Wide array of classes available for El Dorado Springs summer school

Summer school, once viewed by students as the domain of doom, is now the hot choice.

Last year, 38 percent of all Missouri public school students attended summer school, according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The El Dorado Springs R-11 school district is currently assembling its summer learning curriculum from a catalogue of more than 180 courses that cover everything from teaching math by showing middle school students how to build bridges to helping elementary school students sharpen their reading skills by encouraging them to participate in theatrical presentations.

The district has selected Newton Learning, a private provider of summer learning programs, to conduct its 2006 summer school. Newton managed the district's summer school curriculum last year, in addition to administering similar programs at 87 other Missouri public school districts.

During 2005, 462 El Dorado Springs R-11 students attended Newton's summer school program and posted a 33.9 percent increase in mathematics and a 42.5 percent improvement in their language arts skills.

"To teach, one has to get the students to think. We do that by developing lesson plans that capture their interest. We have a team of skilled educators who work year-round developing summer school courses that focus on getting kids to think," said Larrie Reynolds, Newton president.

This summer, the El Dorado Springs school district will offer classes for students in kindergarten through ninth grade.

The kindergarten classes will be offered to students who will begin school next fall. The course will use one classroom and one teacher for the entire day. In the morning, students participate in a theme-based curriculum, and during the afternoon, students will be involved in just-for-fun activities designed for children new to school.

An Early Learner program will be available for youngsters who will be entering the first grade in the fall. The language arts program will instruct students in elementary reading and writing, and they will be shown how to think like mathematicians and scientists.

Every day, they will engage in problem-solving activities designed to encourage inquiry-based thinking.

For students in grades two through nine, the summer school curriculum will include reading, language arts and math classes, as well as either science or social studies courses.

The following examples are among the many class choices.

In "Kids are Stars," a reading class for children entering second and third grade, students will strengthen their comprehension through a variety of fun, mystery theatre lessons. As they solve the "whodunit," they will use their reasoning ability to gain confidence in their reading skills.

In the "Body Basics" class, students entering the fifth grade will learn why antacids work and why the eyeball is round. Students will participate in an action-filled adventure through the human body, and with each twist in the plot, they will investigate various systems of the body.

Students about to enter grades six through nine may enroll in "Real-life Math," a class that focuses on solving actual day-to-day situations. Youngsters will apply math to building projects, money management, reading map scales and other real-life experiences.

The Newton program also provides a series of three electives to be offered every afternoon for students, grades one through eight. Like the required courses, a wide assortment of classes is available.

"Art by the Handful" for young learners is an active crafts course designed to improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Projects focus on the use of hands and fingers and include the creation of puppets, marionettes and clay eraser creatures. Activities include a variety of puppet performances, as well as clapping rhythms and songs.

With the Newton "Robotics" class, students get a hands-on introduction to engineering robotics and problems. Students, using the LEGO Mindstorms System and working in teams, learn the basics of building motorized robots and conclude with a series of challenges they must master with their new skills. Emphasis is placed on logical thinking, problem solving and teamwork.

The Film Camp provides students with an introduction to the principals of movie making. The class includes script writing, story boarding, camera techniques and film editing. Students use digital cameras, editing software, clay figures and their imaginations to bring their visions to life.