2/28-3/6
Operating in a learner driven environment, surrounded by Socratic discussions, discovery is a daily event for our heroes.
In the Spark Studio… the heroes are discovering Antarctica.
If you were traveling across the ice desert how could you carry your supplies? Heroes were given a blue crate filled with a tree stump (their supplies while in Antarctica). They were tasked to find a way to move their supplies without touching the crate with their body. It was inspiring to see all the different ways heroes solved this problem.
We continue to discover simple machines all around us.
Even our bodies can function like simple machines. Heroes were asked to pretend for a moment they no longer had use of their arms. They were then asked to take their shoes off and put them back on. Heroes discussed obstacles that made the task harder and advantages that made it easier.
The discovery of many blue crates in our Loose Parts Play led to the glorious creation of forts. Building, balancing and supporting the walls utilized the heroes’ innate engineering skills!
As heroes were challenged with completing their Core Skills first this week, many heroes discovered more of the writing works and daily re discovered the joy in doing hard things!
In the Fire Studio… Heroes spent time discussing the Ukraine/Russia conflict. Would you encourage your dad to go fight or to stay with your family? Would you flee the country with your mom or stay with your dad? Through difficult discussions and even a few tears, heroes discovered there are not easy answers to these real life questions.
In civilization for the past 2 weeks, the heroes discovered an archaeological site. They put it together like a puzzle and used a key to identify the symbols for artifacts and structures. After digging up the lab reports that provided more information about the artifacts found at the site, they went to work unraveling the mystery. As many of the heroes concluded, they had been looking at the site of Ancestral Pueblo people, like the people who lived in Mesa Verde. Some of the heroes have already finished 2 of the 3 challenges in the Ancestral Pueblo People badge; this is the badge they will need to complete to prepare for our Mesa Verde trip.
Heroes discovered the entertainment of simple machines this week. While the older group created their own Rube Goldberg machines (look for pictures next week of their completed creations), the younger group experimented with simple machines.
During lunch, heroes discovered the joy in using simple machines to create a scooter ramp. (No, that was not part of quest, just the result of finding old table tops and wood!)
It’s delightful to see what enhancements to the studio the heroes come up with, when given the latitude to do so!
In the Spark Studio one day this week, heroes discovered that with a few learners absent, certain studio maintenance jobs were not completed. All on their own, heroes determined which jobs didn’t get done, divided themselves into groups, and completed the remaining studio maintenance jobs. The tasks were checked off by a fellow hero.
In the Fire Studio a group of heroes thought of a fun element to add to the quest “game” this session. Within 24 hours they had come up with a system, playing pieces, tracking sheets, and rules. They proposed it to the rest of the studio. A majority affirmative vote was cast and it was underway. Zero adult involvement, 100% hero-directed fun and learning!
Our heroes are competent, capable, kind and fun, young people. Watching them discover is pure delight!