Launch Pad: Session 6, Week 3

Welcome to yet another week! We had a great time this week, not only with our badges but also on our most recent field trip to The Met!

The learners had the opportunity to take a break from their own art studies and instead see the results of some of the greatest artists from around the world. There were many different forms from sculpture to oil painting, not to mention all the interesting exhibits that Learners explored on their trip through this museum.

While it isn't art in the same way, Learners continue to work their letters into something that can truly shine. Obviously, this required more than a few edits; instead, critiques were in order! Falcons had to sit with another's letter, taking time to note how effective it was, the tone and organization, how it flowed, and whether it stayed loyal to the central points the letter was trying to address. Then, the application. Taking time to consider what their greatest pitfall for mediocrity is, choosing a few writing tools, and then applying all the critiques they received to the first two letters they had written.

Back to their pursuit of art, though we can see their most recent efforts have been focused on space. Learners' first move was to create a variety of landscapes and scenes with the weight shifted each time. Then, pens came next, showing the Falcons how to apply new tools to their new skills. Of course, I must mention the amazing work they did to understand perspective, which is one of the most challenging art skills to master. To end this week strong, the Falcons will work on a critique of each other's work. Not an argument of “good” vs “bad”, but a discussion of what we see, how it is organized, and finally, do we think it is a successful piece.

For Psychology, last week the learners chose branches of psychology; now it is time for them to find out more, creating a presentation that they will share soon. Included will be the definition, the problems that this branch addresses, a brief overview of key figures, everyday applications, case studies or examples, and, of course, why it matters. They conducted research, took notes, and shared their findings in the presentation software of their choice.

Finally Civ. This week, we had some serious discussions about the Great Depression and the Rise of Hitler, including the Munich Agreement and the Versailles Treaty. When discussing the Great Depression, we spent much time trying to understand when and where it makes sense to intervene in the face of the threat of total economic collapse. For our second discussion, the focus was instead concentrated on the response to Hitler and how the United States itself behaved in a way that majorly affected WWII. 

Thank you for your time. I hope to see you again next week when I have the chance to tell you all about our Learners' amazing presentations!