Springs of Life Co-op

The PreK/K Literature Class will be creating literature "pockets" for Caldecott winner books that we will be reading and discussing together. Some of the stories the students will have the pleasure to act out the characters. They will enjoy creating different crafts and art related to each story we read. Students will learn how pictures help tell a story. Illustrators and work Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are; Ezra Jack Keats, The Snowy Day and much much more. The class will participate in the Winter and Spring Concerts.

Fun, active involvement of the whole child (body, mind, soul). Children learn by doing, so rather than looking at music from a distance they get involved in its inner workings. Students receive a solid and essential foundation for musical growth, by moving to music, singing, and playing small percussion instruments and musical games in a joyful, creative setting.

Pre-K art will be a hands-on from the start of class. We will keep minds and fingers busy for the entire 45 minutes. The children will cover an array of media and materials that will include oil pastel, tempera paints, tie dying, and weaving. The class will be both a how-to and crafting.

Self expression does not end in art. The children will learn and discuss weather, alphabets, numbers, and will include everyone’s favorite show and tell.

Why not wind down after a long day of co-op with some therapeutic playdoh? Not only is it soothing, it can ignite one’s imagination.

The class will learn about literature by using folk tales, fairy tales and fables. They will see how some very old stories have been adapted for modern readers. Emphasis will be placed on exploring the elements of a story: setting, plot, and characters. The children will eventually collaborate on making some story rewrites of their own. This class will include performances for both concerts.

Well respected, Diana Arnold, a Christian teacher with a degree in music will share her love of music to your little ones. This class will be a general music class as well as chorus. There will be activities for the children to experience musical concepts through singing, playing, listening, moving, reading and writing, and composing. The purpose is for them to grow in their ability to understand, appreciate and participate in music. They will experience a wide and varied repertoire which includes folksongs, action songs, hymns and choruses, and instrumental music. Some of the musical concepts to be studied include rhythm, melody, harmony, tempo, and form.

This is a yearlong class in which we will consider many American heroes and figures who helped to make this country great. We will be reading stories making crafts that will highlight the accomplishments of men and women such as: Christopher Columbus, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington Caver, Harriet Tubman, Daniel Boone, and so many more. In other lessons we will learn about why we celebrate some American holidays such as: Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, and Thanksgiving.

This class will expose the children to both illustrations from stories read aloud and masterpiece artwork. Lessons on how an artist can produce different results by using different media and material. Experimenting with the discussed media and material will help develop a style of their own and nourish ones love for art.

Playing theater games will not only teach children to be theater-savvy, but confident before the spotlight as well. We will be reading a book aloud, creating related art projects, recreating the story through plot, character, and setting. In preparation for the two concerts, the children will be involved in creating their own character, designing their own costumes and props and helping to create scenery and sets.

Well respected, Diana Arnold, a Christian teacher with a degree in music will share her love of music to your children. Precorder will be introduced. Students will learn to read music and play their instruments, and will be held responsible for practicing and bringing their materials to class. As they advance in their skills and repertoire, we will talk about rhythm, melody, harmony, and tempo. This level will also learn a few choral pieces to perform for the concerts.

In our "World Geography" class we'll be using the revised and updated by Geography Matters, Geography Through Art, a book that combines Sharon Jeffus' artistic vision with author Jamie Aramini's writing talents. This class will have an artistic approach to geography, or a cultural approach to art. Students will learn about the continents, countries, capitals, how to read the map and locate the countries on the globe. Hands-on learning approach will include a wide variety of projects relating to the continents and different countries. Subject matter for each continent will include architecture, animals, work of art, and cultural artifacts. With each project the students will be learning fascinating information about the culture, enjoy the photographs and drawings, sampling the ethnic foods when possible. The students will be encouraged to keep a geography notebook and make a presentation on a country of their choice

This will be a 32-lesson art adventure! Learn the fundamental drawing principles that will enable you to draw anything! This progressive, step by step course will provide a solid foundation for artistic expression using multi media. The love of art will be encourage throughout

This course is an introduction to creative writing where students will practice all stages of the creative process: prewriting, writing, revising/editing, and preparing the final draft. Classes will include reading and writing of age appropriate prose and poetry with exposure to the four types of writing- expository, narrative, persuasive and parts of speech, grammar, sentence and story structure. Students will learn to elaborate on simple sentences to enhance a story with the use of imagination and new vocabulary. They will become familiar with the usage of a dictionary and thesaurus and will have the opportunity to share their stories in class in the form of oral presentations. Children will be able to express themselves properly and creatively in reading and writing along with gaining a more firm grasp of and deeper appreciation for the written word.

Gym

The Fitness Challenge

(Combined 3,4,5, & 6 Grades)

This will be a yearlong class in which we will participate in both the Presidential Fitness Challenge and the Presidential Fitness Awards Programs. The fitness challenge is an ongoing daily log which tracks your child's level of activity and rewards them for reaching certain goals. The Fitness Awards will test your child twice during the year (once in the fall and once in the spring) in key fitness indicators of: abdominal strength/endurance, heart/lung capacity/endurance, flexibility, quickness/coordination and upper body strength. In order to prepare for these tests, we will be spending gym time in aerobic and anaerobic exercises, strength training with light weights and bands, running and coordination exercises with hula hoops and exercise balls and many more tools. So get ready to get fit!

This will be a yearlong class in which we will immerse ourselves in the time period of Lewis and Clark and their historic trek across America. We will take the same journey they took and we will outfit ourselves with gear needed, guides and food. We will be keeping a weekly journal of what we discover: waterways, mountains, animals, Indians, flora and fauna. This study will encompass the History of the United States that time, science, literature, and so much more. We will consider all the discoveries they made and the impact these discoveries had on the young country. So, come join us as we trek across America!

Well respected, Diana Arnold, a Christian teacher with a degree in music will share her love of music to your children. She will be concentrating on singing and having the students working together as a group to produce two quality concerts. The winter concert will be a themed program, “Christmas around the World”. Some of the beautiful songs include "Jeannette Isabella", "Fum, Fum, Fum", and "Go Tell It On the Mountain". The Spring Concert is already in the works.

Woodburning is an art form that can be easily learned. With little time, practice and patience, the students will have the satisfaction of seeing their abilities rapidly improve. We'll start with specially designed exercises and some of the beginner patterns, which will teach the student all the fundamental skills they'll need to accomplish more difficult projects. Woodburning is one of the few art forms with such a wide appeal, as it can offer something of interest to both boys and girls and can become a hobby for a lifetime. The students will accomplish at least one project during the fall semester which they can use as a decoration or a gift for somebody special. By taking this class they'll have a new outlet of creativity everyone will admire.

What a better way to learn another language and new culture than from a native speaker! No “Rosetta Stone" can do that! Each class will consist of two parts. First half will be devoted to “ Russian Culture Presentation" when students will learn about the geography, history, art, literature, culture and traditions of the Russian Federation. The second half of each class will be focused on learning to read the Cyrillic Alphabet and learning new vocabulary. Students will memorize every day phrases, counting, days of the week, seasons, months, animals, fruits and vegetables, parts of a body, etc. We will sing songs in Russian and play traditional Russian games. We'll have a graduation party with sampling the Russian cuisine and establishing a pen pal program with the Russian children in Siberia.

Mrs. DeGannero, a christian english teacher, will instruct students about the key elements of fictional writing, while also helping students to develop their own writing skills. Students will explore the major characteristics of descriptive writing, creative narratives, personal narratives, and poetry, taking organized notes on the definitions of literary terms they encounter. Students will then create their own writing samples in each genre, including short stories, comic strips, journal entries, and different types of poems. In addition, students will develop short oral presentations of famous stories, poems, and their own writing to share with their classmates in a positive, encouraging class environment.

The toddler program will consist of three “classes”; Storytime, Music, and Montessori. There will be no charge for these classes.

All families will enjoy lunch together. Monthly hot lunches of pizza will be coordinated for those who would like to contribute and participate.