Your last two weeks of school (starting June 16) are going to be different this year. You will be working in smaller groups during your Reading, Writing, Math, Social Studies, and Science periods to complete a project and learn about a topic in more depth. All projects will include field trips, writing, and reflection. It's going to be great!
This is your chance to give us your input about what projects you're interested in. Please read the descriptions carefully and then rank the project options in your order of preference.
21st Century Journalism
Write,
investigate, design, create. In this
project you will help to develop a daily news blog to report on other projects’
progress. You will also research a topic
of your choice to contribute to an IAL newspaper or magazine. This group will take a field trip to tour a
local newspaper, work at the Central library, and have writing time
outside. Learn about what it means to be
a journalist today.
Urban Environmental Geography
Research,
explore, debate, analyze. In this
project you will create an interactive map of Inwood and Washington Heights
that shows how the neighborhood has changed over time. You will conduct research, interview
residents of the community, and consider how changes in the neighborhood affect
the people who live here. This group
will take field trips around the neighborhood, to the Central library, and
community organizations. Learn about the
history and changing nature of where you live.
Active Nutrition
Investigate,
teach, create, help. In this project you
will develop a community education campaign around nutrition. You will research the components of a healthy
diet, how to read food labels, and current eating habits in the community. This group will work together to create
videos and other promotional materials to help educate our school and
neighborhood about healthy eating. Learn
about nutrition and share what you know.
Personal History
Study,
reflect, compose, share. In this project
you will research your family’s genealogy, interview family members, and create
a documentary to share your findings and how they relate to our community. This group will use internet tools to develop
a family tree, meet with people in the community, and write about how these
learning experiences affect them. Learn
about where you come from and how that affects who you are.
Leaders Rising
Give
back, explore, expand, contribute. In
this project you will study organizations that have a positive impact on our
community and share this information with your classmates. You will volunteer with different community
organizations to see what they do firsthand and to make your own contribution
to their missions. This is also a great
opportunity to get experience that you can include on your resume. Learn who is here to help and how you can
make a positive difference too.
Architecture Exploration
Draw,
explore, compare, critique. In this
project you will study famous buildings around New York City. You will look at different elements of
architecture, research the history of various buildings, and consider their
impact on the areas around them. You
will also choose one building to study more in depth and create a model
of. This group will travel around
Manhattan, drawing, taking pictures, and exploring different
neighborhoods. Learn about the art and
science of architecture.
Spoken Word
Compose,
perform, consider, listen. In this
project you will watch spoken word poetry, consider the art form, and create
your own spoken word pieces. You will
also choose one piece that you write to perform on video and share with your classmates. This group provides a great opportunity to be
creative and reflect on who you are and what your community means to you. Learn how to express yourself through spoken word.
Leaving a Mark
Design, paint, commemorate,
thank. In this project you will help to
create a mural in the playground area at Nagle.
This is a chance to leave our mark near the little blue building where
IAL was born and to offer our thanks to the school that shared their space with
us for the past four years. You will spend
much time outside and be a part of the design and organizational
processes. Learn about community-based
art.
Visual Storytelling
Tell, illustrate, critique,
relate. In this project you will tell
your story using visual storytelling. Explore hand-drawing and computer animation
techniques. Consider how images enhance
and complement the stories they accompany.
This group will be visiting visual art museums and speaking with
animators as they analyze graphic novels and the comic genre. Learn how to show and tell your story.