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Programs
Pre-Teen and Teen Choice
9-12+ year olds - Wednesday, 9:15am - 2:15pm
13 -15 year olds - Wednesday, 9:15am - 2:15pm
Pre-Teen and Teen Choice offer young people the chance to explore up to six different content areas of their choice each year, in two-hour blocks over the course of 11 weeks. For example, a youth might spend the first 11 weeks of the year engaged in woodworking or government for two hours each Wednesday morning, have lunch and some social time, then move on to creative writing or active physics for two hours in the afternoon. After the first eleven-week period, a second set of options will be available from which a youth can choose new morning and afternoon explorations, and after that, yet a third 11-week segment will be offered. (Some courses are offered all three sessions, while others are offered only once.)
For each of the three 11-week segments, there are approximately four morning and four afternoon choices from which to choose. Some of the choices have a more academic approach; others are more hands-on. Always there is some flexibility in response to the assembled youth. Our goal is to provide new input, appropriate amounts of
invited instruction, and space for self-motivation to emerge.
Fall/Winter 2008 Pre-Teen and Teen Choices
Pre-Teen Choices |
Teen Choices |
Morning |
Morning |
Afternoon |
Afternoon |
$2,625/year
Registration | Tuition
Back to programs for ages: 4-5 | 6-7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17+
Pre-Teen Choice Program Descriptions
Session I: September 17 - November 26
9 - 12+ year olds
Morning: Woodshop
Facilitator: Chris McNichol
Chris will work in the woodshop with young people to help develop new skills and hone existing ones. Whether youth have the desire to build their own creations, or have an interest in participating in a group project, Chris will be able to offer input and guidance. Past creations have included model trains, desks, tables, catapults, an air hockey table, and much more.
Morning: Inventions and Inventors
Facilitator: Cindy Pizziketti
Find out about the lives of some people who made fascinating inventions. What led Benjamin Franklin to create a simple odometer? How do the phones of today (iPhones, blackberries) resemble the original creation of Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone? How has the work of Alexander Calder (an American sculptor and artist who was made famous for inventing the mobile) continued to influence the creations of other famous artists. This course will explore these well-known inventors, and more. Youth will also have time to work on developing their own original ideas, starting with brainstorming sessions, and ending with the final creation of their idea/product. Put on your thinking cap, and join us for Inventions and Inventors.
Morning: Photography
Facilitator: To Be Determined
This course will afford young people the opportunity to try out their skills as budding photographers. Photography has many, many uses. Imagine a world without photographs. Youth will learn how scientists, artists, security forces, and others use photos to study movement, capture images, store data, preserve memories, and tell stories. Young folks will have the chance to experiment with both black-and-white and color photo taking. They’ll try their hands at digital photography and editing.
Techniques used by professionals in the various forms of photography will be demonstrated. No prior experience is necessary.
Morning: Greek Mythology
Facilitator: To Be Determined
Youth will be immersed in the exciting and fascinating world of Greek Mythology. They will hear about the adventures of Hercules and find out what happened to King Midas when he wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. Tales of the mighty Zeus will unfold and young people will discover how these ancient stories have inspired literature and art throughout the ages and be inspired themselves.
Young people will participate in a multitude of hands-on activities during this engaging, informative session.
Afternoon: Cool Science
Facilitator: Mike Hilbert
Cool Science will offer young people a fun, hands-on introduction to the world of science. Examples of activities include: experimenting with frozen carbon dioxide, or “dry ice,” illustrating the process of sublimation (the transition from the solid to gas phase with no intermediate liquid stage); using glowsticks to explore chemical reactions and the effect that temperature has on these reactions; exploring polymers and their use in every day life by comparing the absorbent polymers in baby diapers with those in fake snow products; examining the properties of glue; and constructing water pressure rockets to explore the concepts of volume and pressure.
In addition to these exciting activities, youth will be exposed to the procedural side of science, gaining experience in the process of creating and testing hypotheses, and learning how to write formal lab reports.
Afternoon: Creative Writing
Facilitator: Nikki Graham
Young people will have the chance to employ their creative energies using a variety of writing forms including, but not limited to, letters, short stories, brochures, mysteries, advertisements, poems, songs, graphic novels, screen plays, jokes, riddles, commercials, etc. Tape recorders will be available for those whose brains work faster than their hands can write. Folks will have the opportunity to share their work, as well, if interested. This course will provide youth with special occasions to express themselves using the power of the written word.
Afternoon: Robotics
Facilitator: To Be Determined
Youth will be introduced to the fascinating world of robots during this exciting session. Young people will learn how to design, build, and program an autonomous robot using problem-solving skills and hands-on projects.
Young folks are sure to come away with a broader understanding and appreciation of the technology and innovation that effuses our modern day world.
Afternoon: To Be Determined
Facilitator: To Be Determined
A fourth choice will be offered in the afternoon that has not, as of yet, been determined. We will let you all know as soon as possible. Please feel free to e-mail your suggestions to Mike Hilbert ()
Teen Choice Program Descriptions
Session I: September 17 - November 26
13 + year olds
Morning: Cool Science
Facilitator: Mike Hilbert
Cool Science will offer young people a fun, hands-on introduction to the world of science. Examples of activities include: experimenting with frozen carbon dioxide, or “dry ice,” illustrating the process of sublimation (the transition from the solid to gas phase with no intermediate liquid stage); using glowsticks to explore chemical reactions and the effect that temperature has on these reactions; exploring polymers and their use in every day life by comparing the absorbent polymers in baby diapers with those in fake snow products; examining the properties of glue; and constructing water pressure rockets to explore the concepts of volume and pressure.
In addition to these exciting activities, youth will be exposed to the procedural side of science, gaining experience in the process of creating and testing hypotheses, and learning how to write formal lab reports.
Morning: Creative Writing
Facilitator: Nikki Graham
Young people will have the chance to employ their creative energies using a variety of writing forms including, but not limited to, letters, short stories, brochures, mysteries, advertisements, poems, songs, graphic novels, screen plays, jokes, riddles, commercials, etc. Tape recorders will be available for those whose brains work faster than their hands can write. Folks will have the opportunity to share their work, as well, if interested. This course will provide youth with special occasions to express themselves using the power of the written word.
Morning: Environmentalism
Facilitator: To Be Determined
Make every day Earth Day! Young people will learn how even seemingly meaningless choices impact the health and vitality of our planet. Youth will be inspired to take steps toward improving our world ecology through hands-on activities and community activism. Such activities might include, starting a composting program and community garden, taking steps to improve our watershed and the health of our riparian zone and creek, throwing a clothes swapping party instead of going on a shopping spree, constructing cloth grocery bags to sell, in turn, raising money to donate to an organization dedicated to preserving open space, etc. Our first session will involve a brainstorming activity designed to get our wheels turning, energizing us to make a difference.
Morning: To Be Determined
Facilitator: To Be Determined
A fourth choice will be offered in the morning that has not, as of yet, been determined. We will let you all know as soon as possible. Please feel free to e-mail your suggestions to Mike Hilbert (mike@openconnections.org)
Afternoon: Cooking and Cultures
Facilitator: Cindy Pizziketti
This course will offer youth the opportunity to explore various aspects of different cultures, with a focus on cooking and food preparation. While preparing the delicious dishes, youth will listen to music and language CDs from the culture at study, participate in group discussions, and enjoy the enticing aromas of their tasty creations. They will also have ample time to study the country at focus, learning about cultural traditions, games, etc. The young people will largely influence the direction this course will take—
they may chose to immerse themselves in one culture for the entire 11 weeks, or perhaps they will decide to focus on a new culture each week.
Afternoon: Survival Skills
Facilitator: Chris McNichol
Be prepared for the unexpected! Young people will have incredible fun learning to be creative, utilizing the resources around them in unexpected situations. Essential skills needed to survive in the event of a wilderness misadventure will be discovered and critical thinking and problem-solving skills employed as youth figure out how to prepare a shelter, find food, purify water, build a fire without matches, signal for help, etc. during mock events.
Afternoon: Photography
Facilitator: To Be Determined
This course will afford young people the opportunity to try out their skills as budding photographers. Photography has many, many uses. Imagine a world without photographs. Youth will learn how scientists, artists, security forces, and others use photos to study movement, capture images, store data, preserve memories, and tell stories. Young folks will have the chance to experiment with both black-and-white and color photo taking. They’ll try their hands at digital photography and editing. Techniques used by professionals in the various forms of photography will be demonstrated. No prior experience is necessary.
Afternoon: To Be Determined
Facilitator: To Be Determined
A fourth choice will be offered in the afternoon that has not, as of yet, been determined. We will let you all know as soon as possible. Please feel free to e-mail your suggestions to Mike Hilbert ()
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