A Study of Natural Selection
What is natural selection? A research project by 7th graders for our annual Journey Showcase presents just that.
The above shows part of the documentation that is now displayed in our hallway. The students made the dinosaur from natural materials. Look how real it looks??
Project description: During the research project, the students investigated the topic in many ways such as watching a movie, reading and writing about Natural Selection. They identified, drew and described evolutionary relationships between a collection of reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic Era and those that shared a common reptilian ancestor that lived earlier – in the Paleozoic Era. Students made a Cladogram (evolutionary tree) and then sketched each dinosaur.
Intermediate School Overview
Inspiring Inquiry Through Progressive Education
CIJS uses blended instruction with both traditional and Reggio approaches to education. We include typical curriculum programs in addition to hands on, interdisciplinary methods through direct instruction, partner work, small group, and individual lessons.
CIJS offers an extremely distinguished middle school program where our scholars engage in purposeful exploratory group studies that address real problems, use real-world resources and allow experiences where students find multiple answers to their research based questions, all while collaborating and presenting their ideas to their peers.
“Learning should be meaningful, relevant, and connected to the world.” – Loris Malaguzzi
Intermediate (6-8) Core Curriculum Courses
MATH
In addition to our research based, interdisciplinary, Reggio inspired learning, CIJS curriculum includes the following core programs.
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enVision
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Success Maker
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Reflex Math
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Frax Math
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Generation Genius
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Flocabulary
SCIENCE
In addition to our research based, interdisciplinary, Reggio inspired learning, CIJS curriculum includes the following core programs.
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Elevate Science
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Study Island
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Discovery Education
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Generation Genius Science
SOCIAL STUDIES
In addition to our research based, interdisciplinary, Reggio inspired learning, CIJS curriculum includes the following core programs.
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The Document-Based Question (DBQ)
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Discovery Education
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Scholastics Social Studies
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I-Civics
ELA
In addition to our research based, interdisciplinary, Reggio inspired learning, CIJS curriculum includes the following core programs.
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Guided Reading Leveled Books
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Into Literature & Collections
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Accelerated Reading
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Writing Workshop
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No RedInk Writing
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Book Clubs
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Flocabulary
Lessons Are Interdisciplinary And Project-Based...
Interdisciplinary means that several subjects are integrated into single projects. Rather than dividing lessons into “reading, spelling, writing, social studies and math,” all of these are integrated into every project through hands-on activities. Lessons integrate subjects in a meaningful way, just as they occur in real-world problem solving rather than artificially isolating them. This allows students to make connections between the different subjects, and to the real world.
Literacy and pre-literacy, social studies (history, civilizations, geography), and math are taught through hands-on activities and projects. Projects are in-depth studies of concepts, ideas, and interests which arise from the children. Considered an adventure, projects may last one week or could continue throughout the school year.
Throughout a project, teachers help children make decisions about the direction of study, ways in which the group will research the topic, methods to demonstrate and showcase the topic, and selection of materials needed for the work. Children act as researchers, guided by their teachers to find answers to their questions.
Student Researchers
Eco-Friendly
Inquiry-Based
Experiential Learning