Feeding Minds, Building Skills, Growing Confidence

spark studio

Feeding Our Mind and Body

We began the week reflecting on time—how many days have already passed and how much of the school year remains. Together, we discovered that just over half of the year is behind us, with 46% still to go. This realization helped put things into perspective and sparked meaningful conversations about what we hope to master and the daily habits we need to build to reach those goals before the end of the school year.

Throughout the week, learners were introduced to new lessons in math, social studies, language, and sensorial work, while also setting fresh goals aimed at achieving mastery. Our discussions extended into health and wellness as we explored what we put into our bodies and how the foods we choose can help or hurt us. Learners discovered why eating a variety of colorful foods matters, how food is turned into energy, and how it supports growth, brain development, and overall health and happiness.

A new highlight this week was the launch of the Spanish Lounge with Ms. Ivana—and it was a hit! Interest was at an all-time high, with learners eager to participate and engage in Spanish learning. Because of this excitement, Spanish lessons with Ms. Ivana will be restructured so that all interested learners have the opportunity to attend. ¡Qué bellísimo!

Art was another standout this week as learners learned about the French artist Henri Matisse and began creating their own Matisse-inspired artwork. Fractions were also a key focus and were explored in a hands-on way through food sampling, helping learners practice dividing items into equal parts.

Even though some days were wet and cold, that didn’t stop Spark from exploring temperature both indoors and outdoors. Learners discussed Fahrenheit and Celsius, as well as when water freezes and boils.

Lastly, we’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Tailyr Wright for guiding us through a peaceful, space-inspired stretching meditation this past Thursday morning. It was a wonderful way to prepare our bodies and minds to focus and work hard.

We hope you enjoy this holiday weekend, and remember:
“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

lower elementary studio

It has been a full and exciting week in the Studio, packed with hands-on learning, curiosity, and meaningful collaboration.

In Civilization, heroes practiced math using Roman numerals and explored geometric design inspired by the Islamic Golden Age. Through these experiences, they strengthened number sense while connecting mathematics to history and art.

In Quest, heroes continued their food science exploration by investigating the effects of salt during another round of taste testing with salted versus unsalted cucumbers and tomatoes. This time, they focused on how salt impacts appearance, texture, and consistency. Learners were introduced to emulsions and surfactants and created their own salad dressings. They also observed Mrs. Brooke making mayonnaise and honey mustard, then tasted both with cubed roasted potatoes. Heroes were amazed by how simple these foods were to make and were especially surprised when comparing the short ingredient list of the homemade mayonnaise to the much longer list on a store-bought packet.

In Story Arts, learners became Truth Detectives. They learned seven clues that can help identify when a statement might be false and worked with their squads to create short stories containing two true details and one false detail. Squads then shared their stories and challenged other squads to spot the false statement.

Overall, it was a week filled with discovery, thoughtful questioning, and growing confidence.

upper elementary studio

Learning by Doing

Upper fully launched into our signature learning experiences this week, and the energy across the Studio was high as learners dove into hands-on work, creative expression, and deep thinking.

In Quest, we began our exploration of food science. Learners investigated the balance of salt, fat, and acid by creating salad dressings in a Master Chef–style competition, judged by Mr. K. Using a range of fresh, organic ingredients (an expectation set by Enzo), learners had to measure carefully, experiment thoughtfully, and retest each batch they created. The process emphasized iteration, attention to detail, and learning from mistakes. Later in the week, learners explored chemical changes by making ice cream, connecting science concepts directly to something delicious. So far, we’ve completed appetizers and desserts—and there’s more to come.

In Story Arts, learners continued their work on songwriting. On Tuesday, we were joined by Keith Williams, a drummer and music production expert, who introduced learners to rhythm, beat-making, and the basics of generating digital music. Learners experimented with creating beats and began to see how rhythm and structure shape musical storytelling.

In Civ, learners studied the Bhakti Movement in Hinduism, exploring ideas of devotion, art, and spiritual expression in medieval India. We connected these ideas to the chakra system, drawing thoughtful parallels to Avatar: The Last Airbender. Learners also created mandala designs as we continued our study of medieval Asian art, blending history, symbolism, and creativity.

It was especially exciting to see learners energized around small-group shared reading. Several learners signed up to read about topics they were genuinely curious about, including Europa and the history of zombies. These groups will continue to propose ideas and read articles and stories week by week, strengthening both curiosity and collaboration.

Many learners have also begun working on their math practicals. We’ve seen some great “ah-ha” moments as learners figure out new strategies—or realize when they need to deepen their understanding before moving forward. This reflective process is exactly what practicals are designed to support.

Finally, we introduced forest walks as a way to support human flourishing by spending time in nature. Learners who chose to participate loved the chance to step outside, move their bodies, and reset beyond the Studio walls.

Overall, this week was a strong example of learning that is hands-on, thoughtful, creative, and connected—and we’re excited to build on this momentum in the weeks ahead.

middle school studio

Rocket science and other fire/explosion-adjacent science topics are great, but they definitely require a lot of care if you want to have a good experience with them. In Quest, we've been laying the groundwork for future experiments by learning some fundamentals about forces like thrust and pressure. Where do they come from? In what kind of situations can they increase dramatically, and how? Can you shake a soda can so hard that it explodes without you even having to open it?

In Story Arts, learners have continued developing their comics and graphic novels. This week, they've dug deep on how to make characters that have emotionally compelling and engaging backstories, and struggles and goals that people can relate to. From a monkey who's also an expert chef to a sentient tree whose life has been changed by war and political turmoil in their past, we've definitely got some interesting characters so far.

Meanwhile, in Civilization, the learners have spent a couple of weeks on the Silk Road. This week, we learned about the Sogdians, who were deeply important to trade along the Silk Road. We posed a question and debated it, and it's not clear what the answer is—is it possible to run a country with no military and no political power as long as you have a great economy and everyone loves the goods you produce? And if it's possible, for how long can it work?

Some other tough questions this week:

Can anyone in our society really avoid having their desires be influenced by social media and advertising?
Why do people always show graphs and charts that make society and our future as humans seem really negative? Is it just realistic, or do they have other motives, and the world isn't as bad as some people say?
When can you tell whether to trust claims in subjects that you don't have any expertise in?
Why can't you see stars during the daytime? (Fun fact: Everyone thought this one was easy, but no one said the right answer!)

high school studio

This week in the Studio marked an important milestone as we wrapped up Civilization and officially completed the first badge of Session 6. Heroes balanced strong core skills habits with reflection, celebration, and a transition into our next Signature Learning Experience.

Studio Schedule & Protected Core Skills Time
Our schedule remained consistent and intentional, with protected core skills time prioritized each day. This structure continues to give Heroes uninterrupted space to focus, build stamina, and take ownership of their learning goals. Maintaining this rhythm has been key as we move from one major badge to the next without losing momentum.

Intentional Hero Requests & Partner Challenges
Heroes continued engaging in intentional and effective Hero Requests, including running partner challenges. These experiences required collaboration, planning, and accountability—reinforcing the importance of peer-to-peer learning.

As always, Thursdays are sacred for badge review and approvals. This dedicated time ensured Heroes could submit final work, receive meaningful feedback, and close out Civilization with clarity and pride.

Signature Learning Experience: Civilization — Conclusion
This week, we officially concluded Civilization, marking the completion of the first badge of Session 6. Heroes reflected on their learning, growth, and understanding of civic ideas explored throughout the badge. Finishing strong allowed Heroes to see the value of sustained effort and the satisfaction of seeing a challenge through from start to finish.

Completing this badge also reinforced an important habit: finishing well matters just as much as starting strong.

Transition to Story Arts: Research & Expression
With Civilization complete, the Studio is now moving into Story Arts, where Heroes will begin learning the art of writing a research paper. This work will focus on structure, clarity, evidence, and developing ideas—skills that prepare Heroes for high school, college, and real-world communication.

To balance rigor with creativity, Heroes will also create a fun, satirical reel at the end of the project, capturing their emotions and perspectives about writing research papers. This blend of academic skill-building and creative expression helps normalize challenge, humor, and self-awareness in the learning process.

Ongoing Check-Ins
Guides continued regular check-ins this week to support transitions, goal-setting, and reflection—especially as Heroes closed one badge and prepared to begin another. These moments help ensure each Hero feels supported and clear on next steps.

Important Announcements
Reminder: Thursday badge time remains sacred—plan submissions accordingly.

This week was a strong example of how the Studio balances completion, celebration, and forward momentum. We’re excited to watch Heroes step into Story Arts with curiosity, creativity, and ownership as they tackle a new challenge.

Session 5: Year 8, WeeK 19 In Review