Summer RE
When regular RE classes end for the year, UUC begins a Summer RE program. Summer RE is a series of fun, single-topic classes for ages PreK through 5th grade. PreK children are invited to join class or play with others in the Nursery. Middle School youth may join their parents in the Sanctuary, or come help teachers in the RE class.
Below is the schedule of classes for Summer 2011:
June 26: Spiders
Taught by Amy Pruden-Bagchi and assisted by Jane Aronson. The mere mention of the word can send chills down the spine. Yet, did you know that there are over 30,000 known species of spiders and only three are actually poisonous to humans? Spiders are a natural part of the ecosystem and provide many benefits to humans, such as pest control. Your kids can take this opportunity to get to know these fellow earthly inhabitants a bit better and experience for themselves the power that knowledge and understanding brings over fear and loathing. They'll also participate in a spider hunt with a chance to win prizes for correct spider identification! Creepy crawlies beware! We're going on a spider hunt!
July 3: No class
There will be no class this Sunday, July 3, due to the holiday weekend.
July 10: Evolution of the Perfect Recipe
Taught by Rob Fentress and assisted by Rachel Craine. Our genes can be viewed as the recipe that makes us what we are, and the amazing part is that this recipe was written without anybody planning it out ahead of time. In this week's lesson we'll explore how natural selection can write a recipe for something just as incredible (and far more tasty): cupcakes! Starting with a recipe for bread we'll show how by simply making copying errors we can wind up with the recipe for the perfect cupcake. The lesson will wrap up with the children decorating their own cupcakes.
July 17: Story Creation
Taught by Anna LoMascolo and assisted by Beth Lyman. Story Creation is a fun, engaging, interactive, and collaborative experience for kids. The instructor will come prepared with a story theme -- something drawn from our UU Principles -- and then together we will create the main characters and develop a story that takes them on an adventure and holds a valuable lesson. Once our story is complete, we will illustrate it together and, if time allows, perhaps even perform some skits from our wonderful community inspired and created adventure!!!
July 24: Windsocks
Taught by Carol Kern and assisted by Tammi Decatur. Learn how to make and fly a windsock, a perfect summer craft!
July 31: Be a Friend
Taught by Diana Zaldivar and assisted by Courtney Sundell. Both Diana and Courtney are match support specialists for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. They will explain the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, the Mentoring Children of Prisoners program, and will stress the importance of friendship and compassion toward others. The class will do role-plays of a "match meeting," and will potentially match some "Bigs" and "Littles" within the R.E. summer program. They will talk about recruiting volunteers, and use puppets to act out friendship skills. Finally, they will discuss family, mentoring, and community service, with a goal of increasing bonds of friendship within the group.
August 7: Boat Making
Taught by Angela Parrish and assisted by Todd Holland. Summertime often evokes images of blue water, waves, and open ocean as folks head to the beaches. This is also a great time of year to explore the engaging topic of boats and see how they work. We'll learn about ideas for making our own boats to sail using recycled materials. And the kids should be prepared to get a little wet as we race our boats, just for the fun of it!
August 14: Yoga
Taught by Felicia Etzkorn and assisted by Beth Lyman. Yoga links breath and movement to calm the mind. Children can have fun experiencing the benefits of yoga as they mimic lions, cobras, monkeys, and triangles!
August 21: Relationships, Art Cut and Paste
Taught by Bonnie Moreno and assisted by Carl Cirillo. There is a UU Principle concerning the interdependent relationship among all things. This class will illustrate how simple forms tell stories in their relationship from one form to another. Using Matisse as inspiration, the teacher will show how a study of, for example, the oval shapes that make up the leg can be made into a person standing, sitting, running, or jumping, and how the parts can be moved around on a sheet of paper to easily begin to tell a story. This class is appropriate for all ages and developmental levels, but it will be helpful if small children are able to handle scissors and glue sticks.
August 28: Animal Care
Taught by Claire Moran, and assisted by Beth Lyman and Joe the Dog. Animals enrich our lives, from dogs, cats and other pets, to farm animals and wildlife. Claire works as a technician in a veterinary clinic, and has worked and volunteered with animals in several different ways. We'll talk about animal care, animal careers, and how you can help. A visit from a friendly dog will allow us to review safety information about dogs, and learn something about positive training methods for all pets. Bring along a photo of a favorite animal to share!
September 4: No class
There will be no class this Sunday, September 4, due to the holiday weekend.