What does a Zombie Apocalypse and a Paper Roller Coaster have in common? They are both design challenges that Kavod students have mastered in school this year.
Our captivating hands-on projects engage students at all levels right here in San Diego at our prestigious tuition-free TK-8 public charter school. The most exciting part? Kavod students rise to the challenge of learning and growing with high expectations and a growth mindset!
Our robust academic program for 6th-8th is organized around the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP). Kavod Explorers rotate through classes during their day, including Integrated Science & Design! Let’s take a peek into Middle School STEM at Kavod Charter School!
It’s a Trap!
Our students were given the engineering challenge of Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse. The goal? To build their own Zombie Trap using Sir Isaac Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. Kavod students constructed a Rube Goldberg Machine utilizing each of the three laws of motion, including an engineer design creating their own Zombie Trap prototype!
Academic rigor at Kavod shines through as one of our explorers shared how this project taught them more than just science:
“During this project, I learned all about Newton’s Laws of Motion and how simple machines are used in our everyday lives; we just don’t take notice of it. Also, out in the greenhouse, I learned how to use power tools such as a screwdriver and a saw.”
When working on a project may feel tough, do Kavod students give up? No. Kavod students don’t shy away from a challenge. With their heads held high, they are eager to take on a challenge and persevere: “The most challenging part of this project was actually building the machine. It was simple in theory, but it took many tries to actually get it to work.”
After this Kavod student conquered this challenging science project, they were ready to apply what they have learned to the real world: “I feel like actually applying Newton’s three of the laws because when actually building our Rube Goldberg I understood the difficulties that we have to endure and then have an idea of how we can solve them.”
For the Thrill of It!
This school year, Kavod students also had the exciting opportunity to design and build a rollercoaster for the wonderful world of marbletown. Using energy conservation and physics, while budgeting their design, the roller coaster project took on a symbolic meaning along the way.
As they put the roller coaster together piece by piece, we couldn’t help but see the vivid metaphor for middle school itself! Just as Kavod explorers meticulously plan and build their roller coaster, anticipating the twists and turns, they are also navigating the unpredictable highs and lows of being an adolescent.
The excitement of a successful design mirrors the exhilaration of new friends and achievements, and those unexpected challenges can set them back. But Kavod middle school students, using perseverance, power through these challenges, working together, and coming out stronger. A perfect example of how Kavod helps develop curious and high achieving middle school students.
“I learned about the process of design and how you can start with one idea and end up with something completely different as more ideas come to you along the way.”
Structured and joyful learning are just a few pieces that make Kavod so special. Students learned much more than just engineering and physics: “Collaboration was an important part of this project because sometimes you cannot do things on your own and sometimes you need a little help from others which was an awesome part about doing this project in a group.”
Ready for your child to experience a high quality level of learning from committed TK-8 teachers, all tuition-free? We still have a few spots available, and hope you will join us. Enroll today!
About Kavod
Kavod is a tuition-free public charter school in San Diego committed to growing the next generation of bilingual, globally aware leaders who will make the world a more respectful place. We offer modern Hebrew and Spanish to diverse TK-8th graders alongside a rigorous curriculum, the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, and enriching electives. As a small, non-religious elementary and middle school, we are consistently ranked as a top 10% charter school in California and the nation. Kavod means respect – we believe respect makes a world of difference. Enroll with Kavod today!
