Allegory Writing, Physics Experiments & Great Depression Debates (Session 4, Week 2)

Welcome to the second week of Session 4’s Weekly Newsletter!

We began the week by continuing our Genre Allegories. Learners identified three main obstacles their protagonists will face. At Acton, we recognize three common challenges: Resistance, Distraction, and Victimhood. Just as learners work to overcome these challenges in real life, their characters will face and overcome them throughout their stories. This week, learners brainstormed how these obstacles would appear in their hero’s journey and how their characters would grow through them.

In Quest, learners explored two important simple machines: levers and pulleys. Beyond learning about how these machines function, learners engaged in hands-on experimentation. A large lever and pulley system was built for the studio, allowing learners to test their own theories and observe these principles in action. They stepped into the roles of both experimental and theoretical physicists by forming hypotheses and testing them using real tools.

In Civ, the focus was on the Great Depression and the leaders of that era. Learners explored why certain decisions were made, what defines strong leadership, and how they might respond if placed in similar situations. Before the discussion, each learner created their own Socratic questions and voted on the most compelling ones. One question explored this week was:

Through Roosevelt’s programs, the central government gained more power. Does an increase in central government power always mean less power for the people?

Overall, it was an engaging and thought-provoking week filled with hands-on learning, meaningful discussions, and creative exploration.

Thank you for reading!

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