Every week at Victoria Hills Community Centre, students have the chance to broaden their education at House of Friendship’s Adventure Learning program.
Held after school, Adventure Learning encourages schoolchildren in Grades 2 to 8 to explore new subjects, by making math, language, and science exciting and fun.
What better way to learn about the world than through slime? Matias enjoys a hands-on lesson at Victoria Hills Community Centre.
“We try to build a program based on what the kids are interested in,” said Kathleen Cameron, Neighbourhood Program Leader. “We usually have a video, where we share the science behind the activity.”
One week in February, the young students discovered how Silly Putty was invented by mistake. The children watched a short video about the inventor, James Wright, who tried to make a synthetic rubber substitute to support American war efforts in the Second World War. Instead, he created a bouncy, stretchy substance that eventually became a toy beloved by children throughout the world.
It was after watching the video, however, that the real fun began – the students all took part in making their own version of Silly Putty, slime.
They had to follow the recipe carefully, measuring out the ingredients – glue, baking soda, food colouring, and the secret ingredient, contact lens solution (containing boric acid and sodium borate). And while some of the students may not have measured as carefully as they should have, they still learned something in the process. The creation of slime, much like any other concoction, requires attention to detail.
It was a little bit messy, but it was worth it.
In addition to this kind of hands-on learning, the students also enjoy some physical activity in the gym, and have also taken part in spelling and math activities as part of the afternoon. Snacks are provided, recognizing that some of the children might come from households struggling to make ends meet, and after-school snacks aren’t always available at home.
This free program provides more than just support to the children’s education. It’s also providing a community.
“It’s fun to work with the kids,” said Kathleen. “I love seeing them interact with each other. They get to know us, come out of their shells, and meet some healthy role models while they are here.
“This is the neighbourhood I live in, and I’m happy to be there for my community. I get to help my neighbours here, and that’s wonderful.
Your support of Neighbourhoods work at House of Friendship is helping young students in Waterloo Region all year long! Your care and compassion will have a lasting impact on the lives of children who need support as they learn and grow. Thank you!
