Session 4 Week 2 in Review

Elementary Studio

"Believe me, my journey has not been a simple journey of progress. There have been many ups and downs, and it is the choices that I made at each of those times that have helped shape what I have achieved." -Satya NadellaWhat an incredible week it has been in the Elementary Studio! We had several rewarding moments from learners earning their first badge to learners collaborating after hours. Most importantly, we reflected! We took a moment to review each learner's badge plan and zoom out on the big picture. Learners looked back on their efforts so far this year to determine if they were happy with their accomplishments or if they needed to improve their work ethics for the upcoming sessions.During Quest, it was all about mid-action review preparation! Learners were given the opportunity to catch up on all SLE challenges, receive feedback and approval from peers, and earn final approval from the Guide. Some learners took advantage of the extra time and were able to earn a couple of badges. On Friday, two learners hosted the first round of mid-action reviews! Next week, we will continue.During Story Arts, we continued working on memoirs. Learners completed steps three (revise) and four (edit) of the writing process. They implemented the ARMS (add, remove, move, substitute) and CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling) methods to revise each other’s memoirs and make edits to their own. Throughout the school year, they will continue using these methods to provide feedback on each other's work to support them in submitting their best work.During Civilization, we discussed the history of the Great Wall of China. Specifically, we focused on the reason the wall was built and the pros and cons of having the wall. After our discussion, learners dove into their challenge! They created a wall of their own, using whatever materials they could find. Their walls had to go around a river or between two mountains, be made of strong materials, including at least one watch tower, and have at least two methods of defense. Learners got super creative with this challenge! Check out our Facebook page for some examples.

Middle School Studio

It was another busy week in the Studio this week as learners continued working hard on their Mid-Action reviews, and a few even presented their MARs to their Dream Teams this week! Learners also took part in the CCRA+ assessment with Max this week to assess their college and career readiness. We also had a great learner-led socratic launch by Kai on Friday on pollution, which inspired us all to take action by upping our recycling game!This week in Quest, learners have been finishing up their 5 Mid-Action Review challenges, which included assembling the badges they have earned, creating their presentation, practicing their presentation with a peer and getting feedback, and making sure to invite their whole Dream Team to their scheduled MAR meeting. Rico and Caitlin successfully completed their Mid-Action reviews this week with very strong presentations and setting the bar high for our Studio!In Civ this week, learners continued to research and develop their Renaissance themed projects. With me being out of the office, learners really stepped up their self-directed learning by assessing their civ project progress and making strides in getting their projects ready by next week.Story Arts this week was really insightful! We heard from visiting Guest Expert Sarah Grace Drake, an actress and former Forest School learner! She shared her experiences working on TV shows, and gave learners tips, tricks, and ideas for making their script stand out. Learners then had the opportunity to write the opening scene of their sitcom with either a teaser or cold open. The focus in their opening scene was all about strong character development right off the bat, and we drew inspiration from some of Steven Spielberg’s strategies for strong introductions to characters.

High School Studio

Week two of Session 4 flew right by in the High School studio. High school (and middle school) learners took the CCRA+ assessment in place of one of the morning launches, which assesses critical 21st Century skills; learners can use their scores from year to year to track their progress and identify their strengths and aptitudes. Along with our usual Circles and Town Hall, we were treated to a learner-led launch on Friday by Marcos, about holiday spending on our very favorite furry friends, our pets!Quest time was asynchronous this week, to allow learners time to prepare their Mid-Action Reviews. Learners went through a series of challenges, such as scheduling the MAR with their Dream Teams (often the most difficult par!), assembling the badges they have earned so far, and receiving feedback from their peers on their presentation slides. This week, Annie, Joshua, Rollins, Marcos, and Andres were the first learners to complete their Mid-Action Reviews.During Civilization, learners continued the Freedom of Speech unit by examining specific situations and determining what, if any, limitations should exist in said situations. Learners reviewed an article about students kneeling during the National Anthem, and responded to several discussion questions with their opinions on whether or not such freedom of expression and speech should be allowed in public settings.For Story Arts, the Creative Writing unit continued with a lesson on short stories, and in particular, ultra-short stories called “Flash Fiction”. After reviewing several important terms related to short stories, learners listened to advice from famous author Kurt Vonnegut, and read examples of flash fiction by Franz Kafka, Joyce Carol Oates, and more. Learners were then challenged to create their own pieces of flash fiction, which is no small task (no pun intended!). Creating an engaging story in as little words as possible provides a great opportunity for learners to focus on their writing skills and develop their own tone. Next week will undoubtedly go just as quickly as we head toward winter break!