FALL 2008 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Fall Session 2008 October 11, 18 & 25, 2008                   November 1, 8 & 15 (November 22 - make up date)

Fall 2008 Registration Form Tuition is $65 for each course. Registration deadline is October 8, 2008

Beginning October 11 and continuing on Saturdays through November 15 between 9 a.m. and noon, four hundred third through eighth graders will transform the UNC Asheville campus into a very special learning environment. Students may take one or two courses, each specifically designed to offer high-interest, "hands-on" opportunities to explore new ideas and broaden perspectives.

Acceptance into the program is through registration, which includes initial verification by qualified school personnel that the applicant demonstrates outstanding achievement or potential and/or is identified as academically gifted according to the State of North Carolina guidelines.

A limited number of need-based scholarships (one course per student) are available.
 The scholarship deadline is September 19.  

To apply for a need-based scholarship, please mail a letter (emails not accepted)
explaining your need and request to:

Super Saturday Scholarship Committee
UNC Asheville
One University Heights, CPO #1430
Asheville, NC 28804

Please call  828/251.6558 for scholarship information.

In the event of inclement weather, class cancellation information will be posted on the
UNC Asheville snow line (828/259-3050) by 7 a.m. each Saturday.

ALIENS, ANGELS, & ANIMALS: SOFT SCULPTURE FROM YOUR IMAGINATION  top (Grades 3-8 • 9:00-10:20 a.m.) (Grades 3-8 • 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Create three-dimensional fantasy figures and animals from your own drawings on fabric.  Design needle-sculpted nylon faces or even make a self-portrait figure with a photo of your face, printed on fabric.  Paint, sew and stuff your creations, adding costumes, "jewels", feathers, fake fur and beads to develop their unique personalities.  Tell their story... Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class.  (Sara Deutsch, M.S., Psychology; educator, creative arts therapist and multi-media artist)  see photos
 

ANCIENT CHINA - DYNASTIES OF POWER  top
(Grades 3-8 • 9:00-10:20 a.m.) (Grades 3-8 • 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Journey to a far off land of mystery and magic. Learn about the dynasties of China while making traditional kites. Learn to read and create oracle bones. Make traditional wall hangings to bless your room with the teachings of Confucius and Taoist thought. Make Chinese lanterns and celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. Try your hand at tangrams; create a Chinese name in ancient tradition and learn to write it. Learn all about the Chinese zodiac. These are just some of the things we’ll discover as we journey through the dynasties of ancient China! Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class.  (Chris Brown, B.A., Middle Grades Education; Social Studies educator)

BOOKS GALORE!  top
(Grades 3-8 • 9:00-10:20 a.m.) (Grades 3-8 • 10:30-11:50 a.m.) 
Dive into the world of books by creating your own! Learn to make a variety of books including pop-up books, accordion books and flap books, and learn techniques for binding and decoration while exploring interesting bookmaking techniques and the history of bookmaking. You’ll have a library of your own unique book creations at the end of this course! Pay one-time $7 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Amy Waldrep Harris, B.A., Art; M.A. Ed., Special Education; educator)

CARIBBEAN CURRENTS DRUM BEAT top
(Grades 3-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.) 
Come learn the history of Caribbean music and make a percussion instrument from recycling materials. Students will play melodies and basic rhythms and create a drum circle ensemble of various forms of Caribbean rhythms, including Bomba, Plena, Rumba, Huahuaco and Salsa. Drumming, meditation and basic yoga sun salutation will be introduced to play different rhythms on percussion instruments. Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Juan Luis Merced; educator, drummer and percussionist)

CHESS: AN INTRODUCTION  top
(Grades 3-8 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.) (Grades 3-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.) 
Students will learn the basics of the game with an emphasis on fun.  Play sessions are intermixed with instruction and demonstrations.  Lessons are reinforced with contests, drills, and occasionally, talking hand puppets.  (Karl Ehrsam, M.S.; educator and chess aficionado)

CONVERSATIONAL GERMAN: BEGINNING  top
(Grades 3-8 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
Willkommen! Germany is a beautiful land steeped in culture and tradition. Come join us as we explore the German language. Learn some useful phrases, counting, and some songs. Try some delicious food! (Do you know what “Apfelstrudel” is?) As time allows, we will view slides of German sites and sites in other German-speaking countries.  Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Virginia Pierce; B.S.Ed., M.Ed., Secondary Education; educator)                           

FRENCH CONVERSATION: BEGINNING  top
(Grades 3-8 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
Bonjour! How would you like to immerse yourself in a French-speaking class and understand what we are saying?!  Lots of hands-on materials make learning fun and easy.  We'll count, sing, learn lots of vocabulary including foods and animals, act in skits, play games and see slides of Paris, all with a creative, step-by-step experiential immersion approach.  Families are invited to our recital at the end of final class.  Please bring a 3-brad pocket folder and pay a one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Susan Ratner, B.A., French; Teaching Credential - French)

FRENCH II  top
(Grades 3-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Bonjour classe! Did you have fun in French and want to continue learning this beautiful language?! Then this class is for you. We’ll learn colors, parts of the body, family, clothing, all the numbers, the French alphabet, more foods, and act in a new and funny skit, all through more songs, lots of creative games and a fun hands-on, experiential immersion approach. Families are invited to our recital at the end of final class. Please bring a 3-brad pocket folder and pay a one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Susan Ratner, B.A., French; Teaching Credential - French)  

KNITTING FOR BEGINNERS  top
(Grades 3-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.) 
Knitting is all the rage! Even celebrities knit -- male and female! Boys are welcome as well as girls. Did you know that knitting was originally only done by men? We’ll learn the basic stitches in the first class while making a bookmark. Then you’ll get to choose your own second project -- an iPod cover, a cell phone holder, a hacky-sack ball, even a winter hat! Come prepared to amaze yourself. Pay one-time $10 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Virginia Pierce; B.S.Ed., M.Ed., Secondary Education; educator)                            

KNOTS, BRAIDS AND WEAVES  top
(Grades 3-8 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.) (Grades 3-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Learn how to take linear elements such as cords, yarns and basket reed and interlock them to create 3-dimensional objects. We’ll learn knotless netting to make a dream catcher, and square knots and overhand knots while making a bracelet or zipper pull. Try your hand at the Japanese braiding technique called Kumihimo as we make a bookmark. We’ll explore color combinations with twill weave placemats and make a small basket using plain weave, twining, step-up and lashing techniques. Pay one-time $7 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Jill Lennox, B.A., Art; basket weaver, bead worker)

PAINTING ON FABRIC  top
(Grades 3-8 • 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
Create your own fabric for use in clothing, quilts, wall hangings or just as art itself, using textile paints. A wide variety of techniques will be used to make skies, seas, forests, striations, mottled, dotted, even a batik look, without wax! Wear old clothes!  Pay one-time $10 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Meg Manderson, B.A., English; artist and writer)   

QUILT IN A SHOEBOX  I, II  and III  top
(Grades 3-8 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.) (Grades 3-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Quilt in a Shoebox is a program developed for the Asheville Quilt Guild to teach quilting techniques to beginning quilters. Each student will have the basic supplies needed for quilting: needle, thread, ruler, scissors, pins, etc. in their own shoebox. Students who have already attended sessions I and II can learn more advanced techniques in session III as each class will consist of a beginners' group and  intermediate and advanced groups. (Team-taught by Julie Simpson, M.S., Education, and members of the Asheville Quilt Guild)

SPANISH THROUGH SONG  top
(Grades 3-8 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.) (Grades 3-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Students will learn Spanish language songs to be used as a springboard to some Spanish language acquisition. Specific target vocabulary, concepts and grammar will revolve around the songs’ lyrics. Songs will consist of traditional folk songs, popular songs or songs from Spanish language television. Sign-singing, movement, dance, instrumentation, PowerPoint and visual art may be incorporated based on the interests of the students. Students will present a show for parents on the last day of class. Pay one-time $7 materials fee to instructor. (Adrianne Weir, B.A., Education)

WILDLIFE:  LAND-BASED WILDLIFE EXPLORATIONS  top
(Grades 3-8 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
Are you an animal lover? Come learn how to increase your enjoyment and understanding of the natural world. Meet such animals as an opossum, a snake, a degu, a tarantula or a scorpion. Discover how owls are able to fly silently and how squirrels can "fly" at all. Find out what an area needs to attract and keep groundhogs, deer and other animals. Pay one-time $4 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Donna Wallen; environmental educator and wildlife rehabilitator)
 

WILDLIFE: WATER-BASED WILDLIFE EXPLORATIONS  top
(Grades 3-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)  
Are you wild about animals that live in and around the water? This class will examine water-based habitats and the animals that live there. Come learn about rainforests, marshes, swamps, wetlands and waterways. You will meet animals such as lizards, snakes, frogs, turtles or a miniature opossum from the rainforest. Pay one-time $4 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Donna Wallen; environmental educator and wildlife rehabilitator)  

 —— For Younger & Middle Grades ——

CREEPY CRAWLY SCIENCE  top
(Grades 3-5 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.) (Grades 3-5 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Explore the world of insects and other creepy crawly creatures through field collection, experiments and crafts. Discover the characteristics of an insect, explore insect life cycles and count down the top ten bugs in several cool categories. Get down in the dirt as we learn safe field collection techniques and experiment with cricket mapping.  Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Cassandra Love, B.S., Ed.; curriculum consultant and developer)

FANTASTIC PHOTOGRAPHY!  top
(Grades 3-5 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
Shoot awesome portraits!  Imagine yourself shooting for Nickelodeon Magazine; imagine yourself, your own favorite rock star! Visualize yourself as an exciting five-star designer! Design your own portfolio.  Explore the tricks of the masters! Go on an adventure of color processing. Explore tinting your own funky colored photos!  Using your own photographs, design your own fabulous jewel case.  Pay one-time $7 materials fee to instructor at first class.  (Dawn Holland Gormley, B.A.; art educator)

FOOLING AROUND WITH WORDS  top
(Grades 3-5 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
 A writing circle where you’ll exercise your imagination, experimenting with many forms of creative writing including poems, word sketches and stories. In supportive surroundings, you’ll work from games and prompts that engage the senses (sight, sound, movement, touch) as well as from words themselves.  Pay one-time $10 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Fran Ross, Ph.D., expressive arts; UNC Asheville Arts & Ideas faculty)        

GET ANIMATED!  top
(Grades 3-5 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Explore the history of animation through the creation of your own zoetrope, phenakistiscope, flipbook and simple computer animation. Make your cartoons and imagination come to life! Pay one-time $2 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Mark Sidelnick, Ph.D., Art Education; UNC Asheville Education Dept. faculty)  

MATH DISCOVERIES  top
(Grades 3-5 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Learn how to create your own fractal, count to infinity, build a better computer network and bend the fabric of space and time itself! We'll shed light on some amazing math discoveries through fun hands-on activities. Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Team-taught by student members of the UNC Asheville Math Club and Patrick Bahls, Ph.D.; UNC Asheville Math Dept. faculty)

MOVING ON! EXPLORING PHYSICS  top
(Grades 3-4 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
What’s a rotoplane? A rotorocket? Find out! And explore motion, sound, forces and energy. Do experiments with movable spheres, ramps, sliders, paper airplanes, rocket balloons and other devices.  Work with the six simple machines and discover what they do for us. Use everyday materials  and objects you find to participate in the Science Olympiad egg drop:  use your creativity to protect a raw egg dropped from very high. (Ernie Miller, B.S.; educator)

MULTIMEDIA MAGIC  top
(Grades 3-6 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
Dazzle teachers and friends with your ability to create a multimedia presentation using Microsoft^® PowerPoint! Learn to plan a multimedia project, combine stunning graphics and effects, and enhance your presentation with sound and animation! Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Candy Williams; computer instructor and web designer)

PLAYBACK IMPROV THEATER & EXPRESSIVE ARTS ADVENTURE  top
(Grades 3-4 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
Join us in the adventure of expressive arts and playback theater where your stories and creative improv come to life on stage! First, we’ll focus on movement, singing, poetry and drama as inspiration for telling stories from your life. You will expand your creativity, self expression and communication abilities while playing fun games like ‘talking heads’, ‘balloon zoom’, ‘scream team’, ‘amoeba’, ‘name bath’ and ‘fabric-cadabra’. Then, we’ll shape these games and playback theater improv forms into a showcase finale for your family and friends! Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Jessica Chilton, M.A., Community Counseling & Expressive Arts Therapy; member of Asheville Playback Theatre Company)

TAMASHII  top
(Grades 3-5 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
Discover the adventures, ways and values of the ancient Samurai warriors. Explore the indomitable spirit (tamashii) that lies deep inside you!  Learn hands-on mental and physical skills through the world of martial arts including Tai-Chi, Karate, ancient weapons, Ju-Jitsu, classical arts, modern International Olympic sport arts, personal safety skills and much more... Optional: pay $22 to instructor at first class for traditional martial arts training uniform. (Carl Wilcox, Ph.D., Director of Asheville’s Center for Martial Arts; Jeff Rhodes; Mark Holland, Ph.D.)

WATERCOLOR PAINTING MADE EASY  top
(Grades 3-5 · 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
This class will cover basic watercolor skills of value, color mixing and washes. All work will be done on 9x12” watercolor paper so that all finished paintings fit standard maps and frames. Focus will be on brushwork and color application as students learn to paint skies, North Carolina mountains and evergreens, water, boats and flowers. A demonstration will introduce each topic. Pay one-time $10 materials fee to instructor at first class. (P. Diane Chambers, B.S.; retired educator)

—— For Middle & Older Grades ——

CHEMISTRY MATTERS  top
(Grades 5-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Experience a hands-on investigation of chemistry in the world around us.  In this class, experiments will be chosen from extraction of DNA, iron content in cereals, effectiveness of antacids, polymers and plastics, and chemistry in magic tricks. (No repeating students please.) Pay one-time $5 chemicals and materials fee to instructor at first class. (Team-taught by UNC Asheville student affiliates of the American Chemical Society and George Heard, Ph.D., UNC Asheville Chemistry Dept. faculty)

FANTASTIC PHOTOGRAPHY!  top
(Grades 6-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.) 
Shoot awesome portraits!  Imagine yourself shooting for Nickelodeon Magazine; imagine yourself, your own favorite rock star! Visualize yourself as an exciting five-star designer! Design your own portfolio.  Explore the tricks of the masters! Go on an adventure of color processing. Explore tinting your own funky colored photos!  Using your own photographs, design your own fabulous jewel case.  Pay one-time $7 materials fee to instructor at first class.  (Dawn Holland Gormley, B.A.; art educator)

FOOLING AROUND WITH WORDS  top
(Grades 6-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
A writing circle where you’ll exercise your imagination, experimenting with many forms of creative writing including poems, word sketches and stories. In supportive surroundings, you’ll work from games and prompts that engage the senses (sight, sound, movement, touch) as well as from words themselves.  Pay one-time $10 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Fran Ross, Ph.D., expressive arts; UNC Asheville Arts & Ideas faculty)                 

MAKE A JOURNAL OF YOUR LIFE: A PERSONAL, ARTISTIC AND NATURE RECORD top(Grades 5-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
We will make a simple handmade journal and fill it with words, pictures, drawings, samples, found objects and all the little things that make up the wondrous journey of life. The course will include field trips to the Botanical Gardens and around campus. Along the way, we’ll sharpen our skills of observation and examine why certain things excite us and identify some of the plants to be found. Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Meg Manderson, B.A., English; artist and writer)   

MODEL ROCKETRY I  top
(Grades 5-8 · 9:00-10:20  a.m.)
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, Blast Off! Now is the time to build and launch your very own model rocket!  Learn about Isaac Newton’s “Three Laws of Motion.” Get your “hands-on” science and have fun along the way. Launch Day is positively a BLAST!!  Join us. Pay one-time $10 rocket kit fee to instructor at first class. (Elizabeth Philipsen, M.A.Ed.; educator)

MODEL ROCKETRY IA  top
(Grades 5-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Are you ready for a BLAST OFF to remember? Students will construct a different model rocket from the first class, but will also get their “hands on” the fun. (Completion of Model Rocketry I is not a requirement for this class.) Creativity and enthusiasm will be assets as you construct your own model rocket. See you at the launch site! Pay one-time $10 rocket kit fee to instructor at first class. (Elizabeth Philipsen, M.A.Ed.; educator)

PHYSICS IS PHUN  top
(Grades 5-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
This course in physics will involve adventures in hands-on experiments, demonstrations and some videos. Students will get a chance to build electromagnets. Demonstrations and experiments will focus on investigations into gravity, sound waves and the Doppler effect, optics, lasers and holograms. Videos of black holes and astronomy will be shown. Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class.  (Team-taught by UNC Asheville Physics majors/members of the Society of Physics Students  & Randy Booker, Ph.D.; UNC Asheville Physics Dept. faculty)

PLAYBACK IMPROV THEATER & EXPRESSIVE ARTS ADVENTURE  top
(Grades 5-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Join us in the adventure of expressive arts and playback theater where your stories and creative improv come to life on stage! First, we’ll focus on movement, singing, poetry and drama as inspiration for telling stories from your life. You will expand your creativity, self expression and communication abilities while playing fun games like ‘talking heads’, ‘balloon zoom’, ‘scream team’, ‘amoeba’, ‘name bath’ and ‘fabric-cadabra’. Then, we’ll shape these games and playback theater improv forms into a showcase finale for your family and friends! Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Jessica Chilton, M.A., Community Counseling & Expressive Arts Therapy; member of Asheville Playback Theatre Company)

TAMASHII  top
(Grades 6-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Discover the adventures, ways and values of the ancient Samurai warriors. Explore the indomitable spirit (tamashii) that lies deep inside you!  Learn hands-on mental and physical skills through the world of martial arts including Tai-Chi, Karate, ancient weapons, Ju-Jitsu, classical arts, modern International Olympic sport arts, personal safety skills and much more... Optional: pay $22 to instructor at first class for traditional martial arts training uniform. (Carl Wilcox, Ph.D., Director of Asheville’s Center for Martial Arts; Jeff Rhodes; Mark Holland, Ph.D.)

WATERCOLOR PAINTING MADE EASY  top
(Grades 6-8 · 10:30-11:50  a.m.)
This class will cover basic watercolor skills of value, color mixing and washes. All work will be done on 9x12” watercolor paper so that all finished paintings fit standard maps and frames. Focus will be on brushwork and color application as students learn to paint skies, North Carolina mountains and evergreens, water, boats and flowers. A demonstration will introduce each topic. Pay one-time $10 materials fee to instructor at first class. (P. Diane Chambers, B.S.; retired educator)

WEAVING YOUR WEBPAGE  top
(Grades 5-8 · 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
Need a web page for yourself or your family? Develop your own Internet site using a variety of Web-editing tools. Learn the basics of Web design and create a Web page ready to post on the Internet! Pay one-time $5 materials fee to instructor at first class. (Candy Williams; computer instructor, web designer)