Outcome Report

AKA Science Club

Winter, 2010

Elm Park Apartments

                                       

 

Beginning on February 19, 2010 an AKA Science (All Kids Are Scientists) class was offered to 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th grade children at the Elm Park Apartments in Forest Grove.  AKA Science was developed and supported by the Oregon Health Career Center.  The eight week curriculum was taught over a six week period by Youth Coordinator Amanda Schuft.  Before teaching the class, Schuft participated in a hands-on training at the OHCC offices in Wilsonville.

The curriculum for AKA Science is designed to keep the children interested in science as they grow older by demonstrating how interesting and fun science and observation can be.  Hands-on activities were fun and exciting for all the students. The activities and experiments encouraged the children to explore scientific concepts in a meaningful way. A.K.A. Science uses a curriculum consistent with national science standards and reinforces the Oregon science content standards and benchmarks. This format provided the students with in-depth comprehension as opposed to a wide array of topics that may be presented in their schools.

The winter class was the Physics of Light and Color.  The experiments taught the children about the color wheel, prisms, how light travels, the reflection and refraction of light, how their eyes work and interpret the world, magnification, optical illusions, and how to create moving pictures.  Each class had a theme and began with a question to help the students recall their relevant knowledge.  The classes then included multiple activities and experiments to help the students expand their understanding of the subject.  The classes ended with a reflection question about what they had learned that day.  

 

                              Classes were held every Friday in a vacant apartment at the Elm Park property.