The Mendon-Upton Regional School District has established a bold vision for learning that encourages innovation, learning experiences that ignite personal passions, and the reimagination of past practices. One of the access points to implementing our strategic plan, Inspire, is the MURSD Portrait of a Learner - a compilation of the skills, knowledge, and dispositions needed by all students to succeed in the world beyond our classrooms.
As a community, we recognize the value of guiding students in the journey to become mindful learners, effective communicators, inspired innovators, solution seekers, skillful collaborators, and global citizens. Although we share excitement about this opportunity, we also recognize that this aspirational goal will require us to adopt new, innovative practices in order to bring our vision to life.
As a community, we recognize the value of guiding students in the journey to become mindful learners, effective communicators, inspired innovators, solution seekers, skillful collaborators, and global citizens. Although we share excitement about this opportunity, we also recognize that this aspirational goal will require us to adopt new, innovative practices in order to bring our vision to life.
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Introducing Learning Adventures
As we embrace a spirit of innovation to implement the Portrait of a Learner, we are excited to introduce “Learning Adventures”. Learning adventures are non-traditional, active, and memorable learning experiences that encourage us to make our strategic plan actionable. Learning adventures provide an innovative alternative to traditional school work. There is a direct link between the concept of Learning Adventures and the specific elements of our strategic plan.
Learning Adventures are:
Learning Adventures are:
- Non-traditional because our district’s vision asks us to “reimagine education to align with our beliefs our beliefs about learning.
- Collaborative and social because “we believe that learning happens through meaningful collaboration among students, educators, families, and the larger community.”
- Amplified by technology because our vision asks us to “leverage technology to communicate, collaborate, and innovate.”
- Linked to the real world because our vision asks us to “engage students, parents, educators, and the community in an ongoing partnership focused on learning.”
- Focused on reflection and growth rather than achievement because our vision asks us to “expand our definition of success beyond traditional metrics to celebrate the diverse talents, interests, accomplishments, and growth of the learner”.
- Unique to Mendon-Upton because our vision asks us to “lead innovation.”
- Driven by students’ interests and curiosities because MURSD’s vision asks us to “inspire meaningful learning that ignites individual passions”.
MUEF Learning Adventures Grant
The “PreK-12 Learning Adventures: Bringing the MURSD Portrait of a Learner to Life” grant will provide a meaningful, active, and innovative opportunity for students and teachers across all schools in the district to explore the portrait of a learner together.
Beginning in November a group of four students from Clough Elementary, four students from Memorial Elementary, eight students from Miscoe, eight students from Nipmuc, and educators across all grade levels will begin a year-long journey to create and explore a learning adventure of their own.
Their work will include two full-day workshops in which they build relationships, explore the portrait of a learner, design a Learning Adventure, and bring that adventure to life. Following adventure, the group will work together to capture a digital portfolio of their experience and their learning. It is our hope that they not only create a fun, lasting, and powerful learning experience but also that they serve as ambassadors for how our district is bringing an innovative vision for learning to life.
Beginning in November a group of four students from Clough Elementary, four students from Memorial Elementary, eight students from Miscoe, eight students from Nipmuc, and educators across all grade levels will begin a year-long journey to create and explore a learning adventure of their own.
Their work will include two full-day workshops in which they build relationships, explore the portrait of a learner, design a Learning Adventure, and bring that adventure to life. Following adventure, the group will work together to capture a digital portfolio of their experience and their learning. It is our hope that they not only create a fun, lasting, and powerful learning experience but also that they serve as ambassadors for how our district is bringing an innovative vision for learning to life.
The Possibilities Are Endless.
There is no limit to the number of possible learning adventures for our learners. Included below are several examples that capture the spirit and intentions of learning adventures.
Learn to SailThe team travels to Lewis Bay in Hyannis to learn to sail. After receiving on-shore instruction from Sail Cape Cod, students test their skills in the bay with the goal of self-navigating the waters by the conclusion of the training session. Each boat includes a student from each grade level and an adult. The sailing session would be taught/supervised by trainers from Sail Cape Cod.
The sailing adventure will allow students to study physics, earth science, related literature, and historical events with a maritime connection. 
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Climb a MountainThe team travels to Mount Major in Alton, NH where they meet up with a ranger from New Hampshire State Parks to learn hiking tips and information about the mountain. As a team, they determine a plan to share the leadership of the hike.
The climb to the top of the mountain will allow them to explore curricular topics such as earth science, conservation, ecology and populations, related literature, and New England history. 
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Urban Research AdventureThe team travels to Riverside Station in Newton where their adventure begins. They will need to split up on an “Amazing Race” style mission to explore the historical roots of a relevant social issue. Using public transportation, they will travel separately to research locations (Boston Public Library, Freedom Trail, Harvard’s campus, Boston Common, etc) to conduct their research.
This adventure will provide students with the chance to explore historical concepts, literary studies, research skills, and more. 
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Timeline of the Learning Adventures Grant
Beginning this fall with the establishment of the team and ending in late spring 2020 with a showcase of learning, we are excited about the journey of the year ahead as we embark on our "Pre-K - 12 Learning Adventure."
Interested in being a part of the ADVENTURE?
We're looking for student and faculty volunteers to join our adventure. Learn to sail? Climb a mountain? Explore an urban adventure? You will choose your own adventure!
Our Learning Adventure team will participate at no charge in the following:
Our Learning Adventure team will participate at no charge in the following:
- Team-building and Adventure Brainstorming Full day session where our adventure team will get to know each other and begin their planning.
- Adventure Build-up Day This full-day event will help our adventure team to go from idea to action as they plan the final details of the Learning Adventure.
- Learning Adventure Day! Scheduled for spring 2020, our team will depart the district to the destination of their Learning Adventure.
- Learning Adventure Portfolio The adventure team will work together to create a portfolio that captures their learning in a way that can be shared with students, teachers, parents, and the community.
- Showcase of Learning Our Learning Adventures team will share the outcome of their adventure with the community.
Applications for the Learning Adventure team have now closed.
