PROJECT GALLERY
See some of our students' projects
The Escape Room Challenge
For their first project of the year, students worked in teams to create an escape room. Escape rooms are live-action team-based games where players discover clues and solve puzzles in order to "escape" from a room in a limited amount of time. This project challenged students to:
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Create an introduction video that effectively set the scene for their escape room. Students used camera angles, sound, and editing techniques that enhanced the production.
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Design puzzles that were challenging, yet solvable within the time alloted.
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Use storytelling to motivate curiosity. Students created characters and backstories for the puzzles.
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Use props, backdrops, sounds, and music to create an immersive experience.
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Collaborate effectively in a group by taking responsibility for oneself, helping the team, and following through on the agreements outlined in a team contract.
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Thoughtfully reflect on their learning and growth during the course of the project.
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The completed escape rooms were opened to the public at a showcase night. Check out the video
European History Children's Books
During this project for their English and World Cultures class, Empower Academy students went through the process of becoming published children's authors and illustrators. Students began by learning an overview of major events and people in European history. They were then challenged to become an expert on a specific event or person of interest to them. Each student created a rough storyline for a children's book that mirrored their historical event, and then turned that storyline into a published children's book. In addition to publishing their books for the world to see, students presented their finished products and shared their historical connections with their peers.
Students discovered that publishing a book pushed them beyond their comfort zones. Many of them were initially reluctant to allow their writing and drawing to be seen by a large audience. However, students learned about the growth mindset, and how taking on challenging work physically grows your brain, which increases your intelligence. They also discovered that publishing their work helps inspire them to put their best foot forward. Many students increased their focus on editing and revising, rather than simply settling for mistakes. Check out the bookstore
The Trebuchet Project
Students were tasked with creating a trebuchet, which was a common type of medieval siege engine that uses a swinging arm to throw a projectile. In completing this project, students met learning targets in Science, Math, English, and History. They learned topics in physics, motion, and computation. They also learned how to communicate their process through the medium of video. Finally, they researched conflicts in Africa and the Middle East and were asked to brainstorm solutions to these issues. The topics of their research serve as the "targets" for at Trebuchet Seige Night, a public event where students showcased their hard work by putting their work on display.
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