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Afterschool Activities (February 2020)

KC Afterschool is more than just fun and homework!  Each week students rotate through different activities that are designed to continue their academic and personal development after the traditional school day is over.  These include STEAM, social-emotional growth, creativity, fitness, environmental studies and much more!

Each group will participate in the month’s Environmental Friday during their designated week.  Here are some highlights of this week’s activities:

Environmental Fridays

The Water Cycle!  Students will learn about how water changes from one state to another through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.  Students will follow a drip through the water cycle to discover the drip’s journey to different places as a puddle, mountain lake, or flowing stream and how long that journey might take.

Kindergarten

Kindness (Social Emotional) 2/5

Students will practice kindness towards one another by discussing different ways to be kind.  They will divide into groups and talk about ideas of kind acts to perform.  

Environmental Friday 2/7

Lava Lamp Experiment (STEAM) 2/11

Students will create their own lava lamps using common household ingredients.  They will talk about why oil floats and doesn’t mix with water and why tablets sink.  This is a fun experiment which allows children to explore, cultivate ideas, and make decisions based on scientific evidence.

Healthy Smoothies (Healthy, Happy, and Fit) 2/20

There are many different ways to stay healthy!  Students will learn that smoothies are one of many ways to obtain their daily nutrients in a delicious blend of vegetables and fruits.  Getting nutrients doesn’t have to be tasteless and boring!  Students will make healthy smoothies as a group.

Heart Wreath (Art) 2/26

February is the month of love! Students will make a wreath out of cut out hearts.  This activity helps students to improve their fine motor skills while simultaneously encouraging creativity.

1st Grade

Anger Catcher (Social Emotional) 2/3

In this activity students will learn about different ways to appropriately handle anger or frustration.  Using an origami fortune teller, they will list different emotions and talk about how they would handle being in that situation.  Learning how to manage one’s emotions at a young age will help improve emotional intelligence.

Kickball (Healthy, Happy, and Fit) 2/13

Students will have fun playing kickball while also learning how to work as a team.  Organized sports are a great way to learn about how a team is made up of different strengths and skills and how a team requires coordination and communication in order to achieve success.

Roll-a-Picasso (Art) 2/18

In this fun creative activity, students will learn about abstract art and create their own Picasso inspired artwork!

Environmental Friday 2/21

Let’s Grow Crystals! (STEAM) 2/27

Using a borax solution, students will learn how to create crystals.  Students will follow a recipe to make a crystal growing solution, then they will add pipe cleaners to the mixture to see how the crystals grow around their pipe cleaner shapes.  This is a fun activity to learn how atoms of the solution rejoin in crystal structures.

2nd-3rd Grades

Math Chat (STEAM) 2/5

Students will learn how to tackle challenging bath equations.  Students will work in teams to strategize how to approach more complex math problems.  This will also foster sharing ideas and connecting with classmates/friends.

V-Day Love (Art) 2/11

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, students will talk about love and kindness.  They will create mini valentines with heart felt messages.  This activity helps spread kindness while also reminding kids to show love and appreciation for others.

Sharing Circle (Social Emotional) 2/20

February is kindness month!  Students will continue their journey of kindness by saying nice things about their classmates, helping to build confidence and spread kindness.

Environmental Friday 2/21

Restoration Yoga (Healthy, Happy, and Fit) 2/26

Yoga is fun!  Students will listen to calming music while practicing simple yoga moves.  This activity will show one of many ways that we can release stress and clear our minds during the day.

4th-5th Grades

Pom Pom Catapults (STEAM) 2/3

Students will design, engineer, and build catapults made from craft items and rubber bands.  This exercise will take students through the planning, building, and testing process to make a working catapult!

Valentine’s Day Cards (Social Emotional) 2/11

Students will make Valentine’s Day cards using mixed media.  This activity will allow students to creatively express themselves and show appreciations towards others.

Basketball (Healthy, Happy, & Fit) 2/19

Students will learn the importance of sportsmanship and coordination as a team while playing a friendly game of basketball!  Team sports are not only great for fitness, but they help promote teamwork to work together towards a common goal.

Create Your Own Superhero! (Art) 2/27

Students will create their own super hero using mixed media (i.e. oil pastels, water colors),  When they are done creating their ideal super hero, they will practice public speaking and good listening skills by presenting to their classmates.

Environmental Friday 2/28

Afterschool Activities (January 2020)

KC Afterschool is more than just fun and homework!  Each week students rotate through different activities that are designed to continue their academic and personal development after the traditional school day is over.  These include STEAM, social-emotional growth, creativity, fitness, environmental studies and much more!

Each group will participate in the month’s Environmental Friday during their designated week.  Here are some highlights of this week’s activities:

Environmental Fridays

Fossil Fuels! This month students will learn about the process of obtaining fossil fuels, the environmental impact of using fossil fuels, and brainstorm solutions for reducing the use of fossil fuels.  Students will learn about coal, natural gas, renewable resources, and non-renewable resources.  They will learn about the benefits and disadvantages of using fossil fuels for energy, the process of strip mining, and what can we do to help the environment.

Kindergarten

Feelings Scale (Social Emotional) 1/8

Students will use arts and crafts to help identify their feelings.  This will help children recognize what emotions look like at an early age, help them to express themselves, and help create awareness of how their classmates may be feeling that day.

Monster Cups (STEAM) 1/13

Students will work in teams to make monsters from styrofoam cups, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and paper.  Fun group projects help children learn to work together to solve problems while staying engaged with a fun art project.

Sponge Painting (Art) 1/24

Students will have a sensory experience of creating artwork using paint filled sponges.  This new painting medium will help with hand eye coordination and colorful self-expression.

A Tisket, A Tasket Circle Game (Healthy, Happy, & Fit) 1/29

Physical activity promotes healthy growth and development.  The students will learn how to interact in a group while being active and creative.

Environmental Friday 1/10

1st Grade

Solar System (STEAM) 1/8

Students will learn about the solar system, the phases of the moon, and the vastness of space.

Winter Trees (Art) 1/16

Students will create beautiful winter scenes filled with winter trees and snow.  

Stress Balls (Social Emotional) 1/21

Students will learn how to defuse stressful situations by finding different ways to manage the stress in their lives.  We will make stress balls from balloons and flour.  Stress management tools can help students focus, self regulate, and provide a calming influence.

Happy Talk (Healthy, Happy, & Fit) 1/28

Students will learn about emotions and what causes them to develop.  Teaching students to understand their emotions will help them to grow and develop emotionally.

Environmental Friday 1/17

2nd-3rd Grades

Kick Ball (Healthy, Happy, & Fit) 1/8

Students will play kick ball and learn about teamwork while being physically active.

Wacky Baskets (Art) 1/13

Students will use glue and yarn to mold a basket around a cup.  When the glue dries, they will have created cute baskets out of regular household items.

Ooblec (STEAM) 1/21

Students will be working with cornstarch and water to create a substance that mimics the qualities of both solids and liquids. Students will learn about how the mix of cornstarch and water creates this reaction. Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid. Students will learn about the meaning of non-Newtonian fluids.

Team Work Activities (Social Emotional) 1/30

Students will learn how to communicate and work together to solve physically active problems as a group.  Students will participate in the trust walk, hula hoop pass, and other games to finish tasks as a team.  These activities will promote collaboration and foster a positive classroom environment.

Environmental Friday 1/24

4th-5th Grades

Magnetic Slime (STEAM) 1/8

Students will be making their own magnetic slime. Students will learn about magnetic force and its attraction to iron. Students will use magnets while playing with their slime to test how the slime will react to each side of the magnet.

Cup Telephones (STEAM) 1/13

Students will make phones using two cups and a string and then using it to communicate with each other.  This activity will help teach the students about how sound travels through wires.

Kick Ball (Healthy, Happy, & Fit) 1/21

Students will play kickball and learn how to work together in a team sport while staying physically active.  

Journal Prompt (Social Emotional) 1/28

Students will practice creativity and free writing with a prompt.  Afterwards they will share their entries with their classmates which will help them to gain confidence with public speaking.

Environmental Friday 1/31

Afterschool Activities (December 2019)

KC Afterschool is more than just fun and homework!  Each week students rotate through different activities that are designed to continue their academic and personal development after the traditional school day is over.  These include STEAM, social-emotional growth, creativity, fitness, environmental studies and much more!

Each group will participate in the month’s Environmental Friday during their designated week.  Here are some highlights of this week’s activities:

Environmental Fridays

Endangered Species is this month’s Environmental Friday topic.  Students will learn about what causes a species to become endangered, some of the local endangered species, and how we can prevent extinction.  Students will participate in a simulation to learn about the basic needs of a species and make inferences about what could occur in real life to cause a species to be denied their basic needs.  They will learn about some of the causes which might make a species endangered such as disease or pollution and what humans can do to help.

Kindergarten

Winter Snowflakes (STEAM) 12/4

Students will use their creativity and skills to create snowflakes using limited materials.  This project will help develop problem solving skills and creativity which will can be transferred to real life situations.

Rock Painting (Creativity) 12/10

Students will paint on small stones.  Activity leader will provide themes and examples to help students create their own special designs.

Holiday Art (Creativity) 12/17

Students will build a holiday tree and learn about the upcoming holiday season.

Environmental Friday 12/13

1st Grade

Create Your Own Snow (STEAM) 12/3

Students will learn how to make artificial snow using paper bowls, baking soda, spoons, and shaving cream.  This will be a fun science experiment to usher in the holiday season.

Fitness Facts (Healthy, Happy, and Fit) 12/11

Students will learn about the benefits of eating to fuel your body and the importance of exercise.  Students will learn that being active, eating healthy foods, drinking water, eating to satisfaction (vs. being stuffed), and listening to your body are all important parts to being fit.

Food Categories (Happy, Healthy, and Fit) 12/16

Students will learn about the food categories and sort different foods into vegetables, fruits, grains, and proteins.

Environmental Friday 12/13

2nd-3rd Grades

Ornament Decorating (Creativity) 12/3

Students will design and decorate plastic ornaments and hang them up on a paper tree.  This activity is a great three dimensional art project which embodies the holiday season. Kids will work on neatly painting and adding creative detail to their ornaments.  This project will allow kids to embrace their individuality while also collaborating to put them together as a whole.

Santa’s Sleigh (STEAM) 12/11

Students will learn about the importance of structural design.  Together with creativity, they will apply their design skills to building a new sleigh for Santa.

How I Feel Today (Social-Emotional Learning) 12/19

Students will practice recognizing and expressing their own emotional state while also supporting their friends’ emotions.  Each student will complete a worksheet depicting how they are feeling that day.  They will swap sheets with a friend and write a supportive response to their peer.  This activity allows students to reflect on their emotions, encourages self-expression, and encourages them to be thoughtful and empathetic towards their friends.

Environmental Friday 12/20

4th-5th Grades

Cursive Writing Practice (Creativity) 12/3

Students will practice their cursive writing by creating an artistic bag using their names.  This unique design will help students use their imaginations to create unique creature designs.

Pumpkin Spice Playdoh (Creativity) 12/10

Students will make pumpkin scented playdoh out of everyday kitchen ingredients.  This is a fun hands on activity that allows students to be creative.

Word Search Competition (STEAM) 12/18

Students will compete in a timed word search competition.  This activity helps to exercise the brain by challenging students to find words quickly while helping to build their vocabulary.

Environmental Friday 12/6

KC Afterschool Activities (November 25 – 27, 2019)

KC Afterschool is more than just fun and homework!  Each week students rotate through different activities that are designed to continue their academic and personal development after the traditional school day is over.  These include STEAM, social-emotional growth, creativity, fitness, environmental studies and much more!

Here are some highlights of this week’s activities:

Kindergarten

My Plate (Healthy, Happy and Fit)

Students will learn about the basic food groups and the components for building a healthy meal for themselves!  This will empower students to make healthy food choices for themselves.

1st-2nd Grades

Heart Puzzle (Social-Emotional Learning)

Students will write about the people and places which support them throughout their lives.  This exercise will help bring awareness about support and how to both give and receive it.

3rd-5th Grades

Balloon Cars (STEAM)

Students will make cars that move out of red Solo cups, straws, and balloons.  This activity will teach students about air velocity and propulsion.

Thankfulness Cards (Social-Emotional Learning)

Students will write about their classmates and why they are thankful for them.  In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this exercise will help students to appreciate their classmates and the great positive influences they have in their lives.

KC Afterschool Activities (November 18 – 22, 2019)

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KC Afterschool is more than just fun and homework!  Each week students rotate through different activities that are designed to continue their academic and personal development after the traditional school day is over.  These include STEAM, social-emotional growth, creativity, fitness, environmental studies and much more!

Here are some highlights of this week’s activities:

Kindergarten

Self Appreciation (Social-Emotional Learning)

This exercise will focus on self appreciation and help students to identify the best qualities about themselves.  They will cut out flowers and write a positive trait on each petal to share with their classmates.

Tissue Paper Flowers (Creativity)

Students will create beautiful tissue paper flowers.  This activity will help to develop fine motor skills and promote creativity and innovation in young minds.  

1st-2nd Grades

Build a Bridge (STEAM)

Students will build a bridge out of straws and marshmallows!  Working in teams, students will compete to  design and build the tallest architecturally sound bridge.  This activity uses engineering skills while focusing on team building and the spirit of competition.

Thankful Rock Painting (Social-Emotional Learning)

Students will decorate rocks with a word which describes a reason they’d like to give thanks.  This activity both encourages creativity and teaches the importance of being grateful. 

3rd-5th Grades

Self Portraits (Social-Emotional Learning)

Students will gain insight about themselves and others by analyzing self portraits.  They will get the opportunity to express themselves through art and writing while learning more about their friends.

Pumpkin Pie Playdough (Creativity)

Students will combine regular household items to make pumpkin pie scented playdough.  This fun activity ushers in the Thanksgiving holiday and expands young minds by showing them what can be created from common everyday goods.

KC Afterschool Activities (November 12 – 15, 2019)

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KC Afterschool is more than just fun and homework!  Each week students rotate through different activities that are designed to continue their academic and personal development after the traditional school day is over.  These include STEAM, social-emotional growth, creativity, fitness, environmental studies and much more!

Here are some highlights of this week’s activities:

Kindergarten

Importance of Hand Washing (Happy, Healthy, and Fit)

Students will learn the importance of proper hand washing and learn about bacteria.  They will learn about how germs can enter their system by wiping their eyes, noses, mouths, etc. and how to help prevent this.

Response Activity (Social-Emotional Learning)

How do our reactions impact others?  Students will distinguish between acceptable and non acceptable behaviors and about how their actions affect others both at school and in their personal lives.  Students will problem solve proper behavioral responses.

Environmental Friday

This month’s Environmental Friday focus is self-sustainability and understanding why we grow gardens.  Students will participate in age appropriate activities to understand how gardening impacts health, community, the environment, nature, the economy, and personal development.

1st-2nd Grades

Thanksgiving Turkeys (Creativity)

Students will build paper bag turkey puppets to help celebrate the holidays!  They will have fun being creative with bags and fall colored construction paper.

True Friend Turtle (Social-Emotional Learning)

What is a true friend?  Students will learn what they can do to be the best friend they can be.  They will complete a drawing of a turtle and write the traits visible to true friends.  This activity will help kids to reflect on what friendship means to them and think about the best ways to treat each other.

3rd-5th Grades

Kickball (Health, Happy, and Fit)

Students will learn how to play kickball and how to work together as a team.  This activity also helps to reinforce how important it is to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine.

Leaf Pattern Project (Creativity)

Students will combine watercolor and oil pastels to create abstract artwork.  Working with different media promotes out of the box thinking and more creative abstract art.

KC Afterschool Activities (November 4 – 8, 2019)

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KC Afterschool is more than just fun and homework!  Each week students rotate through different activities that are designed to continue their academic and personal development after the traditional school day is over.  These include STEAM, social-emotional growth, creativity, fitness, environmental studies and much more!

Here are some highlights of this week’s activities:

Kindergarten

Decorating Diyas (Creativity)

Kids will learn about Diwali, the Festival of Lights, by coloring and decorating clay diyas.

Moon Phases (STEAM)

Students will learn about the different phases of the moon and how that relates to the positioning of the Earth, moon, and sun.

1st-2nd Grades

Obstacle Course (Healthy, Happy, and Fit)

Students will participate in an outside obstacle course!  They will learn how to work in teams to overcome challenges while having fun being fit!

Slime (Creativity)

Students will learn how to make their own unique slime.  While slime making is fun, it also teaches how to create new substances by combining ingredients.

3rd-5th Grades

Water Cycle (STEAM)

Students will learn about the water cycle by simulating rainfall and learning about how water evaporates from the surface of the earth, rises into the atmosphere, cools and condenses and falls to the surface, and then starts again.  The cycling of water in and out of our atmosphere is an important weather pattern to understand.

Rock, Paper, Scissors (Happy, Healthy, and Fit)

This activity will have students combine their motor skills, coordination, and thinking acumen to move through circles while competing in rock, paper, scissors to progress in the game.  This shows students that fitness can be both challenging and fun!

Spotlight: Parth Gupta (5th Grade) – Creative Writer

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Spotlight: Parth Gupta (5th Grade) – Creative Writer

Parth Gupta is a Kids Connection 5th grader who has a passion for writing and critical thinking.  He combines his creativity and research skills to bring awareness to today’s environmental challenges through his blog series, “The World Around Us.” 

Parth started blogging in December, 2015 after a family trip to Pearl Harbor where he was deeply moved while visiting the USS Arizona Memorial.  He expressed interest in writing about his experience and soon after, he started to blog about traveling, his interests, and personal opinions. 

As an avid supporter of nature, wildlife, and rainforests,  Parth was motivated to create awareness about the Amazon fires at the young age of 10.  And he doesn’t intend to stop there!  He enjoys documentaries, reading, and researching, as well as writing about topics that are close to his heart.  He is planning future articles on saving the planet, environment, wildlife, sustainable farming, and more.  Parth not only writes about these topics, but he and his friends also actively participate in fundraising to donate to the Rainforest Alliance.

Parth’s family helps to refine his writing and encourages him to pursue his talent.  He also enjoys writing and illustrating books for his younger brother, Vivan.  He reads daily, regularly visits the library, and keeps his critical thinking and creative writing skills sharp by maintaining his blog. 

He credits the strong academic program at Kids Connection, the Creative Writing enrichment classes, and the continued support and guidance he has received from all of his teachers throughout the years as key to developing a strong platform and foundation in which to critically and creatively express his views.  Appreciation and motivation from family, friends, and teachers inspires him to go the extra mile.

On his way to his third article, Parth has already explored the Amazon Rainforest Fires and Africa’s Great Green Wall.  We look forward to more articles from Parth!

» Visit Parth Gupta’s Blog

* Parth Gupta’s Blog represents the opinion of Parth Gupta and does not represent the views of Kids Connection.

KC Afterschool Activities (October 28 – November 1, 2019)

KC Afterschool is more than just fun and homework!  Each week students rotate through different activities that are designed to continue their academic and personal development after the traditional school day is over.  These include STEAM, social-emotional growth, creativity, fitness, environmental studies and much more!

Here are some highlights of this week’s activities:

Kindergarten

Pumpkin Building (Creativity)

It’s Halloween!  Students will build pumpkins using different objects for some holiday fun!

Exercise Stations (Fun, Fit, and Happy)

Students will learn about and participate in a variety of exercises in a circuit style workout.  Working on different muscle groups is important for overall health.

1st-2nd Grades

Hollywood Slime (Creativity)

Students will learn how to make their own unique Halloween themed slime.  While slime making is fun, it also teaches how to create new substances by combining ingredients.

Kindness (Social-Emotional Learning)

This activity will help teach students how to understand their own emotions and how their actions impact others.  These skills are important for interacting with family, friends, and others!

3rd-5th Grades

Exercise Stations (Fun, Fit, and Happy)

Students will learn about and participate in a variety of exercises in a circuit style workout.  Working on different muscle groups is important for overall health.

To the Rescue: Helping Others (Social Emotional Learning)

Students will learn how to practice empathy towards others in everyday situations.  Assessing different school situations and understanding how they could help friends will develop personal social skills.

KC Afterschool Activities (October 21 – 25, 2019)

KC Afterschool is more than just fun and homework!  Each week students rotate through different activities that are designed to continue their academic and personal development after the traditional school day is over.  These include STEAM, social-emotional growth, creativity, fitness, environmental studies and much more!

Here are some highlights of this week’s activities:

Kindergarten

Colorful Emotions (Social Emotional Learning)

This activity will help students identify facial expressions and how they can signify different emotions.  Students will use worksheets based on colors to express themselves and learn how to recognize how others are feeling.

The Solar System (STEAM)

Students will learn about the different planets in our solar system, where the planets are located, and some special identifiers of each.  They will fill out and color a mini solar system diagram to learn more about space!

1st-2nd Grades

Perler Beads (Creativity)

Students will explore their creativity while enhancing fine motor skills as they create their own perler bead masterpieces!

Environmental Friday

3rd-5th Grades

My Plate (Healthy, Happy and Fit)

Students will learn about the basic food groups and the components for building a healthy meal for themselves!  This will empower students to make healthy food choices for themselves.

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