It is never too early to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
Led by the S.T.E.A.M Nanny herself, this class will engage shorties in activities that integrate the arts into learning about key concepts in science, math, technology and engineering. Sessions are open-ended and encourage children to build self-confidence, improve their communication, cognition, and extend their self understanding and cultural awareness. Each session features a notable Black professional and culminates with a project inspired by their genius. S.T.E.A.M. is all about science, technology, engineering, art and math!
Learn about the past, present, and future of Black music. Students will hear songs from multiple genres - blues, hip-hop, bluegrass, jazz, and rock - and find out about the legendary Black musicians who are responsible for bringing each genre to life. This class is based on Black Music Is, a book by Marcus Amaker - Charleston, SC's first Poet Laureate. Students will have a chance to respond to the music, and hear songs from current musicians who are keeping history alive.
Students will develop increasing reading confidence as they learn to read more and more complex words with an emphasis on vowel sounds and spelling alternatives for vowel sounds. They will practice with various spelling patterns that can stand for more than one sound, read one- and two-syllable words, contractions, and more high-frequency words. Finally, students will demonstrate their powerful decoding skills by reading longer stories and poems, opening a world of Black history, knowledge, and culture.
Through rich traditions of rhythm, rhyme, & movement, students will continue to develop the phonics skills that are at the root of literacy. Sprout Up emphasizes the most common spelling patterns as well as several spelling alternatives for consonant and vowel sounds. Students will practice with irregular spelling patterns, multisyllabic words, making nouns plural and changing spelling when adding suffixes. Working with high-frequency words in poems and stories, students will broaden their language and build knowledge of Black history, knowledge and culture.
Black women are leaders of literature. Their legacies are rooted in writing that eloquently captures the intersections of gender, race, class and power. Through the voices of queens from the past and present, #BlackGirlMagic is the energy in these reading classes. Read books from Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison to Michelle Obama and Yaa Gyasi.
Learn about significant Black accomplishments from past to present. Students will be able to learn and identify some of the key players in history who continuously inspire and influence the Black experience in this country.
Learn about the culture, traditions and famous alumni of Historically Black Colleges & Universities. Students will be able to understand more about the establishment and validation of HBCUs across this nation.
Discuss critical issues facing Black people today to lead a better future tomorrow. Students will be able to develop and sharpen their advocacy skills to be the leaders of today.
Through observing, interpreting, and evaluating African art and music, students will explore some of the major dynasties across the continent. Using music from different regions in Africa, students will explore the diversity of post-colonial Africa.
Explore the birthplace of civilization. This course focuses on the stories of Black culture and heritage told through the rich energy of African music, lyrics, architects, careers, and history.
Learn about Black innovators who changed our world and beyond. Students will learn about the significance of Black creators and inventors in our everyday lives through the facets of math and reading.
Explore the endeavors of Black professionals in every field. Learn about promising careers that have very little representation from Black people.
More food, more culture! Create meals that incorporate ingredients from traditional Caribbean cuisine – sauteed greens, spiced potato and plantain chips, banana bread, rice and peas with coconut, jerk chicken. Classes will provide the history and health benefits of each dish as well as a guided cooking tutorial.
Learn the rules of dominoes, variations of game play and practice with peers with support from our skilled Reconstruction tutors. Dominoes is an integral part of Black culture, learn in a safe space and have fun!
Dream big in these classes that cultivate leadership in industry and society. Students are invited to bring their creative energy to each class session.
Explore Wakanda with your favorite Black Panther characters. Students will explore the social, economic, and real life impacts of Black Panther as it relates to our everyday lives.
Featuring renowned economist Roland Fryer, the youngest African American to be given tenure at Harvard University and co-founder of Reconstruction. In this class, Roland will discuss the life and work of Black geniuses – both historic and contemporary – in social justice, academics, the arts, and education with a particular focus on how their life and work affected economic thought.
Featuring Marcus Amaker, who was named Charleston, SC’s first Poet Laureate in 2016. Marcus loves doing poetry workshops and speaking to students and students love learning with Marcus! As Poet Laureate, Marcus wants students to know that their voices matter, and it’s important to him that he shares his knowledge about being a poet and an artist. Students will be exposed to and create beautiful poetry.
Developed by the Folger Shakespeare Library, this course delves into the intersection between African-American life and Shakespeare, from stage productions to personal and academic encounters with the texts. Students will examine some of the many ways that Black Americans have encountered, responded to, taken ownership of, and sometimes turned away from Shakespeare's words.
Developed by the Folger Shakespeare Library, this course delves into the intersection between African-American life and Shakespeare, from stage productions to personal and academic encounters with the texts. Students will examine some of the many ways that Black Americans have encountered, responded to, taken ownership of, and sometimes turned away from Shakespeare's words. Students will be able to explain and discuss the racial implications of Shakespeare and how his work relates to the present day.
Get to know foundational texts from the classics to emerging staples that delve into the existence of the African diaspora and the historical context of where society and culture stand today. Though the time periods and authors span centuries, many ideas and revelations are grounded in the same roots. This course includes works from Alex Haley, Frederick Douglass, Carter G. Woodson, Yaa Gyasi, and Ibram X. Kendi.
Led by the S.T.E.A.M Nanny herself, these classes will engage shorties in activities that integrate the arts into learning about key concepts in science, math, technology and engineering. Classes are open-ended and encourage children to build self-confidence, improve their communication, cognition, and extend their self understanding and cultural awareness. Each class features a notable Black professional and culminates with a project inspired by their genius. S.T.E.A.M. is all about science, technology, engineering, art and math!
Algorithmic thinking is the seamless flow between interpreting, applying, designing and refining structured procedures, rules, and systems. It's the rhythm of applied mathematics and the cornerstone of Black liberation, Black wealth, and Black innovation. In this course, students will use problem-based learning to deeply understand and apply mathematical procedures and concepts. Specific content emphasis will be placed on rates and proportional reasoning, algebraic thinking, and function models. We will solve problems in social justice as well as science and technology.