Summer at the Center 2001

Release Date: 5/9/2001. Expired: 8/3/2001

Those lazy days of summer are upon us. Families are busy planning vacations, picnics and reunions while the kids are anxiously awaiting that glorious day when all the swimming pools open. Why not add to the summer calendar a week-long class of Music Fun, visual art classes, Basic Web Design, acting classes and television production, or keep the old brain cells on their toes with workshops in Thinking Skills, Reading Comprehension, Study Skills and Upper Elementary Math. That’s exactly what Summer at The Renaissance Center is offering children who will be in grades 1-12 for the 2001-02 school year.

Summer at The Renaissance Center is seven weeks of fun and educational opportunities for children in grades 1-12. Each week features at least one two-hour class in the morning and afternoon representing the various departments and talents of the center. Classes are divided into age groups by grades for the 2001-02 school year and there is a limited enrollment on a first-come-first-served basis. Each class is two hours per day for five days and tuition is $50. Registration begins Monday, May 14.

Grades 1-3 can enjoy a “Mixed Media” class presented 10 a.m. – noon June 11-15. This introductory art workshop will utilize a variety of methods and media. Sessions will focus on different mediums, giving the students experience in drawing, painting, pottery, airbrush and more. June 25-29, this same age group can join the Learning Lab staff from 10 a.m. – noon for a “Thinking Skills” workshop. This session includes activities involving four major thinking skills; brainstorming, visual thinking, logical thinking and evaluation. Each day the students will make memory joggers, solve problems or create stories using these skills. The week of July 30-Aug. 3 will be a week of “Music Fun” as these youngsters will be involved in activities that will include singing games, playing instruments, basic movement and active listening lessons.

Students in grades 4-6 will really “Get Animated” 2-4 p.m. June 11-15. This summer animation workshop will focus on an in-depth introduction to the real world of computer animation. Participants will concentrate on building solid foundational animation skills through a mini Boot Camp program as they are introduced to a wide variety of animation techniques and software. They will learn the inner workings of a professional animation lab as they participate in hands-on assignments. Portions of their work will be applied toward actual professional animation projects undertaken by The Renaissance Center.

The 4-6 graders will enjoy the visual arts class from 2-4 p.m. June 18-22. From 10 a.m. – noon, they will participate in a week-long workshop creating a television show and being the stars in “Smile, You’re on Television.” The Multimedia team is giving kids a chance to produce a talk show during this workshop. The kids will be the hosts, guests, performers, producers, directors, writers, set decorators, camera operators, video engineers, audio engineers and studio managers. Children with an interest in working behind or in front of the cameras will work side by side with our experienced team of television veterans. They will learn the basics of TV production, planning a show, and going on the air. All participants will get a tape of the final show to take home and will get to see their show broadcast on The Renaissance Channel.

The week of June 25-29 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. “Reading Comprehension” will help students develop strategies to get more out of what they read. Geared toward grades 4-6 – since these are the grades that understanding content becomes so important – this session will break reading comprehension down into its components; vocabulary, word analysis, fact and opinion, reading for detail, main idea, supporting ideas, and much more. After a break for the 4th of July holiday, sessions pick back up July 9–13 when the 4-6 graders will become detectives and follow clues to find the best answer in “Problem Solving.” They will create machines to solve problems with the computer. They will learn how to find the right question so they can find the right answer. This session is wonderful preparation for critical thinking skills required in most every class at the middle school level and beyond.

July 16–20 brings two more workshops for the 4-6 graders. “Upper Elementary Mathematics” from 1:30–3:30 p.m. will teach basic math skills so that students will be successful in the middle school setting. Strategies to improve basic skills will be reviewed, and students will learn in a small group setting so their individual needs will be addressed. Geared toward middle school topics, this class is most appropriate for 5 – 6 graders and accelerated fourth graders. From 3–5 p.m., this age group will be “In the Limelight.” This workshop will focus on the development of basic acting and performance skills. Students will utilize both scripted material and improvisation to learn the fundamentals of character development and play construction. Students will work in small groups and as a company to create their own staged excerpts to be shared with parents and fellow students at the end of the week.

The last two workshops for the 4 – 6 graders will take place the week of July 30–Aug. 3. “Music Fun” is from 1–3 p.m. From 2–4 p.m., students will get hands-on experience in dismantling and reassembling a computer as well as an in-depth study of the world of computers, computing and the Internet in “Computers Inside and Out.”

The fun begins for the 7–12 graders the week of June 25–29 with “Basic Web Design w/HTML” at 2 p.m. Students will learn the basics of building a simple Web page from scratch, including paragraph formatting, character formatting and placing graphics.

They will get an in depth introduction to the real world of computer animation in “Get Animated” July 9–13 from 2–4 p.m. “Study Skills” from 10 a.m. – noon July 16 – 20 will help these students get a head start on the school year. Tips on effective studying and test-taking will give you a head start on using your time the most efficiently. Students will learn in a small group setting to address individual needs.

Wrapping up the summer workshops for 7 – 12 graders will be the week of July 23–27. “Smile, You’re on Television” and “In the Limelight” will combine from 10 a.m. – noon to give these students a chance to create their own television show and be the stars. Working alongside the Multimedia team and drama department, each participant will get to host, guest, perform, produce, direct, write, design the set and operate cameras. They will receive a tape of the show to take home and will get to see their show broadcast on The Renaissance Channel.

To register your child for Summer at the Center, call or come by the center Monday, May 14. The Renaissance Center is located at 855 Hwy. 46 S. in Dickson. For more information, call (615)740-5600.