Academic Enrichment Activities

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Intrinsic Learning Vs. Tangential Learning

Learning in afterschool academic enrichment activities is generally connected to the activity in one of two ways:

Intrinsic: The learning takes place through engaging in the activity itself (e.g. a rocketry program teaches how to calculate trajectory and account for wind speed).

Tangential: The learning is only marginally connected to the activity (e.g. students are allowed to play baseball after they write a report on a player's stats).

Of the two, we believe that intrinsic learning is more valuable to students because it engages them in the activity and enables them to see how academics can be used. Using the definitions above, please identify whether the learning opportunities in each of the following examples are intrinsic or tangential:

Activity One: Community Garden

Students maintain a community garden. They plant, pick, and sell the vegetables. The goal of this activity is for students to learn the planning and organization skills associated with math and science.

Learning	Intrinsic	Tangential Learning
Students decide where to plant seeds based on instructions for each plant type.
This teaches science and planning because it requires the student to learn how far apart to plant seeds of various types, where in the garden they will get the right amount of sun, and how to organize the garden to fit all the plants. Incorrect.
Students create a mural on the wall beside the garden depicting themselves working on it.
Incorrect. Though this may be a worthwhile activity in itself, it does not teach the children about the skills necessary to plant a garden. This is only tangentially related to the process of gardening.
Students plan a schedule of when to water each plant and who will do it.
This teaches planning and organization as well as science. Students learn how much water each plant needs and how to devise a work chart. Incorrect.
Students write reports on the history of their favorite vegetables.
Incorrect. This is tangential because it does not provide learning from the activity itself. Planting a garden and knowing the history of the vegetables in it are two different things. Students may see the report as busy work. The learning is tangential to the activity.
Students make greeting cards using vegetable prints for decorations.
Incorrect. Though children may enjoy making the greeting cards, making a greeting card is not directly a part of planting and maintaining a garden. The learning here is tangential to the activity.

Activity Two: School Store

Students run a store that sells school supplies, clothing, and food products. The intended learning outcomes of the activity are improved math, economics, and marketing skills.

Learning	Intrinsic	Tangential Learning
Students calculate the new price of items in a 10 percent off sale.
This teaches children how to calculate percentages. Incorrect.
Students create posters to advertise their store.
This teaches students marketing skills: how to draw attention, what points or products to advertise, etc. Incorrect.
Students examine profit margins and sales numbers of various products to determine whether or not to cut prices.
This teaches children economics and mathematics. Making judgments forces them to know what the numbers indicate. Incorrect.

Activity Three: School Play

Students create and perform a school play. The participants are involved in writing the script, building the sets and props, designing the costumes, making programs, advertising the event, and acting in the play. The intended learning outcomes of the activity vary depending on the job chosen by each student, but they include improvement in writing, memorization, measurement, physics/engineering, creative design, marketing, and logistics.

Learning	Intrinsic	Tangential Learning
Students write a play in three acts, including set direction.
This teaches writing skills. Incorrect.
Students build backdrops and props for specific scenes.
This teaches measurement and physics/engineering. Students must figure out how to create backdrops that will not fall down. This can also teach creative design in the way the backdrops and props are built. Incorrect.
Students watch a video biography of Shakespeare and write an essay on his life.
Incorrect. Though this exercise would be educational, it is not directly tied to putting on a play. Knowing about Shakespeare's life is different from learning how to write or act in a play. The learning here is tangential to the activity.
Students create a flyer to invite their parents to the production.
This teaches students marketing, writing, and creative design (depending on the format of the flyers). Incorrect.
Students memorize and deliver lines during the play.
This teaches memorization and reading skills. Incorrect.

Activity Four: Cooking

Elementary school students bring in and cook recipes from their family's cookbooks. The primary learning goal of this activity is measurement, though students will also be learning how to read and follow directions.

Learning	Intrinsic	Tangential Learning
Students make a collage of various foods from magazine pictures.
Incorrect. This is tangential because it has very little to do with the actual process of cooking a meal.
Students determine how much of each ingredient to use.
This teaches students measurement and how to follow directions. Incorrect.
Students write a make-believe recipe that combines all of their favorite foods.
Incorrect. This exercise may be fun for some kids, but it is only tangentially connected to cooking.

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