BrewsterConnections(PDF) - Brewster Academy

Project-Based
Learning Evolves
have learned to mesh our ideas together to create one we both agree on,”
Adam added.
second attempt was more successful and Adam noted that a visit might
help them determine just what not to do.
Learning best practices in research skills from
the librarians and the necessity of strong time
management are other learned skills that have been
helpful with their project.
The boys admitted that there is still a lot of grey
area in the project and that the hardest part of the
project would be to determine how the fuel would be
harvested.
They still need to figure out what container will be used for the
composting and harvesting. They were planning a visit to a regional
company that initially had failed at building just such a container but a
We want to be able to
toast marshmallows for
our classmates during
our presentation.
They were also planning to seek guidance from
alumnus Josh Arnold ’01, executive director of
G.A.L.A. (Global Awareness Local Action). “GALA’s
wide knowledge of energy efficient resources will
surely help us when we go forward with our project,”
Adam said.
By late spring, when Brady and Adam have to
present their biomass generator project, they hope it will be a roast of
sorts, serving their classmates marshmallows roasted from the heat of the
generator. “I’m hoping that if we make an efficient generator, we can share
it with the community and another group can evolve the project to find an
efficient way to save money and energy,” Brady said.
Mackenzie Boardman’s Medical Internship
I
chose an internship because it relates to more of what I’m interested
in doing, studying orthopedic medicine. I’d rather enjoy and be
interested in what I’m researching than feel like I’m being forced to
do a project.
During March break, I’m planning to intern back home in Anchorage,
Alaska, with a gastroenterologist. Hopefully it’ll involve shadowing him
and will allow me to ask plenty of questions of what it took to be where
he’s at now, what it takes to become a doctor, and also what his daily life
as a gastroenterologist is like.
For my classmates with
an interest in the field of
medicine, hopefully my
final presentation will
assure them of that career
choice or possibly the work
environment I learn about
may cause some students to
change ideas about studying
medicine.
I hope my internship
will help show me
what it takes to
become a doctor
and both the pros
and cons of being a
doctor.
Throughout different classes
at Brewster I have had to
do numerous presentations. Mackenzie Boardman
From these I’ve gained
experience in speaking clearly and maintaining eye contact during a
presentation. I have also learned numerous ways to present information
using technology, which gives me a freedom to choose how I want to
present my information.
8 BrewsterConnections – Spring 2012