Earth Science

“Earth [is] a complex, constantly changing, “living” system, and something [we] are already part of and can help protect.” Amanda Gray

Earth Science is a large topic that can be understood most basically as any science that has to do with the Earth. This includes geology, meteorology, astronomy, and more. The Earth is a complex and interconnected system that is constantly changing. In this class, students are learning that not only does the Earth evolve on its own, but their actions affect the planet.

“I find the class interesting and we have done some really fun labs.” — Emmett G.

Every class, students are tasked with bringing in a relevant news article about earth science and then to discuss them. This emphasizes the fact that this science is not just something to study but rather is actively taking place, and everybody is contributing to it. This takes the student’s learning outside of the classroom and applies it to the real world, with real-world examples.

Amanda Gray is the teacher for this course, and she is extremely enthusiastic about it. She works as a math and science tutor at Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) and has previously taught various math and science courses at TEEN DAY Ithaca. This is her first year teaching Earth Science, but she has naturally come across similar topics in her other courses. Her goal is to make math and science accessible and fun for everybody involved.

Students have already learned about the scientific method, geologic time, rock types, plate tectonics, and the water cycle. They will explore new topics as the year continues, such as meteorology, oceanography, astronomy, and environmental science. An advantage to learning about these topics at TEEN DAY is that the class can slow down for complicated concepts or if those interested are especially interested in a specific topic.

Another key aspect of this course is the labs and presentations. Labs present students with hands-on, tactical learning. TEEN DAY’s lab equipment is used alongside household items and everyday materials, highlighting the accessibility of earth science study. Students present on topics like minerals, water quality, and natural disasters. The goal of these presentations is to connect the concepts they have learned in class to real places and stories. This, again, highlights how these are things that students aren’t just learning in a textbook, but rather are real and applicable in the real world.

“I enjoy the class, and my favorite thing about it is at the beginning when we all share Earth science news stories, because I get to learn a little about what’s happening in science right now” — Walter H.

Reacting to the Past: The July Crisis

The year is 1914, and war is imminent. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was just assassinated, and the complex web of alliances brought Europe and the rest of the world into the First World War.

In this unconventional class, students will take an active part in their learning. They will be tasked with role-playing key historic figures in charge of important, world-altering decisions. Students will research and gain an understanding of historical issues and their nuances. The goal of this class is not to recreate the past, but rather to explore the complexities of human nature and gain an understanding of both historical and contemporary political figures.

“These are games, but they are also spaces for learning.” – Mike Timonin, Instructor

The course is set up so that the students will have a few days in class to discuss readings and research background information. Then, characters are assigned, the scenario is set, and the fun begins. This year, the class will be covering the beginnings of World War I. Over the next several classes, the scenario will play out while the instructor, Mike Timonin, introduces interesting and complex variables. While he will be overseeing the course, it is student-led and directed, meaning students actively shape their own education.

Mike Timonin is a professor at Tompkins Cortland Community College as well as a long-time TEEN DAY instructor…and he’s super enthusiastic about history. About ten years ago, he attended the conference of the American Historical Association. There were several guest speakers there, including Mark Carnes, the person who created the Reacting to the Past (RTTP) curriculum. About five years after that, Mike introduced RTTP to his class for the first time. Since then, he has learned a lot from these classes and believes TEEN DAY has a unique setup that is perfect for a class like this. Students are able to devote an entire semester to one topic rather than jumping quickly between various topics. This allows students to better grasp the complexities of life during these times and deepens their understanding of historical events.

“My favorite thing about the course is how deeply you dive into the subject. […] I’ve never actually understood what happened to anywhere near the level I do with RTTP.” Lonny E.

In previous classes, students covered the American and French Revolutions. In this, they were able to explore their creativity through scenarios such as hiding “tea”, stealing votes, and blackmail. There are so many options, especially with WWI.

“Personally, my favorite part of it all was the amount of creative liberties I got to take in the class with the roles and ‘powers’ that were given to me.” Logan

The first day of classes for RTTP is January 15 and there are still slots available. Email admin@teendayithaca.org for registration info.

TEEN DAY Ithaca Has Its First Fiber Arts Class!

post by Kaci E., TEEN DAY Intern

Fiber arts covers a large spectrum of disciplines, focusing on the materials used, such as yarn or fabric. The new class at TEEN DAY Ithaca is covering five different units: embroidery, weaving, crochet, knitting, and macramé. Each has its own distinct tools, traditions, and skills, which encourages students to learn how to read patterns, improve their hand-eye coordination, and cultivate their creativity!

Charlotte Albunio, a PhD student in mechanical engineering at Cornell University, is teaching this class. She believes in recognizing the medium of fiber arts as just that, an art, not to be dismissed as a craft or women’s work, as it has been traditionally. In this class, she hopes students are learning and understanding the historical nuances of fiber arts and can express themself through their work.

“Taking Charlotte’s fiber arts class has been one of the most rewarding art classes I’ve taken.” — Aaren S.

Until recently, the participants have learned how to embroider and weave. For the embroidery unit, students were instructed on the basic stitches, how they form different shapes and textures, how to read the stitches’ abbreviations (this allows them to follow along with patterns), and were allowed to choose between six different patterns to complete with the help of the instructor when needed.

This photo was sent to me by Juliet A., a student in the class. The image depicts the hoop, fabric, and various stitches used when embroidering. The hoop holds the fabric taught, which allows for better stitch definition and an easier time embroidering. Many projects can be completed with these stitches, although there are more.

“Embroidery has been my favorite so far—it makes me feel like I’m in a Jane Austen book!”— Juliet A.

In addition to the embroidery unit, students focused their efforts on weaving. They were instructed to make their own looms with cardboard and wooden dowels, materials many people already have on hand. Fiber arts can be very expensive, so it’s important to emphasize that it doesn’t always have to be. If you are interested in fiber arts, there are often cheaper alternatives.

In this unit, students were instructed on the basic stitches to prepare them for their personal projects, much like the embroidery unit. For their personal projects, participants were instructed to create a small bag. They chose their own yarn, colors, and stitch design.

The image on the left depicts the tabby and the soumak stitch. The former stitch is the most basic and consists of weaving the yarn back and forth. The latter stitch is made up of looping the weft threads over the warp threads (the weft thread is the working yarn, and the warp threads are the vertical threads). The result of this technique is the braid-like appearance.

The image above depicts a complete embroidery piece. This is one of the patterns students could follow after they learned the basic stitches.

These projects were wrapped up in the past weeks, and the students have started on their next unit: crochet. Once this unit, as well as macramé and knitting, are complete, students will enter the second half of the year and focus more on a large-scale work combining all the skills they have learned. Students are creating wearable pieces, mixed-media self-portraits, and a cumulative studio project. In this final project, students are designing their own patterns and creating a piece that represents their personal vision as a “thesis.”

“The structure is designed to empower students to use fiber arts as a mode of self-expression and identity, creating meaningful work that can be incorporated into their daily lives as something they wear, display, or gift.” — Charlotte A.

Join TEEN DAY Monday, July 28 for a Grant Award Ceremony!

Earlier this year, a group of TEEN DAY Model United Nations (MUN) team members worked together on a leadership curriculum called Lead4Change. The program required them to do marketing, fundraising, outreach, and culminated with their applying for a grant.

We are pleased to announce TEEN DAY MUN was awarded $10,000! These funds will be used to reduce financial barriers many students face when trying to participate in MUN (including costs related to registration, lodging, and travel) by creating a scholarship fund and purchasing necessary materials, such as laptops, that could be used by team members. Funds were also identified for use in community outreach and training.

Please join the team for a award presentation followed by a small reception on Monday, July 28 at 2pm at 120 Third St., Ithaca, NY 14850. Team members past, present, and future, TEEN DAY participating families and instructors, members of the Ithaca community, and local news media have all been invited to attend.

For a short video about the project and the team’s experiences, CLICK HERE.

Though this grant goes a long way toward meeting the team’s long-term fundraising goals, donations are still needed to facilitate all the team has in store. Consider making a tax-deductible donation to support  informed citizenship and confident communication for teens!

Support Model United Nations

NOW HIRING: 2025-2026 Instructors

**Updated 5/7/2025**

TEEN DAY Ithaca is in the process of hiring teaching staff for 2025-2026, and we’d love to connect with YOU!

There is typically no demand for specific credentialing. Classes are/have been taught by professors, graduate students, undergraduate students, professionals, and enthusiasts of all stripes. We strive to find people who are, yes, comfortable in a room full of teens and confident in offering instruction on a subject. However, what we look for most of all are people who are passionate about what they’re doing. Whether it’s Algebra or Art, we’re after people who ware willing to share their excitement about a topic with our participants. Most of our courses are offered 1 day/week on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Contact admin@teendayithaca.org for more info or to apply.


LOWER-LEVEL SCIENCE INSTRUCTOR:

Most of our educational areas at TEEN DAY operate in a three-year rotation, allowing most participants to take most classes, regardless of when they enter the program. Our lower-level science rotation consists currently of Life Science and Physical Science, with Earth Science being an overlapping year between our upper-level science courses. (Though from a teaching perspective, Earth Science is included in our lower-level course rotation.)

The ideal candidate will move through this rotation each year, teaching the relevant coursework. There is ample support for lesson planning and some existing infrastructure for labs and course planning. There is a lot of room for creative interpretation and outside-the-box instruction in all areas. Instructor applications will also be accepted for next year’s Earth Science course without the intention of teaching for TEEN DAY for the full rotation.

For more detailed information about the position, course descriptions, relevant requirements, and compensation, visit https://teendayithaca.org/lower-level-science-instructor/.

Fall Semester is a Wrap!

It’s hard to believe we are in the last hour of the Fall semester at TEEN DAY! There’s been so much going on, it’s hard to find the time to capture it. Here’s a look back at what we’ve been doing with ourselves.

We have 3 new instructors this year (Danielle Angie, Pan Angelopoulos, and Joel Baird), 4 new courses (Spanish III, Latin II, Precalculus, and Reacting to the Past), and several new participants. In classes, we’ve had cricket experiments, Hemmingway rap battles, literal horror stories, bookplate designs, low-friction racecars, constitutional Jeopardy, algorithmic programming, and – maybe most surprisingly – the loss of the Patriots to the Loyalists in a little reconstructed history.

Outside the classroom, we’ve orchestrated 5 fundraisers to cover the cost of new supplies and provide scholarships to those in our community that need them as well as 1 specifically to help Model United Nations team members cover travel expenses. We’ve hosted a stone soup lunch, participated in Secret Santa, and more!

TEEN DAY Model United Nations team has participated in 3 conferences so far this year with another coming up the week before classes resume! (A more detailed MUN post is up-and-coming.)

We’re only halfway through the year, with much more to come. Wishing all our TEEN DAY participants, families, instructors, and directors a restful winter break and a happy New Year.

TEEN DAY Auction is LIVE!

The TEEN DAY Online Auction is officially live! Bidding will begin at NOON on Sunday, November 3. Hop on the website to preview the items available, so you’re ready to go when the bidding opens.

Visit the Auction Website

Select from a wide array of items, perfect for holiday shopping or a treat for yourself.

  • Original artwork and quality craft items: from local artists such as Josh Swartwood, Tony Serviente, Julia E. Dean, Perfect Mug Pottery, and more
  • Entertainment items: theater tickets, puzzle rooms, climbing passes, even tickets to Seabreeze amusement park, and more
  • Delicious eats: fresh-baked doughnuts and bread, farm-fresh produce, and a Wegman’s gift card
  • Events: host a private trivia game at your next big event, play a roleplaying game with a seasoned DM, get a guided bird walk with a local birder, and more
  • Museum entry: MOST, Strong, Rockwell, and more
  • …and So. Much. More.

All purchases go toward supporting innovative, affordable programming for homeschooled teens in our region and all donations are tax deductible. You have until 9pm on November 9 to put in your bids.

Get Ready to BID!

Model United Nations Team Wants to Do Your Yardwork!

Need your leaves raked? Your bushes pruned? Your garden weeded? Sign up to have your yardwork done FOR YOU Sunday, November 3. Not only will you be able to check those chores off your list, but your financial donation will go toward supporting TEEN DAY’s Model United Nations team!

This March, TEEN DAY is sending a team of high schoolers to participate in National High School Model United Nations Conference in New York City! Conference attendance is not cheap, and, in the case of a homeschool team, members are expected to pay their fees out-of-pocket. To offset these costs and make the program accessible to all those who want to participate, the team is offering their yardwork services NOVEMBER 3!

We offer a flat rate for the following services:

  • $100 for leaf raking and bagging for city-sized lot (~.25 acres or smaller)*
  • $180 for leaf raking and bagging for large lots (~.26-.5 acres)*
  • $60/hr pruning or weeding work (no trees)*

*Homeowners will need to provide leaf bags or a place onsite leaves should be piled. Team will provide rakes and tarps; any other needed tools must be provided by homeowner.

A team of 2-6 people (depending on the size of the project) will be sent to your home on Sunday, November 3 between 12 and 6pm. An adult will supervise the project sites and help liaise with homeowners. Checks made out to “TEEN DAY Ithaca” can be left in an obvious location for collection or paid when the team arrives to do the work. Donations can also be made via PayPal using THIS LINK.

To request a team to help at YOUR Fall Creek or Northside home, contact teendayoldguard@yahoo.com. There are only a handful of slots available, so sign up NOW!

For more information on TEEN DAY, visit the website: https://teendayithaca.org/
For more information on NHSMUN, visit the website: https://imuna.org/nhsmun/nyc/

A Heartfelt Thank You To Our Donors!

TEEN DAY isn’t an independent endeavor, we rely on our community! We are proud to be apart of such a connected locality. These groups donate, offer loans of equipment, provide information on curricular, have hosted events with/for us, and so much more!

Thank you to the following:

  • Moose Lodge 
  • Purity Ice Cream
  • Kristen Grace and Brendan Wyly Family Fund of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County
  • Panera Bread
  • Loyal Order of Moose Lodge #666
  • Cornell Center for Materials Research
  • Cornell Institute for Biology Teachers
  • CHESS
  • Free Science Workshop
  • Ithaca Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
  • Ithaca College Department of Writing and the Humanities and Sciences
  • Maguire

Why These Donations Matter

Monetary donations aren’t the only thing we’re receiving from the continued contributions of these organizations. We’re also creating a connected community here in Tompkins County. By supporting each other, we ensure more opportunities and resources for the fine people who live here. Thank you to everyone who has supported our program.

Upcoming Auction!

TEEN DAY is hosting our very first auction this November! The proceeds from this fundraiser will go toward providing high-quality educational experiences, financial support for students, and compensation for professors. So what can you do to participate?

Donate!

Donations are still needed for our auction. Consider the following:

  • products your company makes
  • gift cards/certificates, services (eg. massage, lessons/classes, yard work, cleaning, tutoring, editing, photography, web design, etc.)
  • handmade items (eg. soaps, knit/crochet/weaving, fine art, pottery, woodwork, etc.)
  • events/experiences (a day at a spa, tickets to a local concert/show, a stay at a local B&B or AirBnB, a guided nature walk, a spot in a class, etc.)
  • other things you think people might enjoy

If you’re not sure whether your donation will work for our auction, please email TDBoard@teendayithaca.org to ask!

Donate Your Items

Shop!

The auction will take place entirely online, starting at at noon on Sunday, November 3, 2024 and closing at 9pm on Saturday, November 9, 2024. Items will be available for preview in advance of bidding. Check back frequently, as we will be adding items as they come in! Be sure to bid on your favorites, from handmade pottery to construction work to party entertainment to a night out on the town! 

Share!

Alert your friends and family! Post on your social medias! Let everyone know about TEEN DAY’s upcoming auction! Let people know about the specific item or items YOU donated to the auction, so they can come take a peek. We don’t want anyone to miss out!

Wanna support TEEN DAY but don’t want to participate in the auction? We have you covered. Donate online here.