We are so excited to get started with Odyssey of the Mind again this year!

OM is a creative problem solving competition. The students choose from 5 long-term problems, and prepare their solution in advance, which they must present through a skit or similar performance. Additionally, teams compete together in a spontaneous problem solving challenge that is not announced beforehand. OM teams display out of this world creativity, pun perfection, and spendiferous crafting, costuming, and construction skills! Humor and outright hilarity are encouraged throughout the OM organization, from silly chants and rhymes to mirthful millenery.

IfSpace plans to host 5 Odyssey of the Mind teams this year. Students are sorted by age, with a maximum of 7 and a minimum of 5 students per team. One of our 5 teams will perform in the Primary division, which is non-competitive, expo-only. The other 5 teams will choose from the list of 5 long-terms problems after we have sorted our 2017 participants by age and schedule availability. The oldest participant on each team determines the level at which the whole team competes, so it’s important to try to keep the teams similar in age! Our 2016 teams scored very well at the Space Coast competition, and our Division III team advanced to state competition at UCF!

If you register for OM, please select the time that is most ideal for you, and include any additional information regarding your schedule preferences in the comments or send me an email at odyssey@ifspace.org.

More About Odyssey of the Mind Here

Read the 2017 Problem Synopses Here

Written and spoken Japanese for absolute beginners! Students will learn spoken and written Japanese (Hirugana) and Japanese culture. Class is organized into a series of monthly themes focused on different areas of life in Japan, and will include games, cooking activities, and lots of traditional writing, speaking, and grammar.

Interest in Japanese classes has been very high. We will be adding an additional class for younger students on Wednesday mornings, and would happily consider adding a second culture/study hour of class if there is enough interest!

The required textbook for this class is Genki : An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese I, Second Edition. You can find it on Amazon here. Please do not rent this textbook! If you decide to continue with Japanese in the second semester, you will need this book again!

The recommended workbook for this class is Genki: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese I, Workbook, Second Edition. You can find it on Amazon here. This workbook is not absolutely required, but having access to additional practice will help build confidence and encourage greater fluency, which is important in learning to love a language. We strongly suggest making this investment!

Throughout their time at IfSpace, many of our students are inspired to begin projects of their own inspired by the activities and opportunities around them. Open Lab exists for this purpose – uninterrupted time in the lab to make, scheme, design and build with friends. IfSpace’s Big Spring Project this year is the design and construction of our Intra-Class Vacuum Tube system, and Open Lab kids are invited to join in this fun project! Because 2 hours of Open Lab is material intensive, there is a $30 semester supply fee for this class. Please note that this is a 2-hour class.

Patience, a steady hand, attention to detail – if this is an area where you’d like to see your kids grow, this just might be a great fit for them. Our class will be working together to make miniature models out of recycled materials, training the eye to see someone else’s trash in a new light! This is a great opportunity for imaginative play, fine motor practice, and plain old fun. Miniature building is a favorite IfSpace activity anyway; we’re happy to give it its own place on the schedule!

In this class, we will explore process-based art using unconventional materials and techniques. Keri-Anne will encourage students as they explore alternative canvasses, media, and interpretations of classic artistic techniques. Students may not bring home a ‘completed’ project each week, as some lessons may be collaborative or experimental in nature. There is a $20 supply fee for this class. Please do not dress in your finest clothes for IfSpace art class! Kids are likely to come home more colorful than they arrived.