Connecting language and action in middle school and beyond: The growth from 6th to 8th grade is tremendous. While the physical changes are most obvious, academic and personal growth is also profound during these years. As students assert their identities with more and more maturity and independence, the language they use evolves with them. They use it to express who they are, and also to connect with others – and it takes practice. Communication is at the core of Human Relations, and teacher Cooper explains that language is “at its best, how we express our emotions,…

One of the core beliefs underpinning Hyla’s high school math program is that mathematics is a human pursuit akin to art, music and literature. And, just as when we become artists, musicians and writers when we draw a picture, sing along or pen a love letter, so too when we do mathematics we become mathematicians. To help students see more clearly this human side of math we recently introduced them to a charming BBC podcast called The Life Scientific. In each episode an accomplished scientist or mathematician is interviewed, sharing their intellectual struggles and also providing…

HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY: Students in Biology are continuing to add detail to their investigation of organelle structure and function, starting with the cell’s plasma membrane. Through exploring the topic of diffusion, or the tendency of molecules to move from regions of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration, students could explain both the presence of passive and active transport proteins in the plasma membrane and their function of moving solutes in and out of the cell. (Photo: Visualization of diffusion with a simple Skittles experiment.) Moving within the cell, students are elucidating how different organelles work…

If you’re new to Ultimate Frisbee, you might ask “where’s the ref?” The answer is: everywhere. That’s because every person on the field is their own referee who trusts every other player to also be their own referee. A game that relies so heavily on self-awareness, internal mediation, and advocacy is a natural fit for Hyla, which explains why it has been a beloved school tradition for many years.  This year, we joyfully welcome new coaches into that tradition. Alongside Cooper and David, three high school students -Trey Field-Bennett, Carson Cramer, and Spencer Freeman – are…

Where does advanced work happen at Hyla? Everywhere! In every core class at Hyla, students can choose a “core pathway” or an “advanced pathway.” In American History, students on these pathways take two different approaches to examining the past and understanding its impacts on this country and its people Take a look!    Core: H300 Students are looking closely at major historical developments radically reshaping America in the 19th century: economic disruption, a political quagmire, a religious awakening, stark regional differences, and questions about the role of the government in the daily lives of ordinary people. …

They may be plain and simple, but Jennifer will tell you that notecards are a mighty tool for students as they advance from chronological to conceptual understandings of history. In her Humanities class, 6th graders use the notecard method to create research essays using a thesis statement and body paragraphs. Before writing begins, students use notecards to build the structure of their essays: they capture research, organize ideas, and analyze historical concepts to prove their thesis statements. “The coolest thing with this approach is that it’s so tangible,” says Jennifer. “They can take their facts and…

Students in the “School of Rock” Panorama are amped up – literally. Every day they head to rehearsal (at Prue’s House) to set up, plug in, and get to work on the timeless and complex process of co-creation and collaboration known as the rock-n-roll jam session. The philosophy of this panorama is simple: Everyone has what it takes to rock. Meeting students where they are, we invited seasoned musicians and beginners alike to come learn the fundamentals of rock instruments: drums, piano, vocals, bass, and guitar. This 3-week immersive course launched from the core question “what…

Winter: Wellness and Wilderness What are Panoramas? At the end of each semester, we break from our standard schedule for Panoramas, 3-week immersive and cross disciplinary courses. Panoramas present students with a diverse set of learning enviornments where they can explore, investigate, and evaluate different topics and themes with teachers, classmates, community partners, and experts through seminars, hands-on labs, travel, service, and critical work. Students input is integral to the process of creating these offerings so that we can include student interests and goals in our planning and final itineraries. Dispatch #1: Last week’s epic snowstorm…

Art with Kate begins and ends with a question. The first question is directed at students: “what is a portrait?” Their answers, says Kate, “are always highly contested, which I love!” The question launches a process that challenges student thinking, requires them to articulate that thinking (written and verbal), and invites them to assert their voices as artists. The portrait project also invited students to see that “concept is more important than end product, which is” says Kate, “really important when you’re working with visual metaphor.”  After debating the founding question and researching different portrait artists,…

Separation from family members, caring for siblings, food shortages, pets, school closures, depression, loss of employment – these are just some of the issues that surfaced in the fictional COVID diaries written by 7th graders. As Global Ed teacher, Deborah knew that COVID presents a “very tangible way for students to learn about interconnected global systems because they can draw on their own life experiences.” She chose the format of personal diaries so that students could “reach into personal knowledge about what it was like to have their own lives completed disrupted by this pandemic, and…