October 23, 2024
The MPA Preview on November 3, 12:30-2 PM, is a signature PreK-12 event designed to introduce prospective families to the faculty, students, and families who make MPA the exceptional learning community it is. You’ll hear from a variety of perspectives, engage in conversation with academic leaders, experience mini-lessons taught by expert teachers, and leave with a much better understanding of the MPA way.
Explore the mini-lesson sessions at each division level that will be taught!
Lower School
Marble Roll
with fourth-grade teachers DeeDee Stacy and Yamini Kimmerle and Makerspace coordinator Keith Braafladt
Ready, set, roll! This beloved Makerspace activity requires teamwork, creativity, patience, and enthusiasm. This activity is best for students exploring grades 3-4.
Coloring The Seasons With Pastels
with kindergarten teachers Kristine Petersen and Katie Roche
This activity mirrors a fall project in kindergarten, where we explore and celebrate the seasons by visiting our pond. We will observe and record changes and create art to show what we see. This activity is best for students exploring PreK-kindergarten.
Seesaw Scavenger Hunt
with director of academic technology Michael Moran
Experience how Mr. Moran helps teachers integrate the technologies and education-tech tools of the moment into their classrooms. Students in this session will capture photos, resize images, and navigate Seesaw all while looking for items and objects around the classroom, scavenger hunt-style. This activity is best for students exploring grades kindergarten-grade 2.
Sensory Exploration for Early Learners
with PreK teachers Jennifer Jasinski and Hannah Halvorson
We are eager to have you visit PreK for sensory exploration! Explore the PreK room at MPA with our PreK teachers, where joyful learning happens every day, and experience what makes PreK here magical. This activity is best for students exploring PreK.
Middle School
Tarte aux Fruits: French Language and Culture
with fifth-grade French teacher Liz DesLauriers
Learn French vocabulary and language structures in this French session! We will also talk about the cultural significance of the patisserie in France. At the end of the lesson, students make a simplified version of a tarte aux fruits. Students will ask for the fruit they would like to include on their tarte in French, decorate, and then eat or take it in a to go box.
Terrific Table Ball
with physical education teachers Tim Sheehan and Mike Scinto
Get ready to move, play, and laugh! Table Ball works on individual striking skills and techniques, reaction time, small-sided game strategies, and the ability to collaborate with others.
Setting The Stage To Thrive: Academics, Executive Function, & More
with Middle School director Paul Errickson and assistant director Patti Meras
Dive into how Middle School students dream big, do right, and think independently in an inclusive environment. We’ll cover topics such as academics, executive function skill development, advisory, Fifth Grade Academy, activities, flex time, student support, and more!
Introduction to 3D-Modeling
with curriculum and technology integration specialist Sean Andrews
Learn how TinkerCad’s simple, intuitive interface makes 3D-modeling accessible to beginners of all ages. We’ll cover how to create, modify, and combine shapes to build functional designs and explore how these skills foster creativity and problem-solving. This session will provide a glimpse into the world of CAD and show how TinkerCad serves as a fun, hands-on learning tool for students.
Upper School
Pinch Pots: Understanding Materials
with ceramics teacher Ursula Hargens
In this introductory lesson, we will pinch and expand a clay ball into a simple pot. We will observe and experience the material qualities of clay, learn relevant vocabulary, and discuss how an abstract form can have character or gesture.
Coding With Octostudio
with PreK-12 librarian Stephanie Kollm
In this interactive activity, explore the fundamentals of coding using the dynamic Octostudio platform on iPads. Designed for all skill levels, this coding challenge will empower students to unleash their creativity through coding while also fostering problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Chemical Reactions Challenge
with science teacher Hannah Sullivan
This lesson will require skillful observation–are you up for the challenge? You will see and experience how Upper School scientists participate in labs, mixing colorful chemicals and analyzing all of the different reactions that they make.
Unpacking Poetry
with English teacher Lauren Drake and social studies teacher Jane O’Halloren
Join English and social studies faculty members to analyze Ada Limon’s “Instructions on Not Giving Up.” Students will get a snapshot of what an English course might look like in terms of skill and content, including how students dive deeper into content knowledge, various poetic forms, and themes, uncovering the meanings behind the words.
