2010-11 Course Proposal for 8th Grade Synthesis Seminar [pilot of one section] NAME OF COURSE: TERM/DATES: TEACHER:

Synergy 8 PILOT first and/or second semester of 2010-11 AY (proposed 10-30-09) Bo Adams + Co-Teacher [Jill Gough, Clark Meyer, Bob Ryshke]

STUDENT ENROLLMENT: 22-26 [for 2010-11, just one pilot section; other 175 students continue normal Econ 8/Writing Workshop] Maybe two sections? REPLACEMENT OF: GENERAL RATIONALE: Econ 8 and/or Writing Workshop for Interested/Approved Students [Would be a non-departmental, synthesis course] Since the turn of the century, countless thinkers have suggested what they believe will define our future in the 21st Century. Thomas Friedman, for instance, makes a case for the world seeming flat with technological connections between global citizens becoming easier to establish and more pronounced in how they link us together. Daniel Pink argues that three As - automation, Asia, and abundance have so changed our world that todays students will need an enhanced toolbox of skills including design, story, empathy, symphony, play, and meaning. Howard Gardner, guru of multiple intelligence theory, posits five minds for the future: the disciplined mind, the synthesizing mind, the creating mind, the respectful mind, and the ethical mind. Educators that categorize themselves as 21st C. seem to call for contextual-based learning rather than straight content-driven study. Currently, all of the Junior High courses are departmentalized. This proposed synthesis course would be a non-departmentalized class utilizing project-based, problem-based, and inquiry-based methods in an integrated-disciplinary model (like The Falconer course at Francis Parker School or The Blood Project at High Tech High or The Naturalist Course at Westminster). There would be a strong attempt to factor in the departmentalized content of several 8th Grade courses; there would be a strong attempt to integrate areas of the cognitive and affective curricula.

(Assuming semester structure) BASIC OUTLINE: STAGE 1 [3 Weeks] Identification of an issue or concern in the Junior High School. Research and data collection of the issue or concern. Study of proposed solutions to the issue or concern. Proposal generated and submitted to Junior High administration. Meta-cognition of strategic steps involved. STAGE 2 [6 Weeks] Identification of an issue or concern in the Westminster community/close-by Atlanta community. Research and data collection of the issue or concern. Study of proposed solutions to the issue or concern. Proposal generated and submitted to Westminster administration/Atlanta city council (other appropriate administrative group/community partner). Meta-cognition of strategic steps involved. STAGE 3 [8 Weeks] Identification of an issue or concern in the global community, using NAIS 20/20 from J.F. Richards High Noon. Research and data collection of the issue or concern. Study of proposed solutions to the issue or concern. Proposal generated and submitted to appropriate administrative group/community partner. Meta-cognition of strategic steps involved. MATERIALS/TEXTS: As determined by exploration of students identified issues/interests. Likely use of wall-less classroom connections, as well as Web 2.0 tools such as wikis and blogs to document journey and process. Therefore, request classroom set of net books (additional pilot of this matching) Authentic assessment methods for research skills, data collection and analysis, written proposals, etc. Content assessments based on students chosen path of study/interests. Writing focus nonfiction (descriptive, persuasive, comparative). Request PASS/FAIL or other alternative grading option such as product/process/progress breakdown or nonnumerical narrative feedback on authentic assessments.

ASSESSMENT:

GRADING: