Three New Quests to Begin 2020!
2020 brings our fifth Session of school. We’re thrilled to share three new Quests.
Elementary—Detective Quest
Middle—Apprenticeship Quest
High—Embracing Life and Facing Death Quest
Quests are real-world projects to master 21st-century skills. Usually lasting four- to six-weeks, each Quest includes a series of challenges bound by a compelling narrative and is designed to deliver 21st century skills while simultaneously incorporating traditional topics like science, social studies, and history.
Elementary
Introducing the Detective Quest!
As detectives-in-training, learners will work through a series of hands-on challenges and crime simulations where they apply forensics and biology to solve crimes. The detectives-in-training are tested in a final crime-scene simulation at the end of the Quest.
Learners will be given a series of challenges in the first two weeks that are tied to an initial crime scene that they explore on day one. From there, they complete challenges tied to different cases that expose them to the many concentrations within forensic science. The goals of this quest for our learners include:
Scientific thinking: To practice experimental design, asking great questions, paying attention to detail, developing theories, coming up with and testing hypotheses, and thinking critically.
Biology and genetics: To introduce themselves to basic biology and genetics used in a real-life context.
Collaboration: To practice communicating and working productively as a team.
High School
Introducing the Embracing Life and Facing Death Quest!
What does it truly mean to live life and what happens when you pass away? This session will be an extremely powerful session where Studio members reflect on life and death as they Embrace Life and Face Death in various personal experience, group simulations, and excursions. Excursions to places like cemeteries and retirement centers that will help make the experiences real for the studio, as well as hearing from hospice care centers experts. This session continually emphasizing the seriousness of the challenges and the role plays will help give the Studio and individuals the most impactful experience. Throughout this Quest, heroes will reflect on their past, present and future lives, asking themselves the following questions:
What are the benefits and limits of self development?
What does it mean to be healthy and well?
What role should personal relationships play in life, and why?
How important is productivity in life, and how is it achieved?
How can we truly know ourselves, and why is this important?
What happens when you die? And what does that mean for how we live?
All of which will come together to for an extravagant Murder Mystery Dinner. Dinner will be potluck style and we ask that families bring a dish to pass. Each hero may invite two guests to dinner. Come and be prepared to participate in a fun and interactive game that encompasses what it means to live and pass away.
Middle School
Introducing the Apprenticeship Quest!
How might we grow our passion through an apprenticeship and then present The Forest School Apprenticeship Program as an innovative model of self-directed learning?
Learners have the opportunity to identify, research, and secure a meaningful apprenticeship in a position where they can use hone their greatest gifts, exploring an industry, company and assignment that will advance them towards a calling.
February 3-7, 2020, will be the week dedicated for apprenticeships.
As a Middle Schooler, How Can I Find and Get the Right Apprenticeship Opportunities?
Goals:
Define who I am and what I want to explore
Identify opportunities to explore further
Learn and practice the communication process for obtaining an apprenticeship
Obtain an apprenticeship
Execute on promises and receive a letter of recommendation
Let’s goooooo!!!!!!!!!!
banner image via