Letters to the Military
In high school our AVID students will be required to complete community service hours. When we informed our 7th grade AVID students about this, they seemed to be a bit confused as to what qualified as community service. Therefore, we decided to introduce our AVID students to community service by having them write letters to the military. Their first letter was required as an assignment, but we encouraged our AVID students to write more letters at home in order to truly participate in community service by giving up their own time for the benefit of another.
After watching a video about how appreciative members of the military feel when they are thanked for their service, and allowing students to share about their many family members that have served in the military, students began working on a rough draft of their letters.
After the students completed their rough drafts, they rewrote their letters, mounted them on colorful paper, and decorated them in order to send a warm and happy thank you to our military!
Army Men Launchers
With a cup, a strip of tape, six popsicle sticks, a piece of string, a rubber band, and a spoon, students had to collaborate with their partner to create a contraption that would launch a plastic toy army man. Students tested and then modified their designs; competing to see who could launch their toy army man the farthest.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
During Fall Quarter, AVID students got the chance to visit CSU Monterey and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The students loved getting out of the classroom and seeing penguins, jellyfish, hammerhead sharks and more! At CSU Monterey, AVID students toured the campus and learned about the many opportunities that the university offered to incoming freshmen.
Agendas, Binders, Tutorials and More!
AVID students work to keep their agendas updated and organized so that they can keep track of all their school assignments and extra curricular activities!
Organized binders help AVID students keep track of all of their resources for the many different classes that they are enrolled in.
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Here is a sample of a TRF (Tutorial Request Form) that students complete on specific questions or concepts that they do not fully understand. Students then present their TRF's to a group of their peers who ask them guiding questions to aid them in coming to a deeper understanding.
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Tutorials
When it heats up, tutorials get moved outside of the classroom! In their tutorial groups, students use Costa's Levels of Questioning to ask guiding questions that aid their peers in solving their point of confusion and deepening their understanding.
AVID Olympics!
AVID Olympics is a time when students get to go outside and participate in collaborative activities that require them to communicate with one another and work as a team to complete silly, but engaging tasks!
College Pendants
Students chose a college they were interested in learning more about and then researched key facts about that school. They then compiled their information and created a college pendant with visuals and color to make it aesthetically pleasing!
Conversation Hearts About AVID!
In this collaborative activity, students had to work with their groups to write a letter to their AVID teacher, binder, agenda or TRF using conversation hearts. Students got very creative with their use of the conversation hearts and produced some hilarious letters!