Kitoodle Creators

Hello Arcadia Recreation Center Families,

We had an amazing first session of workshops! We really enjoyed getting to know all of your children and are truly excited to be a part of their educational foundation of learning.

At Kitoodle Creators, we typically take two classes to finish one project/workshop. This gives students the time to think about, plan and refine their projects. In some cases we do the project twice, with an added extension in the second class. This repetition provides Makers with more confidence and allows them to consider improvements to their approach. We will be sending out summary emails after each workshop (every other week), but since this was our first class we wanted to give you a peek at the work in progress!

STEAM Makers

The Biophilia Effect

Creating a Moss Wall

Our vocab word for this workshop was biophilia. We first discussed instances in which the children might feel a bit nervous or apprehensive, and what can make them feel more calm and comfortable. Then we watched a Kitoodle Creators video that taught about biophilia and plantscapes. To get an idea of the content of our educational videos, click here: https://youtu.be/yul6yQtHnUg

The Biophilia effect is a positive effect caused by a person being in the presence of nature or natural elements. Indoor plants have been shown to reduce stress and have positive impacts on one's well-being. Thus we brought nature inside with our preserved moss canvases. We also learned interesting facts about moss such as that it is is the oldest living plant on earth, and that they are grow rhyzoids, which are rootlike structures.

The Makers took time to plan out the design for their project. They evaluated different types of textures and colors available and began to assemble their pieces. Next week we will complete the projects. After class, Makers had an increased sensitivity to elements of nature like flowers in their surrounding environment.

Food Makers

Feel the Churn: Exploring Curdling, Churning &

Separating by Creating Butter

In our Food Maker Workshop, our Creators learned about the process of butter making! They learned the science behind churning and how it facilities the process of butter being made. As creators embarked on this new journey, they learned that the procedure of butter making involves churning the heavy cream to encourage curdling. Once the transition from liquid to solid (butter) took place, the children became very excited. You could actually feel and hear the contents inside the containers changing form as the butter curdled. We think they would all agree, the best part of this workshop was taste tasting the finished project!

Next week we will repeat the process with an extension of adding flavors! We can't wait to see what delicious flavors these Makers create for their butter!

Vocab words:

Churn - to stir or shake vigorously

Curdle - to form solid clumps; to solidify or thicken

We are all about building a creative community. Therefore, would love to invite you to join our Instagram or Facebook so we can share photos of the wonderful learning and creations happening in this classroom! It also makes it fun for you to share with your friends and family. Please click on the icons below to go to our social media platforms.

FRIENDS

We still have space in our classes if you have any friends you want to invite to join! So let your Arcadia friends know if they are looking for fun, hands-on learning experiences for their preschool age child.