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
