WINTER SPARKLERS
Pi Day
Friday, March 9 | 4-6pm, Gr. 3-6 | $25 | Enroll
Celebrate Einstein’s birthday with us! Pi Day is NEW every year. This time, explore the mathematical properties of Pi, create a chart that reflects your favorite Ojai pie, make spirograph pi art, and much, much more!
Adult Creativity Sparkler
Wednesday, March 21 | 10-11:30am, For Parents | Free/$25 | Enroll
Ever wondered what an Ignite class is like? Now you can find out! We will delve into an exploration of words, sounds and visual art. Feed your creativity and find ways to keep your brain sharp. See what Ignite is all about in this Adult Sparkler- open to all adults and free for enrolled students’ parents. Sign up fast, though, only 12 spots are available!
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Dynamic Dino Discovery
Friday, March 23 | 3:30-5pm, Gr. K-3 | $20 | Enroll
Do you love dinosaurs? Come to learn weird dinosaur facts, explore our fossil museum, take part in a mini-dig, build models, and invent your own dinosaur with really cool materials! Taught by Katie Haydon and assisted by in-house paleontologist, 5th grader Bella Welch.
Current Session: Winter, 10-week session from January 16 through March 30
(scroll down for class descriptions)
World War One
Mondays, 3:00-4:00
Grade 4 and up
Egyptology
Mondays, 4:00-5:00
Grade 1 and up
What’s the Story, Aesop?
Tuesdays, 2:30-3:30; first 5 weeks
AGES 4, 5, 6
Rainbows, Kaleidoscopes and Puppets, Oh My!
Tuesdays, 2:30-3:30; second 5 weeks
AGES 4, 5, 6
Creative Writing
Tuesdays, 3:30-4:30
Grades 1, 2, 3
Ojai Valley Kids’ Press
Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30
Grade 3 and up
Creative Writing & Coffee
Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30
Teenagers
Future Problem Solving [FULL]
Wednesdays, 12:30-2:00
Grades 4, 5, 6
BAM! Brainbusting Adventures in Math
Wednesdays, 2:00-3:00
Grade 3 and up
Ignite Your Creative Improv
Wednesdays, 3:00-4:00
Grade 3 and up
Homeschoolers Ignite!
Thursdays, 10:30-12:30
Grade 3 and up
Delve Into Earth Science
Thursdays, 3:30-4:30
Grades 4, 5, 6
Explore, Experiment, Experience Science [FULL]
Thursdays, 4:30-5:30
Grades 1, 2, 3
The winter session will be 10 weeks in length, beginning the week of January 16 and running through the week of March 30. Monday classes will continue on Martin Luther King Day but no classes will be held the week of February 20 for President’s Week. Tuition prices can be found on our ENROLL page.
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
Monday Classes with Richard Senate:
Did you know that drinking straws and umbrellas were invented in ancient Egypt? Many things we find in our world today were invented in old Egypt, including pyramids, mummies, toys, games, and stories. In this class we will create strategy games, perform mummy science experiments and even create our own inventions. Come and learn about King Tut, The Valley of The Kings, and finally the long fall of Egypt and her greatest queen, Cleopatra. We will be transported back in time to the Land of the Nile in this hands-on exploration of the history and culture of Egypt and its contributions to the world. Don’t miss this exciting journey!(This class encompasses the K-5 Historical and Social Science Analysis Skills including Chronological and Spatial Thinking; Research, Evidence, and Point of View; and Historical Interpretation.)
World War One (grade 4 and up)
World War One, called the Great War, was the most terrible, most bloody conflict in world history up to that time. In this class we will delve deep into the complex layers of this war. When it started no one thought it would be as awful or as long as it turned out. It was an example of total war that pitted whole societies against one another. It introduced new weapons and tactics to combat and expanded the fighting into the air. It was a war of attrition: the nation who lost enough people and materials lost the war. Come aboard and learn how the war came about and how it changed the world. (This class exceeds and enhances the California State Science Standards for grades 4-6: Historical and Social Science Analysis Skills including Chronological and Spatial Thinking; Research, Evidence, and Point of View; Historical Interpretation)
Tuesday Classes with Katie Haydon:
What’s the Story, Aesop? (AGES 4, 5, and 6) [first half of session - 5 weeks]
Ever heard of the boy who cried wolf? What was he thinking? How about the tortoise and the hare? Who won the race? The Ant and the Dove, The Lion and the Mouse, and The Ant and the Grasshopper are just a few other famous, enduring fables. Join us for a five-week exploration of Aesop and his fables. We will learn through stories, creative movement, dramatic play, and art. Use your own imagination to bring these historical fables to life, see what makes a story a fable, and learn why fables are still so appealing to today. (This class exceeds and enhances the California State English-Language Arts Standards for grades K-1: K: R 2.1-.5, 3.1, 3.3, LS 1.1, 2.2-.3; 1st: RC 2.2, 2.5-.7, LR 3.1-.3, LS: 1.1-.2, 1.5, 2.1-.2)
Rainbows, Kaleidoscopes and Puppets, Oh My! (AGES 4, 5, and 6)
[second half of session - 5 weeks]
Explore the beauty of light while conducting exciting, hands-on experiments designed to answer the question: What is light and why do we need it? Where does light come from? How does light make a rainbow? Can YOU make a rainbow? How do magnifying glasses work and how could you make your very own kaleidoscope? This five-week investigation into light will provide you with artistic and investigative opportunities to experiment and create with light.
Ojai Valley Kids’ Press (grade 3 and up)
The OVKP is back by popular demand! Our summer issue received enthusiastic feedback from the community, some even reporting that it was the best publi
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by kids they had ever read. Now it’s your turn to step into our newsroom and become a journalist on deadline as you produce a community newspaper for kids, by kids. We will come up with our vision and ideas, write, edit, interview, design, photograph, make up games – you name it. (This class exceeds and enhances the California State English-Language Arts Standards for grades 3-8: 3rd: R 2.1, W 1.1-.4, 2.1-.3, WC 1.1, 1.5-.8, 4th: W 1.1-1.3, 1.5-1.8, 1.10, 2.1-.3, Similar for 5th+)
Creative Writing and Coffee (grades 6, 7, 8, 9)
Love writing beyond essays and grammar? Come express and develop your true writing voice and creativity, tell your stories,let your imagination run wild . . .
Wednesday Classes with Sarah Hodges:
Future Problem Solvers (grades 4, 5, 6) [FULL]
Founded by creativity pioneer, Dr. E. Paul Torrance, Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI) stimulates critical and creative thinking skills, encourages students to develop a vision for the future, and prepares students for leadership roles. In this unique, year-long class, students will be participating in the Junior Global Issues Problem Solving Competition. Teams of four students will use the FPSP six-step model to explore challenges and propose action plans to complex societal problems, such as fads, financial security, amateur sports, the Internet and genetic engineering.
BAM! Brainbusting Adventures in Math (grades 3, 4, 5)
Would you like to play games and have fun while tackling complex math problems? Do you love to stump your friends with a tricky math riddle? In this class we will approach math from new angles and with fresh brains! Have you ever made a math problem come to life or used math concepts in real life situations? We will do all that and more, including getting a head start on those tricky Math Superbowl word problems and group challenges! This is the perfect class for someone who loves to ponder a problem, brainstorm solutions, and build on new ideas and concepts. Get ready to play, think, and solve. (This class exceeds and enhances the California State Math Standards: Mathematical Reasoning for grades1-4)
Ignite Your Creative Improv (grade 3 and up)
Calling all creative musicians, actors, artists, writers, dancers and anyone else interested in tapping into a new and exciting dimension of the mind! In this class we will learn to create on the spot using a variety of media to spark our intuition and creativity. We will be improvising in many ways, collaborating across disciplines, and creating multimedia performance projects based on the interest of the students in the class. We will play games as we improvise music, art, theatre, poetry, dance, and more. In this hands-on class, get ready to tap into every ounce of your creative genius! (This class exceeds and enhances the categories of artistic perception, creative expression, aesthetic valuing, and connections, relationships, applications across the California State Visual and Performing Arts Standards for grades 3-8 in music, theater, and visual arts.)
Homeschoolers Ignite! (AGES 8 and up)
with Cindy Hansen
Student-centered, Ignite-inspired educational encounters, meeting the unique needs of our homeschooling community. We will offer integrated, project-based learning opportunities in the academic areas of reading development and critical thinking, math and applied knowledge, writing for purpose, and science exploration. Students will learn about their personal strengths and areas of educational need and will develop an individual course of study that integrates both, in order to strengthen and grow their academic skills across subject areas. Students will have the opportunity to focus their academics on areas of personal passion, or discover new areas of interest.
Delve into Earth Science (grades 4, 5, 6)
with Cindy Hansen
Have you ever watched a cave grow? Do you know the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite? Have you ever eaten an earthquake fault or a crystal? Would you like to become an expert on the kinds of creatures that live in caves and what types of minerals live inside rocks? In this class we will delve deep into rock science, geology and the movement of tectonic plates. Did you know that California is always on the go and has earthquakes every day? All this and more, we will even make and explore quicksand! Join us in an adventure into the depths of the earth and Ignite your passion for “holey” science! (This class exceeds and enhances the California State Science Standards for grades 4-6: 4th: 4a-b; 5a-c; 1a-b; 2a, d; 4a-e; 6th: 1a-g; 2c-d )
Explore, Experiment, Experience Science (grades 1, 2, 3)
with Nichia Huxtable
Have you ever wondered how blubber keeps a whale warm or what germs live on tabletops and doorknobs? Have you ever created a hot air balloon or used a gummy bear to make fireworks? We will do all of this and more. During each class students will engage in hands-on activities, demonstrations, and problem solving that will help foster a life-long love of science and curiosity about the world around them. Each session will be a different theme, including Amazing Animals, Mixing Magic, Microscopic World, Dry Ice, Wonders of Water, and more. (This class exceeds and enhances the California State Science Standards for grades 1-3: 1st: 1a-b; 2a, d, 4a-e; 2nd: 1a-e; 2c-d; 4a-g; 3rd: 1b-c, e-g; 3a-b; 5a-e)
