For those of you in the Orlando area, check out
SPARK's new lineup of homeschool classes! Mondays have an animal theme and encompass art, science, geography and architecture, while Wednesdays focus on chemistry, writing and history. Tuesdays and Thursdays are Montesourri time, and art is always on the agenda!
In addition to
homeschool and enrichment classes, SPARK also offers music lessons, private tutoring, a monthly
Parent's Night Out and an adult art class,
Sip & Sketch. No matter what the subject, classes at SPARK are among the most innovative and educational we've found!
Mondays:
SPARK! Super Six Week Session #2 February 27th - April 9th (no classes on March 19th)
$10.00 per class if paid individually ($1.00 sibling discount)
Save 10% when you pay in full for all 6 weeks (Payable in 2 installments)
9:00AM-10:00AM - Music Appreciation
Taught by Michael Grier
Music is a universal language, one that crosses barriers of race, age, gender, and social class. Cultivating an appreciation of music among children is especially important, as making and listening to music can enhance and promote language development, coordination, creativity, and social skills, as well as cultivate a better understanding of one's history and culture. Indeed, much of a culture's ideals and heritage are embodied and preserved in its songs and music.
Young people are naturally drawn to music, and this attraction can also help them learn other subjects. Music has been proven to help develop parts of the brain that are used for academic work, for example, such as math and reading. Exposure to music can also significantly enhance a child's spatial reasoning, logic, and sensory motor skills. And it rarely takes long for children to move and dance with the music they hear or make themselves. Such a response heights their appreciation of music and provides them with physical exercise as well.
10:00AM - 11:00AM - Animal Art (K-2) Taught by Fabiola Hansen
11:00AM - 12:00PM - Animal Art (3rd-5th) Taught by Fabiola Hansen
Classes will focus on learning how to sketch, draw and paint animals of all kinds and from there producing more creative art in the same theme. We will start by learning how to draw certain animals, their physical characteristics and the environment they live in. Basic color theory will come next with color pencil techniques, oil pastels, watercolor and tempera paints. This class will learn about mixing colors, color schemes and their applications. In the last few classes, students will be able to apply what they have learned to projects in which they will have more freedom of expression, such as collage and 3 dimensional work.
10:00AM - 11:00AM - Animal Science (3rd-5th) Taught by Denise Archilla
11:00AM - 12:00PM - Animal Science (K-2) Taught by Denise Archilla
Budding zoologists will learn about Birds of Prey, Night Creatures, Great Apes, Big Cats, Safari Animals, and Sea Creatures! We’ll study the animals’ behaviour, habitats, and all kinds of fun facts. Of course we will have some hands-on fun, too, as we explore the ZOO!
12:00-12:30- Supervised Lunch
12:30PM - 1:30PM - Where Do the Zoo Animals Come From? (K-2) Taught by Lisa Narva
1:30PM - 2:30PM - Where Do the Zoo Animals Come From? (3rd-5th) Taught by Lisa Narva
Students will embark on a global adventure to learn which animals come from each different part of our world!
12:30PM - 1:30PM - We're Building a Zoo! (K-2) Taught by Lisa Ikegami
1:30PM - 2:30PM - We're Building a Zoo! (3rd-5th) Taught by Lisa Ikegami
In this class, Miss Lisa's architecture students will dive into designing a zoo! We will learn everything about how animal habitat meets with local environment and how to shape the local vernacular to accommodate the animals' needs and the visitors' enjoyment. Concepts to be explored include siting, interior and exterior plan design, and structual concepts. The students' new knowledge will incorporate construction of a three-dimensional model that demonstrates their new understanding and allows for creative exploration in model building. Come let your animal creativity out and get into our virtual zoo!
Tuesdays:
(Limit 6 kids per class)
10:00AM - 1:00PM - Montessori (Ages 6-9) - This enrichment program is perfect for the child who learns well in a hands-on environment. As in true Montessori manner, the class size will be kept small. We will explore Math, Language, Geography, Science, Art, Music, and Practical Life. The curriculum will be progressive and it is advised that your child attend both sessions each week. Students will be allowed to progress at their own rate within each subject area and also be encouraged to explore areas of interest beyond the classroom.
10:00AM -1:00PM Preschool Montessori (Ages 3-5) - This Montessori based preschool program for ages 3-5 will include a variety of hands on activities to enhance and inspire your child’s educational exploration. Primary areas of concentration will include math, language arts and practical life. Studies show that the earlier children are introduced to math, the easier it is for them to understand and connect math concepts and facts. Children use concrete materials – such as blocks, beads, and tiles – as they learn. Language Arts includes learning the letter sounds before learning their names, as phonetics is used as a foundation for reading. Basic skills such as handwriting, cutting, sorting, pouring, pin-pushing, geometrical solid recognition and more are also introduced and practiced with an emphasis on promoting self confidence and independence. Children are allowed and encouraged to move around and work at their own pace whether individually or in groups. As Maria Montessori said, “The hand is the chief teacher of the child.”
Wednesdays:
SPARK! Super Six Week Session #2 February 27th - April 9th (no classes on March 19th)
$10.00 per class if paid individually ($1.00 sibling discount)
Save 10% when you pay in full for all 6 weeks (Payable in 2 installments)
9:00AM - 10:00AM - Art Adventure (Taught by Fabiloa Hansen)
Students in both elementary and middle grades will love this exciting class! Taught by award winning instructor, Fabiola Hansen, this class will appeal to any child who loves art! Offering both basic and complex projects, which will never repeat,this is not your typical art class! Students will learn to combine cultural diversity, and art history, and add his or her own unique creativity to the projects as well! Children will be introduced to basic skills and a mix of media. Typical projects and materials will include sketching in pencil and charcoal, chalk and oil pastel work, watercolor painting, and clay exploration. Every week is a different adventure! Spark! was voted #1 Art Program In Orlando Nickelodeon’s Parents Choice award for this class!
10:00AM - 11:00AM - Chemistry (Taught by Denise Archilla)
Join us for 6 weeks of Chemistry fun! Experiments include making Elephant Toothpaste, Slime, GAK, and the classic Volcano, of course. We’ll even get to “play” with food to demonstrate not only chemical changes but states of matter as well. It’s going to be a BLAST!)
11:00AM - 12:00PM
INSTITUTE for EXCELLENCE in WRITING (Grades 3-5) (Taught by Denise Archilla)
Elementary students will learn to love writing and learn all of the basics needed to progress academically. Taught by a certified IEW instructor, students will get a comprehensive and challenging writing program.
INSTITUTE for EXCELLENCE in WRITING (Grades K-2) (Taught by Karen Shaddeau)
Early elementary students will be immersed in the arts of language through this course based on the new Primary Arts of Language curriculum by Institute for Excellence in Writing. This course will follow IEW’s prescription by providing a language-rich environment where students will be exposed to an abundance of literary works and will be encouraged to model good writing through copy work exercises. Students will practice story summaries, learn essential spelling rules, and begin learning parts of speech and stylistic techniques for writing. The aim of the course is to lay a firm foundation in language arts for students to build upon.
12:00PM - 12:30PM - Supervised Lunch
12:30PM - 1:30PM - Hands-On History: American Explorers (Taught by Lisa Narva)
Each week we will look at a different Explorer. We will talk about the era the explorer lived in, and how their exploration impacted the world. Each week the students will create a collage on the topics covered in class.
Thursdays:
Limit 6 kids per class
10:00AM - 1:00PM - Montessori (Ages 6-9) - This enrichment program is perfect for the child who learns well in a hands-on environment. As in true Montessori manner, the class size will be kept small. We will explore Math, Language, Geography, Science, Art, Music, and Practical Life. The curriculum will be progressive and it is advised that your child attend both sessions each week. Students will be allowed to progress at their own rate within each subject area and also be encouraged to explore areas of interest beyond the classroom.
10:00AM -1:00PM Preschool Montessori (Ages 3-5) - This Montessori based preschool program for ages 3-5 will include a variety of hands on activities to enhance and inspire your child’s educational exploration. Primary areas of concentration will include math, language arts and practical life. Studies show that the earlier children are introduced to math, the easier it is for them to understand and connect math concepts and facts. Children use concrete materials – such as blocks, beads, and tiles – as they learn. Language Arts includes learning the letter sounds before learning their names, as phonetics is used as a foundation for reading. Basic skills such as handwriting, cutting, sorting, pouring, pin-pushing, geometrical solid recognition and more are also introduced and practiced with an emphasis on promoting self confidence and independence. Children are allowed and encouraged to move around and work at their own pace whether individually or in groups. As Maria Montessori said, “The hand is the chief teacher of the child.”
