MENDON — Memorial Elementary School fourth-grade students recently presented Applied Learning projects to over 500 industry professionals at the One8 Applied Learning Hub Student Showcase in Boston.
Throughout the school year, students worked in groups and used Project Lead The Way and ST Math curriculum to create projects that tackle real-world problems. Students created videos and podcasts about concussions, designed interactive games using the coding program Scratch and connected ST Math puzzles to real-world tasks and careers.
Students presented their projects at the TRACK at new balance during the Applied Learning Student Showcase, an annual event for Applied Learning programs across Massachusetts. Groups presented their work and received written and verbal feedback from industry professionals.
“Watching our students confidently present their learning to industry professionals was an incredible experience,” said Assistant Principal Lauren Chuk. “The level of critical thinking, collaboration and creativity they demonstrated showed what students are capable of when they are given authentic opportunities to solve real-world problems.”
Memorial students Adeline Hagen, Paige Lachapelle, Kali Boucher and Chloe Kissane won the Project Lead The Way Program Award for their project, “Concussions in Cheer: Input/Output Human Brain.”
"It was a really fun experience,” said Adeline. "My favorite part was meeting all different types of scientists and learning even more from them about the brain. It was great just getting to be there and even better that my group was able to win together. Now I know how to do an actual project and since I was able to present to all different types of people, I feel like I will be able to present better in the future.”
The winning group demonstrated a strong understanding of the brain and its functions through a tri-fold poster, detailed diagrams and videos showcasing how concussions impact daily life.
“This showcase experience allowed the students to apply what they learned throughout the year to a real-life application and effectively communicate their ideas to educate others in the community,” said fourth-grade teacher Shelby Black, who chaperoned the showcase.
“Seeing the students make connections between the learning they do in the elementary classroom and the careers that they could have down the road is magical,” said Principal Wendy Bell. “These projects helped them to not only apply their learning authentically, but it strengthened their communication, collaboration and problem-solving skills, all of which are critical to success in today’s world. The experience our students were provided at the Applied Learning Showcase was incredible. We are so proud of them.”
About the One8 Foundation and the One8 Applied Learning Hub
The One8 education team identifies, supports and scales high impact programs and
approaches that help schools and teachers prepare students for success in a rapidly changing, data rich world. One8 imagines a future where high-quality applied learning opportunities that make learning relevant, stimulating and rewarding are a regular part of the student experience driving impact for all students. The One8 Applied Learning Hub helps Massachusetts schools get the most out of Applied Learning programs by providing implementation support, educator community building, and student opportunities that bring learning to life. The One8 Applied Learning Hub currently supports seven programs in the Commonwealth: the Democratic Knowledge Project, Investigating History, OpenSciEd, PBLWorks, Project Lead The Way, Skew the Script, and ST Math. Visit www.one8.org and www.one8alhub.org to learn more.