Montessori high school | Cottonwood College Prep Academy (CCPA) https://www.cottonwoodhs.org A Montessori-inspired FREE public charter high school in El Dorado Hills Thu, 27 Feb 2025 15:43:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://i0.wp.com/www.cottonwoodhs.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/cropped-owl-favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Montessori high school | Cottonwood College Prep Academy (CCPA) https://www.cottonwoodhs.org 32 32 216249625 CCPA Student Documentaries in the Making https://www.cottonwoodhs.org/2025/03/03/ccpa-student-documentaries-in-the-making/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ccpa-student-documentaries-in-the-making Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:30:24 +0000 https://www.cottonwoodhs.org/?p=16489 Our 11th and 12th graders are deep in the production process for their powerful documentary project, “Peacemakers & Conflict in the U.S.” After weeks of planning, researching, and scheduling, they have officially started filming. These student-driven documentaries explore historical and modern-day conflicts, highlighting the individuals and movements that have worked toward peace. To bring their stories to life, students are conducting interviews with staff, community members, and even local experts in their chosen topics. As they gather information and shape their narratives, students are diving into every aspect of documentary filmmaking. All their hard work and creativity will come together at the CCPA Film Fest on March 18th at 6:00 pm, where they’ll showcase their films for the community. We can’t wait to see their powerful stories on the big screen!

If you know a high schooler who would love to be part of unique, hands-on projects like this next school year, now is the time to learn more about CCPA! Our Montessori-inspired hybrid charter high school in El Dorado Hills, CA, offers engaging, real-world learning experiences that prepare students for the future. Contact us today at (530) 285-2003 or ccpa@cottonwoodk12.org to learn more about the 2025 – 2026 school year!

]]> 16489 Project-Based Learning Highlights at CCPA https://www.cottonwoodhs.org/2024/11/08/project-based-learning-highlights-at-ccpa/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=project-based-learning-highlights-at-ccpa Fri, 08 Nov 2024 17:00:04 +0000 https://www.cottonwoodhs.org/?p=15685 Projects are underway at CCPA! This week, the 11th and 12th grade classes wrapped up a Mock Election unit that focused on the following question: What strategies and resources can we use to become an informed and educated voter who makes thoughtful and responsible decisions in elections? The night had a great turnout, with families and members of the community from El Dorado Hills, Folsom, and the greater Sacramento area participating. They practiced voting after listening to students present their research on assigned propositions, using argumentative reasoning, research, and rhetorical devices. The 11th and 12th graders also shared election campaigns for the fictional characters “Jack,” “Piggy,” “Ralph,” and “Simon” from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, discussing who they believed would be the best leader for a group of boys stranded on a deserted island. This project is a prime example of CCPA’s hybrid high school approach, integrating project-based learning with critical thinking.

Meanwhile, the 9th and 10th grade classes are in the middle of their “Growing Solutions” project, which challenges them to construct a raised bed with vegetables and other plants to answer the essential question: How can raised bed gardens be used to promote community engagement, environmental stewardship, and food security? Students have been exploring the development of our food system and evaluating perspectives on its current state. They are addressing food needs by designing and constructing raised garden beds, embodying the project-based learning model that CCPA’s hybrid high school is known for. Additionally, students will create a website for a restaurant—including menus and a restaurant history—based on the produce they choose to grow in their garden beds. At the mock election night, our CCPA community members were able to preview prototypes of the raised garden beds showcased in the Innovation Lab.

This unique approach to learning emphasizes community engagement and hands-on projects, embodying CCPA’s mission to deliver meaningful, project-based learning experiences to students in the El Dorado, Sacramento, and Placer counties.

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