Experience Weeks

List of 24 items.

• Author's Corner: Write, Illustrate, Publish: (Grades 1 -3)

  During this week, young authors will study the work of local authors and illustrators and learn what inspires their craft. They will immerse themselves in writing in their genre of choice: personal narrative, poetry collection, instruction manual, or fiction/storytelling; editing and revising; illustrating or book cover design; peer review; and finally publishing and marketing (think book signing!) their very own books. The week will include visits to local bookstores, libraries, special guests, and possibly a publishing house and will culminate in an author's corner in the Harborlight library for friends and family. Through this week-long immersive experience in literature, students discover they can write clearly and skillfully and joyfully read and connect to the writing of their peers.  In the words of Lucy Caulkins "through this they learn to live together as caring, thoughtful readers and writers".

• Down Under, Journey Through the Outback: (Grades: 1 - 3)

  Let's take a trip "Down-Under" mate and learn about some unusual animals found nowhere else in the world, make delicious Aussie delicacies and have a gander at different natural wonders of Australia's varied geography! Join teacher Meg Portnof and journey through the Outback. This week of exploration and discovery will include art (including Aboriginal-type artwork), history, geography, music, and more. The week will culminate in a mini-fair that showcases student learning.

• Geocaching: (Grades 1 - 3)

  Geocaching is a fun recreational activity for all ages. Students will go on real-world treasure hunts in their outdoor adventures this week. Geocaching is a fun recreational activity for all ages, it is a game of following GPS coordinates to 'hide' our own geocache objects and seek geocache objects already hidden by other players in our geocaching global community. This week's lessons will build upon Harborlight's Botany, Zoology, Geography and Environmental Stewardship curriculums. It will challenge students to apply mathematics (measurement, estimation, graphing, and Geometry) to their field experiences in nature.

• Indigenous Peoples of North America: (Grades 1 - 3)

  Explore the history, heritage, and culture of North American Indigenous peoples. Engage in research, inquiry, study, and understanding with a focus on some of the more than 70 tribes within the United States and Canada. This week will include a study of some of the collections of the Indian Rights Association archives and materials that source communication, organizational records, and documents. A cross-disciplinary approach to this week's study will also provide an understanding of social justice and natural resources on Native American lands. This week's studies will culminate in a fair with projects and presentations.

• Inland Explorers: Journey of Learning through Marsh & Meadow: (Grades 1 - 3)

  
  The Japanese Paper Theater Story of the Sunflower inspires observation at the inland marsh and meadow. Lark Learning STEM staff guide the use scientific methods to test and make predictions and design an inland habitat for the Meadow Lark and follow interaction between various animal species. Use scientific methods to test and make predictions and design an inland habitat for the Meadow Lark and follow interaction between various animal species. Design a favorite creature and discover movement through synchronization experiments, and explore hands-on artistic 3D modeling concepts.

• Main Streets and Back Roads: (Grades 4 - 8)

  Much like Chronicle's Main Streets and Back Roads, students will explore gardens, footpaths, statues, parks, trails, waterfronts, and more of our neighboring cities and town. Students will visit Gloucester, Salem, and Newburyport to explore tourist attractions, off-the-beaten-path destinations, notable architecture, and the hidden 'quirky-corners' of these communities. While on campus they will design a destination brochure for an imaginary  city or town of their own that is inspired by their favorite sights, sounds, and flavors from the week's adventures.

• Museum School: (Grades 4 - 8)

  Did you know that Massachusetts has 228 museums? During this week, students will visit a different museum each day to explores themes in art, history, and science. Harborlight will equip each student with a sketchbook/observation journal for taking notes and drawing. They will explore exhibits and galleries, roam the grounds and halls, think critically, examine purposefully and be immersed in culture. They will also complete scavenger hunts in Boston that highlight parks and works of art and also The Story of America. The notes they take, memories they record, and images they sketch will serve as a visual diary of their studies.

• National Parks: (Grades 4 - 8)

  Our New England national parks are a perfect place to engage our student's innate curiosity about history of time and place and sense of wonder about the outdoor world. This week the national parks from New Hampshire to Boston will be our classroom. Hands-on learning activities will guide their connections to heritage, culture, history, and natural habitats for wildlife. There will be an opportunity for students to research and virtually explore national parks out of our range to visit. At the end of the week the students will present proposals for places in the US they would choose to designate a national park and defend their pick.

• New England Arts & Crafts: (Grades 1 - 3)

  Expand your art experiences as we explore the five types of craft media: ceramic, metal, glass, wood and fiber. This week will combine visits with local artists and craftsmen in our region and hands-on practice using these media in different forms in our Harborlight art studio. Students may explore weaving, painting, carving, sculpting, beading, and more. Students will keep a reflection journal and present their art at the end of the week.

• Queen Victoria, Fact or Fiction: (Grades 6 - 8))

  During this week, the students will learn to analyze historical movies for “truth” and understand that only certain stories are told, and usually from one perspective. They will be able to watch other historical movies and understand the questions that should be asked. To begin the week, there will be a multi-media presentation about Queen Victoria and her life including a study of three movies covering different times in her life; “The Young Victoria”, “Mrs. Brown”, and “Victoria & Abdul.” Students will create a movie story board on a poster detailing one specific aspect of Queen Victoria's life they would like to tell in their own voice.

• Roller Coaster Science: (Grades 4 - 8)

  How to build a better Roller Coaster! Students will study the engineering design process to create a 3D model of a roller coaster that they will pitch to Six Flags Amusement Parks for 2024! There is a great need for research and development and Six Flags will be the ultimate physics and engineering lab.  
  
  Through this course students will be able to explain potential and kinetic energy, work in teams through the design process (including using time constraints and a budget), and market their projects through multi-media presentation, persuasive writing and speeches. During the showcase, invited parents and guests will be able to vote for the BEST COASTER for 2024!

• Signs of Summer: (Grades 1 - 3)

  During this week, students will explore our campus, coastlines, and neighboring habitats for signs of summer (officially June 21st!). Students will spend the week using their five senses to observe and record the changing of the seasons in places such as the woods, tide pools, and local gardens. At the end of the week, each one of them will find a medium to tell their story of summer in New England. 
  
  "Live in the sunshine, swim in the seam drink in the wild air." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

• The Art of Film Production: (Grades 4 - 8)

  This one-week collaboration between FC Academy Filmmaking (the creators of the Boston International Kids Film Festival) and Harborlight Montessori provides two distinct and intensive experiences in filmmaking and stop-motion animation for students in grades 4-8. 

  Stop-Motion Animation Only 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

  This one-week course provides an intensive experience in stop-motion animation. Stop-motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames is played back. Students will learn the principles of animation and produce a short film using objects found around the house and brought to class. The week will culminate in a presentation of their work for family and friends. *This course requires a touch screen device with access to the free app Stop Motion Studio (available for iPods, iPhones, iPads, Androids, etc).

  
  Filmmaking Only 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

  This one-week course provides an intensive experience in filmmaking. Students will work collaboratively to bring creativity to life in a fun, and exciting learning environment. Students will learn scriptwriting, storyboard sketching, improvisation, and camera skills. Together they will write, shoot, and edit a film in a genre of their choosing and edit their project together using the professional editing software Adobe Premiere. The week will culminate in a presentation of their work for family and friends.

• The Beauty and Science of Snowflakes: (Grades 1 - 3)

  Winter, the coldest season of the year, kicks-off our Going Out Experience Weeks annually. Plunging temperatures bring conditions for the perfect snowflake to take shape in this integrated week of study. Students will explore the principles of weather and climate that produce snow crystals, investigate the types of snowflakes through geometry of plane crystals, and appreciate the natural beauty that is both art and chemistry (a changing state of matter-H2O). The week will culminate in an art and storytelling presentation.

  
  “Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated.” - Wilson 'Snowflake' Bentley, Author of Snowflakes in Photography

   

• Travel Adventures: Florida Everglades (Grades 6 - 8)

  Pack your bags and EXPLORE YOUR WORLD. Students will travel on an adventure to Southern Florida and the Everglades.  Students registered for this Experience Week will be involved in the budgeting, planning, scheduling of reservations, and researching places to eat, sights to see, and recreation activities. 

• Vernal Pools, Life in Shallow Water: (Grades 1 - 3)

  The Audubon Society of Rhode Island has been known to call vernal pools in this area "wicked big puddles". Students will study what makes these 'puddles' special, from characteristic formation to disappearance to the creature that emerge, thrive, and breed uniquely in this habitat. An investigation into the creatures who depend on vernal pools with a focus on amphibians, invertebrates, and insects - and most especially the fairy shrimp. Trips out to the local wetlands and woodland hollows will focus on exploration, observation, and engendering an appreciation for the protection and conservation of the vernal pools and the forested uplands that create them. A presentation at the end of the week will be available to parents and guests. 

• Winter Wonders: (Grades 1 - 3)

  Winter, the coldest season of the year, kicks-off our Going Out Experience Weeks annually. Plunging temperatures and icy weather bring many changes all around campus and in our neighboring forests, oceans, and farms. Some animals migrate, while others seek other habitats because of changes in their food supply, and some hibernate.  Students, educators, and naturalists explore together the science and nature of winter including hibernation, migration, adaptation and more. Our campus and neighboring habitats provide venues for field observation and nature study. The week will culminate in an art and science presentation.

• Coastal Creatures: Create 3D Prints with BlocksCAD! (Grades 4 - 8)

  
  Design and 3D print through coding with the BlocksCAD 3D modeling program, while studying the coastal ecosystem of Magellanic Penguins with the staff of Lark Learning STEM. Beginning with the Japanese Paper Theater Story of the Penguin nesting in South America, and observation of migration, seasonal habitats and life cycles of coastal creatures, employ the basics of design, coding logic and movement, and engineer solutions to support the penguin ecosystem as a final project.

• Exploring Instrumental Music: Music Through Mentoring (Grades 1 - 3)

  
  Join the professional musicians of Harborlight’s music program for a week of solo and group music-making. Students currently taking instrumental lessons explore different styles of ensemble music and develop their technical and note reading skills. Those with little-to-no instrumental experience interact with a variety of instruments (piano, guitar, recorders, and percussion), to learn the basics of instrument playing and note reading, and small-group ensemble work. The week will culminate with a final performance.

• Revolutionaries in the Art World: From Research to Practice (Grades 4 - 9)

  
  Learn about artists who made a huge difference to international culture. Using the Peabody Essex and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museums as our classrooms, we will explore the context – the art, time period and the social structures – in place at the time that these artists worked. Students will apply their studies and observations to hands-on art projects building off of the work they have studied.

• The Earth Science of Geology: Exploration, Experimentation & Inspiration (Grades 1 - 3)

  
  Study geology through small group work, experiments, research, art, music and games. Field study will take place at Halibut Point State Park and the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Points of reference will include- rock formation study and specimen collection and classification. Mineral sketch books, rock painting and collage will allow students to discover rocks as an art medium and inspiration. Research and study of the economic impact of the granite industry on the North Shore will round out this interdisciplinary course.

• At the Water’s Edge: Eco-Poetics, Eco-Art and Coastal Ecology (Grades 4 - 8)

  
  Join Salem Sound Coastwatch for a series of interactive field trips designed to immerse students in the study of coastal ecology. We will plant eelgrass, conduct water testing and engage in a variety of stewardship activities to improve the health of the coastal ecosystem. Students will be challenged to express their observations and awareness through poetry and art. This course aims to inspire caring and respect for the environment, stimulate dialogue and encourage children to think about the long-term sustainability of their environment.

• The World Around Us: Embracing the North Shore (Grades 1 - 3)

  
  Take an in-depth look at our North Shore world, with its rich natural, cultural and human resources. Explore what makes the North Shore unique through a study of local biomes. This course will feature journaling, observation and reflection, and producing original art expressions. Bring a heightened awareness and perspective to the world we live in every day – gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of everything around us and a stronger sense of our place in the world.

• Mapping our Backyard: The Art and Science of Topography (Grades 4 - 8)

  
  Study a variety of maps (physical, political, topographic, climate) and learn how they are used to display information about the world around us. Working on campus and around the North Shore, students will orientate themselves to the area and create a variety of maps as a group and individually. A culminating project will be creating topographical maps, learning to represent contour and other topographical features using different colors, shaded relief, and color gradients, employing the knowledge and experience they have gained throughout the week.