At 8:30 a.m. on February 24th, Cadwell Collaborative and two schools that we work with will collaborate on a presentation at the Green Schools Conference in West Palm Beach, FL. Two Reggio inspired schools, La Scuola in Miami and The St. Michael School of Clayton in St. Louis, will share highlights of their year-long, whole school investigation: What is food?

The presentation will offer participants a structure for this kind of investigation. Those who attend will understand how to:

• design a year-long inquiry around one compelling question

• build curriculum maps to plan, reflect on and communicate learning goals

• use daily journals and blogs to track student work and project development

• create documentation that assesses students' skills and understanding

• guide student work in ways that engage students in the community

This is a story of how two very different schools followed similar paths with their students. The story of their learning journeys and their collaboration make a compelling case that the 21st century skills of ecoliteracy, systems thinking, collaboration, creative problem solving, and youth engagement are critical and unifying themes of our time. What comes through most clearly in the stories that these two schools tell is that students of all ages, when guided into meaningful, relevant explorations are excited and motivated to discover and learn more. And, they are inspired to share what they've learned and to advocate for change.

If you are not aware of the Green Schools National Network, we recommend that you check it out.

If you are interested in designing curriculum based on critical themes of our time and 21st century skills, let us know. We'd love to work with you.