T
he addition of sixth graders in the fall of
According to Academic Dean Dr. Cathy Moore,
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Project Based Learning will be enhanced next year
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through the addition of upgraded “smart” projectors
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in middle school classrooms. Dr. Moore also looks
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forward to the introduction of Projects Across
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the Curriculum in which students will bring
school and immediately enroll at the Academy as a
multiple academic disciplines to bear on a problem.
sixth grader. Previously, these students would have
For example, students might rely on Math, Science,
had to begin middle school elsewhere and then
English, Spanish, and Art as they consider how they
transfer to the Academy as a seventh grader, making
would design a world-class aquarium, stock it with
Riverside their third school in three years.
compatible specimens, and market it to a bilingual
The recent expansion of the middle grades has allowed f│ a │ c │ u │ l │ t │ y│ a │ n │ d │ s │ t │ a │ œ│t │ o │ c │ r │ e│ a │ t │ carefully e│ a │ │ tailored environment
│c│o│m│m│u│n│i│t│y│.A│ß│e│l│d│t│r│i│p│t│o│t│h│e│G│e│o│r│g│i│a│A│q│u│a│r│i│u│m│ i│n│ Atlanta would no doubt aid in this investigation.
to better meet the developmental needs of these
As excited as they are by these enhancements to
younger cadets. Following the construction of new
the academic program, our middle school cadets
c │ l │ a │ s │ s │ r │ o │ o │ m │ s │ o │ n │ t │ h │ e│ t │ h │ i │ r │ d │ o │ o │ r │ o │ f│ T│ h │ e│ a │S n │ d │ y│ B│ e│ a │ v │ e│ r │ C│ e│ n │ t │ e│ r │ │
may be more excited by a change to the uniform,
for Teaching and Learning, our middle school cadets have
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their own space to grow and a curriculum that leverages
trousers worn by high school cadets. Contrasting
Project Based Learning as they investigate
shirt colors will allow middle school
and respond to authentic, engaging, and
cadets to continue to stand out
complex questions. For example, Mrs. Heather
within the Corps even as the more
Melchior’s eighth grade Physical Science
cadet-like uniform gives them a
classes recently completed an investigation
greater sense of belonging and of
of various states of matter using a hands-on
their place in the long blue line.
experiment relative to crystal formation.
Middle School Experiences... When asked about the project on states of matter, cadets were excited to share their thoughts. Cadet Lloyd Perryman shared...
I learned that supersaturated solutions are very unstable. They contain more solute, i.e., sugar, than can stay in solution, so, as the water evaporates, the crystals form.
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