Needham Community Education

If you enjoy Magic The Gathering and/or Yahtzee, you will LOVE Dice Throne, which combines the best of both games into one. Dice Throne is an action-packed dice and card game combo where you choose a hero, shuffle their deck, upgrade your abilities, roll some dice, play some cards, and maybe even activate your Ultimate Ability. Once you've mastered the basics of Dice Throne, join up with your buddies and take on Dice Throne Adventures, a cooperative campaign-style board game that uses the basic rules of Dice Throne, but requires you and your teammates to work together against the game itself. Adding elements of Dungeons and Dragons into the game, your team will crawl through several dungeons fighting minions and finding loot along the way. Eventually, your team will find the Boss Portal, fight other Fallen Heroes, and even the Mad King himself. Does your team have what it takes? Only by working together and playing as a team will you be able to defeat the Mad King and find out. Click here to view a brief video showcasing the exciting world of Dice Throne Adventures!

Needham's very own cooperative and friendly version of Color War! Explore a variety of mental & physical games. Activities may include problem-solving and logic challenges, Escape the Room-style activities, obstacle courses, target games, cricket, scavenger hunts, and more—we may even work in a game of Quidditch. You will participate individually, and as part of a team, in a variety of cooperative games and friendly competitions. You won’t want to miss this fun-filled week! Repeat students welcome. The excitement never ends and the games and challenges change continuously so we encourage students to enjoy this class for as many weeks as they’d like. You can double, triple, even quadruple the fun! Note: Weather permitting this class will take place outdoors for most or all of each day. Please dress accordingly and bring sunscreen and a water bottle.

Learn how to make your own beautiful jewelry, ornaments, and sculptures using gemstones, gem chips, and beads on wires. We will create projects such as a miniature 3D bonsai tree with bead and gem leaves, a bird’s nest pendant, a suncatcher/dreamcatcher, and a wire-wrapped sea glass bracelet. Working with the natural variation in real stone materials always yields a beautiful result. At the end of the week you’ll be proud of what you’ve made and how much you’ve learned! No prior experience necessary. Each project is designed to be completed by a novice and is carefully chosen to make a piece of art that is worthy of display and/or gift giving. Returning students welcome! Students who joined us for this class during Summer 2022 are encouraged to join us again and further their craft with more advanced variations of our projects.

Students will embark on an exciting journey into the world of programming using Python, a versatile and widely-used programming language. This class is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of programming through hands-on experience with Finch robots, programmable devices that offer a tangible way to interact with code. Students will work through a series of challenges and robot competitions as they learn how to code. Course Objectives Include: Introduction to Python: Students will learn the basic syntax and structure of the Python programming language, including variables, data types, loops, and conditional statements. Robotics Fundamentals: Students will gain an understanding of robotics concepts such as sensors, actuators, and control systems, as well as the role of programming in robotics. Programming Logic: Through practical exercises and projects, students will develop problem-solving skills and learn to break down complex tasks into manageable steps. Hands-on Experience: Using Finch robots, students will apply their programming knowledge to real-world scenarios, engaging in activities that involve movement, sensing, and interaction with the environment. Creative Expression: Students will have opportunities to unleash their creativity by designing and implementing their own programs, experimenting with different behaviors and functionalities for the robots. Note: the robots are already built, this course focuses on programming and controlling a robot, not building a robot.

Get ready for a laughter-filled journey in our SNL Comedy Sketch Class! We'll dive headfirst into short-form improv games and team-building activities, fostering a supportive and comfortable environment for all. With a strong foundation in improv, we'll then transition to brainstorming and developing ideas for sketch comedy, using our improvisational skills to spark creativity. As the class progresses, you'll have the opportunity to collaborate with your peers to film your own digital sketches, putting your comedic ideas into action. From writing sessions to improv performances, the class will be a dynamic mix of creativity and collaboration. In addition to honing your improv and sketch writing skills, you'll also have the chance to develop your performance abilities and work closely with your classmates to bring your sketches to life. We'll end the week with students showcasing their talent through performances that will be videotaped. This exciting event will feature a mix of filmed content, improv, and live sketch comedy, giving students the opportunity to shine in many ways.