The Community Homeschool Enrichment Center

Needles, Pins, Paper, and More!

stargazer — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:49:14 +0000

Travel back in time and discover some of the lost arts your grandparents
learned as children such as quilling, basting, darning, and scoring. This
beginner course is designed to teach students these skills along with basic
sewing and crafts. Students will gain new practical techniques helping them
to create wonderful projects while improving finger dexterity. Students will
complete at least 4 quality projects and also get a bag to carry all their
work. There will be no homework and all supplies will be provided by the
instructor. Needles, Pins, Paper and More proves to be a fun, constructive,
gratifying class for everyone and is useful and handy.

Teacher: Debbie Jo McGowan
Ages: 6-9
Time: 1:30-3:00
Cost: $176

Full payment $176

1st installment: $88

Real World Math

stargazer — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:48:57 +0000

Math is real-life! Students will discover the connection as they track the endangered Right Whale, track the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, calculate the path of a Typhoon, solve water transportation problems, and estimate the extent of the Deep Water Horizon oil spills, and work to begin a settlement to the moon, all using Google Earth. Students will develop skills of estimation, graphing, data interpretation, and collaboration. This class is recommended for students between ages of 9 – 13. No prior skill with Google Earth is necessary.

The Typhoon

Create an interactive graph of a historic event
Use spreadsheet data to chart and annotate coordinate positions with speed, date, and time.
Express time in 24 hour clock format
Use color and images to present information

Water Problems
Collect and record terrain data
Express changes in elevation as integers
Analyze data on a chart and make decisions based on that data
Work cooperatively with a partner
Gain an understanding of a real world problem

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Estimates
estimate area of irregular shapes
estimate area using a grid pattern
use an interactive widget to estimate oil leak rates
gain knowledge on the oil spill and offshore drilling.

Tessellations With Sketchup
construct tessellated patterns using SketchUp
demonstrate a slide, rotate around a midpoint, and rotate around a vertex translations
explore and apply combinations of transformations and color patterns using SketchUp’s tools

The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
Measure the distance tsunami waves travelled to 18 locations.
Figure elapsed times for wave travel.
Calculate the speed tsunami waves travelled

Whale Watch
Organize and examine data
Develop and evaluate inferences based on data
Make conjectures about possible relationships in the data
Propose conclusions and solutions based on data

Lunar Field Trip
Navigate and explore Google Moon content
Identify key elements of what human life on the Moon would be like

Teacher: Mark Lewis
Ages: 10+
Time: 12:00-1:30
Cost: $170

Full payment $170

1st installment: $85

Hip Hop and Masala Bhangra

stargazer — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:48:29 +0000

In this fun and active class, students will learn two different dance styes: Hip Hop and Bhangra. Hip hop dance is a very dynamic dance which we will learn through choreography, free dance movements, and games. Bhangra is a regional Indian folk dance from the state of Punjab, and is danced at parties, weddings, and harvest festivals to music with a driving drum beat. The Masala Bhangra Workout is an Indian-dance based workout program, designed for people of all ages who love to stay physically active through dance and want to learn about Indian culture. Specifically, it introduces high energy Bhangra and Bollywood dance movements in an easy-to-follow fitness format.

Not only is dancing a great way to get exercise, it is also great fun. Come dance with us!

Teacher: Tiffany Sanchez
Ages: 8-10
Time: 10:00-11:30
Cost: $156

Full payment $156

1st installment: $78

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

stargazer — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:10:31 +0000

Music history & appreciation often approaches the subjective with an objective view of cold hard facts. This class will help the student discover new music (and important pieces of music history) looking back through the eyes of their favorite artists. Rather than saying to a music enthusiast…we will study your favorite music and bands only after we look at Mozart, Bach, Schoenberg, the through-composed German lieds and piano music…we will look at the past through the fresh eyes of the present.

Over the course of the class we will discover new music by asking this question: “Right now, who is playing on your iPod?” We will get ten (hopefully different) answers. From there, each student will research who influences these ten artists. When that process is complete, we will listen, write, experience live music, and reach new heights of musical understanding and enjoyment.

Class materials:

The Geneaolgy of Pop/Rock poster & the family tree of rock poster: http://www.fakeplasticrock.com/2008/07/the-genealogy-of-rock/

We have access to Michael Bishop’s History of Rock & Roll syllabus at UVa, as well. Serious listening there.

Our Band Could Be Your Life, by Michael Azerrad

Teacher: Stuart Gunter
Ages: 12-18
Time: 12:00-1:30
Cost: $166

Full payment $166

1st installment: $83

Beginning Performance: Calling All Gnomes

stargazer — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:12:26 +0000

The New Clothesline Theater Junior Company

There is still time to be a part of the CHEC Spring production.of “Truckers”. This class is for the younger or less experienced actor who might not want to learn a bunch of lines, but still has a lot of drama to express. As a member of the Junior Company, younger actors will have a chance to play small roles such as Bobo the rat, the imperious Madame Delacatessan, or perhaps just a non-speaking chorus member in a crowd scene or two. There are several really fun crowd scenes that require gasping, fainting, yelling, and other fun stuff! A big part of the class will involve playing fun games that will help develop dramatic skills. We’ll discover how amazing and expressive we are as we use our whole body to move and speak as different characters, and react and respond to the epic events in the story.

Special note to parents: Because I have to offer the Beginning Performance class as a separate class, I will need to schedule one or two extra rehearsals at the end of the session so that I can combine the two performance classes and put the whole show together. The performance is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, June 2nd.

Teacher: Lou Ann Volpendesta
Ages: (9+)
Time: 12:00-1:30
Cost: $176

Full payment $176

1st installment: $88

Spring Fiber Crafts

stargazer — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:08:01 +0000

Students will create primarily water felted weekly projects that will bring in the season with beautiful color and spring themes. Projects will include butterflies, Easter eggs, and treasure pouches, and they can be adapted for older students.

Teacher: Amy Cooper
Ages: 6+
Time: 12:00-1:30
Cost: $180

Full payment $180

1st installment: $90

Light House Sweded Challenge

stargazer — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:03:36 +0000

Search for your favorite movie on YouTube followed by the word “sweded” and you’ll find hilarious parodies by filmmakers using the sparsest of resources. Inspired by the movie “Be Kind Rewind” with Jack Black, this underground movement is still a cult-favorite. “The Sweded Challenge” workshop will challenge you to “swede” your favorite film either as a live action or animated movie. This is a great exercise in dissecting a film, and learning about style, editing, and how to work with a limited budget. It’s not all just fun and games either: Light House’s 2010 Sweded film “Tron” was accepted into the Chicago Cineyouth Film Festival! Take the challenge!

Please note that this course meets at Light House Studio which is located at 121 E. Water Street (map).

Teacher: Jason Robinson
Ages: 10+
Time: 10:00-11:30
Cost: $170

Full Payment: $170

1st Installment: $85

Structural Engineering: Applied Physics and Mathematics

stargazer — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:02:12 +0000

Science is learned best by doing. Rather than a list of facts and formula, it is a logical, systematic, thought process used to answer questions about the natural world. Curiosity powers that process and mathematics is the tool used to supports that process.

Students utilize two hands-on projects to explore physical science and mathematics via structural engineering.

The Mars Lander Test Drop – This hands-on study will challenge students to create structurally sound capsules that will return their egg safely to Earth from varying altitudes without a parachute, just as NASA scientists needed to do with the Mars landers. During this hands-on based project, students will measure the effects of gravity and air resistance on various objects, calculate velocity, and discuss acceleration due to gravity.

Bridge Building and Testing – This hands-on study of structural engineering challenges each team of students to build a bridge, using only toothpicks and glue, that will hold 25 pounds or more. Students will study basic bridge types, and utilize the concepts of mass, force, and pressure.

As teacher and guide, I will reinforce students’ knowledge and confidence with of age-appropriate concerts in arithmetic, algebra, basic physical science and basic Newtonian physics.

Students will be challenged to develop and strengthen skills including team-building, group problem-solving, planning, constructive criticism, and critical thinking.

Teacher: Mark Lewis
Ages: 9+
Time: 10:00-11:30
Cost: $170

Full payment $170

1st installment: $85

Felt a Story

stargazer — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:00:38 +0000

Bring stories to life with felt! Students will learn the technique of needle felting to create vivid characters and props that they will use to perform a puppet play that they write. At the end of the semester students will perform their play for family and friends.

Teacher: Amy Cooper
Ages: 9+
Time: 10:00-11:30
Cost: $180

Full payment $180

1st installment: $90

Moving Through History: The Celts and King Arthur

stargazer — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:50:51 +0000

Come walk through the magic portal to an enchanting world of fairies, tree sprites, and wee folk of all kinds as we enact tales of wonder from the ancient Celts. Then, we’ll experience how these tales evolved and changed as we become the knights, ladies, and heroes in the epic stories of King Arthur and the knights of the round table. As in all Moving Through History sessions, we will continue our exploration of world folklore and mythology using art, adornment, and creative movement. I will briefly tell a myth, legend, or event from ancient history. Then, after creating our own simple costumes and props (masks, posterboard helmets and shields, puppets, bejeweled crowns and other fun stuff) the the children will act out the stories as I narrate. My goal is to use the artistic process to give students the experience of universal themes presented in these ancient stories. Although the emphasis is on deep play, I will begin to introduce skills that will help children communicate and present their creative ideas, like speaking and moving clearly, moving when it’s your turn, listening and responding to one another, how to stand still (freeze!),how to move in slow motion, and how to work as a group to create a picture.

Teacher: Lou Ann Volpendesta
Ages: 6-9
Time: 10:00-11:30
Cost: $166

Full Payment: $166

1st Installment: $83

I will take up to 10 students, ages 12-18, and over the course of the class, discover new music by asking this question: “Right now, who is playing on your iPod?” We will get ten (hopefully different) answers. From there, each student will research who influences these ten artists. When that process is complete, we will listen, write, experience live music, and reach new heights of musical understanding and enjoyment.

Class materials:

The Geneaolgy of Pop/Rock poster & the family tree of rock poster: http://www.fakeplasticrock.com/2008/07/the-genealogy-of-rock/

(We will also try to finish the Pop/Rock poster–it only goes up through 1978…)

We have access to Michael Bishop’s History of Rock & Roll syllabus at UVa, as well. Serious listening there.

Our Band Could Be Your Life, by Michael Azerrad

More books as things and thoughts develop.

I hope this is a good start.