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.
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
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!
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
Get ready to dig in the dirt, explore our local parks, and venture out under the night sky. CHEC is happy to present Monday Science Outside, a new day of classes devoted to science, nature, and outdoor learning. These are all field trip classes and most sessions will meet off-site. Please note that parents are responsible for transport to and from off-site locations. Click on a course to see the full description.
In this course, students will learn the basic principles underlying the production of crops and livestock. We will primarily focus on small-scale, organic practices, but we will also discuss industrial agriculture and the modern food system. All classroom lessons will be bolstered by real-world learning experiences. Students will learn about soil ecosystems, soil health, plant propagation, composting, weed and pest management, caring for chickens and dairy cows, and food processing by getting their hands dirty and experiencing each of these aspects of farming firsthand. This is a field trip course and when weather permits we will visit a local farm approximately 6 miles from downtown Charlottesville. On rainy classes classes will be held at Sojourner’s UCC. Please note that parents are responsible for transportation to and from field trip locations.
Learn to toss aside the fear of drawing people and enjoy drawing with confidence! Students will be taught some tricks and techniques, learn basic proportions and fine-tune their ability to observe. We will be using different weights of graphite as well as black and white colored pencils and/or conte crayons. Sometimes we will use different techniques that are down right hilarious!
Teacher: Davette Leonard Ages: 9-13 Time: 1:30-3:00
Cost: $180
The Spring 2012 CHEC Friday enrichment program is nine weeks and runs from March 23 to May 25th. Please note that there are no classes on April 6th, and June 1st is reserved as a make-up day. All classes meet at Sojourner’s UCC unless otherwise noted. Select a course to view the full course description, and please contact us if you have any questions.
An artist from a young age, I knew that art school was my only option after high school. After graduating from VCU’s Art School, I worked as a graphic designer with clients such as American Rivers, World Wildlife Fund and the Land Trust Alliance. After 12 years of graphic design work, I stopped “work” to raise my two sons. I gradually got back to creating my own art and in 2000 started teaching art enrichment to children in several elementary schools and later at the McGuffey Art Center. I currently teach art part-time at the Village School in Charlottesville. In addition, I co-founded Pathfinders Art Camp with Ninni Baeckstrom in 2004 that is thriving and includes outdoor work/play with nature based work.
Winter is almost here and people everywhere getting ready to celebrate the holiday season. CHEC is welcoming winter with our 1st Annual Winter Festival! On December 17th, from 12-4pm, we are offering an afternoon filled with fun gift-making workshops and crafts for all ages. All proceeds go to benefit our scholarship fund.
The Winter Festival is open to everyone! You do not have to be a student at CHEC to participate in any of the workshops or other activities. You may register and pay for workshops in advance online, or you may sign up in person during the festival. However, space is limited in the workshops and preregistration and prepayment is recommended. Add workshops to your shopping cart and check out via paypal and then click here to submit a registration form online. Please contact us if you have any questions. Cheers!
Winter Workshops
Making Chocolate Truffles
In this workshop you will learn to make hand-rolled chocolate truffles infused with rose and lavender extracts. What a wonderful skill to have! Each student will take home a variety of delicious truffles in festive gift bags. Teachers: Gypsy McMillian, Elizabeth Culbertson, Sakaya Rain Ages: All ages, but children under 9 must have and adult helper with them Time: 12:00-1:30 and 1:30-3:00 Cost: $15
Making Chocolate Truffles $15
Silk Painting
Come learn the art of silk painting. Participants will hand paint silk scarves them with color fast dyes. These gorgeous creations are one-of-a-kind!
Teacher: Suzanna Stone Ages: 9 to adult Time: 3:00-4:00 Cost: $15
Silk Painting $15
Origami Ornaments
Make beautiful origami ornaments for your tree! In this workshops students will learn the Japanese art of paper folding and will make two different ornaments.
Teacher: Sally Kuntz Ages: All ages, but children under 9 must have and adult helper with them Times: 12:00-12:30, 12:30-1:00, 1:00-1:30, 1:30-2:00, 2:30-3:00, 3:00-3:30, 3:30-4:00 Cost: $5
Origami Ornaments $5
Hand Dipped Candle Making
Come learn how to make candles! Participants will hand dip a pair of beautiful 8″ tapered candles. They make lovely holiday gifts.
Teacher: Karen Oxford Ages: All ages, but children under 9 must have and adult helper with them Time: This is an on-going workshop. You can pop in anytime between 12:00-3:30 to make your candles. Cost: $10
Hand Dipped Candle Making $10
Making Natural Wreaths
Using natural materials wild harvested locally and sustainably, participants will make gorgeous holiday wreaths for your table or door.
Teacher: Rain Ages: All ages, but children under 9 must have and adult helper with them Time: 12:00-1:00 and 1:00-2:00 Cost: $10
Making Natural Wreaths $10
Crotchet a Christmas Tree Pin
Learn to crotchet and make these adorable Christmas tree lapel pins. You’ll gain not only a cute accessory for the holidays, but also a fun useful skill to last a lifetime!
Teacher: Trina Bashore Ages: 9 to adult Time: 2:15-3:00 and 3:00-3:45 Cost: $5
Crotchet a Christmas Tree Pin $5
In addition to the gift making workshops we will also have:
* Craft stations for all ages! You can get pictures taken, make cards, ornaments, decorate pine cones, wrap presents, and more for $1-$5!
Students will learn how to create music, separately and collaboratively, and share original and previously written songs in a fun, creative environment. We may also record songs and learn about how to engineer a recording and make a CD. Previous musical experience on at least one instrument strongly encouraged.
Matty Metcalfe is an accomplished and versatile musician who specializes in all keyboard instruments–piano, organ, accordion–and whose styles range from New Orleans funk/soul to gospel, jazz, rock, and blues. By his teens, Mr. Metcalfe had already garnered awards as a classical and jazz pianist–winning the prestigious Washington D.C. Classical Guild Award and numerous jazz scholarships. He also began studying New Orleans stride piano, Zydeco accordion, and church organ. He quickly turned his focus to learning the styles of James Booker, Professor Longhair, Ray Charles, Clifton Chenier, Jimmy McGriff, and Jimmy Smith.
In addition to sharing the stage with Buckwheat Zydeco, the Red Stick Ramblers, and Bruce Hornsby’s trumpet player John D’earth, Mr. Metcalfe released the album ‘Stridin’ Down Bourbon: A Tribute to James Booker’ in 2005, which was honored as the top solo album of the year by the C-Ville Weekly (Charlottesville, Va). Mr. Metcalfe plays pipe organ at Broadus Baptist Church, teaches music, and has recently performed at the Charlottesville Pavilion and Paramount Theater. He performs nationally on the ‘Cordovox’–a hybrid organ/accordion with Leslie speaker and wah-wah pedal–with his band ‘Matty Metcalfe and Crewe d’Bayou’. Mr. Metcalfe also sings and plays guitar, bass, banjo, and mandolin.
Nature in winter. Let’s explore what happens to plants and animals and our natural environment during this season. We will learn about our local woods and streams as temperatures drop and food sources diminish. How do plants and animals adapt to these conditions? Winter animal tracking, observing wildlife, tree & plant identification, weather and the formation of snow, sleet and ice will be some of the activities and topics covered in this course.
This is a field trip course and classes will be based out of the classroom at the Ivy Creek Natural Area, but most days we will be outside for a portion of the class walking around and exploring the area.
Students will progress from meeting an Angora Goat, to goat care, shearing, fleece preparation, to processing the mohair through the phases of carding, spinning, dying yarn, making knitting needles and learning to knit a scarf from the mohair grown by the very the goat you meet! Youngest students may use finger knitting instead of needles to make their project.
Note to students: Please wear warm clothes for the first class. The book, “Kids Knitting”, by Melanie Falick, is optional to bring a long for each class.
Instructor: Amy Cooper Time: 10:00-11:30 Ages: 6-8 Cost: $170
In this course students will learn how to use acrylic paints to create a life-like and life size portrait of a person, animal, etc. of their choice. We will explore methods that are quickly learned and that produce amazing results. Students will work from a photo, using a grid for putting the facial features in the right places,… then they will do what is called underpainting and glazing with acrylic paints and mediums. Once students learn this fantastic technique they will be able to do paintings of anything and any size…. including murals on the sides of buildings!
List of Materials that each student should bring to class: A photograph of someone you want to do a painting of and painting clothes.
Instructor:Davette Leonard Time: 1:30-3:00 Ages: 9-13 Cost: $170
Ezekiel is a native of Hiltons, Virginia, a small town nestled in the Clinch Mountains near the Tennessee and North Carolina borders. He graduated with highest distinction from the University of Virginia in 2007, earning degrees in civil/environmental engineering and mathematics. He went on to complete an M.S. degree in environmental engineering at Yale University in 2009. Ezekiel has worked in a variety of locations on a hodgepodge of topics: he implemented a ceramic water filter production system in Cameroon, extensively researched a cactus that can be used to treat water, helped to start a non-profit in Guatemala dedicated to sustainable agriculture, studied resource use and consumption in Hawaii, edited academic research articles for non-native English speakers, and wrote a number of successful grants on topics ranging from socioeconomic metabolism to community food system diversification. Ezekiel is a trained vinyasa yoga teacher and a hopeful banjo player. He is also an aspiring farmer, and next spring, he will use his knowledge and experience from working on small vegetable farms and dairies in Hawaii and Washington to establish his own farm. He hopes to weave his two passions, farming and teaching, together in this future living laboratory.
Using the first of Euclid’s 13 books, we will examine and learn the propositions of beginning plain geometry. This class will be all participation. I will provide the diagrams, definitions and steps. The participants will then use the board to demonstrate to the class the proposition under discussion and show how it is argued and why it is true. The emphasis will be on the inductive reasoning of Geometry, and how each step makes possible the next. We will do several propositions each session, with the participants having all of the material in front of them. There will be no individual work and little lecture. My function will be to help them connect the dots in the reasoning so that they understand what they are proving and how it follows from what they know. A primary goal of the class is to teach inductive reasoning. The progress goal will be to reach the proposition that proves the Pythagorean Theorem.
Instructor: Jennifer Borishansky Time: 1:30-3:00 Ages: 10+ Cost: $150
Dive into developing a new business idea and creating a business plan. We’ll learn about markets, supply and demand, and the costs associated with running a business. Students will have a hands on experience with creating and presenting a business. Students should bring a laptop to class, or at least have access to a computer at home.
Get your Worldwide Wings on! We are going on a trip around the world. We’ll stop by each continent and as a class pick a country to study each week. We’ll look at language, food, music, history and current events. Where we will go, we do not quite know. But get ready to fly around the world!
Ebony is new to the Charlottesville area. She has taught for five years, two teaching English in Japan, and three at a private school in Michigan. She enjoys learning about different cultures and places around the world. She paints and writes on her free time. Her favorite quote is, “La vie est dure, mais elle est aussi belle.”
Ever wonder why the sky is blue? Or why ice is slippery? How does water ‘know’ to go downhill? What is fire made of? Why is bubblegum chewy? Where does a light bulb get its energy?
In this class, we’ll explore these questions and others like them by learning to see the world with scientific eyes and by cultivating mindfulness and an awareness of our surroundings. We’ll learn basic physics and chemistry concepts by conducting experiments, telling stories, playing games, building models, and interacting with our physical environment. Students will hone their observational and analytical skills by discovering how to play like a scientist.
Materials that each student should bring to class:
Folder or 3-ring binder
Colored markers and/or crayons
Amy Cooper grew up as a child of nature in the hills of Pennsylvainia. After achieving a B.S. in Wildlife Science with a minor in Forest Science from Penn State in 1989, she went on to pursue her love of nature by working in the field of wildlife biology. She used this love of nature as inspiration in raising her 5 children, homeschooling them with a Waldorf inspired community here in Charlottesville. Amy turned this love of nature to raising Angora Goats in 2003, and began reconnecting with her love of fiber arts. In 2006 Amy created “The Woolly Bullfrog”, a home based business in loving memory of her son, Jeremiah. She began teaching fiber arts to children to share Jeremiah’s love of goats and farming. Amy spends most of her time volunteering with Orange County 4h Goat Club and also helps organize and teach the children’s workshops at the Montpelier Fall Fiber Festival. You will often find Amy at home caring for her children and her goats, or selling her creations at the Charlottesville Holiday Markets.
Students will progress from meeting an Angora Goat, to goat care, shearing, fleece preparation, to processing the mohair through the phases of carding, spinning, dying yarn, making knitting needles and learning to knit a scarf from the mohair grown by the very the goat you meet! Youngest students may use finger knitting instead of needles to make their project.
Note to students: Please wear warm clothes for the first class. The book, “Kids Knitting”, by Melanie Falick, is optional to bring a long for each class.
Instructor:Amy Cooper Time: 12:00-1:30 Ages: 9+ Cost: $170
You can’t be a great filmmaker without seeing the great films. In this class young film enthusiasts will have an opportunity to view modern and classic films in a fun yet academic environment. Each week, students will explore a different genre from the history of cinema (Sci-Fi, Film Noir, Western) by viewing clips from several significant movies and discussing the production techniques as well as the cultural impact of the work. These critical discussions are an excellent way for students to increase their analytical abilities as well as their media literacy. It’s also an incredibly fun environment for young people to meet peers with similar interests and to see some films they have heard about but never taken the time to watch.
Wendy Porter has been teaching various forms of writing for the past 18 years. She taught composition at Longwood College when she first moved to Charlottesville in 1996; from there she moved to Tandem Friends School, where she taught upper school English for nearly ten years, along with gigs at the Charlottesville Writing Center, the Renaissance School, and the Johns Hopkins CTYOnline program. She received her undergraduate degree in World Religions at Smith College, and a Master’s in English and Creative Writing from Purdue University. Over the years she has published some short fiction, and continues to write when she can, while raising her brilliant and spirited children, aged 5 and 7.
Discover the endless creative possibilities of stop motion animation and learn the secrets behind classic films like The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Wallace and Gromit! The Intro to Stop Motion Animation Workshop allows budding filmmakers to unlock their inner creative potential through claymation, illustration and other exciting animation techniques. This class is recommended for students between the ages of 9-12 with an interest in animation. No prior experience is required.
Please note that this class will meet at Light House Studio, located at 121 E.Water Street in Charlottesville.
In this course we will look at the different types of writing that make up a news publication – informative stories on interesting topics; interviews; sports columns; movie/book reviews; editorials; and so on – and students will practice writing in each one. We’ll talk about how to structure a piece of writing, how to make prose crackle, how to grab a reader from the get-go. We’ll do plenty of revising. And we’ll discuss the changing role of print media in society. Toward the end of the course, we’ll put together and publish our own newspaper for the CHEC community.
Students will have fun learning to play the soprano ukulele. They will learn the history of the ukulele and its family and explore the islands of Hawaii while keeping their feet on the mainland. They will also learn about different genres of mainland music featuring ukulele. Students will have a chance to see, hear and play other members of the uke family. They will learn how to tune their instrument and take care of it. Students will play and sing in each class while learning one chord and two chord songs using simple strum patterns. The experience will culminate in a performance for parents in the last class.
List of Materials that each student should bring to class:
Clean hands, short fingernails on left hand, instrument and music (will be handed out in the first class). Optional materials included: a flash drive (thumb drive) to transfer my practice videos for home practice, a good quality set of strings (the strings on the student ukes are poor quality and take a long time to stretch. I made this optional to keep the material fee low but I strongly suggest investing in good strings. The strings on the new instruments will eventually stretch out and settle and are usable but require frequent tuning). The other optional (but strongly suggested) investment is a tuner for home use.
Note to potential students: I teach a right hand method to right and left handed students which has always worked well. Parent should contact me if they have questions or strongly disagree with the method.
Instructor:Ramona Davidson Time: 12:00-1:30 Ages: 6-8 Cost: $190 (includes a student model soprano ukulele, gig bag, and music.)
Ramona’s love for music started early in Mississippi. Before taking formal piano lessons, she taught herself to play music on a pawnshop guitar and a chord organ at the age of 7. She pursued a music degree while working in church music and teaching piano. In 1984, she obtained a Bachelors of Music in Education from William Carey College (University) with a concentration in piano and continued a career in church music as well as a teaching career in public school music for 16 years. Before leaving public school music, she stepped out of the box and performed in a folk/blues duo which lead to studio recording and free meals. She moved to Virginia in 2003 with the intention of homeschooling her son. In 2005, she began teaching music out of her basement to her five year old son and other homeschoolers. By 2007, she had added ukuleles to her general music, recorder and performance classes. Ramona encourages each child to find their love for music. She believes that some have natural musical abilities but anyone can learn.
Students will have fun learning to play the soprano ukulele! They will learn the history of the ukulele and its family and explore the islands of Hawaii while keeping their feet on the mainland. They will also learn about different genres of mainland music featuring ukulele. Students will have a chance to see, hear and play other members of the uke family. They will learn how to tune their instrument and take care of it. Students will play and sing in each class while learning one chord and two chord songs using simple strum patterns. The experience will culminate in a performance for parents in the last class. This class is for young beginners who have taken the previous course and older students with no experience.
List of Materials that each student should bring to class:
Clean hands, short fingernails on left hand, instrument and music (will be handed out in the first class). Optional materials included: a flash drive (thumb drive) to transfer my practice videos for home practice, a good quality set of strings (the strings on the student ukes are poor quality and take a long time to stretch. I made this optional to keep the material fee low but I strongly suggest investing in good strings. The strings on the new instruments will eventually stretch out and settle and are usable but require frequent tuning). The other optional (but strongly suggested) investment is a tuner for home use.
Note to potential students: I teach a right hand method to right and left handed students which has always worked well. Parent should contact me if they have questions or strongly disagree with the method.
Instructor:Ramona Davidson Time: 1:30-3:00 Ages: 6-8 Cost: $200 (includes a student model soprano ukulele, gig bag, and music.) or $160 for returning students who already have a ukulele.
Full Payment (with ukulele): $200
1st Installment: $100
OR
Full Payment (without ukulele): $160
1st Installment: $80
Let your creativity be inspired by the beauty and wonder of nature! We’ll create works of art in a wide variety of media as we learn about artists Vincent Van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe and others. We’ll create O’Keeffe inspired oil pastel pictures and prints, nature drawings in ink, expressive landscape paintings, Native American poetry collages, and clay and wood sculptures.
Come ready to experiment with a wide variety of artistic media as you create your own works of art about animals. We’ll try our hand at drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, clay sculptures and sculptures made of wood!
What better time to explore Norse Mythology than the dead of Winter? Travel down the Rainbow Bridge, encounter Thor, Loki, the Frost Giants and other marvelous creatures from legends of the far north. 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.
