Session 5: Year 6, WeeK 22 In Review
field trip, exhibition prep, and experts
Check out this week’s updates…
spark studio
The Art of Learning
“If we try to think back to the dim and distant past... what is it that helps us reconstruct those times and to picture the lives of those who lived in them? It is their art... It is thanks to the hand, the companion of the mind, that civilization has arisen."
—Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind
Art allows young heroes to express themselves and develop their fine motor skills. We provide open-ended art activities in the Spark environment to encourage creativity. For young heroes, the process of creating art is more important than the final product. They find joy in the act of creation rather than the end result.
Our school-wide spirit gatherings have united us to explore who we are as a community. As a Studio, we are kind, patient, loving, curious, helpful, creative, and fun. We made care packages for each Studio, and delivering them was fun. We can't wait for the High School heroes to join us in person on Monday!
As we prepare for Exhibition the heroes are taking on a new approach to setting daily goals and comprehending what it takes to do their best. Is it quickly getting their work done? Taking their time? Challenging themselves or sticking with something they know? Daily check-lists? Or something else? What works for some may not work for others. It is an exploration, and we are eager to take our curiosities and observations to the next level.
Our field trip to The High Museum of Art sealed the deal in our discovery to take pride in ourselves and how we show up in the world. Some of the learning objectives we came back with included:
• Identifying how artists use line, shape, color, and texture.
• Speculating about the narrative of a work of art by making observations and inferences.
• Demonstrating inventiveness, imaginative play, and creative thinking to create works of art.
Thank you to our volunteers for making this happen. We love our adventures together.
February started with Groundhog Day, a tradition in the US and Canada. If the groundhog sees its shadow, winter lasts for six more weeks. We saw our shadows, so we're back in our den. This month, we're looking forward to the Mid-Winter Refresh, Black History, Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year, gardening, and more.
How does all of this relate to The Art of Learning? Come see for yourself at our upcoming Exhibition on Thursday, February 8th, from 8:30 - 9:30. Have you ever wanted to be on a game show? Prepare yourself for an interactive experience.
lower elementary studio
“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.” ― Molière.
We began this week by discussing this thought-provoking quote by Molière: We had a meaningful discussion about the importance of accountability and the idea that our actions, as well as our inactions, carry consequences. We were able to relate it to many aspects of our Studio, including Studio Maintenance, the Studio Contract of Promises, and our new Hero Honor Code.
Our young coders have been on a thrilling journey this session, exploring the world of coding with Scratch. This week, they learned to create characters and how to make them have conversations with each other, experimented with clothing changes for their characters, and more.
In Civ this session, we have been learning about significant events of World War II, and this week, we learned about the European and Pacific theaters. To visualize the similarities and differences, the heroes created Venn diagrams comparing them.
Preparations for our upcoming Exhibition are in full swing! Our learners have been working diligently on their Story Arts projects, creating engaging slideshows and posters and practicing their speeches. Seeing their confidence grow as they prepare to share their knowledge with the world has been inspiring.
In Literacy Circles, we have been diving into "how-to" books, enhancing reading and comprehension skills. During the Writing Workshop, the learners practiced writing "how-to" paragraphs, honing their ability to explain things clearly and concisely. As a fun twist, they followed their Running Partner's instructions to build a snowman using craft supplies, putting their "how-to" skills to the test!
Studio maintenance is a crucial part of our daily routine, and our responsible TEAM leaders have been using checklists to ensure everything runs smoothly. Our heroes have also been taking the time each day to rate the members of their TEAM Groups to encourage everyone to strive to stay in FLOW (Focused, Leading by example, Organized, and Working with others). They have been amazing at holding each other and themselves accountable.
Finally, we learned a little bit about Groundhog Day, that quirky and charming North American tradition celebrated each year on February 2nd. According to folklore, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will be frightened and retreat back into hibernation, signifying six more weeks of winter. However, if it doesn't see its shadow due to cloudy skies, it predicts an early spring. So, the question is did the groundhog see its shadow or not? Ask your hero!
upper elementary studio
As we approach the end of the session, it's inspiring to witness the remarkable growth and enthusiasm of our heroes in our new space, significantly enhancing their learning experience.
Anticipate the upcoming Project Achievement Story Arts Exhibition, where the creations of our heroes will take center stage next Wednesday. Stay tuned for an email with more details. Meanwhile, delve into the world of video games crafted by your learners during our engaging Hackathon Quest.
A special mention goes to some heroes representing our school at the 4-H District Project Achievement competition. Parents of these learners should have received an email from our 4-H agent, Cara Rhode, this week.
Thanks for your unwavering support as we conclude this session. The future holds exciting possibilities, and we're eager to witness the continued achievements of our talented heroes!
middle school studio
This week in Quest, heroes are pouring lots of time and energy into crafting board and video games to prepare for New Haven today! They are printing, painting, gluing, writing, and shaping clay to make their games come to life. Today we will have heroes from another Studio come test out their games and give feedback. We can’t wait to see the room filled with happy gamemakers and players!
This week in Civ, we continued building a classroom nation. Creativity was king, as heroes made their currency! They presented and then voted on their favorite as a Studio. In Story Arts, we continued to build their world by compiling the details of the name of their world, the setting, character profiles, the description of the plot, and why their world would make an awesome game. It was fun to see volunteers stand up and pitch their creative ideas to us!
We also hosted smaller group Circles yesterday to ponder how we deliver feedback. Heroes shared how they felt in the Studio, examples of when feedback went wrong, and all the factors contributing to the reception of feedback. Today, the Council also facilitated Town Hall. All heroes had a chance to drop ideas in a basket for discussion topics, and we came together to discuss issues pertaining to learning how to live together. Here’s to moving forward in our new space with unity and strong direction!
We can't wait to see parents next Wednesday at Exhibition!
high school studio
This school week was a whirlwind of learning and achievement! In Math Labs, we celebrated comprehension breakthroughs that clearly clarified challenging concepts. Over in Quest, heroes showcased their dedication and collaboration, proving that hard work pays off. Story Arts witnessed the birth of unique and imaginative writing while the Civilization class engaged in thought-provoking debates.
We nailed those Deep #3 deadlines, and the excitement builds as we anticipate returning to school in the new Studio. Special kudos to our amazing seniors for earning those well-deserved college acceptance letters! :mortar_board::books: #SuccessAtSchool #AchievementUnlocked
wellness
This week in Wellness, we welcomed two experts who began conversations surrounding body acceptance, ensuring age-appropriate dialogue for each studio. Meet our experts!
Our experts shared personal experiences with body acceptance and positivity and encouraged challenging mindsets on movement, nutrition, and self-image. Joyful activities and rest were encouraged. Loving ourselves for what we do, not our bodies, is key to inclusion.
Our experts hosted an open discussion for younger learners, promoting body acceptance, joyful movement, and food positivity. Learners shared their favorite forms of joyful movement and discussed different types of foods and their health benefits. Jayne and Julia made the conversation both fun and impactful.
It is an honor to welcome experts committed to changing the dialogue we allow around such triggering topics. By being intentional and mindful about how we discuss our bodies, our nutrition, and our movement, we are setting a foundation for a culture shift, which may lead to a healthier relationship with ourselves and others.