Featured Courses

Topics Covered: 

Kindergarten:

• Properties of Matter (Intro)
• Heredity and Adaption (Intro)
• Energy (Intro)
• Science and Technology (Intro)

Grade 1:

• Forces and Motion
• Structure and Function (Basic needs of Plants and Animals)
• Structure and Function (Life Cycles)
• Science and Technology (Measurement)

Grade 2:

• Properties of Matter (Solids, Liquids, and Gases)
• Structure and Function (Soil & Plants)
• Science and Technology (Nutrition)

Grade 3:

• Properties of Matter: States of Matter and Soggy Paper
• Heredity and Adaption (Adaption to habitats - Plants and Animals)
• Energy in Earth's system: Water

Grade 4:

• Core Scientific Inquiry
• Energy Transfer and Transformation
• Matter and Energy in Ecosystems: Wetlands
• The changing Earth: Earth Material
• Science and Technology (Magnetism and Electricity)

Grade 5:

• Light
• Sense Perception (Sight & other senses)
• Earth, Moon, and Sun.
• Ecosystems (Food Chains and Food Webs - Connecticut Ecosystems - Organisms)
• Forces and Motion
• Innovations

Grade 6:

• Weather and Climate
• Matter Phases
• Cells
• Microbes
• Human Musculoskeletal System
• Plants

Grade 7:

• Circulation, Respiration, Excretion
  - Structure and Function
  - Defense Against Disease
• Geology
  - Plate Tectonics
  - Erosion and Glaciation
  - Basic Rock Types and Rock Formation
• Connecticut Water Resources: Fresh Water
  - Salt Water
  - Septic and Sewer Systems
• Forces and Motion
  - Forces: Friction, Buoyant, Gravitational
  - Newton’s Laws of Motion
  - Momentum, Speed, and Acceleration
• Work and machines
  - Forces and Work
  - Simple Machines
• Structures (Bridges)
  - Structural Shapes and Materials
  - Bridge Designs

Grade 8:

• Astronomy
  - Planetary Motion
  - Gravity in space
• Chemistry
  - Atoms, Elements, Compounds
  - The Periodic Table of Elements
• Life Processes
  - Life Processes in the Cell
  - Respiration vs. Photosynthesis
  - Human Nervous System and Senses
  - Human Digestive System
• Genetics
  - Mendel’s Principles
  - Punnett Squares
  - Pedigree
  - Genetic Disorders
• Electromagnetic Systems
  - Static Electricity
  - Current Electricity
  - Magnetism
•  Light and Sound
  - Waves
  - Light
  - Sound
•  Forensic Science

Grade 9-12:

• Scientific Method/Evolution
• Metric System
• Basic Chemistry
• Energy Flow
• Transport
• Cell
• Photosynthesis
• Cellular Respiration
   websites
• Meiosis
• DNA Technology

• Evolution and
  Natural Selection
• Science Skills
• Atomic Structure
• Carbon Chemistry
• Properties of Matter
• Buoyancy: Archimedes’ principle
• States of Matter
• Fluid Pressure

• Nature of Science
• Stars and Galaxies
• Earth as a System
• Environment Resources
• Plate Tectonics
• The Ocean Floor
• Mountain Building

• Biology and You
• Chemistry of Life
• Ecosystems
• Populations and
  Communities
• Cell Structure
• Cell Growth and
  Division
• Meiosis and Sexual
  Reproduction
• Mendel and
  Heredity
• DNA, RNA, and
  Proteins
• Evolutionary
  Theory
• Bacteria and
  Viruses

Scratch:

 Beginner

Introduction to programming

• What is programming
• Choosing characters and backgrounds.
• Painting and Editing characters
• X & Y Coordinates
• Loops
• Sensing keys
• If and if then else statements

Intermediate

• Making variables (timer, score,….etc)
• Uploading and downloading characters and backgrounds.
• Arithmetic operations
• The concept of cloning.

Advanced 

• Blocks and functions
• Creating lists
• Physics and gravity

Python

Beginner

Introduction to programming

• Printing strings
• variables
• User inputs.
• If/else
• While Loops
• Comparison operators
• Arithmetic operators
• Comparison Operators

Intermediate

• For loops
• Math methods.
• Blocks and functions
• Creating lists and arrays

Advanced 

• 2d arrays
• Classes
• File handling (reading and writing files)
• String manipulations.
• Importing from the Library

Engineering:

• Unit 1: Designing Windmills:
• the engineer design process
• what is engineering
• mechanical engineering
• activities:
• Testing sail design
• Designing a balloon car
• Designing a windmill

• Unit 2: balance and force:
• Actions and reactions.
• Pushing and pulling.
• Types of bridges.
• Activities:
• Building a Suspension bridges
• Building Beam bridges
• Building Arch bridge
• Designing a hydraulic lift.

• Unit 3 : Simple machines
• What is a simple machine
• The concept of force.
• Types of simple machines
• activities
• Levers
• Designing a movable Pulley
• Seesaw
• Inclined plane
• Wheel and axle

• Unit 4: designing parachutes
• Aerospace engineering
• How parachutes work.
• air resistance and gravity.
• activities
• Designing a parachute.
• Glider plane project
• Making a mini rocket

Kindergarten:

• Module 1: Numbers to 10
  Module 2: Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Shapes
  Module 3: Comparison of Length, Weight, Capacity, and Numbers to 10
  Module 4: Number Pairs, Addition and Subtraction to 10
  Module 5: Numbers 10–20 and Counting to 100
  Module 6: Analyzing, Comparing, and Composing Shapes

Grade 1:

• Module 1: Sums and Differences to 10
  Module 2: Introduction to Place Value Through Addition and Subtraction Within 20
  Module 3: Ordering and Comparing Length Measurements as Numbers
  Module 4: Place Value, Comparison, Addition and Subtraction to 40
  Module 5: Identifying, Composing, and Partitioning Shapes
  Module 6: Place Value, Comparison, Addition and Subtraction to 100

Grade 2:

• Module 1: Sums and Differences to 100
  Module 2: Addition and Subtraction of Length Units
  Module 3: Place Value, Counting, and Comparison of Numbers to 1000
  Module 4: Addition and Subtraction Within 200 with Word Problems to 100
  Module 5: Addition and Subtraction Within 1000 with Word Problems to 100
  Module 6: Foundations of Multiplication and Division
  Module 7: Problem Solving with Length, Money, and Data
  Module 8: Time, Shapes, and Fractions as Equal Parts of Shapes

Grade 3:

• Module 1: Properties of Multiplication and Division and Solving Problems with Units of 2–5 and 10
  Module 2: Place Value and Problem Solving with Units of Measure
  Module 3: Multiplication and Division with Units of 0, 1, 6–9, and Multiples of 10
  Module 4: Multiplication and Area
  Module 5: Fractions as Numbers on the Number Line
  Module 6: Collecting and Displaying Data
  Module 7: Geometry and Measurement Word Problems

Grade 4:

• Module 1: Place Value, Rounding, and Algorithms for Addition and Subtraction
  Module 2: Unit Conversions and Problem Solving with Metric Measurement
  Module 3: Multi-Digit Multiplication and Division
  Module 4: Angle Measure and Plane Figures
  Module 5: Fraction Equivalence, Ordering, and Operations
  Module 6: Decimal Fractions
  Module 7: Exploring Multiplication

Grade 5:

• Module 1: Place Value and Decimal Fractions
  Module 2: Multi-Digit Whole Number and Decimal Fraction Operations
  Module 3: Addition and Subtraction of Fractions
  Module 4: Multiplication and Division of Fractions and Decimal Fractions
  Module 5: Addition and Multiplication with Volume and Area
  Module 6: Problem Solving with the Coordinate Plane

Grade 6:

• Module 1: Ratios and Unit Rates
  Module 2: Arithmetic Operations Including Dividing by a Fraction
  Module 3: Rational Numbers
  Module 4: Expressions and Equations
  Module 5: Area, Surface Area, and Volume Problems
  Module 6: Statistics

Grade 7:

• Module 1: Ratios and Proportional Relationships
  Module 2: Rational Numbers
  Module 3: Expressions and Equations
  Module 4: Percent and Proportional Relationships
  Module 5: Statistics and Probability
  Module 6: Geometry

Grade 8:

• Module 1: Integer Exponents and Scientific Notation
  Module 2: The Concept of Congruence
  Module 3: Similarity
  Module 4: Linear Equations
  Module 5: Examples of Functions from Geometry
  Module 6: Linear Functions
  Module 7: Introduction to Irrational Numbers Using Geometry

Grade 9:

• Module 1: Relationships Between Quantities and Reasoning with Equations and Their Graphs
  Module 2: Descriptive Statistics
  Module 3: Linear and Exponential Functions
  Module 4: Polynomial and Quadratic Expressions, Equations and Functions
  Module 5: A Synthesis of Modeling with Equations and Functions

Grade 10:

• Module 1: Congruence, Proof, and Constructions
  Module 2: Similarity, Proof, and Trigonometry
  Module 3: Extending to Three Dimensions
  Module 4: Connecting Algebra and Geometry through Coordinates
  Module 5: Circles with and Without Coordinates

Grade 11:

• Module 1: Polynomial, Rational, and Radical Relationships
  Module 2: Trigonometric Functions
  Module 3: Functions
  Module 4: Inferences and Conclusions from Data

Grade 12:

• Module 1: Complex Numbers and Transformations
  Module 2: Vectors and Matrices
  Module 3: Rational and Exponential Functions
  Module 4: Trigonometry
  Module 5: Probability and Statistics

Chess Beginners Curriculum

The plan goes over 16 classes as follows:

• A brief history of the game (an Introduction) and the board set up.
• The chess pieces, their movement, and their space coverage!
• Pieces’ value, Attacking and Capturing.
• Defending the attacked pieces.
• The purpose of the game (Check vs Checkmate).
• Basic Checkmate Ideas and Patterns.
• Memorizing and Calculating (Beginners level).
• The difference between a Checkmate and a stalemate.
• Special moves and when to apply them! (Castling – promotion – en-passant)
• Basic Strategy:
• Openings and Critical Thinking.
• Middle game and how to win exchanges (planning ahead)
• Trades and how to count
• Prophylactic Thinking! find out your opponent’s plan.

Basic Tactics:

• Skewers or the X-Ray.
• Discovered attacks.
• Double attacks.
• Other ways to Not lose the game! (Perpetual Check, Three-Fold Repetition, and the 50-Move Draw)
• The Endgame
• Endgame patterns
• Pawns endgame (the opposition)
• Rooks endgame
• Queen + king vs a king Endgame.
• Chess Notation and how to play with the clock
• Review and a tournament.

Intermediate & Advanced level curriculum

The Curriculum goes as follows:

• Attacking the king
• Pieces power
• Misplaced pieces
• Improving piece position
• Advantage of the exchange
• Pawns structure
• Central pawns
• Playing with a pawn less
• Outposts
• The initiative
• Open Files
• Back Rank Attack
• Planning (creating your own future)
• When you can’t think of a plan
• Space advantage and maneuvering
• Good and Bad Bishops
• Falling into traps
• Ignoring Threats
• Some opening traps
• Checkmates in 1-2-3-4
• Review and a tournament