Elementary - High School Session - Two United Studios of Acton Quest - 2024

In this session, we will be transforming all three studios in the United Studios Of Acton! 

Yep, we are going to try and navigate the minefield of government and politics! We have worked hard to make it a fun interactive experience, a “grand experiment”, for our whole campus to put the Eagles in the shoes of political roles. 

• The Eagles will be assigned to a political party (Ethical Party, Moral Party, or Independent). 

• Each party will be given a platform (see the attached as the example of the platform). Independents will have a combination of each platform. 

• Each platform topic will be given specific points (points correspond to voter importance). 

• The party that passes the most bills (line items) that support their platform will win!!!

• Each studio is going to elect congresspeople and senators that will represent them in the United Studios Of Acton Government. 

• Each studio will have two senators and one congressperson per 4 Eagles.

• Here is a general session schedule (very much subject to change):

• Week 1 - Government Basics (What are the responsibilities of each branch.)

• Week 2 - Preparing Campaigns & Stump Speeches

• Week 3 - Primaries, Voting (November 5th), Creating Bills, & “Horse Trading”

• Week 4 - Voting On Bills, Creating Re-election Campaign Materials For Candidates

• Week 5 - Campaign Candidates, Re-Election, 

• Week 6 - Exhibition

Our goals for this quest are for ES, MS, & HS Eagles to understand: 

• The responsibility of each branch of government.

• The checks and balances of each branch. 

• The process of getting a bill passed. 

• The motivation of political figures and why they make the decisions.

In addition to the goals above the HS and MS will be exploring: 

• The role of committees. 

• The role of the media. 

• A separate experience to take a deep dive into the Supreme Court. 

OUR COMMITMENTS TO YOU:

• We will not bring up any political topics in the studio that are being discussed by any of the political candidates. 

• We will only focus on the process and procedures of how the government currently functions and the logic of why those were put into place. 

• We have asked that all Eagles only discuss United Studios Of Acton politics in the studio. All external politics to be discussed outside of school with their parents. 

We encourage you to have conversations with your Eagles and talk about your experience and knowledge about government. Hopefully, you can start to have deep conversations about politics outside of The United Studios Of Acton. 

Our roles as owners and guides (as always), are to stay Socratic. We understand that we do not have all the “right” answers. We understand and are committed to making sure that we are giving Eagles tools to think for themselves, and to NEVER tell them what to think. 

GENERAL GOVERNMENT GAME RULES

• Each studio, ES MS and HS, will act as a state in the United Studios Of Acton.

• Each “state” will get two senators. 

• There will be one congressperson per four students in each studio.

• Each Eagle will be assigned to one of three parties (Ethical Party, Moral Party, or Independents). 

• Each party will be GIVEN a platform (see platforms below). Independents are given, randomly, a mixture of each platform. 

• Each platform issue is given a set number of points (importance to the voters). 

• There will be an election on November 5th to elect the representatives from each studio. 

• The ES studio will not be able to run for president or vice president because they are not of the minimum age. 

• Eagles can run for the House or Senate and the presidency/vice presidency at the same time. 

• If they are elected president /vice president, the second place person in the Senate Race  

EXAMPLE PLATFORMS

Party Platform A

Party Platform B

Sand

Snow

Ocean

Mountains

Building w/ Wood

Building w/ Metal

Legos

Furbies

Marine Life

Land Animals

Sunset

Sunrise

Fairies

Unicorns

Beans

Corn

Tile

Carpet

Super Glue

Duct Tape

Push-Ups

Sit-Ups

Mild Cheddar

Sharp Cheddar

Love Seats

Recliners

Pronounce Gif as "gif"

Pronounce Gif as "jif"

Mechanical Pencil

Standard Pencil

Stratus Clouds

Cumulus Clouds

Hardcover

Paperback

Saturn

Jupiter

Topo Chico

San Pellegrino

Curtains

Blinds

EXAMPLE LAUNCHE

WHEN DO YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO YOUR IDEALS OVERRIDE YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY?

Watch this clip of Paul Harvey talking about the founders of this country. 

The founders of the United States were wealthy people and had little to gain financially or personally to go against England. They knew they were putting their lives and their families lives on the line for an ideal they had. 

Question: 

Would you be willing to put your life on the line for one of your ideals?

Would you be willing to put your family’s lives on the line for one of your ideals?

- Acton West Guides

High School Session One - Decision Making & Community Building - 2024

HIGH SCHOOL DECISION-MAKING QUEST

We make decisions, conscious or unconscious, almost every moment of our life. But, are we being intentional when we make decisions? Do we really know how to make hard decisions? What if there were processes, recipes, and algorithms to make better, more rational decisions? What if we could make life more fun, like a game? 

Throughout the Decision Making Quest the High School Eagles will:

• Play a series of games to help them categorize different types of decisions; 

• Discover powerful processes, recipes, and algorithms to help them make  better “bets” at each stage of life; and

They will learn there are some types of decisions where considering a simple bet isn’t a good idea, for example: 

• Small investments in virtuous/good or evil/bad acts that compound over time or through habits, especially with regard to relationships, character, deliberate practice, or decisions you repeat over time. 

• Moral and cognitive blind spots that could cripple and destroy them;

• High stakes decisions that are highly emotional or must be made in an instant;

• Decisions to invest in story, celebration, ritual or a special place; or

• Decisions that require buy-in or large scale mobilization over extended periods.

They will learn the following tools and explore when and when not to use them: 

• Basic Probability

• Normal Distributions

• Power Laws

• System Dynamics

• 80/20

• Ethical Frameworks

• Monte Carlo Simulations

• Utility Theory

• And much much much more...

  Community Building & Contracts Building

  Building the community through team building activities is one of the most fun and enriching experiences of the year. These activities will create the bond that carries these Eagles through their high school years with a genuine appreciation and respect for one another. Per Acton tradition, the Eagles are putting their big-picture thinking, project management skills, and team building into practice by planning and organizing a Lip Dub! The Lip Dub is a full-length music video that dubs over a well-known song. Eagles are responsible for 100% of the process. They plan choreography, filming, editing & publishing. 

  Throughout this session, the HS Eagles will also be creating one of the most important fundamental annual documents, the Student Contract and the Rules of Engagement Contract. These are the contracts that they will abide by throughout the rest of the year. Through this process, an elected committee will gather data from the community about the rules they want to set into place, lead the votes and put together their final product. This process will end with a sacred ceremony in which everyone in the community signs the contract, thus taking the plunge into their High School journey this year!

  AAWest High School Guides

  Joey & Preston

Middle School Session One - Passion Projects & Community Building - 2024

Every year we like to start off our first quest with a passion project. We love learning more about our Eagles as we see what gets their creative juices flowing!

 We were inspired by Google's Genius Hour idea, in which employees are empowered to explore their own passions for 20% of their day. Here at Acton West, our Eagles are exploring their own passions during project time for the rest of this session. In the beginning stages of Genius Hour, the Eagles will spend time thinking of the things that drive them, excite them and inspire them to gather more information. Some projects are made to solve a problem or satisfy a need. Projects will be planned through idea mapping, gathering supplies and sometimes, collaborating with others. While working alone or on teams, the Eagles will be spending their Genius Hour time researching their subjects, asking detailed questions and working on their end product. We encourage the Eagles to think deeply about the process of researching, editing, revising and creating.

Community Building & Contracts

Building the community through team building activities is one of the most fun and enriching experiences of the year. These activities will create the bond that carries these Eagles through their middle school years with a genuine appreciation and respect for one another. Per Acton tradition, the Eagles are putting their big-picture thinking, project management skills, and team building into practice by planning and organizing a Lip Dub! The Lip Dub is a full-length music video that dubs over a well-known song. Eagles are responsible for 100% of the process. They plan choreography, filming, editing & publishing. 

Throughout this session the MS Eagles will also be creating one of the most important fundamental annual documents, the Student Contract and the Rules of Engagement Contract. These are the contracts that they will abide by throughout the rest of the year. Through this process, an elected committee will gather data from the community about the rules they want to set into place, lead the votes and put together their final product. This process will end with a sacred ceremony in which everyone in the community signs the contract, thus taking the plunge into their Hero's Journey!

AAWest Middle School Guides

Joey & Preston

Elementary Session One - Call to Adventure Quest - 2024

On the Hero's Journey, the Call to Adventure is the moment when a hero is invited to a life challenge. When the Hero answers that call, the journey begins.

This quest will focus on team-building, working within the studio community, and developing habits and skills that will last a lifetime. 

Per Acton tradition, the Eagles are putting their big-picture thinking, project management skills, and team building into practice by planning and organizing a Lip Dub! The Lip Dub is a full-length music video that dubs over a well-known song. Eagles are responsible for 100% of the process. They plan choreography, filming, editing & publishing. 

The Eagles are also creating new student contracts and rules of engagement this session. By developing new rules at the beginning of each year, the Eagles take ownership of the studio so that they can become confident, effective leaders in the space. 

For our first exhibition, the Eagles will screen their Lip Dub that will demonstrate their hard work and team building in this session. They will also showcase their interpretation of the Hero’s Journey through a studio-wide game that they create! 

We are so excited for this year, and we’re so honored that you’ve chosen Acton Academy West for your young heroes. Let’s begin the adventure! 

Elementary Guides - Ms. Cat & Ms. Maya

Middle & High School Session Seven- Documentary Quest & Poetry Writers Workshop 2024

This session the middle and high school are exploring different forms of art and storytelling. 

Both of the studios are going to be working to make a five minute documentary. There are so many times that the Eagles have practiced the process of creating, editing, proofing, and crafting a compelling story. They will use the same process while this time doing it behind the lens. They will be using CapCut to piece together a compelling short video while also learning about how to ask interview questions, b-rolls, background music, etc. 

The high school and middle school will also get to try their hand in poetry. Poetry is considered a unique language that combines and uses carefully chosen words to convey meaning and communicate ideas, feelings, sounds, gestures, signs, and symbols. For centuries, Poetry has been a tool for some of the most gifted minds because it relates the experiences and observations of human life and the universe around us. As the school year comes to an end, it only seems fitting that the Eagles reflect upon, and communicate, their successes and failures in a creative way.

In addition to the above, some of the high school Eagles are taking this session to explore their own interests in making animations in the software Blender, others will be taking macro-economics. Each of them will be showing their learning in the exhibition.

MS/HS Guides - Joey & Tyler

Elementary Session Seven Animation Quest - 2024

This session, the ES Eagles are exploring Stop Motion films! This last session of the year is the perfect time for them to dive deep into the many different aspects of creating a stop motion film. 

Their first challenge is to create a lyric video for a song. They assign roles for their film crew, learn how to use the materials available to them, practice working together, and try out different stop motion techniques. 

Next, they begin work on their major project! They will develop a professional film pitch deck designed to appeal to producers. Through this design process, they will determine the genre and aesthetic of their film. Next, they will create a storyboard outlining their film. This storyboard will serve as a scene-by-scene guide when they begin filming. 

They will design and build their own characters, background, and set pieces. The studio is stocked with traditional claymation supplies -- clay, pipe cleaners, cardboard -- but the Eagles are also encouraged to experiment and develop their own unique style using all the materials available to them. 

They will film their project, create Foley sound effects, and record voiceovers and dialogue. Finally, they will edit their piece into a cohesive short film that will be on display at the exhibition. 

This quest challenges the Eagles to dive deep into the wide variety of both artistic and technical skills required for a stop motion film. It also encourages them to collaborate and learn from each other. They have spent this year making the studio their own -- now they’re ready to soar!

Elementary Guides - Ms. Maya & Ms. Cat

MS Session Six - Medical Biology Quest - 2024

This session, the Middle School Eagles are topping off their Biology experience with Medical Biology. In the first week they will be learning about the systems that make up the human body, as well as how to check a patient's vital functions. Next, they will learn how to assess and treat various traumatic injuries. Then, they will learn about common medical emergencies and how to treat them. Lastly, they will learn about environmental induced emergencies that can potentially threaten a life.

The entire Middle School will also have an opportunity to become certified in CPR & First Aid with the Expedition School!

At the Exhibition, parents will be handed a medical scenario to recreate. The Eagles will have to properly diagnose, assist, and treat the medical emergency they encounter. Providing timely assistance and effective treatment to the patient is essential. What would you do with someone's life in your hands?

MS/HS Writers Workshop - Short Stories

This session both the MS and HS studios will be focusing on creative writing. Each week the Eagles will be given a more than ambiguous prompt in the form of a photograph. They are then tasked with creating a one page story based around this photo. The difficulty is that they are not permitted to go beyond one page! This will challenge both creative, and efficiency in their writing techniques. The Eagles will act as both writers of their own stories and editors of each others, with one Eagle from each studio volunteering to act as the publisher for the final product at the end of the session!

Mr. Tyler & Mr. Joey - MS Guides

Elementary Session Six - Marine Science Quest - 2024

This session, the AAWest Elementary Eagles will dive into Marine Science! They will become Earth Explorers and take on the questions: 

• What is life like in the ocean and how is it interconnected? 

• Is it more important to explore or to invent? 

• What problems are facing our oceans, and what are the possible solutions? 

As scientists, they learn to observe with intentionality and diligence and to embrace their curiosity. Using their imaginations, they are challenged to bring the marine ecosystems into their studio, curating an environment of wonder about the natural world.

In Week One, they will learn about world oceans through making their own ocean map and developing a presentation to explain the Coriolis effect. In Week Two, they will explore symbiotic relationships and create a model of a coral reef. In Week Three, they will learn about creatures in the deep sea and design their own creature that could survive in such an unforgiving environment. Finally, they will learn about animals of the open ocean. They will explore the food chain in the ocean and learn in depth about one specific animal. 

In addition, each Eagle will conduct independent research through a Deep Dive project. They will create a research question and spend the rest of the session using various sources and research skills to answer the question. 

The Exhibition for the Marine Science Quest is an interactive museum called the Acton Museum of Marine Science. The exhibits in the museum represent focused topics from each week of the quest. They include the World Ocean, Coral Reefs, the Deep Sea, and Animals of the Open Ocean. After some time touring the museum, guests are invited to watch the Heroes who qualified to compete in Under the Sea Jeopardy.

Ms. Maya & Ms. Cat - ES Guides

High School Session Five & Six -Biology -2024

The High School will combine sessions 5 & 6 into one Biology quest. By doing this, the Eagles will be able to alternate every other week between theory and experiments. The Eagles will do this so that the theoretical Biology, learned in the first week, is backed up by an experiment or two in the following week. The Eagles will be using the Modern States Biology Review Course and other resources to learn the basics of Biology (Cells, Plants, Reproductive Systems, Heredity, Evolution & Taxonomy).

The Eagles will also be doing experiments using pipettes, microscopes, and dissection tools. At the end of Session 6, the High School Eagles have the option to take a CLEP (College Level Examination Program) test. The Eagles will also present their experiments, and writers workshops at the end of session six.

Writers Workshop on Statistical Analytics

For this session's Writers Workshop, the Eagles will be developing the skill of statistical analytics! Though statistics consist of a significant amount of numerical data, these are nothing more than numbers without context behind them, and the context behind statistical data can often tell a story!  

The Eagles will be given a set of raw data from an Austin-based organization. Then they will learn different skills and techniques to give meaning to said data, and finally, write detailed reports on their analytical findings that would help benefit the future of the organization!

Joey & Tyler HS/MS Guides

Middle School Session Five -Biology Quest -2024



This session, the Middle School Eagles are going to have their first session (of two) in Biology. Each week they will be learning about cells, plants, animals, humans, and biospheres. Each week it will be a combination of deep learning and summer camp-style activities that will make all the learning a lot of fun. At the end of each week, they are going to have a Biology Bee that will test their knowledge of Biology and give them an opportunity to get an advantage in the exhibition. 

At the exhibition, you will see the Eagles present each of the topics of biology that they covered (cells, plants, animals, humans, and biospheres) and they will have a live Biology Bee for parents to see how much they have learned. 

Writers Workshop on Statistical Analytics

For this session's Writers Workshop, the Eagles will be developing the skill of statistical analytics! Though statistics consist of a significant amount of numerical data, these are nothing more than numbers without context behind them, and the context behind statistical data can often tell a story!  

The Eagles will be given a set of raw data from an Austin-based organization. Then they will learn different skills and techniques to give meaning to said data, and finally, write detailed reports on their analytical findings that would help benefit the future of the organization!

Joey & Tyler HS/MS Guides

Elementary Session Five - Gardening Quest - 2024

During this spring session, the Eagles will plan, build, and harvest from their own Community Gardens! They will explore the science behind seeds, soil, and pollination while also garden design, site preparation, planting, and maintenance. They will practice the scientific method and record their findings in experiments about photosynthesis, capillary action, and. organic matter decomposition. Through further exploration of farming and agriculture in the United States, they will research and learn about the effects of GMOs, climate change, organic farming, pesticides, and pollution on the environment, and they will explore the pros and cons of each side through Socratic Discussions. In this quest, they will experience the patience it takes for physical growth in the garden while they also dig deep into growth within themselves and their community. 

Ms. Maya & Ms. Cat - Elementary Guides

Elementary Session Four - Entrepreneurship Quest -2024

Welcome to Session Four, the annual Entrepreneurship Quest!

For the (elementary) Entrepreneurship quest (often referred to as E-Ship), the Eagles are split into six "companies," and are in the beginning stages of creating profitable businesses. Together they will assign roles (CEO, Lawyer, Accountant, COO, PR Director), conduct market research, study ethics, marketing, pricing, and advertising tactics. They will create their brand, a solid business plan, and strong budgets to make their business a success.

This year, we emphasize the skills needed to work with a group. Just like in the real world, they must first look within themselves to discover the gifts, talents, strengths, and weaknesses they have to offer their company. They will use these discoveries to bring their best selves to the group.

Once a company forms, business ideas will emerge in the form of a subscription box product, filled with their hand-picked and curated ideas. The culmination of this Quest will be that of a "trade show" where guests will watch as our young Entrepreneurs present their ideas!

Each year, one of the highlights of E-Ship is exploring real-life businesses through research and a series of guest speakers and local business owners. As always, this annual quest helps promote business ideas and inspiration leading into the spring Business Fair on May 4th! See you at the exhibition!

ES Guides - Ms. Maya & Ms. Cat

Middle & High School Session Four - Architecture Quest - 2024

This semester, both the High School and Middle School will temporarily shift focus from Entrepreneurship to explore the fascinating subject of Architecture. Architecture is a rich blend of Art, History, and STEM topics, offering practical real-world applications. Eagles will delve into various aspects, including learning to draw floor plans, working with CAD software, utilizing 3D printing, and even creating 3D Model Virtual Tours. Fun tools such as CAD Software and 3D printing will be introduced, adding an element of creativity to their learning experience. Not to worry, Entrepreneurship will resume next year.

As part of their exploration, Eagles will research architectural history, studying styles such as Classical, Romanesque, Victorian, Art Deco, and more. Additionally, they will gain insights into the work of renowned architects like Vitruvius, Filippo Brunelleschi, and Frank Lloyd Wright. 

During this session, Eagles will form project teams and tackle scenarios where they must design buildings for clients with specific style preferences and functional needs. They will grapple with the classic "form vs function" dilemma to create outstanding designs. After devising creative solutions, they will model their designs in 3D and present them during the exhibition for families to see.

The High School curriculum will encompass all of the above, with an additional focus on Structural Architecture. Eagles will learn fundamental principles of shear, compression, and tension forces and their impact on structures. To test their knowledge, an exciting bridge-building competition will be held during the exhibition to determine whose bridge can withstand the most weight.

In Writer's Workshop, the Middle School will explore Copywriting. Students will craft engaging content that encourages readers to continue reading and takes them towards a specific call to action. They will also work on their apprenticeship emails, collaborating to send them out to prospects. The session will culminate in a celebratory "sending their email party," where all Eagles will send their emails simultaneously.

Meanwhile, the High School will focus on crafting their NGA Pitch. This involves sharing their personal stories, expressing passion or interest in a specific subject. At the end of their presentation, they will make an "ask" or a promise. The "ask" may involve seeking an introduction to someone in a particular industry or field for an interview, mentorship, or apprenticeship. If they choose to make a promise, they will outline a clear plan for deliberate practice and industry study. The final product will be a video sent out to the Acton West community.

Hope to see you at the exhibitions!

Joey & Tyler - MS/HS Guides

High School Session Three - Professionalism Quest - 2023

The Professionalism mini-quest is designed to equip Eagles with the essential skills and attributes necessary for success in the professional world. This quest focuses on developing interpersonal skills, effective communication, and personal branding, enabling Eagles to navigate professional environments with confidence and professionalism.

Quest Objectives

• To enable Eagles to understand the appropriate rules of professional situations.

• To practice professional communication skills such as: 

• Interviewing 

• Emailing & Digital Messaging

• Conflict Resolution

• Workplace Feedback & Conduct

Exhibition

The Eagles will select a position in an area of interest that they will be interviewed for in the near future (apprenticeship, college admissions etc), for the exhibition they will role play the interview to show off their new found skills. 

HS Guides - Joey & Tyler

Middle School Session Three - The Art of Negotiation Quest - 2023

The Great Elf Strike of 2023

In this session, for the quest, the Middle School will be developing the skill and practicing the delicate art of negotiation. The Eagles will be put in a hypothetical employee/employer situation in which they will need to negotiate the terms of a contract. This will be similar to union worker negotiations such as the Screen Actors Guild, or the United Auto Workers strikes. However, the quest will have a fun Christmas-themed twist to it where the union workers will be elves, and the executives will be Santa!

Writers Workshop Letter of Gratitude:

As for the Writers Workshop, they will be practicing gratitude, with handwritten letters of gratitude that will be sent to the people whom they are grateful for. Not only is this a simple and kind act to do for others, but also there is overwhelming evidence that practicing gratitude consistently correlates positively to overall happiness and mental well-being.  

Joey & Tyler - MS Guides

Elementary Session Three - Ancient Athens Quest - 2023

This session, the Elementary Eagles will be exploring Ancient Athens! Through a series of games and hands-on activities, we will begin by learning about and creating our own ancient Olympic Games. We will also be discussing Socrates and diving deeper into the socratic discussion. In the second and third week, we will be learning more about everyday life in early Greece while also having the opportunity to create different materials from this time.

We are looking forward to lots of fun this session followed by a much-deserved holiday break!

Maya, Sara, & Catherine - Elementary Guides

 

Spark Quest Session Three - The Cosmic Universe - 2023

 

Montessori focuses on Cosmic Education, where children get to experience the interconnectedness of all things – especially living things. In this way, children learn about the past, the present, nature, ethics, other cultures, and their connection with all these things.

 We saw the winter months as a perfect opportunity to promote the latter. This session Sparks will be learning about the practices animals follow to survive the cold temperatures (migration, hibernation, and adaptation). We will be reading stories, conducting fun experiments, and fabricating some creative crafts. They will also be learning about winter holidays around the world and through different cultures by adding stamps to their “passports” and fun facts about the country or culture we “visit” that day.

We know each Spark finds joy in observing nature and they’re already looking out for those squirrels gathering their last acorns.

Spark Guides - Sarah & Callie

Elementary, Middle & High School Session Two - Music Quest (2023)

This session, our Elementary, Middle, and High School studios will be exploring the world of Music. They will start off by getting introductory lessons on the guitar, ukulele, keyboard, and drums. We are doing this to expose them to several instruments to help them know what they might be interested in and allow them to see a different perspective on each role of the band and on music in general. They will then form bands and pick from some simple songs to play and re-write the lyrics to. They will make recordings of their music and review the recordings to help them make improvements, and perform their songs for other bands to give each other feedback. 

Along the way, Eagles will be doing experiments to learn more about the anatomy of the ear, how sound waves work etc. They will also learn about musical heroes ranging from Beethoven, B.B. King, The Beatles and so many more.

The High School and Middle School are going to take a deeper dive into music theory such as: 

Why do we use a framework of 12 notes? How do Rhythm, Tempo, & Time Signatures relate? And many other major music theory questions. As the quest goes on, they will be working with production tools to help them put together music. 

For the exhibition, Eagles will take a trip to record their songs in a recording studio. Parents and Eagles will watch the videos of their Eagles performing their songs on the big screen at the theater, and we will get an early screening of Trolls 3 for ES and the Elf movie for MS/HS. 

-Acton West Team

High School Session One - Community Building & Negotiation Quest (2023)

1st half of of this quest: Team Building, Lip Dub, Contract Creation

The Eagles spent the first few weeks practicing team building exercises, including their lip dub music video, and creating their Student Contract and Rules of Engagement Contract, as well as setting themselves up for success for the school year through Journey Tracker and our core skills programs. 

2nd half of this Quest: Negotiation

“Negotiate in their world. Persuasion is not about how bright or smooth or forceful you are. It’s about the other party convincing themselves that the solution you want is their own idea. So don’t beat them with logic or brute force. Ask them questions that open paths to your goals. It’s not about you.”

― Chris Voss, Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It 

In this session, the High School Eagles will be participating in simulations from the Harvard Business School, Acton Business School and Chris Voss (former FBI negotiator) to learn the art of negotiation. They will learn to understand their counterpart’s perspective, how to mirror their counterpart to make them feel at ease, use their words and observations of feeling to neutralize negative emotion, and much more. 

They will become familiar with terms such as Tactical Empathy, Mirroring, Anchoring, Labeling, Bargaining, Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA), and Worst Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (WATNA). They are going to read the Harvard Business Review’s Top 10 Articles: On Negotiation. They will use the topics covered in these articles and work through simulations and play games to practice negotiation tactics. 

Then, to put these into a more real world scenario, the Eagles will all be a part of the Acton Auto Company. Some will be a part of the Management, and some will be a part of the Union. They will use their new tools and negotiate a strike that is currently going on at the Acton Auto Company. It is a full case, where the union is demanding higher wages, better benefits, better working conditions, etc. 

The exhibition will have each team presenting to families how their side “won” and their lessons learned from the process. Families will get to vote on each side and eventually there will be a winner of the negotiation (not based on the side they would be on, but on which side was able to walk away with a better deal). 

For Writer’s Workshop, our High Schoolers are learning and writing reflections on the Next Great Adventure, NGA, Process. The Eagles will go through exploring who they are through assessments, feedback from friends and family, and reflection on personal traits. They are using this information to narrow down their gifts/strengths, jobs/careers they are interested in, and where they would like to work (company/location). They will then pick between several badge options this year to help them navigate their next steps. The tools in these badges will be priceless in their journey through High School, and even more valuable after their high school experience. The badges include:

• Stars & Stepping Stones Interviews

• Mentorships

• NGA Freelancing (Job)

• Deliberate Practice

• NGA Credential

• Apprenticeships

Acton Academy West High School Guides - Joey & Tyler

Middle School Session One - Community Building and Becoming a Conversationalist Quest (2023)

1st half of of this quest: Team Building, Lip Dub, Contract Creation

The Eagles spent the first few weeks practicing team building exercises, including their lip dub music video, and creating their Student Contract and Rules of Engagement Contract, as well as setting themselves up for success for the school year through Journey Tracker and our core skills programs. 

2nd half of this Quest: Becoming a Conversationalist 

The art of conversation is an important skill - making it easier to try new activities, meet new people, make new friends, and help put others at ease. Deep conversation and sharing, moves heroes from self centeredness --  believing that; this quest is all about each individual’s personal path to become a servant leader, who finds completion not through competition and winning, but by serving others in relationship and community, on the great journey of life.

During this quest the Eagles will examine the tools and traits of what it means to create and hold a great conversation as well as practice the skill of networking.

The exhibition will have each Eagle conduct several conversation with a parent who they are not familiar with in a networking convention style set up. They will then be given feedback in the form of a rating on their conversation skills. The highest rated conversationalists will win. 

For Writer’s Workshop, our Middle Schoolers are learning the art of interviewing. This will coincide with their conversationalist quest with the intention of learning more about a heroic figure in their lives. They will research and reach out to several heroic figures in order to schedule an interview. Using prewritten questions they will conduct the interview, take notes, then use that interview to write a reflective summary of said heroic figure in order to use what they have learned as guiding light throughout their heroes journey.

Acton Academy West MS Guides - Joey & Tyler