Michelle Wildes’ Grade 8 Science: Global Ocean Issues Research Studio

Students dive deeper into a research a marine conservation issue (of their choice) that we have touched upon throughout within the curriculum. They are individually charged with synthesizing and disseminating their critical conservation research to the Beaver community in a more modern and lasting approach. To do this students design their scientific message for the community to be modeled after TED Talks, NPR podcasts, blog posts, coding their own websites and video games, or creating art installations. Students work together and manage their own in-class “studio time” over 2-3 weeks using peer & teacher critique to guide their progress over time. They go through processes of design thinking, including: observation, research, writing & synthesizing, brainstorming, collaboration, prototyping, critique, re-iteration, and a formal scientific presentation to culminate their works.

Here are two presentations from the Middle School Tuesday Morning Meeting:

Overfishing by Sam Waldman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-KozG82hRI

Fish Responsibly by Ben Abbott:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St9-i_jGRis

See more pictures here.