Walker School in Marietta Offering Innovative January "Winterim" Classes

Walker School in Marietta Offering Innovative Jan. "Winterim" Classes

Contact:Mitch Leff, mitch@leffassociates.com, (404) 861-4769

Overview: 9th grade students learn how to make sure they can move out of their parents’ house, plan a virtual international trip, study the history of rock and pop music, learn where their food really comes from, figure out how to escape from their classroom (literally) and much more!

The Walker School in Marietta prides itself on creating a varied and challenging learning experience for its students. To reach the level of creativity and critical thinking the school desires in its students, teachers and administrators realized that they needed to lay the foundation starting early in high school.

While many schools have worked hard to establish a Senior project or capstone experience, The Walker School is focusing on where it all begins: freshman year.

WHAT: Winterim (“mini-mester, winter-term”) was created as a way to ignite the spark of lifelong learning in ninth graders. It runs for three weeks in January, with classes designed to show students how the skills they are developing in their traditional classes apply to other areas.

WHY? The classes involve a greater degree of experiential learning and creative problem solving that can be incorporated into a standard curriculum. Winterim offerings give students an opportunity to explore new disciplines, get an introduction to future classes, and delve deeper into a current interest. Teachers have the chance to showcase their areas of interest and expertise, allowing teachers and students see each other in a new light.

How It Works:

• Three week mini-term just for ninth graders
• All students required to select one class, but may choose up to two
• Classes are within the existing school schedule

Winterim 2017 Classes Include:

• “The Game of Life” - Do you want to make sure that you can move out of your parents' house someday? Do you want to figure out what careers you are interested in and how much money you can make? Do you want to learn simple etiquette so you can eat at a fancy restaurant or do well in an interview? Then take this class! We will be doing simulations and small projects to practice skills to increase your chances of having a successful life.

• “School of Rock” - In this course, students will discover the history of rock and roll and pop music as musical genres. We will look at how individuals and societal forces have molded the defining characteristics of those genres from decade to decade.

Students will investigate the essential questions of what makes these types of music great or enjoyable. What makes these types of music popular? How have listening patterns, tastes, and preferences changed or remained the same in the 21st century?

• “The Virtual Tourist” - Make sure your passport is up to date. Don’t have one? Learn how to get one. Plan your dream trip from start to finish (and everything in between). Find the best deals on airfares and hotel rooms. Get tips on when and how to change currency, what phones work abroad, and how to avoid scams.

• “You Are What You Eat” - Why do we eat what we eat? What does it say about who we are? Where does our food come from? What's its history? Who prepares it? Is Turducken a real thing?

This course will explore the role food plays in cultures close to home and across the globe. Students will read, eat, taste and write. Tasty tidbits include: Southern Chow Chow, Vietnamese Pho Ga, and French Boef Bourguignon.

• “Breakout (‘escape room’ for the classroom)” - Locks, hidden contraptions, timers, keys—your job is to think outside the box in order to break into the box. Think escape room for the classroom. Teams have a fixed amount of time to solve a series of challenges, riddles, and mysteries, then follow the clues to “break out.” Will you be able to escape?

• “Track and What?” - Did you watch the Olympics and wish you knew more about what you were seeing? Did you know Track and Field is more than just running? Just how heavy is a shot put? Has track changed with technology? What is involved in pole vaulting? How are athletes training for these events? How fast is fast?

In this class, answer these questions and many more as we watch the best of the best and learn about the full range and history of Track and Field events. We will also be trying some events in a class pentathlon! (weather permitting).