Our ProStart students are magicians in the kitchen. They can...

The New York Times has a weekly critical thinking challenge for students called What’s Going on in this Picture. Photography teachers Melissa McCullough and Wendy Sohm have taken it to another level by highlighting the top element of composition in the photograph and then asking students to create their own photographs with the element as a focus. 

Teacher Reflection:

Each week we challenge students with a POW (Photo of the Week). There is a new theme each week along with a composition rule to use. Students are asked to take these photos on their own time off of campus. Some combinations of themes & rules are pretty challenging! We then vote for the BEST photo of each class and that student gets a sticker for being voted the best.  Below are a few examples of various themes we’ve had this semester. It’s been fun to see what each student photographs.

Student Work: 

THEME: Details
COMPOSITION RULE: Fill in the Frame

THEME: Curves

THEME: Old
COMPOSITION RULE: Framing

Structuring classroom discussions increases participation and outcomes. The pictures below illustrate Megan Montgomery's ELA students engaging in the +1 protocol. 

The structure included brainstorming a list of key ideas that you recall from the book, their analysis, and/or their previous discussions. Next, students shared their thoughts with each other and added to each other's lists. 

Students were asked to add one of the following to the list:

• An elaboration on one item on the list
• A new point that you think is missing from the list
• Draw and explain a connection between two items on the list.

Montgomery's students were implementing the Harvard Thinking Routine:  Synthesizing & Organizing Ideas

“Routines that help students find coherence, draw conclusions, and distill the essence of topics or experiences.” 

Rep Chris Brown surprised AP Government teacher Kurt Gates for his leadership and work to help pass Senate Bill 681!  

Specifically- Each institution, which includes in-state public community college, college, or university that offers postsecondary freshman-level courses shall adopt and implement a policy to grant undergraduate course credit to entering freshman students for each advanced placement examination where a student achieves a score of 3 or higher for any similarly correlated course offered by the institution. 

THIS IS A HUGE WIN FOR OUR AP STUDENTS! Thank you to Mr. Gates and all of his students that were involved in the process of passing this bill. 

Kacy Stuber’s biology class has been working on exploring DNA and how the information contained there is translated into proteins and eventually traits. Difficult concepts to understand, much less explain. However, Mrs. Stuber encouraged her students to try the strategy 30 second expert to test their knowledge. Classroom discussion is one of our building level goals at Liberty North this year and each and every opportunity learners have to voice their understanding is a win. Sometimes, voicing a misconception is also a win. We often learn as much or more from what isn’t obvious and having a productive conversation. 

Teacher Reflection:

We started this strategy small with less risky topics, “would you rather questions.” As students gained comfort in the strategy, we began to include information from labs and topics being covered in class. Students started by pairing with a classmate they were comfortable with and we have since branched out to larger groups and different classmates. Quick writes on post-its or a Canvas discussion board and sentence starters helped even reluctant students feel more comfortable with this quick discussion tool. Next time, I will plan to build comfort with this strategy earlier in the year to build classroom community and allow more use with various topics.

Student Reflection: 

“It’s a good way to revisit information. You really have to listen and memorize when someone is talking to recap what they say.” - Avery (9th grade)

Guest Blogger: Sara Langford

In LNHS traditional Algebra 2 classes, students use their knowledge of quadratic function graphs to create a personal piece of art as a culminating project. Combining the knowledge of how to change the parameters of quadratic equations and using the online Desmos graphing site, students place parabolic curves first on computer screens, then on art paper and create their works of art.

Brayden Haney in Mr. Yoakum’s 1st hr recreated a famous work of art, the Great Wave of Kanagawa by Hokusai (pictured). Haney’s parabolas create the curves of the crashing waves and three boats braving the storm-tossed sea.

Savannah Diebold in Mrs. Burgener’s 3rd hr enjoyed the opportunity to create her own piece of art while also feeling the like assignment pushed her out of her comfort zone. She related, “I enjoyed that we got to choose what picture we could use and that it required us to use all the different ways of writing a quadratic.”

Guest Blogger: Sara Langford

Who hasn’t been going about his/her day when a sudden urge for an icy, refreshing Sonic drink hits? A cherry limeade, a blue raspberry slush or a vanilla coke…sounds so good.  

Just before Thanksgiving break in the Algebra 2 PLP course, the teachers offered the Sonic Challenge to all 135 students…meet a goal of mastering the most concepts in a week with tablemates and/or meet a personal math learning goal to get that desired Sonic drink as a special reward.

Liberty North offers a unique version of math courses titled “PLP.” PLP stands for personalized learning plan courses in Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2 that allow students to learn at their own pace utilizing online sources and to master the math concepts of the course. From day one in math PLP classes, students take charge of their learning and its pace to understand math concepts, complete practice assignments and quizzes to show what they know!

Over ⅓ of the 135 Algebra 2 PLP students set and met a personal or table group goal.  Chloe Boulter set and met the ambitious goal of mastering four difficult polynomial and radical expression concepts.  She set her ambitious goal to prove to herself that, “...I could work well under pressure without having to be forced to do it. I also wanted to get my love for math back.”

Being self-interested is a teenage trait by default. Digging into introspection is something that requires a little mentorship. Sam Herrick took her 11th graders on a journey of self discovery and, as a result, they learned not only about themselves but the world around them. Identity, bias, and credibility were all explored and examined by the students to develop independent thought about the issues in their novels that appear in today’s society. They had discussions on The Social Dilemma using the My 2 Cents protocol. Students also dug into research regarding their social issues, learning how to differentiate between fact and opinion in the media. Students were ultimately able to draw their own conclusions about socio-political topics of their choice, such as being sensitive to different cultures, cycles of poverty and violence, systemic racism, and the effects of COVID-19 on society as a result of their reading.

Teacher Reflection-

“Students deserve the opportunity to foster their own thoughts and opinions about real world issues in a psychologically safe learning environment that supports the process.” - Mrs. Herrick

Student Reflection- 

“This is the first time in my life that I’ve actually connected with a book.” - Victoria 

Guest blogger: Dr. Precious Kurth 

Megan Montgomery and her students have created a safe environment that allows for a colorful combination of academic and SEL skills to be facilitated. Mrs. Montgomery’s students are crafting Socratic Seminar questions and facilitating rich, rigorous and relevant discussions based on student choice topics and texts. Mrs. Montgomery encourages students to become facilitators and take an active lead in constructing meaning and understanding of the text, evidence and research. 

Socratic Seminars are an instructional avenue for students to engage in a dialogue between and amongst students with  a concerted effort to explore the underlying beliefs that shape the students views and opinions. The main goal of Socratic Seminar is to build a deeper understanding of texts and ideas through collaborative dialogue in the classroom. 

Here is a resource for Components of Good Questions . 

Guest Blogger: Dr. Precious Kurth

It is finally open for business. The Convenient Eagle held its grand opening October 18th during Parent/Teacher Conferences. The Convenient Eagle exists to empower students to develop and utilize their vocational skills. The real-world work experience increases the students’ employability. The Convenient Eagle is a place where students, staff and stakeholders can purchase school supplies and products.

The Convenient Eagle has everything you might need to make it through the day, and some additional items that will enhance your school experience. The Convenient Eagle offers snacks, electronics, fidgets,  school supplies and more. 

The Convenient Eagle is student - centered and student operated. The store is currently open for business daily, after 1st and 6th hours. Come see the smiling faces of the student employees and leave with a snack, a phone charger or an Eagle sticker; it’s a real world shopping experience right here at Liberty North. The Convenient Eagle is located on the First Floor in the Back Glass Hallway.