• Current Workshop: No Ordinary Sport

     

    Focus Question: What can happen when athletes challenge themselves in extreme ways?

    What’s significant about No Ordinary Sport?

    Many people enjoy participating in sports, but extreme athletes take sports to a new level. These athletes perform daredevil stunts to test their personal and emotional endurance. From free climbing in Yosemite to urban acrobatics, extreme athletes form a fearless breed of their own. The athletes described in this Workshop are exhilarated by the challenges of what they do, but are the rewards of their sports worth the risks?

     

    The Workshop Arc

    In this Workshop, students will explore extreme sports that have developed cult followings among young people. The first text provides readers with background information on what motivates extreme athletes. A nonfiction drama follows in which students are introduced to real-life free climbers who successfully reached the top of El Capitan using only their hands, feet, and bodies. The Workshop continues with a three-part news article centered on the benefits and risks of Tough Mudder, a hardcore obstacle course. Students end the Workshop by reading a final news article about parkour—a fast-paced sport that blends acrobatics and gymnastics. Throughout the Workshop, students assess whether the risks of extreme sports outweigh the benefits.

  • Course Overview: Read 180

    Read 180 is a course with an emphasis on reading comprehension and writing skills. The Read 180 program is a specialized curriculum using whole group instruction, small group instruction, individualized computer components, and independent reading rotations to assist in improving your reading and comprehension skills.

     

    Equipment and materials, including computers, headphones/microphones, independent books, and your Read 180 book are expensive and must be handled carefully and responsibly. School policy will be followed regarding the loss or misuse of materials and/or technology.