Sixty percent of today’s students will have careers that do not exist today. How can you best prepare them for an uncertain future? Experts generally agree students need to learn the “4 Cs” – communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity and have a strong foundation in STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math). Sign up for our one hour classes where students can try out a wealth of fun educational subjects for 6 weeks. Once a student graduates they can continue to take more advanced classes to acquire new skills and learn new material. There is a minimum of two students per class and maximum of 8 students.
Our art teacher graduated from Art Center College of Design with a BFA in Illustration. She also has a MA in Education with over 12 years of teaching experience. Prior to teaching, she worked as an illustrator and digital artist for Disney, Dreamworks, Knowledge Adventure, 3DO and Idealab. Her professional experiences also included designing websites, computer games, books, magazines, children toys and products.
Our programming teacher graduated with Honors from UCLA, holding a BS in Mechanical Engineering and MS in Aerospace Engineering from Stanford. His professional experience included Jet Propulsion Lab, Lockeed, Atomate Nanotechnology, and Reality Check Systems.
Fine Art Classes
Drawing and Painting 1& 2 Ages 6 and Up
In the studio, children develop their observational and technical skills while experimenting with charcoal, pen and ink, watercolor and acrylic paints on canvas and paper. The emphasis is learning to develop realistic drawing and painting skills. A survey of Western art history will be covered to understand the evolution of different art styles and how to develop their own art style. After students learn the basics in traditional art, students will learn how paint on the computer. $10 Materials Fee.
Comic Book Art Ages 8 and Up
Comics are one of the most popular and exciting ways to tell a story. This course offers a look at the fundamental building blocks of the comic book medium. Exploring panel to panel transitions, text to image relationships, and the intricacies of page layouts, students will examine new and innovative ways to bring their stories to life. The focus is not on developing realistic drawing skills, but on visual storytelling on paper as well as on the computer. $10 Materials Fee.
Graphic Design and Digital Art Ages 12 and Up
This course brings fine art and technology together by providing students with the tools, software and inspiration to make art on a virtual canvas. Students learn to create digital drawings and paintings using Pixlr, Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. $10 Materials Fee.
Programming and Robotics Classes
Beginning WeDo Lego Robotics Grades Ages 7 and Up
LEGO WeDo Construction Set is designed to introduce younger students to robotics. Motorized structures are connected to a computer and programmed to perform specific functions. Programming is accomplished using the easy to learn WeDo robotics drop and drag software.
Beginning Programming with Scratch Grades Ages 8 and Up
In this course, young students enter the world of computer science by learning how to create animations, computer games, and interactive projects. Using Scratch, a graphical programming language, students learn fundamental programming concepts such as variables, loops, conditional statements, and event handling. As they teach a mischievous cat to dance, explore a maze, or play
games, students learn how to use math and computer code to think creatively.
Intermediate Scratch Programming/Wedo Lego Robotics Grades Ages 8 and Up
Students will continue to learn basic programming concepts using a simple drag-and-drop interface within the software Scratch, a project developed by the MIT Media Lab. Students will use their imaginations and implement creative thinking, while at the same time learning how to create and program a simple game. Powered by the LEGO® Education Wedo, this class combines the exciting world of Lego with programming to manipulate and program your own personal robots. This class is tailored to younger children who want to learn or know visual programming (like Scratch). Students create commands for their robots to follow by using an application with a drag-and-drop interface that is visually simple to use, but capable of complex instructions.
Advanced Scratch Programming Ages 8 and Up
Students will advance their knowledge of Scratch by learning how to code complex procedures that use parameters and how
to utilize lists. Students will be encouraged to use their previous knowledge and what they learn in class to create
more complex games and projects. Students will also continue to explore WeDo Lego robotics.
Introduction Programming with Minecraft / Mindstorm Lego Robotics, Ages 8 and Up
The first half of the session, students will learn how to program robots called “Turtles” inside the world of Minecraft using a custom mod called “Computercraft”. Kids will utilize problem-solving skills by learning how to program their turtles to complete various tasks and objectives such as automatically building, mining, and crafting items and structures. They will be introduced to programming if-then-else statements, for-while loops, and implement their own functions using Lua, a simple scripting language. Powered by the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT Base Set and Software, our we combine the exciting world of Lego with programming to manipulate and program your own personal robot. Learn how to use the simple, but powerful software to create commands with drag and-drop visual programming. Configure different sensors that detect color and touch to create enhance your robot! Students will work as young engineers to build and then program their design.
Minecraft Programming / Mindstorm Lego Robotics, Ages 8 and Up
Students will continue to develop with the ComputerCraft mod while learning more advanced programming features. Students will also spend a few classes with the Mindstorm Lego Robotics kit building on what they learned in the previous class to further their understanding of how to program a robot.
Raspberry Pi Programming and Electronics Ages 8 and Up
The class is based on the Raspberry Pi single-board computer and the goal is to introduce kids to programming and creative problem solving using technology. Participants will each program a Raspberry Pi to control a simple robot. $35 Materials Fee .
*Please note that LEGO Robotics projects cannot be taken home, but the fun and excitement generated will always be with you! * Educircle is not sponsored by or affliated with LEGO®
Python Programming Ages 10 and Up NEW!
Python is a powerful, expressive programming language that's easy to learn and fun to use! It is a beneficial language to learn as it integrates well with other platforms and runs exceptionally well on all modern devices. Python syntax is also relatively easier for to learn without the traditional brackets that can be found in C and C-derived languages. The course covers a range of topics on Python that start with beginner concepts and then progresses on to more complex coding principles, all using examples and project. Participants will create games, animations, and other graphical wonders!
JAVA Program for Application Development Ages 12 and Up
Students will learn the fundamentals of how to program in Java and computer science concepts including object-orientated programming. This class is for students interested in building a foundation in Java syntax, which is the first step towards becoming a successful Java developer. Students will learn how computers make decisions and how Java keeps track of information through variables and data types. Students will learn to create conditional statements, functions, and loops to process information and solve problems,
Our art teacher graduated from Art Center College of Design with a BFA in Illustration. She also has a MA in Education with over 12 years of teaching experience. Prior to teaching, she worked as an illustrator and digital artist for Disney, Dreamworks, Knowledge Adventure, 3DO and Idealab. Her professional experiences also included designing websites, computer games, books, magazines, children toys and products.
Our programming teacher graduated with Honors from UCLA, holding a BS in Mechanical Engineering and MS in Aerospace Engineering from Stanford. His professional experience included Jet Propulsion Lab, Lockeed, Atomate Nanotechnology, and Reality Check Systems.
Fine Art Classes
Drawing and Painting 1& 2 Ages 6 and Up
In the studio, children develop their observational and technical skills while experimenting with charcoal, pen and ink, watercolor and acrylic paints on canvas and paper. The emphasis is learning to develop realistic drawing and painting skills. A survey of Western art history will be covered to understand the evolution of different art styles and how to develop their own art style. After students learn the basics in traditional art, students will learn how paint on the computer. $10 Materials Fee.
Comic Book Art Ages 8 and Up
Comics are one of the most popular and exciting ways to tell a story. This course offers a look at the fundamental building blocks of the comic book medium. Exploring panel to panel transitions, text to image relationships, and the intricacies of page layouts, students will examine new and innovative ways to bring their stories to life. The focus is not on developing realistic drawing skills, but on visual storytelling on paper as well as on the computer. $10 Materials Fee.
Graphic Design and Digital Art Ages 12 and Up
This course brings fine art and technology together by providing students with the tools, software and inspiration to make art on a virtual canvas. Students learn to create digital drawings and paintings using Pixlr, Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. $10 Materials Fee.
Programming and Robotics Classes
Beginning WeDo Lego Robotics Grades Ages 7 and Up
LEGO WeDo Construction Set is designed to introduce younger students to robotics. Motorized structures are connected to a computer and programmed to perform specific functions. Programming is accomplished using the easy to learn WeDo robotics drop and drag software.
Beginning Programming with Scratch Grades Ages 8 and Up
In this course, young students enter the world of computer science by learning how to create animations, computer games, and interactive projects. Using Scratch, a graphical programming language, students learn fundamental programming concepts such as variables, loops, conditional statements, and event handling. As they teach a mischievous cat to dance, explore a maze, or play
games, students learn how to use math and computer code to think creatively.
Intermediate Scratch Programming/Wedo Lego Robotics Grades Ages 8 and Up
Students will continue to learn basic programming concepts using a simple drag-and-drop interface within the software Scratch, a project developed by the MIT Media Lab. Students will use their imaginations and implement creative thinking, while at the same time learning how to create and program a simple game. Powered by the LEGO® Education Wedo, this class combines the exciting world of Lego with programming to manipulate and program your own personal robots. This class is tailored to younger children who want to learn or know visual programming (like Scratch). Students create commands for their robots to follow by using an application with a drag-and-drop interface that is visually simple to use, but capable of complex instructions.
Advanced Scratch Programming Ages 8 and Up
Students will advance their knowledge of Scratch by learning how to code complex procedures that use parameters and how
to utilize lists. Students will be encouraged to use their previous knowledge and what they learn in class to create
more complex games and projects. Students will also continue to explore WeDo Lego robotics.
Introduction Programming with Minecraft / Mindstorm Lego Robotics, Ages 8 and Up
The first half of the session, students will learn how to program robots called “Turtles” inside the world of Minecraft using a custom mod called “Computercraft”. Kids will utilize problem-solving skills by learning how to program their turtles to complete various tasks and objectives such as automatically building, mining, and crafting items and structures. They will be introduced to programming if-then-else statements, for-while loops, and implement their own functions using Lua, a simple scripting language. Powered by the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT Base Set and Software, our we combine the exciting world of Lego with programming to manipulate and program your own personal robot. Learn how to use the simple, but powerful software to create commands with drag and-drop visual programming. Configure different sensors that detect color and touch to create enhance your robot! Students will work as young engineers to build and then program their design.
Minecraft Programming / Mindstorm Lego Robotics, Ages 8 and Up
Students will continue to develop with the ComputerCraft mod while learning more advanced programming features. Students will also spend a few classes with the Mindstorm Lego Robotics kit building on what they learned in the previous class to further their understanding of how to program a robot.
Raspberry Pi Programming and Electronics Ages 8 and Up
The class is based on the Raspberry Pi single-board computer and the goal is to introduce kids to programming and creative problem solving using technology. Participants will each program a Raspberry Pi to control a simple robot. $35 Materials Fee .
*Please note that LEGO Robotics projects cannot be taken home, but the fun and excitement generated will always be with you! * Educircle is not sponsored by or affliated with LEGO®
Python Programming Ages 10 and Up NEW!
Python is a powerful, expressive programming language that's easy to learn and fun to use! It is a beneficial language to learn as it integrates well with other platforms and runs exceptionally well on all modern devices. Python syntax is also relatively easier for to learn without the traditional brackets that can be found in C and C-derived languages. The course covers a range of topics on Python that start with beginner concepts and then progresses on to more complex coding principles, all using examples and project. Participants will create games, animations, and other graphical wonders!
JAVA Program for Application Development Ages 12 and Up
Students will learn the fundamentals of how to program in Java and computer science concepts including object-orientated programming. This class is for students interested in building a foundation in Java syntax, which is the first step towards becoming a successful Java developer. Students will learn how computers make decisions and how Java keeps track of information through variables and data types. Students will learn to create conditional statements, functions, and loops to process information and solve problems,