If You Could Do Anything, What Would You Do? - Year 3, Week 25
This week, apprenticeships are in full swing! Our Spark learners enjoy discovering countries and new cultures, while our Middle and Elementary school Learners dive deeper into the Coding and Electricity Quests.
spark studio
If you can walk you can dance if you can talk you can sing. - a saying from Zimbabwe
We are traveling around the world for our Art in Motion Quest. This week, we spent time learning about African culture and the many forms of art within. Many questions were answered. Is music art? Is dancing art? Is photography art? Creativity is in full flow in the Spark Studio.
We have introduced the value of money and will continue to explore learning how to spend it wisely, save it, share it, and earn it. This can be a great activity for you and your child to practice together.
elementary studio
Coding… The language of the future!
Imagine a world where your glasses are digital, and just by the command of your voice you are able to get navigation, Google information, or even send an email. That future is already in the making and our elementary heroes will be the ones to carry us over the finish line.
Coding (otherwise known as computer programming) is growing rapidly in popularity. Learning how to code at a young age can truly set heroes up for a lifetime of success. Even if they don’t go into a specific computer science related field, it gives them an edge in virtually every modern industry. Coding, or computer programming, is a creative process programmers perform to tell a computer how to perform a task. At its foundation, it involves writing computer programs using programming languages.
Elementary heroes are using Code.org for this Quest. It uses content that is high-interest; like minecraft, dance party, and Star Wars, while creating projects that involve creative input. Heroes have been challenged so far with creating characters that can dance (choreographing moves that interact with the beat of the music) and moving characters around a virtual world. This week heroes will dive into Looping: being able to continually perform a command while a particular condition is true, and discontinue the command when the condition is no longer true. Elementary heroes are our digital citizens of the future and will create the world around us!
middle school studio
This week:
Learners used breadboards to prototype simple circuits. They will be expanding on this knowledge next week as they experiment with different wires, power sources, connectors, and resistors to accomplish different tasks.
Learners explored the early era of the Cold War, with emphasis on the Space Race and the Korean War. They put their learning in action through Maker Challenges that placed them in real world roles and gave them a task to accomplish.
Learners reflected on the feedback they received on a writing project from last session and made revisions. They also refined their storytelling techniques using stop motion animation.
In addition to the practical skills and critical reflection they are developing in Civilization, Quest, and Storytelling, learners also flexed their growing abilities in self-governance. They led launches on Studio Maintenance and getting into flow, had Town Halls on how the Studio Council was exerting its power, and brainstormed ways to make the Studio even more learner led.
high school studio
The accumulation of cultural capital and the acquisition of knowledge is the key to social mobility. -Michael Grove
According to The Forest School, social capital is defined as having strong relationships with people who are like me, who are not like me, and who are in positions of power. This week, heroes continue to build their social capital as they take on learning about a new career that interests them. Some of the chosen apprenticeships include: The Forest School tax program and Guide, Ace Hardware in California, jujitsu, music producer, Trilith casting director, therapy, dentist, recording studio, social worker, and many more.
Keep grinding and let’s end the session strong!
-Onward
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