Creative, Capable Voices
Finally: Frog Hollow is expanding its immersive, creative language arts programming for older students!
The Teen Core Class deepens the Core Class’s exploration of language arts and nurtures students’ voices as they venture out into the world.
We mix creative and academic writing projects with active, social adventures outside and in the larger community, with the goal of helping students develop their writing/thinking skills and voices as active members of the class and the world.
The Details
Thursdays, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Ages 12-16
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center
Frog Hollow meets at the historic Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, near Longfellow Creek, Pigeon Point and other green spaces. With three floors of artist housing upstairs, as well as a host of community organizations on the main floor, Youngstown is a hub of cultural activity we get to plug into. The center is located just off the West Seattle Bridge, on Rapid Ride transit lines.
Our day
The day is a mix of writing projects, circle discussions, and active outdoor play/adventures, with a minimum of an hour outdoors. Art, music, social studies, and nature connection are woven through-out. Field trips, by transit or foot, are a regular part of the curriculum, as we bring learning out into the world.
Students should expect 1-2 hours of homework a week.
Teen Core Class Curriculum
Creative Exploration
Using creative writing as a core piece of the curriculum develops students’ voices and engages their imagination and problem-solving. Character building, metaphor, dialogue, plot, historical fiction, fantasy world-building, odes, comics, sonnets, nature observation, play writing, memoir: we will play with it all. Whether they are new to creative writing or enthusiastic about it, this is an encouraging space to take risks and have fun.
Language Arts that include the world
Our broad approach to language arts includes both classic and contemporary literature, as well as touching into social studies, art, music and nature studies. We use literature and writing as a way to engage with the world, and the world as fertilizer for our writing.
We will write persuasive, personal, and research essays throughout the year, articulating our opinions and engaging in civil dialogue about big ideas. Essays also give students space to practice organization and development of ideas, theses and arguments, critical thinking, and clear writing.
The curriculum also includes word roots and vocabulary, outlining and revision, grammar and proofreading skills, and plenty of word nerd fun.
Active minds
Each day includes time playing outdoors or other larger excursions to get our minds and bodies moving. Outdoor adventures, service learning, and field trips in the community ground the academics in hands-on, real-world experiences, developing students’ understanding of the world and their sense of agency and belonging.
We will watch for salmon in Longfellow Creek, explore the trails (and watch for owls) in Pigeon Point, and play hard at Delridge Playfield. Field trips may include helping with restoration work in the parks we love, visiting the Duwamish Longhouse Cultural Center, writing in the Frye Art Museum, and more.
Social Learning
A strong emphasis on social-emotional learning help students practice healthy social dynamics, conflict resolution, and belonging. Group projects develop collaborative skills and active outdoor time allows for the consistent, in-person social interactions adolescents need and love.
As students feel out who they are and how they fit in the world, Frog Hollow works to make a space where they are enthusiastically accepted for who they are and asked to be their kindest, most curious, and engaged selves.
FROG HOLLOW SCHOOL 