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Ocean Commotion
Have you ever wondered about the many exciting things that can be found in the ocean? There is an abundance of sea life for us to discover! Do you know that jellyfish have no bones and no brains? Or, if the arm of a starfish breaks off, it can grow a new one? Come with me to learn about these and many other fascinating creatures that can be found in the different zones of the ocean. We will learn about salt water, coral reefs, tides, and much, much more. We will explore literature about the ocean and even construct an ocean in our classroom. So, if you are up for an ocean adventure, put on your snorkeling gear and get ready to see what the commotion is all about.
Heather Pepper, Former Teacher, Antelope Trails Elementary School, District 20
Geology Rocks! (An Encore)
Do you like digging? Do you love collecting rocks? Then this class is for you! We will explore sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks and will even make our own rocks. Crystal collections are welcome too as we will be studying and creating those as well. Do volcanoes and earthquakes excite you? Then get ready to build your own models and watch them work. You will get to discover the minerals that are in everyday objects from toothpaste to televisions. Then we will use scientific tools to test and identify minerals. As geologists, we will visit amazing rock formations in our own city and then we will “travel” the world to see even more fantastic geologic creations. Finally, we will go out with a big bang and have a rockin’ good time! Come join us and see why Geology Rocks!
Jennifer Litchenberg, Teacher, Oak Creek Creek Elementary School, District 2
Up, Up, and Away!
Phileas Fogg made a bet that he could travel the world in only 80 days in Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days. Our adventure around the world will take about one quarter that time. Use your imagination to come along on a whirlwind “trip” that will span four continents. We will be “traveling” by hot air balloon, but will also see what it was like to travel by rail and steam ship. Have high tea with the Queen of England. Explore the mysteries of India on the back of an elephant. Taste the culinary delights of the Far East. Collect artifacts and souvenirs from Egypt, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Japan, and other foreign lands. Read fascinating tales of Phileas Fogg and other brave adventurers; then write your own daring stories as our voyage unfolds. Take in sights and songs from around the world and meet intriguing people along the way. Up, up, and away!
Melodie Roberts, Teacher, The da Vinci Academy, District 20
Who Art You?
Are you looking for the artist in you? Are you curious about different types of art? Do you want to create masterpieces with many kinds of mediums? Would you like to learn how and why people use art? In this art class with a twist, you will learn about artists such as Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollack, Diego Rivera, Vincent Van Gogh, and more. Then, you will create pieces in a similar style of the featured artists, using different approaches such as watercolors, sketching, collage, and digital photography. You will create wonderful masterpieces for our very own young artists’ gallery. In this class, you will do all of this … and more. Learn about the artists of yesterday and today to become an artist of tomorrow and find out Who Art You?
Suzie Hodges, Teacher, School in the Woods, District 20
“All the World’s a Stage”
Come along with us to the Forest of Arden, the setting for Shakespeare’s comedy, As You Like It, where nothing is as it seems and everyone is in disguise. Among the characters you will meet are a good duke and his evil brother, a princess and her cousin, two other rival brothers, a very smart but arrogant court jester and the simple country girl he falls for, a shepherdess and the simple shepherd who loves (and annoys) her, and a wrestler. They all end up in the Forest of Arden, some pretending to be other people, all in the name of love and loyalty. Besides learning acting techniques and getting to be Shakespearean actors in full Elizabethan costume, you will paint stage scenery and explore Shakespeare’s world. If you like to act and want to gain some historical perspective along the way, come join us in the Forest of Arden as we present a stage production of scenes from William Shakespeare’s As You Like It.
Dedra Montoya, Teacher, Steele Elementary School, District 11
Body Works: Inside/Out
As body detectives, we will learn about the inner workings of the human body. We will explore the fascinating, microscopic universe within us all. Did you know that during digestion food travels through 29 feet of tubes in your body? Your small intestine alone is 13 feet long! Why do we have fingernails? What are goose bumps? What if we had no skin or our skeleton was on the outside of our bodies? What is the funny bone? We will conduct experiments, create models, play games, and do some dissecting in this class. Some of the topics to be covered will include learning about the systems of the body, how our organs work, and how we use our senses. This class will end with ways to keep our bodies healthy as we grow. You will amaze yourself!
Jennifer Wakeen, Teacher, Timberview Middle School, District 20 “Journey” to China: From Silk Road to the Olympics
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step.” Join us as we explore the exciting country of China in time for the 2008 Olympic Games. Our adventure will include experiencing the best of Chinese culture through Chinese brush art and calligraphy, Yin and Yang art, myths and folklore, Chinese pictographs and language, celebrations and festivals, food and tea. A visit to the Olympic Training Center during this fascinating time will enhance our study of China and how the Chinese are preparing for the next Olympic Games. Our class will culminate with our own Olympic competition and a repast of dim sum and tea. Adventure awaits!
Lesley Billiard and Emily Hale, Teachers, Mountain Ridge Middle School, District 20
Math Alive!
Have you wondered how you could measure the height of a mountain? Do you like to build things with your hands? Are you talented at creating your own games? Do you often wonder when you’ll ever use the “stuff” you learn in math class? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then this is the class for you! Join us as we explore how to make math come alive. We’ll dive into geometry by building kites and folding intricate origami. We’ll discover patterns in and make predictions about numbers using bungee cords and Barbies. We’ll look at games from around the world (and familiar ones too) and find out what it takes to make a game worth playing. You’ll even get to create your very own games showing off your creativity and logic skills and play them with your classmates. Just bring your brain and your enthusiasm and together we’ll find out just how fun math can be!
Hannah Joiner, Teacher, Prairie Winds Elementary School, District 38 |
