Each day, K-6 students engage in a class called Project Group. This is a time when students apply academic standards they learn in other content areas (Science, Social Studies, Math, and Language Arts) to engage in solving real-world problems. Students practice their critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. They utilize their “Mental Tools”* and engage in hands-on and minds-on tasks. It is not unusual to see students engaged in productive struggle while building, making models, engaging in the engineering process, working together, debating, compromising, and creating new ideas during Project Group. 

Families are invited to an evening academic performance called Summative at the end of each quarter. At this student-created exhibition, students prepare and present their learning that documents the Project Group process and end product result.  

Past projects include:

Kindergarten -
Animal Adaptations
My Mental Toolbox
Community Workers
Mapping Time

Grades 1-2 -
Playground Design
The Science of Westward Expansion
Project Innovation
Culture
Deserts
Oceans
Rainforests
Savannahs

Grades 3-4 -
Light & Sound
Energy
Earth Science
Caves
Great Community Challenge
Ancient Arizona
Plants
Water Features

Grades 5-6 –
Islands
Animal Biomes
Camp Conundrum
Boat Engineering Design
Space
Tent Engineering Design
Castle Engineering Design
Contraptions