Authentic Learning Opportunities

 This past week, Cole Johnson, Katelyn Howell, Cole Hess and Carissa Meyer finished their entry into the Harvard Innovation Center Neuromaker Challenge.  With the help of Ray Niehaus and Industrial Designer Mick Hetman from Hetman Designs, this group of students completed the challenge of building, programming and applying sensors in the hand that would allow for the prosthetic to perform sensitive tasks that a real hand could do.   The team was developed with a myriad of Career Pathway knowledge from computer science (Carissa), Engineering (Katelyn and Cole Hess) and Biomedical (Cole Johnson) that allowed them to learn how to pull from each other's strengths, work as a team and perform a learning task for an authentic audience.  You can see their contest video entry below.  It is only 2 minutes - so I hope you can watch it!  (Under the Video Tab)

For me, authentic, project-based learning opportunities are such an important component of learning.  Research shows that when PBL projects are implemented well that it helps students with long-term retention of content, prepares students for deeper learning and high-level thinking skills, improves problem solving skills, and improves students' attitudes on learning.  We have been fortunate over the past few years to provide our students with these opportunities in our classrooms and I hope we can continue to be a front runner in education reform by continuing to partner with local business and industry to create opportunities for our students such as these.  

This project is a celebration of all of your hard work.  It takes all of us to help students attain the knowledge and skills to complete in a project such as this.  Thanks to all of you for providing strong background knowledge to these students.  My challenge to all of you is to continue to look for authentic ways for students to grow and develop.  You will change a student's trajectory in life and help them see that learning is fun!  

Videos:

Neuromaker Challenge - PC

What I Learned

                                                                    Shout Outs: 

* Shout out to Carol Schwoeppe, Seth Gehlhausen, Melissa Toothman, Nancy Poehlein and Kris Walsh for providing our junior high students the opportunity to work together and perform a community service project this week.  Students created tie blankets, Christmas Cards and videos for the Nursing Homes.  They will be delivered this week.  Doing things for others is a great way to increase empathy and connection for our students.  Thank you for helping our students serve others!

If you haven't heard, Commodore Manufacturing is selling Christmas Ornaments in Guillaume's Store!  Could be a great last minute stocking stuffer!!  Great job CM!

Reminders: 

* Grades are due at 11:59 on Wednesday, January 6th

* There are 5 more gift cards available for tomorrow!!!  Last Chance to find an Elf!

* First day back to school is January 4th

* Feel free to wear Jeans this week!