Samurai Team Collages

As a warm-up activity, students worked in small teams to research and take notes on the samurai in areas, such as training, armor, weapons, cultural activities, language, haiku poetry, and Bushido code. Then, they shared a Google Drawing doc and made a collage of images and pertinent text to best represent the samurai in these categories.  Enjoy the examples below!

Intro to Japan's Geography Juxtaposition

Students have begun to juxtapose the advantages and disadvantages of Japan’s geography in interpretative art pieces utilizing tech, STEM, and art! (Check out their finished products here!)

CHOPPED Competition for World Geography!

Students excitedly participated in a simulated "Chopped" competition, in which teams of four had to research regional foods of a civilization studied in World Geography this year. They had 15 minutes to create a "meal idea" with at least 4 main regional foods grown and/or eaten in their civilization, construct a Google Slide to present their meal idea with an enticing explanation, and post their idea to our Google Classroom Collaborative Group for other students to comment and vote on the best meal!  Then, as part of our cross-curricular GMO PBL, students brainstormed how to insert a modern-day GMO into their meal to address the problem in their civilization (Example:  drought-resistant corn to address drought in the Mayan Empire).  Check out the creativity below!

Class Debate - Genetically Modified Foods

For the whole class debate on GMOs, the students chose a role as either a speaker or listener.  Speakers argued with evidence-based research the "Pros" and "Cons" of genetically modified foods, while listeners commented on speakers' persuasive strategies and arguments on Today's Meet.  Enjoy the collegial discussion below!

GMO Socratic Smackdown

Students practiced their debating skills by participating in a Socratic Smackdown on the topic of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)!  In tables of four, students took turns being the "Ref" taking points on discussion strategies and "Verbal Fighter" arguing the benefits and concerns of GMOs.  Students earned points for agreeing/disagreeing, asking questions, connecting classmates' thoughts, playing devil's advocate, and citing evidence/statistics to support their arguments!  Enjoy some sneak peeks below: