STEM Adventures 2024-25
Hands-on science classes for learners ages 7 - 13 will be held at the Jericho Community Center in Jericho Center, VT on Tuesdays (except for session 3 which is held on Thursdays) from noon - 2:00. Classes begin September 3, 2024 and run through May 27, 2025 with a few breaks for vacations.
Classes are taught by Rachel Rose of Growth Points Educational Services. Rachel has over twenty years of experience in education- public, private, homeschool, and afterschool; kindergarten through eighth grade. Learn more about GPES and Rachel here or visit Growth Points Educational Services on Facebook.
To sign up for classes, email Rachel at growthpointsed@gmail.com with your first and last name, your child’s first name and age, and the best phone number to reach you.
Tuition varies by class; A non-refundable deposit of $25/child is required to secure a spot. The remainder of the tuition is due in full by or on the first day of class.
STEM Adventures
Ages 7* - 13 (limit of 12 students/class) *Must turn 7 years old by 9/1/24 Tuesdays, 12 - 2 pm @ Jericho Community Center Five Sessions (courses) between September 3, 2024 and May 27, 2025
Session 1: September 3 – Oct. 8 (6 weeks) $200 Experimenting with Chemistry: Students will learn about some basic aspects of chemistry including atoms and molecules, chemical reactions, acids and bases, viscosity and non-Newtonian substances through hands-on experimentation. Launch antacid rockets, explode volcanoes, blow up a balloon with a chemical reaction, develop the perfect bubble solution, and make slime that bounces.
Session 2: Oct. 15 – Nov. 19 (6 weeks) $200 Astronomy: How is our life on Earth affected by the universe? We will begin with the basics- day and night and seasons. Then we’ll turn our attention to the moon- it’s phases, effect on the tides, how the moon was formed and how its existence determines ours. After that, on to the sun - our life-giving source of fuel. How does it power life on Earth from photosynthesis to solar panels and vitamin D? We will wrap up by exploring celestial events such as the Aurora Borealis, eclipses, and meteor showers. If time allows, we will also learn about human ventures into space.
Session 3: January 9 – February 20 (7 weeks) $230 Tinkering with Toys: Students will explore principles of physics and apply them while designing fun toys such as spinning tops, elastic powered cars, stomp rockets, catapults, and more. Tinkering is a creative way to design and problem solve using common materials. Scientific concepts revolve around physics. Scientific practices of observation, deductive reasoning, and iterative problem solving are strongly at play. Students will enhance their transferable skills such as communication, collaboration, and perseverance. In this class, students will design and create toys using physics concepts and ingenuity.
Session 4: March 11 – April 15 (6 weeks) $200 Earth Rocks!: Learn about different types of rocks. How are rocks formed? What characteristics define specific types of rocks and minerals? What is the oldest rock on Earth? We will also delve into rocks that are mined in Vermont’s quarries and fossils that can be found embedded in rocks in our state.
Session 5: April 29 – May 27 (5 weeks) $175 Spring Migration: Explore the plethora of birds that return to our state in the spring and learn about their fascinating travel to and from far away lands. This is a research-based class. Students will become familiar with using the Merlin app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to identify birds and use it to make observations independently in the morning at home. They will choose at least two birds to research and build a digital presentation of the information they compile.
*Spring Migration requires students to be independent readers on a second grade level and to be able to work independently on writing tasks for multiple short time periods. It also requires that students bring a lap top or tablet to class and/or have access to a computer at home so that they can work on their presentation.
Questions? Email mail Rachel at growthpointsed@gmail.com
What Parents Are Saying…
My children loved Rachel’s classes. They were fun and engaging but also academically challenging. My kids came home brimming with questions for further study and spent time recreating experiments and designs they learned in class. I can’t recommend Rachel highly enough. We look forward to participating in her courses in the future! - Corinna Bridges
