Explore Year 5. Session 6. Week 5.

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Explorers jumped into week 5 of Session 6 with high energy and didn’t let the rain stop them from working hard or playing hard!

 

QUEST

The learners in Explore joined the learners in Discovery for an experience in a mobile planetarium hosted by Stars and Science Austin on Tuesday. Explorers dove into the technology astronomers use to understand the cosmos by building detailed models of satellites with their Quest Groups on Wednesday, and began the search for extraterrestrial life by first defining what life is so they could know what they were looking for!

 

 

SCHOLAR’S CHOICE

The learners in Explore got into flow while they spent time this week working hard to complete challenges in Writers’ Workshop and make progress on their session-long goals.

 

ART

Explorers finished pieces of art they have been working on all year in preparation for their art exhibit that will be on display at their Session 6 Exhibition next week!

 

 

Whether it was climbing the rope in the Spark Play area, or leading warm-ups in PD, Explorers pushed themselves this week and shared how proud they felt at their ability to do hard things.

For more from Session 6 Week 5, click here: Explore Session 6, Week 5 photos & videos

Explore Year 5. Session 6. Week 4.

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The learners in Explore started Week 4 of Session 6 with Picture Day! They joined the rest of their fellow travelers and gathered as a whole community to commemorate the year together.

 

QUEST

The learners in Explore dove deeper into Astronomy Quest this week. They conducted research on planetary bodies, then used their findings to inspire a poem about the planet they researched. Explorers used models to deepen their understanding of astronomy and discussed how models support them in achieving their goals. They modeled the formation of our Solar System, created a scale model of our Solar System using beads, string, and a ruler, and built a 3-D model of our Solar System.

At Closing Group each day this week, Explorers took turns reading aloud from a book about epic failures related to space!

On Tuesday, Explorers joined the Discovery learners to welcome a Hero in astronomy. NASA Partner Dawn Davies, manager of the Night Skies program with the Hill Country Alliance, shared her Hero’s Journey story with the learners. Discoverers and Explorers excitedly shared connections they made from Astronomy Quest and asked questions about astronomy.

 

WRITERS’ WORKSHOP

The Explore learners proudly shared the progress they’ve made on their creative writing challenges this week. They stayed in flow during Writers’ Workshop and supported one another by giving feedback and encouragement.

 

FRIDAY OUTING

Explorers landed their week reveling in the nature at Shoal Creek. They walked in the water and pointed out the wild life they saw to one another.

For more from Session 6 Week 4, click here: Explore Session 6, Week 4 photos & videos

Explore Year 5. Session 6. Week 3.

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Explorers got into flow this week. They celebrated milestones in writing, and gave their fellow travelers call-outs for supporting them in reaching those milestones.

 

QUEST

In Astronomy Quest this week, Explorers dove into some of the big forces: tilt & orbit, electromagnetism, and gravity. They became astronomers as they observed the orbit of Earth around the Sun, recorded their findings, sketched the ellipse, then constructed sundials. The Explore learners experimented with electromagnetism and observed the conductivity of salt water, the way NASA scientists have done to discover a subsurface ocean on Jupiter’s moon, Europa! They created magnets using batteries, a nail, and copper wire, and recorded their observations. The Explorers grappled with gravity challenges on Friday. The learners built their own model of the “fabric” of space using a bucket, a bungee cord, and black fabric, then they observed how things with larger mass curve the fabric of space!

   

 

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The Explore learners flowed into PD on Tuesday and Thursday mornings this week. They lead their own warm-ups of stretching and running two laps around the field. Usually they only run one lap, but this week they decided to push themselves.  For circuit training this week, Explorers stayed at each station for 15 more seconds longer than last week. They motivated each other with encouragement to reach the challenging goal.

 

 

READING BUDDIES

Explore learners have been practicing leadership in their community and continued that this week. Explorers have started supporting Discovery learners by taking time out of their schedule to read with a learner in Discovery. They followed through on their commitments and reflected on what being a leader looks like.

 

Explorers landed their week with call-outs for fellow travelers and a Badge Ceremony. They celebrated their fellow travelers who earned Badges, while those learners shared the challenges they overcame to earn the Badge, as well as what they enjoyed most about the process.

For more from Session 6 Week 3, click here: Explore Session 6, Week 3 photos & videos

Explore Year 5. Session 6. Week 2.

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The learners in Explore celebrated Earth Day on Monday by supporting the Spark learners with planting new flowers and herbs in their courtyard.

 

QUEST

In Astronomy Quest this week, Explorers sorted and classified “interstellar dust”, modeled the life cycle of a star, used Hubble’s Galaxy Classification to identify different galaxies by their shape, and dove into black holes with curiosity.

 

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The Explore learners work hard and play hard in PD. They continued their circuit training and shared how much stronger they feel!

 

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

The learners in Explore had a community discussion about conflict resolution. They reflected on what has been going well, and where they can improve, then brainstormed solutions together.

 

 

FRIDAY OUTING

Explorers were happy to return to Shoal Creek for their Friday outing. They rescued a turtle that was in the path and returned it to the creek, climbed trees, and played together on the treehouse in Pease Park.

 

For more from Session 6 Week 2, click here: Explore Session 6, Week 2 photos & videos

Explore Year 5. Session 6. Week 1.

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The learners in Explore started Session 6 with shared excitement for Quest, Writers’ Workshop, PD, and more. They dove into hard questions together and reflected on their growth, as well as what respect means to them.

 

QUEST

Explorers are becoming astronomers in Session 6! They kicked off the Astronomy Quest by asking big questions about our universe. The learners in Explore worked together to recreate the Southern Hemisphere night sky, modeled eclipses in three different ways, and put themselves in the shoes of ancient peoples who looked to the stars and made meaning by writing their own creation myths.

 

WRITERS’ WORKSHOP

In Session 6, Writers’ Workshop is all about creative writing. Explorers got into flow as they filled out their Character Maps and other pre-writing challenges.

 

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The learners in Explore are revisiting circuit training in PD. In Session 2, they set benchmarks for the number of sit-ups they can do in 1 minute, the number of push-ups they can do in 1 minute, and the time it takes them to run the length of the field and back, twice. This week they worked hard to beat those benchmarks, while cheering each other on.

 

Explorers embodied their studio name on their Friday outing to Bull Creek! They walked and swam in the water, then worked together to dry the seats of the van when they arrived back on campus.

 

 

For more from Session 6 Week 1, click here: Explore Session 6, Week 1 photos & videos

Explore Year 5. Session 5. Week 6.

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The learners in Explore leaned into their role as leaders on campus and supported Discovery learners with their Quest work this week. They guided and encouraged their fellow travelers, and celebrated their success at the Geology Quest outing at the end of the week!

 

SESSION 5 EXHIBITION + SHOWCASE

Explorers welcomed guests to their studio for their Session 5 Exhibition and Showcase where they shared their work in Quest and Writer’s Workshop, and presented their self-reflections from Session 5.

 

EXHIBITION OF GEOLOGY QUEST

The learners in explore guided their guests through some of the challenges they completed during Geology Quest. They worked together as geologists to build earthquake resistant structures and test them at different levels of magnitude, create an aquifer, study fossils, simulate volcanic eruptions, and take field notes in a cave constructed by the Explorers.

 

EXHIBITION OF WRITERS’ WORKSHOP

This session in Writers’ Workshop, Explorers wrote essays about big important questions. The learners in Explore shared the essays they wrote in Writers’ Workshop in Session 5 and answered questions about their writing process.

 

EXPLORE SHOWCASE

Explorers presented their Session 5 reflections in their Showcase powerpoint presentations and heroically responded to questions from their guests about how they hold themselves accountable, push through resistance, and set SMART Goals. 

 

CONCLUSION

Discovery and Explore Studios concluded their session in Geology Quest with a trip to Inner Space Cavern on Friday. The learners made connections between what they learned in Geology Quest and what they observed in the cave and excitedly pointed out stalactites and stalagmites, and other geological features along the tour!

For more from Session 5 Week 6, click here: Explore Session 5, Week 6 photos & videos

Explore Year 5. Session 5. Week 5.

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The learners in Explore spent time in discussions this week reflecting on their role as leaders on campus and brainstormed ways that they can offer support to their fellow travelers at Ascent.

 

QUEST

Explorers conducted MOHs hardness tests on various rocks and minerals and recorded their results in Geology Quest this week. They researched how caves are created and what special geological features and ecosystems can be found in caves and applied their findings to build their own cave in the studio!

 

WRITERS’ WORKSHOP

The learners in Explore worked hard to complete the their essays this week and heroically pushed through resistance to write and revise their first and second drafts. They supported one another by providing peer reviews and feedback.

 

PD

Explorers worked together to strategize in the games they played this week.  They leaned into collaboration to successfully complete physical challenges and gave call-outs for good sportsmanship and perseverance.

 

The learners in Explore welcomed a community member into their studio to share their Hero’s Journey with them. Explorers concluded week 5 of Session 5 with high energy and motivation to be ready for their Exhibition next week!

For more from Session 5 Week 5, click here: Explore Session 5, Week 5 photos & videos

Explore Year 5. Session 5. Week 4.

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The Explorers went exploring this week! They dug deeper into Geology Quest, supported one another during Writers’ Workshop, and heroically reflected on resistance and what a goal means to them.

 

QUEST

This week, the Explore learners became volcanologists in Geology Quest! They worked together to simulate volcanic eruptions, investigated one another’s volcanoes, and mapped the layers.

Explorers collaborated to construct a model of Earth, conducted an experiment by simulating geothermal energy, and recorded their findings. Afterward, the Explore learners reflected on how they had worked well together. They provided examples of sharing materials, practicing patience, and communicating kindly.

On Friday, the Explore and Discovery learners welcomed a Hero from the community who shared their journey with geology with them. The learners asked questions about the most amazing part about being a geologist and what inspired their guest to become a geologist. They examined many fossils, minerals, and other geological artifacts with curiosity!

Explore and Discovery learners earned a Geology Quest Outing on Friday morning by completing all their challenges in Geology Quest, being on their studio’s highest Freedom Level, and completing a bonus challenge. The learners spent the morning in Leander as geologists working in the field. They searched for and found 110 million-year-old dinosaur footprints along the South San Gabriel River! The learners soaked in their surroundings and shared excitement over insects, animals, the flowing stream, and all the other life they observed around them.

For more from Session 5 Week 4, click here: Explore Session 5, Week 4 photos & videos

Explore Year 5. Session 5. Week 3.

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The learners in Explore experimented in Geology Quest, delved into varied viewpoints on some of the world’s biggest questions, worked together to complete challenges, and reflected on what concepts like failure and skill-building mean to them.

 

QUEST

In Geology Quest this week, Explorers created a timeline of Earth, built a model of an oil well, then conducted experiments to simulate drilling oil, and researched dinosaur fossils before they molded fossils in salt dough. A Hero in Geology visited Ascent on Wednesday to share his Hero’s Journey with the Explore and Discovery studios. The learners in both studios shared connections to what they’ve been learning in the Geology Quest with lots of enthusiasm!

   

 

WRITERS’ WORKSHOP

Explorers researched opposing viewpoints about the Big Questions they chose and found evidence to support each view. They reflected on whether the evidence they found changed their original position and then began writing what they believe the answer to their Big Question is and why.

 

ART

The learners in Explore are creating sculptures during Art in Session 5. Each learner chose an everyday object that holds meaning for them and then wrote a story about it. This week, explorers drafted and sculpted their objects using clay, cardboard, and paints.

 

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The learners in Explore worked together on team challenges and played games that required trust and communication, like Maneuver the Minefield. Explorers gave call-outs to their fellow travelers for good sportsmanship and perseverance.

 

On Friday, Explorers who had completed all of their Writers’ Workshop work and were on the Soaring Freedom Level earned a Friday outing to Bull Creek, along with Discovery learners on their Blue Slope Freedom Level. They conducted Streamflow measurements, experimented with changing to the stream by moving rocks, and joyfully explored the creek together.

   

For more from Session 5 Week 3, click here: Explore Session 5, Week 3 photos & videos

Explore Year 5. Session 5. Week 2.

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The learners in Explore spent the week conducting experiments in Geology Quest, diving into big questions in Writers’ Workshop, practicing good sportsmanship in Physical Development, and more!

QUEST

This week in Geology Quest, Explorers became Hydrologists! They measured the Streamflow of a stream they created in the Spark Play area, simulated different hydrology scenarios with a model of an aquifer the Explorers worked with their squads to build, and shared that they felt like scientists! The learners in Explore chose an Austin creek with a unique geological feature to write a pitch about, then voted on the best pitch. The winning pitch determined where they went for their first Geology Quest outing on Friday! Explorers who completed all their quest work in weeks 1 and 2, are in the Soaring Freedom Level, and completed the bonus challenge, went to Bull Creek, and measured the Streamflow there!

 

WRITERS’ WORKSHOP

The learners in Explore researched and chose the big question they plan to write their essays on in this session. Explorers then pitched to the studio why they should be the ones to write about that question because every learner will be writing about a different question. Some of the questions that the learners in Explore will attempt to answer are, “Why do we dream?”, “What is consciousness?”, “What is time?” and “What if AI did all the work for us?”

 

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The learners in Explore played many games that encouraged good sportsmanship this week. At the end of each PD, Explorers reflected on how it felt to give and receive encouraging words and end each game with a handshake.

 

The learners in Explore had a special guest visit their studio to share their Hero’s Journey. Explorers asked questions about their guest’s inspiration for starting a business and expressed curiosity about the most challenging aspects of owning a business.

For more from Session 5 Week 2, click here: Explore Session 5, Week 2 photos & videos