3rd Grade After-School Exploratories: Winter
Happening Now!
(Thank you for registering! Scroll down to view your child’s winter exploratories!)
Winter Virtual Exploratory descriptions are listed below!
- Exploratories will begin on Tuesday, January 19th.
- Exploratories will meet 7-9 times, depending on the exploratory and designated weekday.
- Exploratories are divided based on the grade that student(s) entered in the fall of the 2020-2021 school year (Please note: some exploratories may be offered to combined grade levels).
- Registration must be completed and submitted online.
Click To View Your Registration For:
Click Below for our Downloadable Weekly Schedule!
Block B (3:00pm – 3:45pm)
(Click on the Tabs Below for Exploratory Information)
Creative Yoga & Meditation (1st-3rd Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Creative Yoga and Guided Meditation is an expressive arts class where children can relax, breathe, and cultivate calmness. In addition to practicing a wide variety of age appropriate yoga poses that develop flexibility, balance, strength, and coordination, children will learn centering, focusing, listening, and breathing techniques that build self-awareness, confidence, compassion, concentration and patience – tools that will last a lifetime. Towards the end of each class, Miss Julie will lead a Guided Meditation that invites children to engage their imagination while resting in stillness.
Cost: $105.00 (7 Classes): January 25; February 1, 8, 22; March 1, 8, 15 (No Class: January 18; February 15)
Stories Around the World! (1st-3rd Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
What’s not to love about listening to a story? Everyone loves snuggling up with a blanket and letting their imagination soar as they hear epic tales unfold. But are stories always the same? Who came up with them, and why? In this class we’ll explore the many ways of how different cultures around the world, both past and present, have left their stories for future generations to come! We’ll investigate symbols and pictographs left by ancient civilizations, learn to interpret song-lyrics and poetry, view how theatre and performance art can describe the world around us, and of course, hear some of our favorite fairy-tale stories read aloud. What better way to explore the human experience than through our stories – join the fun today!
Cost: $125.00 (9 Classes): January 19, 26; February 2, 9, 16, 23; March 2, 9, 16
Weekday Workouts! (1st-3rd Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Get up and get moving! Let’s go! In these fun and high-energy active movement sessions on zoom, we’ll have a blast together working on a variety of athletic skills. Each workout routine will start with a round of stretches and a warm-up, and then we’ll dive right in to a skills-focused activity that helps to develop one or more of the following: agility, coordination, balance, strength, and speed. This is the perfect opportunity to learn some awesome ways to stay physically active this winter (even online!), and have a great time while doing it!
Cost: $125.00 (9 Classes): January 20, 27; February 3, 10, 17, 24; March 3, 10, 17
Computer Coding: 2D Game Design with Scratch 1.5 (1st-3rd Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
*This exploratory requires access to a PC, Mac, or Chromebook computer
Open to new and returning programmers! Do you dream of creating your own video game? This class will give young learners a balanced introduction to video game design and programming by making 3-4 simple games using the Scratch programming platform. You will learn to control characters through an environment based on rules of your own creation, and create your own characters and environments. Exampe projects include cusomized 2D arcade and side-scrolling games. Our all new curriculum is perfect for beginners and more experienced gamers and storytellers alike.
Cost: $165.00 (9 classes): January 21, 28; February 4, 11, 18, 25; March 4, 11, 18
Block C (4:00pm – 4:45pm)
(Click on the Tabs Below for Exploratory Information)
3D Paper Art – Globetrotters! (1st-3rd Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Click here to see some project examples!
In this unique class, we’ll take a trip around the world, using folded-paper to help us explore countries and cities around the globe (including some familiar sites in the United States)! As we learn about different cultures and places, our instructor will guide students through cutting, folding, and shaping sheets of paper into some of earth’s greatest and most wonderful landmarks, buildings, and natural features. We’ll dive into history, seeing how ancient civilizations have left their mark on the earth, and also see many modern day features and lifestyles that countries are known for. So hop on board as we fold our way through this 3D paper adventure across the globe!
Cost: $95.00 (7 Classes): January 25; February 1, 8, 22; March 1, 8, 15 (No Class: January 18; February 15)
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Woodworking – Locomotive Train Project (2nd-5th Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Finished student project samples!
DEPARTING Winter 2021! ALL ABOARD…WOO-WOOOO! Chugga, Chugga, Choo-Choo! In 1814 the very first steam engine was built for the locomotive and used to move people and cargo over land. Steam billowing, family and friends all waving, saying hello and goodbye is what you might’ve seen on the platforms of a train station. In this class, you’ll make your own wooden locomotive engine right at home: Learn how to safely saw, sand, and glue the wooden pieces that you’ll cut to correct size and shape for assembling! We provide the tools and wood pieces you’ll need, so join in the excitement of the steam train adventure and register today!
At Log N Craft, we take pride in safely teaching your children woodworking skills such as following directions and hand-eye coordination that they can use and incorporate in their everyday lives. Just like in-person woodshop, students will use woodworking hand-tools and wood, and they will be guided virtually by our trained instructor over zoom. Since we can’t be there with your student, we require an at-home adult’s supervision to help your student use their tools safely and stay on-task!
Cost: $235.00 (7 Classes): January 25; February 1, 8, 22; March 1, 8, 15 (No Class: January 18; February 15)
Martial Arts – Positive Dragon Session! (1st-3rd Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Click here for a video demo!
Dragons are powerful mythical creatures that soar through the air with immense intensity and energy. A beast that cannot ever be truly tamed, the dragon represents one of the highest levels one can achieve in Young Ninjas.
ABOUT OUR SENSEIS: Young Ninjas Live stream classes are led by our high-energy Sensei’s who introduce children to fundamental martial arts elements, like blocks, kicks, strikes, stances and the almighty power of the KI-YAH!! By following along with your Sensei, each week children will participate in skill training, fun games, and creative challenges. KI-YAH!
Cost: $135.00 (9 Classes): January 19, 26; February 2, 9, 16, 23; March 2, 9, 16
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Creative Writing: Mystery! (3rd-5th Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Who doesn’t love a good mystery? It’s such fun to collect clues as you read a story and try to figure out the answer before it’s explained! But how do you write a mystery yourself? How do you keep your readers guessing until the BIG REVEAL? In this class, students will explore and review the building blocks of storytelling and then delve into the specifics of how to write a GREAT MYSTERY! We will learn about how to create suspense, drop clues, create interesting characters, and how to ultimately blow the reader’s socks off with the answer to the question, WHAT HAPPENED??? Join us for this suspenseful 9-week class! The only thing that’s not a mystery is how much fun we’re going to have!
Cost: $130.00 (9 Classes): January 19, 26; February 2, 9, 16, 23; March 2, 9, 16
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Computer Coding: 3D Design with TinkerCAD (3rd-5th Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
*This exploratory requires the use of a Chromebook, PC, or Mac (Apple) computer – Tablets and Smartphones will not work for this exploratory*
Learn the core skills of 3D design through TinkerCAD, a unique platform for developing 3D objects that can be used for printing, game design, or anything you can imagine. This class will introduce the fundamentals of modeling 3D objects, through fun and engaging projects. Students will explore the use of color, shape, and form to craft detailed objects and spaces.
Cost: $165.00 (9 Classes): January 19, 26; February 2, 9, 16, 23; March 2, 9, 16
Performing Puppets & Puppet-Making! (1st-3rd Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Come join us for games, songs, and puppet fun in this high energy puppet performing class! Together, we will learn how to think creatively, explore our imaginations, and become different characters through the puppets we create with our friends! That’s right, you’ll get to construct your very own puppets out of all kinds of fun materials, and you and your puppets will be the stars of the show! New and classic performing arts games alike will help us tell stories together using our imaginations and feel confident while sharing ideas and creating cool and wacky puppet personalities with you. So, get ready to have fun and get silly together while we learn, grow, and explore the world of Performing Puppets!
Cost: $125.00 + $20.00 Supplies Fee (for your very own puppet-making kit) – (9 Classes): January 20, 27; February 3, 10, 17, 24; March 3, 10, 17
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Wednesday Daring the Dungeon! (3rd-5th Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Become one of our intrepid storytellers and create a completely unique story of adventure and daring! You and your friends will use a role-playing game system to create your own characters and enter into a story of wizards & warriors, astronauts & aliens, or a different fantasy realm of your creation. We can follow wherever our imaginations take us, even online! Virtually guided by our experienced instructor, Mr. Noah, students will learn how to imagine a character, how to work with other players to solve problems, and how to share the spotlight to collectively tell an amazing story that is enthralling for all participants. This is an exciting opportunity for kids to act out roles and do creative problem-solving in a fantasy world. (*Daring the Dungeon is also being offered as a Thursday Block C exploratory! Though they will follow a similar structure, the Wednesday & Thursday class storylines will be unique and different)
Cost: $145.00 (9 Classes): January 20, 27; February 3, 10, 17, 24; March 3, 10, 17
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Paint & Pencil Studio (3rd-5th Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Enter the world of drawing and painting with special projects planned specifically for 3rd-5th graders! Using the included materials, we’ll follow our artist-instructor, Harrison, through many of the skills, techniques, and elements of drawing and painting that can help turn our imaginations into colorful works of art. Projects will include professional, guided techniques while also allowing opportunities for the artist to explore their own unique and imaginative creative-process!
Cost: $125 + $20.00 Supplies Fee (for your very own paint and drawing kit!) – (9 Classes): January 20, 27; February 3, 10, 17, 24; March 3, 10, 17
Hip-Hop Dance! (1st-3rd Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Rock out with the Funky Divas & Dudes via Zoom! Get great exercise and have fun right from your home! This dance class is designed to help students gain confidence and self-esteem. We promote a healthy lifestyle through fun-physical activity that encourages self-expression through music and movement. We teach age-appropriate dance routines to all the best tunes. We’ll perform our Rockin’ dance routines on the last day of class, record it via Zoom, and send it to families for a great keepsake! Let’s get funky!
Cost: $160.00 – (9 Classes): January 21, 28; February 4, 11, 18, 25; March 4, 11, 18
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Chess Tournaments with Friends! (3rd-5th Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Love playing chess and challenging your peers? Here’s your chance to enter exciting weekly tournaments across 9 whole weeks! Matches will be set up on ChessKid.com and monitored by Growing Outdoors staff. Before each tournament, we’ll meet on zoom to have a short refresher on some of the rules and strategies of chess. Then you’ll dive right into your chess matches online, playing against your friends in the Growing Outdoors Tournament Bowl! Each meeting is designed to maximize playing time with the added support of our staff helping each child develop their problem-solving and communication skills.
Cost: $90.00 – (9 Tournaments): January 21, 28; February 4, 11, 18, 25; March 4, 11, 18
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Thursday Daring the Dungeon! (3rd-5th Grade) – Click here to view the flier!
Become one of our intrepid storytellers and create a completely unique story of adventure and daring! You and your friends will use a role-playing game system to create your own characters and enter into a story of wizards & warriors, astronauts & aliens, or a different fantasy realm of your creation. We can follow wherever our imaginations take us, even online! Virtually guided by our experienced instructor, Mr. Noah, students will learn how to imagine a character, how to work with other players to solve problems, and how to share the spotlight to collectively tell an amazing story that is enthralling for all participants. This is an exciting opportunity for kids to act out roles and do creative problem-solving in a fantasy world. (*Daring the Dungeon is also being offered as a Wednesday Block C exploratory! Though they will follow a similar structure, the Wednesday & Thursday class storylines will be unique and different)
Cost: $145.00 – (9 Classes): January 21, 28; February 4, 11, 18, 25; March 4, 11, 18
Click To View Your Registration For:
What is Growing Outdoors?
We are a local after-school enrichment program that partners with elementary schools in the Agoura/Oak Park/Thousand Oaks area to provide a variety of quality after-school enrichment programs that focus on the physical, intellectual, and emotional skills of students from Kindergarten through grade five. We do our best to offer a wide variety of class programs, which we call “exploratories,” because we know that each child is different, and it is our goal to find and offer programs that engage your student and make them want to explore more!
Though our exploratories have always taken place on campus and in person during the school year, with schools closed for the time being, we are excited to offer virtual programming after-school this fall! We have been hard at work since the end of last school year building curriculum and finding exploratories that translate well to virtual learning, and we hope you find something in our exploratory offerings that sparks your child’s interest!
Will my child be with their school classmates in their virtual programs?
Our virtual programs are open to all children who have entered Discovery Kindergarten (also known as Transitional Kindergarten) to Fifth grade for the 2020-2021 school year. This includes students from all of our partner schools, and also families from outside that sphere who may be joining us for the very first time! We value these opportunities to make new friends and work with new people, and we are excited to support your child’s growth as they strengthen old friendships and build new ones!
Can my Covid-19 School Closure Household Credit from spring 2020 be applied to the virtual programs?
Yes! If your household received credit for any cancelled Growing Outdoors Spring Trimester 2020 exploratory meetings that we were not able to move online, you may choose to apply your credit to our virtual programs, or hold on to it for future school-year programming with Growing Outdoors. Just follow the instructions once you reach the payment option section of your registration, and we will do the rest to ensure that your credit is applied!
Click here to read our March 31st letter to families regarding household credits
Why does the online program use Zoom as the virtual platform?
By using Zoom, Growing Outdoors can set up links that we only make available to registered families at the email address that you have provided to us. Zoom also allows us to control who can enter the exploratory meetings, ensuring that our meetings are safe and only attended by those who have registered to join us.
What do I do if my child has to miss an exploratory day?
Please call us as early as possible (before 10:00am is preferable!) at (818) 889-8383. The Growing Outdoors adminstrative staff will be creating daily attendance sheets for each exploratory, so it would be helpful to have that information as early as possible.
Why does registration close before the first day of each exploratory?
Growing Outdoors wants to provide the best possible after-school enrichment program to your family. Therefore, we need time to prepare our instructors prior to the first day of each exploratory.
Why are the exploratories priced differently?
The price of all of our exploratories is based on number of class meetings, staffing needs, and specialized instructor costs. By basing it on these factors, you can rest assured that you are getting what you pay for!