Project Based Learning Electives provided by the Berrien Springs Virtual Academy
​FLC - Fun Learning Company                        Spring 2023
All students must complete a project for these classes.

---

Mixed Media Art
Format: In-person
Masks: Required
LOCATION: as of Jan 23, 2023 the location will change to Lake Michigan STEAMWORKS in Buchanan. 
The address is 606 Carrol St, Suite B, Buchanan MI 49107
MAIN INSTRUCTOR: Michael Kirby
CONTACT INFORMATION:    phone: (269) 262-0697   
email: dawnandmike007@yahoo.com    website: FunLearningCompany.com
​Ages 10+ 
Tuesdays: 3-5 pm

Classes must begin in January.
​
Description: In this class, Variety’s the name of the game, though that doesn’t mean jumping from one activity to another each week. Some projects may take several weeks; other times, we’ll just be “playing around” with possibilities. As a teacher, I always like to put things in context: in an art class that means a bit of history here, geography there.  We’ll look at the work of other artists - Native American basket and jewelry makers, for example – in print and online. I hope this class helps students appreciate the talents of other artists and makers and inspires their confidence, so if, in the future, their imagination is piqued by some new creative form, they won’t be afraid to try it out.  We’ll try to make connections: “How does it make sense that decoupage became so popular in Victoria’s England? How did new inventions – like the sewing machine – and the industrial revolution change the traditional “home arts” in 19th century America?  We’ll work on different skills:  from using a sewing pattern to embroidery and wool applique, napkin decoupage to simple jewelry making.
We’ll also just have some fun experimenting: dyeing different materials with natural items and commercial dyes; checking out how watercolor pencils compare to watercolor paints; the use of chalks and inks in paper crafting. Niles and Berrien Springs students will also get the chance to design and make a simple project using the Glo-Forge machine. The students will also keep a binder to creatively journal all their experiments.

Note: Exact topics/depth covered will adapt to the interests and skills of the students who sign up.
​
Syllabus

*Please note: it is important to make as informed a decision as possible when choosing your student's Community Resource classes. Most locations will allow a student to drop a class after one meeting, at no charge if it wasn't a good fit for the student, but not all. Some classes plan ahead based on the number that have signed up and have purchased materials, hired teachers, etc. and there might be a fee for class time or materials given to the student if the student drops after one or two meetings. The school cannot pay for classes that students do not complete, so choose wisely; if you do not take the class off of your student's schedule by the deadline, you may be asked to pay for the class time incurred prior to dropping the class.
 
​Teacher of Record:  Lisa Van Plew-Cid