Where Curiosity Meets Purpose: The Middle School Capstone at SRDS + OPEN HOUSE October 23rd

As a college preparatory school whose students expect to attend the most selective colleges and universities, it is critical that Saddle River Day School gives its students the knowledge and expertise that will prepare them to successfully research, write, and present academic papers in the Upper School, the SRDS Gateway Diploma program, and beyond. 

Because we believe that practice makes progress, the process of teaching our students these critical skills begins in the Middle School with our 4-year, scaffolded Capstone curriculum. Our Capstone projects are aligned with our science studies and are informed by both our mission and our core values. They are designed to teach and strengthen research and writing skills, develop presentation skills, encourage personalized learning, and inspire intellectual risk-taking. 

The first step is, of course, learning how to research. So SRDS 5th graders spend the year learning the basics, from how to find a good source, taking notes, gathering and compiling information, and then organizing that information into a culminating design project that encourages curiosity, experimentation, and creative problem-solving. In the past, the student project was a board game focused on a Science topic of their choice. Last year, with the focus on space, a student researched Mars rovers and designed a game that simulated its exploration path. 

After students have the basics of research down, they use those skills in the 6^th grade to implement one of the SRDS Core Values, Love Of Learning, by teaching themselves a skill or topic they want to know more about. Students then share their findings in both an in-person presentation and by creating a website or other digital supplement to their project. 

SRDS’s Technology Integration Specialist, Jeremy Orr, encourages students to think beyond Google slides by teaching them Scratch, a block based coding language developed at MIT, that enables students to build a video that explains why they chose to research and learn their particular topic. Student creativity is encouraged as they record dramatic reenactments of their learning curve to be shared via video or even virtual reality experiences on presentation day. The varied interests of previous SRDS 6th grade classes have included learning photography and curating a photo exhibit, building video games and apps, and learning how to run a successful business.

Guided by another SRDS Core Value, Everyone Counts, in 7th grade, students turn their attention to their community and choose an issue, whether it be a school issue, a local issue, or a global issue, and propose a solution to the problem. Students are asked to explore why the issue is a problem and then gather data, creating graphs and charts of evidence that illustrates their theory. Then students are charged with writing a short research paper, presenting their findings, and again supplementing their findings with a website, a video, or a virtual reality experience completed in collaboration with their digital literacy class.

Students in our 7th grade have proven themselves to be aware, conscientious, and empathetic by presenting on topics including bullying, body image, accessibility tools for students with disabilities, and vertical gardens and water shortages. In one case, a student’s digital component entailed building an entire virtual city in order to present his ideas on improving pedestrian safety. 

Finally, in 8th grade, students reference the SRDS Mission to be ethical global citizens and take on a comprehensive research paper and presentation that addresses one of the United Nations Sustainability Goals. Integrating all their prior knowledge of research and discovery, they embark on mission-driven inquiry as they are asked to reflect on the question, “What kind of future world do I want to live in and what role can I play in achieving it?” It’s the question all good scientists ask themselves when considering the research they want to pursue and our 8th graders are given the opportunity to start thinking now about the impact they want to have in the future. Students in the past have partnered with a car company to design a model car powered by alternative energy, researched food waste and developed a school-wide composting program and collaborated with One Drop Foundation to bring awareness about improving access to water and to promote its responsible use.  

The skills students develop over the course of their Middle School Capstone projects are life-long. Students learn critical and design thinking, they learn to problem-solve, write clearly and succinctly, speak in public, present evidence, collaborate, and manage their project timeline. 

But that’s just the beginning. Because the most important thing our Middle School students learn is their own mind. In deciding on a topic that is meaningful to them, and researching and reporting on something that is individualized and personal, they are also finding out who they are, what they value, and how they want to show up in the world. It is this knowledge that will guide and benefit them long after their projects have been presented.

VISIT SADDLE RIVER DAY SCHOOL

• Grades K-12 Open House - Thursday, October 23rd at 6:00 pm

• Grades 9-12 Information Session and Tour - Tuesday, November 11th at 9:00 am

• Early Childhood Open House (Pre-K and K) - Monday, November 3rd at 9:00 am

• Grades 5-8 Middle School Visit on December 5th at 8:30 am

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR EVENTS

Now is the right time to invest in your child's education. At SRDS we teach students how to think and not what to think, and we prepare students to be innovators, thinkers, and leaders.

To register for an event, please email or call Kris Sweeny in the Office of Admissions ksweeny@saddleriverday.org or (201) 327-4050.

Saddle River Day School

Pre-K3 to Grade 12

147 Chestnut Ridge Road  •  Saddle River, NJ 07458  •  Tel: 201.327.4050

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About Saddle River Day School

Established in 1957, Saddle River Day School is a Pre-K3 through grade 12, co-ed, independent school serving just under 600 students. The school provides a robust curriculum and inspires students to achieve academic and personal excellence by teaching them how to think and not what to think. Each division (Lower PreK3-4th; Middle 5th-8th; Upper 9th-12th) offers a signature yearlong research program.

Saddle River Day also offers 30+ advanced placement and honors level courses, a full range of visual and performing arts as well as interscholastic athletics (grades 6th-12th), and highly individualized college counseling to encourage students to discover their passions and prepare them for whatever comes next. SRDS graduates are thriving at colleges like Duke, Columbia, Cornell, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Northwestern, Villanova and Wake Forest.

For more information about the project or Saddle River Day School, please visit saddleriverday.org.