Onboarding Quests

For learners

2021-2022

Welcome to The Forest School! Before beginning your hero’s journey, learners are invited to complete the Onboarding Quests below. Parents and caregivers of Spark and Elementary learners can help! We also invite parents and caregivers to share images of your heroes doing their Onboarding Quest on our private parents Facebook page.

May the odds be ever in your favor!

Spark Studio (ages 4-6)

Is your child joining Spark in Fall 2021? Parents and learners are encouraged to complete the following challenges:

Complete the following challenges before August 1, 2021. 

Estimated time per challenge: 20-30 minutes.

1. At The Forest School we thrive on self-directed learning. Your first challenge is to create an obstacle course and invite your family to join in the fun.

2. Watch this video on Goal Setting, which is a skill that we must learn. What is one thing that you want to achieve? Who can help you? What do you need to do to achieve it? When do you need to do it? Your challenge: Work with your parents to set a goal (i.e. riding a bike without training wheels, playing a sport, drawing, etc.). Ask your parents about some of their goals and how they achieved them. Share your experience with someone you care about.

3. Watch Storytelling. Your challenge: Read a book with your parents. Create a puppet and/or puppets and retell the story in your own way. Take a video and share your story with someone and invite their feedback on it. 

4. Watch Quest. Your challenge: Find a friend or family member currently experiencing a real problem. Talk to them about their problem and think of ways in which you can help to solve their problem. Invite their feedback on your proposed solution.

5. Watch Studio Maintenance. Your challenge: With your parents, decide on a plan to help with house cleaning. Your plan should include at least 5-10 minutes of cleaning a day for at least 5 days in a row. With your parents, agree on the consequences for failing to keep to your cleaning plan.

Elementary (grades 2-5)

Is your child joining Elementary in Fall 2021? Learners are encouraged to complete the following challenges:

Elementary Hero OnBoarding Quest

Complete the following challenges before August 1, 2021. 

Estimated time per challenge: 30-45 minutes.

Log Ins for the following:

Log in to your email and send someone in your family to say Hello. Then log into Journey Tracker and click around for a few minutes to understand how everything works.

• School Email - Name@theforest.school

• Journey Tracker- Check your email for link

Goal Setting:

• Watch Daily Goal Setting 

• Use this link to learn about Smart Goals

• Your challenge: Set two SMART goals, share them with someone, and check back in at night to share how you did.

Running Partners: 

• Watch Running Partners. 

• Your challenge: Ask someone to tell you one of their goals for today. Ask them 3-4 questions to help them think deeply about their goal, such as Why is this goal important and relevant for you today? What obstacles will you face in trying to achieve this goal? What’s your plan to overcome those obstacles?

Badge Plans: 

• Your Challenge: Review the Elementary Badge Plan

• Your Challenge: How cool would it be to create your own course? Create a course about anything you would like to learn. Your course should include:

  • A brief written description

  • The name of the class

  • the resources you would use (articles, videos, books, apps) to teach yourself the topic

  • At least one way you could showcase that you have mastered the course.

Launches: 

• Watch this: Socratic Launches  

• Here's a brief checklist for designing Socratic launches:

- My launch includes and inspiring story that hooks the audience.

Remember—Socratic launches at The Forest School are THE experience that is most meant to inspire the heroes. Every. Time.

- My launch includes a Socratic questions with A/B/C choices. Remember, socratic questions have no clear right or wrong answer.

- My launch is absent of declarations and yes/no questions.

- I speak for max 3-4 minutes and audience speaks for the other 10-12.

- My launch touches on one of the following topics: an inspiring Hero, civilization, science, a Quest, a character trait, a theory or framework, Storytelling challenge, data from the Studio, an event, or other"

• Your Challenge:

  • Build your first launch using this template (Make a copy before getting started): Launch Template

  • Give your first launch to your family

Badge Books:

• Heroes independently choose and read a certain number of books depending on level. The books should be determined by you to be in your challenge zone. These books should have diverse heroes, and be inspiring to you.

• Read this: Badge Book Process 

• Create a Good Reads account and review your favorite book you read this year following the Badge Book Process

Storytelling:

• Watch this: Storytelling  

• Answer the following questions about yourself.

  • What is the most challenging thing you’ve ever done?

  • What are you most proud of?

  • Who is your hero? Why?

• Your Challenge: Tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Choose a medium (examples: video, photography, short story, graphic novel, animation) to share your story with someone you respect and invite their feedback on it. 

Civilization:

• Watch Civilization. 

• Your challenge: This source to find a topic that interests you. Summarize the source in a short video or written paragraph. What information was most important? What information do you feel like was left out? What would you like others to know?

Quest:

• Watch Quest. 

• Your challenge: Find a friend or family member currently experiencing a real problem. Interview them about their problem and take notes. Then, create a prototype of something that could be used to solve their problem. Invite their feedback on your proposed solution.

Studio Maintenance:

• Watch Studio Maintenance

• Your challenge: With your family, decide on a plan to help with house cleaning. Create a chart to display in the house. Your plan should include at least 15 minutes of cleaning a day for at least 5 days in a row. With your parents, agree on the consequences for failing to keep to your cleaning plan.

Core Skills:

• Watch Core Skills. 

• Your challenge: Log into your Aleks account (Your log in can be found in your email) and spend at least 45 minutes on practicing math facts.

Exhibition:

• Watch Exhibition. 

• Your challenge: Create a something to present that will answer the questions below. You can use any medium you’d like (artwork, writing, video…) Schedule a time to present to your family.

  • How will you change the world?

  • What do you love to do? 

  • What special gifts and talents will you bring to The Forest School? 

Middle School

Is your child joining Middle School in Fall 2021? Learners are encouraged to complete the following challenges:

1. Watch Goal Setting #1 and Goal Setting #2. After watching, your challenge: Set two SMART goals today, share them with someone, and check back in at night to share how you did.

2. Watch Running Partners. Your challenge: Ask someone to tell you one of their goals for today. Ask them 3-4 questions to help them think deeply about their goal, such as Why is this goal important and relevant for you today? What obstacles will you face in trying to achieve this goal? What’s your plan to overcome those obstacles?

3. Watch Launches. Your challenge: Lead a Socratic Discussion with your family. Begin with a story and ask 3-5 questions (Would you rather do A or B?). Try to keep your discussion to 15 minutes.

4. Watch Storytelling. Your challenge: Tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Choose a medium (examples: video, photography, short story, graphic novel, animation). Share your story with someone you respect and invite their feedback on it. 

5. Watch Quest. Your challenge: Find a friend or family member currently experiencing a real problem. Interview them about their problem and take notes. Then, create a prototype of something that could be used to solve their problem. Invite their feedback on your proposed solution.

6. Watch Civilization. Your challenge: Find a news source (video or article) on a topic that interests you. Summarize the source in a short video or written paragraph. What information was most important? What information do you feel like was left out? What would you like others to know?

7. Watch Deep Books. Your challenge: Pick a book you want to read that you think qualifies as a Middle School Deep Book. Write down your top five reasons as to why this book should be considered a Deep Book.

8. Watch Studio Maintenance. Your challenge: With your parents, decide on a plan to help with house cleaning (don’t include any chores you already do). Your plan should include at least 15 minutes of cleaning a day for at least 5 days in a row. With your parents, agree on the consequences for failing to keep to your cleaning plan.

9. Watch Core Skills. Your challenge: Create an account on Khan Academy and spend at least 45 minutes on Pre-Algebra.

10. Watch Badge Plans. Your challenge: If you could create a course to learn anything, what would it be? Write a brief description, including the name of the class, the resources you would use (articles, videos, books, apps) to teach yourself the topic, and at least one way you could showcase that you have mastered the course.

1. Watch Exhibition. Your challenge: What have you learned about the learning model at The Forest School? Put together a presentation to show your understanding (if you’re up for it, try a PechaKucha format). Schedule a time to present your Onboarding experience to your parents. Invite feedback from your parents on your presentation.