It’s time for UAF’s 365 Smart Academy (science, math, art, recreation, technology) Fall classes, intended to supplement academic curriculum for homeschoolers in grades K-12 and for any other students who are interested in enrolling.
These courses include YouTube videos, Zoom class meetings, and kits of materials for hands-on activities at home. The Fall semester offers 14 sessions, beginning the first week of October. Register now at http://fall365.alaska.edu/
The classes cover a range of activities and learning for every student.
Students in grades K-2 can sign up for STEM courses like Cool Kids Exploring Outer Space. They’ll learn why astronauts are lighter on the moon and what life might be like if humans built cities on Mars. The class includes weekly hands-on experiments and Zoom sessions where kids can share their learning with the instructor and each other.
Students in grades 3-6 can sign up for Hot and Cold Science. Why does a cup of hot coca get cold the longer you leave it out? That question will lead to a lot of learning about energy. This age group can also sign up for Junior Engineers: Building the World. They’ll learn the principles of design and build tall towers and strong bridges out of paper.
Older students in grades 6-12 might be interested in Parallel Worlds in Geometry, where they’ll learn how to use geometry to build projects out of balsa wood.
In Squirt Fun: Fluid Dynamics, students in grades 6-12 will build a robotic arm that can be entered in national engineering competitions or the Arctic Innovation Challenge. They can also think outside the box — maybe make an animatronic spider to scare trick-or-treaters.
The list of classes is long and varied: comics, drawing and portraiture, baking, playing with shapes, Minecraft Adventure: Build and Survive, and many more. For a full list of classes and registration information, go to fall365.alaska.edu. If you are not affiliated with a homeschool program, just register as “unaffiliated,” or call 907-474-7021 for more information.
365 Smart Academy also offers Face2Face classes this year, and they are held in-person for students in grades K-9. This is open to all area students during the school year.
Classes include everything from printmaking to life skills like babysitter training. Physical education classes include aerial silks, juggling, rock climbing and learning basic rifle safety.
The classes are indoors, so everything is hands-on. Learn basic rifle safety and marksmanship from UAF’s rifle coach. Learn basic rock climbing skills and techniques by top-rope climbing and bouldering indoors. Climbing instructor Christian Mogensen said “campers will also learn important life skills, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, trust and confidence through climbing.”
At the Junior Scientist Laboratory, students in grades 7-8 will practice thinking like a scientist by observing nature, questioning and developing hypotheses and testing them.
Reach columnist/community editor Kris Capps at kcapps@newsminer.com. Follow her at Twitter.com/FDNMKris.
