Learning Links
Learning Links is an after school program for students in grades 1-5 designed for high level learners to provide additional enrichment opportunities. Each program runs 1x/week for 1 hour after school for approximately 8 weeks. Students are selected based on a variety of data points, including state assessments, local assessments, and teacher recommendation scores.
Programs Offered in 2023-2024
| Grade Level(s) Invited | Name of Session | Session Description |
| 1st Grade | Introduction to Technology | Join this session to learn about various technology tools! |
| 1st Grade | Pushes and Pulls | During this session, students will plan and conduct investigations about the cause and effect of push and pull forces using Lego Education kits. |
| 1st Grade | Math Club | Math Club is an opportunity for students to engage in mathematical thinking that goes beyond the standard curriculum taught within the classroom. Students will practice and prepare for the South Cook Math Bowl. Two students from math club will be selected to represent District 117 at the South Cook Math Bowl in May. |
| 2nd & 3rd Grade | Digital Discoveries: Time & Change | In this program, students will explore geologic phenomena, such as mountains, rivers, canyons, and volcanoes, both on Earth and Mars, and the relative time formation of each. |
| 2nd & 3rd Grade | Digital Discoveries: Weather & Climate | In this program, students will practice gathering and analyzing weather data, learn the difference between weather and climate, explore how satelittes are used for gathering weather and climate data, and are introduced to using data for decision making and engineering tasks. |
| 2nd & 3rd Grade | Challenger E-Mission Space | Space Science: Moon, Mars, and Beyond is a program in which students help NASA locate and rescue a lost spaceship that is orbiting one of the outer planets. All teams work together using information they receive to determine where the lost ship is located. The communications team relays all information to mission control so that a rescue ship with all the loaded cargo can be launched from our base on Mars to that planet. The class will locate and rescue the lost ship. |
| 2nd & 3rd Grade | Art | Artist is a program in which students learn more about past and present artists. Students learn about their lives and most popular pieces. Each class includes an opportunity to create an art activity as well. |
| 2nd & 3rd Grade | Math Club | Math Club is an opportunity for students to engage in mathematical thinking that goes beyond the standard curriculum taught within the classroom. Students will practice and prepare for the South Cook Math Bowl. Four students from math club will be selected to represent District 117 at the South Cook Math Bowl in May. |
| 4th & 5th Grade | Introduction to Coding | Introduction to Coding is a program where children will have their first exposure to the world of coding. Students will be working on beginner programming skills in the coding club; they will be able to write their own computer program and see how computer language creates the digital world that we live in. |
| 4th & 5th Grade | Digital Art | Digital Art is a program where students will explore a whole new art form through the use of technology. They will blend the use of technology and art to use their creativity skills and produce digital art pieces. |
| 4th & 5th Grade | Math Club | Math Club is an opportunity for students to engage in mathematical thinking that goes beyond the standard curriculum taught within the classroom. Students will practice and prepare for the South Cook Math Bowl. Four students from math club will be selected to represent District 117 at the South Cook Math Bowl in May. |
Questions? Contact Christine Droba at [email protected] or 708-233-5736.