Otis Classes

Have fun and be inspired with this adventure in Clay Sculpting! Art can truly provide an outlet for self expression and discovery. In fact, it is well known that an artistic activity like painting can inspire creativity, problem solving and focus into other spheres of life. Early exposure to arts can develop into a lifelong pursuit of joy and well-being. In this new series of classes, Mandar, an award winning artist based in Alameda, will teach some basic skills of clay sculpting using his hands-on approach and one-on-one instruction. He begins all his classes with live demos and kids walk out with a finished piece of art at the end of every class. He encourages individuality and inspired action. The class will delve into many exciting subjects including simple shapes, fish, animals, birds, superheroes and masks, according to the student's interests. See Mandar's art and testimonials at www.mandarfineart.com

This novice/beginner level class is for those completely new to the game of chess, and those who may have been introduced at home or elsewhere, but don't have a solid grasp of the fundamentals. This course may even be beneficial for younger students with previous class experience, but who have not fully learned the basics yet. Topics to be covered include: chessboard terminology and square identification; how the various pieces move and capture, plus their relative values; pawn promotion; the very crucial concepts of check, checkmate, and stalemate; the special move of castling; opening goals and principles; basic endgame checkmates using major pieces; and last, but not least, good chess etiquette. Potential students that have a solid foundation and know most, if not all, of the topics listed above, should enroll in the AEF/ACC post-beginner/intermediate level chess class, ""Chess: Beyond the Basics"" instead.

AEF/ACC afterschool chess classes are divided (roughly in half) timewise between instruction and supervised play. All enrolled students earn and accumulate points towards ACC's Royalty Loyalty Program (RLP) rewards by participating in the instruction half of class and playing with good chess etiquette afterwards. RLP rewards consist of chess-related items, including chess puzzle books and equipment.

With its nearly 1500 years of history, chess is arguably the greatest and most popular board game of all time. Numerous studies have suggested that learning & playing chess at an early age can yield various benefits regarding cognitive skills. Confidence, decision-making, and sportsmanship are other areas of potential improvement. The benefits and enjoyment of chess can last a lifetime!

This post-beginner/intermediate level class is for those with a solid grasp of chess fundamentals. Potential students are expected to already know: chessboard terminology and square identification; how the various pieces move and capture, plus their relative values; pawn promotion; the very crucial concepts of check, checkmate, and stalemate; the special move of castling; opening goals and principles; basic endgame checkmates using major pieces; and last, but not least, good chess etiquette. Potential students unfamiliar with more than a couple of these basic topics would probably be better off enrolling in the AEF/ACC novice/beginner level class, ""Learn How to Play Chess"".

AEF/ACC afterschool chess classes are divided (roughly in half) timewise between instruction and supervised play. Instruction will focus on learning tactics and strategy through the explanation of games and positions from historical players and events, and/or current top-level competitions. The instructor will organize and run an unofficial tournament during the last 4-5 weeks of this level course, with labeled medals as awards for all participants upon completion.

All enrolled students earn and accumulate points towards ACC's Royalty Loyalty Program (RLP) rewards by participating in the instruction half of class and playing with good chess etiquette afterwards. RLP rewards consist of chess-related items, including chess puzzle books and equipment.

With its nearly 1500 years of history, chess is arguably the greatest and most popular board game of all time. Numerous studies have suggested that learning & playing chess at an early age can yield various benefits regarding cognitive skills. Confidence, decision-making, and sportsmanship are other areas of potential improvement. The benefits and enjoyment of chess can last a lifetime!

You'd never believe tennis could be so fun! ANTS tennis class will be an encouraging team environment with positive coaching, learning, and fun tennis games for your children. Our program welcomes all new and experienced players of all skill levels, even those who have never touched a racket. Our approach is to teach the FUNdamentals of tennis through individual hand-eye coordination, partner activities, and fun team tennis games. Using modified equipment that has been adopted by the USTA (smaller nets and rackets and easier to hit balls), our program allows your child to explore tennis at the right pace. In class we’ll focus on building healthy habits, team camaraderie, and good sportsmanship on and off the court. Come join us at ANTS Tennis! Please note: Students must provide their own racquet. ANTS Sports will have racquets for sale. ANTS Sports will email a link the day before the class starts which will enable parents to buy a racquet which will be provided on the first day of class. Racquets are $35.

All the fun happens while we are immersed in Mandarin! Our creative Chinese classes are engaging and educational lessons. We combine Chinese language learning with hands-on activities. We believe in learning language through meaningful content. Our storybooks are not only entertaining, but also serve as an excellent platform to reinforce vocabulary, sentence structure, overall comprehension, and listening skills. The students actively participate in discussions related to the story. Each week we read a theme-based storybook, and do worksheets and activities based on them, like singing songs, acting, playing games, doing arts and crafts, cooking, and writing. The activities are not only incredibly fun but also allow the students to apply their language skills in a practical context. Our students develop lifelong interests in Mandarin Chinese, and continue to show enthusiasm and dedication to learning, which is truly valuable. See April’s programs and testimonials at EnjoyChineseLA.com.

Calling all Master Builders! Join in the fun as we take you through a world of LEGO lingo and creative and boundary pushing builds! Use YOUR imagination to make your LEGO creation inspired and out of this world. Challenge yourself to see if you’ve got what it takes to be a LEGO Master Builder. We can’t wait to see your skills!

In this STEAM based class students tap into their creative side as they mix creativity with cutting edge technology. Students learn concepts of design and the mechanics of 3D printing using 3D pens. The class also introduces kids to using 3-D printers to create images from their designs. Students learn vocabulary and basic concepts of design.

Calling all guitar players — beginning and experienced! This course is designed for young minds who have an interest in learning to play guitar. Within a group setting, students will learn the basics of guitar playing (proper technique, correct strumming patterns and music theory as it applies to the guitar. Starting right at the beginning then progressing to playing tunes in no time! As progress develops, we'll begin how to play music together as a small ensemble. Fun for all! Please note: Students must provide their own instrument.

Learn the world of simple machines and how much fun can be made by some of these unusual gizmos such as: a paper crinkler, spin machine and 3-in-a-row spinning minifigure game!

Aloha Ukulele takes students on a musical journey through the beautiful islands of Hawaii. The keiki, meaning “little ones,” will learn how to play songs on their ukulele while also learning the art, language and traditions of Hawaii. In addition to musical activities, students will have the opportunity to create flower lei, bead art, and other creative projects.

In this class you'll come up with a topics for short videos, storyboard them to determine what you'll need, and then get creating. Learn how to shoot great video footage to best tell your stories (use our shared class video cameras, or bring in your own). Kids will also learn the basics of video editing, with fun projects such as claymation and stopmotion animation.

You'd never believe tennis could be so fun! ANTS tennis class will be an encouraging team environment with positive coaching, learning, and fun tennis games for your children. Our program welcomes all new and experienced players of all skill levels, even those who have never touched a racket. Our approach is to teach the FUNdamentals of tennis through individual hand-eye coordination, partner activities, and fun team tennis games. Using modified equipment that has been adopted by the USTA (smaller nets and rackets and easier to hit balls), our program allows your child to explore tennis at the right pace. In class we’ll focus on building healthy habits, team camaraderie, and good sportsmanship on and off the court. Come join us at ANTS Tennis! Please note: Students must provide their own racquet. ANTS Sports will have racquets for sale. ANTS Sports will email a link the day before the class starts which will enable parents to buy a racquet which will be provided on the first day of class. Racquets are $35.

Get ready to build! Learn the basics of construction as we build fun wooden projects together. Students will learn basic woodworking safety as well as try their hand at hammering in nails, practicing with a screwdriver, sanding to a smooth finish, and staining and painting. These skills will be put to the test when students create their own birdhouses, toolboxes, tic tac toe boards and more!