Austintown students build at Home Depot

By PAM JADUE

neighbors@vindy.com

Learning through real-world experiences leaves a lasting impression on students who participate in hands-on learning and take a finished project home in the process.

Austintown Middle School sixth- seventh- and eighth-grade students who are members of a cross-categorical classroom took a field trip Jan.15 to Home Depot as part of their alternate assessment project.

The activity allowed each student to construct a mini flag holder that was taken back to the classroom for finishing touches.

“There are 41 students in this program,” said AMS teacher Kari Knight. “The state of Ohio has designed Alternate Assessment as a way of measuring a student’s ability without the use of a paper-pencil test.

Teachers are required to observe the students during the process and examine the finished project to determine if the student has mastered the skill being evaluated.”

Home Depot provided the workshop and materials for free. The activity was designed to evaluate the student’s ability to follow directions.

Teachers and instructional aides were busy taking pictures of the students during various phases of the project that would later be used as part of the assessment process.

“The pictures show proof to the state that the activity was successfully completed,” said Knight.

As sixth-grade student Patrick Maguire quickly finished his project, he proudly showed his work.

“I am always building at my house, so I got done quickly,” he said.

Maguire then went on to discuss his project with his peers offering what he had learned in the process.

Classmate Alan Wheeler drew attention to his own finished project and the way he carefully lined up the wood and nails in his project to create a smooth finish.

“I was careful because I wanted it to be smooth,” he said.

Both boys enjoyed the project.

When the workshop session was completed, the students were treated to a tour of the facility giving them a look at various materials and building projects before returning to Austintown Middle School.