Left Brain Right Brain Labs
Whether we are drawn to more logical activities of the left brain, or more creative ones of the right, we need them all for a well developed brain. LBRB is an enrichment lab inside Greenhouse MOntessori. Our Montessori students get to explore all areas of the brain with a depth of knowledge by using hands on activities. We are excited to provide classes to students from the community. It is our vision to add various areas and potentially home school classes, after school classes, as well as provide a space for the talented teachers to share their expertise. This is a pilot program on many levels, so bear with as we work through the initial kinks of scheduling and technology.
CURRENT Left Brain Right Brain Labs
Maker Space Fun. July 1-3 Ages 7-10 (1pm-4pm) Ages 5-7 (9am-12)
We will introduce the concepts of recycling and how
important inventions and innovations are. This class is the foundation for future classes that will include more
complex projects and possibly a Maker Faire.
Kids ages 6-12 will use a Beaverbot Cardboard Cutter to make
an airplane, dinosaur, or fun game. Take
ordinary cardboard and turn it into something new! Let your creativity run wild. We will re-use ordinary cardboard and welcome you to bring in
any of those amazon boxes that are taking up space at your house. Please bring a water bottle and healthy snack to camp. Drop off and pick up is at the Watertank driveway.
Current Left Brain Right Brain Labs
Food Chains and owl pellets. June 24-26 Ages 4-7 (9am-12) Ages 8-11 (1pm-4pm)
Find out how the food chain works and where energy moves from. We will take a close look at a desert food chain and how an owl's digestive system works. We will dissect owl pellets and make hypothesis on what they ate. Once we locate the bones and chart them, we will see which animal the owl ate.
Outside of the Box
Students have various interests and are often limited in the pursuit of them due to time or because adults don't think they are ready for them or "need" them. We have dissected frogs, crayfish, and worms in lower elementary and the kids learned so much. This is an example of giving them an opportunity to engage in learning that may not be available at this stage.
Beautifully Prepared Environments
Creating spaces is my specialty. A space of learning should be beautiful, inviting, purposeful, and comfortable. Our LBRB room is versatile so we have room to be at a table, on the floor, at a science table, or with a lap desk or rug. We have our yard as usable space, and a charming library upstairs that is welcoming and serene. Knitting and sewing are often done up there. To watch kids knit in big pillows with balls of yarn at their side, is really sweet.
Types of classes we will offer
Sciences
Science and Social Science covers so many areas. Biology, physics, chemistry, electricity, anatomy, biomes, botany, zoology, geography, geology, We can't wait to get them scheduled.
Teamwork and Collaboration
Giving children opportunities to work together to accomplish a goal is priceless. We will have Board games, Minute to Win it, and cooperation activities that will be interactive with each other, disguised by fun and games.
Entrepreneurship
Our lower elementary kids go beyond lemonade stands when learning how to work a business. Our coffee shop is the place they learn how to input inventory, take orders, make eye contact, count change back, and manage their time. These life skills will last a lifetime. Our class will take the students through making an idea a business...if the market research supports it.
Arts and Crafts
The right brain loves to create. Whether an open ended art piece, an introduction to drawing and mediums, or integrating creativity into a project, we got you covered. Knitting, sewing, embroidery, and jewerly making are also classes we plan to bring in.
Makerspace and Tinkering
To make things takes an idea, imagination, a plan, and materials to execute them. I tell my students that ideas are a great start, but to make them work they need a plan. We will go step by step and use fun tools like a Beaverbot cardboard cutter, Glowforge, Legos, and learn coding with Cubbetto. These are some of the materials we use for both open ending fun as well as project based. Using actual tools like saws, sanders, and hand drills are more options.
Nature
Vitamin D straight from the sun is the best. Being outside to make connections with learning is at the top of our list. Everything you can learn inside you can learn outside, but not vice versa. Taking a lemon from the tree and making lemonade, or harvesting lettuce and making dressing from herbs in the garden are interactive ways for children to connect with nature. Observing bugs, and hunting for rolly polies makes them aware of their environment and gives them a respect for nature. Finding simple machines on the playground to follow up our lessons is one of the favorite scavenger hunts we have had. The nature class potential is endless.
Cooking and Baking
One of the greatest life skills is food prep. There's math, problem solving, socialization, trial and error, kitchen chemistry, and completion of a process. We will explore recipes in many ways. One of the favorites in the classroom is Book & Cook. We have various children's literature books that we talk about and then make a recipe that goes along with it. Who doesn't love a good snack?