Ms. Mader's 6th grade Outdoor Education class used project-based learning techniques and all of the Global Outcomes to take a deep dive into survival and shelter building. Students researched survivial techniques, learning about the best places, methods and materials needed to build adequate shelter. They gathered materials for a mini-shelter which had to be waterproof and hold up under windy conditions. They tested their mini-shelters in a lab to see if their designs would hold up. The next part of the project involved applying their knowledge to a real- world situation: setting up a shelter in the outdoors.

Ms. Mader encourages critical thinking and problem-solving in her daily instruction. Students persevere through several iterations of their projects, testing and reworking them until they are satisfied with their results. Her students are engaged and excited about learning!

The MS Staff is incorporating five common instructional strategies this year (see below), which include pre-teaching vocabulary and using word walls. Ms. Mader's 8th grade science students are creating vocabulary mini-posters for the their upcoming unit on weather and climate. These posters will be added to a word wall that will anchor student's thinking and cement their understanding of the vocabulary.

Ms. Mader's makes student engagement a priority and she is dedicated to making the content accessible to everyone.