Excellerate Academic Enrichment
STEM Programs
It’s hard to think of math class and not be immediately reminded of the long hours spent reviewing multiplication tables, memorizing numbers, and all the other “rules” that go with them. However, few – if any – students have ever been inspired by flashcards and pop quizzes.
Excellerate can help spark your child’s passion for STEM. We take a more innovative, engaging approach to math and technology, going beyond the standard curriculum to help students:
- Apply critical thinking and creative problem solving skills with practical applications
- Experiment with their ideas, explore their interests and excel in the areas they’re
passionate about - Gain experiences in real-life challenges using robotics and coding
- Create a roadmap and prepare to pursue regional and national competitions
All classes are 90 minutes long and meet once a week for a total of four times per month. Start your student on the path to STEM success!
Learn continually. There is always"one more thing" to learn.
Course Description
Critical Math Thinking for Creative Minds
Invitation only for 4th grade and up students who can demonstrate proficiency in 5th-grade level math.
Students often view math as nothing more than a complicated lesson in memorization and that they just need to remember the “right” steps to get to the “right” answer. The true value in learning math, however, is in teaching students to consider problems through different perspectives, integrating creative ways to find possible solutions, and to persist through challenges and failures. During Critical Math Thinking for Creative Minds, students will:
- Work together in small groups of up to six, with each student receiving one-on-one instructor attention as well
- Use critical thinking skills to approach complex problems creatively
- Be challenged to think beyond their baseline school curriculum
Through this approach, students strengthen their problem- solving creativity while building skills beyond the typical school math curriculum – including those often used for math contests.
Joy of Problem Solving
After completing Critical Math Thinking for Creative Minds, many students want to participate in regional, national, and international math contests, but they are often unsure of how to prepare for the competitions. Joy of Problem Solving offers:
- Friendly club-style training with students from all over the United States
- Organized practice problems and contest information for both individual and team competitions
- Mental math techniques to help students strengthen their quick-thinking and decision making skills
- Information for parents regarding both regional and national contests
By participating in this structured course, students build their confidence to compete at the regional and national levels. Working through this next level of challenging material further prepares them to achieve the prestigious honors, prizes, and scholarships offered through these contests.
Coding and Creative Projects
While coding has become a popular buzzword, with many resources available, the field is still new enough that it’s not always clear where to start. Schools haven’t yet standardized their early-learning curriculums either, so helping your student learn early can be particularly challenging.
Coding Literacy & Creative Projects provides the early foundation your student needs, including:
- Implementing a clear pathway for K-12 students to learn foundational skills such as logic, algorithms, and functions
- Creating familiarity with popular program languages such as Java, JavaScript, Python, and HTML
- Creating projects for various applications such as
cybersecurity, app development, website design, and game design - Teaching families together through multiple events, including Hour of Coding, Family Days, and open houses
By teaching students and families together, your child will not only build the core foundation and enjoyment of coding needed for future success, but parents also leave with a clear understanding of the coding process and how to continue to foster their child’s curiosity and creativity.
Lego Robotics
It’s relatively common for kids to grow up playing with LEGOs, building towers, and towns. But what if you could harness their creativity into something even more educational – like robotics? Many competitions exist for elementary, junior high, and high school students, but it’s not always clear for parents how to get started or where to get the resources to start a team.
Through LEGO Robotics, we help students discover the joy and challenge of robotics by:
- Using LEGO WeDo® and Mindstorm® Education sets to
help students master the basics of robotics - Challenging experienced students to create their own movements, tasks to complete, and mission to accomplish
- Forming teams to compete regionally and nationally, receiving continued support and coaching to improve
By the end of the course, both students and their families will be prepared and excited to start their first LEGO Robotics competition!
