PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA PARKKONEN PHOTOGRAPHY
FIVE OAKS ACADEMY Who murdered cranky billionaire Uncle Edgar at his 90th birthday
starts with “Empathy.” Students start by asking the questions, “What problems
party? It was a “who did it?” mystery as the Five Oaks Academy Middle School
do you or others face?” and “What problems in the world need solving?” They
students used forensics to solve “the murder.” They were tasked with the
then move to define the problem, come up with ideas to solve the problem,
challenge of determining which family member used Uncle Edgar’s
create a solution, test that solution, evaluate what was learned, what
allergy to crab meat as a deadly weapon during their potluck dinner
went well, and what could be improved. The final step in this process is
party. Students used DNA samples of the food served that evening
“Who did it?”
for them to share their product and process with others. Students grow
and compared them to the DNA of imitation crab meat and real
very comfortable presenting their projects and ideas with their peers and
crab meat to identify the killer. This engaging experience, made
teachers starting in the first grade. FOA student “engineers” move through
possible by the Greenwood Genetic Mobile Lab, is one example of the handson inquiry approach to learning used at Five Oaks Academy (FOA). FOA eighth grader Itizi Arsuaga-Agudo shared, “I feel like this experience
the design process daily, improving their creations or coming up with new ones. At FOA, they believe in cultivating a learning environment that encourages and inspires children to be passionate about knowledge. The
has opened a door for me. I have always had an interest in forensics and I now
S.T.E.A.M. curriculum is grounded in empathy and fosters an environment
see that there is much more to it that I thought. It is amazing how advanced
that encourages students to look at our global world and find opportunities to
the technology is and I enjoyed the process of extracting the DNA the most!”
better humanity. Through innovation and exploration, they help each child to
In each classroom, toddler through middle school, FOA has designed
reach their full individual potential as well as inspire them to make the world
the environment to support learning by using discovery, exploration, and
a better place. What will students at FOA create next?
creativity through the research and inquiry-based Montessori method. This holistic approach to learning is the cornerstone for understanding and retention of academic concepts. Entrenched in the Montessori philosophy and curriculum is a scientific method that corresponds to the modern “Engineering Design Process” touted
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by the S.T.E.A.M. curriculum. The design process that is followed daily in the
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Montessori environment differs from the traditional design process in that it
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