This week was full of more adventures for the AABC learners! First Aid and safety was the focus of Quest time this week. After watching videos on different first aid techniques, the students had the opportunity to practice their newly learned skills on each other. They tried: slings, splints and tourniquets using different materials around the studio. Throughout the week the learners discussed, the flight or fight response and how to respond during scary situations. Many of them said that it’s important to stay calm if you ever have to help a person because it will help keep them calm. They also had the opportunity to finish working on their mini shelters. The students were able to use any of the arts and crafts supplies we have, to create a shelter that would keep them safe in the wild.
On Tuesday, the class went on a field trip to MacBain Farm in Closter. There, they met Sophie, who runs the farm and gave them a full tour of the grounds. On the tour they learned not just about the plants that grow, but also how they grow and the work that goes into running a farm. The students even had the chance to pick fruits and vegetables from the garden. Their choices ranged from spicy peppers to bok choy and kale. While they walked, many of them munched on their picks, especially the sweet peppers! After they finished picking from the garden, each student painted two pumpkins with their own designs.
During team building time the students created a marble run. The object of the activity was for each group to take a marble from one side of the studio to the next using only four angled pieces of paper. The activity took a lot of strategizing and team work. It was another great opportunity for the learners to learn how to communicate but also how to adapt and change plans that initially do not work.
Robotics this week brought new challenges to the teams. Each team was responsible for building and coding a spy robot as well as a crane that can be used to lift other LEGOS. While there were some disagreements at the beginning, they worked through them independently and came up with solutions for the problems they encountered.
