During the latest Outside-the-Box (OTB) Day on Mon., Mar. 11, while the eighth grade was downtown immersed in its study of U.S. government, the seventh grade had its attentions focused much farther south and further back in time. The Gr. 7 Atlantic Crossing OTB Day helped students delve deeply into exploration of Latin America and the Columbian Exchange.
Girls had opportunities to participate in a variety of hands-on interdisciplinary activities both on and off campus. In the morning, they learned about the geography of Latin America by creating topographical maps, and explored the Columbian Exchange through the lens of a popular treat: chocolate! In the former workshop, students created 3-D topographical maps in teams of two using dyed salt dough and other materials. They were given an outline of Latin America stretching south from the southern U.S. border and were asked to focus on the mountains of Mexico, the volcanoes in Mexico and Guatemala, the Andes, and the Amazon River Basin. In the session on chocolate, students examined artifact reproductions to learn how the Maya and Aztec used and viewed cacao. After following the travel of chocolate to Spain and the changes in its consumption rituals, students then compared the ancient ideas with the way chocolate is presented in modern advertising. Finally, students worked together grinding cacao nibs and chilies on volcanic rock, adding maize and water, to create a frothy chocolate drink that approximated the "bitter water" of the Aztec.
In the afternoon, students headed downtown for further exploration and adventure. On the bus ride, they collaborated to crack the code of Mayan glyphs. Then at the Botanical Gardens, they sketched plants native to Latin America and examined how the variety of climates in Central and South America contributes to their flora biodiversity. A scavenger hunt through the Inka Road exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian allowed students to see the technology and culture of the Inka Empire. To finish the day, the eighth grade arrived back on campus and celebrated its new knowledge with Kahoot! and live quiz games.
View photo highlights from the Atlantic Crossing OTB Day on-campus activities below: