Exhibition
One of the most exciting parts of Innovation Lab – and the most stressful – is the exhibition. The first exhibition is often a revelation for students because they realize what it means to have a real, live audience for their work. We are so fortunate to have this opportunity built into our program. Last year was my first year with InLab, and I experienced the firsts alongside my students. This year, I found I had the same sense of urgency and anticipation as the kids, even though I knew what to expect.
Our December exhibition, originally slated to be a documentary film screening for tenth grade only, evolved into a major Humanities Showcase incorporating all four cohorts, two of which (ninth and tenth grade) are new to Innovation Lab and had never been a part of an exhibition before. Here’s the rundown:
Freshmen: Berlin Memorial Park & Passion Projects
InLab ninth graders became historians, artists, and urban planners to create a memorial park in Berlin. In teams, they researched, curated, designed, and presented monuments to explain what Germany’s journey from Unification to World War to Partition to Reunification. Beautiful, moving designs provoked thoughtful questions from guests throughout the evening.
Passion projects included a homemade guitar, repurposed fashion, scientific examination of the chocolate chip cookie, game designs, and much more. Students were impressed by the work of their peers and inspired to go right back into the “lab” and get to work on another project.
Sophomores: The Teen Agenda, A Documentary Film
The sophomore humanities class collaborated on a single-issue documentary film. Students studied history and the methods of persuasion that make a compelling argument. They then identified a common local concern and spent the first quarter researching and developing their argument. The result is The Teen Agenda, a film that explores students’ need for teen spaces in Greenwich. The film was received with great enthusiasm by guests, several of whom are bringing it to their own community organizations as they work to meet the needs of local teens. Guests included interviewees who have already begun to incorporate the tenth graders’ ideas and questions into their planning.
Juniors: In the Pursuit of Change: PSA
Media messages are fleeting, so 11th graders explored how short public service announcements can inspire action to improve a 21st-century problem. Students researched their selected topic, investigated the current role of government in ameliorating the issue, and used rhetorical devices, ethos, pathos, and logos, to persuade the viewer in a call to action. Tough topics demand clear, strong voices to address them, and that’s what we got!
Seniors: Social Science Research Works in Progress
Even half-way through their projects, seniors impressed with their enthusiasm and presentation skills. It was a treat to see the continuum of learning from ninth to twelfth grade. Seniors displayed projects in-process through their first-semester social science research projects with a focus on bias and uncovering the truth.
Exhausting and Exhilarating
On the way to completing their first projects, our ninth and tenth graders did just what we expected: they stumbled, they ran into walls, they got bored, and they got frustrated. Then, they recalibrated and developed stamina, they reflected and asked to start again, they made honest assessments of the project results but, more important, of their own learning. In a future post, we’ll highlight some of the reflection comments from our students, but for now…here are a few images from behind the scenes and at the big event.
And a link to the coverage by the Greenwich Time.
GHS Innovation Lab 