DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - 3RD-6TH grades Students will learn the basics of digital photography from making the most of their digital camera to editing their photos on the computer. They will begin by learning the basic functions of their personal digital cameras such as picture size adjustment, using a timer, using digital and optical zooms, and changing from color to black and white. Students will become familiar with their camera's preset picture-taking modes such as landscape, night, portrait and video functions. Later in the class, we will explore some of the more customizable functions of cameras such as ISO, aperture, shutter speed, flash output, and white balance. Children's photography skills will be complimented by hands-on practice editing their own pictures on the computer. We will learn skills such as rotating, cropping, adjusting color and brightness, fixing red-eye, resizing for email, and creating slideshows. Each student needs to provide his own digital camera. At the end of class, each child will take home a CD with his/her photo creations on it. MUSICAL THEATER - 1ST-6TH grades Dancing, singing, acting!! Finally all three performing arts in one great class! Learn basic singing, dancing, and acting techniques in our Musical Theater class. This 6-8wk class will include a great show as our grand finale, featuring your school's most talented young entertainers. Have fun, build confidence, and let your light shine with this fun and creative theatre class! HANNA MONTANA-MANIA! 3RD-6TH Grades Act, sing and dance! Learn microphone technique as you sing your favorite Hannah Montana songs. You will have plenty of time to get ready for your performance for your parents on the last day! Have a great time making Hanna Montana accessories to wear! DRAWING-K-6TH GRADES This class will give students of any age the basic information they need to analyze and reproduce what they see. Drawing skills will be developed in this class with exciting and fun exercises. The class uses items such as toys, fruit, flowers, cartoons photos, etc. as subjects. Some elements involved in drawing will be covered such as: five basic elements of shape, shape proportion, perspective, shading, texture, tone, value, color and composition. Using basic techniques, we will begin work on simple compositions and still life projects. WATERCOLOR-3RD-6TH GRADES Watercolor is the most popular painting medium today. Once regarded as the "poor relation" of oils, it has become the first choice of many modern artists. Using the same technique as the drawing class, students will learn how to set up a drawing for painting, building up with layers, highlights, brush strokes and adding detail. We will work on paintings, such as landscapes, cityscapes, still life flowers, animals and birds. When finished, the student should have several paintings ready to frame. MIXED MEDIA STUDIO ART CLASS-1ST-6TH GRADES This class is a lot of fun because it involves working on several different media, such as drawing, painting, oil pastels, chalk pastels and printmaking (carving their own drawing out of rubber and printing.) Some elements involved in mixed media will be covered such as: five basic elements of shape, shading, texture, value, color, composition, positive and negative space while developing their own imagination, problem solving and critical thinking abilities. ART IN THE STYLES OF THE GREAT MASTERS 3RD-6TH GRADES Children will discover the great artists in a fun, hands-on way. They will learn about their lives and style and participate in art activities that represent each artist's most famous style. Artists, such as Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Picasso, Michelangelo, and others will be introduced to the class. GUITAR-1ST-6TH GRADES Students will learn to play guitar from a talented professional musician who has given guitar lessons for 25 years and played and toured with several bands. He currently teaches private lessons and has taught many group classes for children and adults. He is an honors graduate of Musician's Institute of Los Angeles and enjoys all styles of music. In his class, children will play rock, country and classical songs and have fun while they have quality lessons. They will learn basic chords and barre chords, major, minor and blue scales and basic music theory. STRING INSTRUMENTS: BEGINNING VIOLIN This string class is designed to give the students an intro experience of what it would be like to play a string instrument using the violin. They would learn the basics of proper positioning of the violin, how to produce a quality tone, how to understand the basics of reading music and simple training techniques on how to grow comfortable with the instrument. The class would not initially produce excellent musicians, due to the short time, but it would give them an opportunity to explore and decide if perhaps this is something they would wish to continue pursuing. This class could be offered multiple sessions and could be the beginning of a great love for violin and other string instruments. JAZZ DANCE WITH SOME HIP HOP-1st-6th GRADES In this popular and lively class, students will learn some fun dances and an original routine that incorporates moves from both jazz and hip hop. Each class will start with stretches that originate from ballet, yoga and jazz which will help students increase strength and flexibility. Participation in the class will also help coordination, rhythm, and balance. The teacher has taken all forms of dance lessons for 14 years and was on a locally and nationally competitive dance team for 4 years. BALLET-K-6TH GRADES Children will learn technique in ballet from a talented dancer. They will learn 1st-5th positions, stretches, simple ballet exercises and a short routine. Participation in the class will help increase strength, flexibility, coordination, rhythm and balance. The teacher has taken all forms of dance lessons for 14 years and was on a locally and nationally competitive dance team for 4 years. She is fun and a great teacher! YOUNG PUPPETEERS-K-6TH GRADES Children will explore many aspects of puppetry. They will learn voice, movement (manipulation), how to build and use props, and how to make simple puppets. They will present their own little show and learn how to use finger puppets, shadow finger puppets, mouth movement and much more. Older children may be involved in script writing as well. The teacher was a professional puppeteer who built puppets with Jim Gamble at Disney World. She designed and produced professional mouth/hand puppets and taught Arts and Crafts: Puppets as Teaching Aids at the Master's College. CONTRA DANCING-3RD-6TH GRADES Contra Dancing comes from several dances-the English Country Dance, the Irish Reel and the French Quadrille. This traditional dance was done at festivities, plays and parties in the early 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th centuries all over Europe. Colonists brought the dance to America, and they, as well as all of Europe, continued to dance it until mid 1700's. After the American Revolution and the separation with Great Britain, Americans began to form more and more of their own style; in back woods areas, the "hillbillies" developed their own brand of this dance, known today as Square Dancing. Contra dancing is similar to Square Dancing. You swing and do-si-do your partner, but it is danced in long lines of couples instead of in squares. Usually, the music is more refined, and the movements are more "genteel." A caller gives simple instructions to the group, and then continues to "call" the steps as the music begins to play. While some of the dances are complex and challenging, many of them can be enjoyed and learned by the oldest and youngest participants. Contra dancing is not only fun, but also strengthens listening skills, coordination, rhythm and history illustration. THEATER GAMES AND ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS-1ST-6TH GRADES This class is a great introduction to theatre and will provide lots of fun dramatic play activities from improvisation games like Freeze, Party Quirks and Gibberish, to props, monologues and short scenes for young actors. These games promote self-esteem and improve communication skills for all children. Children may also go through activities that will help them memorize lines, be a director, learn how to choreograph a dance, and more. JEWELRY MAKING-3RD-6TH GRADES Students will love making their own jewelry. Technique in basic jewelry making will be taught, and they will learn about mixing colors and shapes. A variety of decorative materials will be used in the projects, such as beads in wood, glass, metal and beautiful crystals. They will be attached or strung on leather, quality metal chain, yarns and flosses, ribbon leatherette and more. Children will be proud to wear tasteful and age appropriate bracelets, necklaces and/or earrings that they enjoyed making. YOUNG CARPENTERS -- 1ST-6TH GRADES Students will learn from an experienced carpenter how to use basic hand tools to build simple projects. They will begin by learning the safe use and care of tools and will practice with them before building. They will learn general wood working skills, sanding and painting. Only safe paints will be used, and wood pieces will be pre-cut and pre-drilled. As they gain skill and competence, the projects will gradually increase in complexity. Some of the projects they may make are a pencil box, birdhouse, planter and more HEALTHY COOKING-K-6TH GRADES Children will learn to cook using fresh, nutritious ingredients without prepared mixes. They will make delicious breakfasts like Blueberry Yogurt Pancakes, Cinnamon French Toast or Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins. They may also make Homemade Flour Tortillas, Whole Wheat Applesauce Raisin Cookies, Fresh Salad with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Basic Biscuits and Strawberry Smoothies. They will learn about nutrition, know how to follow a recipe, and it will be fun measuring, stirring batter and setting the table. They will even learn how to fold decorative napkins. Children will take home their own apron, chef's hat and cookbook full of the recipes they made in class so that they can show their family how they can cook! CROCHETING-3RD-6TH GRADES After learning the basic techniques of crocheting, the children will learn how to chain stitch and single crochet. They will begin with a small project such as a potholder, book mark or something for their hair. When confident with the chain stitch, they will start their main project such as a scarf. They will gauge their stitches and decrease for completion of the project. Children will be using some math skills and will be proud of their creations.