Intermediate SAGE
4th grade
Unit of Study Updates
Young Architect Studio
In Young Architect Studio students think critically about the function and design of buildings and structures. They analyze the similarities and differences between various architectural styles, evaluate the intended purposes for architectural elements, use math proportion and scale, and reflect on the role of architects in the built environment.
We began our study of architecture with the question, How do architects contribute to the built environment? Students explored architects’ tools and products and then created images of their favorite spaces. They investigated design elements in architecture such as geometry and symmetry, and their original designs showcased their use of color, shape, pattern, repetition, and balance. Next students learned to use scale as they sketched both elevation and plan views of buildings. They focused on the function of their buildings to determine the design elements they needed such as windows, doors, and rooms that were sized to fit the user’s needs.
How-to-Train-Your-Robot
Zoology - Exploring the Animal Kingdom
Our focus this quarter has been on learning about the characteristics of animals and animal classification. To begin the year, students sorted animals based upon common shared characteristics. Next, students moved on to learning about animal behavior and the scientific method by designing their own lab about termite behavior in regard to scent response. Finally, students began working on learning about the characteristics of members of Phylum Mollusca to begin a dissection of the squid – a study in comparative anatomy and mollusk characteristics.
Star Wars Maker Lab
Interior Design
Lights, Camera, Broadcast!
Lights, Camera, Broadcast!
We’ve had an exciting first quarter in Lights, Camera, Broadcast! Students started the year learning the basics, such as how to use a video camera, what to wear and not to wear when you’re going to be on air, and types of camera shots with an emphasis on tight, medium and wide shots. We then learned how to conduct interviews and practiced writing thick questions for our guests and interacting with them in a way that helps them showcase their talents and skills. We know that makes our packages more interesting and fun for our viewers! Students then shot their videos and will be editing the footage in Adobe Premiere to create Student Spotlight packages for our show! But that’s not all! Students have also been researching various historical events and writing scripts for the This Month in History segment of our SAGE News show, which we’ll begin shooting and rolling out in the second quarter!
Star Wars Maker Lab
Star Wars Maker Lab is designed to introduce students to the world of making. Students will discover how to apply skills, creativity, and the iterative process to eventually lead to the creation of unique student projects. Students will deepen their understanding of electronics through hands-on projects. Our focus this quarter has been on how the components of a system, their behaviors, and interconnections work together to create various types of circuits and switches. As makers, they have used switches to send a coded message, learned how to use electrical symbols to represent the different components of a circuit, and used principles of design to create a light saber.
Interior Design
Spanish
This unit is able to incorporate weather, locations, and colors into our discussions. Students are working in a conversational style of learning, which emphasizes communication over vocabulary memorization. Classroom activities include interactive conversations and story telling that get the students involved in processing and using the language. Recently, we’ve been working on the story “Froggy Se Viste” (Froggy Gets Dressed), which has great repetition and winter clothing vocabulary.