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Middle

  • We Spark Creativity

    Researching the Day of the Dead

    For the November 1st and 2nd Day of the Dead holiday, Montgomery School students in Chester Springs, PA, turned their sixth grade Spanish classroom into a “graveyard!” Each student was asked to pick a famous Hispanic who has passed away, research them, and then create a tombstone for that person. The tombstones were then set […]

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  • We Spark Creativity
    Video

    ‘Iolani School’s Redesigned Art Space

    ‘Iolani School redesigned its Lower School art room to provide a more open and creative space for students. Here, a special “hands on” project demonstrates why the arts at ‘Iolani are alive and thriving.

    1 Recommendation
  • We Cultivate Character

    Raising Servant Leaders

    Last week, Shiloh visited Trinity’s 3rd graders to tell his story. Shiloh is a teacher, and Shiloh has a love for children. Shiloh is also a homeless man who spends his days at the Urban Ministry Center and his nights sleeping on the streets of Charlotte. His story is not unique and is one we […]

    1 Recommendation
  • We Encourage Exploration

    Identity and Design Project Asks Students to Consider “Who Are You?”

    To conclude and celebrate the end of their first unit on Identity — part of their Social Justice and Cultural Understanding (SJCU) class — Seattle Girls’ School eighth graders take on an interesting challenge: design a pair of shoes that represents their many identities. Early in the year, the class actively considers and discusses with […]

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  • We Shape the Future

    Roland Park Country School Repurposes Library to Encourage Active Learning

    Libraries everywhere are reinventing themselves into places of active learning where “students can interact with content, technology, the space and each other.”1 Libraries are “becoming less about the housing of books and more about connecting learners to knowledge.” Rather than emphasizing quiet for individual study, the goal is to encourage collaboration and creativity. The modern […]

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  • We Inspire Leadership
    Video

    Silence Is Not An Option

    In seventh grade history at Riverdale Country School, students learn about governing by doing it. During the year, teachers lead the class through six simulations that dramatize the units of study: formation of government, the legislative process, foreign policy, the Supreme Court, citizen advocacy, and elections. Students take on the roles of activists, lobbyists, legislators, […]

    3 Recommendations
  • We Encourage Exploration

    Eighth Graders Use Beebots to Explore Vectors in Physical Science

    Eighth Graders recently used Beebots programmable robots to explore vectors in physical science class. The teams of students were given a grid mat, a Beebot, compass rose direction cards, a meter stick, and a recording sheet. They were then given time to explore by programming the Beebot to follow the paths and record the distance […]

    5 Recommendations
  • We Encourage Exploration

    Students Consider “What is Right?” through Project Based Learning

    Project Based Learning (PBL) is a cornerstone of a Foothills School education; it lets students learn collaboratively by asking questions that enhance their understanding of a subject. Last year, fifth and sixth graders spent a semester focusing on one driving question, “What is Right?” Activities included immersing themselves in the history of street art — […]

    5 Recommendations
  • We Encourage Exploration

    Open Window School Student Experiment to Fly to the International Space Station

    This fall students at Open Window School have their heads in the clouds, actually far above the clouds. They are working in teams on proposals for microgravity experiments to be conducted by astronauts 250 miles above sea level on the International Space Station (ISS). One of these student-designed experiments will be among 22 selected from […]

    1 Recommendation
  • We Cultivate Character
    Video

    Lost In The Game: A Musical Story of Relationships, Sex and Gender Politics

    Durham Academy a cappella group XIV Hours takes on hookup culture, relationships and respect as reflected in pop culture and music. Their music video, in three acts, breaks down some of the sexist lyrics and themes that teens navigate every day. The students’ powerful, poignant message is also inspiring, as they close emphasizing a sense […]

    6 Recommendations
  • We Spark Creativity

    STEAM Project Lets Middle School Girls Design Wearable Technology

    At Sacred Heart Greenwich, art and design are seen as essential vehicles for promoting innovation through creativity. Last spring, knowing that the field of electronic textiles—where art and technology intersect—strongly appeals to middle school girls, teachers asked students in these grade levels to imagine the future of wearable technologies and the concept of “smart” clothing. […]

    6 Recommendations
  • We Nurture Growth
    Video

    Upper School Retreat: Setting The Tone For The Year

    One of the oldest and most enduring traditions at Powhatan is the Upper School Retreat. A wonderful event that encourages teamwork and collaboration through two days worth of fun and sometimes challenging events, it is an experience that bonds classmates and teachers alike. “It sets the tone for the year,” says Ann Robb, Upper School […]

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