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AABC's Blog
Welcome to our blog
Read all about weekly activities in the various studios.
Enjoy


Poetry, Family History, World War I & a Holocaust Survivor’s Visit (Session 6, Week 1)
Greetings from the Journey Studio, and welcome to Week One of Session Six! Learners began this brand-new session by reading and reflecting on poetry, exploring themes of life and death, researching World War I, and engaging in meaningful conversations about history, resilience, and the human experience. Genre This week, learners read a variety of poems centered on the joy of life and the inevitability of death. After discussing the poems, they decorated personal journals wher


Debates, Exhibitions, Quest Projects & the Children's Business Fair (Session 5, Week 6)
We have officially reached the final week of the session! The Exhibitions are complete, badges have been compiled, and the hard work of the past several weeks has come together. While the session may be ending, there was still plenty to accomplish before crossing the finish line. Genre This week in Genre, learners finalized their debates. After receiving critiques, they revised their work, recorded their debates, revised again, and ultimately submitted their final versions fo


Debates, Haggling Fieldwork, Economic History & Apprenticeship Preparation (Session 5, Week 5)
We are now entering the final stretch of the session, and learners are working diligently to complete all projects in preparation for the Exhibition. Genre This week in Genre, learners participated in mock debates and received structured peer feedback to identify strengths and areas for improvement. They recorded and reviewed their debates to self-assess performance, then revised their arguments based on both peer feedback and personal reflection. This iterative process helpe


Debates, Financial Literacy, Apprenticeships & the Alpine Trip (Session 5, Week 4)
Hello Parents, We are now officially in the second half of the session! This week, learners had to “lock in” and complete an entire week’s worth of challenges in only three days. Fortunately, the challenges were both engaging and enjoyable, making for a productive and exciting week. Genre In Genre, learners finalized their debates by developing rebuttals, strengthening closing statements, and refining their arguments through critiques and revisions. They worked hard to prepar


Financial Debates, Budgeting Challenges & Apprenticeship Preparation (Session 5, Week 3)
Hello Parents! This week was filled with engaging challenges, thoughtful discussions, and exciting preparation for upcoming adventures. Learners continued building valuable real-world skills through Genre, Quest, Civics, and Apprenticeship work. Genre: Financial Debates This week in Genre, learners began preparing the opening statements for their upcoming financial debates. They first identified the five main points they plan to argue and then crafted opening statements focus


Financial Literacy, Business Fair Prep & Innovation in History (Session 5, Week 2)
The second week of the session has come and gone! This week, learners focused on financial literacy, exploring how to manage expenses and make thoughtful financial decisions. They also began planning their businesses for the upcoming Children’s Business Fair (CBF)—an exciting event where learners create and run their own businesses, selling products they’ve designed. Not only do they gain valuable real-world experience, but they also keep their profits. For those who may not


Apprenticeships, Personal Finance, Stock Market Game & World War I Studies (Session 5, Week 1)
This session started with a bang! In Genre, new learners began preparing for their upcoming apprenticeships by researching their unique gifts, habits, and the companies or industries where they hope to gain experience. Later this session, they will begin drafting and sending emails to secure their first apprenticeship opportunities. Meanwhile, older learners are diving into personal finance debates. They are currently in the research phase and will soon engage in structured d


Physics Projects, Abraham Lincoln Study & Session 4 Wrap-Up (Session 4, Week 6)
Greetings from the Journey Studio, This marks the final newsletter of Session 4. I’ve truly enjoyed writing these updates, and I’m excited to share that Tommy, another learner in the Journey Studio, will be taking over the newsletter next session. Genre This week, learners compiled all of their Genre work and submitted it for peer approval by fellow Falcons, demonstrating ownership and accountability in their learning. Quest In Quest, learners continued developing their Physi


TED Talks, Physics Quest, History Debates & Alpine Day (Session 4, Week 4)
Greetings Parents, This is the fourth Journey Newsletter of Session Four. As always, I’m your newsletter writer, Ozrik. It’s been another engaging and fun week for the learners! Genre This week in Genre, learners revised the main sections of their TED Talks and practiced memorizing them. On Thursday, they shared recorded versions of their talks with peers, who then provided thoughtful feedback. Quest In Quest, learners explored pendulums in preparation for building their own


TED Talk Writing, Hooke’s Law Experiments & Civ Discussions (Session 4, Week 3)
Greetings parents, Welcome to Week 3 of the Journey Newsletter! My name is Ozrik, and I’m the Journey Studio newsletter writer. I’m excited to share the key highlights and learning experiences from this past week. Genre (TED Talk Writing) This week in Genre, learners worked on writing scripts for their TED Talks. On Monday, they focused on building the body of their speeches and crafting engaging introductions based on topics they are passionate about. For example, one topic


Physics Projects, TED Talks & War of 1812 Debates (Session 4, Week 2)
Greetings from the Journey Studio! This is our second newsletter for Session 4. This week, learners continued their work across multiple areas: researching physics concepts in Quest, developing their TED Talks in Genre, and exploring the War of 1812 in Civ. Genre This week in Genre, learners focused on researching their chosen TED Talk topics. On Monday, they completed the bulk of their research, began pre-writing on Wednesday, and by Friday started drafting their introductio


Physics Quest, TED Talk Projects, and French Revolution Research (Session 4, Week 1)
Greetings from the Journey Studio. This is the first Journey Newsletter of Session 4. Unfortunately, due to the snowstorm, the learners did not have school on Monday. Starting this session, the learners will be researching and experimenting with physics for Quest, creating their own TED Talks for Genre, and they will start to research the French Revolution for Civ. Genre: This Session, learners will be creating their own TED Talks for Genre. The learners began by researching


American Revolution Plays, Essay Milestones, and New York City Field Trip (Session 3, Week 6)
Greetings from the Journey Studio! This week was both joyful and challenging as learners prepared for their Exhibition while completing their plays and essays. Their dedication, perseverance, and growth were evident throughout the week. Genre: Essay Writing and Achievement On Monday, learners selected their strongest essay from the session. On Tuesday, they conducted a Six-Trait critique, offering thoughtful peer feedback. They then revised their essays to meet Exhibition sta


American Revolution Research, Essay Competition & Historical Role Play (Session 3, Week 5)
Greetings from the Journey Studio! This week was both fun and challenging as learners continued their deep exploration of the American Revolution through writing, research, debate, and performance. Genre: Personal Essays & America 250 Essay Competition On Monday, learners reflected on meaningful personal experiences and selected one to develop into a 250-word essay. This exercise helped them strengthen their storytelling and writing skills. By Wednesday, learners exchanged pe


American Revolution Research, Historical Role Play & Exhibition Prep (Session 3, Week 4)
Greetings from the Journey Studio! Although this was a shorter week due to the snowstorm, our learners continued diving deep into their American Revolution unit through research, writing, role play, and thoughtful debate. Genre: Essay Writing & Peer Feedback On Tuesday, learners selected five American Revolution figures they admire. After force-ranking their choices, they selected the historical figure that interested them most and began writing their fourth essay. Once draf


Exploring the American Revolution Through Writing, Strategy, and Self-Leadership (Session 3, Week 3)
Greetings from the Journey Studio! Although this was a short week due to MLK Day , it was still a fun and meaningful one. Learners continued their in-depth research on the American Revolution while engaging in challenging and creative learning experiences. Genre This week began on Tuesday , when learners wrote 250-word essays exploring what the future of the United States could look like. On Wednesday , learners participated in peer feedback sessions, offering thoughtful sug


Essays, Escape Rooms, and Revolutionary Thinking (Session 3, Week 2)
Greetings from the Journey Studio! This is the Journey Newsletter for Session 3, Week 2, and it was a week full of creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. Genre This week in Genre, learners selected a second historical event or innovation to write about. For example, a learner who chose personal computers last week selected airplanes as their topic this week. Learners enjoyed drafting their essays, and on Wednesday they participated in peer feedback, focusing specif


Session 3 Launches with the American Revolution (Session 3, Week 1)
Hello from the Journey Studio! As many of you know, this is our first newsletter of 2026 and the start of Session 3. This session, learners will be exploring the American Revolution across Genre, Civics, and Quest. This week was full of learning and excitement. Are you ready to hear what we’ve been working on? Genre This session in Genre, learners are preparing essays for the American Field Trip Contest. On Monday, learners selected five major events in American history and f


Badges, Exhibition Prep, Civics Debates, and Celebration (Session 2, Week 7)
Hello from the Journey Studio! This marked the final week of the Session, and it was a busy and exciting one. We spent time compiling our Badges, offering and receiving 360-degree feedback, celebrating together, and wrapping up Quest, Civics, and Genre. Genre This week in Genre, we submitted our science fiction stories to Ink & Impact. To prepare for the Exhibition, we practiced reading our stories aloud to two different learners and gathered feedback. We also compiled our Ge


Final Story Drafts and Space Station Quest (Session 2, Week 6)
Hello from the Journey Studio! This week, learners completed the final drafts of their Genre stories and finished building their space stations for Quest. It was a productive and exciting week filled with collaboration, creativity, and reflection. Genre On Monday, learners gave and received peer critiques focused on sentence fluency, verb tense, sentence length, rhythm, and dialogue. On Tuesday, critiques continued with a focus on grammar, punctuation, and dialogue. On Wednes
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