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Our Past Expeditions
Spring 2014
York 6 -- WaterME
For our spring expedition, York 6 will be diving into the
world of watershed sustainability by trawling for ways we and our
community can keep things that are out of sight in mind. Service
learning opportunities will provide students with real action for
change, and we'll research solutions to current stormwater runoff issues
in Portland that affect both local rivers and streams and Casco Bay.
Partners from the City of Portland, USM, Cumberland County Soil and
Water District, and others will guide us in considering how individuals
and businesses in Portland can reduce negative impacts on the Bay. As a
result of our research and learning, we'll write and submit editorials
to local media, encouraging Greater Portland to become more involved in
sustaining our beautiful Casco Bay and local rivers. Our culminating
event will showcase student recommendations to reduce and slow down
runoff from urban properties.
Windsor 6-- Greece is the Word
This spring, Windsor 6 students will experience their
first history-based expedition. They'll examine daily life in Ancient
Greece, and research how that culture influenced our modern world in the
realms of art, government, literature, and theatre. Students will learn
of the adventures of Odysseus through an abridged version of The
Odyssey. The discoveries of Greek mathematicians and astronomers will
form the basis for exploration in math and science, including a study of
our solar system. To express the knowledge they've gained, students
will create an educational and entertaining performance for the
culminating event.
York 7 -- Secrets of the Salt Marsh
In the York 7 expedition, Secrets of the Salt Marsh,
students will explore Maine’s salt marshes through the lens of 16
species from four parts of the food web. Our major learning targets are:
1) I can explain how salt marsh organisms interact with their living
and nonliving environment to obtain matter and energy, and 2) I can
explain why we should care about the salt marsh. We will travel to
Scarborough Marsh for onsite explorations and meet with community
experts for each species group. Students will use art, poetry,
informational writing, and trophic classification to create and organize
digital iBooks which will be offered to the Scarborough Marsh Nature
Center for distribution to summer visitors and southern Maine marsh
enthusiasts.
Windsor 7 -- Small Acts of Courage
The students of Windsor 7 are writing the book on Maine's
contribution to the Civil Rights Movement. The students will first be
introduced to historical events and leaders during the Civil Rights era,
specifically 1954-1964. Focus areas include Brown Versus the Board of
Education, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Supreme Court ruling on
desegregation, the integration of Little Rock Central High School, the
Children's March, boycotts, the March on Selma, the March on Washington
and the Civil Rights bill. In addition, students will be reading
biographies of leaders and influential people of this time period.
Finally, they will investigate this era further by interviewing local
citizens regarding their connection to this pivotal time. Students will
integrate their understanding of the national movement and local stories
in a four volume collection called Small Acts of Courage.
York 8 - Four Freedoms
In the Four Freedoms expedition, York 8 students will
explore concepts of freedom by first looking at Norman Rockwell’s famous
paintings of the four freedoms, printed in the Saturday Evening Post in
1943. These paintings -- Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear, Freedom
of Speech, and Freedom from Worship -- were inspired by Franklin
Roosevelt’s State of the Union speech in 1941. As students examine these
images and their historical context, they study the concepts and
meanings of the same freedoms today through a variety of reading
assignments, discussions with guest lecturers, movies and other
research. Students then express their personal experiences and
reflections on the ideas of freedom through a variety of writing and
visual art projects, culminating with the Freedom Collages exhibited on
First Friday Art Walk in June. Based on imagery gathered from a variety
of contemporary media and commercial sources, the Freedom Collages are
striking commentaries about how students view the nature of freedom in
the world today.
Windsor 8 - reVOLT
Enough solar energy hits Earth in an hour to supply all
of humanity’s energy needs for an entire year. Yet simple life
sustaining tasks such as purifying water, powering lights, and
transporting goods are difficult for a significant part of the world’s
population. In their spring expedition, Windsor 8 students will reVOLT
against the current limitations imposed by our ways of using energy.
They will begin by investigating the science and social issues behind
wind power. By combining knowledge from all classes, students will
design and build a device that solves a modern-day energy need in a
unique way. They will research the energy conversions shown in their
invention and explain the social need behind their project. To
culminate, they will pitch their designs and research to a panel of
community members.
Expeditions from Fall 2013
Windsor 6 - Ripple Effect
Casco Bay is our home, and integral to the life of
Portlanders. During the Ripple Effect expedition, students will learn
about the ecology of Casco Bay, and its benefit to the community.
They’ll discover how the organisms in the bay impact our local economy,
and learn about the four physical habitats of Casco Bay (water column,
rocky shore, sandy beach, and mudflats). In math, students will examine
data sets on invasive species populations using random sampling. On the
creative side, students will develop their sensory and figurative
language skills as they study and write poetry about our marine home.
Plans for our final product are in the works. Check back for an update.
Windsor 7 -- Alien Invaders
Windsor 7 is fighting Alien Invaders! The students and
teachers of Windsor 7 are joining forces with the City of Portland, and
the Gulf of Maine Scientific Research Institute to address Maine's
invasive species epidemic. Along the way, we will be collecting data on
invasive species in Maine. As scientists, we will work to study
invasives at Biddeford pool and to reduce an invasive plant in Portland.
We will be creating impact studies and will present our findings to
local decision makers including the Portland City Council, the Gulf of
Maine Research Institute, and Portland Trails.
Windsor 8 -- Truth or Consequences
What is the truth? Why and how do people manipulate the truth? These
are the questions Windsor 8 will investigate during our Truth or
Consequences expedition. The truth (or lack thereof) is pervasive, and
we will examine media literacy, advertising, and, on a broader scale,
propaganda. As a final product, students will choose a current issue and
create a truth poster to uncover and communicate the truth behind a
topic of their choice. They will be collaborating with Maine College of
Art faculty and students to design, create, critique, and display their
truth ads.
York 6 -- Our House
The students of York 6 will be exploring what a community is and how
individuals play a larger part in a community during their fall
expedition, Our House. Using If the World Were A Village as an anchor
text, students will examine their house of 100 and discover
commonalities among its members and celebrate its differences. To
understand their community, students will survey themselves as well as
the larger King and Portland community and interpret the data to
calculate the measure of central tendency. Then working in small
teams, students will create a picture book that reflects both themselves
in the past, present, and future, and York 6 as a cohesive unit that
devotes time to collaborating and to the success of all of the members
of the King Middle School, York 6 community.
York 7 -- Seeds of Culture
In Seeds of Culture, York 7 students will examine the relationships
among geography, food and culture. Our kickoff will take place in and
around Portland, as small groups of students visit area ethnic
restaurants and sample native foods. Each student will conduct an
in-depth investigation of a country, and then create a character from
this country that will be part of a sequel that we will write to the
book Seedfolks, our anchor text. Students will then bring their
characters to life in a series of monologues, to be performed in
December. We will also be working with the Cultivating Community project
in Portland, and work on our own garden at King Middle School.
York 8 - Engineering Your Energy Future
Will there be enough energy for our future? What source
of energy is the best for our environment? Which source is the
cheapest? Who is using the energy and what are they using it for?
York 8 is spending the fall of 2013 researching and debating different
renewable and non-renewable energy sources and their environmental,
economic and social impacts to best prepare for our energy future. One
of our experts will be Senator Angus King. Our guiding questions are:
What energy sources will most sustainably take us into the future? And
how does engineering impact our energy future? For final products,
students will be making energy transfer machines, creating
presentations, and participating in a wind turbine design challenge.
Expeditions from Spring 2013
Windsor 6 - Weathering the Storm
Windsor 6's expedition this spring is called “Weathering the
Storm”. We kicked off this expedition with a visit from an ex
weatherman Dave Santoro and Patty Wight. The students are studying
weather and in particular storms that have hit New England over the last
200 years. We have gone to the Maine History Museum to research storms
and discover information they have collected over the years. In
science they have learned about weather, and how hurricanes and
tornadoes form. In Social Studies they will choose a storm and research
it. In Math they are graphing information about storms. In Language
Arts and music they will be making podcasts of their story “I am the
Storm” set to music they created. These will be presented at the Maine
History Museum at the culminating event.
Windsor 7 - Ripple Effect
Casco Bay is our home, and integral to the life of
Portlanders. During the Ripple Effect expedition, students will learn
about the ecology of Casco Bay, and its benefit to the community.
They’ll discover how the organisms in the bay impact our local economy,
and learn about the four physical habitats of Casco Bay (water column,
rocky shore, sandy beach, and mudflats). Students will conduct water
quality testing on and around the bay, checking for salinity, dissolved
oxygen and e. coli. In math, students will create a “Visual of Epic
Proportions” by choosing facts about an organism’s appearance,
attributes or capabilities to compare to their own. On the creative
side, students will develop their sensory and figurative language skills
as they study and write poetry about our marine home. Finally, each
student will be creating an artistic piece based on the organism they
are studying.
Windsor 8 - Happitude
Windsor 8 students kick off their spring expedition entitled
Happitude: an exploration of real and lasting happiness. Students will
discover the role empathy and compassion play in the continuous cycle of
happiness through random acts of kindness and community service. By
conducting surveys and drawing conclusions from data, students will seek
answers to the guiding questions: What is happiness? What brings
lasting happiness? In addition to examining the crucial chemicals in the
brain connected to happiness, students will probe the past to determine
the primary factors that have changed people’s views of happiness over
time. In written narratives, students will bring to light universal
themes and ideas connected to their understandings of what brings
lasting happiness.
York 6 - Oceans of Air
For Oceans of Air, York 6 students are becoming atmospheric
scientists. Students will be flying kites to collect air quality
samples and data at various locations around Portland. Using the data
we collect and analyze, students will write recommendations to local
and national organizations working on air quality. They will learn how
and why air moves, what it is made up of and what we’ve inadvertently
added. In math, will use metric and standard measurements, determine
surface area, and discuss symmetry and geometry using the kites as the
anchor. In computer science, students will use Sketch Up to design
their own three dimensional kites. We will be working closely with our
collaborating partners: the Maine Department of Environmental
Protection, Maine Lung Association, University of Southern Maine, and
Kites Over New England.
York 7 - Alien Invaders
They're Heeeere!! Alien Invaders visit York 7 students
during the spring 2013 expedition! Working to provide the Gulf of Maine
Research Institute with invasive species data cards for its online
site, students in York 7 research species invasive to the U.S. Using
the scientific method, students tackle one of them - the invasive
Japanese knotweed behind the KMS gym. Building background knowledge,
students are reading about and comparing two species of crab invasive to
Maine. They will use this information as they return to Biddeford Pool
with UNE Marine researchers to collect data on these crab species. The
data will be used to generate mathematical models. How do invasive
species get to the U.S.? Building on their learning about the Age of
Discovery, students look at modern day vectors that move invasives
around the world.
York 8 - Engineering Your Energy Future
Will there be enough energy for our future? What source of
energy is the best for our environment? Which source is the cheapest?
Who is using the energy and what are they using it for? York 8 is
spending the spring of 2013 researching and debating different renewable
and non-renewable energy sources and their environmental, economic and
social impacts to best prepare for our energy future.
Our guiding questions are:
What energy sources will most sustainably take us into the future?
How does engineering impact our energy future?
World Languages -- Art through the Hispanic and Francophone World
8th grade World Language students will be participating in
an Art Throughout the Hispanic and Francophone World expedition which
will begin in January and will culminate in late March. The focus of
this expedition is on the questions: "What connects you to an artist?"
and "How does culture manifest itself in art?". Students will work with
local artists, do independent research on a chosen artist, and will
create a personal creative project that reflects their understanding of
the two guiding questions and the life and work of their chosen artist.
Students also will engage in an independent fieldwork activity and
reflection, will compose a structured target language essay, and will
compile an Artist's Declaration to explain the process of creating their
personal project. The culminating event will feature a
"student-as-artist" format where they will each present their creative
projects and respond to visitor questions.
Expeditions from Fall 2012
Windsor 6 - Lead On
The first expedition for Windsor 6, Lead On, is about leadership. The
students are using Americans Who Tell the Truth, by author and artist
Robert Shetterly, as a core text. In October Robert Shetterly will visit
King with an exhibit of about a dozen of the portraits, some of which
are featured in this book. Next, the students will research a leader and
will create a panel about that leader for our own leadership exhibit in
December. Their panels will also include information about themselves
as leaders and how they demonstrate respect, responsibility, and
perseverance. All of the work from the fall will ad to an art exhibit
in the evening, with Windsor 6 students serving as the docents. The
focus areas for this expedition are writing, research and creating a
cohesive community.
York 6 - Rock the Vote
York 6 will be paying special attention to the upcoming
presidential and state elections as part of their Rock the Vote
expedition. Not only will they be learning about the candidates and
issues, they are hoping to teach the school about them, as well. Our
students will work in committees to plan a schoolwide mock election, in
conjunction with the nationwide Student Mock Election. Part of their
charge is to inform the school about the candidates and the issues of
the day. In their classes, they will be learning about the electoral
process, civic responsibilities, local and national issues and
candidates, media coverage, persuasive techniques, and number crunching,
as major pieces of this expedition. Students will be visiting
Republican and Democratic headquarters and will listen to a speaker from
the Green Independent party. Students will also participate in a voter
registration drive, setting up tables throughout the city to register
new voters! Students will also study the election results at King and
compare them to the national and state results, and prepare graphs that
showcase the comparisons. Our results will be on display during parent
conferences. We are planning to host an election night, inviting any and
all King families to watch the returns come in. We’re excited to be
part of an informed citizenry right here at King!
Windsor 7 - Branching Out
To kick off our Branching Out expedition, Windsor 7
students will begin by surveying city dwellers for their thoughts on
this question: “How do trees make Portland a more livable city?”
Students will gain knowledge about how to identify the trees of Portland
and assess their condition. With this knowledge, they will take part in
the City of Portland tree inventory, which is typically carried out by
the city’s arborists. Targeting the Parkside neighborhood, students will
add their data to the City of Portland’s computerized tree inventory.
Land use issues will be studied, along with how trees abate the carbon
level in our atmosphere. Students will use math skills to measure and
map trees. Finally, students will survey a neighborhood in Bayside and,
using the knowledge they’ve gained, make recommendations to city
planners for tree plantings in that neighborhood.
York 7 - Winds of Change
Why does change happen? Is change beneficial? These are
the questions we hope to answer by examining the elements of change
through the history of Maine’s maritime industry. New learning includes
boat-building geometry in Ms. Murphy’s math class, the relationship
between the stars and the sea with Mrs. Roland, and examining with Mr.
Michaud the events and catalysts that led to change along the Maine
coast, with special attention paid to primary source documents.
Throughout the expedition, students will be working closely with expert
mariners and our collaborating partner -- the Maine Maritime Museum in
Bath. We will conduct research at the museum and on the water. Every
student will create a brochure chronicling their research process rooted
in primary source photographs of maritime history in Maine. Student
brochures, along with the "Winds of Change Kiosk" will be presented to
the Maritime Museum at our culminating event.
Windsor 8 - reVOLT
Enough solar energy hits Earth in an hour to supply all of
humanity’s energy needs for an entire year. Yet simple life sustaining
tasks such as purifying water, powering lights, and transporting goods
are difficult for a significant part of the world’s population. In
their fall expedition, Windsor 8 students will reVOLT against the
current limitations imposed by our ways of using energy. By combining
knowledge from all classes, students will design and build a device that
solves a modern-day energy need in a unique way. They will research
the energy conversions shown in their invention and explain the social
need behind their project. To culminate, they will pitch their designs
and research to a panel of community members.
York 8 - Four Freedoms
In the Four Freedoms expedition, York 8 students will
explore concepts of freedom by first looking at Norman Rockwell’s famous
paintings of the four freedoms, printed in the Saturday Evening Post in
1943. These paintings -- Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear, Freedom
of Speech, and Freedom from Worship -- were inspired by Franklin
Roosevelt’s State of the Union speech in 1941. As students examine these
images and their historical context, they study the concepts and
meanings of the same freedoms today through a variety of reading
assignments, discussions with guest lecturers, movies and other
research. Students then express their personal experiences and
reflections on the ideas of freedom through a variety of writing and
visual art projects, culminating with the Freedom Collages exhibited on
First Friday Art Walk in December. Based on imagery gathered from a
variety of contemporary media and commercial sources, the Freedom
Collages are striking commentaries about how students view the nature of
freedom in the world today.
World Languages -- Art through the Hispanic and Francophone World
8th grade World Language students will be participating in
an Art Throughout the Hispanic and Francophone World expedition which
will begin in January and will culminate in late March. The focus of
this expedition is on the questions: "What connects you to an artist?"
and "How does culture manifest itself in art?". Students will work with
local artists, do independent research on a chosen artist, and will
create a personal creative project that reflects their understanding of
the two guiding questions and the life and work of their chosen artist.
Students also will engage in an independent fieldwork activity and
reflection, will compose a structured target language essay, and will
compile an Artist's Declaration to explain the process of creating their
personal project. The culminating event will feature a
"student-as-artist" format where they will each present their creative
projects and respond to visitor questions.
Expeditions from Spring 2012
ELL -- Boats and Buoyancy!
How are boats adapted to their environment and their
purpose? What is the law of buoyancy? These are the guiding questions
which will steer us along our journey. Students will become research
sociologists and discover how boats are adapted to their particular
environment and their purpose. They will become boat builders as they
collaborate with the Compass Project to build their own small boats. We
will also be collaborating with the Maine College of Art to create
"floatable" art. Finally we will be consulting with local fishing,
lobstering and boating people to discover how boating connects to our
local environment. All Aboard!!!
World Languages Department -- Art throughout the Hispanic and Francophone World
8th grade World Language students have been participating
in an Art Throughout the Hispanic and Francophone World expedition which
began in January and will culminate on Thursday, March 29th, from
5:30-7:00 at KMS. The focus of this Expedition is on the questions of
"What connects you to an artist?" and "How does culture manifest itself
in art?". Students have worked with local artists, done independent
research on a chosen artist, and are creating a personal creative
project that reflects their understanding of the two guiding questions
and the life and work of their chosen artist. Students also engaged in
an independent fieldwork activity and reflection, are composing a
structured target language essay, and are compiling an Artist's
Declaration to explain the process of creating their personal project.
The culminating event will feature a "student-as-artist" format where
they will each present their creative projects and respond to visitor
questions. The Culminating Event is open to the public.
York 6 -- WaterME
York 6 students are plunging into a new expedition this spring. We
will be diving into the world of watershed sustainability by trawling
for ways we and our community can keep things that are out of sight, in
mind. Service learning opportunities will provide students with real
action for change, and our unique insight into possible improvements or solutions to current issues pertaining to Casco Bay health will grow.
Partners from the City of Portland, Portland Water District, and
YardScaping will guide us in considering how individuals in Portland
can improve their impact on the Bay. We’ll be collecting data at Back
Cove, traveling to the Audubon Society to see what watershed protection
means outside of urban areas, and planning team service projects. Our
culminating event will showcase student brochures which will encourage
sustainable actions by the citizens of King Middle School and Portland.
Windsor 6 -- Greece is the Word
This spring, Windsor 6 students will experience their first
history-based expedition. They'll examine daily life in Ancient Greece,
and research how that culture influenced our modern world in the realms
of art, government, literature, and theatre. Students will learn of the
adventures of Odysseus through an abridged version of The Odyssey. The
discoveries of Greek mathematicians and astronomers will form the basis
for exploration in math and science, including a study of our solar
system. To express the knowledge they've gained, students will create an
educational and entertaining performance for the culminating event.
York 7 -- Secrets of the Salt Marsh
In the York 7 expedition, Secrets of the Salt Marsh,
students will explore Maine’s salt marshes through the lens of 16
species from four parts of the food web. Our major learning targets are:
1) I can explain how salt marsh organisms interact with their living
and nonliving environment to obtain matter and energy, and 2) I can
explain why we should care about the salt marsh. We will travel to
Scarborough Marsh for onsite explorations and meet with community
experts for each species group. Students will use art, poetry,
informational writing, and trophic classification to create and organize
sets of Marsh Species Cards which will be offered to the Scarborough
Marsh Nature Center for distribution to summer visitors.
Windsor 7 -- Alien Invaders
Windsor 7 is fighting Alien Invaders! The students and
teachers of Windsor 7 are joining forces with the City of Portland, and
the Gulf of Maine Scientific Research Institute to address Maine's
invasive species epidemic. Along the way, we will be collecting data on
invasive species in Maine and across the US. As scientists, we will work
to study invasives at Biddeford pool and to reduce an invasive plant in
Portland. We will be making Invasive Species cards for GMSRI to use in
their Vital Signs program.
Windsor 8 -- Creating Currents
Windsor 8 students will be Creating Currents this spring
with their latest expedition. They will be investigating ways to reduce
their carbon footprint through energy audit data collection and
subsequent analysis leading to informed conservation practices.
Collaboration with experts in the areas of conservation, building
products, design, and alternative energy will help each student create a
net-zero home design. In addition, the students will investigate
alternative energy production, the public policy decisions involving
alternative energy. The expedition will culminate with a competition of
electricity generating wind turbines built be the students.
York 8 --Four Freedoms
In the fall of 1941, as the United States considered it's
probable entry into World War II, Franklin Roosevelt delivered a State
of the Union speech outlining the four freedoms America would fight for:
freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from fear, and freedom
from want. Norman Rockwell depicted these four freedoms in a now famous
series of paintings as part of the U.S. war stamps effort. As students
examine these images and what they meant in the 1940’s, they study the
concepts and meanings of freedom today through variety of reading
assignments, discussions with guest lecturers, movies and other
research. Students then express their personal experiences and
reflections on the ideas of freedom through a variety of writing and
visual art projects, culminating with the Freedom Collages seen in this
exhibition.
Based on imagery gathered from a variety of contemporary media and
commercial sources, the Freedom Collages are striking commentaries about
how students view the nature of freedom in the United States today.
Expeditions from Fall 2011
IYork 6 -- Taking Care of Business
The students of York 6 will be exploring the world of
business through the five themes of geography. Each student will
research a non-profit business and develop a strategy for starting his
or her own non-profit in an area of the world that reflects a need. The
students will be responsible for constructing a formal business
proposal, and presenting the plan at the culminating event, where guests
can invest in the enterprise of their choosing. The expedition is
literacy-driven with plenty of math concepts and other exciting learning
opportunities.
Windsor 6 -- Me to We
Windsor 6 is kicking off our two years together with Me to
We. Students will have the opportunity to learn about themselves and
each other, become familiar with the Expeditionary Learning process, and
develop a sense of self and community. Students will investigate family
histories, dominant genetic traits, and personal character traits to
help them discover what they have in common and how they are unique.
Each student will create an iCard, a visual resume depicting her or his
individuality, including what she or he brings to the King community.
Another aspect of the expedition is an in-depth exploration of each of
Expeditionary Learning's ten Design Principles; students will hear from
experts, do a variety of field work, and eventually share their
knowledge in the form of multimedia illustrations accompanied by
"kid-friendly" translations of those Design Principles.
York 7 -- Pivotal Moments
The York 7 community will research specific events of
social reform that were a part of larger movements during the 60’s and
70’s, from equal rights movements to movements to protect the
environment. Students will analyze histories that led to these events
and how these movements affect their lives today. Students will decide
for themselves what is worth fighting for and the steps that they can
take to create change.
Windsor 7 -- Small Acts of Courage
The students of Windsor 7 are writing the book on Maine's
contribution to the Civil Rights Movement. The students will first be
introduced to historical events and leaders during the Civil Rights era,
specifically 1954-1964. Focus areas include Brown Versus the Board of
Education, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Supreme Court ruling on
desegregation, the integration of Little Rock Central High School,
sit-ins, boycotts, the Freedom Rides, the March on Washington and the
Civil Rights bill. In addition, students will be reading biographies of
leaders and influential people of this time period. Finally, they will
investigate this era further by interviewing local citizens regarding
their connection to this pivotal time. Students will integrate their
understanding of the national movement and local stories in a four
volume collection called Small Acts of Courage.
Windsor 8 -- Truth or Consequences
What is the truth? Why and how do people manipulate the
truth? These are the questions Windsor 8 will investigate during our
Truth or Consequences expedition. The truth (or lack thereof) is
pervasive, and we will examine media literacy, advertising, and, on a
broader scale, propaganda. As a final product, students will choose a
current issue and create a truth ad to uncover and communicate the truth
behind a topic of their choice. They will be collaborating with Maine
College of Art faculty and students to design, create, critique, and
display their truth ads. Students will seek out area businesses and
public spaces best suited for displaying their truth ads in order to
reach and impact a wide audience.
Expeditions from Spring 2011
York 6 -- Seeds of Culture
In Seeds of Culture, York 6 students will
examine the relationships among geography, food and culture. Our kickoff
will take place in and around Portland, as small groups of students
visit area ethnic restaurants and sample native foods. Each student will
conduct an in-depth investigation of a country, and then create a
character from this country that will be part of a sequel that we will
write to the book Seedfolks, our anchor text. Students will then bring
their characters to life in a performance that they will put on at
Portland Stage Company in May. We will also be working with the
Cultivating Community project in Portland, and work on our own garden at
King Middle School.
Windsor 6 -- May the Forces Be With Us!
Gravity, Heat, Wind, and Water are a
powerful troupe of forces at work in the universe. Individually and as
partners, they cruise the cosmos creating change. "May the Forces Be
With Us!", Windsor 6's winter expedition, encourages students to ask
themselves the following questions:" How do these forces shape Earth and
all the other objects in space?" , "How do these forces impact human
cultures and history?" and “How does measurement help us understand
these forces?”
We will travel to the Southworth
Planetarium at USM to see how astronomers explain the creation of
objects in space. Throughout the expedition we will examine the forces
at work in several different settings. We'll find out how early humans
described these forces in myth and story. We'll learn about objects in
space and how these forces created them. We'll learn how to measure
distances in space and how to translate those vast distances into
numbers we can handle. We'll research the forces at work on Earth in
specific events such as hurricanes and volcanic eruptions.
The concrete knowledge gained about human
descriptions of gravity, heat, wind, and water will, in the final
product, be translated into a narrated dance.
York 7 -- Alien Invaders
York 7 is fighting Alien Invaders! No, not
from outer space.... The students and teachers of York 7 are joining
forces with the City of Portland to address Maine's invasive species
epidemic. Along the way, we will be collecting data on invasive species
in Maine and across the US. As scientists, we will work to study
invasives at Biddeford pool and to reduce an invasive plant in Portland.
We’ll become science reporters and newspaper editors to bring you
breaking news of this world-wide issue.
Windsor 7 -- Greece is the Word
This
spring, Windsor 7 students will experience their first history-based
expedition. They'll examine daily life in Ancient Greece, and research
how that culture influenced our modern world in the realms of art,
government, literature, and theatre. Students will learn of the
adventures of Odysseus through an abridged version of The Odyssey, and
write their own adventure story. They'll become familiar with the gods
and goddesses of Mount Olympus, and as part of a unit on ceramics,
students will make Greek vases in art class. The discoveries of Greek
mathematicians and astronomers will form the basis for exploration in
math and science, including a study of our solar system. To express the
knowledge they've gained, students will create an educational and
entertaining performance for the culminating event.
York 8 -- Motion Commotion
What is engineering? How does engineering impact our lives? How does the design process incorporate math and science?
York
eight students will put math and science to work as they design and
engineer three dimensional solutions to various problems and challenges
during the “Motion Commotion” expedition. Activities from the PBS show
“Design Squad” will acquaint students to the engineering process, as
they gear up for the much bigger engineering design challenge: Project
Gizmo! We will also make connections to real life engineering
challenges, such as: How to stop an oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico? How
to rescue trapped miners in Chile? How to clean up after an
earthquake? And other real life challenges.
Windsor 8 -- Truth or Consequences
What is the truth? Why and how do people
manipulate the truth? These are the questions Windsor 8 will investigate
during our Truth or Consequences expedition. The truth (or lack
thereof) is pervasive, and we will examine media literacy, advertising,
and, on a broader scale, propaganda. As a final product, students will
choose a current issue and create a truth ad to uncover and communicate
the truth behind a topic of their choice. They will be collaborating
with Maine College of Art faculty and students to design, create,
critique, and display their truth ads. Students will seek out area
businesses and public spaces best suited for displaying their truth ads
in order to reach and impact a wide audience.
Expeditions from Fall 2010
York 6 - The Faces of King
Our first expedition, The Faces of King,
will teach the Expeditionary Learning model. While experiencing the
parts of an expedition, students will meet the many people who create
the culture at King. We will examine the rights and responsibilities of a
King student, as well as of a citizen of Maine and the United States.
Students will explore the demographics of our population here at King,
and in science they will study the interdependence of systems, applying
that to the inner workings of King. Our students will create brochures
that will be distributed to new students and visitors to our building.
In our culminating event, parents will participate in the “fastest
expedition ever”, an interactive student-led presentation designed to
teach our parents how we learn here at King.
Windsor 6 - Lead On
The first expedition for Windsor 6, Lead On,
is about leadership. The students are using Americans Who Tell the
Truth, by author and artist Robert Shetterly, as a core text. In
mid-September Robert Shetterly will visit King with an exhibit of about a
dozen of the portraits, some of which are featured in this book. Next,
the students will research a leader and will create a panel about that
leader for our own leadership exhibit in early December. Their panels
will also include information about themselves and how they will
contribute to the King community. All of the work from the fall will
lead to an art exhibit in the evening, with Windsor 6 students serving
as the docents. The focus areas for this expedition are writing,
research and creating a cohesive community.
York 7 - 1000 Years without a Bath
York 7 will soon kickoff their medieval expedition, A Thousand Years Without a Bath.
Students will examine life in the middle ages and take a close look at
the genre of historical fiction. Our research will not only cover
medieval life, but also the process of writing historical fiction.
Students will use their research to write a memoir in the genre, which
will be presented at the culminating event. We will also be editing and
performing a musical at the culminating event. Author and actor visits,
field work at local theater companies, and The Society for Creative Anachronism
are all planned for York 7 students this fall. Students will also be
creating their own costumes in art class, so if you can sew, we need
you! Stay tuned for more information coming soon!
Windsor 7 - Branching Out
To kick off our new “Branching Out”
expedition, Windsor 7 students will begin by surveying city dwellers for
their thoughts on this question: “How do trees make Portland a more
livable city?” Students will gain knowledge about how to identify the
trees of Portland and assess their condition. With this knowledge, they
will take part in the City of Portland tree inventory, which is
typically carried out by the city’s arborists. Targeting the Parkside
neighborhood, students will add their data to the City of Portland’s
computerized tree inventory. Land use issues will be studied, along with
how trees abate the carbon level in our atmosphere. Students will use
math skills to measure and map trees. Finally, students will survey East
Bayside and, using the knowledge they’ve gained, make recommendations
to city planners for tree plantings in that neighborhood. To culminate
the expedition, family and friends will be invited on a tree tour
through the Parkside neighborhood.
York 8 - Four Freedoms
In the fall of 1941, as the United States
considered it's probable entry into World War II, Franklin Roosevelt
delivered a State of the Union speech outlining the four freedoms
America would fight for: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom
from fear, and freedom from want. Norman Rockwell depicted these four
freedoms in a now famous series of paintings as part of the U.S. war
stamps effort. As students examine these images and what they meant in
the 1940’s, they study the concepts and meanings of freedom today
through variety of reading assignments, discussions with guest
lecturers, movies and other research. Students then express their
personal experiences and reflections on the ideas of freedom through a
variety of writing and visual art projects, culminating with the Freedom
Collages seen in this exhibition.
Based on imagery gathered from a variety of contemporary
media and commercial sources, the Freedom Collages are striking
commentaries about how students view the nature of freedom in the United
States today.
Windsor 8 - Creating Currents
Did you know that imported oil is the
source of 90% of Maine's energy consumption annually? More
significantly, the amount of potential clean and renewable energy from
wind in the Gulf of Maine could meet the state's needs one hundred times
over. The students of Windsor 8 are going to confront both of these
facts during their expedition WINDSor in Motion. They will be
collaborating with former governor Angus King and local energy experts
to address Maine's impending energy crisis. They will analyze the
current wind farm debate in Maine, and culminate the expedition with
presentations of their own electricity generating wind turbine models
before an audience of energy experts at a homegrown Green Expo with
local energy industy representatives.
World Languages Department - Art Throughout the Hispanic and Francophone World
8th grade World Language students will participate in an Art Throughout the Hispanic and Francophone World
expedition beginning in January. The focus is on the questions of "What
is art?" and "How does art reflect culture?". Students will learn from
local artists, do independent research on a chosen artist, and create a
personal creative project that reflects their understanding of the two
guiding questions and the life and work of their chosen artist. Students
will be "front-loading" some skills before the actual start of the
expedition, such as independent fieldwork and interviewing. The
culminating event will feature the "student-as-artist" where they will
present their creative project and respond to audience questions.
Expeditions from Spring 2010
Windsor 6 - Riverworks
Working with partners to restore the
Presumpscot River to a more pristine state, the students of Windsor 6
will collaborate with and take on the roles of scientists. The
Presumpscot River, which flows from Sebago lake, through industrial
towns like Westbrook and Portland, and empties into the Casco Bay, has
been recognized as one of America's most endangered rivers (American Rivers Annual Report, 2000).
As stewards of the natural world, we will walk the paths on the river
to develop a relationship with the river. We will look at the history of
the river as well as explore current issues. We will canoe the
Presumpscot to Minnow Brook, a tributary that was tested for the first
time by King students in 2002, and conduct on-site water quality
assessments using contemporary scientific instruments, and collect water
samples for further testing back at school. The data we obtain will be
used by community groups that work to improve the quality of life of the
river and its ecosystem. Gathering, analyzing, and processing
information using the latest technology, we'll develop web pages that
will link to our partners' web sites. We are fortunate to have community
partners such as Presumpscot River Watch, Friends of the Presumpscot, Idexx Laboratories, and Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District.
These organizations will partner with us throughout the expedition,
sharing their expertise along the way, allowing us to make real
connection with scientists and citizens who have dedicated themselves to
improving the Presumpscot River.
York 6 - Urban Oasis
Students at King Middle School in York 6 have connected with Friends of Deering Oaks
for their spring expedition, "Urban Oasis". Students will be collecting
data about the health of the trees, conducting a tree inventory and
testing soil samples in Deering Oaks Park. Students will assume the role
of steward, arborist and soil scientists. They will report their
findings to city officials and Friends of Deering Oaks. York 6 will also archive their information through a link on the Friends of Deering Oaks website and the KMS website. York 6 students will be busy this season providing spring clean up and becoming life-long stewards of Deering Oaks Park!
Windsor 7 - Small Acts of Courage
The students of Windsor 7 are writing the
book on Maine's contribution to the Civil Rights Movement. The students
will first be introduced to historical events and leaders during the
Civil Rights era, specifically 1954-1964. Focus areas include Brown
versus the Board of Education, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Supreme
Court ruling on desegregation, the integration of Little Rock Central
High School, sit-ins, boycotts, the Freedom Rides, the March on
Washington and the Civil Rights bill. In addition, students will be
reading biographies of leaders and influential people of this time
period. Finally, they will investigate this era further by interviewing
local citizens regarding their connection to this pivotal time. Students
will integrate their understanding of the national movement and local
stories in a four volume collection called Small Acts of Courage.
York 7 - Alien Invaders
No, it's not an expedition about science
fiction. Rather, the students and teachers of York 7 are joining forces
with the City of Portland and the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program
to address Maine's invasive species epidemic. Along the way, we will be
collecting data on invasives in Maine, working to reduce invasives in
Portland and at Biddeford Pool, and disseminating our findings through
the design and production of a 21st century newspaper (front page only).
Windsor 8 - Creating Currents
Did you know that imported oil is the
source of 90% of Maine's energy consumption annually? More
significantly, the amount of potential clean and renewable energy from
wind in the Gulf of Maine could meet the state's needs one hundred times
over. The students of Windsor 8 are going to confront both of these
facts during their expedition WINDSor in Motion. They will be
collaborating with former governor Angus King and local energy experts
to address Maine's impending energy crisis. They will analyze the
current wind farm debate in Maine, and culminate the expedition with
presentations of their own electricity generating wind turbine models
before an audience of energy experts at a homegrown Green Expo with
local energy industry representatives.
York 8 - Four Freedoms
In the fall of 1941, as the United States
considered it's probable entry into World War II, Franklin Roosevelt
delivered a State of the Union speech outlining the four freedoms
America would fight for: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom
from fear, and freedom from want. Norman Rockwell depicted these four
freedoms in a now famous series of paintings as part of the U.S. war
stamps effort. In the Four Freedoms expedition, King students examine
Rockwell's paintings and the historical origins of the four freedoms in
the context of their own values, images, and perceptions of the world
today. A visiting expert for the expedition will be Mary Beth Tinker,
defendant in the landmark supreme court case Tinker vs. Des Moines. Like
Rockwell, each student will create a piece of art that captures her or
his interpretation of one of the freedoms. Their work, and the students'
artist statements, will be hung at the Portland Public Library and on
display for the community at Portland's First Friday Art Walk.
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