2022-23 Mariemont Elementary Explorations Guide

In the spirit of our Destination 2026 strategic plan, Mariemont City Schools believes that student learning will be enhanced through diverse curricular options and enriching experiences that drive deeper understanding and skill development and support global competency.

This is why I am so proud of our award-winning Warriors BEyond program. This K-12 initiative allows students of Mariemont City Schools the opportunity for experiential learning beyond the traditional classroom. It seeks to foster passion and interest explorations through hands-on experiences.

The core of the Warriors BEyond program begins in elementary school with Explorations, continues through junior high with Expeditions and caps off at the high school level with Intersession and Master Class.

Elementary Explorations provide our fifth and sixth grade learners with their first opportunity for interest-based, experiential learning.

These student-selected courses are designed to grow curiosity, discover new skillsets and expand passion exploration. Our goal for Explorations is to foster a love of learning which will grow with the students through their time in Mariemont City Schools.

I hope each elementary school family discovers the magic of Explorations and the Warriors BEyond program. Enjoy these course offerings and happy Exploring!

Steven Estepp, Superintendent Mariemont City Schools

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Explorations, part of our award-winning Warriors BEyond programming, are designed to ignite a passion for learning and foster creativity. Students in 5th and 6th grades will begin each week with a 90-minute, interest-based elective that will take place on Mondays. Each Explorations session will last six weeks with a showcase following each session! All Explorations are hands-on, ungraded and focused on giving students the opportunity to learn more about a topic that intrigues them!

WARRIORS BEYOND PILLARS The Wellness Warriors Fitness | Health | Sports

The Creators Music | Arts | Expression | Performance

The Futurists Technology | Logic | Strategy

The Global Learners Cultures | Traditions | World Language

The Young Professionals Career Possibilities | College Production | Life Skills

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SESSION 1 August 29, September 12, September 19, September 26, October 3, October 10, October 24 (Explorations Showcase)

Spanish Music Video Production

Mindful Mondays

Did you love ¿Puedo ir al baño? or ¡Soy yo!?

There are tons of other catchy and fun Spanish songs that you need to hear! Find your favorite songs in Spanish and plan and film your own music videos.

Monday mornings can be tough! In this Exploration, we will begin our week off strong by doing calming activities, journaling, crafting, and taking mindful walks. This Exploration will help us achieve a sense of calm and mindfulness that will carry us into a successful week of school!

Movie Critic

Run Like a Warrior

Do you love watching movies? Learn about how movies have developed over time as well as filmmaking tricks and conventions as we watch famous movies from the past and present.

Students will watch and analyze some old and some new films with classmates and come up with their own reviews!

Do you love being active? Have you always wanted to set a goal and accomplish it?

Students will be working towards their goal of running a 5k. All students who signed up will have the opportunity to run in the Warrior Run as a Mariemont Elementary Team! They will be running in the community Warrior Run.

Recreating Van Gogh’s Bedroom

Create a giant diorama of Van Gogh’s bedroom painting. We will make a sculptural model of the room and all the furnishings inside, using cardboard and paint. Learn how to paint in Van Gogh’s style while creating a piece that will be installed in our school.

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Building Minds

Environmental Science

Do you love to create and build? We will be making cardboard box pinball machines, testing limits and exploring STEM concepts. Join us for a variety of opportunities to stretch your brain and create!

Environmental Science is all about exploring our natural world! Student will experience organic gardening; identify local trees, wildlife, and rocks; conduct science experiments and learn to make environmentally-friendly consumer choices. Students will learn about alternative energy, recycling and climate change and how we can make a difference in the health of our beautiful blue planet. We are all about positive interactions with nature and other students.

Journal Like a Pro

Do you love doodling, writing, and being productive? Journal like a pro will teach you how to organize your life and thoughts.

Everything from writing to drawing to planning out your school year in a way that works just for you! Look forward to using a plethora of cool art supplies and learning how to write in new fonts.

SESSION 1 EXPLORATIONS Please rank your preferred Explorations courses for Session 1. The Explorations course you most want to participate in should be marked with a 1, and then you will continue to rank all courses in the session.

Spanish Music Video Production Movie Critic Recreating Van Gogh’s Bedroom Mindful Mondays Run Like a Warrior Building Minds Journal Like a Pro Environmental Science 5

SESSION 2 October 31, November 7, November 14, November 21, November 28, December 5, December 12 (Explorations Special Project Day), December 19 (Explorations Showcase)

Sing for a Cause

Spiro-Parabola!

Do you love making people smile? If you enjoy singing and spreading cheer near and far, this is your chance to come to sing with your friends!

We’ll travel around our community to spread music and joy!

Do you love Math, Science & Art? We do and this Exploration combines all three! Have fun drawing Spirograph patterns while you develop mathematical and scientific intuition. Create your own relief sculpture of a parabola design using wood, hammer, nails, string, and paint.

Tricked Out Trivia

Make Your Own Picture Book

Do you love having random amounts of knowledge about a wide variety of things?

Odd things? Sci-fi? Comics? Disney Trivia? We will host trivia-type games and create our own games while exploring the odd corners of knowledge in the world!

Calling all writers and illustrators! Come join us to create your own story, complete with illustrations. You will write, illustrate and leave with your very own paperback book!

Card Sharks

Have you ever picked up a deck of cards and had no idea what game to play? This Exploration will teach you all about card games and allow you to explore a variety of card games, some old, some new, all fun!! When this Exploration is over, you will not only be a card expert, but you will have an awesome activity for indoor recess!

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Scrapbook Sensation

We have so many pictures on our devices and social media accounts, but sometimes it’s nice to have Instagram in real life! Students will use printed photos to create a personal scrapbook.

We will learn how to use different crafting tools and design a physical scrapbook.

Disability Awareness

This Exploration is full of fun and excitement by introducing students to adapted sports wheelchair basketball, football, soccer, and more! Students will be introduced to some of the best-adapted sports and games you can play. Sport-specific chairs will be brought to class to allow all students the thrill of competing in adapted sports. This Exploration will give students the opportunity to learn about the commonalities we all share, regardless of ability, through the vehicle of sport.

SESSION 2 EXPLORATIONS Please rank your preferred Explorations courses for Session 2. The Explorations course you most want to participate in should be marked with a 1, and then you will continue to rank all courses in the session.

Sing for a Cause Tricked Out Trivia Card Sharks Spiro-Parabola!

Make Your Own Picture Book Scrapbook Sensation Disability Awareness

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SESSION 3 January 23, January 30, February 6, February 13, February 27, March 6, March 13 (Explorations Showcase)

Spanish Only

Scrapbook Sensation

Are you ready to break out your Spanish? This Exploration will allow you to practice by using stories, breakouts, games, and activities outside and in, all in Spanish! Stretch your brain to complete daily challenges in Spanish only!

We have so many pictures on our devices and social media accounts, but sometimes it’s nice to have Instagram in real life! Students will use printed photos to create a personal scrapbook.

We will learn how to use different crafting tools and design a physical scrapbook.

Movie Critic

If Pages Could Talk

Do you love watching movies? Learn about how movies have developed over time as well as filmmaking tricks and conventions as we watch famous movies from the past and present.

Students will watch and analyze some old and some new films with classmates and come up with their own reviews!

Are you an aspiring author, but don’t have enough time to write? Or do you just love writing? Either way, this Exploration is for you! We will be working on writing and publishing creative writing stories. We will be focusing on how to develop strong characters, settings, plots, conflict, etc.

Mosaic Mural Makers

We will up-cycle plastic lids from food and beverage containers to make a mural that will be permanently installed in the school. Students will get to choose the mural image, and create a colorful masterpiece based on an exceptional work of art.

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Songwriting & Recording

The Best of PE

Explore the dynamic process of writing and developing a song with local musicians.

Students will engage in creative activities, both collaboratively and independently, that allow them to develop their song idea into a finished product, which they then have the opportunity to pitch to a musician or band. Additionally, the class incorporates music appreciation, improvisation, lyrical development, dance, and interviews with guest songwriters. Students are not required to play an instrument; however, if a student does play an instrument, it may be incorporated.

If you love the Physical Education games that get your heart pumping, then this is the Exploration for you! Everything from Dr. Dodgeball to capturing the flag is covered in this Exploration and so much more. Get ready to sweat and engage in the best games of the gym!

SESSION 3 EXPLORATIONS

Please rank your preferred Explorations courses for Session 3. The Explorations course you most want to participate in should be marked with a 1, and then you will continue to rank all courses in the session.

Spanish Only Movie Critic Mosaic Mural Makers Scrapbook Sensation If Pages Could Talk The Best of PE Songwriting & Recording

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SESSION 4 March 20, April 3, April 17, April 24, May 1, May 8, May 15 (Explorations Special Project Day), May 22 (Explorations Showcase)

Rock Band

Mindful Mondays

All great bands got their start somewhere, why not in the halls of Mariemont Elementary? Lets Rock! We will spend some time with all the instruments in a Rock Band! Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Drumset, and some singing!

Monday mornings can be tough! In this Exploration, we will begin our week off strong by doing calming activities, journaling, crafting, and taking mindful walks. This Exploration will help us achieve a sense of calm and mindfulness that will carry us into a successful week of school!

So You Think You Can Dance

Animate a Collage!

When you hear music, do you start tapping your feet and get the urge to get up and move?

Good, it’s not just me! This Exploration will give you a taste of many different dance styles to get up and moving! Do you like ballet? Hip Hop? Creating your own choreography? Come dance with your friends, the possibilities are endless!

Have you ever watched a PIXAR film and wondered how they did that? In this Exploration, students will storyboard an idea for a cartoon, and then use cut papers and animation software to create a stop motion movie for their original, unique idea.

International Games

Ever wonder what kids like to play around the world? Now you can learn! Practice and compete in popular sports that you don’t get to play often. Learn the rules and keep score in native languages to increase your language skills as you play!

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Arts & Nature

Mixed Martial Arts

Science is driven by data, while art is an expression of creativity. But they have more in common than you think. Both artists and scientists closely observe the world around them. They question, explore, and discover. In this class, students will bring these two worlds together to foster a deeper understanding of science topics and help students develop creative problem-solving skills. Through creative art projects, like chlorophyll paintings, students will be engaged learners and create a unique experience even for those who struggle to retain information.

This MMA class mixes traditional with more modern techniques of the sport of mixed martial arts. Our Teaching Artists have designed this class to give a safe, yet solid, basic understanding of the sport. This class is about how to compete, while also keeping those noncombatant participants engaged and bettering their physical health and strength. No matter the age - all participants learn self defense to a degree and are rewarded their efforts in knowledge.

ME Video Announcements

Do you love to write? Are you an excellent researcher? Do you love being in front of a camera? Then this Exploration IS FOR YOU! Join us in creating weekly video announcements for Mariemont Elementary School!

SESSION 4 EXPLORATIONS Please rank your preferred Explorations courses for Session 4. The Explorations course you most want to participate in should be marked with a 1, and then you will continue to rank all courses in the session.

Rock Band So You Think You Can Dance International Games Mindful Mondays Animate a Collage!

ME Video Announcements Arts & Nature Mixed Martial Arts 11

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