from races on land to the water, physics was the central theme this week

Check out this week’s updates…

spark studio

August has unfolded as a month brimming with jubilant festivities and celebration.

Amidst the backdrop of three birthdays gracing us this week, we revealed the attainment of badges, mastery of works, the art of Rules of Engagement, motivational strategies, and the gratification of rewards that accompany the pursuit and realization of our goals.

The path of embracing challenging work demands time, motivation, and passion. In doing so, we lay the cornerstone for cultivating a love and passion for learning destined to accompany us throughout a lifetime. Our imaginations were vividly brought to life as we embarked on a voyage into the realms of height, speed, distance, and the gravitational pull of automobiles.

The act of gauging our own bodily mass and stature led to the revelation that dimensions such as height and weight do not invariably translate to speed or strength. Yet, the highlight of our week was unarguably the construction of our very own LEGO automobiles, followed by exhilarating races down diverse ramps. Most had the conventional four wheels, while some sported three or none at all, each ingeniously finding a trajectory to the foot of the ramp ( not always in one seamless piece).

Our experience was a delightful one, regardless of the outcome. This truly embodies the essence of sportsmanship. The symphony of new languages fills the air within the Studio as our young heroes eagerly try to converse in Spanish, Portuguese, and Estonian. A newfound infatuation with languages has germinated, kindling the creative flame within our guides to craft additional materials, thereby affording our heroes the means to hone this newfound passion.

Lastly, and with paramount significance, echoing the eloquence of Philip James Bailey, “Respect is what we owe, and love is what we give.” Respect is the central virtue we focus on during this session and the axis on which our diligent efforts pivot. If your curiosity remains unsated by your young hero, the afternoon spectacle of peacock feathers wafting through the courtyard serves as a potent incentive, encouraging us to adhere to the rules of engagement—displaying respect, radiating kindness, and persistently embracing challenges. This challenge began midweek and shall continue until the coming week. With unshakable conviction, we anticipate our heroes to embrace this challenge and emerge triumphant!

SPARK ROCKS ON!

elementary studio

Exploring the Exciting World of Elementary

The Elementary Studio has been buzzing with creativity and enthusiasm as our young learners dive headfirst into an array of exciting projects. From Math Labs to Quest, Story Arts to Civilization, our students have been seizing opportunities to engage, collaborate, and learn in ways that ignite their curiosity and deepen their understanding.

Imagine a place where math becomes an adventure, a journey of discovery that fuels the imagination. That's exactly what happened when our learners embarked on their first Math Labs. The atmosphere was electric as students embraced their roles as mathematical heroes, eager to share their insights and engage their peers. As they delved into the mysteries of the 100 chart, they did more than solve problems - they illuminated the path for others to follow.

What truly set these learners apart was their dedication to building a vibrant community of thinkers. They demonstrated the art of taking risks, asking thoughtful questions, and practicing exceptional listening skills. When a young hero stood up to explain a complex concept, it was more than just a lesson - it was a masterclass in collaborative learning.

Quest time brought with it a surge of energy and creativity as learners teamed up to design and build their very own LEGO cars. It wasn't just about constructing any car; it was about achieving the perfect balance of speed, velocity, and aerodynamics. The students huddled in groups, brainstorming and debating, all while honing their teamwork skills. Their passion for the task was infectious, and the camaraderie they exhibited was inspiring. But it didn't stop at physical creations. These young visionaries put their ideas to paper, drawing intricate blueprints that captured every nuance of their dream cars. And they didn't shy away from version 2.0, welcoming feedback from their peers during the exciting Shout Outs sessions. It was a lesson in resilience, creativity, and the power of iteration.

In the realm of Story Arts, our learners took on the challenge of the Flat Stanley projects. But it wasn't just about crafting stories but understanding the intricate dance of sentence structures and definitions. Armed with personal slideshows, these young presenters flexed their presentation skills, captivatingly showcasing their narratives. Even at this early stage, they embraced the art of storytelling, wielding their words like brushes on a canvas.

The journey through Civilization took our learners on a voyage through the United States, exploring states, capitals, and their unique abbreviations. This wasn't just about memorizing facts; it was about understanding the mosaic of our nation. These young explorers delved into geography and history, stitching together the tapestry of the United States with curiosity and diligence.

Within the sphere of Literacy Circles, our young readers ventured into the world of literature, absorbing two chapters a week. Their mission wasn't just about finishing pages; it was about enhancing their reading skills and fostering unwavering confidence. Provocative questions flowed freely as they engaged in meaningful conversations with their peers, forming bonds through shared words and stories.

In the captivating Studio of our Lower Elementary, each day unfolds as an adventure of discovery. With boundless creativity and an eagerness to learn, our students are writing their stories, solving the mysteries of math, building dreams with LEGO, crafting narratives, and navigating the map of knowledge. As they grow and explore, they're not just absorbing facts; they're sowing the seeds of curiosity that will accompany them on their lifelong learning journey. We are excited for this upcoming week, which will be the last week of Session 1. Get ready for an exciting Exhibition.

middle school studio

For week three, we explored some of the most notable positive workplace cultures as well as extraordinary workspaces.

Heroes researched what makes the “secret sauce” when creating incredible workplace culture. They created profiles and word clouds for outstanding companies to identify their mission, vision, values, best practices, and unique personalities. We also viewed some spectacular workspaces and observed how form and function came together to create an inspiring space. Heroes didn’t want to stop discussing these spaces! It was fun to hear their impressions and observations. To bring it back home a bit, heroes brainstormed names for five of the rooms in our Studio. They collected votes and feedback and sent in their final submissions. We will announce the winners next week!

In Story Arts, heroes used video editing software to assemble the footage, narration, and visuals for their video autobiographies. They spread out all over the space and are tinkering with different apps and tools to make their videos pop. On Journey Tracker, we can see their comments and feedback on one another’s videos on everything from captions and music to timing.

In Civilization, heroes divided into groups to research the influence of Vikings on the region their group was assigned. They looked at aspects such as trade, cultural exchange, settlements, and interactions with local communities. They practiced their presentations and prepared their slides for sharing.

We also tried a chunked schedule based on the hero's feedback in our weekly survey. Instead of long blocks of time, we had shorter, more frequent breaks throughout the day. We are tracking the hero's flow to see how long it takes us to settle into our work after a break.

After this week, we will review the results to evaluate if it’s helping us improve productivity compared to last week’s schedule. We also threw in a fun Team Building online game this week with treats for prizes, and heroes got quite competitive. After that, they kept playing games together through lunch on their own as they ate, a win-win for connection and fun in our Studio!

Heroes are also growing stronger ties within their Squads. They used a visual tracker this week to write their goals and then shade them in as they complete them. Some individuals even designed their own goal trackers on Canva and are using them! Throughout the year, we will try many different forms of logging our progress to keep it motivating and novel. We can’t wait to see their creativity and what makes them the most excited to reach their goals!

high school studio

As the new school year kicks off, our heroes are setting the tone for success. This week's journey was filled with academic growth and exciting challenges. Exploring the bedrock of language, our heroes delved into grammar, spelling, punctuation, and citations, sharpening their communication skills for the road ahead.

Amidst the academic endeavors, adventure awaited as boat building reached its crescendo, culminating in an exhilarating race that tested teamwork and innovation. A thrilling experience that pushed boundaries and celebrated creativity.

But the learning journey didn't stop there. With the thrill of boat racing behind them, our heroes embarked on a new quest challenge – constructing their very own version 1.0 bridges for an upcoming Exhibition. The fusion of fun, hard work, and profound learning made this week a truly memorable chapter in their academic odyssey. Here's to starting the school year strong and embracing every challenge that comes their way!

wellness review

This week in Wellness, we had the chance to explore basic hygiene throughout the studios. High School learners began with a discussion about the “Semmelwiess reflex,” a metaphor for the tendency to reject new evidence or new knowledge because it contradicts established norms, beliefs, or paradigms based upon the Hungarian scientist Ignaz.

Semmelweis was a leader in discovering the importance of handwashing in preventing the passing of illness and disease. Middle school and Upper elementary held discussions to begin diving into personal hygiene and connected socioeconomic differences in how it may affect our perception of hygiene in others. We discussed ways to approach these topics gently and to recognize the difference in accessibility to some of the resources so many of us have. These conversations led to fun hygiene experiments with our studios breaking into five groups and having a handwashing competition. Learners washed their hands to the best of their abilities and then passed around a damp piece of bread as a means to hopefully grow some mold.

We also opted to test other high-use items such as chrome books, light switches, door handles, and phones… we then voted on which group we were most confident in growing the least mold and will see who wins the competition! Lower Elementary and the Spark Studio continued the hygiene studies by discussing the importance of good basic hygiene, how to appropriately wash our hands, as well as the importance of proper studio maintenance in preventing passing around germs. We opted to visualize this concept with “Glitter germs” by getting five volunteers to cover their hands in “germs” and then discuss the “illness” they were carrying right before they went through the line, high-fiving and shaking hands with their friends.

This was definitely a learner favorite! All studios participated in an experiment for dental hygiene where we covered half of five eggs with toothpaste and submerged them in water, vinegar, Gatorade, coffee, and Coke. We shared our theories about what might happen to the eggs and are so excited to check in on them in the coming weeks to see what turns out!

Session 1: Year 6, Week 3 In Review