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In This Issue |
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Student Profile |
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This is my first year being a student at Tesseract. I am in the ninth grade and enjoying my first year as a Tesseract upper school freshman. I came from a very small private school in Cave Creek. Unlike many new students who come to Tesseract and experience a smaller environment, enrolling at Tesseract was a larger school environment than what I was used to. What I like most about Tesseract is pretty much the same thing I enjoyed when I first visited the school as an applicant last year. Every teacher goes out of their way and I feel they really care about me and every other student as an individual. In every class I feel like the teachers are teaching to me instead of a large class. I can receive one-on-one instruction whenever I need it and they encourage me to ask questions in class. At the same time, I work on projects with several of my classmates. I feel it is always difficult
going to a new school where you are the new kid and don’t know anyone else who attends that school. Tesseract not only makes me feel like I’m a part of a family, but also that I am an important member of my community.
Nicolas Carreras
Tesseract Freshman
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NOTES FROM NIGEL
We are delighted to announce that BethEl Nager and Elizabeth Leung are the first recipients of the Tesseract Upper School Merit Scholarship. This four-year upper school scholarship program recognizes eighth-grade students who exhibit outstanding scholarship and citizenship.
BethEl and Elizabeth are greatly admired and respected by their peers and educators for their academic accomplishments and their energy and passion for the arts and service learning. BethEl is president of the National Junior Honors Society, is an accomplished singer and dancer, is a leader on the school's community service council and is an exceptional student. Elizabeth excels in math and science, and she has been invited to join the National Junior Honor Society. In addition to academics, Elizabeth plays volleyball and basketball for Tesseract, and she is strongly involved in the community, which includes volunteering at Tranquility Trail Animal Sanctuary.
We expect both students to thrive in the upper school where the innovative, student-centered curriculum engages students to think deeply, question broadly and embrace the many extraordinary cross-curricular connections and opportunities for international exposure. Tesseract’s scholarship programs help the upper school attract students who have a diversity of talents in the sciences, mathematics, humanities, foreign language, the arts, leadership, technology and athletics—all of which will encourage and shape the intellectual curiosity and excitement so important for the developing minds of young adults. Please click here for more information about Tesseract’s scholarship program.
BethEl and Elizabeth are both excited to continue into Tesseract’s upper school program because they enjoy our “Learning Comes to Life” philosophy, which coincidentally is the theme of this month's Independent. “Where learning comes to life” lies at the heart of Tesseract's philosophy. We see examples of this philosophy every day throughout the school in all grades, and this publication captures some examples. Why is this so important? Unless we are careful, school can become a very artificial place where students are asked to connect with knowledge two-dimensionally too often. There must be a balance by giving students the opportunity to feel, touch and intimately experience learning as much as possible. If we don't do this we run the risk of all that energy and natural curiosity slowly draining away into students going through the motions to get a
grade. Our educators bring their energy and passion with the philosophy and the curriculum to bring learning alive for their students—that is what sets us apart! I truly feel you will enjoy this issue as it illustrates this core Tesseract philosophy at every grade level.
Best,
Nigel
WHERE LEARNING COMES TO LIFE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
Drawing on the background knowledge and experiences of our students, and integrating real life learning in the classroom are essential components of our early childhood
program. The Sun Room crosses curricular thematic instruction with hands-on, real-world experiences to create more meaningful and engaging experiences for our students. An example of this would be our recent exploration of farming, specifically as it relates to the crops that are vital to our economy in Arizona. We studied citrus and cotton farming with our 3 and 4 year olds, and made sure to include the multi-sensory exploration of live plants and fruits as part of our learning process. The children peeled, juiced, cut and sampled oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits, and we discussed the lifecycle of citrus trees and planted seeds. During our study of cotton, a great-grandparent of one of our students visited our classroom and brought cotton plants for us to explore. The children picked cotton balls from the pods and separated the seeds from the soft cotton fibers. We used the
citrus fruit and cotton to create visual art and learned about all the things we use in our everyday lives that are made from these amazing products.
Recently, the Coyote and Cactus Rooms went out to the south playground and noticed something had happened to the sandbox. Some thought the sandbox was off limits because kids were throwing sand and some friends thought they were going to do races in the sand. Then they discovered that it was an excavation site and they were going to be real paleontologists digging for fossils. The rope was out to make a grid so they knew where they had found each fossil. All the children had a turn to dig for a fossil, brush off the sand using paintbrushes and then draw a picture of the fossil on paper. When they came inside they put the fossils together and found out that it was a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
WHERE LEARNING COMES TO LIFE IN KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE
A recent thematic unit in kindergarten revolved around learning about inventions. We began the topic of bridges and their purposes in communities. The students were very interested, so we expanded our learning to a spontaneous project where we laid out several "rivers" (long strips of blue paper) and asked the children to create bridges with classroom materials that spanned the river. They were allowed to use anything in the classroom but the bridge had to support a pre-determined weight.
In first grade, a big focus is on community. Students study themselves, their families and their neighborhood communities. Learning comes to life when the students design their own community. They each get a “plot” of land and draw up plans for their houses. They then get their plans approved by the planning committee (the educators). Next, they are ready to build their homes by using recyclable materials. The students learn that it is good to have trees in their yard to help conserve energy and that homes can't build within a certain amount of feet from other homes. Finally, students construct their neighborhood by placing their plot of land in a specific area, thinking about proximity to local grocery stores, gas stations, parks, etc. They also make roads, grocery stores and parks for their 3-D community.
WHERE LEARNING COMES TO LIFE IN SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE
In second grade, learning comes to life when the students study colonial America. Each year as a culminating activity, in conjunction with Special Person’s Day, children dress up and experience life as a colonial child. Second-graders and their guests make cross-stitch samplers by learning how to thread a needle and cross-stitch. They also create a braided rug using old T-shirts and learn to finger knit. Outdoor activities include playing London Bridge Is Falling Down, Blind Man's Bluff, and teaching our preschool buddies how to play marbles. Our colonial America experience is a fun way to become immersed in learning!
The third grade is set to do a simulation based on their “Explorers” unit. The students will each take on the role of an explorer back in the days of Christopher Columbus and work on a ship as crewmembers where they will face certain decisions and challenges. The third grade also recently completed a project where the students recreated several Supreme Court cases. The students each took on different roles, gave arguments and made a ruling before learning about what really happened in the case. The students truly enjoyed the format as it allowed them to conduct independent research and formulate their own opinions and viewpoints before discovering the actual outcomes.
Learning came to life in the fourth-grade classrooms this month as the experts from the Arizona Herpetological Society came for a visit. Each week, they brought exciting reptiles for us to observe and handle. Among the distinguished guests were iguanas, tortoises, king snakes, water monitors and even a 17-foot-long reticulated python! In March, the students will get the chance to be the experts for the day when they present the reptile that they have been researching to the whole school at our Reptile Fair!
WHERE LEARNING COMES TO LIFE IN FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE
The essential question for fifth grade is "Where do we come from?" With that in mind the fifth-grade students each created a mobile containing pictures of various generations of their families. The students chose someone in their family who they admire and wrote descriptions of them and their mobiles in Spanish and later presented them, in Spanish, to an audience in collaboration with a language arts project. The fifth-graders also presented their family members’ movements around the world using a map. This was a rewarding project for students as they had the opportunity to have interesting conversations with their family members while acquiring the information for the project.
Earlier this year the sixth-graders
at Tesseract School took the audience back to the Middle Ages during Medieval Night, the culminating performance of a truly integrated project. Prior to Medieval Night, the sixth-grade students worked on projects in social studies, language arts, Spanish, math, science, visual arts and performing arts that incorporated themes of medieval times. For social studies students reenacted all the social levels that existed during feudalism; in language arts the students performed the entire novel “Crispin,” a story that follows an orphaned boy in feudal England, in just five minutes; in Spanish, students performed parts of the legend of “El Cid” in Spanish; for Math, students investigated the effectiveness of the weaponry of the time, such as the long boy, cross bow, catapult and trebuchet; in science students explained the effects of the black plague and how doctors
of the time treated it; in visual arts the students experienced the lives of monks during medieval times by working on illuminated manuscripts; and in performing arts students gave monologues acting as different people from the medieval time period. Medieval night was a wonderful evening where all students got to shine as performers and share what they learned about medieval times with family and friends.
WHERE LEARNING COMES TO LIFE IN SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE
The seventh-graders
recently had the opportunity to learn about the key events that led to the colonists' risky decision to separate from Great Britain. Rather than simply read the Declaration of Independence, they were given excerpts from the primary document. The language of the original document can be intimidating and difficult to comprehend. In an effort to ensure their comprehension of this important piece of history, they were given the tasks of rephrasing key excerpts into simpler language and creating an image that represented the sentiments expressed. Since our curriculum spirals up throughout the grade levels, the third grade happened to also be learning about the Declaration. The seventh grade took their excerpts and images and created an illustrated version of the Declaration to send to the third-graders. This exercise is an example of Tesseract at its best. It helped make a challenging
text more accessible to younger students, while giving older students the opportunity to demonstrate their mastery, employ multiple intelligences and connect with a different grade. The products were beautiful and ranged from scrolls to storybooks, each full of color and clarity.
When one pictures what a critical thinker would produce, he/she can see the IRP. No, this is not a noise made by a hiccupping middle school student, but it is an acronym for the eighth-grade
Independent Research Paper (or Project). In isolating each word, it becomes apparent how this process produces a critical thinker, and a product that allows learning to come to life. First, it is independent. Each student personally chooses a somewhat controversial topic in which an action must be taken upon to make a change. The students marry this idea for roughly six months and truly become owners of it. One could liken this to a thesis or mini-dissertation. Students then must dive in and truly understand their topics through thorough research of at least fifteen scholarly sources. This includes interviewing an expert source. The process allows them to analyze, evaluate and synthesize their findings into an eight to ten page paper. This paper is the product which shows students’ higher order thinking. Since writing is thinking and a process of discovery, they now have formed
an opinion and must convince an audience to see their side. This is the project part of the assignment where they each make a formal presentation of their results. In this presentation an action is recommended to make a change in the world. Through the IRP, the critical, authentic learner has made learning real, and is being groomed for future successful endeavors.
WHERE LEARNING COMES TO LIFE IN UPPER SCHOOL
Ancient philosopher Socrates of Athens found guilty of speaking against the gods and corruption of the youth. His sentence? Life in prison without visitation privileges. Ninth-grade
humanities students brought history to life in their third annual "Trial of Socrates" last month. In this project, each student was given a character to play and researched a specific aspect of life in ancient Athens. They were then assigned to one of three groups: the prosecution, the defense or the undecided jury. After researching their topics and holding a poster session, students engaged in a role-playing trial over the course of two days. The prosecution and defense presented their cases and the class debated. Upon voting, Socrates was declared guilty. However, Tesseract's class of 2014 showed more mercy than the original Athenian population. You may remember that Socrates was sentenced to exile or death, and chose to take his own life by drinking hemlock. Our students felt he deserved to be punished but that exile or death was too harsh. They debated and voted a
second time, deciding on life in prison (without visitation privileges, to avoid corrupting the youth or speaking blasphemy against the gods any further).
The 10th and 11th grade
students in Tesseract's 3-D art class took a turn for reality this year when they designed outdoor learning environments for the Doubletree campus. The students met with our kindergarteners to find out what they liked to do when playing. They then toured the Doubletree campus with the kindergarteners and watched them play so they could begin their envisioning process. In art class, discussions centered on the developmental stages of growth and learning with an eye toward cognition and motor-skills. In stage two of the project, upper school students accompanied the kindergarten to the Phoenix Children's Museum to experience firsthand the interaction and learning of play. Back in the classroom students began developing their concepts on Google Sketch-Up and other 3-D software. They prepared estimates and researched a variety of options from sump pumps for aquatic parks to Velcro
letters for a toss game. Paradise Valley zoning requirements were also explored. The project culminated in a business professional presentation in which each upper school student submitted his or her design to a panel consisting of educators and school administrators.
Tesseract juniors
participated in a class called Life, Death and Immortality. This elective grappled with the intellectual, emotional and spiritual ramifications of human mortality. One central focus of the course was religion, and how humans have turned to religion to resolve some of the uncertainty and tension produced by the reality of our inevitable demise. Over the semester, we benefited from a series of guest speakers—a Buddhist monk, a Jewish rabbi, a Native American shaman, the head of the Islamic Community Center and a Christian priest—each of who described how their faith defines the "good life" and how it deals with death and the afterlife. A second focus of the course was how the subconscious fear of death permeates all aspects of human existence, often to our detriment. In support of this, we performed a study of the Arizona Republic, tracking references to life,
death and immortality in its pages over a three-day stretch. We concluded the semester with a study of media responses to the Tucson shootings, discovering that those reactions were very much in line with what Terror Management Theory, an emerging psychological theory, would have predicted. Through this interdisciplinary blending of religion, psychology, history and literature, students gained a perspective on one of the defining characteristics of the human experience.
WHERE LEARNING COMES TO LIFE THROUGH THE CULTURAL ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE
Learning comes to life for students in many ways thanks to the TPA Cultural Enrichment Committee. This committee has been very busy these days; on Thursday, February 17, the early childhood and first-grade classes were treated to a special presentation by author and illustrator Barney Saltzberg. Mr. Saltzberg entertained the kids with songs, stories and drawings and created one of a kind art using items from the classroom recycling bins. His message, that “mistakes” in art are really opportunities for creativity, was well received and his book, “Beautiful Oops,” inspired some of our young artists to make books or artwork of their own. Mr. Saltzberg autographed books with warm messages and artwork for the children. He was a pleasure to host and we are so appreciative of Changing Hands bookstore for sponsoring his visit.
WHERE LEARNING COMES TO LIFE THROUGH ART; TPA CULTURAL ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE
Learning comes to life to the lower school students through Tesseract’s own Emily Schneider, part-time lower school visual arts educator, and the TPA Cultural Enrichment Committee in March. Ms. Schneider will be working with the committee to bring the process of creating a painting to the lower school.
Between February 28 and March 4, Ms. Schneider will be setting up a mini studio for herself in the art room, during the time of the day she is not teaching classes, and will create an original painting. The children will visit and follow the progression from a blank surface to a completed work of art. Special thanks to Ms. Lynn, one of our first-grade educators, for this inspired idea!
Ms. Schneider describes this project as follows:
“Just like many of your children, I have been interested in painting and drawing since I could hold a pencil or paintbrush. It continues to be something of a consistent passion. Typically, my paintings are filled with natural images, particularly trees of late, done in bright and bold colors. I currently work in acrylic paint, which has so many possibilities, and it seems in every painting I experiment with a new technique. I am a constant learner, and nothing teaches better than practice and play (just like in art class). The painting I will do for Tesseract will be large, bright and probably contain a tree, but beyond that it will emerge as the week goes by. I try to approach my paintings with a sense of possibility, looking for new directions and opportunities. I look forward to the students observing the enormous change a painting can take from beginning to end, and all
the stages in between.”
EDUCATOR PROFILE
My name is Mary Passell. I used to be a Montessori certified educator for students ages 3-6 and taught in a mult-age Montessori classroom for four years. Then, I went back to school to get my K-8 teaching credentials in Arizona and California. I lived in San Diego for two years and then moved back with my husband to start a family here in Arizona.
My journey at Tesseract began six years ago. I applied as a summer camp educator for the K-2 students. The expierence was amazing and I had to have more than just the taste of a couple weeks working there. So, after two years teaching second grade elsewhere, I noticed that there was an open position in first grade. I jumped at the opportunity and applied right away. The moment I started teaching here, I knew that I would never leave. I taught the next two years in first grade, then moved to third for another two years. Now, I am back in first grade and I hope I am here to stay. Tesseract's mission statement describes my teaching philosophy to a tee. Coming from a public school where I taught 27 second-graders by myself to a first-grade community where I taught 10 students allowed me to truly teach to my potential. I feel close to all of my students, past and present, because
Tesseract's environment lends itself to one filled with acknowledgment and trust. The community inside and out of the classroom is filled with loving, compassionate and positive energy. I have now been able to understand Tesseract as a parent as well, with my daughter in kindergarten and my son in the Sun Room. As a parent and educator at Tesseract, I am honored to be a member of such an amazing community.
BOURBON STREET BLUES
Do You Have Plans for March 12?
You certainly won’t if you do not book a seat at Bourbon Street Blues soon. There are only four tables remaining - please visit www.TesseractGreenTieEvent.com to attend our fabulous event.
CALLING ALL KIDS
The Doubletree students will have a chance to experience the excitement of Bourbon Street Blues. March 7 through March 9, the students will be able to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win one of several exciting kid-themed baskets. At this time, we have a LEGO basket, Barbie basket, Nerf basket, art basket and more. There is also a rumor that some of the Willy Wonka squirrel parts will be available to win. Raffle tickets will be on sale during the days of the raffle. Tickets are $5 per ticket or five tickets for $20. In case you have missed us so far, look for the purple people in front of the school at drop off.
SAVE THE DATE FOR "WILLY WONKA"
2011 Middle School Spring Musical, “Willy Wonka”
Opening night for Tesseract School’s 2011 middle school spring musical, “Willy Wonka,” is Thursday, May 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Paradise Valley Community College Center for Performing Arts.
This vibrant musical is based on the classic children’s book, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," written by Roald Dahl and includes music from the movie as well as several new songs.
Four performances will run May 19 through May 21, 2011; watch for more information, including ticket-sale dates, in the coming weeks.
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Lower School Campus 4800 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Paradise Valley, Arizona 85253 • Phone 480.991.1770 • Fax 480.991.1954
Middle and Upper School Campus 3939 East Shea Boulevard, Phoenix, Arizona 85028 • Phone 480.385.3673 • Fax 480.385.3674 |
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Financial aid available for all who qualify. ©2011 Tesseract School. All Rights Reserved.
An Independent Preschool Through High School, Coed, Non-profit Private School |
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