Jessica Stephens

frankosjessica@gmail.com

The Wildly Wonderful World of Dr. Suess

Tuesdays 10-10:45 Sept 8-Oct 13th

From a fox with socks to sneeches on beaches, to a picky eater against green eggs and ham to a mischievious cat, to an elephant who saves the world and a creature who could not, Dr. Seuss taught us so many lessons of humanity and heart.

In this course, we’ll read some of the classics, and talk about its past and current impact on our lives.

Along with assisted reading we’ll have printable worksheets and fun at home activities to complement the stories of Dr. Seuss!

Jennifer Capone

jennifer-capone@comcast.net

Animal Adventures

Fridays 2-2:45 p.m. Sept 11th-Oct 16th

Calling all future zoologists! Join us as we travel across forests, oceans, deserts, grasslands, wetlands, mountains, and even the icy poles to discover the incredible animals that call these places home.

In Animal Adventures, students will become junior wildlife scientists as they investigate how animals survive, communicate, find food, raise their young, and adapt to changing environments. Through exciting stories, games, crafts, and observation activities, children will learn that every creature plays an important role in nature.

Expedition Calling…. From the Arctic to the Jungle

Mondays 1-1:45 Sept 14th-Oct 19th

Pack your backpack and grab your explorer's journal, it's time for an adventure around the world. In Expedition class, young explorers will travel to earths most incredible places without ever leaving home. Together we will trek across frozen arctic tundra's, hike through towering mountains, paddle winding rivers, wonder sun scorched deserts, explore the deepest of caves…. Each week students will explore a new ecosystem through engaging stories of other explores, geography and science.. Along the way, they will learn how people and wildlife adapt to different environments while discovering the wonders of our incredible planet.

Jessica Stephens

frankosjessica@gmail.com

The Space Race

Tuesdays 10-10:45 a.m. Sept 8th-Oct. 27th

Why was the race between America and the Soviet Union to breach space land on the moon important to the whole world? What measures were taken in this dangerous mission to explore space and its closest neighbor? From Ham and Enos, to Neil Armstong, how did America win that race, and how did it change everything? 

In this class we’ll discuss the men who served on the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions, as well as the men and women who served behind the scenes.  We’ll discover the intricate details that made it possible, as well as the fascinating stories from the astronauts themselves.  

Come join me on this crazy adventure from earth to the moon!

Weird History

Wednesdays 10-10:45 a.m. Sept 9th-Oct 28th

We all know history’s greatest stories, the ones told over and over again. What about the stories rarely told, the ones that may be too “weird” for a history book? From a bear serving in an army to a famous author disappearing for days without a trace, we’ll embrace the extraordinary and obscure! In this fun, interactive, and informative class we’ll delve into history’s weirdest moments. Each week we’ll discuss a different topic, followed by group activities to coincide with our lesson. Come join me for an exciting journey through historical lore. 

Choosing Your Own Adventure

Fridays 10-10:45 a.m. Sept. 11th-Oct 30th

Do you take the left path with the skeleton on the ground, or the right path full of eerie sounds? Do you join the mysterious stranger who holds a treasure map, or take the map for yourself?

In Choosing Your Own Adventure, you don’t stop at simply reading and picking a character’s fate. You will create possibilities by writing your own tales, and each week we’ll work on characters, storylines and choices full of excitement and the unknown! 

Not sure what to create? Don’t worry, we’ll also offer prompts and tips to help you along the way!

Come join me, and let’s decide our fate together!

Jennifer Capone

jennifer-capone@comcast.net

Jamestown to the 13 Colonies: Three Worlds, One New Land 

Fridays 1-1:45 Sept 11th-Oct 30th

What was life really like in Colonial America? In this course, students will travel back to the earliest days of English settlement in North America, beginning with the mysterious disappearance of Roanoke and the struggles of Jamestown. From there, we will explore how three distinct regions of colonies developed: the North, the Middle, and the South.  Students will meet the people who built daily life in the colonies- farmers, traders, enslaved people, Indigenous Nations, artisans, merchants, and families. We will examine how geography shaped culture, how survival shaped choices, and how three very different colonial worlds eventually became one nation.  Students will experience the challenges, decisions, and contradictions of early America. 

Perfect for curious middle school learners who love stories, discovery, mysteries, and understanding how history was lived, not just recorded. 

The Stories They Left Out: Unsung Heroes of the American Revolution 

Mondays 2-2:45 Sept 14th-Nov 2nd

History is often told by the lives of generals, presidents, and famous battles, but what about the remarkable people whose stories were nearly forgotten?

In this six week discussion based history course, students will meet the women, children, spies, and artisans whose courage helped shape the American Revolution and the early United States. 

Through engaging stories, biographies, and thoughtful discussion, we will explore the human side of history and discover how ordinary individuals made extraordinary choices. Each week focuses on one or two remarkable stories while connecting it to the larger events unfolding around them. Together, we will ask challenging questions about courage, freedom, justice, sacrifice, and which stories become part of history.

Students won't simply memorize names and dates, they will learn to think like historians, examining multiple perspectives and discovering that history is often far more complex than the textbook suggests. 

Perfect for students who love stories, lively discussions, and uncovering the hidden voices of America's founding.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Wed 1-1:45 Sept 9th-28th

What if your favorite library became the world's greatest puzzle?

Join us as we dive into the exciting world of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein. Filled with riddles, clues, teamwork, and unforgettable adventures, it encourages readers to think critically, solve problems, and discover the magic hidden inside books.

Throughout the course, students will read the novel chapter by chapter while exploring vocabulary, reading comprehension, literary elements, and creative writing through interactive discussions and hands-on activities. Together, we'll crack codes, solve mysteries, design our own puzzles, and discover why libraries are some of the greatest adventures of all.   

Open the book... solve the clues... and discover that every great story is an adventure waiting to happen!

Jessica Stephens

frankosjessica@gmail.com

Houdini and Doyle

Tuesdays 11-11:45 a.m. Sept 8th-Oct27th

Welcome to an enchanting exploration of two extraordinary individuals whose lives intersected in the realms of magic, mystery and the supernatural. In this class we’ll delve into the world of Harry Houdini, the legendary escape artist, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the esteemed author and creator of Sherlock Holmes. They shared a complex bond based on a fascination with the unknown. Students will discover how their divergent views ultimately led to a profound rift. This will be a discussion-based class, and in-class activities will coincide with the lesson. Come join me to explore the lives and times of these icons.

This class will also include a free and original Sherlock Holmes story that will utilize critical thinking skills to try and solve a great mystery!

The Haunting of Hill House: A Literary Study

Wednesdays 11-11:45, Sept 9th-Oct 28th

Is Hill House full of ghosts? Or is it just an old dwelling full of antiquities? Are the sounds real? Is the cold merely a draft, or a presence that watches and waits?

A group conducting an experiment in paranormal investigation aims to learn the truth.

In Shirley Jackson’s classic novel The Haunting of Hill House, we’ll discover the story of four people who learn if the mansion known as Hill House lives up to the local folklore, or if it holds even worse secrets.

The Supreme Court

Fridays 11-11:45 a.m. Sept. 11th-Oct 30th

​Welcome to the fascinating exploration of famous Supreme Court cases, where we embark on a captivating journey through the pivotal decisions that have shaped the legal landscape of the United States. In this course, we will unravel the intricacies of landmark cases that have not only defined the constitutional principles, but have also left an enduring impact on American society. Class activities will include classroom debate, as well as mock trials and in-class discussion. Come join me through this important aspect of American history. 

Jennifer Capone

jennifer-capone@comcast.net

The American  Revolution: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage

Mondays 2-2:45 Sept 14th-Nov 16th

History isn't just about battles and famous names, it's about the ordinary people who changed the course of a nation. In this interactive course, students will journey through the American Revolution from the first sparks of rebellion to the birth of a new nation. Through engaging storytelling, primary sources, maps, and discussion, we will meet the soldiers, spies, women, children, and leaders who lived through one of history's most remarkable struggles for independence.

Together we will explore events such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, the Declaration, the most amazing retreats in military history,  the hardships of Valley Forge, the turning point at Saratoga, the alliance with France, and the final victory at Yorktown. 

Students will discover the people behind the history and ask important questions about leadership, sacrifice, freedom, and the choices that shaped new nation. 

Perfect for curious learners who love stories, discussions, and bringing history to life.  

Never Caught:  The Story of Ona Judge, Freedom, Power, and The Relentless Realities of Slavery in the Washington Household

Wednesdays 3-3:45 Sept 9th-Nov 11th

In this literature course, students will read Never Caught, The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge, by Erica Armstrong Dunbar.   

We will explore the remarkable true story of Ona Judge, who escaped from the household of George and Martha Washington in pursuit of freedom. 

Through close reading, discussion, and historical analysis, students will examine what life was like inside the President's household and how slavery operated at the center of the early United States. The course invites students to look closely at the choices, systems, and contradictions surrounding George Washington's relationship to slavery, including how laws were shaped, enforced, and used to maintain control over enslaved people. 

As we follow Ona Judge's journey, students will consider what freedom meant in theory versus what it meant in a lived reality. Ona's escape was not a single act, but the beginning of a lifetime of struggle, risk, and resilience, yet one she would still choose again. 

This course encourages students to think critically about history, power, and morality, while asking difficult but important questions about liberty, justice, and who was included in the founding ideals of the United States. Ideal for students ready for thoughtful discussion, historical inquiry, and deeper engagement with Revolutionary era history. 

Greek Goddesses- Taking Back Their Stories

Mondays 3-3:45 p.m. Sept 14th-Nov 16th

Step into the world of Greek mythology and explore the powerful goddesses whose stories have shaped literature, art, and culture for centuries. Students will examine figures such as Athena, Hera, Aphrodite, Artemis, Persephone, Circe, and Medusa, considering how ancient storytellers portrayed their strengths, choices, conflicts, and identities. They will also investigate whose voices were centered, whose perspectives were ignored, and how cultural beliefs about gender and power influenced these famous myths.

Through discussion, close reading, art, and creative writing, students will retell familiar tales from the goddesses' points of view. Revisiting these myths through a modern lens allows students to challenge old assumptions, recover overlooked voices, and consider how the same story can change depending on who tells it. This thought-provoking class connects the ancient world with contemporary conversations about power, justice, identity, and representation.

Founding Fathers: The Men Who Built a Nation

Wednesdays 2-2:45 Sept 9th-Nov 11th

Who were the Founding Fathers beyond the portraits and monuments? In this course, students will get to know the remarkable and very human leaders who helped create the United States. We will explore their strengths, disagreements, failures, friendships, and the difficult decisions they faced while building a new government. 

Students will meet figures such as George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and many others. We will also examine the voices often left out of the story including enslaved people, and indigenous communities whose lives were deeply affected by the nation's founding.

Through lively discussions, historical documents, and storytelling, students will discover that history is rarely simple and that understanding multiple perspectives helps us better understand our world today.