Transforming Minds

At Trinity, we believe in getting our hands dirty! That means our students don’t only learn by listening to lectures and reading textbooks but also by experiencing for themselves the power, intricacy, and purposeful design of God’s creation. Through dissecting kidneys in anatomy class, building and operating wind turbines in engineering, dissecting owl pellets in Lower School science, growing crystals in physical science, observing and documenting reactions in chemistry, and so much more, Trinity students are constantly questioning, observing, and discovering, fostering a deep sense of wonder for their world and its Creator.

This year, Mrs. Kimberly Schiffman’s class made a special new friend: Rufus the Turtle! Mrs. Schiffman rescued Rufus after his original owner gave him up for adoption. Armed with the resources necessary to give him a good life and a classroom full of eager students in Grades 7–9, Mrs. Schiffman knew he would be a welcome addition to her science classroom.

“Immediately, the students responded to Rufus,” she said. “They love to feed him and care for him, and many even help to clean his tank when asked... It’s science class, so we are pleased with the questions that arise from observing Rufus too.”

Shark Tank

Earlier this year, Mrs. Charlotte Orekhov’s Grade 8 English Literature class took a break from reading books to practice claim writing through an experiential assignment. Students were tasked with inventing a new product or business, creating a thesis statement about the importance of their product, and forming an argument with supporting evidence. In teams, they then presented their products to a board of “sharks,” composed of volunteer parents who work in business. The parents asked questions of the students, gave business advice based on their expertise, and ultimately decided whether or not to “invest” in the students’ businesses. This process allowed students to practice claim writing, creative thinking, collaboration, and presentation skills.

“I hope it was a fun way for them to experiment with claim writing and supporting their claims,” Mrs. Orekhov said.

Model Senate

Each year, Trinity seniors participate in Model Senate as part of their social studies classes. In this activity, students are assigned committees and political parties, run for leadership positions (e.g., Majority Leader), draft legislation on a selected topic, bring in guest speakers for committee hearings, and revise legislation and pass it through a committee. The activity culminates in a day-long intensive simulation of the Senate floor debate, complete with filibusters, amendments, alliances, and more.

According to AP United States Government and Politics teacher Mr. David Slaughter, this gives students an appreciation of what real political work is like. It helps them understand the full process of how a bill becomes a law, gives them an extra layer of expertise for the subject matter that they choose, and also provides a great public speaking opportunity. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!

“Most of the students love having a memorable, class-wide experience that serves as a highlight of the senior year,” Mr. Slaughter said, and added that “students will often put more effort into the project than they would for a normal class assignment, so it is great to see what they come up with.”