Have you ever played Battleship using Morse code? It’s an example of what we mean when we say “#thewinchway.” Here, classes are active and students are engaged. Dr. Friedman’s students are learning about technological and economic innovations of the late 19th-century. They were asked to consider how industrial development affected America. Late Nineteenth-Century America brought various economic and technological changes. The telegraph facilitated communication and commerce over long distances. Typified in John Gast’s painting, “American Progress”, the telegraph was a catalyst and a harbinger of changes to come. Students experienced telegraph communication firsthand as Dr. Friedman built telegraph terminals so students could use Morse code to communicate. Specifically, students played a game of Battleship using Morse code. -.– — ..- … ..- -. -.- — -.– -… .- – – .-.. . … …. .. .–. How cool is that?
In The Classroom
The Winchendon School Receives Recognition for Service Learning Curriculum
The Winchendon School received local recognition for our innovative service learning curriculum from The Gardner News. In the article, teacher James Harrington summed up the School’s philosophy on service learning with a great quote,
“We want to create mindful habits instead of having something to check off before graduation. That includes habits of giving back.” – James Harrington
At The Winchendon School, service learning isn’t just a fancier name for the community service hours many high schools require seniors to complete before they can graduate. Articulated service learning programs go beyond completing community service requirements for graduation. It’s the difference between learning to fix the root cause of issues rather than volunteering for a cause. While volunteerism is a vital role and volunteers may be needed for a service learning project – volunteerism doesn’t change root causes. Looking to discover what makes a great service learning program? Here are seven things to look for in a great service learning program in high school.
Service Learning Programs Are Academic Based
Look for a program that integrates academic credit with their service learning curriculum. Programs should have intentional learning goals.
Service Learning Projects Should Be Based In Students’ Own Community
The best service learning programs look for ways students can improve life in their own community. Service Learning focuses on effective citizenship with the goal of students better understanding social issues relevant to their own community.
Service Learning Programs Are Research Based
Before you can solve a problem, you need to know why it came to exist. In the best service learning programs students research and understand the roots of the issue in their own communities before agreeing to act by developing a program.
Students Lead the Service Learning Project
While teachers can act as mentors and coaches to the students, in service learning projects, students learn leadership skills by taking on the leadership roles in the project.
Service Learning Projects Build Partnerships
Student leaders conduct research and reach out to local leaders to find community partners.
Service Learning Honors Achievement Not Hours Spent
In service learning, emphasis is not placed on short-term community service hours but rather on the larger achievement of the program.
Service Learning Participants Reflect on Their Experiences
Participants generate and act upon ideas and build relationships, but in service learning an important component is reflection. Participants learn to reflect on their actions, think back on how decisions were made, and tasks performed. Participants learn from the process and reflect on improvements such as what does the group need to move the project further, should they have chosen a different method, and how could they be more successful.
Physics And The Art of Waterballoon Throwing: A Classroom Story
If their math was correct, Mr. Byrne would be soaked. Their math was correct.
Mr. Byrne’s physics class learned how to calculate velocity. They took measurements, calculated their teacher’s average velocity, estimated when he would pass each of them, put on blindfolds, and tried to hit him with water balloons. Velocity will be a fundamental concept used in physics throughout this year.
The Importance of “Conference”
Recent studies show students who feel connected to their school, teachers, and school community find greater success. At The Winchendon School, we see faculty as mentors and provide opportunities for students to connect with classmates and teachers during “Conference.” Often referred to as being similar to college “Office Hours” – students can work out that calculus problem that got away from them, outline their next essay, start homework, or meet with other students to work on assigned small group projects. What does Conference look like? It looks different for each student. Here’s what it looked like recently on our NYC campus.
Model Uncertainty in Cloud–Circulation Coupling, and Cloud-Radiative Response to Increasing CO2, Linked to Biases in Climatological Circulation
Winchendon School teacher Dr. Bernard Lipat recently had his research paper published in The Journal of Climate.
“While the title might seem a little esoteric, this work has helped inform my work exploring the impact of increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide on the climate system with our sophomores in the Chemistry Immersive this fall.”
It’s a great accomplishment by one of many teachers conducting incredible work with students in science and math – and they just happen to be at our NYC day school.
Rube Goldberg Machines: An Engineering Story
Rube Goldberg machines are named after the American cartoonist, Rube Goldberg, whose cartoons often depicted complicated machines completing simple tasks. When students are tasked with studying Rube Goldberg machines, they’re engaged in critical thinking about his inventions making simple tasks complicated. As one part of a series of lessons studying simple machines, mechanics, and physics, students make the connection between thought, design, and engineering.
Take a look at how our Engineering II students created a Rube Goldberg machine to launch a simple bottle rocket.
