Wednesdays '08-'09
Science Class & History Club

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Wednesday Science Class & World History Club

• Our goal is to create a group of academically-minded kids who enjoy getting together each week for hands-on activities. We want to be low-key, but to get things done.

• Weekly meetings, usually in Brookhaven, on Wednesdays. Also join us for field trips and nature walks, mostly on Fridays, some on Thursdays..

• Times 9:30ish - 2:00. Stay and play 2:00-3:00. Because we will be using the time differently each week, and we want the flexibility to integrate subjects and introduce new ones as we go, we expect students to sign up for the co-op as a whole, rather than trying to separate out only one subject.

• Ages 10-12; grades 5/6/7. Sorry, we absolutely cannot accept students younger than 10. Several families with younger students are thinking of arranging concurrent activities for them, perhaps at a nearby location.

• Students should be interested in being part of the group. They will be expected to come prepared for class, and to participate in the activities. Parents should help the student to learn about the topic at home so they are prepared to participate in the group. If this is an issue, parent will help the student consider whether the group is a good fit.

• Cost: You will have to purchase science textbooks and workbooks (about $20, maybe 3 times per year). You may have to provide inexpensive materials for various experiments and activities. Various field trips and activities may have fees, in most cases in the $7-$15 range. In addition, we will most likely ask you to contribute to a fund from which we can pay various class expenses (materials, etc.).

• I can't do this all by myself. Parents will be expected to help. Each person will be expected to choose some activities to organize & lead. We will also need a few (but not all) parents to stay and be of general assistance each week.

• This is a secular/inclusive group. We will try to respect each family's culture & values.

• If you have questions about whether the group will work for you, please call or e-mail us.

Middle School Level Science

• We plan to begin with a textbook from the 2007 Prentice Hall Science Explorers series , Environmental Science. (ISBN 0131150901, c. 2004 edition, available used from Amazon for about $7, plus the workbook, which runs about $5.) If all goes well, we will choose two other books from this series.

  • Environmental Science: Populations and Communities, Ecosystems and Biomes, Living Resources, Land and Soil Resources, Air and Water Resources, Energy Resources

• We will base the course around the textbook and the workbooks and websites that go with it. We will be doing labs/activities from the book and from other sources.

• Before each week’s class, students will be expected to prepare by reading the assigned section (or having it read to them), going over the workbook exercises (in whatever way the parent feels is appropriate), and possibly doing an online activity. During class, we will do activities/experiments that relate to the reading. (While our activities will reinforce the material, we will not be teaching the basic material during class, so it is critical that the students do the reading at home.) We will not be checking this work, giving tests, etc.; what's important is that the student has gone over the material before class.

• Wherever possible, we will include observation, measurement, note-taking, data collection/analysis, the scientific method, and other good science skills. To facilitate this, students should be comfortable reading and writing when needed.

• Some families will be using the workbook to practice writing skills. It provides practice in reading non-fiction, answering questions about the reading, review of relevant vocabulary words, etc. You do not have to use the workbook in this way, but it is an option.

• If they come up, we will try to approach any sensitive topics at an age-appropriate level. Where relevant, we assume an evolutionary perspective, though this year’s topics will not dwell on it.

• We will do our utmost to use common/inexpensive items for our activities/experiments, and may at times ask for participants to bring things from home (such as tin foil, colored pencils, etc.).

• We hope to continue this group next year, covering more topics in the series.

Hands-On World History Club

• We will focus on one culture/area (e.g. Sumer/Early Civilizations, Greece, Rome, Egypt) at a time, for about 4-6 weeks each. During our weekly meetings we will do activities related to the topic, such as crafts, cooking, art, or math/science activities that will enhance understanding of the period being studied. We might make mosaics for Rome, learn about Egypt's numerical system (which doesn't use place value), build the Platonic Solids for Greece, or make pinch pots for Sumer. In addition, we will be reading some historical fiction and having discussions and/or activities around the books, probably about once per topic. Ideally, we'll put on a play sometime during the year.

• We would like participants to be following some sort of Ancient History study at home, so that they will come to the group with some understanding of the topics and be able to discuss ideas as a group; however different families may choose different materials/approaches to accomplish this. You can read books, watch videos, go on field trips - whatever sparks your interest. Each week, students will be asked to tell the group one or two "fast facts" from their week's studies.

• Ideally, students will be active participants in teaching each other. We plan to have students do one small research project for each theme, and present it to the group. For example, we might have each student do a brief report on a different Greek scientist or mathematician, or on some aspect of Egyptian culture (architecture, food, clothing, weapons). We’ll tell you more about this as we get there.

• There will be about two field trips per month, ideally tying in with the theme of that month, though some topics are easier to find locally than others. We hope to visit the museum at Penn for tours about Rome, Greece, and Egypt. We also plan to visit the Art Museum, and to go to 1-2 Shakespeare plays at Philly Shakespeare Festival. We welcome other field trip ideas too.

• Note that we will not be *teaching* the topics in the group setting, rather we will be providing activities to supplement your at-home studies. It will be a fun way to spend time together with a guided purpose.