Super Summer Program

The ACSD Super Summer Program is a two-week summer school for students who are entering 1st-8th grades, who want to take interest oriented classes to further their passion in those areas. This year, Super Summer offered 30 different courses not accessible in the regular school curriculum to give students an opportunity to study a subject in-depth.

Extended Learning Program Director Nicole Kuhns, said, “The goal is really just to provide classes to stretch our students’ minds during the summer break.” Super Summer has been around in some form for over 25 years. This year, over 250 students registered for classes that included a variety of topics. Kuhns said, “We saw many teachers proposing new classes and reinventing old classes. There was literally something for everyone from students interested in STEM, art, performance, sports, business, and crafting. Many teachers focused on bringing a cultural lens into their classes and helping students learn more about the way others live. Our students left excited each day about all they had learned, which is really all we could ask for!”

Personal Portraits I & II

Gifted visual artists worked in a studio environment to create personal portraits in varying media. The work progression is designed specific to each artist’s needs. Participants explored idea generation and manipulation using technology to produce two to six quality works of art.

Because of the differentiated nature of instruction and personal feedback, whether a participant is a returning Super Summer artist or taking this class for the first time, each participant moved through a menu of production options varying in complexity dependent upon personal goals. Enrollment in Personal Portraits II in addition to Personal Portraits I simply offers extended production time for students.

Digital Photography & Editing

Students used Chromebooks to take and edit photographs. They learned how to take better pictures through composition, and how to enhance pictures through editing. They leveraged the use of Google Photos and other online photo editing programs to edit and share photos.

Wearable Art

Students made a variety of projects to show off their artistic talent in this summer class. Highlights included a t-shirt, hair accessories, bracelets, and a canvas tote bag just in time for summer outings. Art materials included acrylic paint, fabric, glitter, buttons and beads. Demonstrations in basic painting, color theory, and art vocabulary were also part of the course.

LEGO  Mindstorms Robotics

This class was for students who are interested in working with Legos and robots. Students learned simple programming, engineering, and communication skills as they work as a team to build a robot to perform a specific task. The first week students learned about the bricks and programming, and during the second week, they completed specific missions.

The World of Origami

Students learned the Japanese art of paper folding. They started with basic origami folds and bases and moved up in increasing difficulty throughout the course that included a hopping frog and the crane. Students also made gifts and saw how origami is used in space. Substantial geometry vocabulary and concepts were discussed.

Fuji & Sakura

Konichiwa! In this class, students were exposed to the Japanese language and engaged in fun activities that included making Sushi, participating in a tea ceremony, and learning Sumi writing. They also took an image trip to Japan and discussed students’ favorite Japanese manga during the Super Summer class.

Course List

• MakeSpace & Coding
• Crafting & Writing with Picture Books
• MiniMakers
• Adventures into the Abstract
• Read, Think, Imagine, Create!
• Fit Fun
• Life on the Farm
• Super Summer Presents a Play
• Adventuras en Español
• Super Scrapbooking
• (Beginning) Animation
• Busting Science Myths
• Wearable Art
• Engineering 0.101
• Square I & II Chess
• A World of Good Food
• Beyond Fortune Tellers: the World of Origami
• Around the World in 10 Books
• Creative Ceramic Creations
• Creative Sculpture
• Kundan Henna (Indian Tattoo)
• LEGO Mindstorms Robotics
• Digital Photography & Editing on Chromebooks
• Fuji & Sakura
• Nihao, the Great Wall
• Young Entrepreneurs Wanted
• Advanced Animation & Independent
• Personal Portraits I & II
• Summer Reading / Writing
• Let’s Make a Game