Boys & Girls Clubs after school program - Spring 09

[jflis]

Well, I;m back at it. I haven't reported on my B&GC activites with the site being down and being so very busy.

We're in week 3 of a 7 week session. I have some new classes this session which helps keep it fresh for me as well as the kids

This session I have the following classes:

• Beginning rocketry - Flea and Triskelion
• Advanced rocketry - Nantucket Sound
• Ukranian egg decorating
• Origami
• Wired (how to wire a house for lights) (2 Courses in 2 diff schools)
• Rubber band powered cars
• Miniature golf (we design and build mini-golf courses and set them up for the rest ofthe group to use)
• Roller coaster design
• Survivor (we split up into tribes and I give them challenges each week. Math, history,geography, physical, etc)

I have my good kids and my problem kids, as is expected. They are having a ball and learinging simething at the same time. But it does keep me busy (both delivering the classes as well as preparing for them)

When I get back home (at NARCON now) I will post some pix from each class and show you what the kids are up to.

 

[jflis]

Just a quick update.

Beginning Rocketry was supposed to have a launch last week but we canceled due to weather.

Instead of the Triskelion, we're building the Avalear. The kids are nearly complete (just the parachute, launch lug and glue fillets left) so most of next weeks class will be lecture on stability and building tips.

Advanced rocketry has finished the nose cone and central tube assembly. They have yet to form the shroud or cut fins. Next week will be hectic for them and they will bring the rocket kit home with them after class to finish the rocket on their own as the next week is the last week and we will be launching them.

Ukranian egg class is going great though we've had about 7 broken eggs already... I keep telling the kids that they can't just set the egg down and ignore it... they roll...

Origami is going great and the kids love it. I have one who has been doing origami all his life and has been a big influence (and help) with the class

Wired (house wiring) in Litchfield is done and the kids got to bring them home. In Merrimack (2 week longer sessions) we're going to finish next week. I will use the last week to bring in REAL house wiring components to show them how they are different, yet the same

Rubber band cars is complete in Litchfield (great race at the end ) and we just completed the 5th of 7 weeks in Merrimack. This week we began adding the rubber band. Next we test the cars and tweek them for best performance. The last week we hold races!

Miniature Golf: Kids are having great fun. We have designed about 8 different golf holes and have built most of them for testing. We will select 4 for our final and on the last week we will build and do final test on all 4. Then, the last Friday of the session (parents night) we will set up a 4-hole golf course for everyone to play

Roller coaster design got canceled. We had a fairly low sign up and then two had to drop due to grades. That left the class too light and they shut it down We'll do this again next session I am sure

Survivor finished up in Litchfield. It was great and nearly every week we had a different tribe at first place. In the end (after over 400 points earned) only 3 points separated 1st and 2nd place tribes!

While I am finishing up the last 2 weeks of the Merrimack (7 week) session, I have begun the next Litchfield (5-week) session with Magic and Weird Science.

Going to be an interesting month... LOL

 

[ben_ullman]

How cool!!

Jim you really do so much for the community.

Ben

 

[jflis]

Thank you

Keeps me out of trouble LOL and I just love my kids

Heck, keeps THEM out of trouble too!

the trick is coming up with new and exciting things for them to do. I have some of these kids for 3 years straight, 4-5 sessions per year!

I had one group in rocketry where we did our own design from provided parts because they had built darn near everything in the catalog already LOL