Last year we had our first course of electives for our 4th-grade students. These courses were taught by Venable parents and helped our students make connections between what they were learning about in the classroom, and how that applied to interests and possible careers in the real world. The students and parents had a great time participating and learning in this environment.
Feel free to look at some of the pictures and information about all of the Electives that the students participated in last year by scrolling down the page.
Feel free to look at some of the pictures and information about all of the Electives that the students participated in last year by scrolling down the page.
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The Radio Astronomy Telescope: The Largest Telescope on Earth
Students will be guided through the design and construction of the most powerful radio telescope on Earth. Students will approach the major design questions: where to build the telescope, how will it work, how will it be built, (who will build it), how much will it cost, and who will pay for it!
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Law and Order: An Introduction to the Criminal Justice SystemThis course will give interested students a basic introduction to the criminal justice system. We will bring in guests who work within the local courts, including police officers, public defenders, and judges. We will talk about ways in which criminal charges are investigated and adjudicated. The class will culminate in a brief mock trial, in which students can assume the roles of participants and resolve a hypothetical case.
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Acting: Fun and Fundamentals
Students will learn how to approach a piece of text for presentation purposes, and, through games and exercises, will become more comfortable with and confident about performing. Each student will present a short piece for the last class.
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Documentary Filmmaking: The Venable History Project
In Documentary Filmmaking, students will learn video production basics: camera moves, audio recording and interview techniques. We will help gather footage for the Venable History Project.
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Exploring Interior DesignIn this course students will be introduced to the types of interior design. They will learn industry terms and how to use a color wheel. Students will also be given their own sketch portfolios and color wheels. We will also be using many projects and interactive notebooks to give everyone a hands-on approach to designing and implementing commonly used materials to transform interiors.
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The Civil War: Exploring through Historical Fiction
Find out more about the Civil War from the different perspectives of people who lived in Charlottesville at that time. You will participate in a project where you get to write historical fiction from the perspective of one of these groups and present it as part of the Celebrate Charlottesville 250 celebration.
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Economics: How does money really work?
Have you wondered why we use the money we do and why it works the way it does? In this course you will learn about how our whole economy works through games and experiences. You will also participate in a project where you get to act as bankers and borrowers like they do at the McIntire School of Business at UVA.
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Venable's Environmental Impact: How can we lessen our trash?
In this elective you will decide how Venable can lessen the amount of waste it makes on a daily basis. You will come up with a plan to help Venable to become more green that will actually be implemented in the school!
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Views through a Lens: Photographic Basics
A brief photographic history quickly followed by hands-on digital camera learning. Observation, composition, and attention to detail will be key points during this process.
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