Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) power the movies we love, and students will dive into that world by creating projects inspired by iconic films. In this STEAM Builders class, children will explore the science of electricity as they build their own Star Wars-style lightsaber, experiment with engineering by constructing a Wall-E-inspired robot grabber and a functioning Willy Wonka-themed gumball machine, and learn about renewable energy through a wind turbine inspired by Up. They’ll also experiment with glow-in-the-dark materials, observe captivating chemical reactions, and make objects levitate with magnets—all adding up to a truly magical experience.
The elementary and junior high classes are taught by Kitoodle instructor-Ms Gigi. Ms. Gigi started teaching kindergarten and was a preschool teacher for a number of years. She has always enjoyed bringing S.T.E.A.M. curriculum and projects into the classroom as it encourages students to think critically, problem solve and collaborate. She captured her students’ interest with S.T.E.A.M. topics with her creative projects and saw success in teaching kids both academic and practical skills such as gardening.
Her love of gardening led her to become an outdoor curriculum specialist where she developed curriculum for multiple academies. She also worked as an assistant Director in a preschool with over 170 children.
Ms. Gigi loves fishing and spending time outdoors and has a wealth of knowledge about animals since she originally went to college to be a zoologist. she has a bachelor’s degree in education and an AA and child development.
Mindy is a mother of four, with her youngest in first grade and her oldest now 27. Over the years, she's homeschooled both her youngest and her oldest, and served as a parent volunteer for two years with Kitoodle Classes. Her passion for supporting children and learning has shaped much of her life—from teaching preschool at her church for many years to helping kids build confidence in both academics and everyday skills. She loves being part of environments where children thrive, explore, and grow. She is really excited to be teaching preschool this semester at HeartWise.
