Interdisciplinary, Personalized, Project-Based Learning

sample schedule

STEM classes will take the place of your ELA and Science/Social Studies classes within the middle school schedule.

A Typical Day in STEM

1st Hour in STEM

  • Grounding Activity

    • Focused, standards-based skill development

      • Independent Reading

      • Graph of the Week

      • Current Events

      • Mindfulness

      • Claim, Evidence, Reasoning Writing (CER) Practice

  • Calendar Planning (personalized)

    • Organize the day based on a student's individualized progress on projects and other activities

  • Project Development

    • Independent or cooperative work time on choice projects or challenges

2nd Hour in STEM

  • SCRUM

    • Small group discussion about project progress

  • Project Development

  • Literacy Discussion

    • Small group discussions about independent or common texts.

History

2015-2016: The Academy began in the second semester as a project-based science course option. Approximately 20 8th-graders piloted the program.

2016-2017: The Academy expanded to a social studies and science class with 80 students enrolled from both 7th and 8th-grade.

2017-2018: The Academy enrollment increased to 100 students in both 7th and 8th-grade.

2018-2019: The Academy expanded to include 6th-8th grade students and provides students with an interdisciplinary, personalized, project-based science, social studies, and English Language Arts course (60 students).

2019-2021: The Academy maintains its academic structure and increases enrollment to 81 students.

2021-2022: The Academy maintains its academic structure while expanding again to 108 students in grades 6-8.

2022-2023: The Academy maintains its academic structure and enrollment of 108 students in grades 6-8.