Student Notebooks
To access your writer’s notebook, click on your name below.
To join your Zoom class meeting, please click the button below.
The passcode is: 888626
Academy Logbook – Weekly Warm Up
Every week, you will add a new entry to your Academy Logbook as you explore the world of IK2W. You might uncover a mystery, discover a hidden piece of Academy history, solve a problem, or help shape what happens next.
But here is where it gets interesting: you are not just reading the history of the IK2W Academy. You are helping write it.
Throughout the quarter, I will choose some of the most creative, thoughtful, and well-written student entries to become part of the Official Academy Logbook, where they will be published for others to read. Will one of your entries become part of Academy history?
Click the button below to open the Official Academy Logbook and see what has already been discovered. (Note: It will take a week of two for entries to start appearing)
This Week’s Assignment:
The Academy continues to grow each year. After touring the campus, write a recommendation to the Academy Council identifying one strength of the Academy and one opportunity for improvement. Support each recommendation with clear reasoning.
Project #1
The Academy Council of Scholars believes that education should never stop evolving. For generations, educators have asked the same important question: How can we help students learn, grow, and prepare for the world beyond the classroom? The Council has invited you to imagine education from the ground up.
Your challenge is to design an educational system that meets the needs of its students and explain your ideas clearly enough that the Academy Council of Scholars can understand how the entire system would work.
Step 1: Imagine
Imagine that you have been given the opportunity to build an educational system from the beginning. You do not have to keep something simply because “that’s how school has always worked.” At the same time, different students have different needs. A system that sounds wonderful for one student might make learning more difficult for another.
Begin by imagining what education could be.
- What should the purpose of education be?
- What should every student know or be able to do before graduating?
- What would make students excited to learn?
- What should students have more opportunities to do?
- What might students need less of?
- What skills will students need for their futures?
- What should the role of a teacher be?
- How much choice should students have in what they learn?
- What parts of traditional school would I keep?
- What would I completely rethink?
- If I could build an educational system from the ground up, what would it look like?
Begin with your vision, not a list of things you dislike about school. “What should education accomplish?” Your goal is not to create a school that is simply easier or more entertaining. Your goal is to imagine a system that helps students learn.
Step 2: Question
Now challenge your vision. A system is made of interconnected parts. Changing one part can affect many others.
Questions help you discover whether your ideas can work together.
- At what age should formal education begin?
- How should students be grouped?
- Should traditional grade levels exist?
- What subjects should every student study?
- What subjects should students be allowed to choose?
- What should a typical school day look like?
- How long should the school day and school year be?
- What role should teachers have?
- What role should technology have?
- How should students demonstrate what they have learned?
- Should there be tests?
- Should there be grades?
- Should there be homework?
- How should students move from one level to another?
- How should students with different strengths and needs be supported?
- How much independence should students have?
- What responsibilities should students have?
- What happens when a student struggles?
- What happens when a student is ready to move faster?
- What should happen when a student breaks the rules?
- How should schools prepare students for college, careers, and adult life?
- How will your system make sure students actually learn?
- How will you know whether your educational system is successful?
What we are building this week…
Homework
Week 1:
Homework is due by 7 am on the day of your class. Any homework submitted after that is considered late. That means, you are not allowed to finish it right before class. If you do, it will still be incomplete as I will have already checked your work. Please plan ahead!
- Start exploring the IK2W World! This week: The Story of Flicker, Introduction, IK2W Academy, and The Firefly Path. Of course, you are welcome to visit more locations. The button to enter the world is at the top of this page.
- Logbook entry: Finish what you did not complete in class. See above for assignment details. (Week 1 Logbook)
- Journal: Keep working in your journal. Remember, if you are stuck, go to the “What goes in here?” page in your notebook for ideas. (Entry 1)
- Grammar: Finish your noun & pronoun sentences in your notebook (W1 Grammar). Don’t forget to double check your work!
- Project work: Finish step 1 & 2. (Project 1 School for step 1 & Question for step 2) The questions you need to ask and answer are above. Make sure to copy and paste them into your notebook and put a lot of thought into your school. Be ready to explain it next week.
Note: I have listed in parenthesis ( ) where each assignment should go in your notebook. If it is not in the correct section, I will think your homework is incomplete.
Inspire Kids 2 Write 