Extended Classroom Experiences

 

Based on our "Great Experiences" curriculum. modeled after a "Great Books" curriculum, our students participate in a carefully selected variety of experiences beyond school walls. Units are divided by content. For example, when fulfilling their "Political Life" requirement, students meet with the mayor, a United States senator or representatice, and a state senator or representative. Extended classroom experiences and guest speakers allow us to immerse students in a wide range of encounters to facilitate the discovery of what matter to them, including but not limited to: the arts, politics, nature, science, service learning, Rabbinic leaders, education, Jewish community, academia, and business.

 

Distinct from typical "school field trips," the Great Experiences program includes comprehensive processing before and after the extended classroom experiences. Students must research in advance to prepare for the necounter, as well as write reflections afterward, or use what they learned from papers and presentations. The rigorous nature of the program challenges our students and prepares them well for yeshiva/seminary, university and beyond. The curriculum integrates Judaic and secular encounters. A couple of examples from our pilot program are as follows: when studying genetic testing, sutdents met with the chief legislative counsel for a local congressman to lobby for a Jewish perspective when crafting legislation on the topic. In researching whether or not Starbucks products are kosher, sutdents met with the head of the CRC kashrut division to examine the complex issues involved.

 

ECE's occur on bi weekly basis.

 

Group trips: all students participate on a fieldtrip to:

 

Learn about an aspect of our Great Experiences unit. Examples:

     Arts: Music

        Drum Circle

        Recording studio

     Government and the Judicial System

        Appellate Court

        County Court of Appeals

        Colorado Legislature

Take advantage of special opportunities in the community related to general coursework and overarching themes.

     Examples:

        King Tut Exhibit at the Denver Art Museum

        Stemapalooza Science Fair

        Allied Jewish Federation National General Assembly

        First Lady Michelle Obama Speech

        Mizel Museum Artists in Residence Interactions

        Denver Pow Wow

 

Individual Internships: One or two students participate on a one-day internship to:

 

Spend a day learning from experts on their topic of study. Examples:

     Dr. Linseman and his graduate students at the University of Denver studying cell processes/blood analysis for ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)

     Dr. Linda Scott Cummings and other researchers at the Paleo Research Institute to learn about carbon dating and its role in archaelogical research, including threshing floors in the Negev in Israel

     Tryba Architects - Sample itinerary:

     MUSEUMS: Concept to Construction featuring History Colorado Center and Catalina Island Museum

 

8:30-9:30     Welcome and Tryba Office Tour

9:30-10:30     Concepts/Hand Sketching

10:30-11:30     CAD/Revit Intro

11:30-12:30     Model Building

12:30-1:00     Wrap Up

 

 

ECEs 2014/2015:

 

The Eruv

Sustainability

 

To read about our recent experiences, please visit the main page of the newspaper here.