{"id":29850,"date":"2021-06-23T13:07:12","date_gmt":"2021-06-23T17:07:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/?p=29850"},"modified":"2024-08-31T08:00:57","modified_gmt":"2024-08-31T12:00:57","slug":"launching-toward-engagement-integrated-units-at-millers-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/launching-toward-engagement-integrated-units-at-millers-run\/","title":{"rendered":"Launching toward engagement: integrated units at Miller’s Run"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

WHOOSH! <\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Imagine rows of students using medieval replicas of catapults and trebuchets to hurl objects across an open field. An energetic celebration of the outcomes of researching, designing, and modeling applications of statistics and probability. This is the experience of fifth, sixth, seventh, and eight graders at Miller\u2019s Run School in Kingdom East School District. This integrated STEM and Humanities project was the final in a series of integrated learning opportunities throughout the year that engaged students in research, designing, and engineering. Teachers threaded a focus on claims and evidence throughout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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With a goal of engaging students in authentic learning experiences, the middle school team at Miller\u2019s Run School designed this final project.\u00a0 Students researched catapults & trebuchets. In addition, they engaged in the design process of building them, with a math and science focus on statistics & probability, and via technology integration with Scratch<\/a> and Stop Motion tools.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Gerry Whitaker, middle level humanities teacher, shared, \u201cThe engagement was high, I\u2019d say almost 93% of students were invested in the project.\u201d Furthermore, \u201c…kids learned a lot with several students remarking that their teachers were teaching almost the same thing, and because of that they learned more.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This project highlighted the importance of cross-curricular projects. Student engagement and drawing connections between skills and concepts was key. And, it brought clarity to students about the what<\/em> and why<\/em> of their learning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In addition, to work towards grade level skills and content knowledge, students researched how catapults and trebuchets might inform solutions to solve the energy needs and demands of today\u2019s society.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n