GENERAL SCIENCE

A year long survey of general science divided into 3-8 week units

An interdisciplinary unit study of Natural and Applied Sciences that will both explore the major branches of science including Physical Sciences (physics, chemistry, geology, astronomy, etc) and Life Sciences (biology, botany, genetics, etc), as well as methods for gaining, practical applications of, and technological advances in scientific knowledge.

 

Through the process of investigating topical questions about how stuff works, where stuff comes from, or how we can interact with it, students will engage the scientific method while developing a fundamental knowledge for obtaining evidence to prove hypotheses as they are guided in daily hands-on entertaining and fun experiments.

Particular focus will be placed on current events (such as exploring the effects of the oil spill, and the environment), thermodynamics, crystals, solutions and emulsions, slime, goo and polymers, the elements, gyroscopes, inertia, electricity, fossils, plate movements, tectonic motion, geothermal activity, volcanism, gardening, dissection, microscope work including how to use coverstrips, making  slides, chemical stains, and etc.

DISCOVERING PROOF: Scientific Method and Lab Science in Everyday Use

The proof is in the science! 
Through the process of investigating everyday questions we all have about how stuff works, where stuff comes from, or how we can interact with it, students will be guided in hands-on entertaining and fun experiments while developing a fundamental knowledge for obtaining evidence to prove hypotheses.  In other words - scientific inquiry through implementation of the scientific method.

As well as developing skills for defining the steps of the scientific method - recognizing a problem,  forming a hypothesis,  designing an experiment,  testing the hypothesis and drawing conclusions - students will learn to apply scientific principles to a variety of situations, circumstances, or problems, and also explore how to use creative and deductive thinking to explain common experiences.

In addition to creating and analyzing our own hypotheses and experiments, we will also compare our research with the popular Discovery Channel show, Mythbusters, which will show the Scientific Method put to more extravagant, and often very funny, use.  

INTRODUCTION TO JAPANESE FOR AGES 12+
Basic Japanese pronunciation and grammar are easy to learn, compared to European languages, and we will focus on speaking together. Although we will emphasize practical conversation, we will study the written language as well.  Greetings, eating together, going around town, and getting to know other people are priority conversation subjects.  I love teaching Japanese and we will do a lot of social and group activities, but this is a highly structured class. Students will need to purchase a textbook (tbd), and be prepared to study 2-3 hours per week. I will help the students learn study methods for foreign language, but they will need to devote some time to practicing at home.  We will have short quizzes every class period and homework, grades or portfolio is the student's choice. If my summertime students continue in this class, I will adjust our pacing to incorporate them with the brand new students. Feel free to contact me with questions. karenekeys@gmail.com (be sure to include the 'E').
I have a bachelor's degree from University of California, Davis, in International Relations/Asian Studies, and I studied at International Christian University in Tokyo.  

19TH CENTURY ARTS FOR AGES 12+
Many of our ideas about art and the artist were developed in the 1800s and continue to affect our views today. This class will examine music, art, and literature to illustrate the most important ideas of the period. We'll touch on the tail end of the previous Classical period for comparison. We will listen to excerpts from the well-known repertoire (Haydn, Beethoven, Schumann etc.),  read poetry and a novel of the period (probably Frankenstein), and I hope to organize a trip to the Metropolitan. This class will emphasize how to perceive the important ideas of time as they appear in various art forms, rather than memorizing names and dates. I will do some lecture but this class is heavily conversational and interactive. Other than reading, I don't plan to assign homework. If the students can enjoy themselves, enjoy some of these arts, and remember a few key ideas, then my goals for the class will be fulfilled.

I am a classically trained pianist and teacher. In addition to teaching private lessons, I have taught music appreciation to Homeschooling classes and to adults. Due to my background, music will be a large part of the class, but I love integrating multiple senses and ways of being in order to engage students and help them fully absorb key ideas. Feel free to contact me with questions or comments. karenekeys@gmail.com (don't forget the 'E').

 

 

REPORT, INVESTIGATE, OR INVENT: Science Fair Project Class

Get Ready to Display in May! Whether you need help with display/presentation, getting a project started, or with keeping your project on track, this class will provide a fun way to practice science while enjoying the science project experience!  

Students can bring their project ideas, or get help choosing a topic
 - from aeronautics to zoology - and be supported as they brainstorm questions to test, develop hypotheses, experiment, gather data, and report results.  Students will ponder, tinker, measure, observe, make mistakes, try new things, and get the most out of the science process.  

All steps will be peer reviewed in class to assure that the Scientific Method can prove or solve students' conclusions.  Each student who wants to will have an opportunity to display for the class, and awards will be presented by the teacher.  Of course, another great opportunity to display will be at the NYCHEA Science Fair in May!

TWO PART LANGUAGE ARTS:
Literature Survey & Writing Technique

An integrated exploration of literature and writing in which students will be exposed to major forms of several different genres and styles.  In the first half of each 90 minute class, we will dissect a piece of classical or contemporary literature (short story, play, novel, essay, poetry, journal, biography, folklore, mythology, report, paper, etc) and analyze the language and literary concepts inherent in particular genres, and individual styles, as well as examine commonalities found throughout various styles, techniques and themes. Works by Shakespeare, Moliere, Orwell, Sandburg, Twain, Salinger, Seuss, Silverstein, Dahl, Riordan, Rowling, (Tolkien for older kids), L’Eangle and the like will be prominently featured. 

 

Throughout the course there will also be opportunities to “perform” excerpts, and/or launch productions in class, which is the best way to retain, embody, comprehend and bring literature to life. 

 

In the second half of this class students will use critical reading skills honed/employed in the first half to decipher specific writing techniques used by famous authors for modeling as they produce their own original works.  Students will be guided through the writing process from idea to the page, as needed, to effectively adhere to the rules of a specific genre being discussed, while simultaneously finding their own voices and harnessing their own styles.

 

The class will cover and/or review fundamentals of grammar (sentence structure, point of view, parts of speech, vocabulary, word etymology, etc.), and tools and techniques for poetry and creative writing (such as how to generate ideas, character & plot development, imagery, metaphor, simile, symbolism, foreshadowing, arks and adding dimension, etc), including strategies for writing reports, essays and papers (note taking, organizing ideas, prioritizing position points, making outlines, and etc.) 

 

This course will be a great motivator for students who hate writing, as well as benefit those who love writing and want to get better, and everyone in between.


UNDERSTANDING GENRES AND COMEDY IN FILM:
Teen Film Class  

This year the film class will review some key points of Film Noir and to discuss the progression of comedy from the beginning of film till the present.  Participants will be asked to consider what makes each film a comedy, what was seen as comedic in the time period and discuss if and how the notion of humor has changed over the decades.  After viewing each film, we will discuss it together each week.  Participants will be encouraged to write what they think about each film on their own time, but will not be required to write for the class and sharing their work is optional although welcomed.  All films will be either rated G, PG, PG-13 or an unrated film before the rating system. A full list of films  and topics to discuss can be provided if necessary.

MUSIC & PERFORMING

School of ROC(K) and Science

An exploration of music through history, appreciation, and theory. Students will be exposed to several different genres and styles of music (from Classical to Medieval to Pop, from Asia to the Americas) and study various musical aspects/ elements such as composition, historical and cultural meanings, acoustics (science of sound), composers and artists, mechanics of instruments including voice, then use all this knowledge in the “Making a band” and “Making a Music Video" part of the unit.

 

The goal is to produce 2 or 3 quality Making the Band/Making the Music Video pieces over the course of the school year in which there will be roles for every participant including lights, sound, costumes, set, camera, cinematography, editor, director, artists, musicians, dancers, storyboard, script as well as musicians, singers and dancers.

SCIENCE OF BEING HUMAN:
Improv fun & games  

Using practical and professional acting techniques, Teacher Tom will guide students in an exploration of communication and self-expression.  These classes will be focused on heightening each student's awareness as well as how to tap into the pretending/imaginative side they all have.  Human beings have made far greater use of tools than any other species, and by learning how to make greater use one's own humanity - through seeing beyond themselves and their own perspective - students learn how to be better humans.

Acting class designed for performance in everyday life,
rather than just for performance on a stage...

"This class is not designed to teach children to be actors" (Although caution: this may happen :). "In my opinion, there are already too many actors in the world (myself included), but not enough open-minded people. This class will challenge self-centered youthfulness and perhaps be the key to stopping your children from fighting you or even their siblings.  No guarantees… except for the fun we will have!"      
-- Teacher Tom

Each class will start with physical and vocal warm-ups (very basic and funny).  Some classes will focus on acting techniques, some will feature explorations of nature, biology and psychology, and then we each will perform various daily activities such as Story Day, Mask Day, Silence Day, Super Hero Day and/or Pretend We Are Our Parents Day.  All classes will contain silliness, fun and laughter.

 

MOVIE MASTER STUDIO:
Kids coming together to make movies
The Studio and Acting Center will be led by Leo Lion, a child film-maker, who is eager to share his Movie-Mastering knowledge with the new generation of young Movie-Makers.

The MovieMaster Movie Studio and Acting Center will be working on the group project, in which all of the Movie Studio participants will come together and create a large professional movie production. All participants will choose what they want to work on most in this production, and everyone will have their own part in the creation of the
movie. 

LEGO KIT CLASS:
Motorized Simple Machines and/or Beginner Mindstorms NXT FOR AGES 4-10

It is never too early to teach children the basic principles of the way things work.  This course will introduce concepts of physics through the exploration of simple machines: levers, pulleys, wheels, and axles, as well as simple and complex gearing, and then add the concept of motorization.  Physics lessons will be followed by building each mechanism with a 9-volt motor which enables students to bring their projects to life. Through the building of realistic motorized models, students develop a strong understanding of mechanical principles.
 
Students will be applying simple-machine concepts by building models of real-world devices such as a folding lawn chair, drawbridge, conveyor belt, turnstile, crane, race car, and more. 
 
More advanced Simple Machine students can be introduced to the Lego Mindstorms NXT system, and guided through building and programming tasks and challenges.

LEGO KIT CLASS:
BUILDING-BOTS AND/OR ADVANCED MINDSTORMS NXT
  
With a wide selection of robots, everyone, even those who have taken this class before will be able to explore new aspects of, and enjoy new experiences with robot building. 
 
Building with these kits is the perfect way to introduce young children to screwdriver usage,
visualizing directions, problem solving, and basic mechanics.  For older kids, building with these kits offers the age/ability appropriate challenges with complicated constructing and various modes of robotic locomotion, and sensing. 
 
Mindstorms students will be provided with various challenges of building and programming to complete missions. 
 
Each class will include Weekly Robot Talk, Robot Building, and Games and Playtime with robots.  Building Bot Students will take each of the robots they build home with them.


MATH CLASSES WITH SARA:

I love to help kids get excited about math and use it as another
language to describe their world. In these classes, we'll develop and
build on important, age-appropriate math concepts (number sense,
geometry, pre-algebra and statistics) through games, manipulatives, and other hands-on investigations. I'll also share some math history and culture.

Younger students will practice those crucial addition and subtraction facts by literally skipping on the number line, discover shapes and patterns in 2D and 3D, play with time and money, and more. We'll use pattern and attribute blocks, base-ten sets, Cuisenaire rods, and a lot of other fun stuff.

Older kids will talk about Really Big Numbers, build multiplication
skills with egg cartons, use geometric tools like compasses and protractors to examine angles and circles, pour and measure to find volume and area, and mull over probability while munching M & Ms.

Activities will be adjusted for a range of math familiarity, and we'll include time for individual, partner, and group learning experiences. Enjoy the rest of the summer - I'll be counting the days until math classes begin!


APPLIED MATHEMATICS:
Fun and Games with Math
Basic arithmetic concepts (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) are practiced and put to use in enjoyable applications, or in other words, using math for fun and games!

In this interdisciplinary class students will be able to explore questions such as: What are the odds that it will rain tomorrow or that a truck will be the next vehicle to pass?  Can geometry really help me shoot pool? What are my actual chances of winning the lottery? Connect 4?  Checkers?  Poker?  What is the math behind voting and becoming President? 
Is there a way to mathematically beat the banker in Deal
or No Deal?........

MATH WITH STEVEN TENNEY
A multilevel math class in which Teacher Steven brings a wide range of material to each class, in which students can work on material designed specifically for them at a pace that is comfortable for them.  The course combines elements of arithmetic and geometry for the younger students, andvwill introduce elements of algebra (together with arithmetic and geometry) for suitably advanced students.Visual and/or physical methods will be used  to introduce concepts and calculations, and  worksheets -- these are often of a pictorial nature -- will be completed during class.In addition to the indivualized instruction received in each class, it is of great importance to Steven that  the class be fun for the each and every student.

 

PROJECT FUNWAY: 
Jewelry Making and Sewing classes 
A series of classes in which students will study and enjoy hands-on experience of fashion, clothing, and accessory construction and design.  Many aspects of making clothing and accessories will be explored including measuring and fit, pattern, fabrics, tailoring, and conception of garment, combinations of line, proportion, color and texture.  Fieldtrips to fabric stores and/or the Garment Districts, plus the production of a fancy but fun fashion show are also goals.

Your own working sewing machine and experience with the sewing machine is required.  There is secure storage for each student to leave their machine for the duration of the session if they do not want to transport it back and forth to class each week. (There are also some machines already on-site that can be shared, but it is recommended each individual have their own).