Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia Torrance Center for Creativity & Talent Development is hosting two series of weekend activities during the next three months for local elementary students to express their creativity while exploring academics-Friday Night Focuses and Saturdays at the Museum.
Friday Night Focus
The Friday Night Focus events are intended to allow parents a chance to enjoy a Friday night on their own, while supervision, guided activities, pizza for dinner, and a stimulating, creative environment are provided for their kids.
The programs will take place on the UGA campus, either in Aderhold Hall or the Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center and Hotel, from 6 to 9 p.m.Registration for Focus events is $40 per child with a $5 sibling discount.Registration deadlines are the Monday prior to the program. Late registrations may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
Upcoming Friday Night Focus themes include:
Friday Oct. 23: Masquerade Madness: Elementary students will have an opportunity to develop their theatrical abilities through dramatization of Shakespearean theatre adapted for children.Students will create their own masks and work on character development, improvisation, staging and costuming using various materials provided.
Friday Nov. 20: Pilgrim’s Progress: Elementary students will take a trip back in history to the first Thanksgiving.They can become Pilgrims or Wampanoags and experience these cultures through crafts and games such as making corn husk dolls, playing the fox & geese game and learning about homemade drums.
Friday Dec. 18: Polar Express Night:This is a fun night based on the beloved book by Chris Van Allsburg. Children are encouraged to come in their pajamas for a fun night of crafts, drama and food.Children will have an opportunity to work like elves in Santa’s workshop on some special gifts of their own.The night ends with a dramatic reading of The Polar Express. Hot chocolate and cookies will be served.
Saturdays at the Museum
The Torrance Center will host several Saturday field trips to the Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville, S.C., during the next several months. Students can experience a variety of amazing science lessons and activities at the center’s Living History Farm, Marine Lab, Ecology Lab, Rainforest Lab, Health Science classrooms, planetarium and observatory.
Students will board UGA vans at 8 a.m. and arrive at the center by 10 a.m. They will return to UGA by 4:30 p.m. Registration cost is $100 per student, which includes transportation and admission to the center.
Nov. 14: Fall Harvest Festival
Jan. 9: Olympic Science
Feb. 13: Engineer-It
March 13: Space Day
April 10: Star Wars Universe
May 8: Spring Festival
June 12: Sizzlin’ Summer Fun
For more information, call 706/542-5104 or see www.coe.uga.edu/torrance/programs.html#saturday.
Registration forms for both programs are available on the Torrance Center website and can be printed, completed, and mailed with payment or faxed to the Torrance Center at 706/542-4659. Checks and credit cards are accepted.
The Torrance Center for Creativity & Talent Development is a service, research, and instructional center concerned with the identification and development of creative potential and with gifted and future studies. The center, based in UGA’s College of Education, builds upon the legacy of Ellis Paul Torrance, a native Georgian and UGA Alumni Foundation Distinguished Professor Emeritus, who was a pioneer in research on the identification and development of creative potential.
