Friday, May 21, 2021

May 17-21

Wow, what a week! 

In this session's Quest, Detective Training, Eagles worked through 12 different challenges that taught them how to use clues and biology to catch suspects.  So, for our Exhibition the Eagles created a crime for their parents to solve! 

 

  

Many Eagles chose to step up and lead the Exhibition planning.  To choose the Eagles who would lead it, the studio decided to have a secret ballot.  The 2 voted-on Eagles were given a list of preparation questions and set off to work! They designated jobs, wrote a crime, set up a crime scene, created challenges for the parents, designed a program, set up work spaces, and planned discussion questions. 

  

The Eagles began their Exhibition by setting the stage... Someone stole a diamond toilet from Barb Smith's house. The 3 suspects were Augustus Ceasar the landlord, Rose Lily the housekeeper, and Bob Smith the husband.  The housekeeper Rose Lily was cleaning the house and went to the bathroom to notice the toilet was missing! During this time, the landlord was busy mowing the grass and Bob was headed home on his private jet. Parents were then tasked with solving the crime and discovering which suspect stole the diamond toilet! 

 

Eagles created 5 challenges for the parents to complete to help them find the culprit.  They began with an investigation and drawing of the crime scene, as well as an evidence checklist.  They then were given the fingerprints gathered by the CSI team to compare to the fingerprints found at the scene.  The Eagles even provided parents with a conversion to calulate the suspect's height based on the footprint left behind.  Their final task was to compare the three suspects' handwritings to a note found at the scene.  Families who completed the 5 challenges earned their own Detective badge! 

   

   

The Eagles completed the Exhibition by sharing Minute Mysteries they had written and discussing their favorite challenges from Quest and Exhibition. 

 

So many other fun things happened this week!

Tuesday, the Eagles celebrated the end of their music exploration with some Karaoke! They were provided a list of songs to choose from and the freedom to perform how they wished.  They had so much fun! 

  

Thursday, we tested our athletic progress with an Acton Olympics.  Eagles were challenged to a 40 meter sprint, 400 meter run around the field, 1 minute of burpees and a max plank hold.  The goal was to beat their previous scores from February and October.  We had some incredible times! Anyone want to challenge these Eagles to a plank hold?! We had some hold a plank for 10 MINUTES! 

   

Our toughest Writer's Workshop yet is complete!  This session the Eagles had to complete two sets of instructions and take them all the way through the writing process. Many Eagles stepped up to the challenge and turned in their work to be checked by the Excellence Committee to earn a piece of their Writing Badge.  The Eagles decided that on June 4th they would compile any completed instructions to make 'A Big Book of Instructions' for the studio.  

 

We finished our week with another hard-earned badge! Congratulations Grae on earning your Level 2 Math Badge! 

Enjoy your break and we will see you back in the studio June 1st! 

Friday, May 14, 2021

May 10-14

We have had an eventful, exciting week here at Acton Amarillo. 

Thursday, Eagles were visited by a paleontologist! Cal is passionate about paleontology and shared his knowledge and artifacts with us! Eagles saw fossils, replicas, seashells, and various rocks and teeth.  We even learned how to tell the difference between a real print or fossil from a replica. Such a cool experience! He even left us with some geodes and kits to find fossils and bones in! 

 

 

For our creative arts this week, the Eagles explored the African culture.  Three of our Eagles were born in Africa- in Uganda and the Congo!  The Eagles shared stories, made tea, tasted African snacks, listened to traditional African music, and showed treasures from their home country.   

 

We have so much to celebrate these last few week with 6 new badges being earned! Here at Acton, that is equivalent to an entire year of grade-level work! 

Paul and Lulu earned their Level 2 Math Badge and Layla and Jack earned their Level 1 Math Badge! We also handed out our first Writer's Worskhop Badge to Blakely, who completed Level 1 Writing! 

We are so proud of your hard work and persistance! Congratulations Eagles!! 

  


 Tuesday, for our Morning Launch, Eagles were split into teams and challenged to create the tallest tower using only newspapers and masking tape.  Afterwards, one group shared their team's secret of divying up jobs; one Eagle tore the tape, while another rolled newspaper, one held the papers together on the tower, while the last Eagle taped them together. 

    

Eagles are finishing up their Instructional writing by revising and editing their pieces.  Here at Acton, we do not have teachers who work with our learners to revise and edit.  Instead, the hard work is put on their peers.  For revising, Eagles pair up with a buddy to receive warm-cool-warm feedback based on the organization and wording of their piece.  For editing, Eagles form a Community of Editors to edit for punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and juicy words.  

 

We are wrapping up our Detective Science Quest this week.  Eagles have been challenged to earn points by completing 12 different detective challenges, solving deeper-learning bonuses, and writing Minute Mysteries.  Eagles who earned 380 points will celebrate their hard work with an ice cream party on Monday! 

   

Next week, Eagles will begin preparing for their Exhibition to showcase what they have learned.  They will be creating their very own crime scene for parents to solve! During this, the Eagles will have a real-life opportunity to teach their parents the skills detectives use in the field and lab.

Friday, May 7, 2021

May 3-7

   Our detectives have been hard at work this week practicing their forensic skills.  

By watching a video, we learned that scientists can connect the microbes found on a person's body to the microbes they left behind at a crime scene.  To test this themselves, the Eagles are observing and comparing the growth of microbes from their hands to the microbes lifted off their computers. 

 

Many Eagles are enjoying writing their own short mysteries during Quest time! As a group, they created some very specific guidelines for Eagles to earn points for their mystery.  They decided; the story must be read aloud, at least 1 minute long, the Eagle can read it on his/her own, it is detailed based on the Eagle's level, and includes a mystery for the other Eagles to solve.  We have had at least 2 friends a day who bring a mystery back to the carpet to share! 

   

Tuesday, we celebrated the Mexican culture during our creative art's time.  Eagles learned the origin of Cinco De Mayo, played a game of "blind chicken," made maracas, listened to traditional Mexican music, and taste-tested various Mexican food. 

   

Thursday during our morning launch, the Eagles were challenged to a game of 'Cotton Ball Art.'  They were given a drawing to direct their blind-folded friend to recreate with the cotton balls. At the end of our game, many Eagles expressed the frustration they felt from not being able to help their friend who could not see.  They could only use their words, which served to be quite a challenge! The Eagles who gave specific directions found that their finished piece closer resembled their goal. 

    

This session, Eagles have the opportunity to earn various levels of freedom with our Level Up Game.  Level 4 Eagles have the freedom to work in the hallway, eat snack anytime, and work outside on Friday.  Whereas, Eagles at Level 1 have the freedom to choose a table or floor spot, must work with a privacy board, and may only eat snack during Collaborative time.  This has been a huge motivator for our Eagles lately! They really enjoy the freedoms they have earned within the studio and fight to keep them by making progress in Core Skills, staying on the carpet during launches, and contributing to Studio Maintenance. 

  

On Thursday after their art time, a group of Eagles took charge and gathered their friends on the carpet to share their creations.  No guide or adult was involved.  A young Eagle led everything; how long each Eagle could share, the order they went in, shutting their computers to be good listeners, and providing encouraging words after their share.  



June 6 - 10

In our Growing Curiosity Quest, Justin from  Avant Garde Brazilian Jiu Jitsu shared with us the art of his sport.  Eagles learned how to cre...