This week, 8th grade students from Ms. Macedo’s science class launched their Evolution book! This book was created during Q3, a collaboration between Art and Science. At the beginning of the unit, students were told that the culminating activity would be an ABC book of evolution. As the unit went on, and the students learned content, they were thinking as well about their book. Each student was assigned two letters of the alphabet, and they had to come up with an explanation of the term in their own words, and as well, create original artwork to go with the text. Ms Ana Melo, the art teacher helped the students with art techniques like how to draw and shade with pencil crayons. The evolution book is an example of project based learning, a teaching method whereby students gain content and skills while working for an extended time ( we worked for this during the entire quarter) on an authentic task ( writing and publishing a book!). This teaching technique is meant to achieve deeper learning – allowing students to learn, then apply knowledge, and by doing so, create the neurological connections of long term learning.
Based around the theme of (Re), the conference design is centered around a collaborative think-tank whose aim is to (re)think and (re)invent international education. The conference will feature 3 keynoters (Craig Johnston, Michael Ehrhardt and Myron Dueck) who will challenge, respectively, the current system of international education, the teachers, and the students.