The story of iBlocks, as told by: Brianna Bryson, Seventh Grade Student*

My name is Brianna, and I’m in seventh grade. I’m one of the lucky students that gets to be a part of Ms. Hope’s iBlock – although I’m not sure if I thought I was lucky at first. To start off, the iBlock was about a car, and I’m not really a car person. If I had to pick the subject I was best in, I’d say Art – never Science. So, I guess I don’t have to tell you the other reason I wasn’t very excited was because it sounded like it was an AP course for kids that love Science. What about the kids that are afraid to look at their science tests when they get them back?

Well, turns out I was totally wrong. There is nothing scary about the iBlock. In fact, it’s really fun. All the students are able to work together and think together and even sit together, which are things we don’t always get to do. Every lesson is different, but each one teaches us something we need to know about the autonomous car we are supposed to design as our final project.

I think my favorite thing about the iBlock is that each student is able to contribute something different to the final project. The students that are really good with math are helping us figure out the “mathy” parts of the car design, and the students that like to write are making our marketing brochure of the car. And me? Art is my strong subject, so I am the “design lead” and helping with how the car will look, the colors we should use, and how we would sell it.

Here’s the funny thing, though. We’ve got a few weeks to go before we finish the project, and I already feel like I’m doing better in Science. It’s not like I’m turning into a genius or anything, but just like Ms. Hope said, applying the things we are learning – like aerodynamics, for example – makes it so much easier to understand. All of a sudden, Science stopped being about memorizing things that made my head hurt, and became something that was an important part of the world around me.

Check back next week to hear more about Mulberry Middle School…

Miss last week’s installment? Read Part 1!

*This is a work of fiction that tells the story of iBlocks and how they could function in a school and impact student outcomes.

An iBlock (or instructional block) is a unique learning pathway that’s custom-built for your students. Together, we’ll create an iBlock that enables your students to explore, invent, and build the 21^st century skills they need to be successful in their academic and professional careers.

Learn more at teq.com/iblocks.