Summer at GDS: Week 1 Newsletter

MIDWEEK CHECK-IN June 19, 2019

1

HIKING DC & MS ROBOTICS

2

SERVICE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE: EDUCATION & CREATIVE CHALLENGES: THE ENVIRONMENT

3

INTRO TO MS DEBATE & GEOMETRY

JUNE 19, 2019

SUMMER AT GDS MIDWEEK CHECK-IN

Hiking DC The campers have loved the hiking trips this week. Throughout the past few days, they have traveled beyond the borders of the city to three different sites, all with a different activity. Immersing themselves in the natural world has opened the campers' eyes to many new things. Thanks to their excitement and determination to learn new skills, the trips have been successful! Today the campers participated in a trash clean up at Sandy Point State Park and spent some time on the beach. The last two hiking trips are something to look forward to. Friday there will be a cookout at Carderock Bull Run State Park!

EARTH AND SKY, WOODS AND FIELDS, LAKES AND RIVERS, THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SEA, ARE EXCELLENT SCHOOLMASTERS, AND TEACH SOME OF US MORE THAN WE CAN EVER LEARN FROM BOOKS. - JOHN LUBBOCK

LMS Robotics This week in robotics the campers learned the basic fundamentals of robotics and how to build them.

Tuesday the campers were put into teams and each group began to design and build a robot that would be able to pick up and toss a tennis ball over a 6 inch wall. Wednesday each team finetuned their projects and tested them in the "arena". By the end of the week campers will compete with their projects and see which team's robot can successfully toss the tennis ball over the wall.

JUNE 19, 2019

SUMMER AT GDS MIDWEEK CHECK-IN

Service and Social Jutice: Access to Education

In this week's Service and Social Justice Class, students who are rising 9th-11th graders have been learning about the importance of play-based learning as well as the role that access and equity play in early childhood education. On Monday and Wednesday, they visited two centers in Northwest Washington that offer dual language education: the Rosemount and Centronia centers. On Tuesday, we visited the House of Ruth located in Southeast Washington. When the class returned to GDS, students discussed how issues of ability/disability impact one's learning experiences. Then the students began assembling a "Go Baby Go" motorized wheelchair for a three-year-old double amputee who attends the House of Ruth. On Thursday morning, the class will deliver the car to the staff there. For an assignment, the students were told to ask their parents what kind of early child care they provided and why that was their choice.

Creative Challenges: The Environment Starting on Monday, campers discussed the environment and brainstormed ideas of things they could use to make bird feeders. The class talked about the importance of the environment and ways to protect it. Tuesday, they went on a field trip to the zoo. The students loved seeing all the different animals.

Afterwards, the class learned about habitats and how each animal's habitat is different depending on their needs.

Campers were introduced to the word adaptation and why it is important to environment. Today in Creative Challenges, campers used what they were given to create and construct the highest igloo they could. This afternoon they made gliders out of different items and a competition took place to see whose glider could travel the farthest.

CREATIVITY IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE, AND PRIMARY EDUCATION IS WHERE TEACHERS CAN BRING CREATIVITY IN CHILDREN AT THAT LEVEL. - A. P. J. ABDUL KALAM

SUMMER AT GDS MIDWEEK CHECK-IN

JUNE 19, 2019

Intro To MS Debate This week in Introduction to a Public Forum, students increased their debate and public speaking experience. Through breaking down the format of public forum and fine-tuning student's technical skills such as researching, rebutting, outlining or “flowing” opponents arguments and learning how to ask good questions, students improved their debate skills. Students left camp more confident in their public speaking abilities, and more able to think critically on the fly. Each day, students were assigned a different topic and given time to prepare cases before partaking in full debates. A few of the topics debated included market rate housing in urban neighborhoods and whether India should be appointed as a permanent member on the United Nations Security Council.

Geometry Geometry class is off to a great start. Students have enhanced their understanding of Algebra 1 and have been introduced to the basics of Geometry in week 1. The students have engaged in a collaborative effort to maximize their classroom experience through questioning, peer tutoring, and presentations of solutions.

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