Learning happens everywhere! Classes can be adapted to almost any setting. That said, the best locations are comfortable, familiar, quiet, have room to play, and offer amenities like bathrooms and water fountains.

Dr. D has a classroom in her home! Off of 6th and Airport, right across from Buckley Space Force Bae, this 1100 sq ft space is set up specifically for homeschool and learning activities. It is downstairs with the bathroom upstairs. It has a sink. It is equipped with two long tables and chairs, a changing table, a large blackboard, and a variety of school supplies.

The Aurora Central Library has a large and a small community room that can be reserved upon availability. They are very close to the main entrance and right next to the bathrooms and vending machines.

The Morrison Nature Center has a beautiful outdoor space convenient for groups, depending on weather.

Dr. D can come to your home, and will bring all needed supplies with her. She'll also bring her husband and at least a few of her kids!

 If you don't know where you'd like to meet, contact us and we can collaboratively brainstorm appropriate ideas.

Choose the Topics You Need

Tell us what specific or general topics your learners need. Let us know the ages of your learners, and any different cognitive or physical needs they have. Any learning session with Dr. D will be tailored to the needs of your learners and your group. Let us know if you are working toward a state requirement or other standard and we'll make sure to meet it.

Here are some examples that can be covered in one session, but let us know what topics you want covered and we will come up with a creative lesson!

Classic Experiments

All of these lessons include hands on experiments, an emphasis on the scientific method, and focus on Common Core concepts of scientific literacy, evaluating quality of information, building an opinion based on evidence, and presenting findings to others.

exploding volcano or soda rocket (pH balance)

walking rainbow (capillary action + color theory)

magic milk (surface tension + polarity)

elephant toothpaste (exothermic reactions)

Living Things

Meet King Levy, a real life bearded dragon. Act out his adaptive behaviors. Watch him eat mealworms. And, of course, pet the dragon!

Pet First Aid, starring Strawberry the big fat cat. Learn how to give your pet a checkup and hire to stabilize simple injuries.

 Lifecycles, featuring The Mealworms! See a real life mealworm farm (portable) and all of the stages of a mealworm's life, including beetles and pupae!

 Replant green onions! Receive a pot and potting soil, replant kitchen scraps, and learn how to harvest and care for your green onions for years to come. Plus, taste green onion recipes!

Math

All concepts, all levels, through calculus

Geometry - Area and perimeter using human "blocks" and tape measures

Biology

Dissections (choose from pig, frog, sheep eye, cow heart, worm, squid, more)

Dissecting squids is a favorite because learners get to use the squid's gladius (a cartilage structure shaped similarly to a pen) to write with the squid's own ink!

Engineering

Aerospace Engineering - Build rockets using force, lift, concepts of fluid dynamics, and principles of mechanical design

Architecture- center of gravity with Jenga + structural integrity through building graham cracker houses

 Mechanical engineering - building and racing pinewood derby cars (a common Boy Scout activity with races that can be entered)

Art + Anatomy + Psychology

This very special class was about human visual perception. It included art concepts of perspective, proportion, contrast, and light and shadow. It also included a dissection of a sheep's eye and discussion of human eye structure. It brought it all together with discussion of visual processing of the brain, the experience of using goggles that make you see upside down, and optical illusions.

It was a lot of fun and an example of how topics can be blended to give hands on experience and real world application of STEAM concepts!