What do rap songs, robots, and rubber band-propelled racers have in common? These were just some of the many learning tools on display at an action-packed “Show & Tell” event hosted by John G. Borden Middle School in late November.
The educational evening, which was sponsored by the school’s Parent Engagement Committee, showcased a wealth of innovative student projects, displays, and performances. An enthusiastic crowd stopped by to see students engage in hands-on learning activities and show off some of the many things they had learned this fall.
In the Library Media Center, Grade 7 student Daisy Noble screened a video slideshow she had created for her English class. “The assignment was to make a trailer, like a movie trailer, to try to convince people to read a particular book,” she explained. Daisy’s moving presentation promoted A Long Walk to Water, the story of a Sudanese refugee’s harrowing journey from his war-torn homeland to safety in the United States.
In a different part of the Media Center, students and their family members engaged in a “breakout room” activity facilitated by ENL (English as a New Language) teacher Melissa Charlesworth. To find their way out of the digital breakout room, the participants used Chromebook computers to hunt for clues and solve the puzzle that would unlock the room’s door.
In Health teacher Brian Mahan’s classroom, Grade 7 students gave information-packed presentations on the opioid crisis as well as on vaping, which has been linked to lung diseases and a rising number of deaths among young people.
In the school’s Active Learning Space, Grade 8 student Isabella Torres showed her mother and brother how student-designed “air racers” worked. “We made them in tech class,” she said. “We put rubber bands on them, flung them down the hallway, and measured how far they went. Mine traveled 75 feet!”
Nearby, Grade 8 student Nick Parisi used coding to program a robot to follow designated colors. He also demonstrated his knowledge of the electronic building blocks called littleBits. “They’re like little robotic pieces,” he explained. “You connect them together, and you can make them do what you want.”
Grade 7 students Ella Rydell and Mayah Simon wrote and recorded a rap song inspired by a math lesson on subtracting positive and negative integers. “It’s called ‘Subtraction State of Mind,’” said Ella, explaining that their musical creation borrows heavily from the song “Empire State of Mind.”
Principal Marjorie Anderson was enthusiastic about the event’s success. “This evening’s Show and Tell was a terrific opportunity for our students to showcase for their families the wide range of creative, problem-solving activities and projects that they have made this Fall,” she said. “And, the delicious pizza was also a hit!”