Summer Learning Program in Placentia Stresses Creativity
PLACENTIA — Derrick Tan waved a white plastic straw over pieces of cereal and sawdust, watching closely to see if any of the items moved.
It wasn’t a magic trick, but Tan’s expression revealed a touch of wonderment.
“Hey, it worked,” Tan said, as bits of cereal clung to the straw.
The straw-waving exercise, which demonstrated the power of static electricity, was one of several conducted by students participating in a summer enrichment program at Golden Elementary School.
Sponsored by the Foundation for Creative Minds, the program offers weeklong classes combining academic subjects with art and projects.
To teach the lesson on static electricity, for instance, instructor Madeline Johnson had students quickly rub plastic straws with pieces of nylon, then wave the straws over a variety of items to see which ones were attracted to the straw.
Leslye Prum, director of the Foundation for Creative Minds, started the enrichment program five years ago to give her son something to do during summer vacation.
All of the courses emphasize creativity and use a hands-on approach, Prum said.
“The main thing we’re trying to accomplish is to bring enrichment to children, to have them so turned on to learning that they can hardly wait to come back here,” Prum said.
Anne Aherne Daly has discovered an essential tool in teaching fractions and other math concepts to young students: food.
“When we use measuring cups and spoons to teach fractions, students are more likely to remember them,” Daly said. “It’s something they see at home, that is applicable to their lives.”
Daly, who teaches first grade at St. Columban’s School in Garden Grove during the school year, used a variety of food projects to teach children in the enrichment program about fractions, estimating and graphing.
Handfuls of colored jelly beans were used to teach estimating and graphing, with students predicting how many of each color were in their pile, then charting the actual numbers. Students used fractions both to measure ingredients to make pizza and to divide the pizza into even portions.
“This is a fun way to learn math,” said 8-year old Shannon Brammer. “Plus, I’m just starting to make my own lunch so that’s why I wanted to come here.”
Space is available for the last summer enrichment program session beginning Monday, offered at both Golden and Laguna Road Elementary School in Fullerton. Classes are held from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The fee is $80. For more information call the Foundation for Creative Minds, (714) 738-1296.
