By Lisa Carolin
Beginning in November, Chelsea students at North Creek and South Meadows Elementary Schools will have the opportunity to learn about everything from engineering to architecture in hands-on community education classes called Bricks 4 Kidz.
The Chelsea School District along with the Dexter, Manchester, Stockbridge and Ann Arbor districts will all be offering the after school classes, which use LEGO bricks to teach principles in science, technology, engineering and math (S.T.E.M.)
Science is taught by building animals and insects and includes teaching physics laws of motion using models with motors, gears, axles and rubber bands.
The technology aspect of Bricks 4 Kids uses models to build machines and tools that relate to the world. Computers and programming software are used to program the models to move.
Students are taught what engineering is by building structures and machines that achieve a goal. Math skills including division, probability and ratios, and are taught by using gears in models.
“For elementary school students grades K-6, we use special kits that are filled with LEGO technic bricks, gears, axles, friction pins, and motors,” said Lori Stevens, owner of the Bricks 4 Kids franchise that includes Chelsea and several surrounding communities. “What’s special about our kits is that they are proprietary to our franchise, can’t be purchased in stores, and can build over 200 models.”
Chelsea’s Community Education Department has been working with Stevens since the spring to launch some of her programs in Chelsea.
“We were able to run two weeks of Bricks 4 Kidz camps in August and had nearly full sessions for that,” said Andrew Thomson, youth/adult enrichment coordinator for Community Education.
Thomson says that Bricks 4 Kidz will be offered starting in November: On Mondays, Nov. 4-Dec. 29 at North Creek for grades K-2, and on Tuesdays, Nov. 15-Dec. 10 at South Meadows for grades 3-5.
“We know there are lots of different things for students to do in Chelsea, but we also know that there are many students and parents who want to continue learning, even after the regular school day is done,” said Thomson.
Bricks 4 Kidz trains its instructors, provides materials and creates the curriculum for the six-week course. Stevens says that the course helps kids with critical thinking skills, teamwork, problem solving, fine motor skills, and kinesthetic learning.
For more information on Bricks 4 Kidz, click here.
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