living in a city? What would it be like to create art outside a museum — for people to see as they go about their lives? And if you could “talk back” to the art around town, what would you say? In this intersection of art criticism and art creation, we’ll look at selected paintings from Tapestries Lakeland (the paintings now hanging on outdoor walls downtown) and use ekphrasis, the ancient practice of using words to comment on a piece of visual art, as a tool to write essays, poetry and song lyrics — to have conversations about art. Some of the literary works you create in this class will later be workshopped in a GRUBB Arts summer session and then be used as performing art in “Abstract – A Performing Arts Series.” Participation in the summer workshop and/or the performing art shows is not a requirement for this class.

Beginning Guitar, ages 10 & up, instructor Jesica Gasser of Lakeland School of Music

Beginning Guitar is designed to introduce basic guitar playing to beginners, with no previous music study needed. Emphasis is placed on learning guitar skills through playing traditional folk and classic pop songs. Essential guitar skills and basic note-reading are taught in a fun, supportive setting that allows students to develop at their own pace.

Developing Fractions Sense, ages 10 & up, instructor Colleen Vann

In this workshop, students will use concrete materials to develop a deep conceptual understanding of fractional concepts which will serve as the foundation for arithmetic methods.  We will use fraction blocks, other visual models, and curriculum from the “Developing Fractions Sense” program, a powerful, whole brain approach to teaching fractions. In Session I, we will compare fractions, recognize equivalent fractions, add fractions with the same denominator, decompose fractions into sums, convert improper fractions, and add and subtract mixed fractions. 

Developing Fractions Sense Part 2, ages 10 & up, instructor Colleen Vann

In this workshop, students will continue to use concrete materials to develop a deep conceptual understanding of fractional concepts which will serve as the foundation for arithmetic methods.  We will use fraction blocks, other visual models, and curriculum from the “Developing Fractions Sense” program, a powerful, whole brain approach to teaching fractions. In Session II, we will learn to compare fractions with different denominators, generate equivalent fractions, express fractions as a multiple of a unit fraction, multiply a fraction by a whole number, and solve word problems involving fractions. Designed for students aged ten and older who want to explore fractions and learn to manipulate them with confidence. Enrollment in Part 1 required.

Advancing Fractions Sense: Part 1, ages 10 & up, instructor Colleen Vann

In this workshop, students will use concrete materials to advance their understanding of fractional concepts which will serve as the foundation for arithmetic methods. We will use fraction blocks, other visual models, and curriculum from the “Developing Fractions Sense” program, a powerful, whole brain approach to teaching fractions. During the first session we will apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division to multiply and divide fractions. Completion of prior Developing Fractions Sense workshops is helpful but not required.

Traditional Dance, ages 10 & up, instructor Suzanne (Hayashi) Lovely

Do you want to learn how to dance traditional styles? This workshop provides students with a fun opportunity to learn the basics of salsa, square dancing, the tango and the waltz. Come dance with us!

Eurovision: Europe through Music, ages 10 & up, instructor Cooper Meares

Broaden your horizons in this teen-led workshop, as you learn about the Eurovision Song Contest, an international song competition and one of the world’s most-watched non-sporting events. Explore the diverse songs, languages, histories, and cultures of the countries that participate annually in this celebration of music from Europe and more! Along the way, you might even learn more about your taste in music.

Poetry of Sound & Silence, ages 11-14, instructor Cathleen Drake Nelson

What makes a poem? How do poets use words, lines, and the spaces between them? In this workshop, we’ll collect poems that resonate with us and share them. We’ll investigate the ways poems can hold meaning at the same time they open up possibility. We’ll mimic writing techniques (such as sound, rhythm, imagery, metaphor, and line breaks) we admire. We’ll listen to the world around us and within us. And we’ll write our own poems (both in class and at home) as a way to experiment with language, ask questions, and to express our own feelings and ideas. We’ll share our poems with each other, be very supportive of each other’s work, and gather even more ideas from our fellow students.

Novel Writing: Parts 1 & 2, ages 11-14, instructor Cathleen Drake Nelson

Do you enjoy reading novels, and wonder what it would be like to try your own hand/s at writing one? It’s an exciting, possibly daunting task, but we’ll be in it together, from coming up with great ideas to publishing our final drafts. We’ll think about the processes authors follow; learn how to break an ambitious task into smaller, achievable steps; explore what it means to be creative and persevere through self-doubt; and consider what kind of stories matter, and who decides which stories get told. (Answer: your stories, and you!) In this first six weeks, we’ll plan our novels and think about well-developed characters, settings, conflict, story maps, and more. In the second session, we’ll churn out weekly word counts, employ writerly techniques, and keep each other motivated as we complete our novels, edit them, and, finally, share them. Each student will receive a copy of a class anthology of our novel excerpts, and will have the option to self-publish their entire novel. Students will need access to a computer.

The Human Body, ages 11-14, instructor Dr. Francis Drake

Explore the complexity and elegance of the the human body. This workshop will combine instruction with hands-on group projects as students make their learning visual and experience the inner workings of several of the human body’s organ systems. Projects will include in-class dissection and watching filmed dissection. 

Art in Math & Math in Art, ages 11-14, instructor Kimberly Wyant

Investigate the beauty of mathematical concepts and learn about how artists throughout history have used math to create their work. We’ll make string-art parabolas, paint with Fibonacci spirals, build deltoidal hexecontrahedrons with playing cards, and imitate the work of some of the masters in this hands-on workshop for everyone interested in making sense of the world through art, or making the abstract visual.

Forensics, ages 11-14, instructor Dr. Francis Drake

Do you love a good mystery? Learn how real crime fighters use science to analyze crime scenes, solve cases, and answer tricky questions. Apply the scientific method, your natural curiosity, and your creative mind to problems in an active group setting. Taught by a retired pathologist and former medical examiner, this class will give you a window into the world of forensics as you learn techniques like finger printing, chromatography, blood and DNA analysis and more.

Hands-On Equations & Fractions, ages 11 & up, instructor Colleen Vann

The goal of this course is to strengthen your child’s understanding of fractional equivalence and the algebraic principles used in solving linear equations. What does that mean? We are going to do algebra with fractions! The purpose of this course is to provide your child with a concrete and intuitive approach to solving fractional linear equations such as y + ⅓ y + 15 = 2y + 5 and y + ⅓ y - 4 = 16 + ½ y while having fun. Since algebra deals with abstract symbols, many students have difficulty conceptualizing the meaning of algebraic linear equations and the means of their solution, particularly when fractions are involved. The visual and kinesthetic approach of Hands-On Equations® Fractions enables students to grasp algebraic concepts concretely, pictorially, and then abstractly. The goal is to have students conceptualize mathematics, rather than do mathematics by rote. Completion of prior MSHA fractions classes is helpful but not required.

Introduction to Needle Felting, ages 11 and up, instructor Jennifer Garcia

Have you ever wanted to learn how to needle felt? In this workshop, you’ll gain an understanding of felting needles, the basics of fiber, and how to apply fiber to a wire frame. This class will include both two dimensional and three dimensional felting techniques. The $10 supply fee, to be paid to the instructor at the first meeting, includes fiber and a set of needles.

Spanish Immersion, ages 11-14, instructor Carmen Martinez

A true immersion Spanish class, this innovative workshop also sets up students for success when they progress to more traditional language classes in high school and beyond. A combination of grammar lessons, written exercises, partner practice, and a whole group storytelling component help students learn vocabulary and language structures as they speak conversational Spanish. Students compose their own story in Spanish, with support from the instructor, over the course of the workshop. They add to the story every week, allowing for the repetition that leads to language mastery. The workshop price includes a Student Portfolio with exercises for students to complete during the workshop and at home.

Logo Logic, ages 11 & up, instructor Mike Barickman

How do logos communicate—in an image—information about an organization's values and purpose? How can we harness the power of imagery to convey a message? Logo Logic will exercise critical thinking, hand skills, and self reflection while exploring what goes into the development of brand identity through the study of and development of logos and letterforms.

Intro to Knitting, ages 11 & up, instructor Jennifer Garcia

Have you ever wanted to learn to knit but got confused and overwhelmed by patterns and supplies? Did all the projects seem like too much of a time commitment? I have the class for you! In this beginner knitting class, we will learn to knit making squares. These quick knits will expose you to the materials, language, patterns and charts used in knitting. At the end of class, you will have experience with a variety of stitches used in knitting and the confidence to try larger projects in the future. Additionally, we will go over a variety of ways to assemble the squares, made in class, to make functional and decorative items.

Paper Making & Journal Building, ages 11& up, instructor Kimberly Wyant

In this course we will learn the art of paper making with our junk mail, scrap paper, recycled tissue wrapping paper and plant matter. We will begin with an introduction to the history and art of paper making and finish with each student creating their own handmade journal. I am so excited to incorporate recycling and art to create something not only beautiful, but useful as well!

Anime Science, ages 12 & up, instructor Colleen Vann

Are you a fan of anime and manga? Do you ever wish you could transmute like Edward Elric or wield fire magic like Natsu Dragneel? Well, believe it or not, these powers are based on actual science! In this workshop, we will explore and experiment with several of the fundamental laws of chemistry and physics referenced and manipulated in shows such as Fairy Tail and FullMetal Alchemist Brotherhood. Join us as we search for the truth within the truth. No transmutation circle required.

Yoga, ages 13 & up, instructor Emily Rodriguez

This gentle yoga class incorporates various yoga principles into a relaxing and refreshing experience. A typical class starts with a little centering and a breathing practice (pranayama), followed by an easy to follow sequence of poses, and finishes with rest and meditation (savasana). Perfect for any level, from beginner to advanced, this class is designed to leave you feeling rejuvenated. Throughout the session, Emily will introduce students to the seven chakras in relation to yoga, and which poses can help them stay balanced. Students can bring their own mats or use one that the instructor provides.

Yoga: Mindful Movement, ages 13 - adult, instructor Emily Rodriguez

During this session, we’ll quiet our minds and develop a stronger connection to our bodies through yoga. Practicing yoga with this added awareness can help increase focus, develop physical coordination, and reset the nervous system. We’ll learn breathing techniques to promote focus and calmness, then flow through our yoga sequence, adding some poses to challenge ourselves. We’ll also discuss ways we can incorporate what we’ve learned into the rest of our day, taking our yoga practice off the mat.