Cooking is not just a hobby - cooking skills are important and something every student can benefit from! Cooking requires basic knowledge in chemistry (how the application of heat changes items), biology (where food comes from), math (measuring and timing), and management (getting everything together in a timely fashion).

This class will immerse young chefs in a world of culinary creativity and discovery. Students will learn kitchen fundamentals (basic knife skills, measuring, mixing, following recipes, and kitchen safety) while being introduced to new foods from around the world. Each week we will explore a different country and learn about the culinary traditions, ingredients, techniques and culture that make it unique. We will work as a group to prepare ingredients, then watch a live cooking demonstration, and end the class with a sampling of food. At the end of the trimester, students will receive a packet of recipes that can be easily replicated at home.

We will be cooking up recipes from the countries below:

• Italy
• Morocco
• Pakistan
• China (Szechuan cuisine from the Sichuan province)
• Thailand
• Japan
• Spain (Catalonia)
• Jamaica

This introductory drama class focuses on developing actors into storytellers. During this 8-week series of progressive units, students will learn a set of working tools for building confidence, empathy, collaboration and connection with their audience. Topics will include comedy, improvisation, physical theatre, stage combat and puppetry work. Bring your creativity and enthusiasm – this class is sure to be high energy and fun!

Executive functions skills are key components to managing school work and learning. These “mental organizational processes” are used to plan and sequence ideas and activities and then to implement, monitor, and revise these activities as needed. This Study Skills class is based on the Thinking Organized curriculum, which introduces students to these important skills as tools to becoming a more confident learner. The class will cover the following practices:

• Organizing materials in a meaningful way
• Learning how to be in control of study time
• Discovering personal learning styles to enhance study habits
• Creating techniques for reading and studying 
• Using memorization tricks
• Note-taking for reading comprehension
• Building strategies for writing effectively

Each day, we will work on skills and drills designed to enable students to become efficient, self-motivated learners. Students will receive a Thinking Organized workbook containing chapters that focus on each of the topics listed above. The class provides students with the tools to practice executive functioning skills for more self-reliant learning and living.

Come discover the timeless game of chess! It is proven that chess enhances cognitive development in children, improves both verbal and mathematical skills, and increases all levels of academic performance. Playing chess stimulates the mind and helps children strengthen skills such as focusing, visualizing goals, abstract thinking, and forming concrete opinions. In this class, we will learn how to master openings, endgames, strategy, and tactics through standard and timed games and tournaments. Students will gain valuable skills such as logic, discipline, patience, strategy, and critical thinking – all while playing chess!

This club is all about LEGOS! We will build LEGO machines, complete LEGO challenges, and battle LEGOs cars.  The Lego Innovation Club utilizes LEGO Education kits; employing STEM curriculum and learning objectives that encourage engineering skills and creative approaches to problem solving. We look to engage in challenging and age-appropriate projects, learning about robotics and engineering.

Build the tallest spaghetti tower, design the strongest gumdrop bridge, and create an egg drop apparatus! These are just a few of the STEM challenges that Mr. Mulligan has planned for his after-school enrichment class. The class offers the curious student an opportunity to extend his exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on projects. Also, he will find great satisfaction in working cooperatively with others who have a similar interest in STEM.