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Project Based Learning at Innovation Academy Charter School

Project Based Learning at Innovation Academy Charter School. Zoe Tarshis and Sara Krakauer. About IACS. Public charter school Founded in 1996 by a group of Chelmsford residents interested in having a choice in public middle school education in the Chelmsford area. 

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Project Based Learning at Innovation Academy Charter School

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  1. Project Based Learning at Innovation Academy Charter School Zoe Tarshis and Sara Krakauer

  2. About IACS • Public charter school • Founded in 1996 by a group of Chelmsford residents interested in having a choice in public middle school education in the Chelmsford area.  • Created a high school program in 2007 and we will see our first graduating class this year. • Currently serving students in grades 5-12 from more than 10 Massachusetts communities including Chelmsford, Lowell, Billerica, Dracut, Groton, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro and Westford.

  3. Our Mission • The Mission of the Innovation Academy Charter School is to provide students with a challenging, interdisciplinary education that will prepare them for the 21st century through an emphasis on holistic learning, higher order and critical thinking skills and practical application and integration of curriculum areas.  Think * Connect * Apply

  4. What does this look like? • One Campus • Two Teams for Two Grade Levels • Three Types of Classes • Four Social Outcomes • Five Teachers per Team • Six Ways to Assess Students

  5. One Campus

  6. Two Teams for Two Grade Levels • 400 students in grades 5-8 • 200 students in 5/6 and 200 students in 7/8 • 100 students on a mixed grade level team • PHOTO REMOVED

  7. Three Types of Classes • Project classes • Social Studies & Science • Each for half the year • Two hours long • Mixed grade level • Skills classes • Language Arts & Math • One hour long, all year • Single grade level • Specials classes • Art, Spanish, Health, and Challenge (PE) • PHOTO REMOVED

  8. Typical Schedule

  9. Four Social Outcomes • Problem Solving • Self Direction • Effective Communication • Community Membership • PHOTO REMOVED

  10. Five Teachers per Team • All 100 students share the same 4 core teachers (Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science) • Each team also has 1 special educator to support our inclusion model • Each core teacher serves as an advisor to 25 students • Teachers meet weekly to discuss student needs on team

  11. Six Ways to Assess Students • In every class, students receive 6 grades in the following areas: • Comprehension • Application • Problem Solving • Self Direction • Effective Communication • Community Membership • Students earn the grades Novice, Apprentice, Proficient, and Distinguished

  12. What else makes us different? Quality Night Portfolio Assessment Jury Days

  13. Quality Night • Exhibition of student work for parents and community members • Twice a year, required for all students • Students choose one of their best projects, revise it, and prepare a presentation “Anything worth doing, is worth doing well.” • PHOTO REMOVED

  14. Portfolio Assessment • Showcase of best work (two pieces in each subject) • Every piece must be revised to proficient (teachers approve that it is “portfolio ready”) • Homebase teachers support and monitor the process • Required for promotion to next grade

  15. Jury Days • 6th and 8th graders individually present their portfolios to a team of assessors in a 30 minute jury presentation. • The team of assessors is typically made up of an administrator, a parent or outside community member, and a younger student. • Students share at least three pieces of work and provide evidence of why they believe they are ready to be promoted to the next grade.  

  16. How do we use a Project Based Learning approach? Pair Share Innovation of Projects at IACS Brainstorm Rubric Assessment Examination of Student Work

  17. Pair Share • Think of a favorite project that you completed inside or outside of school. What made this project so memorable? • Share with the person sitting next to you.

  18. Innovation of Projects at IACS

  19. Examine the following objects. How might you group them?

  20. Examine these state standards. How might you group them? What connections do you see?

  21. Rubric Assessment

  22. Examining Student Work • Find 3 examples of different ways to demonstrate understanding (writing, illustration, performance, etc.) • Find 3 skills that students used to complete the project (research, persuasive writing, graphing, etc.) • Find 3 social outcomes used to prepare and execute the project (effective communication, self-direction, problem-solving, community membership, etc.). • Find 3 examples of steps that helped students to achieve success (goal setting sheet, graphic organizer, reflections, etc.).

  23. Questions?

  24. www.innovationcharter.org

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