Real-World Skills
We have designed this program specifically to meet the 'unmet needs' of our students under ONE umbrella program. Emphasis is on honing resume-worthy skills that require out-of-the-box thinking. We have planned impactful, meaningful, interactive, and collaborative units vital for success in today's world. Every year, the RW project offerings differ a little, and we have included only a mere sampling of past projects below. Prepare to be surprised each year!
Lesson complexity and depth are kept age-appropriate.
Real-world projects accomplished by our students in recent years:
http://mylearningfun.com/real-world-skills-2018-19.html
http://mylearningfun.com/real-world-skills-2019-20.html
Current Events
A real challenge. Students are quick to present current events, reciting the "news" without actually understanding it as they lack the background knowledge, thus making it meaningless to them.
Solution?
Let the students lead, select, and teach. We encourage our students to select 1-2 topics, and then we follow the same issue for a few weeks to deepen their understanding of the topic. For example, this past year covered the current events about Elections and Presidents, and we were well equipped to teach us about the pros and cons of electoral votes by week 4!
There is no better way for students to understand their global community and cultures around the world than to study current events. The current events can both ground and remind students of the world that exists beyond their communities. Students can stay informed about world news and social problems while gaining a chance to build important life skills. For example, the current events discussion helped students understand the complexity of the ongoing pandemic and its connection to history and current events. Researching and studying current events also teaches our students to recognize the difference between true and false stories. To ensure credible sources and expand students’ skills in media analysis, students are encouraged to find news stories from various levels of media—local, national, and international—and from different types of media—print, web, and broadcast. Students learn how to evaluate news sources for credibility and bias. This is invaluable as “fake news” has grown over the years.
Legal Analysis
Understand how the American legal system operates.
Spanish
Learn enough Spanish vocabulary and language structure to be able to communicate with Spanish speakers around the world. In this class, we will not analyze the grammatical rules or nuances of the written language. Instead, we will focus on everyday conversations to simulate the real-world scenarios closely. We will act out hypothetical scenarios such as ordering elote in Ciudad, Mexico, or asking for directions to Museo del Prado in Madrid. This will encourage the students to practice their vocabulary and enunciation in practical situations.
As the class progresses, we will dive deeper into Spanish media and culture by watching scenes from simple Spanish movies (such as El Principito) while students try to ascertain the plot and content of the conversations.
Fun fact: Learning Fun School originally started out as a Foreign Languages school in the early 2000s, where we offered Hindi, Spanish, French, German, and Arabic classes 7 days a week to about 100 children and adults in small groups of 4. Each class incorporated cultural elements, too. The local traditions and festivals were celebrated with much enthusiasm! This is how our 3 children got a very early exposure to Spanish and German, which has continued to serve them till today. I teach Hindi to a select few, and I love it! Perhaps, I will bring this program back full force one day!
Financial Literacy
Service project
Learn about fundraising, logistical planning, leadership, and financial considerations
Research a cause, develop a proposal, and work together to build a plan of action to complete a service project (including considerations about contributing something that can 'keep giving back' even after their project is complete)
Science-Fair project
Published Author
http://mylearningfun.com/real-world-skills-2019-20.html
Lesson complexity and depth are kept age-appropriate.
Real-world projects accomplished by our students in recent years:
http://mylearningfun.com/real-world-skills-2018-19.html
http://mylearningfun.com/real-world-skills-2019-20.html
Current Events
A real challenge. Students are quick to present current events, reciting the "news" without actually understanding it as they lack the background knowledge, thus making it meaningless to them.
Solution?
Let the students lead, select, and teach. We encourage our students to select 1-2 topics, and then we follow the same issue for a few weeks to deepen their understanding of the topic. For example, this past year covered the current events about Elections and Presidents, and we were well equipped to teach us about the pros and cons of electoral votes by week 4!
There is no better way for students to understand their global community and cultures around the world than to study current events. The current events can both ground and remind students of the world that exists beyond their communities. Students can stay informed about world news and social problems while gaining a chance to build important life skills. For example, the current events discussion helped students understand the complexity of the ongoing pandemic and its connection to history and current events. Researching and studying current events also teaches our students to recognize the difference between true and false stories. To ensure credible sources and expand students’ skills in media analysis, students are encouraged to find news stories from various levels of media—local, national, and international—and from different types of media—print, web, and broadcast. Students learn how to evaluate news sources for credibility and bias. This is invaluable as “fake news” has grown over the years.
Legal Analysis
Understand how the American legal system operates.
- Why do we use an adversarial system? What are the pros and cons of using this philosophy?
- What is the difference between a civil and a criminal case?
- How does evidence work in the system by examining the role of witness testimony in trials?
- The rules that govern the case
- The allegations are being made from one party to another, and
- The facts that are significant to the particular case.
Spanish
Learn enough Spanish vocabulary and language structure to be able to communicate with Spanish speakers around the world. In this class, we will not analyze the grammatical rules or nuances of the written language. Instead, we will focus on everyday conversations to simulate the real-world scenarios closely. We will act out hypothetical scenarios such as ordering elote in Ciudad, Mexico, or asking for directions to Museo del Prado in Madrid. This will encourage the students to practice their vocabulary and enunciation in practical situations.
As the class progresses, we will dive deeper into Spanish media and culture by watching scenes from simple Spanish movies (such as El Principito) while students try to ascertain the plot and content of the conversations.
Fun fact: Learning Fun School originally started out as a Foreign Languages school in the early 2000s, where we offered Hindi, Spanish, French, German, and Arabic classes 7 days a week to about 100 children and adults in small groups of 4. Each class incorporated cultural elements, too. The local traditions and festivals were celebrated with much enthusiasm! This is how our 3 children got a very early exposure to Spanish and German, which has continued to serve them till today. I teach Hindi to a select few, and I love it! Perhaps, I will bring this program back full force one day!
Financial Literacy
- Build a foundation of financial understanding
- Brainstorm ideas for hands-on learning opportunities, and then use your finance skills
- Learn how to be an entrepreneur and a leader
- Saving goals
- Budget smart
- Kick-start your own business
- Profits with a purpose
Service project
Learn about fundraising, logistical planning, leadership, and financial considerations
Research a cause, develop a proposal, and work together to build a plan of action to complete a service project (including considerations about contributing something that can 'keep giving back' even after their project is complete)
Science-Fair project
- Follow the scientific experimental design (ED) format correctly
- Design, implement, and make a poster about a successful science fair project that meets and exceeds guidelines from school science fair rubrics
- Utilize the ED format for future science-fair projects to enter competitions
Published Author
- Write, illustrate, edit, format, and publish an original book, which will be available on Amazon.
http://mylearningfun.com/real-world-skills-2019-20.html
Program offered to Grades: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Program Fee: Please contact us for details
Program Fee: Please contact us for details